Best Cabin Camping near Everglades National Park

We stayed thirteen nights at this park.  We really enjoyed the stay and recommend.  The campsites are mostly nice.  There are a lot of seasonal campers and it seems those sites are nicer.  The sites closer to the cabin area are closer together.  I wouldn't recommend this campsite for actual campsite, but rather the excellent location and fun activities and amenities of the park.  

The park has lots to do and while dated, it is kept in good shape.  The pool is lovely with lounge chairs, palm trees and a tropical feel.  They have a hot tub, too.  Everything clean and had a resort-feel.  There are an abundance of activities: pickle ball, shuffleboard, a nice mini-golf course, walking trail, clubhouse, fire pits and large open grassy space.

We have two active dogs and they have a huge field where we were able to run our dogs off-leash and chase the frisbee.  I am not sure if it is allowed, but there were others as well so seemed okay.  This was a real benefit when camping with pets that like to run.  

The park is in a beautiful, agricultural area in the town of Redlands.  It is very tropical with farms, nurseries and lots of tropical fruit stands and interesting parks.  It feels rural but it is close enough to town to go to the Miami beaches or other activities.  If you go, check out all the agricultural farms, the Fruit and Spice stand, the 'Robert is Here' fruit stand and the Knaups Berry Farm for world class cinnamon rolls.  The lines were too long for us to wait, but we heard they were the best.

This is one of the most friendly parks I have stayed.  We were there on Christmas and New Years and had a total blast.  They had music, karaoke, dancing and potluck dinners. The staff was nice too, we met Jason who was super helpful.  My friend flew in to visit and she rented one of their deluxe cabins.  It was really nice, with a fireplace, fenced patio, loft, kitchen.  The entire experience at this resort was enjoyable and felt like being at camp.  Highly recommend a visit.

If you truly like camping with space to breath, then this resort may not be for you. These sites are so close together there is little privacy. Lots of regulars and full-timers. Covid has forced some changes but the amenities are nice, when they work. On several occasions our water went out (in the middle of a shower and another time during dinner prep, and yet again while doing laundry!) Cable also went out several times. WiFi very expensive and even the guest hotspot at the club house was spotty at best. Lots of kids in the hot tub and the pool, if you could even get in. It’s a huge pool but they only let 20 in at a time.  Location seemed far away from everything. Lots of driving. I would not have stayed there so long had I been paying full price. Upon arrival with numerous sites available, they put us in a spot almost on top of the sewage dump and dumpsters. We would have been eating on top of my neighbors sewage hose. It was so gross, it should not have even been a site. After returning three times to say we just couldn’t be in that spot for two weeks, they finally conceded and gave us a 50 amp site, which was a little larger and better located. She explained I would have to go and get a 30/50 amp converter connection. When I got to the site I was pleasantly surprised to find both 30 and 50 hookups. The saving grace for us was the owners of two RVs to our right were not there, otherwise we would have known way too much about them after 2 weeks.

We got to the front gate of Everglades National Park and drove another 38 miles until we got to Flamingo Campground! It is a long, long drive!! Between hiking, biking, canoeing, and attending educational programs given by different park rangers, we had a busy week! Everglades National Park is the first national park especially designated for it's ecosystem. It's over 1.5 million acres and is the 3rd largest National Park in the lower 48 states. It has been named an International Biosphere Reserve, World Heritage Site, and a Wetland of International Importance. There are only two other locations in the world that are on all three lists!

I gave this campground 5 stars because it feels so different than the rest of the Campgrounds available in Big Cypress Reserve and Everglades National Park. 

Trail Lakes is a proper campground which is staffed and gated just off of Hwy 41 (Alligator Alley) on the west side in Ochopee. It's open all year long. 

For me, visiting in the off season, it felt nice to have the structure of the campground. Most of the other campgrounds I visited along 41 between Naples and Miami were completely empty of people, but full of signs warning campers of Panthers and alligators - and even bears. I had no idea Florida had bears. I didn't want to camp alone, so I loved that this campground had staff and a few other guests who might notice f I got eaten.

The campground is open all year long, and has a small store in the camp office. 

The campground is built in several loops around a couple of lakes and has space for RV's and tents. If also offers cabins and some screened in open air huts (which I didn't stay in but they looked really cool). You could buy ice and firewood, as well as rent kayaks if you dared to boat through alligator swamps.

There's not much in Ochopee, so stock up when you leave Miaimi or Naples (depending which way you drive). There are a few things available at the campground store.  There is a mini post office in Ochopee which is worth stopping for a photo opp. The airboat tours which are everywhere along the highway here are definitely worth it. 

You can get their latest pricing for all their sites and cabins at www.evergladescamping.net

The people are nice and the park clean. The sites are close together, I suppose to allow for many seasonal residents.

However, this park is located in an area where exotic fruit trees grow and many ornamental wholesale growers are. Dragon fruit, Mangos, Avocados and others.

An easy drive to visit the Everglades National Park and the Biscayne National Park.

This camp site is in such a fantastic area of the Everglades National Park. You have a great facility with bathrooms, running water and showers. Beautiful sunrises and sunsets everyday, with the ocean breezes and waves crashing on the rocks. Several wildlife to observe and photograph. The whole family enjoyed this camp site my daughters ages 7 and 11 both enjoyed themselves. We can’t wait to go back and enjoy nature!

We did not have enough time to do everything we would have liked. Flamingo Adventures is about as far away as you can get from the rat race. They have eco tents, dry camping and hook ups. You can camp in the open grassy tent field by the bay, or in one of the campgrounds with hook ups for RVs. When the FHU sites fill there are still lots of dry sites available. They have clean bathrooms with showers. Some have solar heated water and some don’t. We stayed in the dry area and heard a lot of generator noise but most were considerate. The marina and store are an easy bike ride along a path that follows the waterfront. Manatee activities are in the canal and marina. There are many side trips along the very long ride from the visitors center at the entrance to Everglades National Park to Flamingo. They were working on many new and updated amenities: visitor center, conference center and lodging. Crocodiles can be seen in and around marina. Many friendly people everywhere; staff, rangers and visitors.

This is one of three options to "camp" in this part of Everglades National Park (the other two are RV sites and a large grassy area for tent camping (only open during the winter months). The 20 Eco tents provide a change of pace to regular camping, and they are nicely appointed, but they are a bit of a splurge (over$100 with tax). 

Each tent has full deck flooring and comes equipped with a double or queen bed with bedding (November– April only), a fan, 110 outlets, towels, two chairs/small round tables, and shelving with baskets. You can enjoy at least a partial view of Florida Bay from each tent.

The Eco tents have their own “private” bathroom/shower separate from the public restroom and it was clean. Unlike the bathrooms at Long Pine Key campground, there is a handicap-accessible stall. Towels are provided in the tents. 

Cooking or food of ANY KIND is not allowed in the tents as it would attract bugs and other wildlife. There are picnic tables/fire pits by the parking lot for cooking/eating but it was very windy when we arrived, so we just ate cold food in our van. All food must stay in your vehicle. You are also not allowed to use bug spray in the tent due to the flammable nature of the spray. Other rules include no music in the campground or tents. 

We were there shortly before the winter season so there were not as many options for recreation available. There are hiking trails and you can rent canoes or kayaks. Other boat tours are available, but we didn’t take advantage of any of these, preferring instead to take photos of birds and walk the short Anhinga Trail (closer to the northern entrance to the park). 

Both the sunsets and the sunrises are spectacular (if you can stand the mosquito assault!)

It’s true what they say: don’t visit the Everglades during wet season.

We thought we would miss the worst of the mosquitoes in mid-November, but they were still in full-swing when we spent five days here.

Since we were also visiting Dry Tortugas, Biscayne, and Big Cypress while we were down in southern Florida, we had a lot of time to camp in the area. We camped at Long Pine Key, Flamingo, at a private campground up in Chokoloskee, and at a private campground outside of Miami. For a beautiful, scenic campground experience with access to some of the best wildlife in the park, we enjoyed our time at Flamingo.

Trying to separate our positive experiences from the hoards of mosquitos that we had to fight off each night getting into our tent is difficult, but visiting the campground in the dry season (December to May) should be a lot different.

Upsides of camping at Flamingo include a free shower (in a national park?! What?!), pretty sites with palm trees, incredible wildlife (we saw osprey, a manatee, a crocodile, and so many birds near Flamingo), and the experience of being deep inside Everglades National Park.

The biggest downside (in November) was the mosquitos. Also, Long Pine Key offers closer access to some of the more popular spots in Everglades, as well as easier access to non-park activities (like stopping at Robert is Here for a smoothie - a must-do!)

Our five days at Everglades were full: we attended several ranger programs (we especially liked the talks at the Anhinga Trail), Cole tried his hand at slough-slogging (wading in murky water up to your waist? Not for me), we hiked as many trails as we could, and we kayaked the Nine Mile Pond canoe trail.

You can read much more about our five days in the park on our blog: Switchback Kids (Everglades)

Great spot, secluded in nature. Instantly felt peaceful and happy upon arrival. Excited to be here for 2 days!!

Update after the trip: loved this campground. Slept in my hammock for 2 days while my buddy was in the cabin. Quiet area. Beautiful stars at night. Very friendly hosts and on-site services such as wood delivery at all times!

There won't be much space between you and your neighbors, but let's be honest: if you're staying at this small island park, you're probably spending most of your time on the water. You can rent boat slips or launch a kayak; rent one if you don't have your own. Pick up your fishing supplies at the office. The historic Smallwood store is just a little farther down the road. There's 1 designated tent site, several RV sites, and a number of permanent residents. If you don't have your own RV, they have RVs and cabins for rent.

The park has bathrooms, a small playground, chickee for lounging outdoors, with a fire pit nearby, and  a pavilion for gathering with friends and family. 

Explore the mangroves, take an airboat tour our of Everglades City, or explore other areas of the Everglades. Naples is your best shopping source. There are restaurants in Everglades City.

If you can beat the bugs, stargaze and enjoy the sunrise. But take the bug seriously. Even in late January the mosquitoes or vicious. You'll want insect repellent long sleeve long pants and maybe even a mosquito net when you are out and about.

Flamingo Everglades is the concessionaire that operates this campground and the nearby marina. The campground is arranged into 2 loops (one for trailers; about half of them with electric) plus a bayside field area that also includes a group tent site. For these, you park and walk to your site, but you get a great view of the bay and sunrises. In addition, there are several new eco-tents (platform tents) with beds two chairs and lamps. I stayed in one of these.

The Flamingo area still shows the effects of Hurricane Irma a couple of years ago and some neglect. The B & C loops are not open, though NPS is working to clean them up. An employee I spoke with indicated that they hoped to have those open next year. I was there midweek and only the trailer loop was full. On the weekends they do fill up.

The campsites in the loops have picnic tables and fire rings. The bayside field sites have scattered picnic tables and fire rings in various states of rusty disrepair. The eco-tents some picnic tables closer to the bathrooms for the field sites are not occupied, you can use one of those. You can't use a stove in your tent or on your deck, so you do need to cook elsewhere.

Bathrooms include flush toilets and free showers, although the water never got very warm. They are solar heated.

Remember everything you need because it's a long trip back to Florida city or Homestead the nearest places for picking up supplies. Stop at "Robert is Here" on your way in or out for a smoothie or milkshake. The shop at the marina has some basic snacks and drinks. Tuesday to Saturday afternoons there is a food truck available. For activities, campers get a discount on bike rentals. They also rent kayaks & canoes and offer boat trips, though I wouldn't do the boat trip again.

If you choose to stay in an eco-tent, there is a cart with bicycle tires to quietly take your gear to your tent. The boardwalk lights up at night so you can safely find your way to the bathroom. You'll be conscious of the sound the zipper makes when you leave and return to your tent. These are tents and not cabins, so you may hear some neighbors talking or snoring. Even so, it was a welcome change from a sleepless, noisy night at a campground in the Keys.

If you're looking for birds, nearby Eco pond or the waterfront near the bayside campsites offer a nice variety for minimal effort.

No Verizon coverage, but I've been told there is AT&T. Wifi is available at the visitors center.

Kings Kamp is a unique property that will work for all visitors. Personally, I camped in a tent, but they also have RV spots and on-site cabins. It was right off the main highway through the keys so it was very easy to get to. Very close to John Pennekamp and everything else in Key Largo. Pretty standard tent sites, nothing glamorous. The campground is in The Keys, so you can't complain about anything! It actually has a small marina, so bring the boat or kayak and launch right there. We found a nice little spot where we fished and had our lunch by (pictured). We did not stay for very long, and truthfully, we ventured out around town for most of the day. That being said, we didn't worry about our gear while out. It felt very safe.

Very beautiful location and reasonable price compared to most other options in the area. Would stay again.

Would not recommend this campground if you are tent camping. It was packed with RVs and the spaces are very close together. Dogs are allowed but there were so many when we went it was difficult to walk our dogs. Great place to snorkel, small beaches, fishing, boat rentals.

We inquired about reserving one of their cabins for a week long stay over Thanksgiving. We let them know that we would have 2 adults and 3 children. The lady I spoke with informed us that she would need the owner’s approval for the number of occupants and an extra fee may apply. We received approval for our request October 13th, mailed the deposit per their request, and obtained an email confirming the reservation on October 17th. 

At the end of October I attempted to reach the resort by phone and email to add my partner’s name (he is currently the chief of a law enforcement department) to the reservation, since he was going to arrive first. I received an email response a week later, asking how many people were coming again. Over the course of the next few days, I attempted calling to provide the information they were requesting. When I finally spoke with a representative and provided my partner’s information, she responded by letting me know the owner would be calling me back. I received a phone call yesterday from a representative, not the owner, stating my reservation had been canceled and there was nothing I could do about it. I pleaded my case with the representative that it was a last minute cancellation after an agreement had been reached and a deposit had been accepted, and they stated the cancellation had already been made and that my deposit would be refunded. Now we’re left to find a place a week before Thanksgiving and deal with the last minute price increases. 

The lack of integrity, communication, and consideration considering how long this reservation has been in place speaks volumes about their business practices. We would not recommend doing business with this company and apparently they don’t care about doing business after finding out a law enforcement family had made reservations.

Flamingo is one of only two campgrounds in the park, the other Lone Pine but Flamingo manages them both. Flamingo is more popular (so more people). The staff of young hosts were nice and helpful. Campground is huge with one big loop section for tents and the other for RVs. Good showers/toilets. Nearby restaurant and Marina store have WiFi. Lots to do in this park: boat rides, kayak rentals, biking, hiking. Only complaint are the bugs, especially the sites around the ring loop near the shrubs - they are relentless and almost unbearable. Not just mosquitos but those tiny gnats, just horrible really (like Northern Minnesota, Scandinavia, or Siberia). I’d suggest bringing one of those screened in pop up shelters.

It is an hour drive to the campground but a good road and worth the trip. There are several points of interest along the way but we did not stop to check them out. Check-in with reservations was very quick and easy. Both campgrounds are well maintained. The T-loop showers are cold water only but the A-Loop showers are solar heated and there was hot water on sunny days. We parked in a site without services but potable water is available at nearby restrooms. Our campground was quiet except for a couple of campers running their generator during official quiet hours, but they were not an issue. The beach area is a short walk or bike ride from the campground and is not suitable for swimming, at least by our standards. There are a variety of scheduled and unscheduled activities available. The Ranger Led Programs are excellent—guided canoe trip and mobile museum. The staff are very friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. We biked on the paved trail to the marina several times and observed crocodiles, alligators, manatees, osprey, and vultures. Don’t leave food outside unattended because the vultures will visit your site. Supplies and rentals at the concession are bit pricey. Overall we enjoyed our stay and stops at the visitor centers and Nike site.

Flamingo is right inside the national park and is the only center with services available in the park; marina, food and convenience store, rental equipment, boat tours with park naturalist, food truck, and a pricy gas pump for emergencies. 

Once you’re all the way down to Flamingo, you’re 50 miles away from nearest town, so bring everything you need that you wouldn't normally find at a convenience store. 

Nice array of overnight options: tent camping, new canvas eco tents with electricity, camper sites and even 6-person houseboats to rent (next time!).

I found one of the eco tents that had just been converted to off season (April-November), meaning no furniture except a fan and a large lantern. Bedding etc. is all removed for rainy summertime to avoid mold. Also means you pay $50 instead of $99, great deal! Bring air mattress and camp chairs and you’re good!

Loved the experience, with 3 sides of the tent being screens – can be completely opened or covered for privacy. Woke up to a gale blowing in from the water, felt partially like being on safari and partially like staying on a boat.

Things to know:

Try for waterfront tents 3,4 5, 6, 7 or 8. 

No eating or drinking inside the tents - they’re spotless but food remnants would quickly draw bugs in this climate. There are shared tables and fire pits for guests.

Food-wise, the food truck is OK for lunch but next Time I’d pack pre-made dinner and use the store’s microwave to heat it up. Options for anything healthy at the marina store are pretty scant. But... they do have lots of Haagen Dazs flavors for dessert! 

To solve for morning coffee, I’d pack my electric kettle and a french press or pour over next time, & drink it out on the tent deck. Coffee in store not recommended.

And bring your bike, kayak or board, and trail runners. All possible right from the campsite! Luckily I had all 3 :)

Definitely an experience not to miss - and every single person on staff at Flamingo was super friendly and full of great info and tips.

A really great place to visit if you want a taste of Florida away from all the Disney-esque tourist spots.

This park is like stepping back in time. Enjoy it and relax!

We stayed here a night before launching our kayaks out to the more remote backcountry stuff. All of your basic amenities and hella skeeters as you'd expect in South Florida.

It is a big open field, so don't expect visual privacy.