Everglades National Park East Entrance to Flamingo Scenic Drive

Make sure you hit all 3 parts of the park. Flamingo, Royal Palm and Sharkvalley. Lots of wildlife, beautiful birdwatching. Bring a canoe for the Flamingo Center Area. Next time I come back we will most definitey have one rentals were not available during our visit. Do Not Forget your Sunblock and Bugspray!! I’d love to camp there someday. Easy 3 day stay here. There are gator grill restaurants just outside the park for adventurous gator bites and tacos

A fun drive to see so many lakes and grasslands that you wouldn’t normally find at other National Parks in the country. Have an open mind to beauty when it comes to this park, as it comes in many forms, and this drive is spectacular.

As another user mentioned below, Everglades NP isn't a place of epic, in-your-face beauty like some other national parks. Its beauty kind of sneaks up on you and doesn't completely sink in until you fully understand what makes the Everglades unique and special. This drive is a big part of that. Its vastness is very soothing and serene. Stop off and see the Nike missile along the way if it’s open.

This was a beautiful drive. I visited the park today (Saturday after Thanksgiving) and the nature look quite beautiful and road condition very good (also not very busy). I spent most of my time here behind the wheels as the hikes were very short and easy. In this season the trails are covered in lots of mud (so much for bringing my waterproof hiking boots and leaving them back at the hotel!). There were warnings for mosquitos but I didn’t encounter any (I didn’t have mosquito repellent, but I also didn’t go through much of the muddy parts of the trail either). I did see many beautiful birds during the drive and short hikes, but not much else. The entrance to the park is $30, which is valid for one week. Overall, this was a pleasant drive.

Beautiful drive through the park. Lots of great views. Best done in the winter, very muggy during the summer.

Drove through in February. Flat and brown but still enjoyed it. Saw egrets and some flowers.

Went in January when the mosquitos weren't that bad, nice breeze on a sunny day. There's a few short trails that makes the drive even more interesting, you'll see gators, birds, fish, turtles, and more.

For $25.00, you get all the mosquitos you want and if you go in the morning after it rain you have a better chance of seeing the wild life.

great, bring mosquito spray. also good and drink, nothing till flamingo

I visited on Thanksgiving weekend last year, driving from the east entrance all the way down to Flamingo and back. It was a beautiful day, and I got out on the trails and boardwalks in many locations along the park road. Happily, I was able to see lots of wildlife (gators, turtles, deer, egrets, herons, anhingas, osprey and a few huge spiders...and also happily, no snakes). I soon realized that it wasn't far enough into the colder months to significantly limit the often relentless mosquitoes, particularly in the southern part of the park. I still was able to thoroughly enjoy my visit however.

Did this years ago and again last December. I am not really into the reptiles, but we did not see anything last time anyway.

I have done this drive many times and I must agree with Christine; sometimes you see a lot of wild life and sometimes nothing.

I have driven this route many, many times and at different time of the day and night. Sometimes you see a lot, and sometimes you don't. Keep your eyes open for deer, turtles, gators, snakes, herons, egrets, anhingas, cormorants, kingfishers and hawks. The Everglades are subtle. Don't expect any huge "oohs" and "ahhs" like the Grand Canyon. Beautiful times to see it are sunrise and sunset. If skeeters scare you, go in the winter and they won't be bad at all (though Flamingo seems to always have plenty of 'em!) . Don't forget to stop at the Ernest Coe visitor center at the entrance...nice gift shop, restrooms and informative displays. Oh, and if you go all the way down to Flamingo, look for tarpon and manatees in the basin! Hurricane Andrew destroyed the rental cabins that used to be there, as well as a restaurant and lodge.