10-Day Florida Keys RV Road Trip: Tropical Paradise Awaits

The Florida Keys are a 120-mile chain of islands running from Florida City to Key West, linked by US-1 and 42 bridges. Driving it in an RV lets you stop at oceanfront campgrounds instead of backtracking to a hotel each night. Ten days is enough to explore each key without rushing, though you should book campgrounds well ahead — waterfront sites in the Keys sell out months in advance in winter.

Photo by Ian Simmonds on Unsplash

Day 1–2: Key Largo

Pick up the RV in Miami or Fort Lauderdale and head south on US-1. Key Largo is about 60 miles from Miami.

• Camp: John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park (the only state-park campground in the Keys, full hookups, books up to 11 months ahead) or a private park in Key Largo.
• Do: snorkel or dive the coral reef at John Pennekamp, visit the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary visitor center, or take a glass-bottom boat tour.
• Note: Key Largo has the most grocery and dive-shop options until you reach Key West, so stock up here.

Day 3–4: Islamorada

About 30 miles south. Known as the sportfishing capital.

• Camp: Founders Park or a private resort with a marina.
• Do: visit the History of Diving Museum, feed tarpon at Robbie’s, or take a sandbar trip.
• Eat: Islamorada has the best restaurants in the middle keys (conch fritters, stone crab in season Oct–May).

Day 5–6: Marathon and Bahia Honda

Marathon is roughly 20 miles further; Bahia Honda State Park is 12 miles past it.

• Camp: Bahia Honda State Park has the best beaches in the Keys and full-hookup sites, but it is one of the hardest reservations in Florida (release on the first of the month, 11 months out).
• Do: swim at Sandspur Beach, snorkel Looe Key reef, or walk the old Bahia Honda rail bridge for views.
• Services: Marathon has a hospital, the only movie theater, and a public boat ramp.

Day 7–8: Big Pine Key and No Name Key

Just west of Bahia Honda.

• Camp: Bahia Honda overflow or a Big Pine private park.
• Do: drive slowly — this is the refuge of the tiny key deer, a protected subspecies. The National Key Deer Refuge visitor center is worth a stop.

Day 9–10: Key West

The end of the road, 95 miles from Miami.

• Camp: Boyd’s Key West Campground (private, on the water, pricey) is the main RV option; there is no state or national park camping on Key West. Book months ahead.
• Do: Duval Street, the Southernmost Point, Ernest Hemingway Home, Truman Little White House, and the sunset celebration at Mallory Square.
• Drive: the Overseas Highway here is wider and less stressful than the Middle Keys, but parking a big rig downtown is tight — use a paid lot.

RV Notes for the Keys

• Bridges have height: most are high enough, but watch low branches in older campgrounds.
• No sewer dumps everywhere: use the marina or campground dump station before leaving.
• Bug season: no-see-ums are worst May–October; bring screens and repellent.
• Towing: if you tow a car, leave it in Key West and bike or walk — driving a 30-footer through Old Town is miserable.

Use the RV Trip Budget Calculator to estimate fuel and the high campground fees (oceanfront sites run $100–$200/night in season).