Everglades Alligator Farm Homestead: Tickets, Airboat Ride and Getting There from Miami

What is the Everglades Alligator Farm?

The Everglades Alligator Farm is a commercial wildlife attraction near the Homestead entrance of Everglades National Park. The farm calls itself the oldest alligator farm in South Florida and advertises more than 2,000 alligators on site.

A visit combines:

• airboat rides,
• alligator feeding demonstrations,
• alligator handling shows,
• reptile and other animal exhibits,
• and optional keeper-led encounters.

That makes it different from a simple airboat operator. You are buying an airboat ride plus a wildlife attraction, and the shows fill the time around the boat.

Is the Everglades Alligator Farm inside Everglades National Park?

No. The farm is near the Homestead entrance of Everglades National Park, on private land outside the park boundary.

You do not need an Everglades National Park pass to visit the farm. If you drive on into the park afterwards, the normal National Park Service entrance fee applies separately at the gate. Keep that in mind if you are an international visitor in 2026: the park’s entrance fees for nonresidents can add a good deal to the cost of entering the park itself, and none of it applies to the farm.

How much are Everglades Alligator Farm tickets?

The standard Airboat Ride + General Admission ticket has been listed by the farm at:

• Adult, age 12+: $39
• Child, age 4–11: $29 or $30 (the farm’s ticket page and its prices page show different child figures)
• Child 3 and under: free

The farm’s own site now says current prices appear when you book online, so treat these as the gate figures as of October 2026. On GetYourGuide, the Alligator Farm entry and airboat ticket is from $42 and rated 4.6/5 from 664 reviews; you pay about $3 more to have the date and payment settled before you set off.

The standard ticket includes:

• a 20–25 minute airboat ride,
• general farm admission,
• a live alligator feeding show,
• a live alligator handling show.

For about the price of a standalone short airboat ride elsewhere, you get the ride plus two shows. Read our breakdown of the GetYourGuide ticket for what the listing adds.

Do you need to book in advance?

For the standard airboat ride, no reservation is needed. Walk-ins are welcome, and tickets are sold at the entrance.

Online tickets help you plan, but they do not reserve a specific airboat or show time. When you check in at the front desk, staff schedule your ride and shows based on availability that day. That flexibility suits road trips, loose Miami itineraries, Keys travel days and anyone who does not want to commit weeks ahead.

Buying online can still save you time at the desk on:

• weekends,
• holiday periods,
• winter high season,
• school breaks.

The farm recommends reserving the private airboat in advance, and the keeper-led encounters are booked as sessions.

How long is the standard airboat ride?

The standard ride lasts 20 to 25 minutes. That is shorter than the 35 to 40-minute rides at the Tamiami Trail operators such as Gator Park and Coopertown.

The farm sells it as a thrill ride:

• high speed,
• a wet ride,
• 360-degree spins,
• and a chance of Everglades wildlife along the way.

If you want the thrill of an airboat, the format works well. If you mainly want time watching wildlife from the water, the longer private ride below, or a longer Tamiami Trail ride, suits you better.

What times do the airboats leave?

Standard departure times are:

• 9:20 AM
• 10:20 AM
• 11:20 AM
• 12:20 PM
• 1:20 PM
• 2:20 PM
• 3:20 PM
• 4:20 PM
• 5:20 PM

These times can change, so check the farm’s page on the day you visit. With nine departures a day, you have far more flexibility than on a guided excursion that leaves once or twice a day.

When should you arrive?

The farm asks visitors to arrive before 3:00 PM to fit in the airboat ride, both shows and the farm itself.

If you turn up for the last airboat, you may still get on the boat but miss the feeding show, the handling show and time walking around. For a first visit, aim for late morning, or early afternoon at the latest.

How long should you spend at the Everglades Alligator Farm?

Allow about two to three hours. That covers:

• the airboat ride,
• at least one feeding show,
• one handling show,
• a walk around the farm,
• photos,
• and an unhurried departure.

You can be quicker if you only want the airboat. You will stay longer if you add an alligator encounter, the private airboat or another add-on.

Alligator feeding show

The feeding show runs at:

• 10:00 AM
• 12:00 PM
• 2:00 PM
• 4:00 PM

It takes place at the farm’s breeding pond and is included with the standard Airboat Ride + General Admission ticket.

This is one of the main differences between the farm and a pure airboat operator. Even if you see no wild alligator on the airboat, you will see a great many at the farm.

Alligator handling show

The handling show runs at:

• 11:00 AM
• 1:00 PM
• 3:00 PM
• 5:00 PM

It is also included with standard admission and covers alligator biology, handling and traditional capture techniques. The farm notes that show times may change, so check them when you check in.

Best way to time your visit

A simple plan is to arrive 30 to 45 minutes before a feeding show. For example:

11:15 am

Arrive and check in.

12:00 pm

Alligator feeding show.

12:20 pm or 1:20 pm

Airboat ride.

1:00 pm or 3:00 pm

Handling show, depending on your boat.

Afterward

Walk around the farm and carry on with your day.

Because the airboats leave at 20 past and the shows start on the hour, the two are easy to fit together.

What is the private airboat tour?

The farm also runs private airboat tours. You get 45 to 60 minutes on the water with a Master Naturalist captain, for groups of up to eight. Farm access and both shows are included.

The farm prices it as a base fare that covers up to four guests, plus $75 for each additional guest up to the eight-person maximum. Its private-tour page has listed the base fare at $350 in 2026; the current figure shows when you book. The private boat is sold by the farm directly and is not on GetYourGuide.

Compared with the standard ride, you get roughly twice the time on the water and a captain who stops where your group wants to stop.

Private suits you if:

• you are travelling as a family or group,
• the airboat is the main reason for your visit,
• you want better photos,
• you want more time with the captain,
• or you want more time out in the Everglades landscape.

Standard vs private airboat

For one or two people, the standard ride is far better value. For a group of six to eight, the private boat becomes more interesting once the fare is divided between everyone.

What is the Alligator Encounter?

The Alligator Encounter is a separate, keeper-led session for ages 6 and over. It lasts about 45 to 60 minutes, takes up to eight guests, and lets you meet and hold a baby alligator with a keeper.

General admission and the airboat ride are not included with the encounter. If you want the full farm visit as well, you buy the standard ticket on top. That is easy to miss when you compare prices.

The farm shows the encounter price when you book online, and it is sold only through the farm.

Is the Alligator Encounter worth it?

It is for visitors who want much more hands-on time than normal admission gives. Consider it if:

• someone in your group is especially keen on reptiles,
• you want a premium add-on,
• or the farm is the main event of your day.

For a normal first family visit, the standard ticket already includes plenty: the airboat, the feeding show, the handling show and general farm access.

How do you get there from Miami?

The farm is south of Miami in the Homestead area, close to the main southern approach to Everglades National Park. The simplest way to visit is by car: head south toward Homestead and Florida City.

Driving time depends on:

• where you start in Miami,
• traffic,
• time of day,
• and road conditions.

From central Miami, treat it as about an hour, often more, not a quick hop from the city edge. From Miami Beach, allow extra time to cross the city before heading south.

Is there public transportation?

Not in a practical form for most visitors. There are bus connections in the wider Homestead area, but the nearest regular stop still leaves a long walk to the farm.

For most visitors, the realistic choices are:

• a rental car,
• an organised tour,
• a private transfer.

If you are staying in Miami without a car, a transport-included tour to the Tamiami Trail is usually easier than arranging an independent trip to the Alligator Farm. Our guide to getting to the Everglades from Miami without a car compares those options.

Can you take Uber or Lyft?

You can usually get a ride there. The return is the part to plan for: the Homestead and Everglades area has far fewer drivers than Miami Beach or Downtown.

If you use ride-hailing:

• check return availability before you go,
• consider scheduling the return ride,
• or book a private driver.

For families, two long ride-hailing trips can cost more than a day’s rental car or a seat on a transport tour.

Is parking available?

Yes. This is mainly a self-drive attraction, so arriving by car is easy.

Driving also lets you combine the farm with:

• Everglades National Park,
• Homestead,
• the Redland area,
• Key Largo,
• or a Florida Keys road trip.

Can you combine the Alligator Farm with Everglades National Park?

Yes, and this is one of the strongest reasons to go. The farm is near the Homestead entrance of Everglades National Park, which leads to:

• Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center,
• Royal Palm,
• Anhinga Trail,
• Gumbo Limbo Trail,
• and eventually Flamingo.

A very good full-day route is:

Miami → Everglades Alligator Farm → Royal Palm / Anhinga Trail → Miami

That gives you two different sides of the Everglades.

At the Alligator Farm:

• airboat,
• alligator shows,
• close-up animal viewing.

Inside the national park:

• wild landscape,
• walking trails,
• wildlife in its own habitat.

Alligator Farm + Anhinga Trail

This is probably the best pairing. The Anhinga Trail is one of the easiest wildlife walks in the southern part of Everglades National Park, a short boardwalk loop from Royal Palm.

A day that combines:

• a short airboat ride,
• the alligator farm,
• and the Anhinga Trail

works especially well for families. You do the lively commercial attraction first, then a wild national-park walk where alligators and wading birds often sit close to the path. Our guide to where to see alligators in the Everglades covers the best times on the trail.

Do you need an Everglades National Park ticket for the farm?

No. The farm is outside the park, so there is no national park fee to visit it.

If you then enter Everglades National Park through the Homestead entrance, the normal NPS entrance fees apply. Keep the two charges separate in your budget.

Everglades Alligator Farm vs Everglades Safari Park

The names sound alike, but the places are different in location and in what they offer.

Everglades Alligator Farm

• Near Homestead
• Outside the national park
• 20–25 minute standard airboat
• More than 2,000 alligators on site, by the farm’s count
• Feeding and handling shows
• Excellent for Keys and Homestead itineraries

Everglades Safari Park

• On the Tamiami Trail west of Miami
• One of three airboat operators authorised inside Everglades National Park
• Longer standard airboat ride
• Easier to combine with Shark Valley
• Better for travellers staying in central Miami or Miami Beach

You can book the Everglades Safari Park airboat tour on GetYourGuide as a self-drive ticket, and our Everglades Safari Park guide covers it in full.

Which should you choose?

Choose the Alligator Farm if you are:

• heading toward Homestead,
• visiting the southern park entrance,
• or going to the Keys.

Choose Safari Park if you are:

• staying in central Miami,
• putting the airboat ride first,
• or adding Shark Valley.

Everglades Alligator Farm vs Gator Park

Gator Park is another airboat-and-alligator stop, but it lies on the Tamiami Trail and launches inside the national park. Its airboat tour and wildlife show is from $32 and rated 4.5/5 from more than 8,000 reviews on GetYourGuide.

The biggest difference is where each one sits.

Choose Alligator Farm if:

Your trip is heading south.

Choose Gator Park if:

Your trip is heading west toward Shark Valley.

For many travellers, the route matters more than the small differences between the two attractions. Our Everglades Safari Park vs Gator Park comparison covers the Tamiami Trail side.

Everglades Alligator Farm vs Coopertown

Coopertown is a classic Tamiami Trail airboat stop, running since 1945, with a longer ride and a small alligator exhibit. The Coopertown airboat tour and interpretive area is from $39 and rated 4.3/5 from 842 reviews. The Alligator Farm has a much larger alligator attraction around a shorter ride.

If your priority is:

Airboat

Coopertown may appeal more, with a ride of about 40 minutes.

Alligators and family entertainment

The Alligator Farm has more to see on land.

Is it good for children?

Yes. It is one of the most family-friendly Everglades stops. Children get:

• a short airboat ride,
• lots of alligators,
• scheduled shows,
• and enough variety to keep the visit moving.

The 20 to 25-minute ride can be an advantage with younger children: long enough to be exciting, short enough that nobody has to sit on a boat for an hour.

Is it good for toddlers?

Children 3 and under enter free, and the farm lists the standard airboat ride for all ages. Before you board with a toddler, think about:

• loud engine noise,
• sudden movement,
• spray,
• heat,
• and sun exposure.

Ear protection is handed out before you board, and sun protection is up to you. If your child is sensitive to noise, spend more of the visit around the farm and less on the boat.

Will you see wild alligators on the airboat?

Possibly. The ride crosses Everglades habitat, so sightings happen, but wild alligators are never guaranteed.

The difference here is that the farm itself holds well over a thousand alligators, so your visit does not depend on a wild sighting. That is one reason it works so well for families.

Is the attraction ethical?

Visitors feel differently about captive-animal attractions. The farm is a commercial wildlife facility, not a wild nature experience.

If you mainly want to watch alligators behaving naturally in their own habitat, you may prefer:

• Shark Valley,
• Anhinga Trail,
• Big Cypress,
• or a wildlife-focused airboat ride on the Tamiami Trail.

If you are comfortable with a managed wildlife attraction and want close alligator viewing, the farm offers something those wild places cannot guarantee.

When is the best time to visit?

Go in the morning or early afternoon. You get:

• cooler temperatures,
• easier parking,
• time for more than one show,
• and more flexibility if you plan to continue into Everglades National Park.

Arriving before 3:00 PM matters most if you want the full standard visit.

Dry season vs wet season

South Florida has two broad seasons: a cooler, drier winter and a hotter, wetter summer.

Winter

Usually more comfortable for:

• walking,
• outdoor shows,
• adding the national park.

Summer

Expect:

• heat,
• humidity,
• afternoon rain,
• and mosquitoes.

Most of the farm is outdoors, so the weather shapes your visit. Our best time to visit guide covers the months in detail.

What should you wear?

Bring:

• lightweight clothing,
• comfortable shoes,
• sunscreen,
• sunglasses,
• a hat that will stay on,
• insect repellent,
• water,
• and a rain layer in wet weather.

The farm advertises the standard airboat as a wet ride, so expect some spray. Keep phones, cameras and valuables protected if rain or spray is likely.

How does it fit into a Florida Keys road trip?

Very well. The farm sits between Miami and the Florida Keys and markets itself to drivers on that route. It fits a travel day such as:

Miami → Everglades Alligator Farm → Key Largo

or:

Key Largo → Everglades Alligator Farm → Miami

Do not overload the day. If you also want to explore Everglades National Park properly, give it a separate day or keep it to one short trail.

Good itinerary: Miami + Alligator Farm

If you only want the farm:

Morning

Leave Miami.

Late morning

Arrive at the Everglades Alligator Farm.

Midday

Feeding show, airboat and handling show.

Early afternoon

Return to Miami.

This works as a long half day if the traffic is kind.

Better full-day itinerary

Morning

Drive from Miami to the Alligator Farm.

Late morning

Airboat and shows.

Early afternoon

Drive to Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center.

Afternoon

Royal Palm and the Anhinga Trail.

Late afternoon

Return to Miami.

This is a much fuller day, because you see the commercial attraction and the national park together. Our Everglades day trip guide has more routes from the city.

Who should choose the Everglades Alligator Farm?

Best for

• families,
• alligator fans,
• first-time Florida visitors,
• visitors staying in Homestead,
• Florida Keys road-trippers,
• travellers entering Everglades National Park from the south.

Less ideal for

• serious birdwatchers,
• travellers who want a long airboat ride,
• visitors staying in Miami Beach without a car,
• people who only want to see animals in the wild.

Is it worth driving from Miami?

Yes, if at least one of these applies:

• you are going to the national park’s Homestead entrance,
• you are heading to the Keys,
• your children are especially keen on alligators,
• you want an airboat ride and a wildlife attraction in one stop.

If your only goal is a short airboat ride and you are staying in South Beach, one of the Tamiami Trail operators is closer. Our Miami Beach guide covers the tours with pickup there.

Frequently asked questions

How much is the Everglades Alligator Farm?

The farm has listed the walk-in Airboat Ride + General Admission ticket at $39 for adults aged 12 and over, $29–$30 for children aged 4 to 11, and free for children 3 and under. On GetYourGuide the same ticket is from $42.

How long is the airboat ride?

The standard airboat ride lasts 20 to 25 minutes.

What does admission include?

The standard ticket includes the airboat ride, farm admission, an alligator feeding show and an alligator handling show.

Do you need a reservation?

Not for the standard airboat ride. Walk-ins are welcome, and staff schedule your ride and shows at check-in. The farm recommends booking the private airboat ahead, and the encounters are booked as sessions.

What are the opening hours?

The farm is open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:30 PM, with standard airboats hourly from 9:20 AM to 5:20 PM.

Is it inside Everglades National Park?

No. It is near the Homestead entrance but is a separate commercial attraction outside the park.

Do you pay the National Park entrance fee?

Not to visit the Alligator Farm. National park fees apply only if you continue into Everglades National Park.

How long should you spend there?

Allow two to three hours for the standard visit, and arrive before 3:00 PM to fit in both shows.

Is it good for children?

Yes. The short airboat ride and the scheduled alligator shows make it one of the most family-friendly Everglades stops.

Can you combine it with Everglades National Park?

Yes. The Homestead entrance, Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center, Royal Palm and the Anhinga Trail are the natural additions.

Is there a private airboat?

Yes. The private ride lasts 45 to 60 minutes for up to eight guests, with a base fare for up to four and $75 for each extra guest. Farm access and both shows are included.

Is it better than an airboat park near Miami?

It depends on your route. For Homestead and Florida Keys trips, it is very convenient. For Miami Beach and Shark Valley trips, the Tamiami Trail operators are usually closer.

Bottom line

The Everglades Alligator Farm is a good choice if you want more than an airboat ride. The standard ticket gives you a 20 to 25-minute airboat ride, farm admission, a feeding show and a handling show for $39 per adult at the farm, or from $42 on GetYourGuide with a booked date.

The strength is having all of that in one place; the limit is the short standard ride.

For families, alligator fans and anyone heading through Homestead toward Everglades National Park or the Florida Keys, the location makes a lot of sense. If you have a full day, do not drive straight back to Miami afterwards: continue to Royal Palm and the Anhinga Trail. You get the loud, fast airboat and the alligator shows first, then the quieter wild landscape of the national park. Check show times when you arrive, because the farm can change them.

Source note

Opening hours, airboat departures, show times, the arrival advice, the private airboat and the Alligator Encounter details come from the official Everglades Alligator Farm website, checked October 21, 2026. The farm now shows live prices at online checkout; the $39 adult and $29–$30 child figures are the walk-in prices its pages have listed in 2026. The GetYourGuide price and rating come from the linked listing, checked the same month. Everglades National Park access information comes from the National Park Service. Prices and schedules can change, so check the farm’s page before you go.