Families and groups
Leans DIY on entry cost
One $35 vehicle fee covers everyone in the car, so a party of five pays $7 each to enter. A per-seat tour price has no such discount, so compare it with your whole-car cost.
Source: NPS fees, Oct 26, 2026
Florida · National Park
Everglades: tour or DIY?
Checked Oct 26, 2026 · Source: NPS
Everglades charges $35 per private vehicle, good for 7 days, according to the National Park Service (checked Oct 26, 2026). Visitors 16 and older who live outside the US pay an extra $100 unless they hold a pass. One fee covers the whole car, so a party of four pays $8.75 each to enter, which favors driving yourself.
Our verdict, from the fee data
DIY wins on entry cost for groups
The $35 vehicle fee is paid once for everyone in the car. A tour only beats driving yourself if it saves you real money or time on fuel, parking, shuttles and planning.
We do not print tour prices here because we do not have a live, licensed feed for them. Enter a real quote in the calculator and we prefill this park’s fee.
| Party | Entrance total | Per person |
|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $35 | $35 |
| 2 people | $35 | $17.50 |
| 4 people | $35 | $8.75 |
| 6 people | $35 | $5.83 |
Arithmetic on the NPS fee of $35. The vehicle fee covers all passengers, so cost per person falls as the group grows. Non-US residents 16+ add $100 each.
Entrance fees
| Fee | Cost | Notes from NPS |
|---|---|---|
| Entrance - Private Vehicle | $35 | Admits the passholder and passengers of a single vehicle or vessel. Good for 7 consecutive days at all park entrances. |
| Entrance - Motorcycle | $30 | Valid for 7 days. Admits up to 2 private, non-commercial motorcycles with up to 4 total passengers. |
| Entrance - Per Person | $20 | Good for 7 consecutive days at all park entrances. Admits one individual hiker, bicyclist, pedestrian, or human-powered paddlecraft, when not arriving in a vehicle or vessel. Individuals 15 years old and younger, are admitted free of charge. |
| Entrance - Education/Academic Groups | $0 | All accredited educational and scientific institutions are eligible to receive free entrance to the park. Bringing your classroom to the park can present many unique learning opportunities and novel ways for your students to advance their studies. |
| Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach | $300 | A commercial tour is defined as persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced or sold for leisure recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provisions of the service. |
| Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus | $200 | A commercial tour is defined as persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced or sold for leisure recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provisions of the service. |
| Commercial Entrance - Van | $125 | A commercial tour is defined as persons traveling on an itinerary that has been packaged, priced or sold for leisure recreational purposes by an organization that realizes financial gain through the provisions of the service. |
| Nonresident | $100 | Each non-US resident aged 16 and older visiting Everglades National Park must pay a $100 nonresident fee (in addition to the standard entrance fee), unless admitted with an Annual or America the Beautiful Pass. |
Source: nps.gov fees and passes for Everglades via the NPS API, checked Oct 26, 2026. Fees change; confirm before you go.
Visiting from outside the US? Everglades is one of 11 parks that charge non-US residents aged 16+ a $100 nonresident fee on top of the regular entrance fee, unless they hold an annual or America the Beautiful pass. The Non-Resident Annual Pass costs $250. Source: nps.gov passes, checked Oct 26, 2026.
Pass math
- The $80 America the Beautiful Resident Annual Pass equals 3 visits at $35 per vehicle, here or at any other fee site.
- Seniors 62+ pay $20 for an annual pass or $80 for lifetime.
- Everglades also sells its own pass: Annual Entrance - Park, $70.
When it is busiest
NPS recreation visits by month, 2025. March had 13% of the year; October was the quietest month, with about 19% of the busiest month’s visits.
BusierQuietest month
Show the numbers
| Month | Recreation visits |
|---|---|
| January | 89,939 |
| February | 87,926 |
| March | 99,017 |
| April | 84,148 |
| May | 61,712 |
| June | 59,249 |
| July | 70,103 |
| August | 50,464 |
| September | 32,290 |
| October | 19,008 |
| November | 53,416 |
| December | 70,926 |
Source: NPS IRMA Stats, recreation visitors, 2025, pulled Oct 26, 2026.
Alerts right now
3 active NPS alerts when we checked on Oct 26, 2026, including 1 closure. Showing the most serious first.
Park Closure Current Alerts and Conditions
Be sure to review the Alerts and Conditions below before and during your visit for additional, up-to-date information on closures, cautions, and other current park conditions. Details on nps.gov
Caution Roadwork may cause delays on US 41/Tamiami Trail
Current roadwork is ongoing along the park's northern boundary on US Highway 41/Tamiami Trail to raise the road for Everglades Restoration benefits. Drivers may experience up to 15-minute delays and should watch for personnel, equipment and slow downs. Details on nps.gov
Information For entrance fees, we accept digital passes and credit/debit cards
Digital passes or credit/debit cards are the ONLY method of payment at all fee collection areas. Pre-paid digital passes are available online and may be purchased in advance. Details on nps.gov
Source: NPS API alerts, checked Oct 26, 2026. Conditions change by the hour; check the park page before you drive.
Hours and access
Everglades National Park is open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Park entrance is always open but staffed from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Source: NPS API operating hours, checked Oct 26, 2026.
What NPS lists to do here
- Astronomy
- Auto and ATV
- Backcountry Camping
- Backcountry Hiking
- Biking
- Birdwatching
- Boat Tour
- Boat Tour
- Boating
- Bookstore and Park Store
- Bus/Shuttle Guided Tour
- Camping
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Canoe or Kayak Camping
- Canoeing
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Citizen Science
- Compass and GPS
- Fishing
- Food
- Freshwater Fishing
- Front-Country Hiking
- Geocaching
- Gift Shop and Souvenirs
- +22 more
Source: NPS API activity tags, checked Oct 26, 2026.
Got a tour quote for Everglades?
Put it next to your own costs and see the break-even.
Open the calculator for EvergladesWho fits what at Everglades
Built from NPS and NOAA data, not opinion. “Leans” is a plain reading of the fee model, not a recommendation.
Seniors (62+)
A senior pass cuts DIY cost
US residents aged 62 and over can buy an annual pass for $20 or a lifetime pass for $80. The NPS API we use has no per-park accessibility data, so check the park page for trail and shuttle accessibility before choosing.
Source: nps.gov passes, Oct 26, 2026
Visitors without a car
Transit is listed
The NPS tags “Bus/Shuttle Guided Tour” here. Guided options tagged: Boat Tour, Boat Tour, Boating and Bus/Shuttle Guided Tour. Confirm routes and seasons on nps.gov.
Source: NPS activities, Oct 26, 2026
First-timers
Start at a visitor center
The NPS lists 4 visitor centers, 4 with passport stamps. It also publishes 1 self-guided tour, taking 4 h to 8 h, which cost nothing beyond entry.
Source: NPS visitor centers and tours, Oct 26, 2026
Short visits
Entry is valid 7 days
The vehicle fee is good for 7 days, so a one-day trip pays the same gate fee as a long one. NPS self-guided tours here run up to 8 h. October was the quietest month in 2025, which helps if you only have a day.
Source: NPS fees and IRMA Stats, Oct 26, 2026
What to book ahead
Check reservations early
The NPS campground listings (2) tag 267 sites as reservable and 136 as first-come; those tags can lag, so confirm on the park page.
Source: NPS alerts and campgrounds, Oct 26, 2026
Season
March is busiest
March drew 13% of 2025 recreation visits; its average high is 81°F at the nearest NOAA station. October was quietest, with an average high of 87°F. Mild months below the average crowd: November.
Source: NPS IRMA Stats; NOAA normals 1991–2020 (FLAMINGO RS, 26 km away)
Parking and shuttles
No related alerts
No active NPS alert mentioned parking, shuttles or timed entry on Oct 26, 2026. Parking can still be scarce at peak times; see the park page.
Source: NPS alerts, Oct 26, 2026
Questions
How much does it cost to enter Everglades by car?
The NPS lists $35 per private vehicle for 7 days (checked Oct 26, 2026). The fee covers every passenger in the vehicle.
Is there an extra fee for visitors from outside the US at Everglades?
Yes. Everglades is one of 11 parks where non-US residents aged 16 and over pay a $100 nonresident fee on top of the entrance fee, unless they hold an annual or America the Beautiful pass (NPS, checked Oct 26, 2026).
When is Everglades busiest?
March had the most recreation visits in 2025 (13% of the year). October had the fewest, so March drew about 5.2 times as many visits. Source: NPS IRMA Stats.
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TourOrDIY is independent and not affiliated with the National Park Service. Numbers are copied from NPS public data on Oct 26, 2026 and may have changed. See the accuracy disclaimer and our method.