Best Glamping near Marathon, FL

We love Bahia Honda and camp there every year. It's hard to get a reservation there so good luck. The Atlantic and the Gulf meet and it's a beautiful park. There are 2 main loops for camping. Buttonwood has some bigger sites and a little more privacy. If you lucky enough to get a waterfront site you can snorkel off your site or launch your kayak. We float on rafts after a day of fun and cool off. You see a good sunset here too. 

The sandspur loop is for campers under 23' and they are tighter with no shade or privacy. Yet they are right on the Atlantic ocean and the view is awesome. Loggerhead beach is beautiful. 

You can rent a kayak if you don't have one and paddle around the island. It's all good. The old Flagler bridge is a great photo op and you can walk up to it and catch a beautiful sunset or stargaze. 

There is a primitive campground  loop too on the gulf side near the Cabins. You can't get under the bridge to drive back with a high vehicle so make sure you look at the standards if you are booking a cabin or a primitive site. My truck with the kayak racks on top won't go under it. 

Lot's of good eats south on Big Pine Key and north on Marathon. There are 2 grocery stores on Marathon Key and a Winn Dixie on Big Pine Key. Lot's of small deer on Big Pine Key do not speed they will get you. As a matter of fact the keys are loaded with police looking for speeders so take it slow.

This campground (buttonwood loop) is where the Atlantic meets the gulf. Beautiful view from the waterfront sites. Kayak, fish, float on a raft or swim from your own campsite.  The view of the old bridge is amazing. We've stayed in several sites yet do have some favorites.  You need to book 11 months in advance to get on the water or maybe you luck out if someone cancels. 

We had water & electric & there is a dump station. They have snorkel trips from camp store there & a little museum near the swim beach. Walk up on the old bridge what a great view. Good place to see sunset not that you site isn't a good place to see it too.  If you like to look at beautiful night sky the old bridge is a great place to take it in. 

The restrooms are being redone they were working on it when we were there this year. Hurricane Irma did some damage there they were also working on rebuilding sandspur campground. 

Manatees hang out near the fish cleaning station they drink the fresh water coming from cleaning the fish. There's a small nurse shark that hangs out there too.  There is a small area for some boats first come first serve to keep your boat in the water. Very shallow coming in and out the dock area stay in the middle or you will be sorry. If you snorkel along the campground you must have a floating buoy with a dive flag. Boats need to see you. 

They rent Kayaks if you don't have your own, it's a great paddle around the key. 

Usually at sunset someone blows the conch shell (sounds like a ship horn). 

Close to Marathon & Big Pine Key (deer key). Some good eats close by Sunset Grill has great crab soup, and a pool.  The Keys Fishery Raw bar is a fun place to see the sunset. They serve a free shot at sunset. La Nina has good cuban food.  Porky's is a favorite. And don't forget the No Name Pub on Big pine Key their Pizza is good and the sangria.  From Bahia Honda it's an easy drive to Key West always a good time down there.

This campground offers a beautiful spot to spend a couple of days while you enjoy many other activities in the area. The swimming here is fantastic, the snorkeling amazing and the park offers several nice picnic shelters (hurray for shade). The campground also has a nice little interpretive building with several small exhibits about the flora and fauna in the area.

The campground offers hot showers and restroom facilities. There are tent sites and RV sites with hookups.

The Florida Keys can be an expensive place to stay so this campground is a nice inexpensive alternative. It can be buggy and of course, hot...it is Florida after all.

Bring your snorkel gear and a kayak!

One of my favorite places in the Florida keys. The scenery is pristine. Very full most of the time it takes a few months in advance to get a spot sometimes a year out.

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.

Spent three days fishing and using the camper as a base camp. Caught tons of mangrove snapper, snook, and even a tripletail. Been going to Flamingo for years to fish but this was the first time taking the trailer. Would definitely do it again. 50 amp hookup worked great. Just wish they had running water to the trailer so you don’t have to refill the tank. Great experience as long as your going fishing. Not too many other things to do in the Florida heat.

We tent camped 3 nights, leaving Bahia Honda yesterday, May 2nd.

The Bath Houses were destroyed by Irma and the Atlantic Ocean area is fenced off due to damage. We enjoyed the Gulf Beach and kayaked in the Gulf. The weather was perfect, very warm days, but cool nights.

The Park is using very nice, modern trailers for restrooms and showers. Everything was very clean and had hot showers.

The Atlantic sites are gone and won't be available for maybe 2 more years, I will keep checking.

It is still one of the best campgrounds in Florida and only 30 miles from Key West.

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 ✨eco tents✨.

The eco tents are awesome in general, but more so if you’re new to camping. Some come fully furnished with beds, nightstands, etc, while others are completely unfurnished and you can set up your own gear, so you choose your level of comfort. They also come with electric fans.

It’s incredibly quiet down there and the full moons are outta this world - no pun intended! 😉 Waking up and drinking your coffee on the shore of Florida Bay is a great way to start the day.

But there is no food allowed in the tents whatsoever. Because the walkways to and the platforms of the eco tents are elevated, there’s also no way to cook even near your eco tent. There are fire rings and picnic tables near the parking area, which is also where the bathrooms are. So if you’re someone who wakes often in the middle of the night for “bio breaks”, you might want to keep that walk in mind - or plan for an alternative.

There are bathrooms with running (non potable) water and toilets with real plumbing, but no showers.

I’d definitely recommend the eco tents for a short stay!

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)

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.

Flamingo Campground, Florida Everglades—eco-tent

Pro: The location is superb. Ours was located closest to the water(#6). You don’t get to choose—assigned when you check in. There was a lovely breeze each afternoon and very few mosquitoes. Egrets and Anhingas were in abundance. Our eco-tent was equipped with a queen size bed, pillows, bed linens, blankets, fluffy large bath towels, a fan and bedside lights. The towels were a pleasant surprise because I had specifically asked about towels and was told “no.” The tents are located on boardwalks with embedded lights to the bathroom building (it can be a fair walk from your tent) so you can see your way there at night. There is an electrical outlet box with one spare outlet. We brought a surge protector with additional outlets so we could charge electronics and toothbrushes. Several people we met rented empty eco-tents for $50 (no beds, lights, etc) a night.

Con: a solar panel was broken wide open with water flowing out onto the ground so there was no warm water at all in the showers. The bathrooms are adequate but old and tired—cleaned once daily. Only one shower in the ladies room was working. For the price, a decent bathroom would be anticipated. There is an electrical outlet near the sinks which seemed to be constantly in use by a crockpot. (Despite a sign on the boardwalk saying for eco-tents only, this bathroom and the nearby picnic tables were heavily used by tent campers.) There are two dish washing stations at the bathroom building—faucets were not sealed and so water ran out the sides splashing on the backsplash. There are no water spigots so if you need water, you must use the dish washing faucet (the water is potable but for drinking, you might want to bring in your own as it has a salty taste). Maintenance certainly could be improved.

Eco-tent residents must use tables and fire pits close to the parking lot which are not very close. No food is allowed in the tents. There are no lights around the picnic tables so if you are cooking after dark, be sure you’ve planned for that. Also know that you cannot leave unaccompanied food at the picnic tables or the Anhingas will be feasting with abandon.

The food truck was open at the Marina. It had been closed due to hurricane damage. Because of the long new year’s weekend, the shop had no ice, no firewood and only minimal supplies like snacks and beer—lots of empty shelves and coolers. We received an email just before arriving telling us that there was no ice or wood due to the holiday long weekend so we needed to get them before arriving. We had planned to bring all our food which was a good thing given the lack of items at the store. With a 38 mile drive from the Coe entrance center to the campground and another 45 minutes to Homestead, you don’t want to have to go back to Homestead for supplies!

No internet or phone service (other than AT&T). Was wonderful to escape!!

I went to this park to go camping and almost all the tent sites were wiped out I had a reservation but it was canceled but I was able to stay on the bluff overlooking this park. The RV sites and the cabins seem to be OK. On the west side of Bahia Honda there is great snorkeling, small reef, to left of the beach it is easy to get to and snorkel. No shade so bring your own. Small shop and cafe located on premises.

Nice campground, wear water shoes to swim. Great views of ocean and old 7 mile bride. Nice trail on old bridge. Some of the park is still closed and I spoke with a ranger who said it should be fully operational in about 2 years.

It is great but the mosquitos at night are horrible and if their is no ocean breez it is supper hot so you want to be on the atlantic side the snorkeling is great but the current is strong

We camped in campsite#39 and I must say , we were really wedged in between two RV's. We had water and electric hook up , but the water spigot was so far away from our camper that even our long hose would not reach. So fill your tank up with water before you park your RV. The hurricane took out the bathrooms and bathhouse so they installed trailer bathrooms instead. I must say they were outstanding and the air conditioned bathrooms were very clean. The Atlantic side beach is closed and being restored but the gulf beach is open and it was hopping with people on the 4th of July. We took the snorkeling trip to Looe reef and booked it right at the marina in the park. 50 feet visability with lots of fish and fan coral. Don't miss it. At sunset we climbed up the old Bahia Honda bridge and saw great views of the island.

It’s a state park so no full hook ups. It has such beautiful scenery and in the ocean. It’s very hard to get a spot.

For tent camping it was on the more expensive side compared to other places, but was a fairly nice campground. The restrooms and showers were fairly nice. Every camp site had water. There isn’t much to break wind, so it was quite windy every day. The view at sunset is very beautiful.

Although this spot has taken a beating from Irma they worked super hard to get it back in shape. With a boat ramp as well as a convenience store and some memorable views this spot is a must

This is a must if you are visiting the keys! The beach is pretty typical Keys - gorgeous but nothing special. What sets this beach apart is not only the picturesque bridge and walking trail, but also the opportunity for snorkeling and guided tours to the reef.

The snorkeling on the beach is good for beginners; you will mostly sea snails and small fish hiding in the sea grass. The park also offers several tours a day going out to a small reef off shore with snorkeling gear and fins available for rent. Be sure to pack reef-safe sunscreen!!!

1. Non-commercial
2. Purely natural
3. Exquisite beaches
4. Privacy between sites
5. Best ever

I love this place! I always go at the end of May (yes it is HOT, but NO it is not busy) and while the space itself is breath taking, the location is great too and provides a lot of opportunity to explore all the keys. Be sure to catch the sunset on the bridge and get plenty of snorkeling in. The sand bar goes way out and there is SO much to see!

Be prepared for heat, rain and bugs! The tent sites are pretty basic but there are RV options as well. There are showers and restrooms.

It was a good place

This was an amazing campsite. I camped, bought local fish and grilled it on my site by the water. Amazing but reservations go fast.

There are no boondocking sites in Key West so we started looking at State Parks. Bahia Honda was not only the best for camping but also I thought had the best swimming. The sites were a good size and the view was breathe taking.

This place has it all.  Snorkeling, beautiful beach, fishing, hiking, history, a little nature center...  just everything.  It is very difficult to reserve a site here, but if you can get one, you are in for one of your best camping experiences ever.  We just loved it and I can't wait to go back there.