If you know anything about camping in the Florida Keys, you may have heard of a campground named Bahia Honda. If you have camped there, kudos! And if you have camped in a waterfront site – wow, good for you!
After many tries, I now have booked a waterfront site for next May. But, it is not perfect for our needs.
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About Bahia Honda
Bahia Honda Key is a small island just past Marathon Key heading south in the Florida Keys. It is part of the chain of islands off Florida’s southern tip, and is located at Mile Marker 37. The Bahia Honda State Park is where everyone wants to camp. And I mean everyone. I have not camped there yet, but soon.
Camping Right on the Ocean
The big draw for campers who want to visit Bahia Honda is the waterfront sites. Not to mention you are in the Keys! Loop BTWC (Buttonwood Campground) is the main campground area. This area contains 13 campsites that sit at the edge of the Atlantic. Two of those are short – for 24 ft. campers – which leaves only 11 for me to choose from, with a 28 ft. travel trailer. You can camp here in a tent or a trailer, but check the size limitations for each site. Some are longer and accommodate RVs up to 45 feet.
I do not wish to travel all the way down to the Florida Keys only to stay in a normal site – I need to have a view! … and swim right from my site would be perfect. But, getting a spot in one of the Buttonwood sites is nearly impossible.
One morning I logged into the Florida State Parks website, ready once again to fight for a booking, and the site froze. Grabbing a campsite here is serious business. I read on a review page where someone suggested having two computers going and two people trying simultaneously to get one of the waterfront sites! It is a war I tell you.
It isn’t easy to get any sites, but the ones on the water are gems, and the most coveted. You may not care about a waterfront site, and that helps a little. After all, the Island has public beaches that look pristine.
Waterfront Camping at Sandspur
There is another section of the state park for camping. It is called Sandspur. Every site is right on the Atlantic Ocean, with a view and water access. These look like beautiful sites. However, there is a camper / trailer size restriction.
The sites are large, but apparently getting in and out of the sites is tight. RVs cannot be over 23 feet long. It specifically says,”trailers no more than 23 feet long, measured from hitch/bumper to bumper.” in the site description. This is to preserve natural growth. They don’t want campers pulled over vegetation, and the natural habitat destroyed. I applaud them for this.
My current travel trailer measures 28 feet and will not fit in the Sandspur sites. But, if we tent camp we can get a spot. So that is what I did.
I’m still looking occasionally, at the Buttonwood campground, to see if I might luck out and get a travel trailer site, but it seems highly unlikely. If that happens I will switch.
Tent Camping at Bahia Honda
If we do end up tent camping at Bahia Honda, in the Sandspur campground, it means we might be able to tow our boat with us. I do not like the idea of tent camping because I am old! But, if it means living for a few days with an ocean view and access to swimming, I think I can handle it.
The third section at Bahia Honda is rustic, with no hookups. It is specifically for only tents. There are also some cabins for rent in Bayside – they look like houses. However, be aware that you must pass under a low bridge that is 6’8″ high to reach this campground and cabin area. Read more, and see a map here.
Check out the Campsite Photos website and type in Bahia Honda to see a photo of every site in the campground. Next May we will be staying in Sandspur site 54, unless things change.
How to Bring a Boat to Bahia Honda?
Bahia Honda has a marina. They have a nice boat ramp to launch the boat too. Other than that, I have questions. Do I need a reservation? Is there an additional cost? I will have to call for information.
If we do bring our boat, it means we could ride from our campsite down to the marina, hop into our boat and cruise around the keys. Sounds pretty awesome! We could not be able to do this if we towed our travel trailer.
Three Tips For Getting a Site in a Popular Oceanside Campground
- Try for the off-season, meaning summertime here in Florida (May-Sept. – when the snowbirds have left.)
- Camp smaller, or rustic – use a tent – this opens up many sites, at all times of the year.
- Consider a non-waterfront site, but enjoy the beaches just the same.
I always knew that any camping on the water (specifically the ocean) is tough to book. We have stayed at Gamble Rogers, but never on the ocean. Any time you want to stay right on the beach in Florida, you quickly realize everyone else does as well. Usually I don’t care, but in the Keys, I want waterfront.
As Floridians, we are competing with all the northern folks who flood the state to go camping, especially in the winter months. This is why I suggest you try for an off-season booking, meaning summer.
It is hard to compete with the rest of the country, but the snowbirds generally leave by the end of April. I was able to book my Bahia Honda site for the end of next May (2027). As Floridians, we have the nice option to book 11 months in advance (at State Parks), while the out-of-staters have only 10 months. But, all camping Floridians are still competing for a handful of sites on one tiny island.
Personally, I would not want to camp in the Keys in summer. June and July might be okay, but after that, the hurricane threat increases. When you are on the Keys, there is only one way out – Rt.1 north – for everyone. Then again, it could be that you have less competition in snatching up a site, and take your chances with the weather.
If you have a smaller size camper, or you are willing to camp in a tent, consider the Sandspur campground. Camper size (max 23 feet) cuts out many of the people looking to book. I found that it was a little easier to get a spot.
Don’t care about a water view? Your chances also are better at getting a Bahia Honda site. Don’t get me wrong, it is still a competition.
Other Florida Keys Campgrounds
Bahia Honda is not the only campground in the Florida Keys. Curry Hammock is another state park campground. I don’t think they have water access sites. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is in Key Largo at the top of the Keys. It’s draw is the coral reef.
I considered both of these state park campground, but neither one has sites on the water. They also don’t seem to have swimming beaches – Curry Hammock might. The Florida Keys are uniquely beautiful, and the water is the big reason to go. If I can’t go swimming where I camp, I might as well stay home!
Besides the three state park campgrounds, there are other campgrounds in the Keys. They will cost a lot more (usually over $100 a night – I paid just a bit over that for my entire 5 night stay!). State Parks are trying to preserve Florida nature. Private campgrounds are simply trying to make money. But, I do understand that with only three state parks, camping options are limited.
Please leave a comment if you have been to, or are trying to get a spot at Bahia Honda. What are your Keys camping stories?
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