Top Five Reasons to Retire to an RV
If you often find yourself daydreaming of what it would be like to quit your job, hop in an RV and spend the rest of your days exploring, sunbathing, and pike driving into tranquility, you’re not alone. Recreation vehicles are a multi-billion-dollar industry, raking in more than $50 billion in 2015. So many Americans are drawn to the alternative lifestyle, in fact, that more RV’s are manufactured in the United States than in the entire world combined, and with the facts all in, it’s easy to conclude why. But, if you need reasons, here are your top five: 1. Where You Go, it Goes Sometimes we love material items so much that we want to put them in our pocket and take them wherever we go. While RV’s won’t shrink on demand, they will be your travel companion wherever you venture out. Having a place to cook, eat and sleep comfortably every
Big Cypress Reservation Hosts Two Holiday Events
The holiday season is just about here, and you wouldn’t be left out in the cold when you come to Seminole Big Cypress Reservation. As a matter of fact, things are heating up with two great events that will highlight the season of giving. First, the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum will host their 2nd annual Museum Store Sunday on November 25th. This will help you round out the Thanksgiving Holiday weekend. Next, Billie Swamp Safari will turn into the South Pole of the Florida Everglades when it hosts Santa at Safari on December 22-23. Family fun will abound and gives you a great reason to escape the hustle and bustle of shopping and come out to Big Cypress for a well-deserved break. Museum Store Sunday Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum Sunday, November 25th 9 AM – 5 PM Information 877-902-1113 The Sunday after Thanksgiving, the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum Store will be hosting our second annual Museum Store Sunday, joining 900 museum stores
Top 4 Reasons to Visit the Seminole Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum
The Seminole Tribe of Florida’s Big Cypress Reservation is a well-established tourist destination located in the Florida Everglades. Each day we welcome visitors to the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum. Everyday local Floridians and worldwide visitors make their way to the Seminole Big Cypress Reservation for the opportunity to break away from everyday life and experience a slice of Seminole life. Here are the top four reasons why visitors come on a regular basis. Learn Seminole History There is no better place to learn then at a museum! The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum’s goal is to foster an understanding and appreciation of the Seminole Tribe. The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum is home to more than 180,000 unique artifacts, archival items and experiences. Come and learn about the Seminole people and their rich cultural and historical ties to the Southeast United States and Florida. Find out why the Seminoles are the only tribe in America to be unconquered. The Museum features
Protecting the Everglades is Vital
Conserving and protecting the Florida Everglades and its wildlife is a top priority for the Seminole Tribe. It’s been said that “the land and Seminoles are one, and if the land perishes, then so do the Seminoles.” With countless species of animals, many endangered or threatened, it’s easy to see why so many groups, both private and public work towards this goal. A wetland of international importance, the Everglades is one of the last natural environments in the United States where families can enjoy sightseeing, adventure and more. There aren’t many landscapes as spectacular in America as the Florida Everglades. An impressive aquatic ecosystem covering more than 18,000 square miles, the Florida Everglades is a natural marvel. It also home to a plethora of plants and animals - some threatened or endangered. Aside from its natural beauty, the ecosystem provides millions of South Floridians with drinking water and is a vital
Two Halloween Events in Full Swing at Billie Swamp Safari
Billie Swamp Safari still has two terrific Halloween events going on through October 31st, but they will be gone before you know it. Make plans now to join us on Seminole Big Cypress Reservation and Billie Swamp Safari to join in the fun. If being scared to death is your idea of Halloween fun, then Eerie Nights in the Swamp will have you hiding under the covers! For families with younger children, Safari Harvest Festival is the perfect choice to come to the Florida Everglades for spooky Halloween fun. We have something for everyone, but time is running out. Tickets for both events are available at www.billieswamp.com or by calling 1-800-GO-SAFARI. Billie Swamp Safari Presents Eerie Nights in the Swamp ONLY 3 days left - Oct. 26, 27 & 31 7:00 PM – 10:00 PM LEGENDS SWAMP BUGGY NIGHT RIDES Stories of Native Legends, creepy tales, & myths Starting at $30 HAUNTED HIKE Walk down
Top Tips for Enjoying Florida Everglades Wildlife
When visitors come to the Florida Everglades they are sure to see all kinds of local wildlife. From butterflies to alligators, our guests should expect to encounter a few of the famous local wildlife that everyone has seen on the National Geographic channel It’s all part of the Florida Everglades adventure experience! Our Everglades wildlife needs room to move. It’s best to bring a pair of binoculars to get close to animals in their natural habitat. All our wildlife needs space to retreat if necessary. Most importantly, never, ever chase an animal! Recognize the signs of alarm: Wild animals are just that… wild. Increased movements such as flapping, pacing, tense muscle movement, staring, or vocalization may mean you are too close. If you feel like an animal is disturbed, back away. Enjoy animals in their natural environs and try not to disturb their natural movements. Remember, Everglades visitors are just that,
Seminoles and the South Florida Ecosystem
The Florida Everglades has existed for thousands of years - not only as home to thousands of animals and other natural plants, but also to the main water supply for eight-million people in south Florida. Over the last century, the Everglades landscape has changed dramatically. Urban development and drainage projects reduced the Everglades to nearly half its original size - this has greatly affected critical habitats, polluted waters and brought invasive species to the area. In the early 1800’s, the ancestors of the Seminole Tribe of Florida were driven by the policies of the American military into the Everglades and Big Cypress Swamp of South Florida – later known as Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation. Never surrendering, the Seminoles took refuge in remote areas that the American government regarded as uninhabitable, living a life shaped by fluctuating water conditions. Today, more than ever, The Florida Everglades faces continuing challenges of outside
Top 3 Reasons to Visit the Everglades in the Fall
South Florida is known for abundant sunshine all year long. While our winter season is very popular with retirees and vacationers from the north, it is also very crowded. Fall happens to be a wonderful season to visit the Big Cypress Reservation and the Florida Everglades. Noticeable changes in the air and color of the leaves, the seasonal changes in the Everglades mean variation in wildlife activity and water levels. There are some benefits of taking a Florida Everglades trip in the fall months, and here’s why: 1. The Weather As the sunshine state, it’s no surprise that South Florida temperatures can get hot most of the year. However, fall in South Florida means temperatures drop a few degrees, making conditions in our Everglades setting a little more comfortable – especially for those who aren’t used to the heat like South Florida natives. The lower temperatures are usually accompanied by an enjoyable
Seminole Tribe: Then and Now
During the 20th Century, the United States was home to an estimated 50 million indigenous people. In the early 16th century, approximately 200,000 Natives were living in Florida specifically, a number that today has dwindled nearly tri-fold due to widespread disease, enslavement and war. The powerful journey of Native Americans has been one of resilience and prosperity, and one that eventually led to the creation of the Florida Seminole Tribe. Still, many Americans have yet to discover the rich culture and powerful history that surrounds the Seminoles and their journey into Big Cypress Reservation in the Florida Everglades. Seminoles Then The Seminoles are considered part of the Five Civilized Tribes, dubbed so by early Anglo-European settlers- along with the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw and Creek tribes. During the 17th and 18th centuries, long before the Seminole tribe was formed, Native American populations shrank due to disease, slavery and murder brought on by
Save the Planet (Too)!
Many exciting changes are underway at the Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum! In addition to our new THPO office building and our Museum re-design, we are also going green. Very green! Upgrading to Green We are doing our part to help conserve the world’s resources. We have eliminated the use of paper plates, plastic silverware, paper cups, and regular cleaning products, and changed to LED lighting, automatic flush toilets, and more. Staff members have been issued water bottles for daily, reusable use. Water coolers, water bottle fillers, and water fountains have been installed and strategically located throughout our facilities to serve both our staff and our visitors. We have set up a composter to “feed” our garden, which we plant several times a year with the help of the Boys and Girls Club afterschool program. Traditional crops are planted which we hope one day will be large enough in volume to help with the nutritional needs of