An October 27 grand opening is scheduled for the Guy Bradley Visitor Center at Everglades National Park/NPS

A grand opening for a new lodge and a renovated visitor center at Everglades National Park in Florida is set for October 27 at Flamingo.

The celebration, hosted by the National Park Service and Everglades' authorized concessioner, Everglades Guest Services, will mark the opening of the reconstructed and renamed Guy Bradley Visitor Center and the new Flamingo Lodge & Restaurant. The daytime celebration and ribbon cutting is open to the public, and a full event schedule can be found on the park’s website. The former lodge and visitor center building were damaged by hurricanes in 2005 and 2017. Located along the coast of Florida Bay, Flamingo is a premier destination in Everglades National Park at the southernmost tip of the Florida peninsula.

“We are excited to see these projects come to fruition after years of planning and hard work,” said Pedro Ramos, superintendent of Everglades and Dry Tortugas national parks. “We are grateful for the incredible public and private partnerships that have enabled us to once again make Flamingo a world-class destination for our park visitors.”

The Guy Bradley Visitor Center opened its doors in July. The former Flamingo Visitor Center was renamed for the first Audubon game warden, who was killed in the line of duty protecting wading birds during the plume hunting era of the late 1800s and early 1900s.

The National Park Foundation, with generous support from the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, the Alliance for Florida’s National Parks, and the Florida National Parks Association contributed to the visitor center exhibits, landscaping and design, as well as other projects in the Flamingo area. The exhibits provide countless opportunities for visitors to learn more about the coastal ecosystem and its inhabitants, including cultural stories from the people who made homes in the challenging environment. 

The recent renovations incorporate energy efficient features while meeting Florida's building code for coastal high hazard zones. The park placed special emphasis on preserving the unique features of the visitor center's Mission 66 architecture with its distinctive pink color and Miami Modern elements. The National Park Service's Mission 66 campaign in the mid-1900s expanded visitor services and modernized park facilities across the National Park System leading up to the agency’s 50th anniversary. The lodge and restaurant also draw inspiration from this historic project.

The original Flamingo Lodge & Restaurant was a popular visitor spot for nearly 40 years. Following its destruction by hurricanes, the NPS conducted extensive feasibility studies and began planning for the new lodge in 2018. Considerations for resiliency and storm protection in the face of sea level rise from climate change were integrated in the design and building of the lodge, restaurant and visitor center.

Jointly funded by the NPS and Everglades Guest Services, LLC, an authorized concessioner of the NPS, Flamingo Lodge & Restaurant stands as a testament to infrastructure built with care in a delicate ecosystem. 

“It is an honor to partner with the National Park Service to open the Flamingo Lodge and Restaurant,” said Nico Foris, chief executive officer of Everglades Guest Services. “We are thrilled to continue our tradition of excellence in hospitality, offering another option at Flamingo in addition to our campsites, eco-tents and houseboats. We look forward to welcoming more park visitors this season and beyond.”

The lodge features 24 guest rooms, constructed from durable shipping containers and raised off the ground by pillars. Eight of the rooms are two-bedroom suites that can accommodate up to six guests, while there are 12 one-bedroom suites suitable for up to four guests, and four studios designed for two guests. Four of the 24 rooms are ADA accessible and can be accessed by an elevator and walkway. The interiors blend industrial chic with subtropical influences, from palm tree-themed window shades to calming blue and green tones. Every room boasts an eastward-facing balcony, offering breathtaking sunrise and sunset views over Florida Bay.

Adjacent to the lodge, Flamingo Restaurant offers traditional South Florida fare and views of nearby Florida Bay. Like the lodge, the restaurant is made from durable shipping containers. The restaurant offers meal service for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus a full-service bar. 

Lodge reservations are accepted now for stays starting November 1. Nightly rates start at $159 for June through October and $259 from November through May, plus tax. There is a 14-day maximum limit on stays. A park entrance fee or pass is required to enter Everglades National Park to access Flamingo Lodge & Restaurant, both for vehicles and vessels. Gasoline and boat slips are also available at the Flamingo Marina and Store for visitors arriving by boat.

Located just two hours from downtown Miami, Flamingo provides visitors the opportunity to explore the nation’s largest subtropical wilderness through popular recreational activities such as fishing, boating, paddling, hiking, birding and wilderness camping. Abundant wildlife viewing opportunities await, from manatees to crocodiles and alligators.