The original and oldest Everglades airboat tour is one of the first stops along the Tamiami trail – the road from Miami across to Naples and the Gulf of Mexico coast.

The exhilarating ride lasts for about 40 minutes and goes out through the waterways, which are actually made up of one big grass river.

The driver slows down to point out birds, many alligators and will give you some local natural history.

US 41, 11 miles west of the Florida Turnpike
www.coopertownairboats.com/

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A great three-hour trip into the 10,000 Island section of the Everglades, which is made up of islands and inlets of mangroves.

You’re transported on a larger boat right out to the edge of the park where the Everglades meet the Gulf of Mexico, then dismount into kayaks in groups of about eight.

The guide, friendly and knowledgeable Captain Charles, leads you up small creeks, through mangrove areas and stops for a while on a sandy beach on one of the island.

Spring and autumn are said to be the best times to go because of the migrating birds and water levels - which encourage more wildlife - but even in summer we saw brown pelicans, egrets and herons, rosette spoonbills, ospreys, terns and dolphins.

The tours leave from Everglades City and cost $115 per person. The boat drops you off right outside the Seafood Café, where you can get a great lunch of fresh fish and crab.

Everglades Area Tours
P.O. Box 670 ~ Everglades City, Florida 34139
Phone: 239-695-9107
Email: captwright@evergladesareatours.com
www.evergladesareatours.com/kayak_tours.htm

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The beach is great but you haven't seen south Florida properly until you've taken an airboat tour through the Everglades. Take the Tamiami Trail west out of Miami until you reach one of the numerous airboat operators - Coopertown is one of the best - then drive on to Shark Valley in the National Park.

You won't believe how close you get to the alligators, but tread carefully. Excellent for bird-watchers too, and only $10 for a car and all occupants, which gives you a full week's admission to the Everglades parks.

There's a guided tram tour for a few extra bucks, but it's well worth the expense. Thankfully, the recent hurricanes didn't cause too much damage.

About 25 miles west of Miami along US41 (Tamiami Trail);
www.nps.gov/ever/index.htm

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Unmissable if you're a gardener, or just appreciate some decent scenery. Tropical plants abound in 83 acres of botanic gardens, greenhouses etc. It's home to some of the largest collections of palms, vines and other exotic and not-so-exotic trees, flowers and plants in North America.

You can walk yourself round, take the free tram tour, or both.

Until May 31 2006, the grounds are home to a large and colourful collection of Dale Chihuly glass sculptures, which really light up the scenery. (He had a similar scattered exhibition at Kew Gardens before Christmas - I've seen both and the Fairchild collection is twice as impressive).

10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables 33156 (less than 20 minutes in the car, a few miles south of downtown Miami); tel: 305 667 1651; Admission $20 (OAPs $15, kids $10); www.fairchildgarden.org

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