Florida Keys camping can mean anything from parking your luxury RV at a gated resort with spectacular ocean views, temperature-controlled pools and concierge services, to tossing up a tent on a gravel parking spot beside a mosquito-infested swamp.
But no matter how you do it, Florida Keys campgrounds are the best way to experience the natural beauty of the islands. You can camp right on a white sand beach with uninterrupted views of the calm, turquoise sea. Grill up dinner at your campsite as you watch the brilliant sunsets the area is known for, then enjoy incredible stargazing away from big city lights.
From inexpensive state park campgrounds to luxury RV parks, it’s easy to find camping in the Florida Keys that suites any budget or style.
Upper, Middle or Lower Keys?
The Florida Keys wind southwest in a gentle curve from just south of Miami down to famous Mile Marker 0 in Key West, the southernmost point in the continental US. The entire string of islands is about 110 miles long.
The Upper Keys start in Key Largo, roll through laid back Islamorada, and end at Long Key – making up the first 60-ish miles of the Keys. This area is for folks who prefer to avoid the rowdiness of Key West or who don’t want to stray too far from the Florida mainland.
The Middle Keys extend about 25 miles from Long Key down through Marathon and over to the Seven Mile Bridge. (Yes, it’s really seven miles.) This is the quietest area in the keys. If you prefer wildlife over nightlife, this is the area for you.
The rest of the Keys, including Key West, are considered the Lower Keys. Key West is the most famous of all the islands, known for its raucous watering holes and flamboyant celebrations. Stay here if you like to be in the center of all the action.
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park – Key Largo
Looking for adventure? Then this is the place for you. Pennekamp’s snorkeling trips to the coral reef are legendary. They take you to three different locations where you’ll see sharks, sea turtles, rays and all kinds of tropical fish. If you prefer not to swim with sharks (don’t worry, they’re harmless), the park also offers glass bottom boat tours of the reef.
If that’s not enough, you can rent kayaks and paddle through the mangrove wilderness trails, snorkel the replica Spanish shipwreck just offshore from Cannon Beach, check out the visitor center’s 30,000 gallon aquarium, or hike one of the park’s three trails.
The campground offers 47 tent and RV sites, each with a picnic table and grill plus plenty of lush landscaping between sites for privacy. All sites are back in with full hookups. As with most Florida Keys camping, the sites are close together and it can get crowded during peak season. Be sure to book well in advance.
Campground details:
- Restrooms with hot showers
- Water, sewer and electric (30/50 amp) hookups
- Free wifi at visitor center
- Dump station
- Laundry facilities
- Pets welcome
- Max RV length – 62 ft.
Price:
All sites are $36/night plus a $6.70 reservation fee. RVs pay an additional $7/night utility fee (does not apply to tent camping).
Photo courtesy John Pennekamp State Park
Key Largo Kampground and Marina – Key Largo
This campground is a quiet little oasis just a short walk from shops, restaurants and several tour operators. Its 40 acres are split in half by the marina, creating two sandy beach areas on either side. Kayaking from either of the beaches is excellent. Just north of the beaches you’ll find Pennekamp State Park’s mangrove trails, or head south to Bonefish Flats, an area filled with tiny mangrove islands and abundant wildlife including manatees.
The campground has character with some permanent trailers with quirky decorations you might expect to see in the Florida Keys. There’s also a heated pool, playground, private dockage and a clubhouse where numerous events are held each week.
Campground Details:
- Two bathhouses w/hot showers
- Electric (30/50 amp) hookups
- Shuffleboard, horseshoes, volleyball and basketball court
- Laundry facilities
- Free wifi
Price:
Rates range from $75/night for a tent site to $130/night for a full hook-up waterfront RV site.
Photos courtesy Key Largo Kampground
Key Palms Luxury RV Resort – Key Largo
Sometimes places put the word “luxury” in their name when in reality, they’re a run-down piece of crap no one likes. That’s definitely not the case here. Key Palms is an intimate resort with a private beach, clubhouse with big screen TV, sparkling pool, fitness center and jacuzzi. You can launch your kayak or canoe from their beautiful little cove, or go snorkeling off the jetty. All the sites have full hookups and privacy landscaping.
Key Palms is within walking distance of several restaurants and bars, so you won’t have to go far to enjoy Key Largo’s offerings. If you prefer to explore more, the resort is only an hour from Miami and two hours from Key West.
Campground Details:
- Restrooms with showers
- Water, sewer, electric & cable hookups
- Excellent wifi
- Laundry facilities
- Dog park
Price:
Peak season rates (November 1st – April 30th) rates range from $135-175/night. In the off season, rates are $125-165/night.
Photos courtesy Key Palms Luxury RV Resort
Curry Hammock State Park – Marathon
This gem of a park has just 28 sites, which means after the day visitors leave, you get to enjoy unmatched solitude on a peaceful, windswept beach. It’s one of the largest undeveloped areas in the Keys, with mangroves and rockland hammocks surrounded by gorgeous ocean views.
The beach is shallow, perfect for swimming and snorkeling, and the park offers inexpensive kayak rentals so you can explore the secluded paddle trails and visit with the local manatees. The park is a highlight of the Florida Birding Trail, with hawks, eagles and ospreys calling the area home. Other highlights: hiking the 1.5-mile nature trail, bicycling along the Overseas Heritage Trail, and stargazing due to the low light pollution.
All sites have a picnic table, charcoal grill and a gravel pad for parking your RV. Most have an adjacent sandy tent pad as well. Highway noise is minimal, and the park is a short bike ride away from the Dolphin Research Center and the town of Marathon.
Campground Details:
- Composting toilets & solar-powered hot showers
- Water & electric (30/50-amp) hookups
- Dump station
- Playground
- Pet friendly
- Max RV length – 70 ft.
Price:
All sites $36/night plus a $6.70 reservation fee.
Jolly Roger RV Resort – Marathon
Jolly Roger has 160+ sites, most of which are spacious and shady. They’ve got a temperature controlled pool and a waterfront pavilion where you can enjoy those famous Florida Keys sunsets. Although the campground doesn’t have a traditional sandy beach, you can swim or snorkel from the rocky shore to check out starfish, crabs, lobster and other sea life. They also have a dock and boat ramp.
Just one hour from Key West and 45 minutes from Key Largo, Jolly Roger makes a great home base for exploring all the Keys. If you prefer not to stray too far, the Dolphin Research Center is just up the road, and there are plenty of restaurants and shops in Marathon. Plus, you can enjoy some of the best snorkeling in the world at the nearby Sombrero Reef during your Florida Keys camping trip.
Campground Details:
- Restrooms with hot showers
- Full hookups with 50 amp electrical & cable TV
- Laundry facilities
- Free wifi
- Dog park
Price:
Waterfront sites have no hookups, but interior sites have water and electric. Rates range from $104/night for an interior site to $115/night for a waterfront site.
Photo courtesy Jolly Roger RV Resort
Grassy Key RV Park & Resort – Marathon
You know how fancy resorts go out and “groom” the beach every morning with a rake to keep everything looking pristine? Well Grassy Key does the same thing. They’re known for their attention to detail. The park is meticulously maintained with wide, well-kept gravel roads. They’ve also installed water jets at the marina entrance to keep seaweed out so the whole place looks immaculate.
Although the park is small and quiet, the sites are spacious and they can accommodate big rigs. They’re setup so you can pull in or back in for the best views from your RV. The swimming pool is small, but the water is crystal clear. The park includes a boat dock, kayak launch, clubhouse, beach games and picnic tables.
Two things to be aware of: there’s no swimming from the beach and there are very few trees in the park. Keep that in mind if visiting during summer since the Keys get HOT.
Campground Details:
- No bathhouses (must be self-contained)
- Water, sewer & electric (50 & 30 amp) hookups
- Free wifi at clubhouse (available on most of property)
- Laundry facilities
- Pet friendly
Price:
During peak season (December 15th – April 14th), rates range from $124/night for a standard site to $210/night for a deluxe waterfront site. Those rates drop to $80/night and $165/night respectively during the off season.
Photos courtesy Grassy Key RV Park & Resort
Bahia Honda State Park – Bahia Honda Key
Located just after the Seven Mile Bridge, this 500 acre island is truly heaven on earth. If you drive down from the Upper or Middle Keys, you’ll notice the striking remains of the abandoned Overseas Railroad Bridge. The dramatic view plus the gorgeous white sand beaches make this park one of the most scenic places in the Florida Keys. In fact, it’s often booked up to a year in advance. Ooh, heaven is a place on earth.
Things to do in the park: swimming, kayaking, canoeing, bird watching, stargazing, hiking and biking. Need more? The beaches are perfect for snorkeling, with shallow waters and minimal waves. Be on the lookout for lobsters, nurse sharks and plenty of tropical fish.
The park includes 80 campsites over three different campgrounds:
Buttonwood is the largest campground, suitable for most RVs. All sites have water and electric hookups as well as a picnic table and grill. The sites are gravel-based, so tent campers would be wise to avoid this section. About a dozen of the sites are waterfront and there’s a dump station as well as restrooms with hot showers.
Bayside has a total of eight sites. There’s no electric hookups, but all sites have water, a picnic table and grill. There’s a small restroom, but you’ll need to go half a mile up the road to Buttonwood if you want showers. No vehicles over 6’8” can enter the campground since you must drive under the new Bahia Honda Bridge to access it.
Sandspur has the most desirable sites in the park (64-72). They’re small with low clearance (only tents, pop-ups and campers less than 14 feet long and 8 feet high allowed), but many of them sit right alongside the powder sands of the park’s award-winning beach. All sites have water, a picnic table and grill, and some sites have electric hookups.
Campground details:
- Bathhouses with hot showers
- Some sites have full hookups
- Concession stand & small camp store
- Pet friendly
- Max RV length – 50 ft.
Price:
All sites are $36/night + $6.70 reservation fee.
Boyd’s Key West Campground – Key West
Who rocks the party that rocks the body? Boyd’s rocks the party that rocks the body. The family-owned campground has been celebrating Key West in style since the 1960s. Located right on the waterfront, just a few minutes from Duval Street, Boyd’s is the perfect spot for experiencing all the hustle and bustle of Key West.
This is not a quiet, peaceful campground. No, Boyd’s celebrates the Conch Republic with live music, movie nights, cookouts, ice cream socials and more. The wild roosters won’t let you sleep in either. Party it up in their heated pool, tiki hut or on the campground’s beach.
Sites are close together, as one would expect in the area. But many of them have gorgeous oceanfront views, plus their very own miniature zoos what with all the wild chickens, geckos and iguanas running around. There’s also a game room, marina, boat ramp and convenience store at the campground.
Campground details:
- 4 bathhouses with hot showers
- Water, sewer, electric (30/50 amp) electric and cable hookups
- Free wifi
- Laundry facilities
- Picnic pavilion with grill
- Dump station
Price:
During peak season (December 15th – March 31st) rates range from $75/night for a primitive tent site to $205/night for a waterfront site with full hookups. “In season” (October 15th – December 14th, April 1st – 30th) rates for the same sites go down to $70/night and $180/night respectively. During the off season (May 1st – October 14th) they drop further to $65/night and $150/night respectively.
Photos courtesy Boyd’s Key West Campground
Leo’s Campground – Key West
Looking for cheap? Leo’s is the most affordable campground in Key West. It’s pretty far off the main drag (about a 15 minute drive to Old Town), but it’s right on the bus line so getting around is a breeze. You may think it would be quiet being so far from the action, but it’s right on the highway so there’s a good bit of road noise. Plus, those Key West roosters love waking up all the tourists in the morning.
Leo’s has a total of 49 back-in gravel pad RV sites. They recommend parking at the entrance and walking to your site to determine your approach since you may need to back in from the entrance. All sites have a picnic table and grill, but there’s no bathhouse, so you must be self-contained.
One of the best parts of staying at Leo’s is feeding the wild iguanas. Drop some food in their bowls, ring the bell and watch as they come running.
Campground details:
- Water, sewer & electric hookups
- Laundry facilities
- Dog park
- Free wifi
- Max RV length – 42 feet
Price:
Peak season rates (October 1st – April 30th) are $110/night for an RV site with full hookups. During the off season, sites are $89/night.
Photo courtesy Leo’s Campground
Bluewater Key RV Resort – Key West
Do you like luxurious outdoor spaces with high-end amenities and lush, tropical landscaping? Of course you do, unless you’re some kind of monster. Well, Bluewater is as high end as it gets. All their sites are large (typically 80 feet deep or more) and each comes with a tiki hut and outdoor seating. All sites are individually owned, so you get unique décor and amenities depending on which you choose.
Their waterfront sites have private docks where you can launch your kayak or canoe. Many sites come with outdoor furniture, big screen TVs, refrigerators and other amenities. All sites have shade and privacy. There’s also a community dock, temperature controlled pool and clubhouse.
But here’s what makes the place a true resort. Their staff will show you to your site, assist you with backing in, help with hookups and make sure everything is perfect before leaving you to relax. The gated resort is only about 15 minutes from Key West, close enough to enjoy all the excitement, but far enough away that it stays quiet and peaceful.
Campground details:
- Water, sewer, electric & cable hookups
- Restroom with showers
- Excellent wifi
- Laundry facilities
- Dog park
- Minimum RV Length – 24 feet (yes, minimum)
Price:
Peak season rates (October 1st – April 30th) range from $160-264/night. In the off season, rates drop to $121-237/night.
Photos courtesy Bluewater Key RV Resort
Which Florida Keys Campground is Best?
It depends on whether you prefer the finer things in life – like silk beach towels and solid gold tacos – or you get more jazzed up by stuff like burgers, beers, beets and Battlestar Galactica. Are you more into private cabanas or wild chickens running around your campsite? Choose your own adventure!
*Always confirm rates with the campground directly, as they do change periodically.
P.S. – Looking for fun things to do while you’re in the Florida Keys? Check out our favorite beaches or 42 things to see and do in Key West.
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