Everglades City, Florida
Everglades City, in Collier County, is a small subtropical community that still feels rooted in Old Florida. Often called the Gateway to the Ten Thousand Islands, it sits at the western end of the Wilderness Waterway, the scenic Everglades backcountry route that links Everglades City with Flamingo. Life here moves at a slower pace, with fishing, boating, paddling, wildlife watching, and preserving the natural character of the area all central to the local way of life.
About the Community
Early settlers farmed sugarcane, bananas, and vegetables in this remote corner of Southwest Florida. George W. Storter Jr., one of the community’s best-known early pioneers, owned much of the surrounding land and helped draw sportsmen and travelers to the area through the Rod & Gun Club. In 1923, Barron Collier made Everglades the headquarters for his Tamiami Trail road-building company, and much of Everglades City’s high ground was created through dredging operations. Those projects expanded the town’s usable land from less than 100 acres to roughly 660 acres and helped shape the island-like setting bordered by the river, canals, and Chokoloskee Bay.
Collier’s planned community eventually included a trolley, hospital and clinic, movie house, library, railroad depot, common garage for automobiles, and hotels. Everglades City incorporated in 1953 and has long been tied to commercial fishing, including shrimping and stone crab harvesting. The annual Everglades Seafood Festival remains one of the area’s signature events when scheduled. The city is also home to Everglades Airpark, and scenic flight or tour availability may change over time.
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Vicinity of Everglades City
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The protection of nearby wilderness areas, including Everglades National Park, Big Cypress, and the Ten Thousand Islands region, has helped shape Everglades City’s modern economy around nature tourism, sport fishing, and commercial crabbing. From town, visitors can arrange boat tours, launch paddling trips, fish the backwaters, or use local outfitters as a starting point for exploring the coast. The area is also a gateway to scenic and airboat rides in the broader Everglades region.
Historic buildings and small inns help preserve the town’s character. The Museum of the Everglades, housed in the old laundry building, shares local history from pioneer settlement through the Tamiami Trail era. Around town, visitors will also find marinas, fishing guides, paddling outfitters, and seafood restaurants that make it easy to settle in for a relaxed stay focused on the water, wildlife, and local heritage.
Visitors are rarely short of ways to explore the surrounding protected landscapes, including Everglades National Park, Big Cypress National Preserve, Collier-Seminole State Park, and Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. Depending on conditions and interests, you can rent canoes or kayaks, book guided paddling excursions, head out on boating or fishing trips, or enjoy a guided airboat tour. Hours, launch access, and tour availability may vary by season, weather, and water conditions.
