Anhinga Trail
Over the water.
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A national park protecting the southern fifth of Florida's original Everglades. It is the largest tropical wilderness in the United States and the third-largest national park in the contiguous states; it became a national park in 1947 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. It is known as the «River of Grass», as water flows slowly across vast grassy plains, cypress swamps and mangroves. It holds the largest mangrove ecosystem in the Western Hemisphere and 36 threatened or protected species, including the Florida panther, the American crocodile and the manatee. Its two best-known spots are the Anhinga Trail boardwalk over the water, where alligators and wading birds are seen up close, and Shark Valley with its loop road and spiral concrete observation tower looking over the grass to the horizon. Entry is $35 per vehicle or $20 per person for seven days, and non-US residents aged 16 and over pay an extra $100 per person, per the National Park Service. The dry winter, December to April, is the best season, with fewer mosquitoes; never approach or feed the alligators.
Over the water.
Spiral lookout.
To the horizon.
South Florida, west and south-west of Miami
$35 per vehicle or $20 per person, plus $100 for each non-US resident aged 16+, per the National Park Service.