Florida has some of the most tropical National Parks in the USA! From a 1.5-million-acre wetland and a remote Gulf island to a rare alligator and crocodile cohesive environment and extraordinary underwater life, the Florida National Parks are perfect for adventurers, hikers, photographers, and travelers who cherish year-round mild weather, water excursions, and tropical getaways.
So which Florida National Parks are worth the visit? In short, all of them are worth seeing on a South Florida road trip. I have visited all three parks and highly recommend seeing these beautiful places at least once. But if you are short on time or are curious about which ones are the “best” or “worst,” then continue reading as I rank all three of the Florida National Parks.
First, let me clarify that all of these parks are stunning, and each one is worth visiting. I hesitated to write a blog post like this that could paint certain National Parks in a negative light, so I need to specify what the goal of this blog article is. I aim to share the strengths and weaknesses by ranking the parks on six different factors (which I’ll mention next) to help you decide which Florida National Park (or parks) is worth your time.
Florida National Parks Ranking System
So how could I possibly rank the Florida National Parks? I created six factors that are important to me (and what I believe to be important to you) when considering which National Park or other public lands to visit.
- Recreation – Are there diverse recreational opportunities found in the park like hiking, biking, paddling, climbing, camping, etc? I consider the amount/variety of recreation.
- Scenery – How scenic and photogenic is the park? Landscapes, wildlife, and structures are all taken into account.
- Crowds – How crowded is the park? I consider vehicle traffic, entrance station lines, amount of busy overlooks, congested trails, limited campsite/trail permit availability, etc.
- Amenities – Are there developed amenities in the park like campgrounds, restrooms, visitor centers, lodges, restaurants, etc?
- Accessibility – Is the park easy to access? I consider vehicle access, transportation options, parking, proximity to major airports, and in-park or nearby camping/lodging accommodations and services.
- Trails – Are the trails diverse? In other words, is there a good balance of easy, moderate, and strenuous trails? Is there a variety of scenes on the trails? How many trails are there? Are there trails that can be both day hiked and backpacked? How scenic are the trails?
Since you might hold more weight in one category than another, I will share my overall ranking (EX: 50/60) and a ranking breakdown (EX: Recreation: 8/10, Accessibility: 5/10) to help you see which park is stronger or weaker in each category.
For example, one park might have an overall ranking that is higher than another park, but the higher-rated park might have a lower score in one of the categories (maybe, recreation). So if recreation is the most important factor to you when considering which park(s) to visit, make sure you look at the breakdown (not just the overall score) to see which park(s) have the highest ranking in the recreation category.
To help you further plan your trip to the parks, I’ve included details on when to go and how long to visit, where to stay, the best things to do, and links to all of my in-depth individual guides on EACH of the Florida National Parks.
Make sense? Phew, okay, let’s get to it! Here are the Florida National Parks Ranked “Best” to “Worst.”
Florida National Parks Ranked Best To Worst
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on the links, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own. Thanks so much for your support!
#1. Everglades National Park
Overall Score: 52/60
- Recreation: 10/10
- Scenery: 9/10
- Crowds: 8/10
- Amenities: 6/10
- Accessibility: 10/10
- Trails: 9/10
When to Go
The dry season runs from December through April, making this the best time to visit the Everglades. Note that since this is the “high season” for tourist visitation, prices are usually higher.
The wet season is considered to be May through November. During this time, rain is likely, hurricanes are possible, temperatures are hot, and the air is sticky.
Plan to explore the Everglades for 2-3 days if you want to see each section of the park. If you just want to take an airboat ride and hike or bike a few trails, 1-2 days will suffice.
Where to Stay
- TownePlace Suites Miami Homestead. Nice hotel with a prime location in between Everglades and Biscayne National Parks.
- Port of the Islands Resort. Located on the west side of the Everglades, this cute accommodation is perfect for those who want to immerse themselves in the beach town.
- Home2 Suites by Hilton Florida City.
- Flamingo Campground. Located in the southern Everglades.
- Long Pine Key Campground. Located on the eastern side of the Everglades, this campground is convenient to stay for both Everglades and Biscayne! This is where we stayed while we explored both parks!
Best Things to Do
- Bike the Shark Valley Tram road.
- Take an airboat ride.
- Take a multi-day paddling trip.
- Hike the Gumbo Limbo and Anhinga trails.
- Take a tram ride at Shark Valley.
→ READ NEXT: Complete Guide to Exploring Everglades National Park
#2. Biscayne National Park
Overall Score: 46/60
- Recreation: 10/10
- Scenery: 10/10
- Crowds: 9/10
- Amenities: 6/10
- Accessibility: 8/10
- Trails: 3/10
When to Go
Biscayne National Park sits in a subtropical climate which ensures year-round mild weather and an abundance of sunshine. Therefore, the park is open all year. Weather permitting, boat tours and excursions depart daily.
Here is a breakdown of the season patterns and the pros and cons of visiting each:
☀️ Summer is hot, humid, and rainy. High temperatures are often in the 90s throughout most of the season and weather can be unpredictable due to it being hurricane season. Trips to the Florida National Parks are often difficult to plan in the summer because of the frequent hurricanes. That being said, as long as the weather behaves, summer can be a great time to cool off from the hot weather and get wet since most of the park is underwater. And the days are longer so you can extend your outdoor activities well into the evening.
🍁 Fall can still be hot and rainy. Temperatures are often in the 80s during the day. Hurricane season doesn’t technically end until November, so heavy rain and wind can still be an issue, making it difficult to plan a trip. But the weather isn’t as excruciatingly hot as it is in the summer.
❄️ Winter is considered “high season” in South Florida. Visitors flock to Florida to escape their state’s crummy weather and enter a sunny paradise. The weather is mild, and the rain and bugs are at bay. A con to venturing into Biscayne in the winter would be that you could experience cloudy water clarity. Weather can get a little “cool” although 70s are still normal throughout the season. It can sometimes be too chilly to jet in a boat or dive underwater, and the clarity of the water might not be as crystal as it is during the summer. The days are also a lot shorter so outdoor activities often have to be cut short.
🌷 Spring is similar to winter where the high temperatures remain in the 70s for the most part. Rain doesn’t really become an issue until late May or early June when thunderstorms and hurricanes begin.
You’ll only need 1 day to explore Biscayne. During the day, you’ll be able to hike the trail near the visitor center and get out on the water.
Where to Stay
- Hampton Inn & Suites Homestead Miami South. This hotel is in a prime location for visiting both the Everglades and Biscayne National Parks.
- Best Western Gateway to the Keys. Prime location between Everglades and Biscayne. Quick access to the highway to visit the Keys.
- Fairfield Inn & Suites Homestead Florida City. Another prime location between Everglades and Biscayne with quick access to the Keys.
- Camp on Elliot Key. Camp on the park’s largest island! Accessible by boat only. Restrooms with sinks and cold water showers, picnic tables, and grills are available. Drinking water is available occasionally.
- Camp on Boca Chita Key. Camp on the park’s most popular island! Extremely scenic, this campground features beautiful waterfront views, a grassy camping area, picnic tables, and grills. Toilets are available, but there are no showers, sinks, or drinking water.
Best Things to Do
- Snorkel or dive in the coral reefs and/or shipwrecks.
- Explore one of the Atlantic islands.
- Paddle through the mangroves or lagoons.
- Hike the Jetty Trail at the Visitor Center.
- Take a scenic boat tour.
→ READ NEXT: Complete Guide to Exploring Biscayne National Park
#3 Dry Tortugas National Park
Overall Score: 37/60
- Recreation: 7/10
- Scenery: 9/10
- Crowds: 8/10 (median of 6 campsites difficulty and 9 crowds and lines.
- Amenities: 6/10
- Accessibility: 4/10
- Trails: 3/10
When to Go
With mild year-round air and sea temperatures, Dry Tortugas is a great place to visit any month of the year.
Some things to note about the weather at Dry Tortugas:
- If you visit from October through January, you get to walk around Bush Key, which was one of my favorite experiences on the island. Temperatures are mild and still warm enough to swim, paddle, and snorkel. Water visibility can be poor and sea travel can be choppy, but on our visit in early January, conditions were perfect.
- Hurricane season is usually from June through November, so while water visibility is crystal-clear and temperatures are hot in the summer, hurricanes can cause the ferry or seaplane to postpone travel.
Overall, the best time to visit Dry Tortugas would be December through May.
You’ll only need 1 full day at the park unless you’re camping, then allot more time for that.
Where to Stay
- Havana Cabana Key West. A luxury hotel that is less than 3 miles from the Yankee Freedom boat docks.
- Parrot Key Hotel & Villas. Another luxury hotel that is less than 2 miles from the Yankee Freedom boat docks.
- Blue Marlin Motel. A more budget-friendly option in Key West that is less than 2 miles from the Yankee Freedom boat docks.
- Dry Tortugas Campground. Camp on the remote island of Dry Tortugas! Reservations are currently booked out 15 months in advance.
Best Things to Do
- Take a self-guided tour through Fort Jefferson.
- Snorkel at Garden Key.
- Explore Bush Key (open October through January).
- Swim at one of the beaches.
- Paddle to Loggerhead Key.
→ READ NEXT: Complete Guide to Exploring Dry Tortugas National Park
Discover Your Next Adventure
Where to next? I’ve got some suggestions!
We loved reading this! Just moved to Florida and have no idea which national parks to go to or how long we’d need at each of them! This was super helpful & is helping to inspire our next Florida National Park experience!! Thank you so much!
Thank you for reading! You live in such a beautiful state. I know you’ll enjoy the parks!