| Our Cypress Airboat tour was the ride of a | | | | prepared if something did occur. Not only did our |
| lifetime. We took the whole family on this | | | | captain ensure our safety, but also he was also a |
| Everglade adventure, and it was a great | | | | great tour guide and shared many details about |
| experience for all of us. The special child pricing | | | | the ecology, animals, plants, and history of the |
| made it an affordable family outing during our | | | | Everglades. |
| Florida vacation, and Im sure the kids will | | | | Our two-hour airboat tour with Cypress Airboat |
| remember their airboat ride in the Everglades for | | | | was an approximate 40-mile ride through the |
| a lifetime. We have wonderful memories and | | | | River of Grass. The River of Grass is a shallow |
| photos of our airboat ride in the Everglades to | | | | wide span of water, ranging from as shallow as |
| take home and share with friends. | | | | six inches deep to as much as three feet deep. |
| Before our trip, I wasnt even sure what an | | | | The waters of the River of Grass are home to |
| airboat was, but Id heard it was the best way to | | | | many different plant and animal species, from |
| see the Everglades! Many areas of the Everglades | | | | alligators to orchids. Our captain was a |
| are only accessible by airboat, so I certainly | | | | knowledgeable and experienced guide and he |
| recommend an airboat tour, if youre interested in | | | | freely shared his knowledge of the area. His skills |
| the ecology and wildlife of the Everglades. I was | | | | as a guide and as a pilot of the airboat thoroughly |
| pleasantly surprised to find the airboat ride both | | | | enhanced our trip and made it fun and educational |
| smooth enough to be comfortable in the shallow | | | | for the whole family. |
| waters of the Everglades and fast enough to be | | | | Our airboat ride through the Everglades was a |
| a lot of fun for all of us. For anyone who doesnt | | | | great way to experience this amazing, natural |
| know, airboats are light, small boats powered by a | | | | environment. We traveled through the River of |
| rear-mounted airplane propeller. While our group | | | | Grass on our airboat tour and saw a huge variety |
| was small, Cypress Airboats can handle groups of | | | | of wetland plants and trees. We saw sawgrass, |
| up to 14 on their larger airboats. We took a | | | | water lilies, bladderwort, and other marshland |
| two-hour tour, but both shorter and longer tours | | | | plants, as well as cypress trees, orchids, and |
| are available. Theyll even schedule night tours! We | | | | ferns. We found the mangrove trees in the |
| ruled that out because of the kids, but I imagine it | | | | Everglades particularly interesting. Our captain was |
| would be wonderful for adults. While I didnt | | | | very familiar with the many interesting plants on |
| expect the airboat to be fast, it can move quickly | | | | the airboat tour. |
| through the swampy waters of the Everglades. | | | | Were all interested in bird watching, and this was |
| The kids in particular liked this part of our | | | | definitely a highlight of our airboat trip in the |
| Everglades airboat adventure. | | | | Florida Everglades. We were lucky enough to spot |
| We chose Cypress Airboats over other | | | | a white ibis and a great blue heron, but a number |
| companies in the area for several reasons. First | | | | of other birds also inhabit the Everglades. Wed |
| and foremost, they are experienced and | | | | hoped to see a roseate spoonbill or one of the |
| knowledgeable about the area, so we felt that | | | | varieties of egrets in the region, but didnt get |
| they would provide us with a safe and fun airboat | | | | quite that lucky. |
| experience in the Everglades. Our primary reason | | | | We did see a number of alligators during our visit |
| for choosing Cypress Airboats over their | | | | to the Everglades, including one big one! That was |
| competitors was the depth of the tour. Many | | | | very exciting for all of us. It was interesting to |
| airboat tours go just a few miles into the | | | | learn more about the role of alligators, not only as |
| Everglades and do not offer a substantial amount | | | | a top predator in the area, but also the |
| of information, or a real chance to experience the | | | | importance of alligators to the overall ecology of |
| beauty of the Everglades. Cypress Airboats does | | | | the Everglades. Alligators burrow out gator holes |
| offer shorter airboat rides, geared toward speed | | | | that provide homes for many aquatic species |
| and excitement, and wed love to come back and | | | | during the dry season. Manatees and dolphins also |
| give an adventurous airboat ride a try! | | | | live in the open waters of the Everglades, but are |
| While I was a bit nervous about venturing deep | | | | obviously not seen in the shallow waters of the |
| into the backwoods of the Florida Everglades, our | | | | backcountry. |
| professional and knowledgeable captain made me | | | | Our captain told us of a number of other |
| completely comfortable for our airboat ride in the | | | | interesting animal species in the area. We had |
| Everglades. The captain was, like all the captains | | | | hoped to spot the endangered Florida panthers, |
| for Cypress Airboats, US Coast Guard certified, | | | | but didnt get to see them this time. However, we |
| and grew up piloting airboats in the Everglades. | | | | did catch a glimpse of a white tailed deer, and our |
| We had no worries at all about our safety on our | | | | captain told us to watch for bobcats, opossums, |
| airboat tour of the Everglades. The boat was | | | | skunks, raccoons, and other small mammals, |
| equipped with floatation devices and first- aid | | | | which are common in the area, as well. |
| supplies, as well, so we felt like we were well | | | | |