The Everglades starts here
Most visitors don't realize the Florida Everglades begin just south of Orlando. Boggy Creek Airboat Adventures runs airboat tours across the headwaters — the marshes and Lake Tohopekaliga watershed near Kissimmee — skimming over water and sawgrass in search of alligators, birds, and the wild Florida that existed long before the theme parks.
What the ride is like
- Daytime tours are the classic run: bright, leisurely, and wildlife-first — one rider's video catches a young alligator spotted from the boat, which is the whole point of going.
- Sunset tours are the photographer's pick — Attractions Magazine's showcase glides through the marsh as the light fades over the headwaters.
- The feel of it is in the short on-the-water clips here: loud fan, wind, open water, and grass sliding past at speed.
Good to know
Airboating is weather- and wildlife-dependent — sightings are never guaranteed, which is exactly why the sunset run is worth it even on a quiet day. Boggy Creek is an easy half-day pairing with Kissimmee's other outdoors stops (Wild Florida, Tree Trek) and makes a genuine contrast day in a theme-park week: no lines, no pavement, just the marsh.
Sources: the four videos on this page — a sunset tour showcase, two on-the-water ride videos, and a gator sighting from the boat — summarized from their entries in our catalog.