Back in 2004, when I was only 10 years old and long before my traveling obsession had begun, I visited my first national park: the Everglades. Because I was so young and my time there was so short, I don’t remember much about this trip.

I remember the excitement of learning that my family was traveling to Florida for the first time for spring break. I had never been there before but had always wanted to go because of the way my friends described it. I wanted the beaches, the palm trees, the endless summer. In my young mind, Florida was paradise and I finally had my ticket to go!

The Everglades were not the focus of our trip. In fact, the trip wasn’t focused on anything in particular, so I got to have a variety of new and unique experiences. I went swimming with manatees in the Gulf of Mexico, body surfing in the Atlantic Ocean and snorkeling near a coral reef in Key Largo.

We spent a short amount of time in the Everglades, but I do remember exploring paved and boardwalk trails, taking in the unique wetland environment. My fondest memories are of the American crocodiles that roam throughout the park. I would often stumble upon them just resting on the sides of the trails. I remember feeling like a very responsible older brother by making sure my younger siblings didn’t get too close to the scaly creatures– though I was probably just being bossy.

Overall, exploring the Everglades was a unique experience, and I would love to go back one day to refresh old memories and make new ones.