This year's numbers are lower than usual, but other airports are also recovering.
Destination of the Day
Everglades National Park
Everglades National Park, the third-largest national park in the U.S., is a vast, diverse and fascinating wilderness area that takes up most of the bottom tip of the Florida peninsula. Visitors are virtually guaranteed abundant animal sightings, especially of wading birds and alligators, and the chance to experience and learn about the fragile ecosystem of the country's largest subtropical wilderness area. Whether you do a deep dive into the park or just visit for a few hours, the "untamed" nature of the Everglades is immediately obvious—this is definitely a place where wildlife and an often inhospitable environment are to be respected and given deference. Read on for some of the top activities in the national park.
Check Out the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center
Located in the "swampier" section of the park, the largest and most comprehensive visitor center in Everglades National Park is surrounded by dense forests and wet prairie. The hub of activity in the park, the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center offers Everglades orientation movies, educational exhibits, and information on ranger-led programs. Guests will also find walking trails with interpretive signage and wildlife-viewing platforms nearby. Animal sighting possibilities include alligators, roseate spoonbills, anhingas, and the usual vast range of wading birds and aquatic life. Though it's highly, highly unlikely you'll see one, Florida Panthers have been spotted around the area.
Take a Guided Boat Ride
The Gulf Coast Visitor Center is the access point to the Ten Thousand Islands, a network of mangrove islands that starts at Marco Island and stretches down the rest of the west coast. Boat rides from the center allow visitors the opportunity to spot a host of wading birds, including rare white pelicans, as well as bottlenose dolphins and, with any luck, endangered West Indian manatees.
Hike the Park Loop Trail
From the Shark Valley Visitor Center, a 15-mile paved loop road dips into the River of Grass, a vast area of freshwater prairie and slough that is actually a slow-moving river. Visitors can walk, bike, or take a tram along the trail and readily spot alligators, American crocodiles, aquatic turtles, fish (including monster-sized alligator gar), birdlife, tortoises, and sometimes even otters or white-tailed deer. An observation tower at the trail's midway point offers sweeping views of miles and miles of wetlands.
Your Packing List
Whenever and wherever you access the park, you'll need sunscreen, a hat, and water.
Pack a camera and binoculars for up-close—and safe—wildlife viewing.
Bring your own bug spray, or prepare to run from your car to the visitor center to buy mosquito repellant—they're that prevalent here.
Be sure to pack moisture-wicking T-shirts and tank tops; shorts or loose-fitting pants; close-toed shoes; and a breathable, lightweight rain jacket.
You can't miss Table Mountain, since it's the archetypal Cape Town icon and its incredible flat-topped silhouette is visible from almost everywhere in the city. Standing 3,563 feet tall, the top of the mountain offers incredible views of Table Bay and the city spread out below. You can opt to climb to the top (either independently or with a guide), or you can take a cable car instead.
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