Long Key vs Curry Hammock

[floridacamper]

I have reservations for Curry Hammock next week but after reading the reviews on this campground from various sites, it sounds as tho it's not as nice as it once was even tho it's a relatively new campground. I can get in some of the other state campgrounds if I'm willing to split my week up. We have site #9 reserved at Curry Hammock, is there anyone here that can give me any updates on the park. We've camped at all the other State campgrounds down there. Thanks for anything you can add.

[riven1950]

Nanci: I normally fish the gulf side or cuts where bridges are.my gf does not fish so I am alone. After being in the coast guard and also living on a beach for 30 years I am smart enough not to kayak the ocean by myself. Btw I checked with 2 marinas and kayak rental places on the gulf in lk. One would not let me launch ( rental place) and marina wanted 10.00 even if I bought bait there. I said let me out of here.

[floridacamper]

Well I found a cancellation today at Long Key, I cancelled my Curry Hammock. I hope nothing was wrong and that they just changed their minds. I always wonder

[NanciL]

riven1950 wrote:
We were at long key site 18 in March for 14 days. 1st time there. We left after two days and went to a commercial cg,twice the price and twice as much fun. 25 ft TT and we could hardly get the slide out.costant wind and we could practically eat off neighbors table. I wanted to kayak fish but no access except in the ocean. Not impressed with either lk or ch. Give me john p or Bahia Honda anytime over those two. But we are all different.you may love it. I hope you do!!

You "wanted to kayak fish, but no access except in the ocean" !!!!

Where do you normally fish ?

We have 18 foot long kayaks, and we have launched from every site we have had over the years at Long Key

Jack L

[floridacamper]

Thanks but when I called to reserve my Long Key site he told me that the first available date open was in September. I was just hitting the next available date button not noticing that it was in September. Well I guess that settles it unless I find a cancelation between now and this weekend. Site #9 Curry Hammock it is. Thanks for the much needed info.

[riven1950]

We were at long key site 18 in March for 14 days. 1st time there. We left after two days and went to a commercial cg,twice the price and twice as much fun. 25 ft TT and we could hardly get the slide out.costant wind and we could practically eat off neighbors table. I wanted to kayak fish but no access except in the ocean. Not impressed with either lk or ch. Give me john p or Bahia Honda anytime over those two. But we are all different.you may love it. I hope you do!!

[NanciL]

We bounce back and forth between all four state parks during the five winter months, and my take on Curry Hammock is it has the absolute best sites.

With that said, If I had to pick only between Curry Hammock and Long Key, I would take Long Key.

At Curry Hammock for the past three years, one of the shower stalls in both the ladies and mens shower rooms has been out of order vs. a first class one at Long Key
As other above have said, someone sold the state a sorry stinking abortion for the rest rooms at Curry, vs. first class ones at Long Key.

For what it is worth, your site nine at Curry is a good one, and very much wanted during the winter months..

Lastly, you can't beat at Long Key, sitting back in a chair with your feet on the railing looking out over the Atlantic with a Margarita in your hand.

jack L

[floridacamper]

thanks guys

[JoeH]

We go to Curry Hammock 2-3 weeks each year. We were just there for 2 weeks in April. Yes, as mentioned in the prior post, the composting toilets are "interesting"... they do stink. Part of the problem is the internal turning mechanisms are not functioning so a ranger or camp host has to go into the pit and manually mix the stuff up. Of course this is a unpleasant task, so they don't do it as often as they should and the smell can be pretty bad. When we arrived in April, I wasn't able to get into my site due to the encroaching brush so I got the trimmer from the camp host and cleared away enough branches so that we could get into the site. This is the same site we get every year and they just must be getting lazy and not maintaining the sites properly.
If you have a kayak or rent one there, you can go on a nice paddle around the key through the mangroves. Also, right off shore and too the north is a great sand bar to hang out on, especially at low tide. Swimming right off the beach is not great as the bottom is pretty muddy. Right across the street is a nice paved bike path that you can take into Marathon. Plenty of places to shop ,eat,drink in Marathon. Sparky's Landing has a great happy hour.
I can't compare to Long Key as we've never stayed there, only dove thru once or twice to check it out.

[fla-gypsy]

55 looks bigger on Campsitephoto.com but 15 looks shadier/narrow.

Site 55

Site 15

Been several years since I was there.

Heading over to Rainbow Springs on July 10 for a week.

[floridacamper]

fla-gypsy wrote:
The bathrooms are too eco friendly, fancy composting toilets but you wouldn't know it without going in one and using it. Not my preference at all. Like all FSP's they are on this insane idea to return them as close to possible to their original natural state which means no mowing, no insect control, etc. The lack of shade can be brutal if it's hot. The swimming area was lousy, Long key was much more enjoyable in my estimation. Neither have sewer hook ups so that can create issues. Pennekamp upgraded to FHU a few years ago and the photos look nice. If I had to pick one it would be Pennekamp or Long Key.

What cha think site #15 or #55 at Long Key would be better. It looks like #15 might have a little shade but it's closer to the road and road noise. #55 is larger and further away from the road and looks closer to the bathhouses. Looks like it has the shade from one palm tree lol

[fla-gypsy]

The bathrooms are too eco friendly, fancy composting toilets but you wouldn't know it without going in one and using it. Not my preference at all. Like all FSP's they are on this insane idea to return them as close to possible to their original natural state which means no mowing, no insect control, etc. The lack of shade can be brutal if it's hot. The swimming area was lousy, Long key was much more enjoyable in my estimation. Neither have sewer hook ups so that can create issues. Pennekamp upgraded to FHU a few years ago and the photos look nice. If I had to pick one it would be Pennekamp or Long Key.

[floridacamper]

fla-gypsy wrote:
Been a few years since I was down there but the CG was nice when I was there. The swimming area wasn't great and the CG management was a little anal about some things but the CG was in good order. I have to admit I liked Long Key better as it was a more rustic laid back atmosphere with better water views. There is no shade to speak of and the brush blocks most of the water views from campsites.

Thanks gypsy, that's basically what I've reading except they are saying the bathrooms are being neglected and the toilets are the more eco-friendly with no water flush. Seems like that might could be a problem as hot as it is. Altho I've been watching and its been a little cooler there than where you and I are at. Ive read that site #2 is the only site that has a water view now cause they have not cut back any of the brush. Seems like there would be no breeze at all, I don't know.

[fla-gypsy]

Been a few years since I was down there but the CG was nice when I was there. The swimming area wasn't great and the CG management was a little anal about some things but the CG was in good order. I have to admit I liked Long Key better as it was a more rustic laid back atmosphere with better water views. There is no shade to speak of and the brush blocks most of the water views from campsites.