Last Updated: July 4, 2026
From Grassy Key it was a few hours’ drive northwest to Everglades City, where we set up at Everglades Isle Motorcoach Resort for the next stretch of our winter travels. Everglades City turned out to be an ideal base for exploring Big Cypress National Preserve — one of the largest national preserves in the United States and one of the most remarkable wildlife habitats in North America. We had visited the area once before and stayed on Chokoloskee Island, but that trip was cut short when we were evacuated due to flooding from storm surge. This time, we wanted higher ground — and the wildlife did not disappoint.
Big Cypress National Preserve
Big Cypress National Preserve encompasses 729,000 acres of cypress swamps, wet prairies, pine flatwoods, and mangrove forests straddling the Florida-Everglades watershed. The Tamiami Trail (US 41) and the 26-mile Loop Road cut through the heart of the preserve, providing some of the most accessible wildlife viewing in the country. Slow down, open the windows, and let the swamp come to you.
Green Herons were among our favorite subjects in Big Cypress — small, cryptic, and utterly unflappable, they posed with an almost theatrical patience. Their rich chestnut and iridescent green plumage is easy to overlook until you look closely, and then it is stunning. We came back to the same spots along the canal edges again and again.
Great Blue Herons were everywhere — and at 4.5 feet tall with a wingspan approaching 6.5 feet, they are impossible to miss when they take flight through the cypress forest. Watching one navigate the trees at low altitude, banking between the trunks with silent precision, is one of those moments that stops you mid-sentence. They are the signature bird of the swamp, and Big Cypress has them in abundance.
Black-crowned Night-Herons were a special find — stocky, red-eyed, and nocturnal by nature, they tend to roost in dense vegetation during the day and emerge to feed at dusk. Finding them perched and cooperative in daylight was a treat, and their bold black-and-white markings photograph beautifully against the green of the swamp.
The birding in Big Cypress exceeded our expectations. In addition to the herons, we photographed Belted Kingfisher, Anhinga (drying their non-waterproof wings in the characteristic spread-wing pose that makes them look like living gargoyles), Great Egret, Northern Cardinal, Red-shouldered Hawk, Pileated Woodpecker, Black Vulture, and Northern Flicker. The key to all of it is the same: slow down, pull over, turn off the engine, and wait. The birds are there — you just have to give them a chance to show themselves.
Alligators were the other constant companion throughout our time in Big Cypress. Most of our sightings were along the Tamiami Trail and Loop Road, where the road-edge canals function as year-round alligator habitat. During the dry winter season, alligators concentrate around the remaining water sources, making viewing exceptional. We counted dozens on a single slow drive down Loop Road — from juveniles barely a foot long to massive adults basking in full sun within feet of the road.
Even the butterflies put on a show. Zebra Longwings — Florida’s state butterfly, with their unmistakable black wings striped in pale yellow — worked the flowering plants along the roadside in numbers, alongside bright Cloudless Sulphurs. Florida Softshell Turtles shared the waterways with the alligators. Big Cypress rewards attention at every scale, from the prehistoric to the delicate.
Everglades City, Florida
Everglades City has a population of around 500 — a number that shrinks further in summer when the snowbirds leave and the heat, humidity, and mosquitoes make it inhospitable for anyone who doesn’t have to be there. It sits at the mouth of the Barron River on Chokoloskee Bay, at the northwestern gateway to Everglades National Park and the Ten Thousand Islands — a labyrinthine maze of mangrove islands, tidal channels, and open bays stretching along the Gulf coast. For paddlers, anglers, and naturalists, it is one of the wildest and most productive coastal ecosystems in North America. For us, it was a quiet, unhurried town with excellent seafood and spectacular sunsets.
The local character of Everglades City comes through in small details — like the buoys stacked into a snowman outside a fishing shack, a nod to the fact that this is a town where stone crab and spiny lobster, not department stores, mark the season. The hibiscus blooms year-round and the mangrove roots remind you at every turn that this place belongs to the water as much as to anyone who lives here.
We had lunch twice at Triad Seafood Market — a rustic, on-the-water spot that embodies everything Everglades City is about. Their stone crab claws and fresh-caught shrimp were outstanding, served in a no-frills setting where the view of the water is as much of the experience as the food. Stone crab season runs October through May in Florida, and Everglades City — surrounded by crabbing grounds — is one of the best places in the state to eat them fresh off the boat.
Everglades Isle Motorcoach Resort
Everglades Isle Motorcoach Resort is a premium Class A-only resort with paver roads and sites, full hookups, and surprisingly reliable internet — a genuine rarity in this part of Florida. The sites are well-spaced, the landscaping is attractive, and the overall facility is genuinely nice. The location, right on the edge of the Everglades, means the setting is unlike anything else we’ve parked in.
The one significant caveat: the airboats. Multiple commercial operators run tours starting at 8:00 a.m. and continuing until around 5:30 p.m., every day of the year. The noise is considerable — airboat engines are loud by design — and it is the first thing you notice when you’re trying to sit outside with a coffee in the morning. If quiet mornings matter to you, factor this in. We made peace with it fairly quickly, but it is worth knowing in advance.
The clubhouse made up for a lot — it was genuinely impressive, with a heated pool, spa, well-equipped fitness center, and an on-site restaurant and bar. For a resort this remote, it punches well above its weight in amenities.
We were at Everglades Isle for New Year’s Eve 2020 — the start of our fourth year of full-time RV living. After four years on the road, we still found ourselves asking the same questions: how much longer do we want to keep going? Do we want to eventually be home-based part of the year? Our goal twenty years earlier had been to retire to the Big Island of Hawaii, and that dream has never entirely faded. But this journey — this unplanned, meandering, endlessly surprising journey through a country far more beautiful and diverse than we had ever imagined — has been its own kind of answer. Home really is where you park it.
Visitor Information
Big Cypress National Preserve
Big Cypress National Preserve is headquartered at 33100 Tamiami Trail East, Ochopee, FL 34141, phone (239) 695-2000. There is no general entrance fee for the preserve. The Oasis Visitor Center on the Tamiami Trail is open daily 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The Gulf Coast Visitor Center, at 815 Oyster Bar Lane in Everglades City, serves as the gateway to the Ten Thousand Islands and is open daily 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For wildlife, the Loop Road (County Road 94, off US 41 near Monroe Station) is one of the best wildlife drives in Florida — plan on taking it slowly. Visit nps.gov/bicy for current conditions and campground information.
Everglades Isle Motorcoach Resort
Everglades Isle Motorcoach Resort is a Class A motorcoach-only resort at 803 Begonia Street, Everglades City, FL 34139, phone (239) 695-3151. Full hookups, paver sites, heated pool, spa, fitness center, on-site restaurant and bar. Visit evergladesisle.com for current rates and reservations. Book well in advance for winter stays — the resort fills quickly from November through March.
Triad Seafood Market & Restaurant
Triad Seafood Market & Restaurant is at 401 School Drive, Everglades City, FL 34139, phone (239) 695-2662. Open daily for lunch and dinner (hours vary seasonally — call ahead). Specialties include fresh stone crab claws, shrimp, and locally caught fish. Outdoor waterfront seating, casual atmosphere, cash and cards accepted. Stone crab season runs October through May.
Practical Tips for Everglades City & Big Cypress
Visit in winter for the best wildlife viewing. The dry season (roughly November through April) is the optimal time for both wildlife watching and human comfort. Alligators concentrate at remaining water sources, wading birds are at peak numbers, and the mosquitoes are manageable. Summer is a different proposition entirely — extreme heat, daily thunderstorms, and legendary mosquito numbers make it inhospitable for most visitors.
Drive Loop Road slowly — very slowly. The 26-mile unpaved Loop Road off the Tamiami Trail is one of the best wildlife drives in Florida. The road can be rough and may be impassable after heavy rain — check conditions before you go. Allow at least two to three hours. Alligators, herons, anhingas, turtles, and occasionally Florida Panthers have all been reported along this route. Turn off the engine at pullouts and wait quietly.
Know about the airboat situation before booking Everglades Isle. Commercial airboat operators adjacent to the resort run continuously from 8:00 a.m. to around 5:30 p.m. every day of the year. The resort is excellent in every other respect, but the daytime noise is significant. If quiet mornings outside are a priority, factor this in or book a site as far from the operators as possible.
Stone crab season runs October through May. If you visit during this window, do not miss fresh stone crab claws at Triad Seafood or any of the local dockside spots. Stone crab is one of Florida’s most prized seafood experiences, and Everglades City — surrounded by working crabbing grounds — is one of the best places in the state to eat them at the source.
Bring binoculars and a long telephoto lens. Big Cypress rewards patience and good optics. A 400mm or longer lens is ideal for birds; binoculars are essential for scanning canal edges from the car. Some alligators come within feet of the road, but birds often require extra reach to photograph well.
The Gulf Coast Visitor Center is your gateway to the Ten Thousand Islands. If you want to kayak, canoe, or take a guided boat tour through the Ten Thousand Islands, start here. The Ten Thousand Islands are a true wilderness — one of the largest mangrove estuaries in the world — and the visitor center staff can help you plan a trip appropriate for your experience level.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Big Cypress National Preserve worth visiting?
Absolutely — especially for wildlife enthusiasts, birders, and photographers. Big Cypress offers some of the most accessible and prolific wildlife viewing in Florida, with alligators, wading birds, softshell turtles, and subtropical butterflies all visible from roadside pullouts along the Tamiami Trail and Loop Road. There is no entrance fee for most of the preserve, and the diversity of habitats — cypress swamps, wet prairies, pine flatwoods, mangrove forests — makes every drive different.
What is the best road for wildlife viewing in Big Cypress?
Loop Road (County Road 94) is widely considered the best wildlife drive in the preserve. The 26-mile unpaved road loops off the Tamiami Trail through deep cypress swamp habitat with excellent birding and reliable alligator sightings. The Tamiami Trail itself (US 41) is also excellent — the roadside canals hold large numbers of alligators and wading birds year-round. Drive slowly, stop often, and turn off the engine at promising spots.
What birds can you see at Big Cypress National Preserve?
Big Cypress supports a remarkable diversity of birds. Wading birds are the most iconic — Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tricolored Heron, and Black-crowned Night-Heron are all regularly seen. Green Heron, Anhinga, Belted Kingfisher, Red-shouldered Hawk, Osprey, Bald Eagle, Pileated Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, and numerous warbler species round out a winter visit. It is one of the finest birding destinations in the southeastern United States.
Is Everglades City a good base for exploring the area?
It is an excellent base. From Everglades City you can access Big Cypress in minutes, reach the Ten Thousand Islands by boat or kayak directly from town, and make day trips to Everglades National Park’s Flamingo area (about 1.5 hours) or Naples (about 45 minutes). The town is small and quiet with limited dining options, but what it lacks in variety it makes up for in authenticity and proximity to extraordinary natural areas.
Is Everglades Isle Motorcoach Resort a good choice for RV travelers?
With one important caveat, yes. The resort offers excellent facilities — paver sites, full hookups, a beautiful clubhouse with heated pool, spa, fitness center, and an on-site restaurant and bar. It is Class A motorcoach only, so it is not suitable for fifth wheels or travel trailers. The airboat noise from adjacent commercial operators runs from 8:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily and is significant. If you can make peace with that — as we did — it is a genuinely nice resort in a spectacular and remote setting.
