Gulf Coast Visitor Center
The Gulf Coast Visitor Center is the spot where the Everglades brush up against the Gulf of Mexico, located near the remote outpost of Everglades City, about 2.5 hour drive west of Miami. There are also touristy attractions and enticements along the way, but it’s a remote drive, sometimes a little monotonous if you’re not really into driving.
Royal Palm Visitor Center
The Royal Palm Visitor Center is located about four miles inside the Everglades National Park entrance from Homestead. There are walking trails here that are worth visiting even if you’ve already spent time at the larger Ernest Coe Visitor Center. Each trail is half a mile long and offers interpretive signs. After viewing some of the unusual Everglades flora and fauna, you may have questions, and the interpretive signs do a good job of answering some of the most frequently asked questions. For example, you’ll learn about why the strangler fig has such a deadly name. Mostly the trails are wheelchair accessible. There are also rangers here at the Royal Palm Visitor Center, who lead educational walks along the trails, year-round.
signs marking the trails, and easy pull-off spots for your car. They make it easy to explore and get outside your car to see the wildlife and the plants that make up the Everglades National Park.
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Gumgo-Limbo Trail
This trail is half a mile long.
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Anhinga Trail
It’s also half a mile long.
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Pa-hay-okee Overlook
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Pineland Trail
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Mahogany Hammock Trail
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West Lake Trail
Ernest Coe Visitor Center
The Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center is at the Southern entrance to the Park, located just outside of Homestead/Florida City. If you’re on your way the the Florida Keys, Homestead is the last stop before the mainland ends and the Keys begin, at the tip of the country. This entrance is very convenient for people driving from Miami, because the entrance to the park is literally just outside Homestead/Florida City. No long road to drive before you get to the entrance, like at Shark Valley. There are walking trails galore in here, and you’ll see tons of wildlife as you walk. The Pa-hay-okee Overlook Trail boasts a boardwalk and observation tower where you’re likely to see hawks and all sorts of other native birds.
The Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center was recently expanded and it’s now the best place to get info about your visit to Everglades National Park. Learn about boat rentals, tours, trail maps, wildlife, activities. You can also enjoy films, interactive displays and a thoroughly-stocked modern gift shop in this state of the art Visitor Center. Just down the road is the Royal Palm Visitor Center, which was designed to teach you about the nature of the Everglades, and is the starting point of two trails, the Anhinga Trail and the Gumbo Trail.