Everglades City - Chokoloskee Bridge

The bridge between Everglades City and Chokoloskee Island is one of those places that earns a stop even if you're just passing through. It spans a short stretch of open water, but the views in both directions are classic Florida backcountry: mangroves, tidal flats, and the kind of sky that makes you reach for your phone.

Chokoloskee Island itself has been a fishing and trading outpost since the late 1800s. The causeway that connects it to Everglades City replaced an old ferry crossing and opened up the island to the outside world. That history sits quietly in the landscape here, and it's worth knowing before you cross.

There's a sidewalk running along one side, so you can park and walk it comfortably. The bridge is low enough that you can also get underneath it along the water's edge, which gives you a completely different perspective on the estuary. Bring a camera or binoculars; bird activity in this stretch is reliable.

This is a good stop for families, especially kids who like to spot fish or herons from above the water. It fits naturally into a Gulf Coast Everglades day that might also include a paddle through the Ten Thousand Islands or a visit to the Smallwood Store just across on Chokoloskee. No admission, no crowds, no fuss. Just a genuinely pretty piece of old Florida that most people drive right past.