Recent Stories
Park activities encourage visitors to explore
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — The exuberant natural setting and beautiful sights of Biscayne National Park’s mainland make it hard to believe that 95 percent of the preserved area hides underwater. Thankfully, innumerous activities offered by the park allow visitors to explore it and do much more. It doesn’t matter if youRead More…
Walking tour unveils city’s history
NEW ORLEANS— “My name is Patricia Corral and, today, I will be taking you on a tour along the Mississippi. I hope you’ll learn something about the history and culture of our city.” It was another normal overcast day in New Orleans and Patricia Corral was starting what was becomingRead More…
Biscayne kayaking lesson: Be prepared
HOMESTEAD, Fla. — When a day of kayaking comes to mind, I think of adventure, wildlife and soaking up the sun’s rays. Unfortunately, by being the often-unprepared person that I am, my kayaking experience at Biscayne National Park was not quite what it could have been. My friend Andrea ShankRead More…
Sough Slog provides peace, inspiration
FLORIDA CITY, Fla.— “I’m sure everyone knows what they’re getting into,” said Everglades Park Ranger Katy Dimos, who would be my tour guide through a freshwater swamp on this sunny South Florida afternoon. I was a participant in the Sough Slog, one of the many guided tours offered at theRead More…
Cajun food provides memorable visit
NEW ORLEANS — Everywhere you travel in the United States, there is bound to be some type of food for which that place is famous. A Philadelphian myself, I grew up on cheesesteaks and soft pretzels, and over the years I have acquired a taste for Georgia peaches, Texas barbecueRead More…
Chalmette rebuilds, new center to open
CHALMETTE, La.—As one approaches Chalmette Battlefield, the memories envisioned of the lopsided American victory over the British at the Battle of New Orleans are overshadowed by another enemy that resulted in the death of more than 1,800 modern-day Americans: Hurricane Katrina. The battlefield, located in St. Bernard Parish to theRead More…
Ranger-guided walk reveals Barataria ‘gem’
MARRERO, La. — The wetlands at Barataria Preserve are rich in natural resources and home to abundant wildlife and plant life. Despite the beauty of the preserve, it remains somewhat of a hidden secret among the national parks. “It’s the small units like this that people don’t know about thatRead More…
Bird watching popular in Everglades
FLORIDA CITY, Fla. — They sit perched on a lily pad, near the shrubbery or in the saw grass prairie, as if they are posing for a picture. Birds of the Everglades National Park (ENP) along the Anhinga Trail in Royal Palm, just four miles from the Ernest Coe VisitorRead More…
Missile base popular with park visitors
HOMESTEAD, Fla.— Within a major national park, filled with mangroves and herons, stood the isolated, secret grounds of national security, where 41-feet long missiles rested and U.S. Army soldiers waited for an attack. In 1962, the U,S, discovered medium range Soviet missiles in Cuba, just 90 miles from South FloridaRead More…
Everglades romantic? Park hosts weddings
EVERGLADES CITY, Fla. — The Everglades is a thick jungle swamp, unlike any other place in the world. To some, the Everglades is a nature fanatic’s paradise. To others, a hokey tourist spot where one air boat driver and alligator wrestler wrangle business away from another. Click on the videoRead More…
Visitor Center art showcases park’s beauty
FLORIDA CITY, Fla. — People are rarely drawn to places by the allure of a visitor center. Usually such buildings are reserved for little more than convenient restrooms, asking directions and the occasional snack. At the southernmost entrance to Everglades National Park, here, however, the Ernest Coe Visitor Center offersRead More…
Camping trip reveals Everglades wildlife
FLORIDA CITY, Fla. — Everglades National Park is the largest subtropical wilderness in the United States and has been designated a World Heritage Site. It also boasts some of the world’s most endangered animals; some are big, some small and, as I discovered while on a camping trip, some very,Read More…