The Anhinga Trail at Everglades National Park takes visitors through a sawgrass marsh where they can see alligators, turtles, and many other animals.

On your next trip to South Florida, ditch Miami’s vices for a day and check out Everglades National Park. Hiking, kayaking and getting eaten by  Burmese pythons that irresponsible pet owners released into the Everglades are just some of the activities you can do at the 2,500-square-mile park.

Famous for: Being the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States

Admission: $5 for a one-person seven-day pedestrian/cyclist pass, $7 for a seven-day private vehicle entry and $25 for an annual pass

Families with young kids will like: The two-hour naturalist Shark Valley tram tour, which introduces visitors “to the ‘River of Grass’ and the wildlife inhabiting it” and includes a stop at an observation tower that offers a panoramic view of the Everglades

Families with teenagers will like: The opportunity to feed their mouthy adolescents to alligators while canoeing the Nine Mile Pond Trail, which runs from Flamingo to Florida Bay

Other travelers will like: Watching the sunset from the Pahayokee Overlook

Easy site seeing: The 0.8-mile Anhinga Trail where you can see alligators and other animals, which clearly made less of an impact on me, up close

Best hotel in the park: There are none after the Flamingo Lodge was damaged during hurricanes in 2005 and torn down in 2009

Best campground in the park: One of the backcountry sites accessible only via boat

Worst lodging experience: The belly of an alligator

Best months to visit for weather: December through April

Best months to visit to avoid crowds: The summer

Best hotel: The Hampton Inn and Suites in Homestead (there aren’t many options)

Nearest major city: Miami

More info can be found at the always helpful NPS.gov site: http://www.nps.gov/ever/

Related posts:

• Ten Best Ways to See the Florida Everglades
• Lemon Tree Inn Offers Everglades Fishing Package for Dads

Photo: Zach Everson