Florida National Parks Road Trip: Two Days, Three Parks

March 10, 2024

In between driving the Florida Keys and touring Miami, we reserved two days to discover Florida’s three national parks. Snorkel in the crystal-clear waters of Dry Tortugas, paddle between Biscayne’s mangroves and spot wildlife in Everglades National Park on this two-day road trip itinerary in Florida.

Day 1: Dry Tortugas National Park

Located 70 miles off Key West, Dry Tortugas National Park is only accessible by boat or seaplane. The most accessible option is the Yankee Freedom, the national park ferry that departs every morning from the harbor of Key West. Tickets should be reserved ahead as they often sell out weeks in advance. Traveling two hours each way, you spent about as much time on the ferry as on the island. But the ocean views from the sundeck ensure that the real trip begins when you board the ferry.

The Yankee Freedom docks at Garden Key, one of Dry Tortugas’ seven islands. It is dominated by the massive Fort Jefferson, constructed in the 1800s to protect the strategic harbor made up by Dry Tortugas. The fort served several purposes, including a remote prison dubbed “Devil’s Island”. The ferry ticket includes a one-hour guided tour of the fort, or you can opt for a self-guided tour. Make sure to climb the walls for sweeping views of the Gulf of Mexico.

After lunch served on the ferry, the azure-blue waters are calling. Snorkeling gear comes included with the ferry ticket. Prospection on the fort’s infinity walls revealed Portuguese man o’ wars, so we chose to stay close to the shore.

The postcard-perfect beaches are hard to leave behind after just five hours on the island. You can extend the trip by bringing camping gear and heading back the next day. We topped off this day trip to paradise with frozen margaritas on the ferry back to Key West.

From Key West, we followed the Overseas Highway to Homestead. The Sunset Grille & Raw Bar makes up the perfect midway dinner stop, with sunset views over the Seven Mile Bridge. The Overseas Highway connects the Florida Keys with the mainland, offering the ultimate Florida road trip adventure. We spent two days driving the Keys on our way to Key West.

Day 2, AM: Biscayne National Park

Homestead is the perfect base for discovering both Biscayne National Park and the southern part of the Everglades. Make sure to stop at Knaus Berry Farm to pick up some delicious cinnamon rolls for breakfast. We ended up racing to Biscayne to make our 9 AM tour, but the rolls were worth it.

Biscayne National Park is located just 20 miles from the Everglades, but is often overlooked. The park is 95% water, so a visit is only worthwhile if you get out on the bay. The Biscayne National Park Institute offers a variety of eco-adventures on the water. We booked a guided stand-up paddling adventure in advance. The Jones Lagoon Paddle Eco-Adventure departs daily from the Dante Fascell Visitor Center.

After a short history lesson on the park, we set off at full speed to Jones Lagoon. In the 20 minutes it took us to get there, we didn’t pass a single soul. The calm waters of Jones Lagoon made up the perfect training grounds for SUP beginners like us. After half an hour, we had successfully moved from sitting down to kneeling and standing up.

The water in the lagoon is only three feet deep and crystal-clear, which allows you to spot underwater life from the board. We saw stingrays, baby sharks and upside-down jellyfish. A paddling adventure is the perfect way to enjoy the beauty and tranquility of Biscayne National Park.

Day 2, PM: Everglades National Park

Everglades National Park covers 1.5 million acres of diverse ecosystems in Southern Florida. The park is a biodiversity hotspot, attracting a variety of wildlife and endangered species. The Everglades are best visited in the dry season, from November to April. Choosing where to enter the park is key, as the three entrances are hours apart from each other. We entered through the Royal Palm Entrance in Homestead.

The Everglades’ most famous resident is no doubt the American alligator. One of the best places to spot alligators in the park is the short Anhinga Trail, located right next to the Royal Palm Visitor Center in Homestead. The 0.4-mile trail is dotted with alligators soaking up the sun.

We drove just a little further into the park to the Pa-Hay-Okee Lookout Tower. A short boardwalk trail leads to a viewpoint of wetlands as far as the eye can see. You can follow the park road all the way to the Flamingo Entrance, the gateway to the Florida Bay and home to a campground.

Before continuing to Miami, we stopped at Schnebly Redland’s Winery. This winery makes wine out of everything but grapes. A tasting lets you try five of their tropical wines, made out of exotic fruits like avocado, lychee and guava.