Everglades
When viewed from high above in the air, the serpentine network of marsh- es that literally makes up much of the Florida Ever- glades runs as long and as wide as the horizon. Contrary to popular belief, this is not a stagnant swamp. For most of the year, the waterways south of Lake Okeechobee flow slow ly toward the Gulf of Mexico, at the rate of about a half-mile per day, as if the entirety of the Everglades were a river as wide as the state’s peninsula. November marks the begin- ning of the dry season, when humidity drops and mosquito swarms thin out — the most hospitable time to visit the “river of grass.” The classic way to explore the waterways is still among the best: Don some ear protection and hop into a high-powered airboat.
And a one-hour private safari from Miami-based operator Airboat in Everglades will have you spotting gators and crocs in the only place in the world where the two coexist, along with ospreys, eagles and maybe even a rare glimpse of the elusive Florida panther.