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Florida

Florida’s Natural Treasures: Hike, Bike & Kayak the Everglades

Program No. 2484260MEADV-1116-60
Walk, bike and paddle through Everglades National Park, an unparalleled landscape whose diverse habitats are a must-see for any outdoor adventurer!

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Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone? 800-454-5768
Select your type of room
Price will update based on selection
Prices displayed below are based on per person,doubleoccupancy.

DATES & PRICES

No shuttleRoundtrip airport transfer
Excludes round-trip airport shuttle transfers to and from the program location.
Includes round-trip airport shuttle transfers to and from the program location.
Jan 26 - Jan 31, 2025
No transfer 2,099
Roundtrip airport transfer 2,199
Feb 23 - Feb 28, 2025
No transfer 2,099
Roundtrip airport transfer 2,199
Filling Fast!
Mar 23 - Mar 28, 2025
No transfer 2,099
Roundtrip airport transfer 2,199
Nov 30 - Dec 5, 2025
No transfer 1,949
Roundtrip airport transfer 2,049
Dec 14 - Dec 19, 2025
No transfer 1,949
Roundtrip airport transfer 2,049

DATES & PRICES

No shuttleRoundtrip airport transfer
Excludes round-trip airport shuttle transfers to and from the program location.
Includes round-trip airport shuttle transfers to and from the program location.
Jan 26 - Jan 31, 2025
No transfer 2,589
Roundtrip airport transfer 2,689
Feb 23 - Feb 28, 2025
No transfer 2,589
Roundtrip airport transfer 2,689
Filling Fast!
Mar 23 - Mar 28, 2025
No transfer 2,589
Roundtrip airport transfer 2,689
Nov 30 - Dec 5, 2025
No transfer 2,309
Roundtrip airport transfer 2,409
Dec 14 - Dec 19, 2025
No transfer 2,309
Roundtrip airport transfer 2,409
This date is available to book as a private experience for your group!

At a Glance

Bike, hike and paddle Everglades National Park, the largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S. This unique landscape is home to rare and endangered species found nowhere else on the planet. As a World Heritage Site, International Biosphere Reserve and a Wetland of International Importance, the park is one of only three locations in the world to appear on all three lists. From manatees to orchids, this is an opportunity for a rare glimpse into Florida’s mosaic of habitats and its residents. Learn from experts as you bike along quiet trails, kayak along mangrove forests and hike through some of the most beautiful landscapes Florida has to offer!
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
Small Group
Small Group
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.

Best of all, you’ll…

  • Bike Shark Valley, where you’ll likely encounter turtles and a wide variety of majestic birds.
  • Enjoy a private airboat ride to an animal sanctuary and explore the beauty of a cypress forest, home to alligators, birds and other native wildlife.
  • Paddle along Turner Creek through mangrove tunnels, cypress swamps and sawgrass environments.
Featured Expert
All trip experts
Profile Image
Marya Repko
Author Marya Repko grew up in Hadlyme, Conn., but lived most of her adult life in Europe as a software engineer. After retirement, she moved to Everglades City, Fla., where her first book, “A Brief History of the Everglades City Area” has sold thousands of copies. She is also the author of other brief histories on the Fakahatchee and Sanibel Island. Marya is the president of the Everglades Society for Historic Preservation and co-editor of a bi-weekly local newspaper The Mullet Rapper.

Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.

Profile Image of Marya Repko
Marya Repko View biography
Author Marya Repko grew up in Hadlyme, Conn., but lived most of her adult life in Europe as a software engineer. After retirement, she moved to Everglades City, Fla., where her first book, “A Brief History of the Everglades City Area” has sold thousands of copies. She is also the author of other brief histories on the Fakahatchee and Sanibel Island. Marya is the president of the Everglades Society for Historic Preservation and co-editor of a bi-weekly local newspaper The Mullet Rapper.
Profile Image of Dillon Griffin
Dillon Griffin View biography
As a professional back country navigator, Dillon is blessed to have spent most of his career sharing areas such as The Everglades, in southern Florida, and the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina. He credits his education and upbringing for instilling a strong passion for the great outdoors and exposing people to new environments. His programs reflect his understanding of the importance of preserving and protecting our public lands. While away from work, Dillon enjoys spending time with family, and in the outdoors.
Visit the Road Scholar Bookshop
You can find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
Program
At a Glance
Duration
6 days
Program Begins
Everglades City, FL
Program Concludes
Everglades City, FL
Group Type
Small Group
Meals
13 | 5B | 4L | 4D |
Activity Level
Bike, hike and paddle Everglades National Park, the largest subtropical wilderness in the U.S. This unique landscape is home to rare and endangered species found nowhere else on the planet. As a World Heritage Site, International Biosphere Reserve and a Wetland of International Importance, the park is one of only three locations in the world to appear on all three lists. From manatees to orchids, this is an opportunity for a rare glimpse into Florida’s mosaic of habitats and its residents. Learn from experts as you bike along quiet trails, kayak along mangrove forests and hike through some of the most beautiful landscapes Florida has to offer!)
Best of all, you'll...
  • Bike Shark Valley, where you’ll likely encounter turtles and a wide variety of majestic birds.
  • Enjoy a private airboat ride to an animal sanctuary and explore the beauty of a cypress forest, home to alligators, birds and other native wildlife.
  • Paddle along Turner Creek through mangrove tunnels, cypress swamps and sawgrass environments.
Featured Expert
Profile Image
Marya Repko
Author Marya Repko grew up in Hadlyme, Conn., but lived most of her adult life in Europe as a software engineer. After retirement, she moved to Everglades City, Fla., where her first book, “A Brief History of the Everglades City Area” has sold thousands of copies. She is also the author of other brief histories on the Fakahatchee and Sanibel Island. Marya is the president of the Everglades Society for Historic Preservation and co-editor of a bi-weekly local newspaper The Mullet Rapper.
Please Note:
This expert may not be available for every date of the program
Profile Image of Dillon Griffin
Dillon Griffin
As a professional back country navigator, Dillon is blessed to have spent most of his career sharing areas such as The Everglades, in southern Florida, and the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina. He credits his education and upbringing for instilling a strong passion for the great outdoors and exposing people to new environments. His programs reflect his understanding of the importance of preserving and protecting our public lands. While away from work, Dillon enjoys spending time with family, and in the outdoors.
Activity Level
Outdoor: Spirited
Small Group (13 to 24)
Love to learn and explore in a small-group setting? These adventures offer small, personal experiences with groups of 13 to 24 participants.
Suggested Reading List
View Full List (5 Books)
You can also find many of the books we recommend at the Road Scholar store on bookshop.org, a website that supports local bookstores.
HAVE QUESTIONS?
Prefer to enroll or inquire by phone?
We can help. Give us a call, and we can answer all of your questions!
Call 800-454-5768
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
6 days
5 nights
What's Included
13 meals | 5B | 4L | 4D |
3 expert-led lectures
9 expert-led field trips
An experienced Group Leader
5 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Expand All
Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 3:00 p.m. Remember to bring your nametag (sent previously).
Afternoon:
After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table to meet the Group Leader and confirm the time and place of Orientation. Your program materials will be sent to you a few days before the program, digitally, through your roadscholar.org account. This includes your program itinerary, any related handouts, and restaurant/free time suggestions. Please plan to print them out and bring along to the program, utilize the hotel's business center to access them, or view them on your own personal electronic device. Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Our kayaking adventure will be led by a local naturalist who will provide commentary on our surroundings. All transportation throughout the program will be via hotel van. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/current conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner:
At the Ivey House.
Evening:
At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity Note
Biking up to 14 miles in 3 hours. Walking on trails, sometimes on uneven terrain. Picnic lunch after bike loop.
Breakfast:
At the inn.
Morning:
Boarding a van, we will ride to our first trailhead at Shark Valley. We will embark on a 14 mile bike loop and have an opportunity for a nature walk to see local flora and fauna.
Lunch:
Boxed lunch.
Afternoon:
We will venture to the gallery of Clyde Butcher, a wilderness photographer who specializes in the Florida landscape. You will have an opportunity to tour his gallery and learn more about the diverse Florida environment. We will return to the Ivey House to listen to a local expert lecture about the conservation of the Everglades.
Dinner:
This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Kayaking up to 5 miles in 3 hours; transfers via hotel van; 2 mile trail walk during sunset; lecture in evening
Breakfast:
At the inn.
Morning:
After breakfast with our naturalist, we will ride by van to the put-in for our next kayaking field trip from Seagrape Drive to Halfway Creek. As we paddle among the mangroves, we’ll learn about some of the unique adaptations of flora and fauna of the Everglades.
Lunch:
Boxed Lunch
Afternoon:
We will visit the 10,000 Islands National Wildlife Refuge to embark in a sunset nature walk up to 2 miles.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Getting in/out of a van. Biking up to 14 miles; Walking up to 2 miles; private airboat ride
Breakfast:
At the inn.
Morning:
After breakfast, we will arrive to the Fakahatchee State Park to bike Jane's Scenic Drive, an 11- mile long road that is only accessible by bicycle.
Lunch:
Boxed lunch.
Afternoon:
After lunch, we will explore an area via foot that is known for Royal Palms, Cypress trees, and rare orchids. We will then experience a private airboat ride to explore a wildlife refuge.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure.
Activity Note
Boat tour, kayaking up to 6 miles in the afternoon; due to a limited number of kayaks allowed on the Turner River, you may need to share a tandem kayak.
Breakfast:
At the inn.
Morning:
We will be taking a boat tour of the Ten Thousand Islands - a chain of islands and mangrove islets off the coast of southwest Florida.
Lunch:
At a local restaurant.
Afternoon:
Paddle into the heart of the Everglades entering a Bald Cypress Pond Apple Ecosystem. We will glide through the fresh water observing air plants, wading birds, and alligators in their natural habitat. Float by basking alligators as we start to paddle into a brackish water ecosystem and enter the mangrove tunnels.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity Note
Getting in/out of a van. Hotel check-out by 11:00 a.m.; airport shuttle leaves at 11:00 a.m.; please book departures no earlier than 2:00 p.m.
Breakfast:
At the inn.
Morning:
We’ll head by hotel van to Big Cypress Nature Preserve, where we’ll hear an expert lecture on the Everglades before returning to the hotel. This concludes our program. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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MEALS
13 Meals
5 Breakfasts
4 Lunches
4 Dinners
The following choices may be available when requested in advance: Vegetarian, Low Salt, Gluten Free, Low Fat
LODGING
Lodgings may differ by date. Select a date to see the lodgings specific to that date.
Showing Lodging For:
Dec 14, 2025 - Dec 19, 2025
  • Dec 14, 2025 - Dec 19, 2025
  • Jan 26, 2025 - Jan 31, 2025
  • Feb 23, 2025 - Feb 28, 2025
  • Mar 23, 2025 - Mar 28, 2025
  • Nov 30, 2025 - Dec 05, 2025
  • Dec 14, 2025 - Dec 19, 2025
5 nights
Location: Everglades
The Ivey House is TripAdvisor's #1 rated lodging facility in Everglades City and the Collier County's first "Certified Green Lodging" location. Rooms in the Inn surround a screened-in, beautifully landscaped courtyard with a tropical waterfall and heated swimming pool. The Ivey House Inn is a modern addition with eighteen rooms that adjoins the historic lodge. WiFi is available in public places. Free Parking.
5 nights
Location: Everglades
The Ivey House is TripAdvisor's #1 rated lodging facility in Everglades City and the Collier County's first "Certified Green Lodging" location. Rooms in the Inn surround a screened-in, beautifully landscaped courtyard with a tropical waterfall and heated swimming pool. The Ivey House Inn is a modern addition with eighteen rooms that adjoins the historic lodge. WiFi is available in public places. Free Parking.
5 nights
Location: Everglades
The Ivey House is TripAdvisor's #1 rated lodging facility in Everglades City and the Collier County's first "Certified Green Lodging" location. Rooms in the Inn surround a screened-in, beautifully landscaped courtyard with a tropical waterfall and heated swimming pool. The Ivey House Inn is a modern addition with eighteen rooms that adjoins the historic lodge. WiFi is available in public places. Free Parking.
5 nights
Location: Everglades
The Ivey House is TripAdvisor's #1 rated lodging facility in Everglades City and the Collier County's first "Certified Green Lodging" location. Rooms in the Inn surround a screened-in, beautifully landscaped courtyard with a tropical waterfall and heated swimming pool. The Ivey House Inn is a modern addition with eighteen rooms that adjoins the historic lodge. WiFi is available in public places. Free Parking.
5 nights
Location: Everglades
The Ivey House is TripAdvisor's #1 rated lodging facility in Everglades City and the Collier County's first "Certified Green Lodging" location. Rooms in the Inn surround a screened-in, beautifully landscaped courtyard with a tropical waterfall and heated swimming pool. The Ivey House Inn is a modern addition with eighteen rooms that adjoins the historic lodge. WiFi is available in public places. Free Parking.
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