If you’ve read many of my posts, you know that we love to travel in the shoulder season. A season when school is in session and crowds are smaller. Homeschooling makes that possible for us. Keeping with that tradition, we traveled down to the Florida Keys and Everglades the week before schools let out for the summer. It was the perfect decision! Nothing was crowded! I’ve since read that many attractions are packed and hotels were raising their prices. Here’s how we spent a fun-filled week in the Florida Keys and Everglades.
Day 1
Biscayne National Park
On the first day of our Keys vacation, we drove south to Biscayne National Park. It is 20 miles south of Miami, in fact, you can see the Miami skyline from the shoreline. Biscayne protects a combination of aquamarine waters, emerald islands, and coral reefs. It is also the largest marine sanctuary in the National Park system.
Biscayne National Park is definitely off the beaten path. It is in eastern Homestead in the middle of nowhere. I’m not exaggerating! The Dante Fascell Visitor Center is open daily from 9:00am to 5:00pm. The small museum offers a journey through the park’s 4 ecosystems via dioramas, audio, and video. There are also several short films to help you learn about the park.
Outside you can walk along the shoreline and even wade in the water. It is a very popular spot for fishermen and boaters. We walked along the jetty trail and found it crowded at times. It was a nice walk that was mostly shaded. The ocean breeze was so nice!
Day 2 – Upper Keys
John Pennekamp State Park
Glass-Bottom Boat
On day 2 we got our first glimpse of the Keys. We started off the day with a 2.5-hour glass-bottom boat ride at John Pennekamp State Park in Key Largo. There is an $8 per vehicle plus a 50¢ per person admission fee to the park. The glass-bottom boat ride is $32 for adults and $19 for kids age 4 to 11 and can be reserved online or by phone. Reservations are highly recommended as they frequently sell out. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic boat capacities have been reduced. There are at least 3 sailings per day.
The glass-bottom boat sails out into the ocean about 6.5 miles to Molasses Reef. There you look down through the glass at the reef, colorful fish, sea turtles, and sometimes sharks. We found the trip out to the reef to be pretty smooth. You can walk around the outside deck or stay inside the air-conditioned cabin. Once at the reef, the boat bobbed around a lot. This is when people get seasick, and some did. By the end of our reef time, a few of us were starting to feel a bit queasy. When the boat started back to shore we felt better again.
Trails
After our boat ride, we were ready for some lunch. We lucked out and found the picnic pavilion closest to our vehicle was still empty. The beach and parking lot had really filled up while we were at sea. There are picnic pavilions scattered all over the park. Ours was very close to the woods and we were frequently visited by a pesky raccoon.
With lunch done we wanted to stretch our legs a bit before our 2-hour drive south. First, we hiked the Grove Trail located right next to the large parking lot and picnic area. It was an 0.5-mile out and back trail that was mostly shaded. Next, we hiked the Wild Tamarind Trail which is across the main road. This trail is an 0.4-mile loop that is shaded for the most part. Both trails were dry and we didn’t encounter any bugs.
Parmer’s Resort on Little Torch Key
After working up quite a sweat it was time to drive south to our home away from home for the next 4 nights, Parmer’s Resort on Little Torch Key. This quaint little resort was just perfect for our family. It is set next to the water and has numerous buildings housing accommodations. They have rooms, suites, studios, and cottages that can sleep up to 6 people. Our cottage had 2 rooms and 2 bathrooms. One room had 2 queen beds and a dressing area. The other had 2 sofas, a dining table, and a small fully furnished kitchen. It also had a back porch overlooking the waterfront. We loved it!
The resort has a heated pool, kayaks and paddleboards available to rent, a small beach, 4-hole mini golf, grills, hammocks, and multiple docks. Boat slips are also available to rent. They offer a simple continental breakfast consisting of bagels, cereals, muffins, juice, and coffee. Little Torch Key was a short drive to Marathon and Key West.
Day 3 – Middle Keys
Turtle Hospital
On day 3 we drove up to Marathon to take a tour at the Turtle Hospital. Our 90-minute guided tour took us through the hospital facilities and the sea turtle rehabilitation area. We got an up-close look at many of their sea turtles and even got to feed them. Tours run every 30 minutes from 9:00 am to 4:00pm. Reservations are highly recommended and can be made on their website. You won’t pay for your tour until you arrive. Tours are $27 for adults and $13 for children age 4-12. Children under 4 are free. Everyone under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. We really enjoyed our tour and I highly recommend visiting the Turtle Hospital.
7-Mile Bridge & Veteran’s Memorial Park
Next, we stopped at a little park right at the base of the 7-Mile Bridge called Veteran’s Memorial Park. This park has just a couple of picnic tables and porta-potties. It has a nice stretch of beach that is perfect for wading.
Across the road is another parking area. This one is for the pier that runs along a portion of the 7-Mile Bridge. There is also a single boat ramp here. The pier is fully exposed and really hot. We didn’t stay long.
National Key Deer Refuge
Blue Hole
Afterward, we went looking for the little key deer. Unfortunately, we didn’t find any. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the National Key Deer Refuge was closed. We did go on 2 short hikes though. The first was at Blue Hole. Blue Hole was originally a limestone quarry and is now filled with fresh water. There is a short paved trail leading to a small observation platform. We spotted a big alligator right under the platform. Many people like to bird-watch here and have spotted osprey, herons, anhinga, and other wading birds. The Blue Hole trail is just 0.3 miles, out and back. Short and sweet!
Mannillo & Watson Trails
The other hike was on the Mannillo Trail. This trail is 0.25 miles north of the Blue Hole. The trail is a short out and back trail that ends at an observation platform. There is no shade here so it was a hot walk. We didn’t see any wildlife during our visit. There is another trail next to Mannillo called the Watson Trail that we didn’t go on. It is a 2/3 mile loop trail through pine rockland, freshwater wetland, and hardwood hammock. It is in full sun, also.
Day 4 – Lower Keys – Key West
The following day we took a drive down to Key West. I’m quite frugal so I found us a free parking lot and plotted a walking tour. The parking lot was on Fort Street and I don’t recommend parking here if you are alone or returning after dark. The lot was near government housing and the Naval Air Station.
From Fort Street, we walked to the Southernmost Point. We hit it perfectly, there were no crowds at all! Then we walked past the Lighthouse and Hemingway House. The kids spotted a 6-toed cat! From there we continued up Duval Street. It was so empty! This was my third visit to Key West and I had never seen it so quiet. We were practically the only ones on the street.
Key West Shipwreck Museum
Our next stop was the Key West Shipwreck Museum. The museum is open daily from 9:30am to 5pm. I highly recommend purchasing tickets online. If you are also going to the Key West Aquarium there is a combo ticket discount. Adult combo tickets are $34.37, seniors 62+ are $30.09, kids age 4-12 are $21.47 and kids under 3 are free.
The museum starts with a short presentation downstairs then you walk along viewing the exhibits. On the top floor don’t forget to go outside to climb up the observation tower. You will be rewarded with a great view of Key West and the surrounding waters. We had the museum mostly to ourselves so it took less than an hour to see everything.
Key West Aquariun
Afterward, we went next door to the Key West Aquarium. The aquarium opens at 10:00 am 30 minutes after the Shipwreck Museum. Like I mentioned above, if you want to visit both the Shipwreck Museum and the Aquarium the combo admission ticket is your best bet.
The Key West Aquarium is very small and won’t take more than an hour depending on if you stay for a Shark Feeding or Conservation Talk. We chose not to stay for the Turtle Conservation Talk since we had just visited the Turtle Hospital. The aquarium is one large room with tanks lining the walls and 2 large open-air tanks in the middle of the room. There is also a small outdoor pond, you’ll pass it on your way out. Our family wasn’t overly impressed with the aquarium, but we did enjoy the air conditioning!
Key West
After the aquarium, we grabbed some lunch at Little Whitehouse Subs. I highly recommend this little restaurant, it was so good! Then we walked around town and did a little shopping at Kino Sandals. Kinos are one of my favorite sandals and they are made right in Key West. You won’t find them anywhere else. Another family favorite was Kermit’s Key West Lime Shoppe. The chocolate-covered key lime pie was delicious!
On the way back to the Fort Street parking lot we walked past mile marker 0 and Truman Waterfront Park. From here we decided to drive the van to Fort Zachary Taylor State Park. It was actually within walking distance from Fort Street but since it was so hot we decided to drive.
Fort Zachary Taylor State Park
Admission to Fort Zachary Taylor State Park is $4 per vehicle plus 50¢ per person. The park is open from 8 am to sunset year-round. This park is home to the southernmost Civil War fortress. Visitors are allowed to explore all the history inside and on top of the fort. The state park also has a shaded picnic area, a beach, fishing, kayaking, and a couple of nature trails. There is also a concession stand and outdoor showers.
We visited the fort in the middle of the afternoon so the outside of the fort was really hot. The inside was pretty nice and cool though. Since it was the afternoon all the parking lots were nearly full. There was even a long line at the entrance gate. I suggest arriving early or late. If we had had more energy and time it would have been nice to explore more of the park.
Day 5 – Middle Keys
Bahia Honda State Park
On day 5 we drove up to Bahia Honda State Park to get in some beach time. We knew this was a very popular park and beach so we arrived around 9 am. That turned out to be a great decision. We had no trouble finding a parking spot and we had our pick of spots on the beach. We even found a picnic table! The park may close early and remain closed for several hours if they reach capacity in the day-use areas.
Bahia Honda has an $8 per vehicle and 50¢ per person admission fee. The park is open daily from 8 am until sundown. This park has camping, 2 beaches, a marina, a nature center, restrooms and showers, and Old Bahia Honda bridge access. Our kids had a great time snorkeling in the calm waters.
Day 6 – Everglades
Everglades National Park – South
Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center
The next day we packed up and said goodbye to the Keys. We headed north to Everglades National Park and the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center. The Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center is the Everglades visitor center closest to Homestead. It is open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm year-round. This visitor center offers educational displays, films, and a gift shop. During our visit, the educational displays were still closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic. You can also get your National Park Passport stamps here.
Further, into the park, you must pay the entrance fee or show your National Park Pass. The admission fee is $30 per vehicle and is valid for 7 days. After passing through the gate we drove on to the Royal Palm area.
Royal Palm
At Royal Palm, there is a large parking lot, restrooms, water fountains, a small gift shop, and 2 hiking trails. Unfortunately, there aren’t many picnic areas in the Everglades National Park. We found a shaded parking spot and ate lunch in our van.
After lunch, we hiked the Anhinga Trail and Gumbo Limbo Trail. Both trailheads are directly behind the gift shop. The Anhinga Trail is 0.8 miles round trip and is paved or a boardwalk. It is stroller and handicap friendly. This trail is not shaded so bring a hat and water. This self-guided trail winds through a marsh, we spotted a few alligators, birds, and turtles. The Gumbo Limbo Trail is 0.4 miles round trip and is paved. This trail is shaded and wanders through a hammock of trees, palms, ferns, and other plants.
Mahogany Hammock Trail
Next, we drove on further into the park to the Mahogany Hammock Trail. This trail is about 20 miles from the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center. The trail is 0.5 miles round trip on a boardwalk. It is mostly shaded and handicap-friendly. There are no restrooms, water fountains, or picnic tables at this location. Mahogany Hammock Trail wanders through a lush hammock and passes by the largest living mahogany tree in the United States. The tree must not be marked well, because we couldn’t find it.
Day 7 – Everglades
Everglades National Park – North
Shark Valley Visitor Center
On our final day, we drove out to the Shark Valley Visitor Center in the Everglades. Shark Valley is west of Miami and about an hour north of the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center. It is open daily from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. You must pay the entrance fee or show your National Park Pass at the gate. If you paid the admission fee at the southern entrance within the last 7 days you are covered.
Tram Tour
The biggest attraction at Shark Valley is the Tram Tour and Observation Platform. Tram Tours leave the visitor center multiple times per day and are approximately 2 hours long. I highly recommend reserving your tour online since this is a very popular tour. Tours are $27 for adults and $14 for children 3-12. You must bring your ticket to the gift shop to redeem it for your admission sticker. You can’t get on the tram without a sticker.
The Shark Valley Tram Tour is an open-aired tram that takes you on a relaxing tour along a 15-mile loop. At the halfway mark they stop and let you climb to the top of the 45-foot observation tower. The climb to the top is a gradual spiral ramp, so it is stroller and handicap-friendly. There are restrooms and water fountains at the base.
If you are unable to do the tram tour you can bicycle the 15-mile loop or just hike a small portion. There are 2 trails off the Tram Road behind the visitor center, the Otter Cave Hammock Trail, and the Bobcat Boardwalk Trail. Both are half a mile or less.
At the visitor center, you will find a small one-room of exhibits, a gift shop, restrooms, water fountains, and a small picnic area. The picnic area has a little bit of shade. This is a very popular visitor center so the parking lot does reach capacity often. Arrive early if you have reservations.
Florida Keys and Everglades
The Florida Keys and Everglades has so much to offer. Spending a week in the Keys will just give you a taste and will make you want to return again and again. I’ve now been to the Keys 3 times. I feel like I see a bit more with each visit. On to our next adventure!
More Florida
- Hillsborough River State Park, A Campground Near Tampa
- Lake Louisa State Park, A Campground Close to Orlando
- Highlands Hammock, One of FL’s Oldest Parks
- Canaveral National Seashore’s Playalinda Beach
- Silver Springs State Park, Monkeys and More
- Lake Griffin State Park, A Hidden Gem
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own. I was not compensated for this post. Our visit took place during the Covid-19 pandemic, our experiences may not be the same as yours. Please double-check hours and admission fees.
