Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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This small museum, located in an old library, has some placards and information on the
settlement of the Everglades - the focus is more concerned with the human history of the
area than the natural environment. It's a decidedly community museum, with rotating local
art and the feel of an attic full of everyone's interesting stuff and heirlooms, but charming
for all that.
Gulf Coast Visitor Center
BOATING
Bar Lane, off Hwy 29; per day canoe/single kayak/tandem kayak $24/45/55;
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9am-4:30pm mid-
Apr-mid-Nov, 8am-4:30pm mid-Nov-mid-Apr;
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This is the northwestern-most ranger station for Everglades National Park, and provides
access to the 10,000 Islands area. Boat tours depart from the downstairs marina into the
mangrove flats and green islands - if you're lucky you may see dolphins springing up be-
side your craft. This tangled off-shore archipelago was a major smuggling point for drugs
into the mainland USA during the late 1970s and early '80s; bales of marijuana were nick-
named 'square grouper' by local fishermen.
It's great fun to go kayaking and canoeing around here; boats can be rented from the
marina, but make sure to take a map with you (they're available for free in the visitor cen-
ter). Boaters will want to reference NOAA Charts 11430 and 11432.
