Flamingo Adventures: Florida Bay Catamaran Tours & Marina Wildlife Haven

About this adventure

Perched at the southernmost tip of mainland Florida where the Everglades meets Florida Bay, Flamingo is an exceptional winter wildlife sanctuary. Because cool winter weather lowers water temperatures in the shallows, the protected marina basin becomes a natural gathering ground where West Indian manatees and rare American crocodiles frequently bask side-by-side right beneath the public viewing boardwalks. Kids can gaze directly down at manatees surfacing for air and crocodiles sunning along the boat ramps from safe, fenced viewing platforms. Families can board 90-minute naturalist-guided catamaran boat cruises exploring Florida Bay's mangrove islands (frequently spotting bottlenose dolphins and osprey) or take the Buttonwood Canal backcountry tour into Coot Bay. The modern Guy Bradley Visitor Center offers climate-controlled interactive exhibits, clean restrooms, and stroller-accessible ramps. The drive down Main Park Road from Homestead passes several scenic pineland and cypress boardwalks.