How to see it: A 2.25-mile raised boardwalk takes visitors through a pine upland, wet prairie, old-grove cypress forest and a marsh; walking the entire circuit takes about 2 ½ hours. Naturalist-led tours are given two or three times a month.

Lodging: No lodging at the preserve, but nearby Naples has options.

Tips: For those who don't want to cover the boardwalk's entire 2.25 miles, there is a shortcut that reduces its length to a mile, about an hour's walking time.

DRY TORTUGAS

NATIONAL PARK

Where: Seven small islands in the Gulf of Mexico, 70 miles west of Key West.

Details: Fort Jefferson, the massive 19th-Century fortress built to ensure U.S. control over shipping in the Florida Straits, occupies nearly all of Garden Key, one of the park's largest isles. Though never completed, this largest masonry structure in the Western Hemisphere was the prison for the four men convicted of President Lincoln's assassination. 305-242-7700, www.nps.gov/drto/. Entry fee, $5 for ages 17 and older.

Prime Time: Winter is dry season, with fewer mosquitoes. Sea conditions vary throughout the year, affecting travel to the islands.

How to see it: Take a boat from Key West, 2 ½ hours each way. Once on the island, take a self-guided tour of the fortress or go snorkeling. Ranger tours offered occasionally. By boat: Sunny Days Catamarans, 800-236- 7937, www.drytortugas.com ($135); Yankee Freedom, 800-634-0939, www.yankeefreedom.com ($159).

Lodging: Primitive camping only. For modern conveniences, stay in Key West.

Tips: The former daily roundtrip seaplane service from Key West to Dry Tortugas no longer operates. Bring everything you need; there's no place to shop here.

EVERGLADES

NATIONAL PARK

Where: Southern Florida, accessed from south Miami-Dade near Homestead (main entrance, Flamingo), Chekika (on Krome Avenue, closed in summer), west Miami-Dade on Tamiami Trail (Shark Valley entrance), Everglades City (Gulf Coast entrance).

Details: Everglades is third largest of the national parks, covering more than 2,500 square miles of wilderness covered with tall grasses, slow-flowing water and wooded hammocks. It is particularly popular with bird-watchers. 305-242-7700; www.nps.gov/ever. Entry fee: $10, good for re-entry over seven days.

Prime time: Winter months, when mosquitoes are at bay, temps are cooler and ranger programs more frequent. Migratory birds literally flock to the park now; among them are pied-billed grebe, American bittern, roseate spoonbills, northern harriers and red-breasted mergansers.

How to see it: The park includes 156 miles of trails for canoeing, kayaking and biking that guests can explore on their own or with rangers or private guides. At the main entrance area: Ranger-led programs include daily walks, canoeing programs each morning, caravan to the Nike missile sites on Saturday, occasional Slough Slogs, star-watching talks. Go bird-watching early or late in the day at Mazrek Pond or Eco Pond; canoe or kayak (rentals at Flamingo, Gulf Coast); camp overnight; stroll the boardwalk at Anhinga. At Shark Valley: Rent a bike or bring your own; catch a tram tour. Ranger programs include daily walks, occasional night bike rides and gator evenings. At Everglades City: Canoe or kayak, rent a boat or catch a bike or boat tour.

Lodging: The lodge at Flamingo was torn down after hurricanes Katrina and Wilma; plans have been approved for new facilities but no timetable has been set. Designated campsites are available throughout the park. The closest lodging to the main entrance is at Florida City; closest to Gulf Coast entrance is in Everglades City, with more options in Naples.

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