HOLLYWOOD WALKING TOUR FIELD GUIDE
Through Bald Cypress and Mangrove: A Full-Day Wet Hike and Deep-Everglades Tour from Hollywood
A nine-hour guided experience that pairs a naturalist-led wet walk in Big Cypress with boat and airboat time in the 10,000 Islands and Everglades, useful as a practical guide to what to expect and what to pack.
Through Bald Cypress and Mangrove: A Full-Day Wet Hike and Deep-Everglades Tour from Hollywood.
Experience the magic of Big Cypress National Preserve on a guided wet walk led by an expert naturalist, then continue into the Everglades and 10,000 Islands by boat and airboat. The day includes a wet hike through bald cypress forest amid orchids, bromeliads and ferns; a narrated scenic drive; lunch in Everglades City; visits to a historic trading post and a Native tree-island village; and a one-hour boat tour and airboat ride that bring you deep into the region’s waterways.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Bald Cypress Dome Wet Walk
Led by an experienced naturalist, the wet hike takes you into a bald cypress dome—part of Big Cypress or the Fakahatchee—where orchids, bromeliads and ferns cling to trunks and hammocks give way to standing water and a true sense of the Everglades’ flooded forest.
Close Views of Everglades Fauna
The habitats visited on this route support abundant wildlife—likely sightings include alligators, turtles, snakes and numerous bird species, with dolphins, manatees and the occasional larger mammal possible—offering sustained viewing opportunities across wetland and marine environments.
Extended Boat and VIP Airboat Time
The day pairs an extended 10,000 Islands boat trip with a 60–70 minute airboat ride that pushes deep into the River of Grass, with stops at tree-island villages and narration that connects natural history with indigenous lifeways.
What the day feels like
What the day feels like
From an early start to a late afternoon return, the tour stitches wetland walking, coastal boating and high-speed airboat travel into one continuous picture of Everglades ecology and culture. You’ll move from a damp, shaded cypress dome—feet often wet and surrounded by ferns and epiphytes—to open water in the 10,000 Islands, pause for lunch in Everglades City, visit a trading post and tree-island village, and finish with a narrated drive through Big Cypress. Transportation is provided, or you may meet at the designated location.
THE LANDSCAPE
Bald Cypress Dome Wet Walk
Led by an experienced naturalist, the wet hike takes you into a bald cypress dome—part of Big Cypress or the Fakahatchee—where orchids, bromeliads and ferns cling to trunks and hammocks give way to standing water and a true sense of the Everglades’ flooded forest.
THE WILDLIFE
Close Views of Everglades Fauna
The habitats visited on this route support abundant wildlife—likely sightings include alligators, turtles, snakes and numerous bird species, with dolphins, manatees and the occasional larger mammal possible—offering sustained viewing opportunities across wetland and marine environments.
THE RIDE
Extended Boat and VIP Airboat Time
The day pairs an extended 10,000 Islands boat trip with a 60–70 minute airboat ride that pushes deep into the River of Grass, with stops at tree-island villages and narration that connects natural history with indigenous lifeways.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this tour suits — and who should reconsider.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
The full-day outing runs approximately 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., totaling about nine hours.
The meeting location is Everglades National Park; transportation is provided as part of the tour or you may meet at the designated location.
Pack a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, a change of clothes and shoes, water shoes (or shoes you don’t mind getting wet) and ID. The operator notes they usually have a few extra pairs of water shoes available.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
How long is the tour?
About nine hours; the schedule runs roughly 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Where do we meet and is transportation provided?
The meeting location is Everglades National Park; transportation is provided, or you can meet at the designated location.
Is there a minimum age to join?
Yes — participants must be at least 5 years old.
What should I bring and wear?
Bring a hat, sunglasses, sunscreen, a change of clothes and shoes, water shoes or footwear you don’t mind getting wet, and ID.
What activities are included during the day?
The day includes a naturalist-led wet hike, lunch in Everglades City, an extended 10,000 Islands boat trip, a visit to a historic trading post, a 1-hour airboat ride deep into the Everglades, a stop at a Native tree island village and a narrated scenic drive through Big Cypress.