Everglades National Park

The “glades” are more than 1.5 million acres of grass, tropical foliage, orchids, airplants, coral and salt-water loving mangrove trees. The area is home to rare and endangered species, such as the American crocodile, Florida panther and West Indian manatee. The Everglades are the only place on earth where alligators and crocodiles live side by side. Keep your eyes open for seahorses, starfish, conch, tropical fish, sponges, herons, bass, turtles and snowy egrets.

Everglades Alligator Farm

Located within Everglades National Park in Homestead, Florida, this farm is home to more than 2,000 alligators. While visiting the farm, you can go on an airboat ride and walking tour to spy on alligators, crocodiles, and caimans of all sizes and ages or catch the “Alligator Feeding and a Weird Animal Show.”

Biscayne National Park

Biscayne National Park is the largest marine park in the National Park System. The park is made up of four primary ecosystems: a Mangrove forest along the mainland shoreline, the southern stretch of Biscayne Bay, the northernmost islands of the Florida Keys and the beginning of the third-largest coral reef in the world. More than 360 animal species live in the park including; the West Indian manatee, eastern indigo snake, piping plover, American crocodile, peregrine falcon and five different species of sea turtle.

Crandon Park Beach

This beautiful three-mile stretch of beach is located on the barrier island of Key Biscayne with the Atlantic Ocean on the east side and Biscayne Bay to the west. The man-made lagoon style swimming area and the sandbar located offshore makes the water at this beach calm and free from crashing waves. While visiting the park, you can also venture to the coastal dunes and tropical hardwood hammocks that are nesting and feeding grounds for migrating birds, hawks and sea turtles.