Our first trip, after we were married, was a tent camping trip along Florida’s Gulf Coast. Since that time, we have looked for places that we could tent or RV camp to make the most of our time in a location! We love Keys camping for the unique campground community, the beautiful views, and the money savings over island hotels.
Do you love camping, but think the Florida Keys are too developed for you to camp your way through? The Keys offer something for every camper, from luxury RV resorts to State Parks with tons of outdoor activities. No matter if you travel with a camper or a tent, you will experience amazing sunrises or sunsets, depending on which side of the islands you’re on.
Below are our top picks for both RV and tenting options in the Florida Keys!
Keys Palms Luxury RV Resort
Located at MM104 Bayside, Keys Palms Luxury RV Resort
has our favorite RV sites in Key Largo! With only 30 sites, this small park is a bit more expensive than others in the area, but their amenities more than make up for it. Sites include full hook-ups of electric, water, sewer, and cable. They have a heated pool and spa, dog park, Wi-Fi, laundry, gym, and waterfront sites. Sites are separated by beautiful landscaping. The sandy point makes a perfect place to relax and sunbathe during the day and to enjoy the famous Keys Sunsets in the evening. This quiet park is great for anyone looking for a calm, quiet place to park and enjoy the Keys Lifestyle!
Curry Hammock State Park
Almost half way down the Keys, Curry Hammock State Park is located on Little Crawl Key (MM56 Oceanside) and has 28 sites within view of the Atlantic Ocean available for tents and RVs. Each site has electric & water hook-ups as well as a picnic table and charcoal grill. Showers and bathrooms are well kept. This park is gorgeous, space sizes are generous, and the sunrises are unrivaled! There’s a beach area that’s popular with kite surfers and kayak / bicycle / snorkel rentals during the day. Leashed pets are welcome in your campsite, but not on the beaches. Book early — since the state park rates are better than any private park, they tend to book up early!
Coconut Cay RV Resort
Newly opened Coconut Cay RV Resort at MM51 Bayside in Marathon provides 25 sites with electric, water, and sewer hook-ups. Sites back up to mangroves, so these sites are not considered waterfront, however, opening your awning towards the mangroves gives you a secluded feeling to your outdoor space. This property has ample space at each site, a pool, boat dockage, laundry/shower facilities and a private sunset point with an AMAZING sunset view!!! Snorkeling can also be done off of this point, offering views of patch coral, sea grass beds, mangrove habitats, sponge gardens, and various sea life. This resort is a great option if you’re looking for a jumping off point in the middle of the keys to do day trips up and down the keys.
Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge (BPKFL)
Located on the water at MM33 Oceanside on Big Pine Key, Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge is a treat to stay at! Our favorite family-friendly location in the Keys, they offer 97 full hook-up (FHU) RV sites, 72 rustic sites, and a motel. 19 of the FHU sites have adjacent boat slips available for an additional charge (not all sites are waterfront). This place has so much going for it — it’s waterfront, with a heated pool, boat ramp, laundry facilities, clean bathrooms, hot showers, amazing views, billiards, shuffleboard, fish cleaning station, and a camp store! The atmosphere is friendly and inviting and the campground offers nightly campfires, complete with s’mores and limbo! You may also get a visit from an endangered Key Deer right at your site!
Bahia Honda State Park
Book early and prepare to be wowed at Bahia Honda State Park! Offering both RV and tent sites, they tend to book up at least 6 months in advance. There are 3 camping areas with 80 total campsites (As of 7/2021, 57 sites are available as 23 are still closed due to damage from Hurricane Irma). There are also 5 cabins that can accommodate up to 6 people per cabin. RV sites are gravel and have electric and water hook-ups. 8 Bayside tent only sites have no water/power, but are situated around a basin that’s great for fishing! Park amenities are amazing! Snorkel right from shore or take a boat trip to Looe Key Reef! There are also several beaches, historical walking trails (the old RR bridge is right in the park), kayak rentals, 2 boat ramps and a 19-slip marina, biking, fishing, and a nature center.
Boyd’s Key West Campground
Boyd’s Key West Campground, located on Stock Island, is the closest campground to Key West. This campground is welcoming, fun, and family-friendly (including your four-legged family members). They offer 32 tent only sites and 163 RV sites, some waterfront, as well as a pool and boat ramp. The campground is clean and well maintained with clean and well stocked facilities. They have kayak and paddleboard rentals on site. There’s even a food truck that offers breakfast and a camp store in case you forgot anything! This is a great value for a Key West Vacation and one that your kids will remember!
Go Off Grid in the Dry Tortugas!!!
Are you looking for a bucket list type of camping adventure? The Dry Tortugas National Park will check that box! They offer tent camping only (or you can stay on a boat in the harbor if you have one big enough to get there!). Campers usually have to plan months to YEARS in advance for this trip, but the outcome is worth it!
Camping at the Dry Tortugas is unlike camping anywhere else! You are 70 miles west of Key West, in the middle of the Caribbean, with almost no manmade light. The amateur astronomy and nighttime photography are breathtaking! Snorkeling around the Fort, in these federally protected waters, can yield some amazing discoveries of fish, corals, sponges, and even Civil War relics! The history of the Fort is surprising and eerie. If you brought a kayak, you can even travel to some of the other keys surrounding Fort Jefferson, weather permitting.
There are two main ways to get to the Dry Tortugas, via a fast ferry, the Yankee Freedom, that operates daily, or via a seaplane. The seaplane only offers day trips at this time. The fast ferry can transport up to 10 campers per day (and their gear). You can stay for up to 4 days (3 nights) on the island, and we definitely recommend that you make a full 4 day reservation, if your schedule and the ferry itinerary allow. Details on the amount and recommended type of gear is on the Yankee Freedom’s website, as well as a host of helpful information.
There are few facilities at this “campground.” Your site will have a picnic table and a fire ring. It will be assigned when you arrive on the island. You can bring charcoal to cook over, but cannot use wood to make an open fire (If traveling via ferry, you also cannot bring any type of liquid fuels). There is a composting toilet, but no fresh running water (for either drinking or bathing). When the ferry is docked on the island, they have a fresh water rinse that you can utilize, as well as air conditioning to cool off, snacks and ice to purchase, and possibly even electric to charge your devices. You should plan to take everything with you that you will need for your entire camping experience, though — water (drinking and personal hygiene), batteries, food, clothes, and personal items.
How to Choose?!
With so many great options for camping in the Keys, how do you choose? Sometimes the easiest way is the path of least resistance! Are you planning your trip within the next few weeks or months? Some of these parks book up months in advance, as mentioned, so if you have a park or two that you definitely want to stay at, check their calendars through the links above or give them a call. You could park hop, giving you the opportunity to experience all that the Florida Keys has to offer, from the kitchy charm of Key Largo, the fishing in Islamorada and the family friendliness of the Middle Keys, to the fun and water activities of the Lower Keys! We are sure that any of these choices will be big winners for your next Florida Keys adventure!!!
Please head over to our Facebook page, like it, and follow along on our adventures, which will help you to plan your adventures!!!!
Making the drive from South Florida to Key West and want to know where you need to stop? Click here!
Want to spend a few days in Marathon (even a day trip is worth it!)? Click here for our favorite stuff to do and places to eat in Marathon!
Wondering where to find the best Key Lime Pie in Key West? Click here!
Thinking about heading into Key West, check out our favorite things to do there! Click here!
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