Big
Cypress Seminole Reservation
Some distance from Fort Lauderdale's
tranquil beaches, but worth the one-hour
drive, is the Big Cypress Seminole Reservation
and its two very different attractions.
At
the Billie Swamp Safari, you can experience
the majesty of the Everglades firsthand.
Daily tours of the wetlands and hammocks,
where wildlife abound, yield sightings
of deer, water buffalo, bison, wild
hogs, hawks, eagles, alligators, and
even the rare Florida panther. Tours
are provided aboard swamp buggies
-- customized motor vehicles specially
designed to provide you with an elevated
view of the frontier. 19 mi north
of I-75 Exit 14, 863/983-6101 or 800/949-6101,
www.seminoletribe.com. COST: Free,
swamp buggy ecotour/alligator and
snake education show/airboat ride
package $38. Daily 8-5.
Not
far away from the Billie Swamp Safari
is the Ah-Tha-Thi-Ki Museum, whose
name means "a place to learn,
a place to remember." It is just
that. The museum honors the culture
and tradition of the Seminoles through
artifacts and reenactments of rituals
and ceremonies. The site includes
a living Seminole village, nature
trails, and a boardwalk through a
cypress swamp. 17 mi north of I-75
Exit 14, 863/902-1113
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