Hotels in Biscayne National Park

In 2023 the National Park Service and its concessionaire finally addressed a long standing problem in the park: the lack of non-camping lodgings. It opened the 24-unit Flamingo Lodge and Restaurant, 1 Flamingo Lodge Hwy. (tel. 855/708-2207),  and while its claim that the rooms are “Miami Modern” in looks seems like a stretch, the studios and one- and two-bedroom suites here are comfy, colorful and clean, each with kitchenettes and balconies overlooking Florida Bay. There are also some nice glamping units and campsites. Rates range from $188 to $399 per night for the lodge rooms (less for glamping and camping). Their stand-alone 75-seat restaurant serves casual fare (burritos, sandwiches, salads, smoothies) from 7-10am, with lunch and dinner from 11am to 9pm.

Just outside the park, the Miccosukee Casino & Resort, 500 SW 177th Ave., (; 📞 877/242-6464), is located along the southeastern edge of the Everglades and is another decent option.

Camping in the Everglades

Although bugs can be a major nuisance, especially in the warm months, camping  is the best way to fully experience South Florida’s wilderness. Campgrounds are open year-round in Flamingo and Long Pine Key. Flamingo has several hiking and canoe trails, plentiful opportunities for saltwater fishing, solar-heated showers, two dump stations, picnic tables, grills, and an amphitheater for seasonal Ranger programs. Fees are $50 to $60 for RV hookup with electricity, $33 to $38.50 for tent and non-electric RV camping. Long Pine Key campground has more trees than Flamingo and feels more rustic, but is only open seasonally (November-May). Reservations are available for RVs and tents along with first come first serve sites. If sites are booked, more camping may be available further down the Main Park Road in Flamingo. Fees are $33 to $38.50. Long Pine Key and Flamingo are popular and require reservations in advance, which can be made through the National Park Reservations Service (tel. 800/365-CAMP [2267]).

Camping is also available year-round in the backcountry (those remote areas accessible only by boat, foot, or canoe—basically, most of the park), on a first-come, first-served basis. The sites are either on ground, beach or elevated “chickee” platforms. Campers must register with park rangers and get a permit in person or by phone no less than 24 hours before the start of their trip. The permit costs $21 plus $2 per camper per night. For more info, go to nps.gov/ever/planyourvisit/wilderness-trip-planner.htm. 
Many backcountry sites are chickee huts—covered wooden platforms (with toilets) on stilts. They’re accessible only by canoe and can accommodate free-standing tents (without stakes). Ground sites are located along interior bays and rivers, and beach camping is also popular.

Lodging in Everglades City

Everglades City is 35 miles southeast of Naples and 83 miles west of Miami. Many visitors use it as a hub for exploring the western entrance to Everglades National Park, located off the Tamiami Trail, on S.R. 29. An annual seafood festival held the first weekend in February is a major event here. Everglades City (gateway to the Ten Thousand Islands), where the 'Glades meet the Gulf of Mexico, is the closest thing you’ll get to civilization in this swampy frontier, with a few tourist traps—er, shops—a restaurant, and a few motels.

Four of those motels are sister properties, with small differences one to the next. Captain’s Table Hotel, 202 Broadway Ave. E., Everglades City (tel. 239/360-3937), is the oldest of the bunch and feels like it because of the small windows in guestrooms, its (sometimes) hard beds, and the carpeting. It has some bigger efficiencies, and a lakeside pool, and is the least expensive at $79 to $109 a night. Everglades Adventures Hotel Suites, 107 Camelia St. E., (tel. 239/695-7105), is the newest and newest looking, of the properties (lots of blond woods, colorful art), built in 2020, with rooms and suites with rates from $119 to $179. And in between those two, in terms of looks, and amenities, are Ivey House Everglades Adventure Hotel, at 605 Buckner Ave. N. (tel. 239/323-9826; $119-$179 per night) and Everglades City Motel, 309 Collier Ave., (tel. 239/695-4224; $99 to $149 per night). The last is a fave for anglers because it has boat parking. Ivey House is also a tour operator, offering fishing trips, walks, bike rides and tours.

Lodging in Homestead & Florida City

Homestead and Florida City, two adjacent towns that were almost blown off the map by Hurricane Andrew in 1992, are located 10 miles from the park’s main entrance, along U.S. 1, 35 miles south of Miami. These somewhat rural towns offer several budget options, including chain hotels. There is a cheap and somewhat dingy Garden Inn (tel. 305/245-1260) in Homestead and a Days Inn (305/230-2322) and a  Fairway Inn (tel. 305/248-4202) right off the turnpike in Florida City. The two spiffier options are also in Florida City: The Best Western Gateway to the Keys, 411 Krome Ave. (U.S.1; tel. 800/528-1234 or 305/246-5100), and the Hoosville Hostel, 20 SW 2nd Ave. (tel. 305/363-4644).