EVERGLADES: A WILDERNESS ROOTED IN RESISTANCE AND REVERENCE
Mist curls over the sawgrass at sunrise, and the horizon hums with birdsong. The Everglades isn’t just Florida’s watery wilderness — it’s its beating heart. Spanning from Lake Okeechobee to the southernmost mangroves, this slow-moving “River of Grass” is one of the most biologically and culturally significant landscapes in the world. Beneath its stillness lies a living memory: a subtropical tapestry of cypress domes, alligator trails, and moonlit sloughs that once flowed freely across more than 3 million acres.
Long before state lines and survey maps, this land sustained the Miccosukee and Seminole peoples, who navigated its shifting waters with deep ecological wisdom. Their presence endures today — not only in sovereign communities, but in every tradition passed down through oral history and every resistance to removal that took refuge in these wetlands. Even now, Big Cypress National Preserve and Everglades National Park honor that ongoing relationship with the land, where native stewardship coexists with efforts to restore what centuries of drainage and development once threatened.
But the Everglades is not frozen in the past. Its story pulses through generations of gladesmen, anglers, conservationists, and visionaries — people like Marjory Stoneman Douglas, whose words helped awaken a nation to the value of its vanishing wilds. In the Black farming enclaves of places like Belle Glade, and in the rhythms of Latin communities along the Tamiami Trail, the Everglades echoes with layered identities and lived resilience. It is a crossroads where science meets storytelling, where water policy and heritage are inseparable.
Today, restoration efforts are breathing life back into these wetlands, reviving wildlife corridors and rebalancing Florida’s freshwater future. Whether you’re poling through mangrove tunnels, spotting a roseate spoonbill, or simply breathing deep in the silence, the Everglades welcomes not just visitors — but witnesses. Because here, you don’t just explore a place. You enter a legacy.
EVERGLADES ADVENTURES: THRILLS IN THE WILD WATERS AND WETLANDS
From sunrise paddles to breakneck rides, the Everglades offers a playground for the brave at heart — always rooted in awe for its untamed beauty.
- Glide through mangrove tunnels and sawgrass prairies with Everglades Adventures Kayak & Eco Tours, combining guided kayaking, airboat rides, and up-close wildlife encounters in the heart of Big Cypress.
- Feel the adrenaline on an airboat safari with Everglades Safari Park, where high-speed eco-adventures whisk you across the River of Grass and into alligator country.
- Bike the iconic Shark Valley Trail, a 15-mile loop past sunbathing gators, wide-open wetlands, and a 65-foot observation tower with panoramic views.
- Explore the Ten Thousand Islands by canoe or kayak with Everglades Florida Adventures, paddling through mangrove islets while spotting dolphins, manatees, and wading birds.
- Cast lines deep into the backcountry with Blackwater Guide Co., where local captains lead you to some of the Everglades’ most legendary fishing spots.
- Step into the wild on the Anhinga Trail, an easy boardwalk loop near Royal Palm that offers some of the best wildlife viewing in the park — no binoculars needed.
- Join a ranger-led tram tour through Shark Valley, learning about glades ecology as you glide past nesting herons and prehistoric reptiles.
- Sleep where the wilderness begins at Flamingo Everglades, where houseboats, eco-tents, and starlit skies make for a wild and unforgettable overnight.
WHAT TO WEAR
Unleash your confidence with our cult-favorite Thunder Suit, a high-neck one-piece that sculpts your silhouette and commands attention. This must-have swimsuit features an elegantly modest high neck and alluring open sides.
Whether you're lounging on the beach, pairing it with denim cutoffs for a casual look, or styling it for coastal adventures, the Thunder Suit is your ultimate wardrobe essential. Make a splash this season and turn heads wherever you go.