Searching for a tent camping spot near Florida City? The Dyrt helps you find campsites with tent camping near Florida City. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Florida City, Florida's most popular destinations.
Eliott Key is only accessible by boat. No services are available on the island. Elliott Key is the park's largest island. Restrooms with sinks and cold water showers, picnic tables and grills are available. Drinking water is available, but bring water as a precaution if the system goes down. There are 33 boat slips in the marina. This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you can pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app. There is limited cellular connectivity at this location. Please download the free Recreation.gov mobile app and create an account prior to arrival.
Daytime use and overnight camping - the campground is located on the Biscayne Bay side. Overnight camping and docking fees are required. Picknicking - tables and barbecue grills are available in the campground and marina. Hiking - a mile-long loop trail starts near the campground. Also, "Spite Highway" runs approximately six miles down the center of the island. It affords a good opportunity to see a variety of habitats in the martime forest. Fishing - permitted from the maintenance dock (south of the harbor) or from the shoreline outside of the no-wake zone. Fishing regulations apply.
The largest island in the park was once a thriving community of pioneers engaged in pineapple farming, sponging, wrecking, and other pursuits. Today the island offers camping, picnicking, wildlife watching and a hiking trail. A mile-long loop trail starts near the campground. Also, "Spite Highway" runs approximately six miles down the center of the island. It affords a good opportunity to see a variety of habitats in the martime forest.
Elliott Key is located just south of Boca Chita Key.
Ensure one of the designated campsites is available prior to paying. Once payment is made on-site, we do not offer refunds or modifications.
$25 - $60 / night
Boca Chita Key is only accessible by boat. No services are available on the island. Boca Chita Key is the park's most popular island. It features beautiful waterfront views, a grassy camping area, picnic tables and grills. Toilets are available, but there are no showers, sinks or drinking water. The harbor entrance at low tide is approximately four feet. This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you can pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app. There is limited cellular connectivity at this location. Please download the free Recreation.gov mobile app and create an account prior to arrival.
Boca Chita Key features daytime use and overnight camping. Grills and picnic tables are in designated camping areas. A half mile hiking trail starts just east of the restrooms. The trail continues to the south end of the island and emerges near the pavilion.
The iconic and historic lighthouse, built by Mark Honeywell in the 1930s, guides boats to the beauty and wonders of the park. Boca Chita is the most visited island in the park. The observation deck of the 65 foot tall lighthouse provides a fantastic view of islands, bay, ocean and Miami skyline. If park employees are around they may be able to open the observation deck for viewing. A half mile hiking trail starts just east of the restrooms. The trail continues to the south end of the island and emerges near the pavilion.
Boca Chita Key is located just north of Elliott Key.
Ensure one of the designated 21 campsites is available prior to paying. Once payment is made on-site, we do not offer refunds or modifications.
$25 - $60 / night
$23 - $33 / night
$23 - $35 / night
$23 - $31 / night
Orb Trail
$23 / night
Guide
My husband and I lucked out to get an absolutely gorgeous day to tent camp at this campground. The next day was back to Florida’s hot and humidity. This campground is in one of natire’s most wonderful places, big cypress national preserve. This campground has tent and rv sites. No electric sites. We went on a Sunday and the whole campground was full, it’s a popular spot, would recommend making reservations in advance. There are vault toilets over on the rv sites and flush toilets by the tent sites. There are campground hosts, fire pits in the tent area, and a lake that does have alligators, because this is Florida. The nite sky was perfect so many stars to see. Little to no noise pollution. Make sure to bring your insect repellent, I got eaten alive once the sun started setting. No trails at the campground but there are trails within big cypress. Tent campsites were level and not right on top of one another. There were a few trees for shade as well.
Guide
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.
Traveler
It was tight getting our 32ft pull behind back to our spot, but folks all came out to offer tips and help us get around. So we actually got parked in fairly short order.
The dog walk area near our site was pretty small and it’s bookended by tent camp sites. My dogs were more interested in the goings on than doing their business and we couldn’t really walk them away from it.
That being said. The location is great! As I mentioned in the title. It’s cozy and friendly and pretty quiet.
The marina is nice. And the beaches were great launch points for kayaks.
I would, and probably will, stay here again.
Guidenice campground with tent and RV sites. The tent site we stayed had the perfect view of the sunrise over the lake without even leaving the tent! Lots of families with kids. Picnic tables and fire rings at the tent sites and very friendly campground hosts!
ScoutTL;DR Great for RVs, sucks for tents
Stayed for 2 nights in the tent loop in early January and encountered several problems with the campground.
So basically the review is this: if you want to boondock in an RV, this is a beautiful place to do it. It’s got a little pond with a couple of gators and beautiful views of marl grass prairie. You can get away from the fly hatch, take a shower, block out the night traffic noise, and hopefully avoid the fire ants. For tent camping, this place was the worst we’ve stayed in for a while. While a lot of things can’t be controlled, the host nor ranger were ever helpful (and sometimes actively making the experience worse!), though they were very chummy with RV campers. Bathrooms were clean though, which was fantastic.
Scout
No tent camping!
Guide
They have tent camping without electric and a lot of rv area.. plenty of bathrooms and Washer and dryer area.. great place to visit while in south Florida I have been many times and different times of year
GuideHave stayed twice, not many places that allow tent camping and this had a few sites for tents and clean facilities.
Traveler
Overall not bad. My tent site was near the bathrooms with the showers. During my stay only 3 people used them. Very clean. The tent site I will say was the best of the lot. What i mean is, it wasn't against a fence in the broiling sun. Had trees for shade. Wifi was non existent, the ap on my end has been down since itma. The washing machines were hit and miss. The staff and guests in my area were great. Pricing for a tent is a bit expensive though. All in all not bad.
Ranger
Down at Flamingo, there’s four types of camping: eco tents, tents (A Loop), campers/ RVs (T Loop) and the backcountry chickees. This review is for the ✨A Loop Tent Camping.✨
I happened to be down here on a weekend of a full moon, so my thoughts on tent camping in Flamingo might be a bit skewed because that night sky was IMPRESSIVE.
There’s not much by way of privacy on A Loop, but I personally didn’t mind. I had a corner site near a bathroom and even despite that, the evenings were still pretty quiet.
The bathroom was in clean condition and had plenty of stalls. No showers or potable water down this way though!
Bring plenty of mosquito repellent or a thermacell because the bugs take no prisoners down there!
TravelerWe made a quick trip up to Key Largo and chose this spot as it seemed like the only option for tent camping in the area. The two private beaches they advertise were something we were looking forward to!
This is definitely not a place to camp if you’re looking for space and peace and quiet. All of the sites are very close together. Plus you’re mixed in between trailers, RVs, and residents. It really gave off the feel of staying in a crowded trailer park.
We made the mistake of picking out a site close to the main office as we thought being close to the bathrooms would be nice (#26). Cars were driving in and out and late arrivals headlights would blind us throughout the night. We were also the campsite right by the main watering hole and walkway so there were constantly people walking around our campsite.
The beaches at this campsite are not what you would think for the keys nor would I consider them a beach, maybe more like a launch site or previous boat launch. The water looks more like a swamp. Not to mention they have pipes leading into the water that were making the water bubble up. Not something you’d want to swim in. For kayakers this won’t be an issue. Plus the signs about crocodiles being present didn’t make us want to hang out for very long.
Pros: -There’s a shopping center within walking distance that has everything you could need. -The bathrooms were kept clean and smelled clean as well.
Cons: -No fires allowed. There were a couple of residents with fire pits lit up at night so I’m not sure what this rule is about. Probably cause the sites are so close together and there are trees? -Sites are too close together -No privacy
All in all $70 for one night here was not worth it in my opinion for a tent site without electricity but if you’re just passing through or don’t mind being close to other people this might work for you. We just enjoy the more primitive sites.
Guidestayed at one of the tent sites with water and electric. Very friendly staff. This palce gets really crowded during winter season.
RangerOK. So the Everglades can be cool. You can rent a canoe here, and tent camp or RV camp. The bugs can be hellish though. I was bit like a million times (exaggeration, but everywhere).
Guide
Great camp sites, leveled with electric for the RVs and tent camping off on the side. Clean bathrooms (no showers) and dump station. Attendant was friendly. Central pond for fishing just watch for the gators.
GuideVery clean pool and campgrounds. The staff was very friendly. Small beach access. I had a nice quiet tent site in a shady mangrove cutout. Very cozy.I would definitely recommend this campsite and will come back.
Legend
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.
ScoutGreat location closes to Miami, clean sites, amenities are great , the pool was clean. Our tent site T31 was facing the Marina and it was great. Electric and water included. Boat ramps for rent, kayak and fishing
GuideThere aren’t that many big open fields on the water in the USA for tent camping. Lots of fun, easy to meet people, and chill atmosphere. I slept in my car in the parking lot and they had no problem with that, BUT the mosquitoes were intense. Even the campfire and wind didn’t stop them.
LegendIf 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.
LegendTent sites are primative ( no water or power) but you have everything you need close by...even a 25/7 ice machine! Great pool, views are amazing. Lots of campers brought their boats here. Site was sandy but larger than expected. Great jumping off point for diving, kayaking or swimming with dolphins ( which is what we did).
GuideIt was nice and quiet at night. It had sinks around camp for dishes etc. a small beach to launch your boat or paddle board to tour the mangroves. It has socks for big boats. It’s more permanent RV/homes with a couple rows for nightly rentals. The bathrooms were a bit of a walk from tent sites.
Legend
This seemed like the only option around for staying on the east side of everglades. It's a very large campground. We had no problem getting a site (apparently they are first come first serve but I've read reviews that there is a way to reserve sites) during "peak season". Some of the sites are fairly close to one another but we got one on the perimeter which was really nice and a little more private. The showers are huge plus (beware water only gets luke cold at best- no hot or warm water in the winter) and having flushing toilets are always nice. Tables and fire rings at each campground. I believe I read that you needed to bring your own wood but I think you could buy some. The campground is in a pretty ideal location. Close to a couple great trails (Anhinga and Long Pine Key). We were able to break up our 2 days in the everglades by splitting it with an day in Biscayne bay- driving too and from the campground to Biscayne NP was very reasonable from this "home base". The only down side to the campground is how close sites are to one another (again perimeter sites seem a little better). Additionally, walking around and seeing people sitting in their RVs watching TV kind of takes away from the camping experience (especially a NP). It's also pretty pricey for camping in a tent. Lastly, their staff is terrible. They're not bright (they'll have trouble figuring out which sites are open and then tell you sites that are obviously taken are actually open). They also lack any customer service skills and can be rude at times.
GuideThere’s not much shade and there can be plenty of mosquitos depending on the time of year but it’s a fair trade for sleeping on the edge of the wild. We tent camped right on the water and woke up to dolphins swimming by every morning. We saw crocodiles, alligators, every bird and more. I absolutley love being out where I don’t hear road noise. I would definitely only go in the winter. We will go back!
LegendMidway in Big Cypress: This is our forth time here. We love this campground, though the sites are open. All trailer sites look over the lake which is in the middle of the campground. This campground seems to be very conducive to meeting people. (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
(70 yr olds in 17’ trailer. Our rating of a campground is influenced by the following: The general ambiance- sort of wilderness feel the campground gives us. A selection of campsites which offer some visual privacy and/or view from sites. Cleanliness of whatever facilities are offered is important and usually noted in my review.
Overall Rating: 4.5 for the lake view
Price 2023: $ 15 w interagency pass
Usage during visit: RV sites full every night. Tent sites accommodate vans, rooftop tents….
Site Privacy: None
Site Spacing: Fair
Site surface: Blacktop
Reservations: Required
Campground Noise: Tent area - defiantly.
Road Noise: Tent area - defiantly. From # 21, yes.
Through Traffic in campground: Folks might come in to have picnics at tables around the lake.
Electric Hookup: Yes
Sewer Hookup: No
Dump Station: Yes
Potable Water Available: Yes, at the dump station.
Generators: Allowed.
Bathroom: Flush toilet. Only one stall in the men’s. Clean.
Showers: At Monument Lake CH, 20 minutes.
Pull Throughs: None in RV Loop
Cell Service (AT&T): Site 21 usually has 1 bar. Sites at the near the end have weaker reception.
Setting: All RV sites are situated around the lake
Recent Weather: High 50s to 80s. Rain
Solar: Plenty in the tent sites
Host: Three
Rig Size: Largest bus RVs are here
Sites: 19 - 26 are best shaded sites. 13 and 14 are corner sites with less shade . 1 is near a shed, but a fine site. Picnic tables along the lake and in between these sites: 22&23, 3&4, 11&12, 16&17. (On nice weekend days you can expect small groups using these spots for day usage.)
ScoutWent there and loved it! Our site backed up to a swamp where the ibis were wading all the time. The iguanas were an issue and we had to make sure and put away all our food but they were neat. The tent site didn't offer a lot of privacy but on the island theres really not much room so I wasn't shocked by this. Great bathrooms and laundry facilities. Very neat places to swim and we even tubbed around the offshoots. Beautiful sunrise.
GuideOpen field surrounding an older burrow pit has been transformed into a decent RV and tent camping spot. The facilities include a fire ring and picnic table. Flush toilets but no power or showers This is a good stopping point when crossing the glades or exploring the surrounding area. Private wilderness camping it is not. Watch for gators in and along the lake.
To the east is a big open prairie which lends itself to a steady breeze. That helps keep the bugs down but it got really buggy at dusk. Gators have been know to cross from the prairie through the campsites on their way back to the lake.
Good cell service from nearby tower.
LegendOriginally I was over in the Trailer loop but was able to relocate to the tent camping loop.
Site #53 was a winner with a nice big tree for plenty of afternoon shade.
Nice bathroom with solar heated showers centrally located in the loop.
Also within walking distance of a beach area and the trailhead for the Coastal Prairie trail (~12 miles round trip).
Mosquitoes were on the cusp of being pretty bad, but as long as you layered up and light a fire a little before dusk, they weren't unbearable.
Quick drive over to the marina to restock on food, firewood, ice, and other supplies.
Also highly recommend taking a boat tour up the canal and checking out manatees in the bay!
Tent camping near Florida City, Florida, offers a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in the stunning natural beauty of the region, with various campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Florida City, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Florida City, FL is Elliott Key — Biscayne National Park with a 4-star rating from 4 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Florida City, FL?
TheDyrt.com has all 27 tent camping locations near Florida City, FL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
