Everglades National Park just made it into this site's Top 200 (or more accurately 208) list, and I'm glad it got that recognition, since it is one of my favorite US parks. I visited the Everglades two weeks ago during National Park Week, which was celebrating the 100th anniversary of the US National Park system. The park has many trails and boardwalks highlighting different aspects of the wetland, from the sloughs forming a "River of Grass" to hardwood hammocks providing animal habitats to the salt water marshes that empty into the Florida Bay. Wildlife is abundant, including reptiles, such as alligators, crocodiles, and lizards; and an incredible variety of wading birds, including great blue herons, snowy egrets, pelicans, and roseate spoonbills. I was glad I brought my binoculars since there were so many opportunities to conduct birdwatching; I particularly enjoyed the walk around Eco Pond, near the Flamingo visitor center (though don't expect to see flamingos...). The Everglades is deservedly both a World Heritage Site and an International Biosphere Reserve, and is a must-see in southern Florida.

Logistics: An automobile is the easiest way to navigate between the northern section of the park, with its Shark Valley loop trail, and the southern section of the park, with its visitors centers and numerous trails.