Orlando nature reserves

Florida’s famous Everglades are exciting to view during the day, but what about at night? Operating under cover of darkness, these evening tours bring visitors into the heart of the area’s 4,200 acres of swampland and up close to the creatures that call it home. Just make sure to keep hands and legs inside the boat at all times.

Only in Florida would you see a theme park entirely devoted to the gator, but don’t think you’ll run out of things to do here: activities and sights include gator ziplining and a natural alligator breeding marsh. As a bonus, see if you can catch sight of the park’s four extremely rare albino specimens.

Part of Blue Spring State Park, the St. John River is a tranquil refuge for some of Florida’s favourite critters. A quiet boat takes visitors on a languid tour of the area’s shallow waters, while guides point out turtles, gators, wading birds and manatees, which often swim alongside the boat.

About an hour outside of Orlando and near to Florida’s Atlantic coast, the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge encompasses 140,000 acres of dunes, estuaries, marshes, pine woods, and other habitats that are home to over 1,500 local species. If you’re visiting, check out the wildlife drive, viewing platforms, manatee observation deck, and boating for some prime gator watching.