{"id":253304,"date":"2026-05-01T01:35:10","date_gmt":"2026-05-01T01:35:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/253304\/"},"modified":"2026-05-01T01:35:10","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T01:35:10","slug":"floridas-flamingos-are-back-heres-where-to-see-them-in-the-everglades","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/253304\/","title":{"rendered":"Florida\u2019s flamingos are back. Here\u2019s where to see them in the Everglades."},"content":{"rendered":"

With their impossibly long legs and lipstick hue, flamingos<\/a> sport a memorable look. Their image adorns Florida<\/a> postcards, tourist sites, and TV shows, but the state\u2019s population of wild flamingos was virtually extinct for a hundred years due to plume hunting and habitat loss. Then in 2023, they began claiming headlines<\/a> when several blew in from Cuba and Mexico on the winds of Hurricane Idalia<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a pink invasion,\u201d says Audubon Florida<\/a>\u2019s Keith Laakkonen, director of Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary<\/a>. Some of these flamingos stayed on, especially around the Florida Bay coastline, which is also the perch of the aptly named Flamingo outpost of Everglades National Park<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Everglades\u2019 southernmost visitor hub, Flamingo has seen its own resurgence, after suffering damage from multiple hurricanes. Now it features a remodeled visitor center<\/a> and a new lodge\u2014the only one in the park.<\/p>\n

Here, travelers can experience the fabled \u201criver of grass,\u201d the largest subtropical wilderness in North America<\/a>, and spot a captivating array of wildlife\u2014including, with some luck, flamingos. \u201cWhen you see one,\u201d Laakkonen says, \u201cyou get a sense of awe.\u201d<\/p>\n

What happened to Florida\u2019s flamingos<\/p>\n

From the Homestead entrance<\/a> to Everglades National Park, it\u2019s an hour-long drive to reach Flamingo<\/a>, at the very tip of Florida. This remote location where freshwater marshes merge into the sea offers a unique experience, says Riley Hays, the park\u2019s Flamingo district interpreter. \u201cThe sense of solitude and the dynamic meeting of ecosystems make it unlike anywhere else in the national park system.\u201d<\/p>\n

Historically, Flamingo was one of the best places in Florida to see flamingos. In 1893, hardscrabble residents named their settlement after the bird, which at that time numbered in the thousands. When fancy feathered hats became all the rage, those same birds became targets. One feather could fetch $500 in today\u2019s valuation.<\/p>\n

(This extensive Florida trail connects two U.S. national parks<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Many of Florida\u2019s elegant wading birds were decimated, and \u201cflamingos probably took the hardest hit,\u201d Laakkonen says. After Audubon game warden Guy Bradley was killed by hunters in Flamingo while trying to protect the birds, widespread outrage led to a federal ban on the practice<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"Small<\/p>\n

There are many ways to visit Flamingo in the Everglades, including staying in a new lodge or these glamping-style, environment-friendly tents.<\/p>\n

Dylann Turffs\/NPS<\/p>\n

When the national park was established in 1947\u2014the first one created for biodiversity<\/a>\u2014Flamingo\u2019s remaining residents were relocated and some basic amenities added. About 10 years later, a visitor center<\/a>, restaurant, and lodge opened, making Flamingo a hotspot for the next several decades. That is, until 2005\u2019s double whammy of hurricanes Katrina and Wilma caused so much damage that the lodge had to close. In 2018, after Hurricane Irma, the visitor center followed suit.<\/p>\n

During rebuilding, the park service focused on \u201cresilience, sustainability, and immersion in the natural environment,\u201d Hays says. The new lodge and restaurant debuted in October 2023, built from elevated shipping containers that can better withstand hurricanes, flooding, and sea-level rise.<\/p>\n

Flamingo Lodge<\/a>\u2014featuring 24 studios and suites outfitted with well-equipped kitchenettes and private balconies overlooking the glittering waters of Florida Bay\u2014makes a comfortable base for exploration. For the more adventurous, other overnight options include houseboats, glamping-style eco-tents, and campgrounds.<\/p>\n

(10 incredible glamping experiences near U.S. national parks<\/a>)<\/p>\n

At the restaurant<\/a>, you can fill up on burritos, burgers, and your own fresh catch, which the kitchen will cook. The remodeled visitor center, now named for the heroic Guy Bradley, kept its mod pink exterior but updated exhibits on the ecosystem and early inhabitants, improved accessibility, and added features to guard against hurricanes.<\/p>\n

Ironically, it was also a hurricane that brought back the flamingos. Now one of the best places to glimpse these 5-foot-tall Florida natives is, once again, in Flamingo.<\/p>\n

Where to see flamingos in the Everglades<\/p>\n

In 2025, a record 125 flamingos<\/a> were seen in Florida Bay. Experts estimate that there are about 60 regulars in the Flamingo area, but they\u2019re not always easy to spot. Hays suggests scanning shallow coastal areas and mudflats, especially along Snake Bight Trail<\/a> and Christian Point Trail<\/a>, at low tide when the birds feed on the algae and brine shrimp that give them their color. There\u2019s even a chance to catch a flamboyance\u2014yes, that\u2019s the term for a flock of flamingos\u2014right in front of the visitor center.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

A prime bird-watching location,\u00a0Everglades National Park is home to\u00a0more than 360 species of\u00a0birds, including the barred owl.<\/p>\n

Robert Krayer\/NPS<\/p>\n

For the latest location intel, talk to on-site naturalists and others who are out and about. And be sure to use binoculars or a telephoto lens to keep a respectful distance. \u201cIf you find yourself getting so close that the birds\u2019 behavior is changing, back off,\u201d Laakkonen advises. Travelers interested in contributing to flamingo conservation efforts can report sightings to the eBird<\/a> or iNaturalist<\/a> apps, which will help scientists track numbers and locations.<\/p>\n

(Amy Tan shares her best birding tips<\/a>)<\/p>\n

Though flamingos get most of the attention, they\u2019re far from the only eye-popping sights here. Walk the broad grassy path around Eco Pond<\/a> for the opportunity to see another stunning pink wading bird, the roseate spoonbill<\/a>. Smaller than flamingos, they have ruby-red eyes and a long, flat-tipped bill that they sweep back and forth through the shallows.<\/p>\n

From the local marina, naturalist-guided boat tours<\/a> head out to the open waters of Florida Bay to view emerald-green mangrove keys and look for pelicans<\/a>, cormorants<\/a>, dolphins<\/a>, and osprey<\/a>, perhaps toting a recently snagged sea trout.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Visitors to Everglades National Park may also see the roseate spoonbill.<\/p>\n

Bob Branham\/NPS<\/p>\n

Boat tours also go the opposite direction, into backcountry creeks and canals that are home to herons<\/a>, anhingas<\/a>, wood storks<\/a>, alligators<\/a>, and crocodiles<\/a>, which can look especially fearsome with\u00a0their toothy mouths agape, a means of temperature regulation. (South Florida is the only place in the world where alligators and crocodiles co-exist.)<\/p>\n

Nighttime tours offer some of the best stargazing in the southeastern U.S. due to very low levels of light pollution. If you prefer to explore on your own, rent a canoe or kayak. In the marina itself, you may spot gentle manatees raising their broad whiskered snout for a breath of air.<\/p>\n

(What is noctourism\u2014and why is it on the rise?<\/a>)<\/p>\n

For all these animals and their environment, the presence of flamingos is a good sign. It indicates that decades of restoration work in the Everglades are making a difference. And it reconnects a cultural symbol of Florida with a living, wild reality, Hays says. \u201cTheir return offers a glimpse into the past while also signaling hope for the future of Florida\u2019s ecosystems.\u201d<\/p>\n

How to visit<\/p>\n

Fly into Miami International Airport, then rent a car for the hour-and-forty-five-minute drive to Flamingo. At the entrance of Everglades National Park, you\u2019ll need to pay a fee of $35. Rates at Flamingo Lodge range from about $150 to $400 per night, depending on the season and type of room. It\u2019s open year-round, but the most popular time to visit is between November and April, when temperatures are lower, mosquitoes are fewer, and wildlife is especially abundant.<\/p>\n

Brooke Sabin is a freelance writer-editor with a focus on sustainable travel, nature, and adventure. A former National Geographic staff editor, she also helps run The Travel Book Club Substack. Follow her\u00a0on Instagram<\/a>.