Airboat Tours Near Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, FL

Leaving the Barrier Island: How Far Is the Drive?

The drive is longer than the map suggests, because you start on the coast and the Everglades begins on the far western edge of Broward. The whole town sits on a barrier island, and about 44 percent of its area is water, according to the town's public profile. Getting to the marsh means crossing the Intracoastal Waterway and the width of the county.

There are two simple ways to do it:

• Commercial Boulevard west to the Sawgrass Expressway, then north to Atlantic Boulevard.
• Atlantic Boulevard straight west from A1A to the expressway.

Either way you end up at our launch on the levee at the eastern edge of the Water Conservation Areas. We have two other launches, including The Landing at the end of Loxahatchee Road in Parkland, and Captain Billy will say which one suits your day. The exact miles and minutes are listed in the getting-here section below.

Our honest take: it is a real drive, and it is worth it. You trade the tour-bus parks for a quiet stretch of the northern Everglades and a private boat. For a deeper look at the geography, read how far the Everglades is from Fort Lauderdale. No car? A rideshare from the beach works fine, and our pickup locations page explains the meeting points.

How Far Is the Airboat Launch From Lauderdale-by-the-Sea?

From Lauderdale-by-the-Sea, the closest Aces launch is our Sawgrass Expressway launch at Atlantic Boulevard. The usual route: west on Commercial Blvd to the Sawgrass Expressway, north to Atlantic Blvd; or Atlantic Blvd west from A1A.

• Sawgrass Expressway at Atlantic Blvd: about 16 miles, roughly 30-40 minutes by car outside rush hour.
• The Landing, Parkland: about 25 miles, roughly 45-55 minutes by car outside rush hour.

We also run trips from our Stub Canal launch on request; ask Captain Billy which ramp suits your group.

Times are measured from central Lauderdale-by-the-Sea and grow at rush hour and on event weekends. Captain Billy confirms the exact meeting spot, parking and what to bring when you text or call 561-660-2419. All three launches open onto the same wild, gator-rich northern Everglades, so pick whichever is easiest for your day. See every launch on our pickup locations page.

Salt Water Out Front, Fresh Water Out West

The Everglades is a freshwater world, and that makes it a perfect contrast to a reef vacation. Off the beach you see coral and reef fish. Out west you see American alligators, wading birds and miles of sawgrass dotted with tree islands.

We see alligators on the vast majority of trips, but they are wild, so we never promise one. Great blue herons, great and snowy egrets, anhingas, white ibis and ospreys are regulars, with roseate spoonbills as a treat. The National Park Service explains why alligators are so important to the whole system.

The marsh is also part of a major federal and state restoration effort. The Everglades restoration program is working to send cleaner water south the way it once flowed. More on the animals is in our Everglades wildlife guide.

Booking From a Beach Hotel or Condo

To book, text or call Captain Billy at 561-660-2419. He answers personally, and there is no checkout page. Tell him the date, the group and where you are staying, and he will build the ride around your vacation.

1. Text your date, group size and the name of your hotel or condo.
2. Captain Billy suggests a tour, a boat and the easiest launch from the island.
3. Drive or ride west, meet your captain and head into the marsh.

Every tour is a private boat, so the rate depends on your group and the tour length. Ask Captain Billy for yours. Past guests explain our 4.9-star Google rating on the reviews page, and the people behind the boats are on our captains page.

Staying nearby? See our guides for Fort Lauderdale and Pompano Beach. For airboat tours, Lauderdale-by-the-Sea guests are one text away from the River of Grass.