Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Summerland Key, FL

This campground has great reviews and we were looking forward to our visit.  Our site was right on the water, facing the overseas freeway.  We loved the location but we could not sleep, it was so loud with the traffic, trucks and cars.  Our site was 15 and faced the highway.  The park was lovely, the grounds and the beaches beautiful.  However, if you have dogs, it's a no-go.  No dogs allowed and they have to stay at your camp.  We were disappointed because potentially, we could return and stay for 14 nights, but with two nights of zero sleep, we were ready to go.  The nearest town is Big Pine Key and there's a Winn Dixie, UPS store, bagel shop and a dog park.  The dog park was packed so not an option.  Maybe check out other campsites that don't have the freeway noise.

This is all brand new. And pricy. There is a 2 night minimum and sites start at $160/night (and go up). They had extensive damage from hurricane Irma in 2017 and have rebuilt everything. They have only been reopen 2 years. There is still some construction ongoing. Sites are nice. Most are tucked into the shrubberies so they have privacy. Wide sites with Gravel drives, new style hook-ups for water, electric, wifi and cable tv. Bathrooms and showers are very nice. There is a “resort style” pool, (whatever that means), a private beach (not dog friendly), hot tub, boat dock & marina, a small dog park, and kayak rental and they rent three-wheel bikes for kids to terrorize everyone. They are about 27 miles from Key West. They have a pub with “live music” till 10pm weekends. It was annoying but we found a nice little restaurant at the Geiger Key Marina, and thankfully the “music” stopped about 9:30.

We only stayed 3 nights here but I could have stayed for much longer. It's a beautiful location that is all brand new. Just 20 min scenic drive and you are in Key West. If you have never been to Key West before I suggest you find a golf cart rental as the streets are narrow with parking on both sides. 

The staff here was phenomenal. The only downside in the whole park was the laundry facility and showers could have been a little bigger but other than that we were impressed. The Pub had some great cocktails and was right next to the pool which the kids loved. We didn't eat here but did get a recommendation for some great pizza just 4 miles a way (A Slice of Paradise) that was great! They had corn hole (bags as we call it in the north), go-cart rentals, a fun dog park (no pooch with on this adventure but it looked great), kayak rentals, a marina and more. 

Something to keep in mind is that this is located on a channel and the beach is not as nice as others. The water isn't the picturesque blue you may be thinking of for Key West. But it was still nice. I definitely recommend some water shoes as it is a little rough up next to shore.

So much to do. The staff instantly delivers customer service the moment you drive in. They drop your boat in water for you and show you to your spot and help you get hooked up. All the staff was so kind and friendly. The pool was amazing!! It has a chiller on it which is a must in south Florida in the summer. So nice and cool it was easy to hang out in it all day. It was easy to get an Uber ride to Key West and the bus stopped real close. The site was big and plenty of room. The entire place was pet friendly. The only “negative” was the sandy mud. Make sure you have a large outside mat so you don’t track the mud in and you are good.

Have been to Boyd’s a couple of times in the not so distant past and have reservations again in November. Both times stayed ocean side which is really on the water on the back bay. Sites are on the smallish side but when Boyd’s opened it was in the early 60’s when campers were small and the lots were large. Don’t let that scare you off, they make it work. Pool and deck area are well maintained and relaxing. Plenty of tropical trees and plants and warm breeze to remind you this really is paradise. Laundry facilities clean, change machine, on wall, books to thumb through as you wait. Shower houses are ample, water is hot, doors lock. Dumpsters throughout the park. Tent area for rustic camping. Dish washing area should you need it. Boat docks, launch and fish cleaning station. Pet friendly. (Hey, kids, Boyd’s gives away iguanas free of charge to anyone who can catch them. Don’t tell Mom or Dad. Let it be a surprise for when you get home.) Boyd’s is actually on Stork Island which is a stones throw to Key West. Easy and fast check in, friendly staff.

I stayed here as a money saving exercise the night before a morning flight to Dry Tortugas. I didn't bring a tent, but Leo's had a camping kit available for rent that included the tent, sleeping pad and a small lantern/flashlight that I took advantage of; bring your own sleeping bag or sheets. 

The sites are level with pea gravel; the ground was so hard that I could not get the stakes into the ground (they didn't provide a hammer and i was in too much of a hurry to ask). I tied off a guy line to the fence in hopes of preventing it from blowing into the water. Someone must have come by and staked it down while I was in town because the 4 stakes were in when I returned. The sites have a picnic table and grill. Some of the sites have electric, making it nice to fully charge camera and phones as needed. There's good cell service, but they do provide wifi if needed.

The campground is visually separated from Rt 1, but it is so close that you will hear the traffic All. Night. Long. I always say I can sleep through anything, but between this and the sleeping pad with a leaky valve, I didn't sleep at all. I wish I'd had earplugs.

There's a mix of seasonal and shorter term campers, everything from large RVs to camper vans and tents. There were a few empty tent sites when I was here in late January. There's a small pond with a shelter. Near the restrooms there is a covered area with picnic tables and a small library, a good place to take refuge from a shower or to hang out with friend or a book. Laundry is available. The bathrooms are clean and small. They definitely need more hooks in the shower stall and could use a small stool or shelf. 

If you have a pet, they have a small doggie playground next to the office. For the people, there are large games such as jenga and chess.

It's about 4 miles to the historic district.