Garl and his tour were the absolute highlight of our trip to Florida. My partner and I can't stop…read morethinking about our experience--we're already figuring out when we can come back and hit the Everglades with Garl again! Garl is so incredibly knowledgable and affable, as one could expect after almost 30 years of experience. It was an honor to spend a day with him in his "office," as he puts it. We did a full day tour, hiking and kayaking. We were awed by the flora and fauna we saw. The Everglades are far more beautiful and enchanting than I could have dreamed. Truth be told, I was very concerned about hiking through the Everglades... all for naught! I, very new to Florida's wilderness, convinced myself that leeches, bugs, and snakes would be a concern. If you're like me, please rest assured that nothing will bother you on Garl's watch, especially not leeches :) Do yourself a favor and book a tour with Garl! I can guarantee you will NOT regret it. We can't wait until the next time we get to visit the Everglades and see Garl again. Until next time, Garl!

Garl's Coastal Kayaking is the best Everglades guide you will ever find. I am writing to give…read morepraise to Garl Harrold, founder and chief guide who will show you around the Park. If you have the time and want to have the ultimate experience, join Garl for one of his all-day kayak and slogging adventures in the park. He will take you to places you would have never imagined, show you things you didn't know existed, and will thoroughly charm even the most experienced and knowledgable visitors. Garl has been guiding in the Everglades for more than 20 years. His trips include salt water and fresh water kayaking suitable for beginners or experts. He will also take you slogging or wading along pathways you never dreamed were there. He will show you animals you would never have found on your own. Garl knows his birds. He knows his plants. He knows the geology. He knows the routes. And he knows what you'd like to see. He is intimately knowledgable about where critters are and knows how to find them. He does the whole job with grace, with wit, and with an expert's practiced eye. Before you think that this review is exaggerated or the words of someone who didn't know any better... let me tell you who I am. I am PhD ecologist who spent 25 years as a naturalist, researcher, and science administrator in six national parks nationwide. I've led hundreds of nature walks myself, evaluated the performance of dozens of Park Service seasonals, and spent years coordinating research of agency and university scientists. I was administrator of an NPS program providing education services to the eight northwest national park areas. As a Park naturalist and scientist I have always felt that I knew "all about" the parks where I've worked. But I have never known any park as well as Garl knows the Everglades. Believe me, Garl is the best you will find. Be aware, I have no conflict of interest nor prior knowledge of Garl or his organization. I had never heard of them before finding them online through Trip Advisor. After my trip all I could say was, "Wow!"

Dominick's extensive knowledge of the area ensures a fun fishing experience while on his charter…read more No matter if you're a beginner or an expert, you're guaranteed to have an awesome time during your trip with Off The Hook fishing charters. I had a lot of fun and I look forward to my next fishing trip with Dominick. I highly recommend choosing Off The Hook to charter your next fishing excursion!

Underwater national park? Yessir, Biscayne National Park is over 90% water and therefore pretty…read moremuch only accessible by boat! Which is fantastic because Biscayne is famous for its reefs and mangrove forests. Unfortch for us, the boats that charter snorkel tours were out of commission for the week we came. But because of that, they let us take the kayak out for as long as we wanted. The kayak rental ($35) is self guided, as long as you don't paddle out to sea. You can go really really far and explore a lot of the inlets which is super cool. We saw plenty of birds and several schools of fish. I didn't get a chance to see the manatees though, which was a bit of a bummer. Communication with the park was good, as they were responsive and helpful when we called and very apologetic when they told us about the snorkeling. The park is best seen with a guide on the snorkeling boat, so if I'm ever back I really want to try it again and re-review. Oh - and the bathroom was super clean. :O)

If you google Biscayne National Park, it's actually a huge area. It's not just a specific place…read morebut it covers land, keys, and more. Elliot Key, Sand Key, Adams Key are included in the Biscayne National Park. There is a Visitor Center, in which they have recreated the environments found in the Park - super interesting. This Visitor Center is located in the second floor of the park, at the end of 328th Street this is the Park Headquarters. It is such a calm area that you get connected with nature. You are no longer in the city. Take advantage of this huge park, maybe for camping or just walking around.

Captain Spurgeon is the best! My friends and I had the best time. Picture it Key Largo, last week,…read morefive women decide to go on a nautical adventure. Three of them are prone to sea sickness, one has anxiety about being on boats, one has anxiety about getting into the ocean, one has had eye surgery and yet another is afraid she won't be able to get back in the boat if she gets off. We all got in the water (and successfully got back in the boat!) We we're able to fully enjoy the beauty of the ocean all while sounding like a bunch of cackling hens. Spurgeon had the patience of a saint, which allowed us to sit back and relax. He talked us all through our fears, gave us great instruction, was full of interesting information. I highly recommend chartering with Nautical Adventures and Captain Spurgeon!

It turned out that this is a virtual place. We had to make phone calls and ended up not being able…read moreto connect.

Still the staple reliable place to come for visit and supply. Good prices. Friendly service. Petas…read moregood rscmendations

Very nice, helpful person up front. Reasonable prices for the keys. Was given few recommendations…read moreof some new spots to check out. Highly recommend.

When we book a trip offshore full day you would expect most of your day actually "being offshore"…read morenot trolling the entire way out and back. It took us no less than 2.5 hours to actually get out to where the mahi lived. The boat made less than 10 knots the entire trip. Never started the second motor!! The boat is a classic. Great hull and reliable if well cared for. The captain is either honestly past his time or having a very rough patch in life and the boat reflects it. Camping chairs for seats in the salon. One bench if you want to call it a "couch" and piles of trinkets, personal items and a whole shelf of booze bottles stacked in the corner. The bathroom when I asked the mate about it said "I dunno I wouldn't go in there" and "hang it over the side". That's fine for us men but we booked a sportfish boat cause we had ladies and wanted them comfortably taken care of. I run a charter boat. A 1972 sportfish and it in no way looks anything like this disheveled mess. . . If your living on your charter boat that's FINE, we have all been there at some point in life but for gosh sake put your boat back in order so it does not look like you live there. The fishing equipment was older but that's fine. The lures and leaders were in ruff shape. Seemed that the only options to fish with was what was coiled up in the sink. There was no effort by the mate to make fresh rigs, change old leaders, etc. Just clipped something else on from the pile of the ole and well chewed lures. 3' is NOT enough leader between a 1/0 snap swivel and the bait. This is Florida!! The water is clear, the REAL fish Re not dumb. use a wind-on or a real leader!! Will you catch a few trash fish and juveniles yepp cause they are dumb and that's all we caught. 2 bonita. A cuda. And a few small chicken mahi. Captains and mates are in the entertainment buisness. Hate to say it but that's what we are: fishing entertainers. When a girl reels in the first fish of the day she is all excited... it's her first ocean fish... it has pretty blue stripes... she traveled from long distance away to have such an experience... and your mate says " oh it's just a p.o.s. Oh its trash. Look at this trash fish". Then proceeds to toss the bonita back over like it's a piece of trash. HEYYYY!!!!! I'm a captain I know its bait. I know we dont eat them. What if that was the only bite we get today? Do not belittle your crew when the catch fish you dont deem worthy. hey mr mate.. SMILE and say want a picture? Then we can put it back. Your "party" are your guests. They are paying your Bill's for today. Do not make crude remarks about "we got a blower" when one of them gets sea sick. Do not disparage a young man who is sick saying "toughen up kid". No Mate! Go grab a CLEAN rag so he can wipe his face and give him a cold bottle of water. Do whatever you can to help your guests that is literally why you are there mate. I even had a whole rigging bag of lures I had from when I ran trips out of islamorada 8 years ago. Squids. Mylar. I know the deal we used to do for tourists. All the rigs were new and made by me or one of my crew. When I said to the mate hey how about we fish some clean baits here with fresh leaders. He reply was NOPE they wont catch. I am not gonna argue offshore. Let's just get back to the dock safe and be done with this fiasco. Oh!! The dock! Yep. It partially collapses under the weight of me standing on it when we were unloading the boat. Yep! Dropped 6" at least. Nearly dumped me in the water between the boat and the bulkhead. I walked away with no apology, only remarks about how "yes its old" Oh!!! I knew things were not right FROM THE START when i asked where there was no ice in the drink cooler listed as "provided" there was only one bag and block of ice. Heyyy!!! This is Florida and its 100°. When ever I ocean fished we stuffed the boat to the gills with ice. Ice is cheap. Rotten fish or warm beer is no good. If you get out there and catch too many fish... dump some ice over the side, who cares ITS ONLY ICE. Its almost as if you pre planned not catching fish or needing that ice.

Wonderful fishing experience with Captain Wayne. Once in a lifetime trip. Would book again. Boat…read morewas clean, crew was professional and knowledgeable, fishing was great! Thank you guys for the trip.

Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures is an incredible dive shop!…read more I visited for a IANTD Tech Lite Wreck course, but I left with so much more. The staff is absolutely amazing! Everyone greeted me with friendly smiles and went above and beyond to ensure that my experience was enjoyable. My dive instructor, Skip, was the best and coolest person. It didn't feel like a traditional course; it felt like a fun adventure. His knowledge of life experiences and training was impressive, and I could listen to him tell stories all day. His calm demeanor and expertise will stay with me forever. And let's not forget Captain Dylan! He's an absolute boss on that boat! When the seas got rough (for me), he remained calm and composed. I was impressed by his professionalism and skill. The Creature Feature trip is a must see! Tiffany, thank you so much for arranging everything and making me feel like a valued customer. I appreciate your attention to detail and your willingness to go the extra mile. I can't wait to return to Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures!

We all love Captain Slate! Diving with Slate his Crew is not your average experience! Book into the…read moreCreature Feature to see what made Captain Slate famous! He's a dive legend for sure! Slate's can take you to all the good spots in the upper Keys. They have excellent knowledge and can get you to all the wrecks and the hidden gems. they've been operating for almost 50 years and have hard earned experience under their belts! Captain Slate's Scuba Adventures is truly a Florida Institution. Don't miss the opportunity to dive with the best in the Keys!

We visited the Dante France Lloyd Visitor Center at Biscayne National Park near Homestead, FL…read moreMonday Jan 29, 2026. Beautiful, interesting, & educational. We walked about the visitor center and the grounds. Learned more about the native wildlife from a teacher there. Many others were there for kayaking, paddleboarding, & fishing. The history of sponge harvesting in the bay was very educational. From here we took a two hour boat tour on the Stingray with pilot, Rick & tour gude Daniel. We went out to the northern end of the Florida keys as far as Boca Chita. A short hike & history lesson-was a private island most of the 1900s. Now it's a public site with a boat dock, beach, picnic area, & overnight camping by reservation. Help staff at the visitor center, clean restrooms, and a small aquarium. Recommend at least an hour here. But plan a full day to really explore. This National Park is a must see when in South Florida. Also out of Homestead is Everglades NP with for visitor centers for access. Thank you to all the staff & the boat tour guides. Nick & Liz, Albany, NY, USA

I believe the best way to optimize your time exploring Biscayne National Park is by boat tour…read more And...the Heritage of Biscayne Cruise is the most well rounded, thorough way to see the sights. Tour excursions can be booked online at biscaynenationalparkinstitute.org. Now...there are different districts of Biscayne NP for cruises to leave from, but it's at the Dante Fascell Visitor Center at Convoy Point in Homestead, Florida which will be the primary boat tour departure point. It's also the central hub area of the park. You can plug "Dante Fascell VC" into Google Maps and be guided there with exact directions. There are alternative boating tours offered at Biscayne NP if you choose not to do the Heritage Tour. There's snorkeling, paddle boarding, kayaking, sailing, scuba diving and even evening cruise experiences. But, the Heritage of Biscayne Tour is the most introductory excursion into what makes Biscayne NP so relevant and why preserving the mangroves ("salt-tolerant trees and shrubs that grow in tropical and subtropical coastal areas" according to Wikipedia) is vital to the marine life ecosystem of South Florida. The Heritage is also the sightseeing tour for families and casual park enthusiasts. Included along the cruise is visiting Boca Chita Key and Lighthouse, the symbolic landmark section of Biscayne NP. Here are details about the Heritage of Biscayne Cruise... - Tours depart daily. - Choose 9:30am - 1pm....or 1:30pm - 5pm. - Tours are 3.5 hours long. - Price is $83 for adults and $49 for children. Then add $10 - $15 for taxes and fees. - Tours accommodate 25 - 30 passengers. - Must sign a waiver form prior to boarding. - The first 1 hour and 45 minutes is spent on the water stopping at a few of the keys around Biscayne Bay and learning history about the park. My tour took 15 minutes to observe dolphins leisurely swimming. - Next, exit the boat and spend 1 hour walking around Boca Chita Key. You'll recognize Boca Chita Lighthouse which is the symbolic landmark of the park. You can normally enter inside it and climb the staircase to the top for views from high above. Unfortunately in 2025, the lighthouse is under construction. Administrators anticipate it reopening in 2026. - There's also a small 1/4 mile walk beside the shoreline that showcases how clear the waters can be at Boca Chita Key. - The last 40 minutes of the tour returns back to Dante Fascell Visitor Center. Lastly, there's not much else you can do individually around Biscayne NP if you're not participating on a boat tour and that's because 95% of the park is submerged underwater. But...if you'd like a full day experience, you can book the Heritage Tour for the morning half of the day (9:30am - 1pm) and pair it with an afternoon excursion like Jones Lagoon Eco-Adventure Paddle (1:30pm - 5pm). According to biscaynenationalparkinstitute.org, "the paddle tour navigates over water that's just inches deep and is surrounded by amazing marine life like baby sharks, turtles, and birds". With this itinerary, you can get the best of both worlds with two unique tours making for a fulfilling visit to Biscayne National Park.