Where To See Flamingos in Florida

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When you think of flamingos, you probably associate them with Florida. While they aren’t the official bird of the state, they are an iconic fixture and can be found all over the Sunshine State.

If you’re wondering, “where are there flamingos in Florida?”, we’re here to help you out. Check out these top-rated places to see and interact with the iconic and vividly colored Florida birds.

Palm Beach Zoo & Conservation Society

1301 Summit Blvd, West Palm Beach

The Palm Beach Zoo, the highest-rated zoological experience in Florida, is a non-profit conservation center that houses and cares for many endangered species. If you’re searching for where to find flamingos in Florida, this is one of the best.

Check out Palm Beach Zoo’s Flamingo Walk, where you can see American and Chilean flamingos. If you want to get up close with the flamingos, you can try the daily Flamingo Experience for a small fee, which gives you 30 minutes of facetime with the iconic bird. You can even feed them straight from your hand!

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The Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory

1316 Duval St, Naval Air Station Key West

The Key West Butterfly Conservatory is one of the few that exist in Florida. It’s also the only butterfly and nature conservatory in the US where you can see flamingos. The LGBTQ-owned conservatory is home to famous flamingo duo Rhett and Scarlett.

If you want a personal and up-close experience with this duo, head over to the conservatory’s gazebo overlooking the pond for the daily “flamingle” experience. Guests can sit in the shade of the gazebo and see if Rhett and Scarlett come to visit.

Though guests aren’t allowed to touch them, Rhett and Scarlet are very curious and communicative when they drop by. Be warned, though – they love playing with guests’ hair!

Sunken Gardens

1825 4th St N, St. Petersburg

The century-old Sunken Gardens is a four-acre wide space full of different species of birds, fish, and flowers. It’s a jungle of plants and animals, many of which have grown to impressive proportions due to the sanctuary’s preservation efforts over the years. Because of this, it’s been aptly dubbed a living museum.

It welcomed its first group of flamingos in the 1950s. Amazingly, there are a couple from the original batch of birds that still roam the gardens. In 2016, it welcomed a new batch of young Chilean flamingos from the San Antonio Zoo.

The Sunken Gardens is a serene, shaded paradise that has hosted LGBTQ events over the years, such as the Red & Green Holiday Party organized by St. Pete Pride in 2021. If you’re looking for an LGBTQ-friendly place to see flamingos in Florida, this botanical garden is a must-see historical destination!

Flamingo Gardens

3750 S Flamingo Rd, Davie

Established in 1927, Flamingo Gardens is the oldest botanical garden and wildlife sanctuary in South Florida. The botanical garden has over 3,000 species of exotic trees and plants. Not to be outdone, its wildlife sanctuary boasts the biggest collection of animals native to Florida.

While exploring the beautiful sanctuary and the varied wildlife that calls it home, make sure to stop by the Flamingo Pond to see Caribbean flamingos. The site offers flamingo feed, so you can get up close and personal with the birds – they might even eat right out of your hand.

Sarasota Jungle Gardens

3701 Bay Shore Rd, Sarasota

The Sarasota Jungle Gardens has been around since the 1930s. It’s home to many local and foreign species of plants and animals – all coexisting in an exotic and intricately planned environment.

The flamingos have free reign of their domain and are quite friendly. Make sure to stop by one of the vending machines to pick up feed for a personal encounter with the lovely birds. The Flamingo Cafe is another place you can pick up some feed for the flamingos, along with food and drinks for yourself.

While you’re there, check out its interactive animal shows. Its daily reptile and bird shows are a crowd favorite – they give guests the opportunity to hold a baby alligator or talk to a parrot.

Brevard Zoo

8225 N Wickham Rd, Melbourne

The Brevard Zoo is a community-built, nonprofit facility with the mission of conservation through participation and education. The zoo spans a whopping 75 acres of open-air exhibits. It has quite the selection of animals from Asia, Africa, South America, Australia, and, of course, Florida.

It is also home to a large flamboyance (a.k.a. a group of flamingos) of over 50 Chilean flamingos and two American flamingos. The zoo recently hatched three new flamingo chicks, which you may catch walking around with their caretakers.

The Brevard Zoo also offers many unique experiences, such as a guided kayak tour around the zoo.

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Lion Country Safari

2003 Lion Country Safari Rd, Loxahatchee

This park offers an authentic safari experience all from the comfort of your car. The Lion Country Safari has over 1,000 animals spread out over 320 acres of natural landscapes and stunning views. It also boasts the largest rhino, giraffe, and zebra herds in all of the US!

Pass by Adventure Park, which is a separate exhibit from the safari, to see its beautiful Caribbean flamingos. The park offers a premium experience where you can mingle with the flamingos and even hand-feed them. Though a little expensive, the fee includes a donation to the foundation as well as parking and admission.

The Lion Country Safari also offers other interesting and unique experiences. For an extra fee, you can watch a giraffe or parrot paint a picture – choose the canvas and colors, then take the painting home with you. And don’t forget to try the VIP guided tour. You might even get a chance to touch a giant tortoise, meet a rhino, or get up close to the lions!

Conclusion

Wondering where to see flamingos in Florida? The good news is that there are many gorgeous locations for you to choose from.

If you’re a zoo lover, check out Palm Beach Zoo or Brevard Zoo for their American and Chilean flamingo experiences. If you’re a nature lover, Sunken Gardens and Flamingo Gardens are botanical paradises where Caribbean and Chilean flamingos coexist alongside an impressive collection of plants and wildlife. If you are traveling out of town, make sure to check out our travel guides.

**Disclaimer: There is a good chance that this post contains affiliate or sponsor links. If you make a purchase through them, we may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you (for which we are extremely grateful).

Also, while we do our best to highlight LGBTQ-friendly destinations and businesses, info provided is based solely on personal experience and recommendations by community partners. We hope that nobody experiences discrimination or homophobia while visiting Florida, but we make no guarantees. Please inform us if you experience discrimination or homophobia while visiting any destination so we can make updates to our recommendations.

Rachel Covello

Rachel Covello is an award-winning speaker, writer, diversity consultant, and LGBT advocate. She was the Founder of LGBT Equality Alliance, a Chester County, PA nonprofit organization. She is currently the Publisher of OutCoast.com and Producer of the OutCoast TV YouTube Channel, both of which highlight LGBTQ welcoming destinations in Florida.

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