The Rod and Gun Lodge is your western gateway to the Everglades National park.
Historical Everglades City dates back over 1,000 years. The Rod and Gun Club is built on the original structure of the first permanent white settler who founded Everglades City in 1864. In 1922 Barron G. Collier, a banker and railroad man, bought almost all of Southwest Florida including the Rod and Gun Club which he operated as a private club. He hosted international dignitaries and several United States presidents here.
In 1972, the Bowen family, from Michigan, bought the Club and is still operating it today. Celebrity guest, past and present include Presidents Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhower, Hoover and Nixon. John Wayne and Ernest Hemingway visited in 1942. In 1945, while on location filming "Winds Across the Everglades" Burl Ives and Gypsy Rose Lee visited. In 1983, during filming of "Cannonball Run," Kate Jackson, Burt Reynolds and Sally Field were visitors here. Other guests included David Carradine, Roy Clark, Mel Tillis, Eddie Arnold and Jack Nicklaus. Location filming of " Just Cause" brought Sean Connery and the shooting of Walt Disney's "Gone Fishing" brought Danny Glover and Joe Pesci. Peter Jennings, Phi Donahue, Marlo Thomas, and the list goes on…
The Rod and Gun Lodge is located on highway 29, four miles south of highway 41. It is 36 miles south of Naples, 85 miles west of Miami and just 90 minutes from either the Miami International or Southwest Florida international Airports.
Come Stay where Presidents have stayed!