Airboat Tours for Palm Beach County, FL
Private airboat tours Palm Beach County guests can start at the county line, where the Loxahatchee refuge meets the Hillsboro Canal. Your own boat, a captain who has spent a lifetime on this water and wild alligators in the northern Everglades.
“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 guideThe most direct way to take airboat tours Palm Beach County residents and visitors can reach is Aces Airboat Tours at The Landing, 15490 Loxahatchee Road in Parkland, right on the Palm Beach line at the southern end of the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee refuge. Every ride is a private boat with a native captain, open marsh and wild gators, and no crowd.
Where the Everglades Meets Palm Beach County
The Everglades runs along Palm Beach County's whole western side, and its southern end meets Broward at the Hillsboro Canal, which is exactly where Aces launches. North of that canal sits the Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, also known as Water Conservation Area 1. South of it, Water Conservation Area 2A opens into more sawgrass and tree islands.
The coastal cities grew up with that marsh pressing in from the west. In West Palm Beach, wetlands just west of downtown forced the city to grow north and south, and until the 1960s it was only several blocks wide. Grassy Waters Preserve, a remnant Everglades marsh, still supplies the city's drinking water.
Farther inland the story repeats. Wellington began as swampland that an Army Corps of Engineers levee, built in 1952 and 1953, protected from Everglades floodwaters. In Greenacres, plots of Everglades land were sold from 1909, but farming the wetland was so hard that many buyers settled on the coast instead.
That wet, wild country is still out there past the last subdivision. An airboat is simply the best way to see it up close, gliding over water too shallow and grassy for any other boat.
Why The Landing Is the Palm Beach Launch
The Landing is the Palm Beach launch because it sits at the end of Loxahatchee Road, right where Parkland meets the county line and the refuge begins. The address is 15490 Loxahatchee Road, Parkland, FL 33076, and the ramp is on the Hillsboro Canal at the refuge's southern end, in what the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service calls the Hillsboro Area.
One detail trips up visitors every season. Loxahatchee Road in Parkland is a different place from the community called Loxahatchee out by The Acreage. If you live in Loxahatchee or Royal Palm Beach, you still head south to Parkland to meet us.
Getting there is simple: take US-441 (State Road 7) to Loxahatchee Road, then drive west to the very end of the road. The ramp is where the pavement stops at the water.
For some central Palm Beach addresses, our Sawgrass Expressway ramp at Atlantic Boulevard runs about as close, depending on traffic and the route you take. Captain Billy will tell you which one is easier from your neighborhood that day and confirm the exact meeting spot when you book. All three launches are described on our pickup locations page.
Airboat Tours Palm Beach County Snowbirds and Families Pick
Palm Beach guests tend to want a quieter, more personal ride, and that is what a private Aces boat gives you. There is no line of strangers and no loudspeaker. The boat carries only your group, and every seat is a front-row seat because there are no middle rows.
The fleet fits every size of party: two 8-passenger airboats, four 2-passenger airboats and a 15-passenger boat for large families or clubs. You can see them on our boats page. Guests who use wheelchairs board by ramp on our accessible airboat tours, and hearing protection comes with every ride.
Winter residents from West Boynton and Delray retirement communities often ask for a gentle pace with lots of birds. Equestrian families from Wellington often want a faster run, and resort guests in Boca Raton tend to like an early start. On airboat tours Palm Beach County regulars book again and again, the captain adjusts speed, stops and talk to fit the people aboard.
Those captains are the reason guests come back. Captain Billy has more than sixty years in and around the Everglades and built his own airboats. Captain Bill brings over thirty years as a naturalist captain. Both know where the gators are sitting this week.
Airboat Tours Across Palm Beach County
South Palm Beach
Central Palm Beach
Western Palm Beach
North Palm Beach County
We also welcome guests from Manalapan, Briny Breezes, Cloud Lake, Glen Ridge. Text or call Captain Billy and he will point you to the closest launch.
From Boca to Jupiter: How Far Is the Ride?
How far you drive depends on where in this long county you start. Palm Beach stretches a long way north to south, and our launches sit at its southern tip, so here is the honest picture:
- South county. Boca Raton, Delray Beach and Boynton Beach are the closest, a straightforward trip west and south to Loxahatchee Road.
- Central county. Lake Worth Beach, Greenacres and Wellington are a longer drive south on US-441 or the Turnpike.
- North county. West Palm Beach, Palm Beach Gardens and Jupiter are a real drive, best planned as a half-day outing.
The grid below shows real mileage from each city to its nearest launch, so you can judge it yourself.
Why make the trip from the north end? Because the northern Everglades here is quiet. You ride open marsh on a private boat instead of joining a big crowd on a busier corridor farther south. Many guests pair the ride with lunch on the way home. Our day-trip guides from Boca Raton and West Palm Beach lay out a full plan.
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
Which Tour Suits a Palm Beach Outing?
The right tour depends on who is coming and what time of day they like. When choosing airboat tours, Palm Beach County visitors usually start with one of these:
- Bird watching. The refuge edge is famous birding country. Our bird watching airboat tours move slowly, with stops for herons, egrets, ibis, anhingas and, with luck, roseate spoonbills.
- Sunrise. Glassy water, cool air and active wildlife, ideal for resort guests and photographers.
- Sunset. A sunset airboat tour is the couples' choice, with color spreading over the sawgrass.
- Nature tours. Everglades nature tours focus on tree islands, plants and how water moves through the marsh.
- Groups. Clubs, reunions and grandkid trips fit our group airboat tours.
Alligators show up on the vast majority of trips, but they are wild, so we never promise a number. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission explains their habits well. For timing, read our post on the best time to visit the Everglades; the dry winter months suit snowbird schedules nicely.
Setting Up a Ride From Palm Beach
Setting up a ride takes one text or call to Captain Billy at 561-660-2419. Tell him the date, how many people are coming, the town you are driving from and whether you want morning, afternoon, sunset or night. He will match the boat, choose the launch that suits your route and send directions.
Because every tour is a private boat, your rate depends on the boat and the length of the ride, so ask him for it directly. There are no crowd tickets and no surprise add-ons.
A few tips from guests who have done it:
- Wear light layers, closed-toe shoes or secure sandals, sunglasses and a hat that stays on. Our what to wear guide has the details.
- Check the forecast with the National Weather Service in Miami; summer storms pass quickly, and Captain Billy will move your time if lightning is around.
- Leave a little extra time on the way down, especially from the north end of the county.
Guests regularly mention the personal touch in their reviews, and we hold a 4.9-star Google rating. Read them on our reviews page. With airboat tours, Palm Beach County has several options; Aces is the small, family-run, private one.
Popular Airboat Tours
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.
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.
Our family had an incredible time with our captain. He shared so many interesting facts about the alligators and went out of his way to make sure we saw several, despite the weather. Highly recommend!
We had an amazing trip with the best airboat captain ever. My daughter and I were impressed by the whole trip, the cool stories, the amazing Everglades and the hospitality. We got to watch at least 20 gators, even a mother with several babies. Thank you!
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.
Our family had an incredible time with our captain. He shared so many interesting facts about the alligators and went out of his way to make sure we saw several, despite the weather. Highly recommend!
We had an amazing trip with the best airboat captain ever. My daughter and I were impressed by the whole trip, the cool stories, the amazing Everglades and the hospitality. We got to watch at least 20 gators, even a mother with several babies. Thank you!
Airboat Tour Questions
Are there airboat rides in Palm Beach County?
Yes. Aces runs private airboat rides from The Landing at 15490 Loxahatchee Road, right on the Palm Beach and Broward line at the southern end of the Loxahatchee refuge. It is the closest launch for most of south and central Palm Beach County.
What is the closest airboat tour to West Palm Beach?
For a private ride, Aces at The Landing or our Sawgrass Expressway ramp are the nearest options, and both are a real drive south from downtown West Palm Beach. Captain Billy will tell you which one is easier from your address and time of day.
Can you take an airboat into the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge?
The Landing sits at the refuge's southern end, and airboat use inside the refuge is regulated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Captain Billy plans every route within those rules, and the marsh around the launch offers the same sawgrass, tree islands, birds and gators.
How much does an airboat ride cost in Palm Beach?
Every tour is a private boat, so text or call Captain Billy at 561-660-2419 for your rate. It depends on your group size, the boat and the length of the ride. You are never paying for a seat on a crowded boat.
Are airboat rides OK for seniors?
Yes. Our boats are stable, the captain sets a gentle pace on request and boarding is easy from the dock. Guests who use wheelchairs ride on boats with a boarding ramp. Tell Captain Billy about any mobility needs and he will pick the right boat.
Is an airboat tour worth the drive from Boca Raton?
Most Boca guests say yes. The Landing is a short trip west and south, and you get a private boat, a captain who has lived this water for decades and a good chance at wild alligators, herons and egrets, all within a half-day.
More Everglades Airboat Adventures
Ready to Ride From Palm Beach County?
Start at the county line and ride into the northern Everglades on your own boat. Text or call Captain Billy and he will plan the day around you.
“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