Private Tour: Florida Everglades Airboat Ride and Wildlife Adventure
Recommended by 94% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Fort Lauderdale, USA
- 1 hour (approx.)
- Group discounts
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Travel deep into Everglades National Park on a private airboat tour and wildlife encounter at Sawgrass Recreation Park. Experience the unique subtropical ecosystem on your own airboat, going deeper into the Everglades than on typical public rides. Skim across the grassy water at high speeds while looking for alligators, fish, turtles, and wading birds. This tour includes entrance to the park and admission to the Reptile and Glades exhibits.
- Includes general admission to the park and all exhibits and attractions
- Receive personalized attention on a private tour
- A must-do tour for nature and wildlife enthusiasts
- Make your own way to the easy-to-find Sawgrass Recreation Park
What's Included
- Private guided airboat tour
- Captain's gratuity
- Alligator & Reptile Exhibit with educational presentation
- Hotel pickup and drop off
- Food and drinks
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Sawgrass Recreation Park1006 US-27, Weston, FL 33327, USA
Directions: From the North: Take I-95 South or the Turnpike South to 595 West. On 595 take I-75 North towards Naples. Stay on I-75 North until you come to Exit 23 North (U.S. Highway 27) towards South Bay. We are just two miles to the North on the right hand side of the road. Turn right and cross over the bridge, make another immediate right down into the parking lot. Tickets for the airboat rides and animal exhibits can be purchased in the store. (Yellow building.) From the South: Take I-95 North or the Turnpike North to 595 West. On 595 take I-75 North towards Naples. Stay on I-75 North until you come to Exit 23 North (U.S. Highway 27) towards South Bay. We are just two miles to the North on the right hand side of the road. Turn right and cross over the bridge, make another immediate right down into the parking lot. Tickets for the airboat rides and animal exhibits can be purchased in the store. (Yellow building.)
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
A short drive from downtown Fort Lauderdale is Sawgrass Recreation Park, in the heart of the Florida Everglades.
On this private Everglades airboat tour, cruise along the grassy water at speeds of up to 40 miles (64 kilometers) per hour while gaining insight into the area’s subtropical ecosystem from your seasoned captain. Look for a variety of wildlife, such as alligators, fish, turtles, and wading birds. This private tour has its advantages over the larger public tour, including a smaller boat to get deeper into the Everglades, and for longer.
After the airboat ride, grab a bite to eat at The Gator Grill and then check out the exhibits inside Sawgrass Recreation Park.
The Reptile Exhibit features dozens of species that are both native and exotic to Florida—from turtles, iguanas, and snakes, to baby alligators, as well as Cannibal, an alligator weighing a whopping 1,000 pounds (434 kilograms). Learn about how these animals live and survive in the wild from the park's handlers, and snap a memorable shot.
In the Glades Exhibit, check out the African spur thigh tortoises, which range in size from 20 to over 100 pounds (9 to over 45 kilograms) each, as well as iguanas and colorful peacocks. Mine for gems or fossils at The Sawgrass Mining Company and visit the Village Gift Shop, with hand-crafted jewelry and other souvenirs.
Please note: The pricing displayed is based on a per person basis; regardless of the number of people booking, you are buying out the whole boat for your private tour.
On this private Everglades airboat tour, cruise along the grassy water at speeds of up to 40 miles (64 kilometers) per hour while gaining insight into the area’s subtropical ecosystem from your seasoned captain. Look for a variety of wildlife, such as alligators, fish, turtles, and wading birds. This private tour has its advantages over the larger public tour, including a smaller boat to get deeper into the Everglades, and for longer.
After the airboat ride, grab a bite to eat at The Gator Grill and then check out the exhibits inside Sawgrass Recreation Park.
The Reptile Exhibit features dozens of species that are both native and exotic to Florida—from turtles, iguanas, and snakes, to baby alligators, as well as Cannibal, an alligator weighing a whopping 1,000 pounds (434 kilograms). Learn about how these animals live and survive in the wild from the park's handlers, and snap a memorable shot.
In the Glades Exhibit, check out the African spur thigh tortoises, which range in size from 20 to over 100 pounds (9 to over 45 kilograms) each, as well as iguanas and colorful peacocks. Mine for gems or fossils at The Sawgrass Mining Company and visit the Village Gift Shop, with hand-crafted jewelry and other souvenirs.
Please note: The pricing displayed is based on a per person basis; regardless of the number of people booking, you are buying out the whole boat for your private tour.
1
Sawgrass Recreation Park
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
- Tour operator reserves the right to cancel the tour due to inclement weather
- Operating hours for Sawgrass Recreation Park may be shorter during holidays
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Please provide your preferred tour time in the specific requirements field at check out
- Important Note: Pricing is based on a per person basis; regardless of number of people booking, you are buying out the whole boat for your private tour
- Most travelers can participate
- This is a private tour/activity. Only your group will participate
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Lisa_K
We were able to see four alligators. Our captain Justin was awesome. It was a beautiful ride on an airboat. We highly recommend it.
Reviews
4.7
based on 512 reviews
Craig_C, Mar 2026
We saw several gators and some birds. The airboat is really a cool, unique experience. An hour was about right for us, not sure there was much else to see or experience after that. We did the private tour which was nice, but probably not that much different/better than the group experience. Our tour guide Nick was knowledgeable and fun.
Joanne_R, Mar 2026
We did a private 1 hour tour with Nick. It was excellent. I am a native South Floridian, I had not done an air boat tour in many years and I have really been missing out. The Florida Everglades are our best asset. Our guide was knowledgeable, and our glades did not disappoint. I will definitely be doing this regularly.
Lisa_K, Mar 2026
We were able to see four alligators. Our captain Justin was awesome. It was a beautiful ride on an airboat. We highly recommend it.
Hector_R, Feb 2026
Great time! We had a private tour (basically we rented the whole boat for just 3 of us). More expensive but it was well worth it. Got more than 90 minutes and Capitan Jimmy was excellent and very informative.
Felix_B, Jan 2026
Although, we did see a lot of wildlife on our trip and it was great, I would say to expect not to see any so you don't get disappointed. Capt. Andrew was knowledgeable and funny. Fully recommended.
Kris_V, Dec 2025
Fun to be on an air boat. Guide "disco" was very knowledgeable. Saw glimpses of 3 alligators, but don't expect to see lots of animals. Mostly birds and the few gators.
Arthur_K, Dec 2025
booked a private one hour tour, arrived and they tried to put us on a group tour, shut that down, got on the private boat, which when we sat down the driver was like hopefully we see an alligator, we ended up seeing one and the driver was excited. saw some beautiful birds and the driver was informative, but overall major ripoff. should have had guidance on timing and what to expect.
Akeem_G, Dec 2025
Sawgrass Airboat Tours was an absolutely incredible experience! From start to finish, the staff was friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly passionate about the Everglades. Our captain was engaging, funny, and made safety a top priority while still giving us an exciting ride across the water. We saw plenty of wildlife and learned a lot about the local ecosystem along the way. It was the perfect mix of adventure and education. I would highly recommend Sawgrass Airboat Tours to anyone looking for a memorable Florida experience. Definitely a must-do!
Suzie_C, Dec 2025
We are from Idaho and wanted to see the Everglades. We saw iguanas, several kinds of birds and an alligator, even on a chilly day. So fun!
Rosemary_V, Dec 2025
You may not see any wildlife but it was a fun adventure. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and personable.
William_G, Aug 2025
While the experience of being on an airboat was nice, our only goal was to see alligators in the wild. We did not see one. We were informed that the best time to see them is March and October. Additionally, there are 1.5 - 2 million alligators in Florida, however , we were informed that the area the airboat covered contained only 300 alligators.
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Thank you for your review! It can be difficult to find alligators when the weather is not favorable. March is typically the best weather in South Florida.
Amy_H, Jul 2025
We had a great time on our tour and got to see 2 alligators up close! Our guide was great for helping us to see him in the distance then get up closer to look. We would definitely come back to this place when we're back in the area. The kids had a great time!
Response from Host, Aug 2025
Amazing! See you next time!
Chadwick_H, Jul 2025
I’ve done other air boat tours here in the Everglades… this wasn’t it. We booked a private 60 min tour and the airboat ride stopped one time to see one bird. That was it. No alligators. No turtles. No snakes. No nests. This seems more like a cash grab than an exhibit. The animals on site were in enclosures way too small, so we kinda felt bad TBH. And then the mosquitos…. It was insane.
Ps. I’m writing this review in my car as I’m leaving the place. $400 for two people. I just can’t recommend it. Sorry 🤷♂️
Response from Host, Jul 2025
We are incredibly sorry to hear the tour did not meet the standards that were promised when you made your purchase. After speaking with the captain, we learned that he was not feeling well that day and he had not let us know. We are grateful that your brought this to our attention so we can be sure this doesn't happen in the future.
Przemyslaw_S, Jun 2025
Very nice experience. Captain was Professional and knowledgeable. Will recommend it to friends. Will do it again.
Abby_W, Jun 2025
This tour was amazing! Our captin was friendly and knowledgeable and funny. We had the best time! We will e adding this to the top of our list when we return!
Shon_H, Jun 2025
My wife and I really enjoyed the private air boat tour . Our Captain Nick was a great guid with a lot of information on the Everglades. We were able to see several Alligators in their natural environment.
Danny_W, Jun 2025
We did a 90-minute private tour with Mike. There were 8 in our party, and that was just the right amount of time. Mike was knowledgeable and informative, and great at spotting alligators, then getting us up close to them without disturbing them much.
The exhibits were not that extensive, but the staff who led the reptile talk and the alligator talk was entertaining and seemed to really love what he does.
Stanley_H, May 2025
Great experience. Based on my experience, I highly recommend this air boat ride. The captain was extremely informative and piloted a smooth ride.
Mary_D, Apr 2025
Fun for the whole family. Saw many alligators and other wildlife . Boat ride was super fun. Holding an alligator and seeing the animals at the site was a great bonus. Captain Ron was great and knowledgeable.
Michae_P, Apr 2025
We had a great fan boat tour. Captain Disco was our guide and he was great. He was very knowledgeable, answered all our questions, and was able to show us many alligators and other wildlife. We had a great time.
Shannon_T, Apr 2025
We had such a great time with Captain Disco! We booked a private tour, so it was just the two of us and the captain. It was nice to just have our own booking so we could ask as many questions as we wanted. Way better than doing a tour with strangers. I think we booked at the perfect time (9am) because once we got back, the place was flooding with people! April was also a good choice because the gators aren't too hot and hiding down in the cold water, so we saw several gators just hanging about. Access to the exhibits was great too. We got to hold a little gator and see other cool crocs, gators, etc.
Marta_G, Apr 2025
We had a private tour with Captain Jack. The experience was rich with detail of the ecological system of the Everglades. Captain Jack led the way to allow to see not only the alligators but most of the residents of the park. The airboat ride was amazing too! We also had a chance to see the displays and pet a baby alligator! Highly recommended!
Kelli_R, Apr 2025
Great experience! Saw lots of gators and our captain was very knowledgeable. Beautiful perfect day! We did the private day tour and our captain recommended a night tour next time- we will for sure do that next time!
Stacy_B, Apr 2025
Wonderful fun informative experience. Captain Blake was awesome. His education in Biology and zoology was evident
Brittany_B, Apr 2025
We saw 6 gators from babies to full grown ones! Our Captain, Josh, did a great job! Would definitely recommend.
Jose_G, Mar 2025
Private tours are much more interesting because the trip is dedicated to you and your family and it is less intermingled with lots of people talking, etc. Mike was our boat pilot and he was excellent.
Christopher_W, Mar 2025
Great experience. Captain Jack was knowledgeable and found multiple alligators for us to see on our ride. My kids loved it.
Steve_B, Mar 2025
Captain made it great for my grandkids .
He found 4 big alligators for them to see and took time to explain a lot to them.
My 11 year old grandson said he loved learning all about them.
Jude_B, Mar 2025
Excellent trip. Good fun. Captain Josh was very knowledgeable. He knew where to find all the gators.
Kesa_M, Mar 2025
Wow! We had such a great time. Our guide, Captain Antonio, (?) was great! We saw 7-8 gators and he was so knowledgeable about the park. He explained the differences in the slews and ridges and showed us the deeper channel made by the Army Corp of Engieneers to control flooding. He knew all about the gators! They also have a nice gift shop and the employees were all very nice! Tell Cleetus we said hello! ❤️
From $140.25
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