The everglades

The Everglades with the cypress tree and the alligators and snakes and all other kinds of interesting wet land wild life occupies a great part of South Florida. In fact, it probably occupied most of South Florida until developers starting shoveling in more soil. To visit the everglades visit the Everglades National Park that was put in place in 1947 to protect this wild life area.

In all there are about 1.5 million acres of the park. It is in one sense a bird watchers, wild flower enthusiast and a hiker's dream vacation. Yes, there are campsites and guided tours and all kinds of nature lore to get involved in. Guided tours, carefully and regularly planned, are a good way for novices to experience the Everglades. Just think of the thrill of invading and sharing the alligators' habitat.

The Everglades is fascinating and is an endless joy to read about and to see via television, but to visit? Yes, if you plan your visit with the park system and if you read their Things to Know Before You Come, notice. These instructions will ket you know what to expect and how to protect yourself from exhaustion. And the notice will alert you to be on the look out for animals that roam freely throughout the park. If you expect to observe from outside a fence, don't come. The Everglades is not a zoo.

Knowing what to expect before visiting or planning a trip to the Everglades is to ensure you aren't disappointed or worse, made ill from heat exhaustion or insect bites. Get some facts from the experts about safety before rushing blindly on: Know your limits and understand that this Florida environment is different from other national parks. It is a more intense tropical environment and the humidity may exceed what visitors form other states have ever encountered.