Robert Is Here, Florida City
FRUITS AND TREES
Longtime family fruit stand sells fruits, trees, smoothies, lunch and products like local honey, hot sauce, baked goods made from local products and more. Robert Moehling and his sta...
road trip
Glorious Peace and Quiet in Our Backyard Everglades
It’s hard to believe this place is only a 90-minute drive from Miami. As South Florida’s metro area grows, traffic becomes more chaotic and leaf blowers get noisier, it’s time to escape to this nearby paradise.
Everglades National Park, the largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S. – 1,500,000 acres in Miami-Dade, Monroe and Collier counties – has three separate entrances, in Everglades City on the west coast, Shark Valley on Tamiami Trail west of Miami, and Homestead, which takes you to Flamingo. Take the turnpike south until it ends, then head west on SW 344 St. Stop at the iconic fruitstand Robert is Here to buy a Cuban sandwich, a fruit shake and whatever local exotic fruits are in season to bring on your journey. Ask Robert for a sample, and he will happily give you a taste and a story as he’s been doing for decades.
Continue past dwindling agriculture fields, past Frog Pond, a great birdwatching spot, to the park entrance. The Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center will give you an understanding of the basics of the river of grass. Ranger-guided tours here include nature walks at Anhinga Trail, wet walks at Royal Palm and a trek to the enigmatic Nike Missile Site for a view into the Cold War and Cuban missile crisis.
Look for birdlife along the road to Flamingo, about another 38 miles. Stop at Snake Bight Trail, put on plenty of mosquito repellent and walk down the trail to the boardwalk, where you might spot roseate spoonbills. West Lake’s boardwalk opens onto the lake and expansive views.
Walk on the Wild Side
When you get to Flamingo, you’ll see the marina, the Guy Bradley Visitor Center, the new Flamingo Lodge and campsites beyond. Built out of shipping containers placed on stilts, the lodge rooms feature large windows that capture the sunrise and sunset over Florida Bay. All 24 units have kitchenettes, balconies and – thankfully – no TVs. But there is wifi. The restaurant serves breakfast and casual fare for dinner. Get a table on the patio overlooking Florida Bay and order the smoked fish dip, a mahi-mahi sandwich with just the right kick of spice and a cold beer. Or bring your freshly caught fish here to be cooked. Early-morning birders can grab a breakfast burrito before they set out. They also serve smoothies and key lime pie.
You’ll find lots of great activities at the marina. The backcountry boat tour is led by Everglades naturalists who point out the different mangroves, birds and roaming crocodiles and admonish the foolish tourists trying to touch the tail of the croc sunning himself on the dock. Dolphins frolic in Whitewater Bay amid anhingas, egrets and herons. The ranger-led kayak tour in Florida Bay is a great deal – three hours of kayaking led by an expert, free because it’s included in park admission! It’s best to reserve this tour up to two weeks in advance, as it fills up quickly.
But the best part of the day is when the sun sets. View this from the new visitor center, a very cool mid-century building that originally housed a restaurant. Painted pink and blue, the building has huge glass windows overlooking Florida Bay. Once that sun sets, the magic begins. Take a walk along the Guy Bradley Trail that runs alongside the bay where all you hear are the sounds of the water lapping quietly against the mangroves, fish jumping, birds conversing. At last, you’re in a spot devoid of human sounds. Look up and gaze at the sky filled with stars, planets, satellites and the mysteries of the universe. It’s all for you to ponder here at the end of the world.
Photo 1: Boardwalk at Flamingo Lodge
Photo 2: Dine al fresco at Flamingo Lodge
Plan Your Trip
Everglades National Park: nps.gov/ever
Flamingo Lodge: flamingoeverglades.com
The park is open year-round. Dry season, typically Dec. through April, is the busy season with the largest variety of wading birds and fewer mosquitoes. Reserve lodge rooms, glamping tents or campsites in advance. There’s free entrance to all national parks six days every year: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 15), First Day of National Park Week (April 20), Juneteenth (June 190, Great American Outdoors Day (Aug. 4), National Public Lands Day (Sept. 28) and Veterans Day (Nov. 11).
Flamingo Lodge: flamingoeverglades.com
The park is open year-round. Dry season, typically Dec. through April, is the busy season with the largest variety of wading birds and fewer mosquitoes. Reserve lodge rooms, glamping tents or campsites in advance. There’s free entrance to all national parks six days every year: Martin Luther King Jr. Day (Jan. 15), First Day of National Park Week (April 20), Juneteenth (June 190, Great American Outdoors Day (Aug. 4), National Public Lands Day (Sept. 28) and Veterans Day (Nov. 11).
The Homestead National Parks Trolley service offers free guided trolley tours from downtown Homestead to Anhinga Trail. Everglades and Biscayne National Parks through Mar. 31. Catch the trolleys every Saturday and Sunday at Homestead Station. Make reservations here.
Robert Is Here, Florida City
FRUITS AND TREES Longtime family fruit stand sells fruits, trees, smoothies, lunch and products like local honey, hot...
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