Airboat Tours Near Port Everglades
Private airboat tours near Port Everglades for cruise passengers: ride the wild northern Everglades the day before you sail or the morning you get back, on your own boat, with a captain who plans the whole outing around your ship and your flight.
“Text or call me and I’ll get you out on the water — I can’t wait to see you out in the swamp!”— Captain Billy, owner & native Everglades guideThere are no airboat launches inside the port itself. The closest private option for airboat tours near Port Everglades is Aces Airboat Tours, which launches from three ramps on the northern edge of the Everglades, a straight expressway drive west on I-595. Book a private boat the day before your cruise or after you disembark, and Captain Billy times it around your ship.
A Private Everglades Ride Before or After Your Cruise
A cruise out of Fort Lauderdale gives you a free day on land more often than people expect: the day you fly in, or the morning you come back. A private airboat ride is one of the best ways to spend it, because it shows you the Florida your ship never will.
Port Everglades is big business. It opened on February 22, 1928, is owned by Broward County and handled about 4.77 million cruise passengers in fiscal 2025, which makes it one of the busiest cruise ports in the world. Fun fact for the ride out: the harbor was dredged from Lake Mabel, a shallow lake on the old Florida East Coast Canal.
None of the airboat launches sit inside the port. Ours are on the northern edge of the Everglades in western Broward, a drive west from the terminals. What makes the trip worth it is the boat itself: every Aces ride is private, so your travel group has its own captain and every seat is a front-row seat.
Our fleet includes two 8-passenger airboats, four 2-passenger airboats and one 15-passenger boat, so a couple, a family or a whole cruise group can ride together. See them on our boats page, and meet owner Captain Billy and Captain Bill on our captains page.
Pre-Cruise or Post-Cruise: Which Day Works Best?
The day before you sail is the best day for an airboat ride. You have no ship to catch, your luggage is at the hotel and you can choose any time of day. Here is how the options compare.
| When | How it works | Our advice |
|---|---|---|
| The day before you sail | Fly in, check into a port hotel, ride the next morning or evening | Best choice, fully relaxed |
| Disembarkation day | Leave the ship in the morning, ride, then head to the airport for a later flight | Good if your flight leaves mid-afternoon or later |
| Embarkation day | Ride early, then drive back to the terminal | Only with a very early ride and a wide buffer |
Many cruise guests plan an extra night before the trip anyway, so a flight delay cannot cost them the ship. That spare day is ideal: a sunrise ride on calm water, then the afternoon at the beach, or the beach first and a sunset ride to close the day.
After the cruise, a morning ride turns the long wait for an evening flight into the best part of the trip. Captain Billy will tell you honestly whether your flight time leaves enough room.
On embarkation day, our rule is simple: the ship comes first. If the timing is tight, we will tell you to skip it.
Timing Airboat Tours Near Port Everglades Around All-Aboard
The trick is to plan backward from your ship or your flight, not forward from breakfast. A private boat makes that possible, because you are not waiting for a crowd boat to fill or for a scheduled departure.
- Start with the hard time. Your all-aboard time from your cruise documents, or your flight departure.
- Add a generous buffer. Traffic on I-595 and around the terminals can back up, especially on busy sailing days.
- Count the drive back. The real drive from our launches to the port is printed in the getting-here section below.
- Fit the ride into what is left. Captain Billy picks the launch and start time that work, and keeps the ride the right length.
This is where a private captain earns his keep. On a big park boat, the schedule is the schedule. On ours, if you need to be off the water at a set time, you will be. Text Captain Billy at 561-660-2419 with your ship and flight times before you book anything else.
Short on time? A fast airboat tour packs the thrill of open sawgrass runs into a tighter window, while a standard day tour leaves more room for wildlife stops.
How Far Is the Airboat Launch From Port Everglades?
From Port Everglades, the closest Aces launch is our Sawgrass Expressway launch at Atlantic Boulevard. The usual route: I-595 west to the Sawgrass Expressway, north to Atlantic Blvd.
- Sawgrass Expressway at Atlantic Blvd: about 25 miles, roughly 35-45 minutes by car outside rush hour.
- The Landing, Parkland: about 35 miles, roughly 50-60 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 Port Everglades 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.
Text or Call Captain Billy Today!
“Text or call me and I’ll get you out on the water — I can’t wait to see you out in the swamp!”— Captain Billy, owner & native Everglades guide
Freshwater Wilderness After Days of Salt Water
Your cruise is all ocean, so the Everglades makes a perfect contrast. Near the port, places like John U. Lloyd Beach State Park and Whiskey Creek show the salty coast. Drive west and the land changes into the freshwater River of Grass: sawgrass to the horizon, tree islands, lily-pad pools and long canals beside the levees.
That marsh is alligator country. We see American alligators on the vast majority of trips, from big adults basking on the banks to small ones hiding in the lily pads. They are wild, so we never promise a number. The National Park Service explains why the American alligator is called a keystone species of the Everglades.
The birds steal the show, too: great blue herons, great and snowy egrets, anhingas drying their wings, white ibis and ospreys, with roseate spoonbills a lucky bonus. Turtles line the canal banks on sunny days.
Every ride follows Florida's airboat rules, and your captain knows this water from decades of daily runs. Ask him anything. If you want a preview of the ride itself, read what to expect on an Everglades airboat tour.
Booking Around Your Sailing
Booking takes one text. Send Captain Billy the details below at 561-660-2419 and he will match you with the right boat, launch and start time.
- Your ship's sailing date, or the day you get back
- Your all-aboard time or flight time
- Where you are staying: a port hotel, the beach or an airport hotel
- How many people, and their ages
Every tour is a private boat, so the rate depends on your group and the length of the ride. Ask Captain Billy for yours. There are no crowd tickets and no add-ons.
Book once your cruise dates are set, especially in the busy winter sailing season, so you get the start time that fits your schedule. If plans change because of a ship schedule shift, tell Captain Billy as soon as you know.
Spending more time in the city before or after the trip? Our Fort Lauderdale airboat guide and Everglades tours from Fort Lauderdale cover longer stays. Read guest stories on our reviews page, where we hold a 4.9-star Google rating, or reach us through the contact page.
Cruise guests who make room for airboat tours near Port Everglades come home with the one Florida story the ship could not give them.
Popular Airboat Tours Near Port Everglades
Everglades Airboat Tours
The signature private ride through wild sawgrass, tree islands and gator water.
Explore Tour
Sunset Tours
Ride out as the sky lights up over the open marsh.
Explore Tour
Red Eye Gator Night Tours
Scan the marsh by spotlight for glowing alligator eyes.
Explore Tour
Sunrise Tours
Cool air, glassy water and the most active wildlife of the day.
Explore Tour
Fast Airboat Tours
Full-throttle sawgrass runs, spins and slides with a pro at the stick.
Explore Tour
Private Tours
Your group, your captain, your boat. No strangers aboard.
Explore Tour3 Convenient South Florida Pickup Points
Choose the launch closest to you — every ride heads into the same wild, gator-filled Everglades sawgrass.
Stub Canal
Off the Sawgrass Expressway area — easy access from Broward County.
Book From HereSawgrass Expressway at Atlantic Blvd
Convenient ramp right off the Sawgrass Expressway at Atlantic Boulevard.
Book From HereThe Landing
Our north Broward launch on Loxahatchee Road near Parkland.
Book From HereWhat Our Guests Say
Real Google reviews from guests who rode the wild Everglades with Captain Billy and Captain Bill.
What an absolute amazing experience! Our captain is one of the most experienced men in the Everglades. We explored the wildlife including up to 30 alligators, several species of birds, frogs and fish. Well worth it, and you get a private party instead of being with strangers.
Called Captain Bill at 9 AM and asked if he could do a 10 AM run. He said yes and met me right on time. We saw two alligators, a pink spoonbill and numerous herons. If you want the real Everglades with someone who actually lives in them, book Captain Bill. Highly recommended.
Our captain was the best! We live in South Florida and bring guests all the time. By far the most fun. I loved the fast paths and the way we went side to side.
We had a terrific time with Airboating Bill and his mate for the day. They were very knowledgeable about the history of the area and all of the wildlife. We really enjoyed learning his family history and the ride was so much fun.
What an absolute amazing experience! Our captain is one of the most experienced men in the Everglades. We explored the wildlife including up to 30 alligators, several species of birds, frogs and fish. Well worth it, and you get a private party instead of being with strangers.
Called Captain Bill at 9 AM and asked if he could do a 10 AM run. He said yes and met me right on time. We saw two alligators, a pink spoonbill and numerous herons. If you want the real Everglades with someone who actually lives in them, book Captain Bill. Highly recommended.
Our captain was the best! We live in South Florida and bring guests all the time. By far the most fun. I loved the fast paths and the way we went side to side.
We had a terrific time with Airboating Bill and his mate for the day. They were very knowledgeable about the history of the area and all of the wildlife. We really enjoyed learning his family history and the ride was so much fun.
Port Everglades Airboat Tour Questions
Can you do an airboat tour before a cruise from Port Everglades?
Yes, and the day before you sail is the best time. Aces runs private airboat tours near Port Everglades from launches a drive west of the terminals, so you can ride in the morning or evening and be back at your hotel with no ship to catch. Text Captain Billy at 561-660-2419 with your dates.
How far is the Everglades from Port Everglades?
Closer than most cruise guests think. Our northern Everglades launches are a straight expressway drive west on I-595 and the Sawgrass Expressway. The real miles and minutes from the port to each launch are listed in the getting-here section above these questions.
Can I do an airboat ride after my cruise before my flight?
Often, yes. If your flight leaves mid-afternoon or later, a morning ride after you leave the ship usually fits. Send Captain Billy your flight time and he will tell you honestly whether there is enough room, including the drive to the airport.
What do I do with my luggage during an airboat tour?
Our launches are working boat ramps, not a cruise terminal, so ask Captain Billy about bags when you book. Before your cruise, ask your port-area hotel to hold your bags. After the cruise, keep luggage locked in your rental car trunk. Bring only a small bag on the boat.
Do airboat tours near Port Everglades include transportation from the ship?
We do not run a shuttle. Cruise guests drive a rental car or take a rideshare to the launch. Line up your return ride before you head out on the water, and ask Captain Billy which ramp is simplest for pickups.
How much is a private airboat tour near the cruise port?
Every tour is a private boat, so text or call Captain Billy at 561-660-2419 for your rate. It depends on the boat, your group size and the length of the ride, with no crowd tickets or surprise add-ons.
How long is the drive from Port Everglades to an Aces airboat launch?
From central Port Everglades, our Sawgrass Expressway launch at Atlantic Boulevard is about 25 miles away, roughly 35-45 minutes by car outside rush hour. Captain Billy confirms the exact meeting spot when you book by text or call at 561-660-2419.
Which Aces launch is closest to Port Everglades?
For most Port Everglades guests it is our Sawgrass Expressway launch at Atlantic Boulevard. We also launch from The Landing in Parkland, our Stub Canal launch, and every launch opens onto the same wild northern Everglades.
Airboat Tours Near Port Everglades
Add the Everglades to Your Cruise Trip
One private boat, timed around your ship or your flight. Text or call Captain Billy with your sailing dates and he will plan the rest.
“Text or call me and I’ll get you out on the water — I can’t wait to see you out in the swamp!”— Captain Billy, owner & native Everglades guide