Everglades Airboat Tour: A Unique Adventure!

What are the Everglades?

“There are no other Everglades in the world.” – Marjory Stoneman Douglas  (“The Everglades: River of Grass” 1947)

The Everglades were the first nationally protected land in the country and they contain a complex web of ecosystems.  Marjory Stoneman Douglas was the fearless woman credited with saving the Everglades from demise.  She fought to preserve and restore the land that developers were attempting to drain and modify. They were wanting to grow crops there year round and develop the land.  But when the wet season arrived, the area flooded, just as it did every year.  The Everglades provide a home to many animals including alligators, cranes, birds, and fish.  Luckily, Everglades Airboat tours are available so that you’ll be able to experience this grand adventure for yourself.

Best time to visit the Everglades

The best time to visit for an airboat tour is before summer, between December and April.  The water is lower and temperatures are cooler.  Which means you’ll be able to spot more wildlife and be comfortable doing so!  However, if you are in town during the summer months, you’ll still have a great time.

What is an airboat?

Captain Korey took us on a tour of the Florida Everglades.  We boarded the Airboat, and yes, it’s called an Airboat.  I made the mistake of referring to it as a “fan boat” and found out that is not the correct name for it.  Anyway, an Airboat is a flat bottomed boat with the engine above the water.   It’s basically an airplane engine with a propeller that is in a cage.   The propeller pushes air behind the boat which causes the boat to move forward.  Steering is accomplished by rudders attached to the back of the boat, which direct the air that is pushed out the back. 

We took our seats and captain Korey went over the rules of being on the boat. After that, we departed into the vast expanse of the Everglades, the “River of Grass” as Marjory Stoneman Douglas called it.   There was also a cooler on the boat with beverages available.

What does it feel like?

The feeling of the airboat over the terrain is a feeling of floating.  You can’t even really feel the sawgrass you may be traveling on top of.  I found it so enjoyable when our captain turned and I felt the feeling of floating and turning at the same time, like skidding, but so smoothly.   On your tour your boat can travel at 30-40 mph and is a lot of fun.  Some people actually race airboats, and those can get up to 130 mph.  We encountered a local on our tour and he stopped to chat with captain Korey and us on his retired racing airboat.

Wildlife

We loved watching the numerous cranes ascend in the air, only to fly to another spot to search for fish to fill their bellies.  Captain Korey knew where to find specific alligators that he knew along our route.  Others he would expertly spot and point out to us.  It was amazing he could spot these cool blooded animals so easily in the water and lush greenery of the mangroves.  One such alligator was a female who had babies near her.  We stopped for awhile and watched them, the babies floating with mama in her den with her head above the water.  She appeared to be used to the airboats stopping by and did not seem threatened.

If an alligator doesn’t want to be seen it will dive under the water and swim away.   There were times when we would see air bubbles emerging from the water, a sign an alligator was below.  Captain Korey taught us a lot about alligators and it was spectacular to experience them, and the other animals, in their natural habitat and learn about the Florida Everglades.

What to bring on an airboat tour and some advice

I recommend you bring a few items with you on your Florida Everglades airboat adventure.

• Sunglasses
• Sunscreen
• Bug spray
• Poncho, if rain is predicted.
• Keep your mouth closed while the boat is speeding along.  You don’t want to end up with bugs in your mouth. 
• Wear clothes appropriate for the season.  You may need a jacket or have to dress warmer or cooler.  Dressing in layers is recommended.
• Wear the provided ear protection, the engine and propeller are very loud.  When the boat stops, you can take them off to listen to your guide and then put them back on when you head to the next location.

Taking an airboat tour ride of the Florida Everglades is a fun and unique experience.   We toured with The River of Grass and I recommend them.  We opted for the longer tour experience of 1 ½ hours and felt it was a very immersive experience.  They have both private tours and group tours available.  We opted for the group tour, but no one else was scheduled at our tour time, so it was just the two of us and captain Korey.

Have you ever taken an airboat tour? If so, where? What were your thought? Tell us about it in the comments below. You may also enjoy reading about Drift Snorkeling off the Coast of Bonaire.