Florida Keys Camping: Tent and RV Options, Booking Order and a Five-Day Route

This is a camping route through the Keys. For a hotel-based week connecting Everglades, Biscayne and Dry Tortugas, use our separate Florida national parks itinerary. Adding those three parks to the four camping nights below would change both the booking order and the time you need.

A listing for an RV site does not tell you whether your trailer can negotiate the access road. A waterfront tent site does not tell you whether you can park beside it, use electricity or reach a shower without driving. Start with the practical requirements that could rule a site out.

Write down your vehicle height, camping-unit length, tow-vehicle arrangement, tent footprint, electrical needs and whether you need sewer at the site. For a rental, obtain the actual dimensions before choosing a restricted campground. Include roof accessories when checking height, and use the operator's specified method for measuring length.

Campground suitability, checked October 30, 2026. These are facilities, not available-site counts.

For tent campers

Decide whether you need power or would prefer a simpler campsite. Then compare the surface, usable tent area, exposure, bathroom access and the effort of moving equipment from the car. A small tent and a large family tent can have very different site requirements.

At Curry Hammock, the park specifically identifies tent pads on sites 1, 2, 4 through 9, 20, 22 through 25, and 27. Those are useful candidates to inspect first, although the park says all its campsites accept tents. Do not infer vacancy from that list. [5]

For RVs, trailers and taller campervans

Screen access restrictions before comparing views. Buttonwood, Sandspur and Bayside are distinct camping areas, and a reservation in one does not authorize a move into another. A suitable pad also needs enough room for your actual setup, including slides and the tow vehicle.

Ask about the service you will use: electrical connection, sewer at the site or dump-station access, fresh-water filling, and the current condition of facilities. A listed utility fee is a charge, not evidence that every campsite has a sewer connection.

If you have children and a larger rig, the equipment and overnight-planning questions in our family RV camping guide also apply here. Keep the Florida campground rules and local conditions as the authority for this trip.

Check three things in order: is the relevant camping area operating, does a particular site suit you, and is that site available on your dates? A general park page can answer the first two only partly. The last requires the reservation system or the campground itself.

The notices below change this itinerary (observed October 30, 2026).

These are dated checks, not an all-clear for future travel. In the week before departure, open the park's current notice, your specific reservation and the local forecast again. If a page and booking screen disagree, contact the park before treating either as a confirmed overnight arrangement.

Use the right Florida state-park reservation window

Florida residents may reserve campsites and cabins up to 11 months before arrival; non-Florida residents have a 10-month window. Canadian visitors use the non-Florida window unless they qualify as Florida residents under the booking system's requirements. New inventory is released daily at 8 a.m. Eastern Time; cancellations may return throughout the day. [11] [12]

Do not use an isolated “11 months” sentence on a park amenities page as the rule for every traveler. Create the official reservation account early, verify the residency requirements and check the arrival date you actually want. If planning winter travel shortly after this article's October 2026 research date, the normal release window has already passed for much of that winter. You will be looking for remaining inventory or cancellations, or changing the route.

1. Agree on acceptable dates and equipment. Identify two or three usable camping areas and the site restrictions that matter. Check flights or driving commitments without assuming campsites exist.
2. Search the least flexible overnight block first. If two Bahia Honda nights are essential, test those dates before building the rest of the holiday. If your Upper Keys dates are fixed instead, begin there.
3. Check that the other block connects. Two isolated reservations with an uncovered night between them do not form a complete route. Make sure the travel day works before committing to restrictive purchases.
4. Reserve all overnight stays through the actual provider. Read the campsite category, equipment limits, occupants, dates and total charge on each confirmation. A search result or request form is not a confirmation.
5. Arrange transport and activities around the confirmed nights. Check the vehicle contract and camping-equipment plan, then reserve the reef excursion on your full Key Largo day.
6. Record deadlines while you still have choices. Note the cancellation deadline, late-arrival instructions, check-in time and how to contact the provider.

Understand changes, cancellations and split reservations

The state-park policy lists a $6.70 reservation fee, a $10 change fee and a $17.75 cancellation fee. An arrival-day cancellation also incurs the first night's use fee. Reservations extending beyond the booking window have additional restrictions; do not assume the usual change process applies immediately. Read the complete policy attached to your booking. [11]

Every extra reservation can add both fees and coordination. For example, four separately reserved single nights may require four confirmations, multiple campsite moves and separate cancellation charges. Compare that with two continuous two-night stays before deciding the cheaper nightly site is the better trip.

Private properties follow their own terms. Boyd's currently lists a four-night minimum during Fantasy Fest and Christmas/New Year's, with weekly stays potentially required for some peak-season categories. That can rule out a two-night substitution. Sugarloaf KOA's published RV/tent cancellation deadline is seven days before arrival by 4 p.m., with a $20 cancellation charge; holidays can have different conditions. Check your actual rate and dates. [13] [14]

Plan the arrival, too

State-park campsite check-in is generally 3 p.m. and checkout 1 p.m. If arriving after sunset, the published instruction is to call the park before 5 p.m. local time for gate access. Private campground times differ. Keep the confirmation accessible even if mobile service is inconvenient. [11]

Leave the first evening for setting up, eating and checking the next day's departure point. A late flight followed by a rental handover, supermarket stop and unfamiliar campsite is enough work without a timed activity.

The route assumes four confirmed nights: two at John Pennekamp, followed by two at a suitable Bahia Honda site. Its activity blocks are recommendations, not fixed operating schedules. Distances and base driving times come from a route model; the longer daily allowances leave room for ordinary traffic, but cannot absorb every road disruption.

Driving between selected reference points, before local errands, parking and sightseeing:

Model total: approximately 322 miles / 518 km and 8 hours 19 minutes. This is a passenger-car route calculation, not live traffic, an RV clearance check or a whole-trip odometer estimate. Add meal stops, camping tasks and any extra activities separately.

The figures come from the OSRM public driving service with OpenStreetMap data, summed before rounding. The Miami airport area and Key West endpoints are editorial reference points (near the rental-car area and in the southern part of the city), not individual campsite entrances or parking instructions, so use your actual pickup or hotel. The routing does not model live congestion, access permission for a particular rig, campground circulation, stop duration or the effects of a closure. The suggested driving allowances are editorial judgments. [15]

Day 1: Reach Key Largo and establish camp

Begin with the vehicle, gear and essential supplies ready in the Miami area. Drive to John Pennekamp, allowing two to two-and-a-half hours for the road leg. If you still need rental collection or a large grocery shop, give those their own time blocks before departure.

Arrive around or after the campsite's check-in time. Set up the sleeping area first, then organize drinking water, food storage and lighting. This is a useful afternoon to discover whether the tent stakes suit the campsite surface or the RV connection needs an adapter.

If daylight and energy allow, take a short walk in an open day-use area and locate the concession check-in point for tomorrow. Eat early and keep the evening flexible. There is no need to turn the first night into a second travel day by continuing south for dinner.

Sleep: John Pennekamp. Priority: a settled campsite and a confirmed Day 2 plan.

Day 2: Choose a reef excursion or a slower park day

Use the full day in Key Largo for the activity that brought you here. The park's concession lists snorkeling trips of approximately two-and-a-half hours, with reservations confirmed in person at least one hour before departure. A suitable morning sailing therefore needs roughly a four-hour block once check-in and transition time are included. Check the actual departure offered on your date. [16]

Before paying, ask about swimming ability, minimum ages, supervision, equipment, accessibility and the conditions under which the operator cancels. A boat ride to a reef is different from stepping into shallow water beside a campground, and neither a sunny forecast nor an available ticket establishes that the activity suits every traveler.

After lunch, leave two or three hours uncommitted. Rest at camp, explore an open short trail, or choose another low-effort park activity. Avoid buying a second timed water excursion that would make the day expensive and difficult to change.

If snorkeling does not suit the group, investigate the concession's glass-bottom boat option or stay with the park's land-based facilities. A glass-bottom boat remains a boat trip and can also be affected by weather. The park describes a visitor center with aquariums and short nature trails; verify access that day. [8]

Sleep: John Pennekamp again. Weather alternative: open indoor facilities, a meal and rest, with outdoor time only if conditions permit.

Day 3: Move camp to Bahia Honda

Have breakfast and begin packing in the morning. Allow time to dry or contain wet gear, clear the site and, for an RV, handle the dump station if needed. A departure around 10 a.m. is a useful target, not a requirement to rush.

Allow two to two-and-a-half hours of driving to Bahia Honda, plus about an hour for lunch and supplies near Marathon. Add a brief scenic stop only when there is appropriate legal parking for your vehicle and the day is moving comfortably. There is no need to force a long activity into the gap before check-in.

After setting up the second camp, use the remaining afternoon for a beach visit or the Old Bahia Honda Bridge trail when open. The trail provides a compact way to see the island setting without another substantial drive. Keep swimming optional and respond to posted conditions. [4]

Sleep: Bahia Honda. Priority: complete the camp move with daylight remaining.

Day 4: Key West, or a full day in the Lower Keys

For the Key West version, leave around 8:30 a.m. and budget roughly 75 to 90 minutes each way for driving. Set aside separate time to park and walk. Choose one substantial visit, lunch and an unhurried walk rather than attempting every landmark.

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park provides a fort, shoreline and grounds for a combined history-and-outdoors visit. Confirm parking and access for your vehicle before committing. A motorhome traveler without a separate car should solve that problem before departure, not after reaching a narrow city street. [17]

Plan to leave Key West in midafternoon if you want to cook and relax at camp. Watching a city sunset means a later drive and dinner; make that an explicit choice rather than an accidental end to the day.

For the slower version, keep the day around Bahia Honda. Use open beach areas and short walks, with a concession activity only if the conditions, participants and booking terms fit. Skipping Key West removes approximately 73 modeled driving miles and just over two hours behind the wheel, before parking and traffic allowances.

Do not treat a Dry Tortugas visit as a casual addition to this day. It requires separate transport and a much earlier, longer schedule. Our Florida national parks guide shows how to build a trip around that excursion.

Sleep: Bahia Honda again. Decision: city day or another day outdoors near camp.

Day 5: Return to Miami with a proper travel margin

Pack up after breakfast and aim to depart around 9 a.m. Reserve four to five hours for driving and another hour or two for meals, fuel and breaks. From that departure, a reasonable planning target is the Miami area in mid-to-late afternoon, subject to traffic and road conditions.

This is a travel day. It does not also contain a full Everglades visit, a reef trip or a dependable airport connection. If flying home, add rental return and the airline's required check-in margin after the road journey. An airport-area night before a morning flight is the more forgiving arrangement.

End: Miami area. Additional cost if needed: a hotel night and changed vehicle-rental duration.

Keep the purpose of each base in view. The first supports a Key Largo day; the second supports either the Middle and Lower Keys or closer access to Key West. Moving a campsite changes the drive before and after it, even if the activity names stay the same.

Replace Bahia Honda with Curry Hammock

Two Curry Hammock nights can preserve the overall five-day structure. The transfer from Pennekamp becomes shorter, and the return to Miami also shortens. The tradeoff falls on the Key West day.

Calculated effect of changing the second base:

The useful comparison is the shape of each day. The whole route is about 322 miles with Bahia Honda and 323 miles with Curry Hammock, because both versions still reach Key West and return to Miami. Yet Curry Hammock adds about 39 miles and an hour of modeled driving to the Key West outing. Similar total mileage can conceal a very different holiday. [15]

If you choose Curry Hammock, consider using Day 4 locally instead. Allow time for open shoreline areas and a suitable paddle or walk, with conditions checked separately. Its nature-trail parking is about a mile south of the main entrance, so confirm where to start rather than assuming every activity leaves from camp. [5]

Use a private campground nearer Key West

Sugarloaf KOA or Boyd's may suit the Lower Keys portion, but neither is a guaranteed vacancy or a price-equivalent replacement. Obtain a quote for the correct equipment, occupants and dates, then check minimum stays, taxes, additional charges and cancellation terms.

If a property requires four nights and you have only four camping nights in total, it changes the trip. You could spend the entire stay there and concentrate on the Lower Keys, or choose different dates or accommodation. Do not keep a two-base itinerary on paper after buying a one-base stay.

Mix camping and lodging, or reduce the route

When Pennekamp is unavailable, a Key Largo room for the first two nights can preserve the activity order while leaving two camping nights farther south. Confirm overnight parking for an RV or trailer and safe storage for equipment before booking a room.

Another option is to choose one available camping base and shorten the geographic scope. Four nights in the Upper Keys can support a satisfying camping holiday without the Key West drive. Four nights farther south work best when you accept that Key Largo reef activities may belong on a later trip.

For cancellation searches and alternative accommodation checks, use our sold-out campground guide. Florida State Parks does not allow dispersed camping or overnight stays in its day-use parking lots, so a parking space is not a fallback campsite. [12]

The current fee pages for John Pennekamp, Bahia Honda and Curry Hammock each list $36 per campsite per night, plus tax, with a $6.70 reservation fee. RV camping also incurs a $7 nightly utility fee; that fee does not apply to tent camping. Treat these as published baseline charges checked October 30, 2026, and replace them with the complete checkout price. [18] [19] [20]

For four nights under two reservations, that produces $157.40 before tax for tent camping, or $185.40 before tax for RV camping: four times $36, plus two times $6.70, with four times $7 added for the RV. Extra site changes or separate reservation numbers can change the total.

Worked five-day budget for two adults with their own equipment and vehicle. Allowances are assumptions, not live quotes.

Excluded: flights, rental vehicle or RV, rental coverage, equipment purchases or hire, the journey to Miami, airport hotels, pet care and private-campground upgrades. The fuel allowance has only a modest margin above the modeled route. Replace it if you add substantial local driving or tow with a less efficient vehicle.

The Pennekamp concession currently lists a $49.95 adult snorkeling fare, with some equipment charged separately and prices subject to change. Two base fares total $99.90, but that is not an all-in activity quote. The budget uses a larger assumed allowance so equipment, tax and the actual product can be entered explicitly. [16]

For a private-campground substitution, calculate the complete new stay minus the state-park stay it replaces. For example, if a two-night private stay were quoted at $320 all-in, compare that with the final taxed total of the two nights you would remove, not with the whole four-night camping budget. The $320 is only a calculation example.

Canadian travelers should keep the working budget in USD, then convert using their card or bank's applicable rate and fees when paying. There is no assumed exchange rate here. Our camping road-trip budget guide helps organize the additional categories.

The National Weather Service describes December through April as the Florida Keys' dry season, June through October as the wet season, and May and November as transition months. That gives tent campers a useful starting point, but seasonal averages do not predict the weather for a particular night or reef trip. [21]

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. Use the National Weather Service Key West forecast and marine guidance, then follow campground and local emergency instructions. A general weather app icon does not answer whether a specific boat trip, paddle or campsite should be used. [22] [23]

Plan separately for wind, tidal flooding and evacuation

Wind or unsuitable sea conditions: contact the activity operator and follow its instructions. A cancelled snorkeling trip can become an open indoor visit, a meal and a quiet day at camp, provided the wider area remains suitable for travel. Do not assume that a smaller rental kayak is a safe substitute for a cancelled boat.

Tidal flooding: check local advisories even when heavy rain is absent. The NWS explains that the Keys' low elevation and porous limestone can allow coastal water to reach areas that are not immediately beside the shoreline. Long Key's current warning is one reason to keep operating status separate from the weather at your departure point. [24]

Evacuation or a wider closure: change the travel plan itself. Monroe County advises leaving when instructed, choosing a destination before taking the road and fueling early. Identify a mainland place you could go, include pets in that plan, and keep essential documents and medication accessible. Refund questions can be resolved with providers after the immediate travel decision. [25]

Use the full camping checklist for the basics, then adapt it to this route. The useful additions are the items that help you live comfortably on the chosen site and change plans without rebuilding the whole holiday.

• For a tent: a complete rainfly, a footprint that stays within the tent floor, appropriate stakes and permitted anchoring, insect protection, and a way to separate wet equipment from bedding.
• For exposed daytime areas: drinking water, sun protection and shade where allowed. Bahia Honda warns that natural shade is limited on its beaches. Secure or remove loose equipment as conditions require. [9]
• For an RV: the correct electrical connection, water equipment, waste arrangements, actual dimensions and a plan for the tow vehicle. Confirm utility compatibility before arrival.
• For the road: fuel margin, accessible booking confirmations, the campground's late-arrival instructions and independently prepared navigation.
• For activities: suitable footwear, water-activity equipment required by the operator and a dry change of clothes. Check what is included before renting or buying duplicates.

Traveling with a dog changes the activity plan

A pet-friendly campsite does not make every beach or excursion pet-friendly. Bahia Honda prohibits pets on its beaches and states that they must not be left unattended. If everyone wants the same reef trip or beach visit, arrange suitable pet care or divide the activities before booking. [4]

Private campgrounds have their own pet policies and accommodation-specific restrictions. Confirm the policy for your actual animal and site type, not just the word “pet-friendly” on a homepage. The state's general pet policy is useful background, but a park's more specific instructions still need to be checked. [26]

Describe the trip to Xavier in plain language: your starting point, dates, group size, budget and vehicle, plus any stops you already want. Xavier confirms a trip brief, then builds your Xpedition one day at a time, with stops and driving legs on an interactive map. Book permits, campsites, transport and tours with the providers yourself. Xavier does not book anything on your behalf and does not check live availability, permits or road conditions, so confirm those with the operator. Plan this trip with Xavier. Without an account you can confirm a trip brief and build Day 1; a free account builds and saves the whole trip. For what the paid plan adds, see Xplorer Pro vs Free: what you get.

A workable first Florida Keys camping trip comes down to four confirmed nights: two at John Pennekamp and two at a Bahia Honda site that fits your rig, with Curry Hammock as the fallback. Keep Long Key out of the overnight plan until its reopening is verified, book the least flexible block first, and recheck the park notices and your reservation terms in the week before you leave. Then leave a proper margin for the move between camps and the drive back to Miami.

Choosing a base camp and checking road access is the same job on another coast in Big Sur Camping: Choose a Base Camp and Check Highway 1 Access, and an overnight on a remote island beyond Key West is covered in Dry Tortugas Camping: Book Camper Transport First, Then Build the Trip.

All sources accessed October 30, 2026. Check current notices and the terms attached to your reservation again before travel.

1. Florida State Parks: Long Key. Current construction and tidal-flooding notices.
2. John Pennekamp experiences and amenities. Campsites, electrical service and RV dimensions.
3. Florida State Parks: camping. Full-facility tent and RV camping.
4. Bahia Honda experiences and amenities. Camping areas, access constraints, remodeling notice and pet rules.
5. Curry Hammock experiences and amenities. Tent pads, utilities, facilities and trail access.
6. Sugarloaf Key / Key West KOA Resort. Operator description of tent and RV site categories.
7. Boyd's Key West Campground and ways to stay. Operator's campsite descriptions.
8. John Pennekamp official park page. July 22 construction notice and park activities.
9. Bahia Honda official park page. Capacity, shade and visitor information.
10. Curry Hammock official park page. Operating information and location.
11. Florida State Parks reservation information. Booking windows, fees, changes, cancellations and arrival rules. Use the official reservation service for live inventory and checkout.
12. Florida State Parks FAQs. Residency windows, inventory release and overnight parking rules.
13. Boyd's FAQs and policies. Minimum stays, deposits, site categories and cancellation conditions.
14. Sugarloaf KOA general information. Local cancellation policy, arrival times and exceptions.
15. OSRM route-service documentation and OpenStreetMap attribution. Original route calculations using the reference points in this guide, retrieved October 30, 2026.
16. Coral Reef Park Company: Pennekamp snorkeling tours. Published duration, check-in instruction, adult fare and equipment charges.
17. Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park. Fort, shoreline and visitor information.
18. John Pennekamp hours and fees. Published camping and utility charges.
19. Bahia Honda hours and fees. Published camping and utility charges.
20. Curry Hammock hours and fees. Published camping and utility charges.
21. National Weather Service: Florida Keys climatology. Seasonal rainfall context.
22. National Weather Service: hurricane safety. Atlantic hurricane-season dates.
23. National Weather Service Key West: marine weather. Forecast and briefing resources.
24. National Weather Service: coastal flooding in the Florida Keys. Tides, low terrain and porous limestone.
25. Monroe County evacuation information. Official preparation and evacuation guidance.
26. Florida State Parks pet policy. General rules to check alongside park-specific restrictions.