8 Big Everglades Adventures

8 Big Everglades Adventures
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Peter W. Cross for VISIT FLORIDA

Compiled from a series of stories by Jeff Klinkenberg for VISIT FLORIDA

The legendary River of Grass is one of the wonders of the world, a vast subtropical wilderness that has been declared a World Heritage Site, International Biosphere Reserve and Wetland of International Importance. There are many ways to experience the Everglades - here are eight entry points.

Corkscrew Swamp: Land of Giants

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A boardwalk leads into Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, which occupies around 13,000 acres in the western Everglades. Peter W. Cross for VISIT FLORIDA

Deep in the heart of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, in the largest stand of old-growth cypress trees on the planet, living giants tower over the primeval landscape. Some of the trees measure more than 135 in height and nearly 40 feet in circumference. A 2.1-mile-long boardwalk leads into the Corkscrew wilderness.

Read and see more here.

Big Cypress: Brake for Alligators

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If you don't see an alligator during an Everglades visit, especially when traveling through Big Cypress National Preserve, you're doing something wrong. Peter W. Cross for VISIT FLORIDA

Along the Tamiami Trail in the 720,000-acre wilderness of Big Cypress National Preserve, alligators line the canal banks like scaly, cold-blooded Lincoln logs. The reptiles reign in the swamp, particularly along the 25-mile Loop Road that leads off the main highway into the deep Everglades.

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Step Into the Mystery of Fakahatchee Strand

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Fakahatchee Strand is a wild and beautiful 7,000-acre preserve in the western Everglades. Peter W. Cross for VISIT FLORIDA

Venture into Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park and you could see an elusive Florida panther, or a black bear, or the famous ghost orchid, which was featured in Susan Orlean's best-selling book "The Orchid Thief" (which was made into a movie starring Meryl Streep and Nicholas Cage).

Read and see more here.

Rolling Down the Gator Trail

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Take the tram on the 15-mile Shark Valley loop in the Everglades if you want to get close, but not too close, to a lot of alligators. James Branaman for VISIT FLORIDA

Shark Valley Visitor Center is located 25 miles west of Miami and 70 miles east of Naples. The 15-mile Tram Loop is closed to motorized traffic except for the regular tram tours; many visitors choose to bike the trail, stopping halfway to take in the view from the observation tower.

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Store Stocked with Tales of the Florida Frontier

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The Smallwood Store was a frontier outpost for Gladesmen, Seminole Indians and other Everglades denizens. Peter W. Cross for VISIT FLORIDA

Stepping through the doorway of the Smallwood Store on the island of Chokoloskee is like stepping back in time. Opened in 1906 by Florida pioneer Ted Smallwood, the wooden building on pilings is more museum than retail establishment now, with a trove of stories and artifacts from bygone days.

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Eat Your Fill, Sit a Spell at Joanie's

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Joanie Griffin's crab shack is housed in the oldest standing building in the Everglades. Peter W. Cross for VISIT FLORIDA

Joanie's Blue Crab Cafe isn't fancy, but it serves up heaping helpings of old-fashioned Old Florida character with every plate of fresh seafood. Proprietor Joanie Griffin, who practically grew up in the Everglades fishing and hunting with her late husband, presides with downhome charm and hospitality.

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Visit 'the Disney World of Tropical Fruit'

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Robert Moehling's fruit stand near Everglades National Park's main entrance has been feeding visitors and passersby since 1959. Peter W. Cross for VISIT FLORIDA

At Robert Is Here, browse the aisles for exotic produce - dragonfruit, lychee, sapodilla, Monstera deliciosa - as well as more familiar fare, like tomatoes cucumbers, bananas, mangoes and more. Owner (and namesake) Robert Moehler, a big, friendly man who will talk your ear off, grows most of what he sells.

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Go Deep for Everglades Chickee Camping

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The rising sun outlines campers on the Pearl Bay Chickee and illuminates the beauty of Hell's Bay. James Branaman for VISIT FLORIDA

Canoe into Hell's Bay in the southern tip of the Everglades for a backcountry chickee camping adventure. Chickees are sheltered camping platforms standing in the water. Open on all sides to allow the breeze to flow through, the chickees make roughing it not so rough for wilderness camping novices.

Read and see more here.

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