How to See 3 National Parks in Florida in 4 Days

Day 1: Arrive in Miami

Miami is an exciting city with endless possibilities for tourists. Depending on the time of your arrival, you can either head straight to your hotel or take a few hours to explore the area.

In our Before Kids Era, we visited the more touristy sections of Miami a couple times on our way to scuba diving destinations. During this visit, we opted to visit Black Point Park and Marina on Biscayne Bay. We enjoyed a delicious meal at Black Point Ocean Grill while overlooking the channel, and then took a twilight stroll along Black Point Jetty.

Of course, there are plenty of other fantastic options for making the most of your time in Miami. If shopping is your thing, check out Bayside Marketplace, where you can also grab a bite to eat. For a nostalgic Florida vibe, head to South Beach and feel the sand between your toes. Or, if you enjoy history, visit the iconic Cape Florida lighthouse, the oldest structure in south Florida.

TRAVELER’S TIP: On your first night, stop at a grocery store to grab drinks, fruit, and snacks. Pick whatever you enjoy that is easy to eat on the road. This is a nature lover’s itinerary that focuses on seeing as much cool stuff as we can without taking a lot of time to stop at restaurants.

Where to Stay in Miami

I suggest staying somewhere west of Miami and get as close to the Shark Valley entrance of Everglades National Park as possible. We stayed at the TownePlaces Suites Miami Kendall West, which fit our needs well.

Day 2: Everglades National Park

This is the first action packed day. Plan to arrive in the park by 9am to ensure you have a full 6 hours to explore the Everglades.

Everglades National Park is large and covers over 1,500,000 acres of land and water – meaning it takes a bit of time to travel from one section to another. There are three possible areas to explore during your time in the Everglades. To keep on schedule, you will likely have time to pick only two of the three.

Home to many species of grass and sedge, the Everglades has been coined the River of Grass. This is often the visual that comes to mind when thinking about the Everglades. To see this part of the park, be sure to visit Shark Valley and/or take an airboat ride.

Note: During the high season, parking lots will get full. Be sure to plan accordingly.

Shark Valley (approx. 3 hours)

• Visitor Center
• 2 hour tram ride through the sawgrass prairie – watch for alligators, turtles, and plenty of birds
• Bobcat Boardwalk Trail (.2 miles)
• Ottercave Trail (.3 miles)

Airboat Ride (approx. 2 hours)

Located about 15 minutes east of the Shark Valley visitor center.

Take a thrilling ride through the Shark River Slough using National Park Service approved vendors: 

• Coopertown Airboats
• Gator Park
• Everglades Safari Park

EVERGLADES FUN FACT: Elevation in the park ranges from 0 to 8 feet above sea level

Homestead Entrance (approx. 2 hours)

The homestead entrance is about an hour south of Shark Valley.

About a 10 minute drive from the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center is the area known as Royal Palm. From here, you can explore two popular walks in the park. One is a shaded path through a hardwood hammock and the other is a paved path and boardwalk through a sawgrass marsh.

• Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center – the largest visitor center in the park
• Anhinga Trail and Gumbo Limbo Trail at Royal Palm

DETOUR: If you would rather spend your limited time in the Everglades exploring mangroves and the Florida Bay, you can completely skip Shark Valley and the airboat ride and instead take the Homestead Entrance and drive straight to Flamingo.

Drive to Key West

Ideally, you will leave the Royal Palm area around 3pm with the goal of arriving in Key West just after 6pm. Driving three hours can be a drag, but this is such a unique drive, I think you’ll be glad to do it. The Florida Keys Scenic Highway is an All-American Road that runs from the mainland of Florida, across 43 keys, and ends in Key West.

By the time you reach the keys, it is likely the museums and tour sites will be closed for the day. However, you can stop anywhere along the way for local cuisine.

Key West

Assuming it’s not too late when you arrive in Key West, head to the historic district and explore the lively town for an hour or two. I suggest first taking your photo at the very touristy buoy that marks the southernmost point in the continental United States. Then, walk along Duval Street, stopping at any pubs or shops, to Mallory Square.

Where to Stay in Key West

There are a variety of places to stay in Key West. Many are located within the historic district, making it easy to see all the sites. This will be your home for the next two nights. I didn’t want to stay among the hustle and bustle, and opted to stay at Ocean’s Edge Resort and Marina. The selling point for me was the ability to rent (at no additional charge) kayaks and paddle around the marina. It also had a shuttle that took us to the historic area.

Day 3: Dry Tortugas National Park

Dry Tortugas National Park is about 70 miles west of Key West and marks the end of the Florida Keys. This is the only US National Park where you get to spend your day on a remote island in the Gulf of Mexico.

This trip can be a half day or full day excursion. There are only two ways to reach the park – by boat or seaplane. If you opt to take the ferry, you are choosing a full day outing. The ferry leaves Key West at 8am and returns around 5:30pm. Traveling by seaplane gives you the option for a half day or full day trip.

Whether you choose the ferry or seaplane, you will spend your time on Garden Key – one of the seven keys that make up Dry Tortugas. You have time to explore a fort, walk along the beach, and take a dip in the turquoise water.

Fort Jefferson

Garden Key was discovered by the Spanish explorer, Juan Ponce de León, in 1513. Once the United States gained control of Florida, and the Keys, they began planning a fort to protect trading within the Gulf Coast. Construction began in 1846. The fort was never completed, but it was occupied by the US Army until 1874.

The fort was used as a military prison during the Civil War, a coaling station for warships during the Spanish-American War, and as a quarantine hospital. In 1935, Fort Jefferson was designated a National Monument and upgraded to a National Park in 1992.

Relaxing on the beach

There are a couple white, sandy beaches to soak up the sun on both the north and south sides of the key.

Snorkeling

Both the ferry and seaplane operators have a snorkel, mask, and fins to borrow. Snorkeling is encouraged outside the SE section of the moat wall, among the south coaling dock ruins, and the north coaling dock ruins. We visited in August and there was a fairly good current rippin’ through the area. We found the easiest place to snorkel without getting pushed around was near the moat wall.

There are numerous activities to do with a couple hours in Key West. Touring the Hemingway House, Papa’s Pillar Rum distillery, or the Key West Shipwreck Museum all looked intriguing. But, we chose to kayak in the harbor right outside the hotel. It was a perfect way to spend the time. We spotted a ton of iguanas on shore.  

Day 4: Biscayne National Park

Florida Overseas Highway/Florida Keys Scenic Highway

Today begins with a 3 hour drive back to the mainland. I suggest leaving Key West by 8am to have as much time as possible exploring Biscayne National Park.

Bahia Honda State Park, Dolphin Research Center, The Turtle Hospital, History of Diving Museum, and Crane Point Hammock are all great places to visit along the scenic highway. If you choose to stop at one of these locations, be sure to watch your time, especially if you have booked a tour at Biscayne.

Biscayne National Park

Biscayne National Park protects the mangroves and coral reefs of Biscayne Bay. As this is primarily a park of water, the best way to experience it is by boat. Choose an afternoon tour with your favorite cruise, snorkel, or paddling adventure.

At the very least, stop by Dante Fascell Visitor Center and walk along the Convoy Point Jetty Trail.

FUN FACT: Biscayne Bay is 35 miles long, with an average depth of about 6 feet!

Bonus Day: Key Largo

This is already a whirlwind of a trip. But, if at all possible, I suggest stopping for a day in Key Largo either before or after your visit to Key West.

Florida’s Coral Reef is over 350 miles long, with most of it protected by the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Key Largo is a wonderful place to appreciate it. View the reef from a glass-bottom boat, snorkel trip, or scuba excursion.

Have you visited any of these places? We’d love to hear what you enjoyed most. Let us know in the comments below.