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| The whole crew, ready for the Shark Valley tram tour. |
If you grew up in Miami, you knew about Shark Valley. It was the easiest, most accessible way to get a real dose of the Everglades without needing an airboat, and it often felt like a local's secret. It's a place I've always loved, and I was thrilled to share it with my sister, my brother, and his family.
The beauty of Shark Valley is its simplicity: a 15-mile paved loop with an open-air tram that takes you through the heart of the sawgrass prairie. You don't have to work hard to see the wildlife; the wildlife is simply there. The two-hour tour is a constant showcase, from the impossibly vibrant Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers on the pavement to the elegant wading birds fishing in the canals. It’s a place where you can see a tiny dragonfly and a massive alligator within minutes of each other. It was the perfect way to spend the morning and a wonderful reminder that sometimes the most accessible paths offer the most incredible views.
The delicate bloom of a Seashore Mallow.
The ground is dotted with small but beautiful flowers,
like this Largeflower Mexican Clover.
A dragonfly patiently waiting for its next meal.
You have to look closely to spot the lovely,
vibrant False Foxglove.
The wildlife viewing starts before you even get on the tram,
with these huge, colorful Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers.
A majestic Great Egret fishing in the shallows.
A Great-Tailed Grackle surveying its
domain from the highest perch around.
A Snowy Egret gracefully gliding over the River of Grass.
A Great Blue Heron hunting for its breakfast.
Spot the Great Blue Heron.
They can be surprisingly well-camouflaged in the tall grass.
large Florida Soft-Shell Turtle gliding just beneath the surface.
The Anhinga, often called the "snakebird,"
showing off the beautiful patterns on its wings.
Anhingas often swim with only their
neck above water, searching for fish.
A Double-crested Cormorant striking a pose.
A vulture riding the thermals high above the prairie.
And of course, the king of Shark Valley.
We saw dozens of American Alligators
of all sizes along the waterway.
like this Largeflower Mexican Clover.
vibrant False Foxglove.
with these huge, colorful Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers.
domain from the highest perch around.
They can be surprisingly well-camouflaged in the tall grass.
showing off the beautiful patterns on its wings.
neck above water, searching for fish.
We saw dozens of American Alligators
of all sizes along the waterway.
Wherever the road leads this morning, I hope the destination is as entertaining as the trip.
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