Airboat Tours Near Pembroke Pines, FL
Family-sized airboat tours Pembroke Pines households can plan around school, sports and grandparents: a private boat for your group, a native Everglades captain, and real alligators, herons and sawgrass on the quiet northern side of the River of Grass.
“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 guideAces Airboat Tours runs private airboat tours Pembroke Pines families reach by driving north on I-75 to the Sawgrass Expressway and our Atlantic Boulevard ramp. Your group gets its own boat and captain, every seat is a front-row seat, and you ride through sawgrass, canals and tree islands where alligators and wading birds live year-round.
From an 1882 Swampland Deal to Broward's Second-Biggest City
Pembroke Pines began as swampland on a map. In 1882, the Florida Land and Mortgage Company, led by Sir Edward J. Reed, the member of Parliament for Pembroke, bought land from Hamilton Disston, and the "Pines" came from the trees that lined Pembroke Road. The full story is on the city's Wikipedia page. The city incorporated on January 16, 1960, and has grown into Broward's second-largest city.
Drive west far enough on Pines Boulevard and you can still see what those early buyers saw. Past the last neighborhoods, the levee along US-27 marks the line where suburbs stop and the Everglades begins. Airboat tours Pembroke Pines families take with Aces run on the northern part of that same marsh, where sawgrass, tree islands and open water look much as they did before anyone drew a lot line.
That history gives kids a great hook. Ask them to picture Chapel Trail or Pembroke Falls as wet prairie, then show them the real thing from an airboat. Children who have explored Chapel Trail Nature Preserve or spent weekends at C.B. Smith Park already know a little of this habitat. The airboat takes them deep into the wide-open version.
It is the kind of outing that works for a birthday, a Saturday with cousins or a visit from relatives who want to see wild Florida rather than another mall.
Getting From Pembroke Pines to the Northern Everglades
Most Pembroke Pines drivers reach Aces by taking I-75 north to the Sawgrass Expressway and exiting at Atlantic Boulevard, our closest ramp. It is expressway nearly the whole way, which matters when you are loading kids, grandparents and a cooler into one car. Exact miles and drive times from the city center appear in the getting-here section below.
Families out in Chapel Trail or the western side of Silver Lakes can also take I-75 north to the Sawgrass Expressway, and views of the marsh begin well before you arrive.
Our third launch, The Landing at 15490 Loxahatchee Road in Parkland, sits at the north end of our range. Captain Billy will steer you there only when it makes sense for your tour, and he confirms the meeting point for every booking. Full addresses live on our pickup locations page.
A tip for weekend planners: book a morning ride, then head back south for a picnic afternoon at C.B. Smith Park. Or flip it and ride at sunset after a day of errands around Pembroke Pines City Center. Either way, the airboat becomes the centerpiece without eating the whole weekend. Our best time to visit the Everglades guide helps you choose the month.
Airboat Tours Pembroke Pines Parents Choose for Kids
Parents in Pembroke Pines usually pick a daytime private tour for younger kids and a night or fast tour for teens. A day airboat tour gives bright light for spotting gators in the lily pads, plenty of birds and a return time that leaves room for lunch and naps.
Teens tend to vote for one of two rides. The fast airboat tour means full-throttle sawgrass runs with spins and slides. The Red Eye Gator night tour heads out after dark with a spotlight, and a marsh full of glowing eyes is a story they will be telling at school on Monday.
Big occasions work well too. Our kids birthday airboat tours give the party its own boat, and the 15-passenger boat can carry a whole team after a tournament. For sports families, an end-of-season ride is a reward the players actually look forward to.
Every child gets hearing protection, and the private boat means no strangers and no rush. When comparing airboat tours, Pembroke Pines parents often weigh exactly that: a captain who answers every question, even the fifteenth one about alligator teeth.
How Far Is the Airboat Launch From Pembroke Pines?
From Pembroke Pines, the closest Aces launch is our Sawgrass Expressway launch at Atlantic Boulevard. The usual route: I-75 north to the Sawgrass Expressway, then Atlantic Blvd.
- Sawgrass Expressway at Atlantic Blvd: about 20 miles, roughly 30-40 minutes by car outside rush hour.
- The Landing, Parkland: about 30 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 Pembroke Pines 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 guideA Ride That Works for Grandparents Too
Yes, an airboat tour works for grandparents and older relatives, and that matters in a city with communities like Century Village. Our boats are stable, the seats face forward and the captain adjusts speed for the people aboard. A slow nature ride with long stops is as much a tour as a high-speed run.
Guests who use wheelchairs ride on boats with a boarding ramp. Details are on our accessible airboat tours page, and Captain Billy will talk you through boarding before the day so nobody is surprised at the ramp.
For a three-generation outing, an 8-passenger airboat is the usual fit: grandparents, parents and kids on one private boat with nobody else aboard. Larger reunions can use the 15-passenger group boat or several boats running together. Captain Bill, a naturalist captain with more than thirty years on this water, is a good match for guests who want the name of every bird and plant.
A few comfort tips:
- Bring a light layer, since moving air feels cooler on the water.
- Pack sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat with a strap.
- Choose morning or late afternoon on hot summer days.
Our Everglades weather page helps you pick a comfortable day.
What Pembroke Pines Families See, and How to Book
Families from Pembroke Pines see American alligators, herons, egrets, anhingas, ibis, turtles and long views of sawgrass and tree islands. We see gators on the vast majority of trips, though they are wild and never guaranteed. The National Park Service alligator page is a good primer before you go, and our post on what to expect on an airboat tour answers the rest.
Booking is a text or a call, not a checkout page. Here is how it works:
- Text or call Captain Billy at 561-660-2419 with your date, group size and the ages of your kids.
- He suggests a tour and boat, then confirms the launch that is easiest from your side of the city.
- Arrive a few minutes early, meet your captain and head out.
Because every tour is a private boat, the rate depends on your group and ride length, so ask Captain Billy for yours. He has spent more than sixty years in and around the Everglades, and he still answers the phone himself. Read guest stories on our reviews page, where we hold a 4.9-star Google rating, then plan the day. Airboat tours Pembroke Pines families talk about for years start right there.
Popular Airboat Tours Near Pembroke Pines
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.
It can't get any better than this! Our captain's airboat tour was phenomenal. He knew just where to go to find the alligators, and we saw many. A truly authentic Everglades experience.
Loved this experience and so glad we took the time to do it. Saw lots of gators and other wildlife. Very happy and lucky to tour the real Everglades with our captain.
Awesome tour! Captain Billy was great! Very knowledgeable and fun to be around. We went in the morning and it was perfect weather. Great views, saw lots of alligators and birds. We will definitely do this again!
We went with our friends visiting from out of town, and our kids. Captain Bill was so knowledgeable, he knew the area so well and showed us a ton of alligators up close. The tour was a 10/10.
It can't get any better than this! Our captain's airboat tour was phenomenal. He knew just where to go to find the alligators, and we saw many. A truly authentic Everglades experience.
Loved this experience and so glad we took the time to do it. Saw lots of gators and other wildlife. Very happy and lucky to tour the real Everglades with our captain.
Awesome tour! Captain Billy was great! Very knowledgeable and fun to be around. We went in the morning and it was perfect weather. Great views, saw lots of alligators and birds. We will definitely do this again!
We went with our friends visiting from out of town, and our kids. Captain Bill was so knowledgeable, he knew the area so well and showed us a ton of alligators up close. The tour was a 10/10.
Pembroke Pines Airboat Tour Questions
Where can I take an airboat tour near Pembroke Pines?
Aces Airboat Tours runs private airboat tours Pembroke Pines families reach by heading north on I-75 to the Sawgrass Expressway. Our three launches sit on the northern edge of the Everglades in western Broward and Parkland. Captain Billy confirms which ramp is closest for you when you book.
Is an airboat tour worth it with kids?
For most families, yes. Kids get wild alligators, wading birds and the thrill of skimming across open marsh, and a private boat lets the captain match the pace to their ages. Hearing protection is provided for every child, and nobody outside your group is aboard.
Is there an age limit for airboat rides?
No. All ages are welcome on Aces tours, from toddlers to great-grandparents. Everyone wears the hearing protection we provide, and younger children usually do best on a daytime ride. Let Captain Billy know who is coming and he will suggest the right boat and pace.
Can we book an airboat tour for a birthday party?
Yes. Birthday rides are one of the occasions we plan for. Small parties fit on an 8-passenger airboat, and bigger groups use the 15-passenger boat or several boats together. Text Captain Billy at 561-660-2419 with the date and head count to set it up.
How much is an airboat tour for a family of four?
Every Aces ride is a private boat, so the rate depends on the boat, the tour and the length of the ride rather than a per-seat ticket. Text or call Captain Billy at 561-660-2419 for your rate. There are no surprise add-ons.
Do you get wet on an airboat ride?
Usually not much. On calm days most guests stay dry, while a fast tour or a breezy afternoon can bring some spray. Keep phones in a pocket or zip bag and wear shoes you do not mind getting damp, and you will be fine.
How long is the drive from Pembroke Pines to an Aces airboat launch?
From central Pembroke Pines, our Sawgrass Expressway launch at Atlantic Boulevard is about 20 miles away, roughly 30-40 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 Pembroke Pines?
For most Pembroke Pines 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 Pembroke Pines
Plan a Private Everglades Day for Your Pembroke Pines Crew
Text or call Captain Billy with your date and head count, and he will match your family with the right boat, tour and launch.
“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