Wooten’s Everglades Airboat Tour another bucket list item

Our airboat guide took time to explain everything about the Everglades to us during our tour. (Larry Vaught Photo)

Let me mark another bucket list item off my list. This time it was an airboat tour through the Everglades thanks to Wooten’s Everglades Airboat Tour. I always imagined what it might be like to glide through the Everglades on an airboat but never thought I would get to do it.

Now that I have once, I cannot wait for a chance to do it again. It’s not just the speed. It’s not just the aggressive turns. It’s not just the amazing scenery.

Okay, I don’t know what it is exactly other than it was just fun … and a lot of fun.

We had the extended combo that also included the swamp buggy tour. We also had the longer airboat tour on a smaller boat that enabled us to go places the bigger boats could.

One of my biggest surprises came when our driver/guide told us the water likely would not be over 14 inches deep and a few times only a few inches deep. But that’s no problem for the airboat to smoothly glide through the Everglades.

Second surprise was there is not a lot of sawgrass left in the Everglades. I had imagined we would be zipping through the sawgrass and it would be flying in the air. Instead, we learned how much of the sawgrass has been destroyed.

Our tour was on the 259 private acres Wooten’s has and our guide had so much information to share, including about how pythons have continued to multiply to dangerous levels. He did a great job explaining the history of the Everglades and his love for this area was obvious. He truly loved his job and could answer any question we asked — a family of four from Columbus, Ohio, was on the boat with us.

We did not see a lot of alligators but knew it was unlikely we would at this time of year because of the heat. However, we did see a bald eagle waiting to board the airboat.

The swamp buggy seats about 20 people and with its tractor towers and elevated platform can travel over dry land and muddy marshes with two or three feet of water at certain times of the year. We got to see a deer not long into our journey and also where bears had been walking on the trail and climbing trees. Our swamp buggy driver also knew an abundance about plants in the area.

We concluded our time at Wooten’s at the alligator show where a professional handler explained the power these animals have. It was an entertaining show and nice way to end the three hours of fun.

Tours run every day all year and if you are in the Everglades make sure to give this a try. For more information call 800-282-2718 or go to https://www.wootenseverglades.com/.

Wooten’s is located at 32330 Tamiami Trail East in Ochopee, Fla.