The airboat ride was educational and fun. We sat up near the front so the noise wasn't too loud. Our guide, Al, talked about the everglades environment. He drove the airboat quickly to the island for a quick show on how to catch an alligator with your bare hands. My cousins got their picture taken holding a baby alligator.

Then we were back on the air boat where our guide took us to a spot in the everglades where he knew we would find one of his favorite alligators that he's been playing with for the last 5 years. (Alligators are very territorial). He hopped down to the side of the boat and started tapping her on the head to get her to open her mouth so we could get some really good photos of those alligator teeth! (I'll post some as soon as I get them from my cousin!) Before he was done playing with this alligator named Cataract (she had one in her eye), we were surrounded by several other alligators!

Farther along the ride, we slowed down again, and got a good look at some beautiful birds in the everglades. The Purple Gallinule is so gorgeous and cute running on top of the water lillies! We also saw a Great Blue Heron eating a huge fish! The tour guide told us how jealous he was because they seem to always catch the big fish so easily and he sits out there for hours sometimes . . . :)

I've lived in Florida all my life and went to the Everglades when I was a child. But I never went on an airboat ride. (It's something that the tourist do!). But this one was enjoyable and I'd recommend it. At least for the Vacation Village at Weston discount price anyway!

This location is less than 15 minutes away from the resort. When we got out of our car, a peacock came running toward me so fast that I got a little scared that he was going to attack me. He didn't at all; I think he was hoping that I had food. A family that was leaving handed me half a loaf of bread. I became the most popular tourist in the place! More peacocks and birds came running.

Airboat tours run every 20 minutes. The Tour costs $10/pp. With the Discount White Card that the resort gives you when you arrive, the cost is $7.50/pp. It is worth $7.50, but not more. First the airboat takes you to a separate island. There's a guy there (missing two fingers!) straddling a real alligator, opening its mouth and other things. Then he does the same thing to the other alligator. The unnatural things he was making the alligators do, I actually felt bad for the alligators! That is about 10 minutes long.

Then we get back in the airboat and one alligator swam right over to our boat, which was a perfect photo opportunity. Then the pilot took us to a nest of baby alligators. That was nice. There is a gift shop (ho hum). We spent about two hours there. It was something to do, it wasn't expensive, and it wasn't too far away.

The Florida Everglades are a truly remarkable wonder to behold. This isn't like going to a theme park. Children of all ages get such a rush from being out in nature seeing it for all the glory that it holds.