THE EARNEST TRAVELER
Flamingo is the end of the road — literally. At the southern tip of the park, 38 miles past the Homestead gate, it's where the Everglades meets the sea: a marina, a reopened lodge, crocodiles in the basin, and the wide shimmer of Florida Bay beyond.
The End of the Road
The main park road runs 38 miles from the Homestead entrance to Flamingo, passing boardwalks and overlooks the whole way. Flamingo itself is the park's southern hub — a marina, visitor center, campground, and the reopened lodge — perched on Florida Bay, with nothing but water and mangrove islands to the south.
Crocodiles, Manatees & Birds
Flamingo is one of the best places in the park for big wildlife. American crocodiles — the Everglades is the only place they overlap with alligators — bask around the marina and boat basin, manatees drift in the channels, and roseate spoonbills, ospreys, and countless wading birds work the shallows. It's also the launch point for backcountry boat tours into Florida Bay.
The Reopened Lodge & Marina
After years without in-park lodging, the Flamingo Lodge reopened in 2023 — modern rooms and glamping-style eco-tents on the bay, plus the marina store, boat and kayak rentals, and guided tours. Staying overnight here, hours from any city lights, means dark skies, dawn wildlife, and the park almost to yourself.
Getting There & Staying
Flamingo is a 45-minute to one-hour drive from the Homestead entrance — fuel up and stock supplies before you go, as services are limited. Day-trip it from Homestead, camp at the Flamingo campground, or book the lodge. Whatever you choose, budget time for the slow drive down and the boardwalks along the way.
Flamingo faces southwest over Florida Bay — the sunsets are spectacular, and because it's so far from any city, the night skies are some of the darkest in South Florida. If you can swing a night at the lodge or campground, do it.
The in-park lodge, marina, tours, and rentals.