Tamiami Trail

Costing millions of dollars and taking more than a decade to build, the Tamiami Trail was originally intended to make traveling from Tampa to Miami easier and faster. And while there are faster ways to get to your destination, the roadway takes you through miles and miles of the Everglades and you can often spot alligators sunning themselves by the roadside canals.The Trail was also named a National Scenic Byway by the US Department of Transportation for its unique scenery and environment, as well as its access to the Big Cypress National Preserve. Some tours travel along the Tamiami Trail and include stops in the Everglades and Big Cypress National Preserve.

• The trail can be driven in about a day.
• If you need to make a pit stop consider pulling over at one of the remaining 1950s and 1960s tourist traps for a bit of retro kitsch.
• Plenty of purveyors near the trail offer airboat rides or alligator tours.

The trail comprises more than 200 miles (320 kilometers) of roadway that follows US Route 41 from Tampa to US Route 1 in Miami. It turns into South Eighth Street (Calle Ocho in Miami’s Little Havana) before ending at Brickell Avenue in Downtown Miami.

The trail is open all year round though many visitors traverse the trail during the region’s dry season (November through April) due to mild temperatures, low humidity, clear skies, and fewer mosquitoes.

The Everglades is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States, and provides protection to a rich, biodiverse landscape as well as many rare and endangered species such as manatees, American crocodile, and the Florida panther. To learn and experience all you can from your visit, consider booking a guided walking, hiking, or boating tour of this incredible natural wonder.