Where to Stay in the Florida Keys
As you guys know, I recently had a chance to revisit the Florida Keys with my pal, Fran! I realized that there are actually quite a few different areas you could stay or base yourself out of, so I thought I’d do my own little guide on where to stay in the Florida Keys based on our trip.
In case you didn’t know, the Keys are a series of different islands in an archipelago off the southern coast of, duh, Florida. From Miami to Key West, it’s about 3 hours, so there’s actually a lot of ground to cover.
Here’s my guide to the different places, and why you my want to stay in each!
Note On Getting Around the Keys
Because the Keys are so spread out, I also included some campgrounds and RV parks. After all, it’s probably one of the most perfect places to rent a van or RV for! Between all the outdoorsy things to do, how warm the weather is, and how expensive typical hotel rooms are, I think a lot of people wind up with RVs, campervans, or tents anyway.
If you don’t own your own RV, you can always rent one from locals. Check here to see some you can pick in Miami, like this nice Motor Coach or this fun sprinter van.
Where to Stay in the Florida Keys
Key Largo
Key Largo is the most northern area on this list. It’s about an hour from Miami and two hours from Key West. You’ll want to stay to be near John Pennekamp and, of course, if you don’t want to make the full 3 hour drive at any point.
We stayed one night in Key Largo at Ocean Point Suites at a media rate. I really enjoyed it! It has its own beach area and pool, and the apartment we stayed in had the prettiest views (as seen above). Don’t miss eating at Sundowners while you’re there!
Where to Stay in Key Largo
If Ocean Point Suites is booked when you’re there, you can try some of these options as well.
- Atlantic Bay Resort
- Azul del Mar
- Largo Resort
- Island Bay Resort
- Coconut Bay Resort
- Playa Largo Resort & Spa
- Coconut Palm Inn
- Jules Undersea Lodge (only underwater hotel in the US!)
Campgrounds
- John Pennekamp State Park | 102601 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, FL 33037
- Key Largo Kampground & Marina | 101551 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, FL 33037
- Calusa Campground Resort & Marina | 325 Calusa St, Key Largo, FL 33037
- Kings Kamp RV Park | 103620 Overseas Hwy, Key Largo, FL 33037
Check here for more places to stay in Key Largo
Islamorada
Islamorada is a nice midpoint between Miami and Key West as it’s about 1 1/2 hours from each. I actually stayed here during my swimming training trip days, and I didn’t realize it until we drove by this giant conch our team took photos in front of!
Islamorada is quite close to Robbie’s Marina, which you MUST stop by if you’re visiting the Keys! It’s just such a cool area with water sports, a delicious restaurant, and, of course, the famous tarpons!
Where to Stay in Islamorada
Campgrounds
- Fiesta Key RV Resort & Marina | 70001 Overseas Hwy
- San Pedro RV Resort & Marina | 87401 Old Hwy
- Windley Key Mobil and RV Park | 18 Overseas Hwy
Check here for more places to stay in Islamorada
Marathon
About 40 minutes further south than Islamorada, I feel like Marathon is the most underrated area to stay in the Florida Keys compared to all the other spots on this list. It’s spread over a few smaller keys — Knight’s, Boot, Key Vaca, Fat Deer, Long Point, Crawl, and Grassy Key Islands! It really wasn’t even on our initial itinerary, though we wound up stopping off at Curry Hammock State Park, which was beautiful. A big thing it’s known for is being home to the Turtle Hospital, which is exactly what it sounds like! I wanted to book a tour here, but we didn’t have enough time.
Where to Stay in Marathon
Campgrounds
- Curry Hammock State Park | 56200 Overseas Hwy
- Jolly Roger RV Resort | 59275 Overseas Hwy
- Grassy Key RV Park & Resort | 58671 Overseas Hwy
- Ocean Breeze RV Park & Marina | 1337 Ocean Breeze Ave
- Pelican RV Resort & Marina | 59151 Overseas Hwy
Check here for more places to stay in Marathon
Stock Island
Stock Island is right before Key West. It’s so close that a lot of hotels or campgrounds that say they’re in Key West are actually here. We stayed here on a boat through Airbnb and just drove in and paid for parking. It was actually nice to be able to get out of the city at the end of the day and just enjoy the water! The island is actually one of the last places Airbnb is allowed, and most of what we found were boats. One of the pretty areas you can visit here is the Key West Tropical Forest & Botanical Garden.
Where to Stay in Stock Island
Campgrounds
- El Mar RV Resort | 6700 Maloney Ave
- Boyd’s Key West Campground | 6401 Maloney Ave
- Leo’s Campground & RV Park | 5264 Suncrest Rd
- Greenberg Rent A Camper | 5236 Suncrest Rd
Check here for more places to stay in Stock Island
Key West
Ah Key West! I feel like this city is the gran fromage of the Florida Keys! Of all the places, it’s the most bustling with activity, and there are a ton of restaurants, key lime pie places, tours, and more in this one area. Definitely stay here if you want to be in the thick of things. I highly recommend doing one of the hop on, hop off trolley tours to see all the big sights — Hemingway’s Home, Truman’s Little White House, the Southernmost Point, and so, so, so much more. Do NOT miss eating at Turtle Kraals if you go! You’ll also want to catch the sunset cruise with Danger Charters.
Where to Stay in Key West
- Avalon Bed and Breakfast
- The Laureate Key West
- H20 Suites
- Andrews Inn & Garden Cottages
- The Gardens Hotel
- Southernmost Point Guesthouse
- Truman Hotel
Campground
- Sigsbee Campground | Arthur Sawyer Dr
If you know anyone in the Navy, there’s also a campground on the naval base there!
Check here for more places to stay in Key West
And there you have it! A break down of where to stay in the Florida Keys depending on what you’re looking for! If you’ve been to this beautiful area, where did you stay?
for more travel in the usa
The USA is a massive country, and I always love discovering new places to visit. I’m actually pretty sure I’ll still be hearing of new gems when I’m 90 years old and need a wheelchair to get around! Since I’ve been interested in travel, I’ve visited a number of different places in the US alone. Check out some of posts:
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I was a guest of the Florida Keys & Key West, and thus many of my meals and activities were covered. However, all opinions are my own.
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