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Looking to visit and learn about the Everglades but not sure how? A new partnership between the City of Homestead and The Everglades Foundation offers free public transportation and entrance to Everglades National Park as well as a free augmented reality game that helps users learn more about the ecosystem’s wildlife and habitats.
The Homestead National Parks Trolley departs from historic Downtown Homestead every weekend from January through April offering free public transportation to both Everglades National Park and Biscayne National Park. This year, The Everglades Foundation partnered with the trolley program to also provide free admission to Everglades National Park for riders, enabling residents to enjoy the Park’s beauty and breadth of outdoor recreational activities.
The trolley takes riders to Anhinga and Gumbo Limbo Trails, where they can observe alligators, turtles, butterflies and birds, and learn from interactive exhibits at the Ernest F. Coe Visitor Center. The trolley also stops at the iconic “Robert is Here” fruit stand, where visitors can enjoy a milkshake and purchase fresh produce. Check out the City of Homestead’s Trolley website to learn more and reserve your spot!
Another way to access the Everglades in Downtown Homestead is by visiting Losner Park to play “Everglades Safari,” a downloadable augmented reality app that allows online interaction at the park. Users can explore the Everglades Safari to learn about species that are important to the ecosystem, including alligators, grasshoppers, herons, and more.
Through the app, users’ phone cameras can discover and interact with 3D-generated plant and animal species in the Everglades. Players can feed them, dance with them, and add them to their Biodex. Once players have discovered all the species in the game, they can visit the Cybrarium next to Losner Park to collect their own 3D-printed sculpture.
This one-of-a-kind app was developed by Miami-based non-profit artist collective, Before It’s Too Late (BITL) in collaboration with The Everglades Foundation and sponsored by the City of Homestead.
These new experiences in the City of Homestead, known as the Gateway to Everglades and Biscayne National Parks, will help bring generations together and inspire future Everglades stewards while visiting and learning about the unique ecosystem.
