Make your own way to Sawgrass Recreation Park for your nighttime airboat tour. Glide along the grassy water at speeds of up to 40 miles per hour (64 kph) while learning about the area’s subtropical ecosystem from your captain. Keep watch for a variety of wildlife, like alligators, turtles, fish, and wading birds, and listen for the sounds of the Everglades’ nocturnal creatures.
During the daytime hours, check out the exhibits inside Sawgrass Recreation Park. In the Reptile Exhibit, discover dozens of species that are both native and exotic to Florida—from turtles, iguanas, and snakes to Cannibal, a 1,000-pound (454-kg) alligator. Feel free to ask the park’s handlers any questions.
In the Glades Exhibit, learn about the history of the area and its conservation efforts in the video presentation, 'Our Everglades Story.' Then check out the African spur thigh tortoises, who range in size from 20 to over 100 pounds (9 to over 45 kg) each, as well as rare gopher tortoises (rescued from a construction site), iguanas, and colorful peacocks.
And finally, in the Exotic Wildlife exhibit, get up close and personal with wild cats—panthers, leopards, bobcats, caracals, and more.
