Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center
The main southern entrance building for Everglades National Park, with rangers, films and maps a short drive from the trails.
Checado em novembro de 2026
It's the right first stop if you're doing the Everglades from Homestead: trails, ranger advice and the road deeper in. Come for airboats and you've driven to the wrong side of the park.
What's inside
Orientation films, educational displays and a rack of brochures fill the building, and it's open 365 days a year. Google lists 9 am to 5 pm daily. The park service says it opens at 8 am from mid-December through March, so check before an early start. The adjoining bookstore runs 9:30 am to 4:30 pm and sells books, postcards and insect repellent, which you may want before you go anywhere else. Restrooms are here too, and work by local artists is often on display. It holds a 4.7 from about 2,900 Google reviews, which is high praise for what's basically the park's front desk.
No airboats here
The most common wrong turn is driving to Homestead for an airboat. There are no airboat tours through this entrance. The three concessions, Coopertown Airboats, Gator Park and Everglades Safari Park, sit along SW 8th Street (Route 41), about an hour north. This is the southern gate to the park, and the popular walking trails begin a short drive past the visitor center. So come here for trails, ranger advice and the long road into the park. Go to the Tamiami Trail if what you really want is the fan-boat ride. Mixing up the two costs you a couple of hours in the car.
Wet season, dry season
Dry season, roughly December through April, is busy for a reason: the warm winters draw the widest range of wading birds and the animals that hunt them. Wet season, May to November, is rainy and can bring a lot of mosquitoes. Visitation drops in summer and many ranger-led programs pause, though other guided tours keep running. The park calendar shows what's on. The Everglades covers 1.5 million acres and coverage gets patchy in remote areas, so plan your route before you lose signal. Pick your season knowing the trade: more birds and people in winter, more bugs and quiet in summer.
Como chegar
- From Miami, take the Turnpike south to its end at Florida City, turn right at the first light onto Palm Drive (SW 344th St.) and follow the park signs.
Bom saber
Download the free NPS app and save the Everglades maps for offline use before you head into remote areas.
Perguntas frequentes
Are there airboat tours at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center?
No. Airboat tours run through three concessions on SW 8th Street (Route 41), about an hour north: Coopertown Airboats, Gator Park and Everglades Safari Park.
What are the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center hours?
Google lists 9 am to 5 pm every day, and the park service says it opens at 8 am from mid-December through March. It's open 365 days a year, but hours can change, so check before you go.
Can I take an Uber or Lyft to the visitor center?
You can get there, but the park service warns that visitors often can't get a ride back because the area is so remote. There's no public transportation to the site.