Bingo, glamping was just the type of experience that my fiancé Lance and I were looking for on my birthday adventure to Everglades National Park. That way he would be able to sleep in a real bed, and I would be able to stay close to nature! The whole goal of this birthday road trip was to see tons of unique wildlife, and we did just that, successfully spotting everything from alligators to manatees. In fact, here are my 5 Animals to See in the Everglades.

As for the glamping part of the trip… My 30 second review is: you cannot beat the location and exceptional views, these eco-tents make for a novel stay, but they have far too many flaws for me to recommend the experience 100%.

We booked four nights at the eco-tents in Everglades National Park, at their Flamingo Campground. Currently these tents are the only non-camping option inside the park’s property. So, unless you pack a tent or have an RV revved up ready to go, they are your only immersive Everglades experience. To be frank, we knew our tired mosquito bitten bodies would need a comfy bed after each day’s adventures, so we opted for the glamping route! These 186-square-foot canvas structure tents have sturdy metal frames designed to withstand a Category 4 hurricane and are built on stilts perfect for any unexpected flooding. Each tent is equipped with one queen or two double beds, with thick mattresses, fresh white linens, and fluffy pillows. They provide a dry, mosquito-free overnight stay with lights, a fan, and outlets for charging your phone. The crowning jewel of each tent is the oversized screen windows that keep the bloodthirsty mosquitoes out while bringing you an unobstructed view of Florida Bay right outside. Even with all those features, these tents still fell short of putting the “glam” in glamping. We ended up leaving a night early and only stayed for 3 of the 4 nights we paid for - which we have NEVER done before! 

To better understand my disappointment from this “glamping” getaway, here are 6 pros and cons from our Everglades experience.

Pros of the Eco-Tents