Airboat rides near Ft. Lauderdale

We disembark the Oasis of the Seas on 12/6 and have tons of time before our flight home. We are renting a car for the day. Our kids 13 and 5 would like to do an airboat ride. Any suggestions on who to choose with experience you have had? I googled it and a few came up.

Check your cruise line's tours. I know Princess has a airboat tour after disembarkation to fill the time until your flight. We are doing this. The best part is you can store you luggage on the bus. They drop you off at the airport when the tour is done.

The Everglades has banned airboats and only those who currently have licenses will ever be able to operate an airboat outside the National Park so your pickings are limited. There isn't going to be much difference in operators.

Airboats are already banned inside the park.

Everglades Holiday Park and Sawgrass Recreational Park are the two closest airboat tour operators to Fort Lauderdale. Billie Swamp Safari on on Alligator Alley (I-75), but it much further away. Check for vouchers on Groupon, Living Social, and Travelzoo; often times you can get 2-4-1 deals on these sites, or go to the parks' websites and see if they offer any discounts.

Everglades Holiday Park and Sawgrass Recreational Park are the two closest airboat tour operators to Fort Lauderdale. Billie Swamp Safari on on Alligator Alley (I-75), but it much further away. Check for vouchers on Groupon, Living Social, and Travelzoo; often times you can get 2-4-1 deals on these sites, or go to the parks' websites and see if they offer any discounts.

Thanks, brunello I did some research and I think we are going to do the Everglades Holiday Park. Billie swamp looks much nicer and more things to do but it looks really far away from FLL. I figured up what it would cost with rental car and tickets to this place and was still cheaper than taking the ships excursion and I think it said the ship only gives you 30 minutes on ride compared to 1 hour.

Thanks, brunello I did some research and I think we are going to do the Everglades Holiday Park. Billie swamp looks much nicer and more things to do but it looks really far away from FLL. I figured up what it would cost with rental car and tickets to this place and was still cheaper than taking the ships excursion and I think it said the ship only gives you 30 minutes on ride compared to 1 hour.

There is a Travelzoo deal for Everglades Holiday Park:

http://www.travelzoo.com/local-deals/Fort-Lauderdale/Other/141018/Everglades-Holiday-Park

Thanks, brunello I did some research and I think we are going to do the Everglades Holiday Park. Billie swamp looks much nicer and more things to do but it looks really far away from FLL. I figured up what it would cost with rental car and tickets to this place and was still cheaper than taking the ships excursion and I think it said the ship only gives you 30 minutes on ride compared to 1 hour.

There is a Travelzoo voucher for Everglades Holiday Park:

http://www.travelzoo.com/local-deals/Fort-Lauderdale/Other/141018/Everglades-Holiday-Park

There is a Travelzoo voucher for Everglades Holiday Park:

 

http://www.travelzoo.com/local-deals/Fort-Lauderdale/Other/141018/Everglades-Holiday-Park

Yep, thanks. I took advantage of it. Every dollar helps. I bought 3 for me, my wife and 13 year old. I guess I will just get our 5 year olds ticket at the gate as they deal does not offer it for under 12. Thanks again.

Has anyone done this excursion? We are on a B2B cruise onboard HAL in December if all goes as planned and we have to get off the ship in Ft. L. before our second leg of the cruise. HAL is offering this excursion but we are wondering if there would be a long wait to get through Customs and how that is worked out for returning passengers?

Thanks.

We rented a car from Budget in FLL and drove to Sawgrass Recreation Park. It's very easy to get to, only about 20 minutes away. Had a fun 30-minute air boat ride, saw about 6 alligators, one of which came so close to the boat that the back of the boat slid over the top of it when we turned. Looked through the animal exhibits, then drove to Flamingo Gardens. Spent some time there, had a late lunch at a nearby Burger King, and made it to the rental car return at the airport by 3 PM.