Orlando: Florida Everglades Wildlife Airboat Tour

About This Experience

This is the longer, more educational ride from the Marsh Landing dock on Neptune Road in Kissimmee. You board a 6-to-12-seat airboat with raised, stadium-style seats, so smaller kids can see over the rail. Ear protection and life jackets in every size are handed out before you leave, and the boarding ramp is wheelchair accessible.

Over an hour and a half, the guide crosses open water, then slows down in lily pads, swamp marsh and wet prairie to look for alligators, nests with babies, herons, bald eagles and turtles. The turnaround point is the small creek where this whole water system begins, and there are plenty of stops for the guide to explain the plants, the animals and the people who lived here before Orlando grew up around it.

About the Everglades label: the creek is Shingle Creek, the main source of Lake Tohopekaliga, which sits in the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes at the headwaters of the Everglades system. It is the beginning of the Everglades story, several hours north of Everglades National Park, and it is a much shorter drive from your hotel.

Ninety minutes on an open boat is the main thing to weigh. It suits kids who like animals and can sit and watch; it is a stretch for toddlers, especially in midday summer heat. Families with very young children, or anyone short on time, may prefer the 1-hour version from the same dock.

Highlights

• Sit in raised stadium-style seats on a boat that carries 6 to 12 passengers
• Reach the small creek where the Lake Toho water system starts
• Glide through lily pads, swamp marsh and wet prairie at slow, wildlife-watching speed
• Look for bald eagles, alligator nests and wading birds with a guide who stops to explain
• Hear how Native Americans and early settlers lived in these swamps

What's Included

• ✓ 90-minute guided airboat tour
• ✓ Live guide commentary in English
• ✓ Parking at the dock
• ✓ Life jackets in all sizes
• ✓ Ear protection

Not Included

• Tips for the guide (optional)
• Food and drinks
• Hotel pickup and drop-off
• Transport to the Kissimmee dock

What to Bring

• Windbreaker or light jacket, since it is cooler on the water
• Sunscreen and a hat with a strap
• Water in a non-glass bottle
• Camera or phone on a lanyard
• Snug ear muffs for babies and toddlers

Good to Know & Caveats

• The boarding ramp is wheelchair accessible.
• Life jackets are required for kids 6 and under; there is no minimum age to ride.
• The operator says insect repellent is not needed.
• Tours run rain or shine, with delays if the weather turns bad; light rain jackets are available.
• Wildlife is not guaranteed. Some riders see several gators, others see mostly birds.
• In summer, book a morning ride; afternoon storms are common from May to October.
• Shade on the boats is not confirmed, so dress for full sun.

Meeting Point

Marsh Landing Adventures / Orlando Airboat Tours, 2830 Neptune Rd, Kissimmee, FL 34744. The ride starts and ends at this dock, and parking is included.