Besides seeing both baby and mama alligators we saw lots of birds and great foliage. This is a beautiful nature walk. We took the tour first. The guide was knowledgeable and so friendly, binoculars are included in the fee. We recently visited again and just took a nice long walk through the preserve ourselves. So much beauty in nature found here. It is a great way to see Florida's natural foliage. We really enjoy the boardwalk through this area. Just wonderful.

Really enjoyed the free tour. The ranger was informative and friendly. We took a stroller around ourselves and had a nice time taking pictures of all the different kinds of birds.

An amazing place to experience a natural cypress swamp and all it's wildlife. Everytime we come here it is different, with many different species of birds to be seen if you take your time and walk quietly. There are several ponds with observations spots where you can search for turtles, alligators and the birds that roost in the trees. There are volunteers walking through the areas which will answer questions, or offer information on what wildlife can be seen ahead on the boardwalk. If you're there early in the morning you may also see the otters. We've heard and seen wild hogs in different areas of the swamp. You can hear them rooting through the ferns, then biting and chewing. Amazingly loud! On one visit we saw 2 female hogs at the edge of the parking area nursing their brood of young. They were laying on the dry ground, and we were very close to them. Near the Otter Pond is a huge bees nest, one of the biggest hives we've ever seen.

The Visitor's Center was interesting, especially if you have children, with interactive displays encouraging them to touch and see. This is a free attraction, but parking is one dollar per hour.

There is also a picnic area, but beware of the squirrels. They are quite tame, and although there are signs warning people not to feed them, we saw many people ignoring this. As a result we had to shoo them away while we were trying to eat.

I love parks and this one is very good. The parking is cheap and you can spend the day here. You must take your time and listen or you miss alot. The first time we were here we saw a sow with piglets. This last visit we saw turltes, flickers, wood peckers, crocodile, two types of night herons. Theres something new each time.