Airboat Tours Near Loxahatchee, FL

One Name, Three Places: Which Loxahatchee Do You Mean?

Loxahatchee is a name shared by a community, a road and a refuge, and they are not in the same spot. Sorting that out first saves a wrong turn on the day of your ride.

The community. Most Loxahatchee addresses refer to The Acreage, an unincorporated area west of Royal Palm Beach with neighborhoods like Deer Run, Fox Trail and White Fences, plus the separate town of Loxahatchee Groves. The Acreage began as Royal Palm Beach Colony, housing workers for the Callery Judge and Mecca citrus groves on one-acre lots, according to its community history.

The road. Loxahatchee Road runs west from US-441 in Parkland, in northern Broward County, and is a different road from the community name. The Landing sits at its western end.

The refuge. The Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge covers a huge stretch of marsh between the two, and The Landing sits at its southern edge.

So for airboat tours, Loxahatchee residents in The Acreage face a real drive south, not a quick trip down the street. The getting-here section below lists the honest miles and minutes. Many families in the area make it a half-day: a morning on the water and lunch on the way home. Read our guide to pickup locations for all three ramps.

How Far Is the Airboat Launch From Loxahatchee?

From Loxahatchee, the closest Aces launch is The Landing in Parkland. The usual route: south on US-441/SR-7 or the Turnpike to Loxahatchee Rd in Parkland, then west to the end of the road.

• The Landing, Parkland: about 39 miles, roughly 70-80 minutes by car outside rush hour.
• Sawgrass Expressway at Atlantic Blvd: about 49 miles, roughly 70-80 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 Loxahatchee 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.

Inside the Conservation Areas: What You See

From The Landing, the airboat tours Loxahatchee guests take run into the open conservation-area marsh, and that water is full of life. We see wild American alligators on the vast majority of trips. They are wild animals, so we never promise, but this northern Everglades water is prime habitat. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission explains how gators live and nest here.

Wading birds are everywhere: great blue herons, great and snowy egrets, white ibis and anhingas drying their wings on the snags. Ospreys hunt the canal, turtles line the banks and roseate spoonbills drift through when the water is right. Sawgrass, tree islands and lily-pad pools stretch out on every side.

A note on the refuge. The interior of the Loxahatchee refuge is federal land with its own permits for airboats, so Aces tours stay in the conservation-area water reached from the ramp. You still get the same sawgrass horizon, the same birds and the same gators that make this corner of the Glades famous, without breaking any rules. The Florida airboat regulations cover how boats like ours operate.

Lion Country Safari shows you animals behind fences. Out here, nothing is fenced, and that is the difference you feel the moment the engine stops.

Booking From The Acreage and Loxahatchee Groves

Booking is simple: text or call Captain Billy at 561-660-2419. Tell him the date, how many are coming and what you want to see, and he will match you with a boat and confirm the meeting spot at The Landing. Every tour is a private boat, so your rate depends on the group and the ride length. Ask him for yours directly.

Before you go, check the forecast with the National Weather Service in Miami, especially in summer when afternoon storms build fast. Our Everglades weather page shows conditions at a glance.

Read what other guests say on our reviews page, where we hold a 4.9-star Google rating. If you live closer to the ramp, our Parkland airboat tours page covers the short hop, and neighbors in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach drive the same route south.

When you are ready for airboat tours Loxahatchee locals recommend, one text gets you on the water.