You never know who you'll find aboard Airboat USA's powerful airboats. These vessels have transported scientists to sites in the Everglades, and they've even ferried celebrities, including Martha Stewart and the cast and crew of such shows as CSI Miami. Maybe it's the modern boats' comfortable, padded seats that draw the crowds, but more likely, it's the up-close views of Everglades National Park.

Passengers on these voyages explore the lush wetlands and glimpse grazing egrets, playful otters, snakes, and, perhaps, even the scaly monarch of this unspoiled kingdom, the American alligator. And the trips are captained by folks who are used to leading daring expeditions, including former fire fighters, commercial pilots, and the ghost of Dr. Livingstone.