Jimmy Buffett's Famous Plane Is Open For Fans - Here's Where To See It

In the process of creating catchy "drunken Caribbean rock 'n' roll," Jimmy Buffett became a music legend. Adorned in flip-flops and Hawaiian shirts, he was the unabashed leader of the Parrotheads, the Mayor of Margaritaville, as well as a sailor's son. His tropical rock tunes spoke about beach bums and island life, all of which made everyone who loved his music want to saddle up to a tiki bar and throw back a colorful cocktail. Buffett died on September 1, 2023 and the following year, Florida designated Friday, August 30, as "Jimmy Buffett Day." The musician sharpened his signature sound while living in the Florida Keys, so it makes sense. 

However, the only thing Buffett may have loved more than entertaining throngs of thirsty fins was flying, which he started in college. He received his private pilot license before turning 40, and by the time he died, had attained multiple ratings for both jets and amphibious aircraft. While he owned other planes, including a Cessna 208 Caravan on amphibious floats and a 1939 Grumman Widgeon seaplane, his Grumman HU-16 Albatross (the "Hemisphere Dancer") was by far his most famous. Grumman is best known for some fighter jets like the F-14 Tomcat.

Buffett purchased the Albatross in 1995 and flew it until 2003, when it was retired and put on display at the Margaritaville Cafe within Universal CityWalk in Orlando, Florida. In June 2024, it was temporarily removed to undergo a complete top-to-bottom restoration. As of July 2025, it can once again be seen at the same location.

The Hemisphere Dancer's last dance may be at Universal CityWalk in Orlando, but that's certainly not where her voyage started. The Grumman HU-16 Albatross amphibious seaplane was built in 1955 and subsequently put into service by the U.S. Navy for search and rescue (SAR) operations. Its unique V-shaped hull made it possible for it to take off and land on both landlocked runways and the open ocean.

It was stationed in Okinawa, Japan, and the Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. In 1956, it took part in nuclear testing during Operation Redwing, which was a decade after the U.S. dropped bombs on its own ships and subsequently created "Fat Man." Additionally, the Hemisphere Dancer was used for humanitarian efforts throughout the Caribbean and for some training and rescue operations beyond SAR. The Navy retired it in 1967 after amassing 2,689 flight hours. Buffett purchased it in '95 before repainting and christening it as the Hemisphere Dancer. And here's where its journey gets really interesting.

In 1996, Buffett and a friend – U2's Bono – flew to Jamaica, reportedly to dine on some jerk chicken the Caribbean island is so famous for. However, the authorities thought Buffett's aircraft was in fact a drug-smuggling plane full of ganja (marijuana) and began shooting at it. Fortunately, neither musician was injured in the mistake, and Buffett quickly wrote the infamous song "Jamaica Mistaica," which appeared on the "Banana Wind" album that same year.