Q: Hi. I am planning a trip to Florida in early spring next year. We are staying at Matlacha and would like to know if it would be better to get there from Miami International Airport via I-75 or U.S. 41. We would like to stop off to visit some sites of interest on whichever route you recommend. Cheers -- Regards, Paul Williams

A: You are smart to plan ahead, Paul, especially coming from so far away as the United Kingdom. And I hope you'll feel you've come to the right place for some ideas on points of interest along the way.

As you probably know, both I-75 and U.S. 41 run east and west across the southern tip of Florida and are the only roads that do so. The road you choose to travel on will likely depend on your priorities.

On the one hand, you can't drive as fast on U.S. 41 as you can on I-75. However, U.S. 41 (also called Tamiami Trail) is closer to the airport, and I think there's more for you to see along this road:

• Heading west on Tamiami, once you pass County Road 997, you'll be able to tell you're out of the city. The Tamiami Canal on the north side of the road will be your constant companion, and you may see a lot of water birds here.
  
  
• The first attractions you'll see are several spots owned by the Miccosukee tribe. You'll find a glitzy casino and hotel, but also small, more authentic-looking restaurants and shops that offer airboat rides into the Everglades.
  
  
• Coming up on the south side of Tamiami is Everglades National Park's Shark Valley Visitor Center. Basically, this is a long, paved loop that takes you into the heart of the Everglades where you can see lots of wildlife like alligators and waterbirds. You can skate, bike or take a tram tour to an observation tower where you can view the unique River of Grass.
  
  
• Farther down Tamiami, you'll pass through Big Cypress National Preserve, a wilderness area known for its swamps and large cypress trees. You can stop at the visitor center (open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) on the north side of the road (you can't miss it) if you'd like to get information on exploring the preserve and watch a short film about it. I'd recommend driving down the preserve's Turner River Road, which is mostly unpaved but which gives you even more opportunities to see alligators, waterbirds and birds of prey.
  
  
• A short drive down from the visitor center on the south side of Tamiami is the gallery and home of famed Everglades photographer Clyde Butcher and his wife, Niki Butcher.
  
  
• At the intersection of U.S. 29, you can turn left (south) and visit Everglades City. There are several outfitters here that will take you by boat into the Ten Thousand Islands, or follow the signs to Everglades National Park's Gulf Coast Visitor Center, open 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., which also offers a boat tour.
  
  
• Not far west from Everglades City back on Tamiami's north side is a small parking area next to a fenced Miccosukee settlement where you can stop and walk along a boardwalk through a cypress swamp in Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park. You're likely to see more alligators and waterbirds, and possibly some wild orchids and bromeliads growing in the trees. Be sure to apply insect repellent to yourself before you walk down the boardwalk. (Note that this is only one portion of the state park, whose main entrance is off U.S. 29.)

When Tamiami reaches County Road 951, you should turn north and watch for signs to get on I-75 and exit at U.S. 78 (or Bay Shore Road, which turns into Pine Island Road) going east toward the Matlacha area. If you stay on Tamiami Trail at this point and take it all the way to Matlacha, then you'll just run into a lot of traffic lights and shopping areas.

If you decide to take I-75 from the airport, get on County Road 826 (Palmetto Expressway) west of the airport, and take it north to I-75/93. In Broward County, the road will turn west, and there's a toll booth ($1.50 USD) for the stretch of road between Fort Lauderdale and Naples. This section of the road is called Alligator Alley. You can drive rather fast on this road, but you won't find many points of interest besides a couple of rest plazas. However, there are still a few highlights:

• A bit less than halfway across Alligator Alley, you'll come to an exit where you can visit the Seminole tribe. On Seminole land, you can learn about their tribe at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki museum. Or at the Billie Swamp Safari, take airboat rides and swamp buggy tours, taste alligator meat or spend a night in an authentic thatch Seminole dwelling called a chickee. You may want to note that this exit is the only place where you can buy gas along Alligator Alley.
  
  
• A bit farther west on Alligator Alley, you can turn north on U.S. 29 and go to the town of Immokalee, then south again on County Road 846, which turns west. Follow the signs to Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, operated by the Audubon Society. This is a real gem and worth the trip. A 2.25-mile boardwalk takes you through several southern Florida habitats, including (yes, again!) cypress swamp, pine flatwoods and wet prairies, and (again!) alligators and waterbirds. To get back to I-75 from the sanctuary, I'd suggest following 846 west to I-75 instead of going back the way you came. That way, you'll avoid the second toll (another $1.50) at the western end of Alligator Alley, and possibly save a little time. Once you hook up with I-75 at 846, the interstate is all north from there to your destination.

Best wishes for your southern Florida trip!

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