Bluebird of Happiness Statue

Originally located along U.S. Route 1, the bird began life in the 1950s as an orange juice advertisement and road side attraction. It was purchased and moved in the 1950s by local motel owners who painted the bird blue, giving it the iconic look that it maintains today.

For many years, the bird was located in front of Newt’s Motel, situated in historic Vilano Beach, Florida. Over the years, the beach motel closed and the bird was moved from its location to a yard in nearby St. Augustine, where it was largely forgotten.

As Vilano Beach began its campaign to revitalize the aging historic downtown area, a push was made in 2009 to purchase, restore, and relocate the blue bird back to its most iconic location in downtown Vilano Beach. After four years of effort, the “bring back the bird” campaign was successfully completed in 2013. Today, the giant blue bird, now known as the “Bluebird of Happiness,” is located at the restored Vilano Beach pier.