Sawgrass Recreation Park

This place exceeded my expectations.
The captain was knowledgable and friendly. We got very close to the Alligators, got great pictures. We also saw large turtles. It was a great tour. After the boat tour we went to the animal habitat where rescued animals are cared for. There was a really nice show with a fennec fox, so adorable. The gift shop was also quite impressive. I would highly recommend this tour it is much closer to Ft. Lauderdale than other tours and just as good in my opinion. I will definitely come back again and recommend to friends and family. Thank you kindly for a wonderful day.

My husband and daughter have officially hit their one year mark as a Floridian and loving every minute of it. Unfortunately, we have not had the chance to be tourists while residing here. Love when we get visitors because we get to do just that. This particular day that we decided to visit the park, it was super hot & humid. Good thing we went early because I don’t know how long we would have lasted out there. Barely got through the exhibit because we were just ready to go as I stood there drenched in sweat. Of course it never bothers the kids. They wanted to see more.
The airboat tour is approximately 30 minutes and very cool to learn about the glades and its effect on the ecosystem. And of course to see the animals in their natural state. We got to see an alligator as well! Did you know that they can jump 4 – 5 ft vertically!!! Let’s just say that we got very nervous hearing about this as the gator slowly swam towards the boat and my sister held onto my 1 year old niece for dear life. For Floridian residents, don’t forget to go back to the gift shop to get your free annual pass for every ticket purchase. We’ll definitely be taking all of our out of town guests here when they come to visit. Cap’N Bob was super funny and we had a great time with him. Our baby niece didn’t enjoy it on the other hand. The ear plugs wouldn’t stay in her ear and she pretty much wailed for the last 20 minutes so maybe not so good for babies. Our 3 yr old nephew absolutely loved it! At the end of the ride, we headed over to the farm to take a look at more gators up close and even got to hold a baby gator. Now that we have our season pass, can’t wait to go back on a cooler day and check out more of the exhibit and another airboat ride. Would really like to go back for the night tour when these nocturnal creatures are more active.

Amazing time! We took a private tour which is completely worth it, we had 5 people and did it for an hour! Captain Jim was very knowledgeable and a great tour guide /​driver! Would definitely get him again if I was to do this again, and already thinking about he next time we are going to do it. Due to weather yesterday huge storm there was less wild life than usual but we saw alligators birds and fish. One of the alligators came right up to the airboat (a little scary but awesome)! You also can bring drinks (yes beer that’s sold in gift shop) on the airboat. The exhibits were also nice all rescued animals with their own story make sure you read them. But amazing time here and would be cool to do the night time one also. Would definitely recommend this location to anyone looking for a fun thrilling adventure!

I have been to Sawgrass Recreation Park twice this year. Located just north of I-​75 (alligator alley) on US-​27, the park sits in prime everglades territory. Both times I have visited the park with my girlfriend, it has been on a Saturday or Sunday around noon-​time. There is always people here but there is never too long of a wait or too crowded. With about 24 people on each air boat, you are whisked across the water, overlooking the serene river of grass.
Both times I have visited, our tour guide says he cannot guarantee an Alligator sighting and both times we have seen one pretty close up. The 30 minute air boat ride is great. And for 32 dollars, you can get an annual pass. You can ride as many times as you like for a year, as a Florida resident.
The second part of the park is an animal exhibit. There are snakes, alligators, lizards on one side. You can actually hold a baby alligator! On the other side, there is a panther, skunk, fox and some other land creatures. There are knowledgeable volunteers around to tell you about the animals.
All in all, this is a great activity to spend half the day doing. The beautiful sights of the Everglades along with the educational animal exhibits make this a must if you are visiting South Florida or a resident just looking to enjoy your own backyard.

I bought my airboat tickets on
and it was such a good experience! We only waited 20 minutes for our boat to go out and they have plenty of covered benches. We had Captain Tim as our guide and he was great! The tour was only 30 minutes but he managed to let us see 3 alligators, 1 soft shell turtle and many birds. He was very intelligent about all of the things we saw on our tour, not to mention funny.
The recreation park also has reptile and mammal animal exhibits which are included in the airboat ride ticket. We were able to see a Florida Panther, Python, Peacock and many other species. It is a fun day trip that is family friendly and very informative about South Florida wildlife.

We had such a great time! Cpt. Bob was an excellent guide as well as a true steward of the Everglades. His presentation was entertaining, informative, and to the point. Price was fair, wait was nothing. Would recommend for families and others, they sell beers and you can bring them on the boat!

It was just ok. The park has changed a lot. You don’t get as close to the animals. And we only saw one gator! The rest of the airboat ride was learning about saving the environment & looking at birds. Not very exciting! Probably won’t go back. And don’t be fooled by the open time– nothing is open until 9:30 or 10. NOT 8.

This a simple little touristy area where you can easily spend a couple hours. A morning or afternoon event is perfect. They have the basics of a gift shop, food truck, and picnic areas. The bulk of your visit is the airboat ride your (worth it for a first timer) and the small (less than an acre) exhibits.
The airboat ride was. A half hour and it went quick. They take various trails and you may see their one gator during the day, but nothing is guaranteed. For kids, this trip is fantastic. It’s not just a simple ride looking for the American alligator. Our boat Capt shared knowledge on the area, birds, wildlife, and more. The staff does mention tips at the end of the tour so consider bringing change if deserved.
The reptiles d wildlife exhibits were simple but had some interesting animals. Of course there were gator and snakes, but also birds and the Florida mountain lion. There is a sign that mentions their stories and why they are there.
The food truck serves Gator dishes at tourist prices. Not a bad thing, just budget accordingly. They also have food for kids and some of your typical American foods.
I plan on bringing the family the next time through.

The gator bites at The Gator Grill are some of the best I’ve had. They’re grilled in some kind of garlic butter herbed sauce and don’t taste fatty or fishy at all. The airboat ride was super relaxing and fun. The animal enclosure area reminded me of a small Flamingo Gardens; I was surprised how many animals were back there. There’s three separate areas: mammals, snakes, and gators. Each area has its own show where you can pet or hold animals. The staff was all very friendly and they all seemed very dedicated to the well-​being of the animals.

The Tour was great, but the little zoo was horrible, really said this tiny cages :(it makes me angry to see that.

‘Ello chaps!
Sawgrass Recreation Park is a large outdoor attraction whose staple is the airboat roads.
TIP: Check out Groupon before you go and you can save a few bucks.
They offer various airboat ride ticket attractions, but the most popular one is the group boat during the day. If you’re luck you’ll see gators in their native habitat in the Everglades.
You can also catch live gators, pythons, panthers and a slew of other Floridian wildlife in the wildlife exhibit.
This is a great attraction that is educational and sure to please the entire family. They also offer on site café (burgers, chicken fingers, etc) and gift shop.

The airboat ride was fun, got to see an alligator swimming along, got decent pics. Even better than that, they have a wildlife exhibit with several large cats that you can get pretty close to. Way better than a zoo. They had a fennec fox that you could get close to and we got to pet a skunk! She was super cute and friendly. I’d go back.

Purchased the Groupon for the Gator Night (Wed) and had a blast! Our tour guide, Gerald M. was awesome, knowledgable, and hilarious! We saw a few gators, had a few beers on the tour, and spent sometime at his home in the middle of the swamp. I would definitely do this again when I visit Ft. Lauderdale again. Thanks Gerald!

Happened to have a coupon for a free admission and be in the Weston area so thought we would check out this park, and we were pleasantly surprised!
We did the 30 tour with captain Grit. Very nice, funny and knowledgeable captain. Aside for the shameless plug for tips, it was a fun trip that got us within feet from alligators, turtles and an osprey. Very friendly staff and a cute gift shop. They also house some rescued animals and have staff answering questions and educating guests. Overall a fun couple of hours and well worth the ticket price!

So much fun. Did a private 1 hour airboat ride with Captain Debra. She was incredibly knowledgable and attentive to our interests. She entertained us with interesting details about the flora and animals as we traveled around the Everglades, and focused particular attention on the birds bc that’s what we wanted to hear most about.
They also have an animal sanctuary in the back where they keep exotic animals that have been recovered by the state from illegal owners. They offered to let us hold a baby alligator, but after seeing how beautiful they are in their natural habitat we felt bad about holding on from a cage.
I highly recommend SRP, would definitely go back. If you go ask for Captain Debra!

This was SO fun! Airboat ride was awesome, lots of gators and Captain Chuck drove fast and drifted! Then we held baby gators and got to see all the animals. The gift shop was very resonably prices and the staff was friendly!

What I love most about this place is that all the animals there are being rehabilitated. I’m not a fan of seeing animals held in captivity, but these animals are actually rescued from people who kept them as pets, or could not otherwise survive on their own, in the wild (crazy! who keeps a cougar as a pet!?), so props to Sawgrass for helping out these beautiful creatures!
Your ticket includes the boat tour, entrance to the exhibits and shows, and holding the baby alligator (donations are accepted for holding the baby gator).
This was my first time here, and although we didn’t see any alligators on our boat ride, our guide still made it very entertaining. You can tell she was very passionate and chalk full of knowledge. She shared lots of interesting facts about the Everglades and how the native and non-​native species are affecting the ecosystem. Did you know dragonflies help control the mosquito population? Very neat stuff! I enjoyed her sense of humor as well. If you’re like me and get cold very easily, I suggest bringing a light jacket because the boat goes pretty quickly and the breeze made me feel chilly (I am a true girly Floridian). Also, bring sunglasses, or you’ll be squinting the whole time (hats will blow off).
After the 30 minute ride and seeing no alligators, I was a little bummed, but they have a whole reptile exhibit and you can see lots of alligators and snakes. You are able to hold the baby alligators and take pictures at no extra charge, but donations are accepted. Be prepared to have lots of kids swamp the area (pun intended) when they baby gator comes out. They have the wildlife exhibit as well with lots of rescued big cats to see. Finally, they have another area with turtles and tortoises and pigs. Kind of random, but still really cool. There was even a male peacock just walking about the park. Very pretty!
They have a gift shop (where you buy the tickets) with snacks, drinks and trinkets. Near the exhibits, they have a food truck serving up some tasty bites if your family gets hungry (they even have a kids menu).
It’s not fancy by any means, but it is cool to get out and see a little of what Florida has to offer. Good experience!

This was actually my second time to Sawgrass Recreation Park to do the airboat tour and animal exhibits.
My cousin was in town from England and I figured this would be the perfect tourist excursion to take him on. For ~$ 25 per person you get a 30 minute ride in to the Everglades and then get to check out the animal exhibits.
The airboat ride itself can be hit or miss, and sometimes you won’t see any alligators (this trip we did not, although I did my last time here), but you will see lots of birds and the boat guides are very informative. Regardless, this is a once in a lifetime trip as the Everglades only exists in one part of the whole world — here.
*Side note, I don’t usually mention other companies in my reviews, but I think I’ll make an exception here and call out Shark Valley in Miami where I saw LOTS of gators in their natural habitat*
That being said the animal exhibits here are worth coming even if you don’t see gators on the airboat. Quite a few different species of cats, reptiles, birds, and of course more gators. Donations are encouraged to hold the baby alligator or pet the Fennec fox!
We stayed to watch/​listen to the gator show which includes Cannibal, the most massive gator I’ve ever seen. I think the last time I was here was about 4 years ago, and I’m pretty sure he’s gotten even bigger!
We visited at about 1pm on a Sunday afternoon and found the crowds to be fine — and we only waited about 15 minutes to get on the next boat.

Very nice place to visit if you in this area. I did not know what to expect. But it is truly worth the small fee. The ride was nice and our captain was knowledgeable and gave good info during the ride.
The exhibit of wild life they have is really nice. This is something all Florida residents should see and perfect for those visiting from out of town.
Thanks for the tour Sawgrass

Great place to do an air boat ride and see alligator! Not too far from Fort Lauderdale so it’s perfect.

I know this is one of the most cheesiest thing to do while you’re a tourist in Florida. We did the everglades air boat tour at Sawgrass Recreation Park and happy that we did because we had a great time!
The park has a souvenir shop and also a zoo located on the other side of their parking lot. The air boat tour guide was very funny, knowledgeable and was able to narrated throughout the entire tour. We even got to see a few alligators right next to the air boat! We had great experience here and wouldn’t mind doing it again on our next visit to Florida.