– A la Van or A la Carte? To take a tour of the Everglades or go on your own
The other day a father staying with his family on Fort Myers Beach asked me a fairly common question, “Wouldn’t it be cheaper to just drive to the Everglades and buy the various attractions a la cart?”
My answer was, “With all respect, we think that’s the wrong question. Even if you plan to visit Southwest Florida every year for the rest of your life, your family’s time here now is precious. Doing the Everglades on your own might, just might, save you a few dollars. But, what if you spent all that time and traveled all that distance and missed something you wished the family had seen and appreciated, or made a wrong turn and wasted a lot of time driving around?”
The point? When you consider the time spent planning your day in the Everglades, driving to and from the Everglades and Everglades City, the charges for dolphin cruises, airboat and swamp buggy rides, lunch and good luck even finding the dirt roads for off road wildlife drives, you would have a different experience from the one you have on an Everglades Adventure Excursion, which includes knowledgeable nature guides. Our guides have college degrees, and are certified Florida Master Naturalists and provide insight and information so you can actually learn about the Everglades not just see it.
Plus drivers for Everglades Adventure know the way, do the work of driving on strange roads, make the most of your time spent in the day, let you relax in air conditioned comfort both coming and going, and assure you arrive home safely.
If you have never been to the Everglades Area before it can be overwhelming to try and pick what activities to do, with what companies, and how to navigate the area. Some of the companies out there will not treat you with the same priority as they treat our customers, we have everything reserved in advance for you, and we never have to wait for a table at lunch. We often meet 4th and 5th generation native gladesmen in the area that love to tell our inquisitive customers stories from their childhood and what the real Glades was like long ago.
Many of our visitors join us for a tour to get acquainted with the Everglades Area and then go on their own adventures for their next visit. Considering all that, most people say Everglades Adventure is a heck of a good deal. Going with a guide is an added cost, but it is also a luxury.
By the way, the Everglades Adventure van will even pick you up and drop you off at the Fort Myers Beach hotel, resort, or accommodation where you are staying for free. No other Everglades tour company offers this service on the island.
Have you made this excursion with us in the past? What do you think? Would you recommend Everglades Adventure to your friends? We realize we are not for everybody but we sure enjoy what we do and helping to educate everyone about this beautiful and unique place.