It’s a fact: I’m not a beach vacation kind of gal. Even with a good book, I get bored. So for this trip, I set my highest expectations on our Sunday afternoon in the Florida Everglades. Or maybe I was just dying to ride on an airboat.  These flat-bottomed watercraft skim the surface of shallow waterways and make a terrific roar as they are propelled forward by a car engine.

You can find tons of outfitters in Everglades City, about a 40 mile drive from Naples.

The 6 of us had our own airboat for the hour long ride, which we chose over other touring options like a swamp buggy or the Shark Valley Tram. Yes, these fan boat operations are bit touristy, but we were tourists! Our group felt like a traveling Nikon commercial, with 4 dSLR cameras snapping away at the wildlife and brackish wetlands.  Captain Henry brought us eye-to-eye with alligators, pelicans and osprey.

My hair whipped back in the wind and sunlight filtered in through the mangrove branches. Despite the loud roaring engine, I was thrilled by the smooth ride and off-kilter cornering. In other words: I loved it. Yep, the very same person who was screaming to be let off the back of a snow mobile a month ago.