GENERAL INFORMATION

• 30 Minute Tours: 9:00am to 5:30pm – Walk-ins only (no reservations) To assure your ride for a walk-in, please arrive by 5:00pm.
• Specialty Tours: Private, Sunset and Night Rides – book online, if group would like a different time, please call 407-344-9550. If tour is booked before 10:00am or after 5pm – you may enter the park through the gate on the left and go to the dock to wait for your captain. Restrooms are available in the parking pavilion on your left.
• Last walk-in ride of the day – Arrive 30 minutes before closing. If you arrive after closing, we cannot hold our rides or captains to get you on a ride.
• Age – No age limits to ride. Infants under 3 are free. Children are 3-10
• *Large boats – up to 17 passengers. Currently, we try to limit the tours to 15 passengers or less.  If you do not want to go on the ride with other customers, private rides are available for additional cost. On private rides you may go a little faster or slower – it’s your choice.
• *Smaller boats up to 6 passengers may be available. These boats usually go around 30 miles per hour.

WHAT DO YOU SEE
We take you into the headwaters of the Everglades to look for natural wild life.  We have one of the largest populations of Bald Eagles in the world. We also have turtles, raccoons, wild hogs, armadillos, deer and an array of birds such as Sandhill Cranes, Blue Herons, Osceola Turkey, Snail Kites, Osprey, Snowy Egret, Spoonbill, Wood Stork.

Animals are in the wild, we cannot guarantee gator sightings, bird sightings etc. The captains are familiar with the area and each tour is unique and may lead to many different discoveries.

If you want a closer look at alligators grab your binoculars and search for them on the tours. We also have a gator enclosure on property with approximately 35 juvenile alligators. Like our visitors, we love them and have plenty of food for purchase in the gift-shop, but we do not pick them up for to hold or for photos.

Is there a GUARANTEE to see alligators? – ONLY on the night tour. Unfortunately, since the tours are taking you to see animals in the wild, we cannot guarantee to see a particular bird or animal while on your tour during the day. The captains are exceptionally good at finding wildlife, but there are times of the year and times of the day that are it is harder to find things. Most animals do not like extreme weather so try to avoid going on the airboat during the middle of the day during the warm months, and the mornings during the cold months. We do however guarantee to see alligators on the night tour. This is when they come out to feed. Night tours do not go out in weather colder than 55 degrees

DIFFERENCE in Tours? – The longer you are out on the airboat the better chance you have seeing more wildlife. The one-hour ride takes you further into the swamps then the ½ hour tour and is more personalized. The night tour is the only one we guarantee to see alligators. All tours are on a 17-passenger airboat except the one-hour VIP ride which may be on a 6-passenger boat or larger.

When is BEST TIME to go?

• Winter– We suggest you come when it warms up a bit in the middle of the day.
• Spring– You can usually come anytime of the day, but early afternoon can have some spring rain showers.
• Summer- The best time in summer is the night ride. (During the summer our night tour can leave as late as 9:00 PM) The alligators feed at night when it is hot. It is also cooler when the sun is down. If you cannot make the night ride we suggest early in the morning. We open at 9:00 AM
• Fall- The same as Spring

Admission and Ticket Purchase
$5 admission to walk through our park.

Wait Times for Walk-ins
Tours may exceed an hour or longer wait. When you arrive, you will be given a time to go to the dock.  There is plenty to do in the park while you wait.

Arrival And Transportation
If you are scheduled to arrive around high traffic times in the late afternoon, please leave in plenty of time before your scheduled time. We cannot hold the ride for you but will try to get you on another later one.

We do not provide transportation, but you can receive help from Lyft or Uber.

Wheelchairs
We have a complimentary wheelchair for the park. We are handicap accessible; we are not able to have a wheelchair on the boat. Wheelchairs can get all the way to the boat. There are 3 steps into the boat.

Service Animals
Service animals must be always on a leash and in control in the park. The Captain can allow service animals on the boat however if they deem the animal is not in control and could cause a risk for other passengers, then he may refuse boarding on the boat.

Pregnancy/Disabilities
Riding an airboat is like riding any other type of boat. Please check with your doctor prior to riding on one of our tours to make sure you do not have any restrictions to being on a boat.

Native American village
If you wish to book specific classes/shows with Little Big Mountain please go to GONATIVENOW.com. The village has an authentically replicated display of life of the Joroho Tribe that all passengers can view.

Gem Mining
Gem mining is similar to gold mining. You can purchase a bucket, then sift the contents to find and keep any gems/arrowheads etc. you find. Costs $7 to $50 depending on the size and contents of the bucket. Great for all ages 2 and up. Yes, you can keep all the treasures you mine (buckets are not included)

Restaurant
We have an excellent American style food and barbecue menu. Place the order at the counter and pick up the meal in the patio area. Beer and wine are available.

Things to do at the park

• Observe and feed the gators in the enclosure ($5.00 for gator food)
• Gem mining: $7 – $50 a bucket
• Lily’s Butterfly Garden: Feed the butterflies, $2 per cup of nectar
• Take your own pictures sitting on the swamp shack display airboat and at various sites throughout the park.
• Gift shop
• Restaurant – Eat outside dining in our screened in pavilion or lakeside picnic tables
• Plenty of walking trails on the 32-acre park to search for wildlife

Weather and Clothing suggestions

Rain or weather delay
scheduled tours may be delayed or if the ride cancels, we can reschedule. If it is impossible, we will refund or give you a credit.

*You are highly advised to bring/wear jackets or sweaters for night rides anytime, since It is much colder at night and with the wind when you are traveling. Bring jackets/sweaters for day rides when it is below 75 or if you get cold easily.

*You do not normally get wet during any event.  Unexpected wind gusts can occur, and a splash may cause some overspray.

Rain – We do not operate tours during rain, but we do not close when it rains. We just delay tours until the rain stops. (Florida weather is very unpredictable, so it typically only rains for a very short time)

Please bring your own umbrellas (for the park) raincoats or jackets. Some may be available for purchase in the gift shop

Sunset and night rides
Do not go out when temperature drops between 55 and 60. Call to check

Sunscreen
You will be in the sun for 30 minutes to an hour. The sun is stronger on the water so be prepared.

Mosquito Repellant
You are welcome to apply mosquito repellent, but the boat is moving most of the tour and when it stops it is not typically long enough for them to get to you.  If you are hypersensitive to mosquitos, we do recommend repellent.

Life Vests
Life vests can be found under the seat and in the front of the boat. Children 6 and under are required to wear a life vest before boarding.

Hearing Protection
All our passengers are provided with hearing protection prior to riding on our airboat tours.

Age/Height requirements
Tours are safe and fun for everyone – all ages are welcome. We do not have a minimum age or height requirement for our tours. A child under 2 can sit on your lap or ride beside you. They usually enjoy the ride, but some have a problem with the noise and/or wearing a life vest which is required for children under 6.

Friendly suggestions:
Please use the restroom 15 minutes before your tour. The airboats will leave at the scheduled time and cannot be held for late arrivals.

Secure all loose articles on the boat. If something flies off, the captain will probably not be able to retrieve it.

If you see something on the web site or on another vendor’s web site that you don’t understand or you don’t believe is correct, please call or email us at [email protected].

Interpreters are not available. There are phone interpreter apps available.

Groups and Pavilion Rental
Please email [email protected]