Books, Bites, and Sights

January 4th – January 11th, 2026

Hi friends, and welcome to the 8 day, 7 night itinerary of everything I did in South Florida including Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park, Key West, and Dry Tortugas National Park.

Gasp. The rumors are true. I officially live out of my car, am unemployed, and don’t have healthcare, and I couldn’t feel more at ease. Shocking. My lease in Nashville, Tennessee ended January 2nd, and after shoving all of my things into a CubeSmart storage unit and penny pinching for over a year, I headed south with my boyfriend, Amory, in our 2023 Toyota 4Runner for the first leg of our 63 in 365 journey (All 63 national parks in 365 days or less). In my opinion, we planned this portion of the trip during an ideal time of year because we came to Florida after the Florida holiday rush but still during a time in Florida when the weather is more mild, and the insects are at bay.

Day 1: Checking-in and lightly exploring Everglades National Park (northern portion) and Big Cypress National Preserve

• After driving into the northern portion of the Everglades from Homestead, we made a quick stop at the Shark Valley Visitor Center for our National Park passport stamp. The Shark Valley Visitor Center is open 9 – 5 and is very small with not a lot to see at the center itself, but we did see a sunbathing alligator (and so many more to come) right off the path as we walked to the visitor center, so this was a great start to our South Florida tour. Books, Bites, Insights? Get gas in Homestead before you drive the hour into the northern portion of the park. There is gas, but it is much more expensive and sparse.
• Next, we drove 20 minutes west to check-in to our campsite at Midway Campground. This campground is in the Big Cypress National Preserve and costed us $24 a night. Clean restrooms, no showers, and no signal – so nice to get away from those pesky emails and notifications.
• Afterward, we an additional 20 minute drive west to the Oasis Visitor Center of Big Cypress National Preserve (again, for our stamp) and saw so many alligators on there short, informative boardwalk which was very accessible and within a stone’s throw from the visitor center itself.

Day 2: Exploring Shark Valley in Everglades National Park (northern portion)

• On day two, we rented bikes from the Shark Valley Visitor Center for $27 a day. We did not make reservations, but we did show up at opening (8:30) to be sure we could get a bike. The bike rentals are good for the entire day and allow you to access the 15-mile loop trail and observation tower. I highly reccomend exploring the Everglades by bike, but be sure to bring snacks, water, and sunblock – there were limited places to sit and rest and limited shade on the trail itself. The observation tower is around mile 7 of the loop. Take your time biking the first half of the loop. This is where we saw all of the biodiversity that the Everglades is known for. And this is where I saw my first… American crocodile (peep my photo dump)! So many other bikers were passing him up, so be sure to take your time and keep your eyes peeled. Amongst other critters, we saw baby alligators and so many birds. In total, Amory and I were able to log 22 new birds on the free and novice-friendly birding app, Merlin Bird ID, which speaks to the biodiversity exposure you will encounter while exploring the Everglades. Books, Bites, Insights? Start logging your birds. It is a free activity and the app can help you identify your sighted birds using images, seasons, locations, and calls. Amory and I have had so much fun using this app, and did you hear me say that part about it being free?

Day 3: Exploring Big Cypress Nature Preserve > checking-in to and lightly exploring the Everglades (southern portion)

• On day three, we booked a guided kayaking tour with Everglades Rentals and Eco Adventures in the Big Cypress Nature Preserve. The tour cost roughly $100 per person, and we booked the morning tour which started at 8. Our guide on the tour was able to point out wildlife that Amory and I weren’t familiar with spotting – such as baby alligator eyes peeping out from the mangrove roots. I enjoyed this tour because of the vast amount of flora and fauna we were able to see: osprey, turtles, alligators, egrets, herons, Florida gar, and, my favorite of the tour, blooming orchids. Our guide, Langdon, was able to point out and speak on the different types of orchids and birds (which helped me log them!) and answered all my Everglades questions. While kayaking without a guide may provide you with more solitude, going with a guide allows you to learn about the Everglades in a way I wouldn’t have been able to without. Books, Bites, Insights? Want to see more birds? Take the morning tour. Want to see more alligators? Take the afternoon tour.

• After kayaking, we drove nearly 2 hours to the southern portion of the Everglades. We made our first stop at the Anhinga Trail (0.8 miles). This trail is an easily accessible and beautiful boardwalk.

• Last, we checked into the Flamingo Campground which we reserved for $35 a night. This campground was located on the gulf, so Amory and I were able to watch the sunset over the water. And to my surprise, one of my favorite things occurred on our third day at this campground – stargazing. Our kayak guide told us that Big Cypress Nature Preserve was designated a dark sky park, but I nodded my head and brushed it off. BUT Y’ALL. The stars. Breathtaking. And free. Shortly after the sun went down and before the moon came out, you could see so many stars and star clusters in the night sky. Amory and I tried capturing images with our phones, but as the saying goes, “The pictures don’t do it justice.” Books, Bites, Insights? Download the Stellarium app for free sky guides to help when identifing the different constellations and such.

Day 4: Exploring the southern portion of Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park

• Amory and I woke up early on day four and made a grave mistake. We skipped the Guy Bradley Visitor Center. Why? I don’t know, but we later found our that this is one of the best places to see manatee in the winter. We met another couple on our Biscayne boat tour who went that morning and saw manatee… the same morning and time that we decided to skip it. Ugh! So, if you’re wanting to see manatee, make time to swing by the Flamingo Marina outside the Guy Bradley Visitor Center, especially in the morning. We did see many manatee later on during our Florida trip, but we had to make an out of the way stop at Blue Springs State Park outside Orlando and pay the $6 entrance fee. Here we saw over 50 manatee from an easily accessible, but slightly crowded, viewing dock.

• On day four before leaving the Everglades, we did stop at the Snake Bight trail (3.7 miles), but we didn’t see much wildlife. One thing we learned about the Everglades, especially in Winter, is that the critters take time to wake (and warm) up. We did see many flocks of birds and on our way back to the car we started to see lizards crossing the path but no snakes. We were quite bummed getting back in the car, but again, it was Winter and early morning, so we can’t complain too much. The trail was a great early morning walk though, and we only saw one other group the entire time.
• After leaving Everglades and on our way to Biscayne, we saw a produce stand called Robert is Here. Listen carefully. Stop. Stop your car. Go inside. Do not hesitate. This was such a great experience. Robert is Here is a local landmark and has so many coastal fruits, vegetables, and homemade goods. They have a coffee truck and multiple food trucks. They also rehabilitate animals and birds and have so many that you can pet and get close to in the back. Here is a list of what Amory and I got all for under 25$: starfruit, an avocado the size of my head (seriously), a mango, a peach, an organic kombucha, a black sapote (more to come on that delicacy), and vegan oatmeal cookie bites. As we were checking out, our cashier gave us a pamphlet on the different fruits we were buying and what to look for to know when they were ripe and ready to eat. He also cut and packaged the fruit beautifully for us. I could not recommend a stop at Robert is Here more, especially if you’re like me and from a landlocked state.

• After snacking on our fruits, we headed over to Biscayne National Park. We stamped our passports and made our way to the dock for the Heritage of Biscayne Boat Cruise. This tour was a 3 and a half hour cruise that costed us $83 per person and started at 1:30. After running around all day, it was so nice to sit on a boat, in the sunshine, and learn about the geology, biology, and history of the keys. After showing us the northern-most portion of the park, the tour dropped us off at Boca Chita Key. Here Amory and I got up close with hermit crabs and iguanas. The key offered sandy beaches you could swim at if you wanted and a little trail that encompasses the entire key. My favorite part was seeing the sea grass meadows in crystal clear water up close (peep my feet picture in the photo dump). After letting us explore the key for an hour, we made our way back to the boat and back to the visitor center.

• Not to complain, but this now brings me to the worst part of this trip… biting flies. Yes. BITING. FLIES. The mosquitos in the Everglades, even in Winter, were ruthless at dusk and dawn, but the biting flies in Biscayne after our boat tour made my skin crawl like no other. Books, Bites, Insights? Wear your bug spray. Amory and I prefer natural remedies, so we were using Badger Anti-Bug Shake and Spray. It worked, but honestly, your best bet for those biting, blood-sucking little guys is to wear a light long-sleeve shirt or sun hoodie and long pants.

Day 5: Exploring Biscayne National Park

• The boat tour of Biscayne gave Amory and I a great broad spectrum view of the park, but we wanted to see the park more intimately, so on day five, we booked a guided paddle board tour, Morning Jones Lagoon Paddle Eco-Adventure. This experience costed us $109 per person and went from 9 – 1:30. Prior to this, I had never paddle boarded, and I was honestly quite nervous. Silly me. The paddle board is thick and is super easy to sit and balance on. I did stand a few times just to see if I could, and I was able to, but it is much easier to see the wildlife and guide the board when seated or kneeling. We took a thirty minute boat ride out to the mangrove encircled Jones Lagoon. Our captain and guide, Pablo, was a native Floridian and avid fisherman. He was so knowledgable on all the wildlife we were exposed to during our tour. Once in the lagoon, a nurse shark swam under Amory’s paddle board, a mangrove crab crawled down my back, and I got to hold a Cassiopeia jellyfish in my palms. Epic. Many people only explore the visitor center or boardwalk when visiting Biscayne, but if you chose to do that, you actually miss 95% of the park. If visiting Biscayne, do not hesitate to book one of the offered tours.

• After our paddle boat tour, we were tired and hungry. We made tuna salad at a picnic table near the visitor center, set up our hammock, and relaxed. I finished my first novel of the South Florida trip – The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa. A dystopian novel that gives big brother vibes. While the concept of the novel was so intriguing, as the novel played out, I became less and less interested. Oh well. I gave the book a 2/5 stars on Goodreads and called it a day.

• Finally, before leaving Biscayne, Amory and I wanted to walk their short Jetty boardwalk (0.7 miles). But before we made it to the boardwalk, we came across a free educational plankton lab offered by the park at the visitor center. Park volunteers had collected water samples in various parts of the park earlier that day and had high-tech microscopes and identification pamphlets for you to explore the microscopic creatures for yourself. It was was such a fun and neat experience. Books, Bites, Insights? Use the free National Park app on your phone when visiting a national park. The app is very user friendly, allowing you to search your specific park, view various maps of the park, and see a time schedule of ranger/volunteer led-activities occurring that week (and most of the activities are free).

Day 6: Driving down Highway 1 and exploring Key West

• On day six, we drove down Highway 1 all the way to Key West. Along the way we stopped at Robbie’s of Islamorada and fed the tarpons for $5. While this isn’t a must, it was fun to have these giant fish jump out of the water and eat bait fish out of your hand. Also, we utilized the stop as a quick bathroom break. If you were hungry, the food did smell delicious, but Amory and I were ready to get back on the road.

• Next, we stopped at Bahia Honda State Park with the intention of snorkeling. We paid $6 to enter the park, but we did not snorkel. The water wasn’t calm enough, but I did take a nap in the sand on the beach, and Amory walked the park.

• Once in Key West, we checked into Boyd’s Campground which costed us $120 a night. This was more on the expensive side for us, but it was actually on the cheaper side for Key West. Additionally, it was my birthday weekend, so we splurged, and we were glad we did. Boyd’s Campground gave us a waterfront site, clean restrooms, great security, and friendly community – which was so needed after stealth camping in parking lots for the previous two nights.

• That night for my birthday dinner we went to Blue Heaven to enjoy their Floridian-Caribbean cuisine. If food is your priority, you could probably find somewhere more exquisite, but the ambiance of the place was stellar. Chickens everywhere. Coast breeze. Live music. Outdoor seating. I loved it. Amory ordered the macro-bowl with sautéed quinoa topped with the Jamaican jerk chicken (which was gluten-free), and I ordered the heritage pork tenderloin with sweet potato puree, skillet corn, and house chutney. I had a glass of red wine that complimented my meal so well. The best part of the meal came last for me though. As you know, Amory and I have all the sensitives and allergies. But Blue Heaven had a passionfruit cashew “cheesecake” which was both vegan and gluten-free. This was the perfect sweet treat to end the night on. We spent right around $120 including tip on the dinner. All in all, not the most gourmet meal I’ve ever had, but I felt it was worth the time and money.

• After dinner we walked down Duval street to Mallory Square. Nightlife isn’t really our thing, but it was fun to see everyone enjoying themselves and to window shop.

Day 7: Exploring downtown Key West by foot

• We kick started day seven very early by visiting the Southernmost Point Buoy. This is a landmark in Key West and is iconic for being the continental U.S.’s southernmost point. And what better time to visit than at seven in the morning. Step out on the small dock nearby to the enjoy the breeze, the ocean spray, the breath-taking pinks and blues, and the always free sunrise.

• After the sunrise on the coast, we made our way to Date and Thyme Organic Cafe and Market. We ordered a drip coffee with almond milk and the blue hydration smoothie bowl (vegan and gluten-free). Date and Thyme uses all natural and organic ingredients. They had many gluten-free, lactose-free, and vegan friendly options. Additionally, they had beautiful patio seating, and Amory and I were able to sit in the early morning sunshine and do our crossword while ate.

• Next, I booked us tickets to The Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory. The tickets were $17 each, and this experience was so magical. Before entering the conservatory I bought a $1 pamphlet at the front desk that helped me identify all of butterflies, birds, and reptiles in the greenhouse. Books, Bites, Insights? Buy the pamphlet. Even at 10 in the morning the greenhouse was busy and a bit crowded, but you can spend as much time as you’d like on the short pathway (emphasis on short), and crowds don’t really bother me.

• By the time we finished at the conservatory it was lunch time, so we made our way to Sugar Apple Cafe and Market. Sugar Apple is a holistic cafe and market with ample vegan, gluten-free, organic options. We gravitated toward the deli options on the menu. I ordered the FLT, fakin bacon (soy), lettuce, and tomato on whole grain bread with soy mayo (check out the sandwhich in my photo dump). Amory got the creamy hummus sandwich on gluten-free bread and the ‘green drink’. We spent about $35 at Sugar Apple and were scraping our plates of all crumbs. So light, so refreshing, so yummy – the perfect lunch in Key West.

• After lunch, we made our way to Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park Beach. We paid $2.50 per person to get into the park by foot. Once in the park, everything was free to explore. We had not planned to explore the fort, and truthfully, we didn’t even know it existed. But when we stumbled on it, we were amazed. It is huge and beautifully located. There were so many iguanas crawling around on the top of the fort. After leaving the fort area, we made our way to the sandy beaches. Here I was able to finally dunk my head in that salty ocean water and stick my toes in the sand. I laid on the beach indefinitely, and while it was very popular beach with many other folk sunbathing, I had no issue getting a spot in the sand and sun and relaxing. While soaking up the rays, I finished my second novel of the trip, a classic Japanese psychological mystery – A Quiet Place by Seicho Matsumoto. From the very first chapter, I enjoyed the unraveling of this novel. Matsumoto’s writing immediately pulled me in, and I found myself trying to crack the case alongside the main character, Asai. I always know a novel is well written when I find myself openly talking aloud to the characters, begging them to make better choices – ugh! I walked away from this novel with the old adage forefront on my mind: Please for the love of god, let sleeping dogs lie.

• To end the night and our Key West experience, Amory and I were craving one thing – seafood. So we made our way to Eaton Street Seafood where we bought 1 and a half pounds of fresh-caught yellowtail snapper. We also purchased a cucumber, conch ceviche (yes, conch! I had been wanting to try it, but all I had seen was fried conch which wouldn’t sit well with my tummy), and mango salsa. This all costed us $61. Eaton’s put all of our purchases on ice and sent us on our way. Once back at Boyd’s, Amory quickly whipped out our gas grill and made the most amazing dinner. I couldn’t of asked for a better way to slowly end our South Florida trip.

Day 8: Exploring Dry Tortugas National Park

• For our final day in South Florida, we took a Sea Plane with Seaplane Adventures to Dry Tortugas National Park. This costed us nearly $500 per person which isn’t ideal and admittedly very expensive. But Amory and I realized too late how early you need to book the ferry to Dry Tortugas, and even two months prior to our trip, the ferry was completely booked. So, if you’re interested in marking Dry Tortugas off your National Park bucket list, don’t be like us, and plan your journey extra early.

• The plane ride to Fort Jefferson took us 45 minutes. Our pilot, Josh, pointed out marine life as we flew over it – so many sea turtles. The pilot also pointed out two sunken ships which now serve as artificial coral reefs. I had never been in a propeller plane, so this short flight was such a unique experience for me.

• Once on the island, we only had two and a half hours to explore, and honestly, that is not enough. Amory and I were rushing through everything, but we still had a blast. We started by stamping our passports, buying stickers, and touring the fort.

• After touring the fort, we walked the beach. We stumbled on a washed-up queen conch shell (which felt so staged) and spotted rare (to inlanders but not to the park itself) magnificent frigatebirds roosting! Finally, we jumped into the water to do some snorkeling. I had never snorkeled before, and this was such an amazing way to kickstart my new snorkeling obsession. The water at Dry Tortugas was crystal clear and the coral and fish were abundant and vibrant. We started at the North coaling dock ruins and then snorkeled our way all the way around the moat of the fort and back to the deckhouse. We got out of the water just in the nick of time to catch our seaplane back to the mainland. Books, Bites, Insights? If I were to do it all over, I would opt for the full day tour or the camping experience rather than the half day. There is just so much fun to be had and so much beauty to be seen at Dry Tortugas that the meager 2 and a half hours can’t accommodate for.

Well, reader, if you’ve made it this far, I appreciate you so much. I hope you enjoyed reading about my time in South Florida – this was by far my longest blog post yet. If you decide to try out one of these things or more, comment below to tell me how it goes. I would love to hear about your experiences, especially if you go during a different time of year than I did or if you have a differing opinion than my own.

And don’t forget to check out @AmoryWild if you want a vlog version of this trip. Click below to be redirected. XoXo, until next time.