by | May 22, 2025
The History of the Vagabond Hotel Miami
The boom, bust and rebirth of Miami's iconic motels.
1925: The Boulevard of Dreams
Construction on Miami’s Biscayne Boulevard begins.
1940s: Biscayne Boom
Buildings begin popping up along Biscayne Boulevard, the main road into Miami.
1945: Modern in Miami
MiMo (Miami Modern), a modernist style of architecture with tropical twists, takes off.
1950s: Motor Hotels
People moved to the suburbs and bought cars. More cars meant more travel and the need for motels.
1953: Viva La Vagabond
The Vagabond Motel, designed by Robert Swartburg, opens on Miami’s Biscayne Boulevard.
Late 1960s: Boom to Bust
The Interstate System diverts travelers away from Biscayne Boulevard, and its motels begin to decline.
1973: Out of Gas
OAPEC puts an oil embargo on the United States, causing road trips to become less popular.
1980s: Risky Business
Biscayne Boulevard’s original motels decline and are used for hourly rendezvous instead of family vacations.
1990s–2000s: Vagabond Vacancy
the Vagabond’s neon dims, with its pool drained and courtyard overgrown.
2012: Retro Renaissance
Real estate developer Avra Jain decides to revamp the Vagabond, soon becoming a chic boutique hotel.
For a deeper look into Florida’s retro motel revival, click here.
About the Author
Helen has an aptitude for finding alligators and a passion for covering the weird and wonderful of Florida. The Tallahassee native graduated with her bachelor's degree from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University. At Flamingo, she helps organize advertising and write stories (usually about Florida's fantastic fauna).
