Best RV Parks & Resorts near Summerland Key, FL

We were so excited to visit this highly rated Thousand Trails Sunshine Key!  The pictures online are not exactly accurate.  The RV sites are barren with little shade - feels like a parking lot.  There are a LOT of full-timers here and they have the best sites, close to the marina and pool.  The resort has a fun/upbeat vibe with lots going on - happy hour with music, crafts and farmers market.  Our site 57 was more isolated and the park was only 2/3 full, even though the Thousand Trails website says it is full!

There is a small beach area with lounge chairs and a Tiki hut.  Our dogs ran off leash and swam in the ocean as there was no one around.  They also have a marina and dock with beautiful sunset views.  The other guests were very friendly and we wish the weather was better to hang out and meet more people.  We had one day, out of 14 with clear, sunny skies.  The other days were raining a tropical storm and the winds were insane.  This was unusual however for December.

Everyday the staff sends texts to remind you of activities - happy hour, live music, bingo, farmers market and crafts.  Friendly and welcoming and would recommend again.  I don't however, think it lives up to the hype of one of the very best Thousand Trails/Encore in the Keys.

Marathon is a laid back, Keys island with eclectic dining, shops and activities.  We had dinner one night at Isla Bella - very upscale, but expensive.  The Sombrero Beach is beautiful and dog friendly if on a leash.

Curry Hammock State Park, located at mile marker 56, is just outside of Marathon in the Florida Keys on the Atlantic side of US 1. The park is compact, offering excellent gravel, well-leveled sites, and a super clean bath house.

The sites feel secluded because of the vegetation, but don’t expect much shade here. While there is beach access, it’s not much of a beach. Typical of the Florida Keys, it is rocky and weedy. It’s not Miami Beach.

Kayaking, SUP, and bicycling are the main recreational attractions. Kayaks and SUPs can be launched from a small sandy beach spot, where swimming is not allowed. Cyclists can access the Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail, across US 1 from the park entrance. The asphalt paved path is safely segregated from traffic on the Overseas Highway, allowing access to Marathon.

Curry Hammock State Park is a gorgeous Florida Keys gem; however, that implies hot, muggy, and buggy conditions during the warmer months, which are mostly all year. If those conditions don’t suit you, I would suggest one of the RV resorts down the road a bit.

We love Cudjoe key. This is not a Campground or odd V resort. It is a condominium community that features eclectic housing in a gated Community. It is expensive, but not compared to similar RV resorts in the keys. Yo RV well been nestled among mobile homes, stick built structures, manufactured homes, and other RVs. Amenities include a beautiful swimming pool, rec hall, good laundry and showers, and the sense of being part of the community. The Saint Boondockin. Highly recommend it if you can live with numerous rules that are published in advance. Read them in advance.

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.

Stayed here one night. There are only 11 sites with full hook ups, no showers, restrooms, laundry or WiFi, but you can get spots right on the water. They are strict with the rules there which isn't a problem, just a heads up for those disrespectful people who do not clean up after their dogs and those with inadequate sewer hook ups on their rigs. We were told they were recently fined for such behavior from visitors with is sad and that there are cameras to keep a closer eye on things. Chris and Fiona were very nice. It's a quick bike ride into downtown Key West.

Good cell reception with AT&T and Verizon.

We stayed here a week our site #99 is right on the water next to the fire pit. Nice view with full hook up, a picnic table, sites are tight with no privacy. This site faces the Atlantic so we weren’t facing another camper. The pool and clubhouse are nice and the laundry room has 5 washers and dryer’s. There is a boat ramp, fish cleaning station, docks for you boat and they sell gas for your boat. 

The deer walk up to you    that’s nice. The office and store are nice lots of good things in there prices were good. We saw some sunrises and sunsets from our site. The bonfire pit is nice it’s propane so no smell which was nice. They turn it on every evening till 10:00. 

The campground is maintained well, clean bath house, pool, clubhouse and laundry room very clean. There is a dish cleaning station next to an outside shower, for tent campers. 

Over in the primitive camping area there’s a trail you can walk along the water lots of deer hoof prints, and derelict crab bouys. It’s a nice trail to walk there are sand spurs so wear shoes.

The entire week we were there it was windy we had lots of seaweed blow in it does smell. Hardly anyone was there mid oct.  They store campers there too lots of snow birds come for the winter. 

On Big pine key there’s a Winn Dixie, 2 hardware stores, the Big Pine Rooster restaurant, cocos has great Cubans, Trinaos taco truck, and drive out to the north name pub they have good pizza and homemade sangria. Bahia Honda state park is across the bridge it’s a nice place to spend a day. On Marathon Porky’s has a good breakfast and barbecue, the Sunset grill has good she crab soup, and the Keys Fishery good raw bar upstairs and cooked food downstairs. 

I gave this campground a 4 star review due to no swim beach.

After some of the reviews we read here, we had some trepidation. Much of the ‘cons’ that other people experienced, we did not. We stayed in T loop since we wanted electrical hookup. This loop is designed for RVs and travel trailers, electric hookups at each site, but you needed to fill your water tanks from the spigot at the bathrooms. There is a dump station to make your deposit on the way out. Sites are all pull-thru and very level. Each site has a fire ring with grate, and a picnic table (very heavy and hard to move). There is a smattering of trees throughout, but not enough to offer much shade. There is a good amount of space between sites so you are not crammed in like sardines, which we have experienced at other National park campgrounds.

At this particular time of year, we experienced little to no bugs and there was a constant slight sea breeze which helped to make it feel a bit cooler. We were here the second week of February and it was plenty hot (80s) and humid for us northerners. The area we were in was very quiet, mostly us “older” folks. Very peaceful here at night, and a great location for stargazing since the campground has very few lights. Some previous reviews mentioned pesky vultures, we never saw any. I can’t speak to the conditions of the bathrooms in this loop as we had our own and didn’t need to visit them. Bring your bikes, fishing gear and kayaks as those seem to be the major activities here. It’s long way from major stores, so be sure to bring whatever supplies you might need. The store at the marina has some basics, but you won’t want to buy many groceries there.

Glad we went, but now that we’ve been there, probably won’t feel the need to go back, but it’s a nice place to get to at least once!

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.

Not a bad campground. The sites are gravel driveways that are set up great for RVs but not so great for tents. There are picnic tables and fire pits at the sites.

OK. 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).

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.

I have camped here many, many times. Since the other overnight options were destroyed by hurricanes, this is the only way to remain at the end of the road overnight without having to drive back out (40 miles) or wilderness camp.

The campsites are separated into three sections, one for RVs, the other not, and a special "walk in" field. I've only stayed at the "tents" areas. Each is essentially a large mowed field with sparse trees. The "walk in" field is essentially treeless and probably best described as an overflow area for tent campers.

The RV and regular camping areas are loops that allow vehicles to access and park close to the campsite, which is a parking pad, a picnic table, and a fire containment device for cooking and/or a campfire. BTW... you must bring your own fire wood.

There is no privacy, the ambiance is more one of community than peaceful tranquility. The combined restroom, showers, and dish washing buildings are few but never far from any campsite. Consider their location when choosing your site, closer might not be better for you if you might be offended by foot traffic through your site. A recent upgrade to solar heated water for the showers is fantastic!

The entire area is famously buggy in all but the coldest months, and even then you better be prepared. It is also incredibly hot during the summer, making the few shaded sites a consideration... but the bugs love shade too!

Despite the above bleak description, the camping area is commonly filled to capacity (hence the "walk in" area) during the cooler months. But it is also commonly empty during the summer when only fanatical anglers will brave the conditions.