Florida Keys

[wrushing]

Hello, planning to travel to Fla Keys late Feb/early Mar - want to try several locations, i.e., Largo, Marathon, Key West -- any advice on good parks would be appreciated. Also, is it difficult driving? Will be travelling from Montgomery, Alabama area. Thanks!

[deewhite0612]

Stayed at Sunshine Key for 2 weeks in February. It was wonderful! Close e ought to Key West for a few visits and on its own island.

[retispcsi]

We spent the first week of June this year in the Keys. My recommendation is that you stay on Marathon Key or one of the other middle keys. Traveling around is a whole lot easier as the drive to Key West could be an hour or more. In season it could be more. There is a lot to see and do all over the Keys. We stayed at Grassy Key a private park and Curry Hammock a State Park. The state parks are the better deal as prices are only around $36, half of that if you are a Fla. resident over 65 or disabled. I had no problem booking for June. Now for snowbird season say Oct to April it will be tough to find a spot in a state park. Private parks will have openings but expect to pay more. Log on Fla. state parks and check out the reservation page and see if any of that works out for you. Remember if you have never been down there a large part of the roadway is two lane and travel sometimes can take a little while and if there is an accident well just be warned. Have fun.

[dcason]

My personnel preference is for not staying in Key largo...not my favorite.

Marathon or any of the other state parks. Good luck getting a reservation though...very difficult at best unless it is may or beyond. Don't even think about overnighting in the keys because you will get to pay a $100 fine. We've been to Sunshine key and they pack them close...like and apartment house for campers. We have stayed in Jolly Roger travel park and liked that one better because it is smaller yet still convenient enough to Marathon.

Figure you are going to pay $75 to maybe $100 per night...yikes!
Donna

[ed6713]

atlin wrote:
Without reservations, what months could one do the Keys, using the Florida State Parks? Thanks.......

May through November.

Ed

[cjoseph]

You will find lots of 3-day openings mid-week. Many of the reservations that lock up the Keys state parks are on weekends only.

If the private CGs will rent and have weekends open, you could do a combination of the two.

I've tracked it from time to time because we've thought about parking the MH on the Navy base in Key West and doing a couple week nights in our tent at an ocean-front site during our next trip.

[NCWriter]

atlin wrote:
Without reservations, what months could one do the Keys, using the Florida State Parks? Thanks.......

In the autumn months (hurricane season) you might be able to do that, based on a chat with Bahia Honda's park manager ranger last winter. He said "the only trouble with BH is you can't get in," but added that there can be sites open in the fall.

I usually see Keys SP space on the res system starting around April after spring break but before school lets out. Not sure how long they stay unsold. I've also seen sites available in early December, after the Thanksgiving weekend up to about mid December.

Also, I believe John Pennekamp SP up in Key Largo now holds a batch of sites for walk-ins only, no res accepted.

[Klueck]

ed6713 wrote:
By far, the very best campgrounds in the Keys are the Florida State Parks.

http://www.floridastateparks.org/


But. You need to reserve now if you hope to get into any of them during the tourist season.

ed

You can only make reservations 11 months early and GOOD luck getting one in the Keys,even then. Now, the only state park reservation you'll get is if someone canceled and you happened to get lucky.

Sunshine Key is another one. It depends what you like.

Bluewater is very nice, but very expensive.

If you're ex military they have a nice CG on Key West.

[mguay]

WMMitchell81554 wrote:
Blue Water Key. Don't miss it. WWW.Bluewaterkey.net At mile mark 14. Close enough to be convenient but far enough away to be quiet. Still my favorite “campground”.

X2

Have also stayed at Boyds and call it second best!

[Parrothead_Mike]

We stayed in Marathon at Knight's Key last February. I didn't make reservations until December. Marathon was a good area to stay for visiting the Keys. It's only 47 miles to Key West.

Here is an RV Parks Review.com listing for Marathon. Check out the different RV parks for yourself.

http://www.rvparkreviews.com/regions/Florida/Marathon.html

[atlin]

Without reservations, what months could one do the Keys, using the Florida State Parks? Thanks.......

[ed6713]

By far, the very best campgrounds in the Keys are the Florida State Parks.

http://www.floridastateparks.org/


But. You need to reserve now if you hope to get into any of them during the tourist season.

ed

[JW_of_Opechee_S]

X2 on the reservations being a must. You will be there a peak season and expect a lot of company on the roads.

[Dixiechick]

We stayed at King's Kamp in Key Largo one Christmas week and we really enjoyed our stay. It is an older park with some permanent trailers and everyone was very friendly. The permanent residents came around to each site Christmas Eve evening singing Christmas carols! If you have a boat bring it-there is a boat launch right in the park.

In Key West we stayed at Boyd's on Stock Island. The sites are tight and the neighborhood is somewhat shaky but we would return if in the area. The campground is beautifully landscaped, the pool area has piped in music and there are coconuts everywhere. Grab one, write an address on it and mail it to some friends back home.

[Jack_Diane_Free]

Late February early March is high season. Make your reservations now if you can. You may already be too late.