So, you’re coming to the Key West & the Florida Keys in your School Bus Conversion
If you’re looking for a chill travel guide to Key West and the Florida Keys in your
The Keys are well known for supporting alternative living. As such, we felt this was a great place to begin our RV journey because it is both a figurative and literal beginning.
Mile marker zero on US-1 is the southernmost point in the United States and is located in Key West, Florida. This trip marked a new beginning in our lives as we set out to live full-time in our DIY school bus conversion, and leaving our “traditional life” behind.
Skoolie Itinerary to the Florida Keys
Get the details on where we camped, ate, and explored during our trip to the Florida Keys & Key West.
Finding RV Campgrounds in the Florida Keys
There are 10 state parks and hundreds of privately owned RV parks in the Florida Keys that accommodate campers, RVs, toy haulers, and even skoolies like ours!
Since the Florida Keys is a chain of islands from Key Largo (northern most) to Key West (southern most) made up of 1,700 islands along a rather narrow road, choose your camping sites months in advance, especially in the summer season. For a leisurely pace, book from north to south for a few days at a time.
Minimum Stays
Many privately-owned campgrounds require a two night minimum stay and the state parks allow a one-night minimum stay.
Skoolie-friendly RV Campgrounds in the Florida Keys
1. John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Our first RV campground for the trip was at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park in Key Largo, about 2 hours from south Miami.
The park was clean, the camp sites were spacious, and there were loads of activities to participate in, as detailed below.
I recommend waking up early to catch the sunrise. It will be quiet and you’ll have the beaches to yourself. This campground was truly a breath of fresh air, especially in an area that is overrun by tourists for much of the year.
There were loads of activities to be found (glass-bottom boats, snack bar, gift shop, kayak & paddleboard rentals, etc), but we simply enjoyed the main beach. There was another beach further in to the park, but walking around with little people with tiny legs and short attention spans… well, they were happy just going to ANY beach.
The campgrounds were quiet and secluded from the rest of the park. 2 very clean bathhouses within ~0.5 miles of park amenities along trails or road. The RV campsites were spacious and private-feeling with trees and landscaping. Our kids had a lot of fun meeting and playing with the girls of a family that came down from Georgia.
Recommendation
We would 100% recommend coming here again and booking early.
2. Sunshine Key RV Resort
*Good Sam Members Save 10% [as of the time of this blog]*
Our second night in the Florida Keys, we stayed at Sunshine Key RV Resort & Marina on Big Pine Key. Big Pine Key is about 45 minutes from Key West, which was great for us since we wanted to stay further north. The waterfront location was stunning and we were happy we splurged for the ocean-front views. Summer weekday rates were starting around $178/night for non-waterview; ~$230 for waterview; $260 for waterfront. The rates we gave are roughly what Ingrid remembers.
We plan our trips last minute and we found their phone-based customer service department to be friendly, funny and helpful. It’s through them that we learned of the Good Sam Discount. That’s essentially like AAA for RVers – we signed up while on the phone so we could claim that discount.
This resort is definitely larger than the state park we stayed at the night before; however, it was very clean, well maintained and surprisingly little “large” vehicle traffic. There were lots of golf carts being driven instead.
The age groups varied. It was nice to see a mix of young, teens, and adults out and about. The staff was very friendly. The amenities we most enjoyed were the beach area and cabana on the north side, and the children’s playground – our little ones talked non-stop about these 2 things.
Review
Personally, we preferred the relaxed, private feel to John Pennekamp State Park over the large, compact Sunshine Key Resort.
Key West & the Florida Keys Travel Guide
We’ve got 3 young children so we knew we weren’t hitting the bar scene or any big events that would leave them cranky and hangry.
Stay for a While
In all honestly, it takes a long time to travel around the keys, especially during the busy season (summer) due to traffic and narrow roads. Give yourself grace and spend a few extra days here. Don’t rush about.
Bring Sun Protection
The heat and sun are something big to consider on your trip – with humidity, it felt like 105 degrees Fahrenheit in June! A bad sunburn can ruin a trip and even cause a hospitable run, especially in small children.
We kept our day trip to Key West relaxed with only a few activities and lots of walking.
Blue Heaven Bar & Restaurant
We visited Blue Heaven where an old skydiving buddy of Eric’s, Chris, tends the bar. Blue Heaven is a quaint restaurant & bar – the food was good quality and reasonably priced considering the location.
Try the Key Lime Pie with an ice cold rum runner or piña colada.
See the 7-toed cats at the Hemingway House
From there, it’s about a 3 minute walk to the Ernest Hemingway House. The house was closed (probably still because of the pandemic) so we walked by – one of the legendary 7-toed cats was on the other side of the main gate and seemed down-to-earth for a cat coming from such a prestigious lineage.
Truly, our kids were just ecstatic to see the cat rather than the famous house behind it.
You can see the cat in our Key West YouTube video.
Southernmost Point Buoy
Down that same street is the southernmost point buoy & where US HWY-1 begins, and so does our journey! You’ve got to snag a picture in front of the iconic buoy.
Catamaran tour with champagne and snorkling
This has got to be one of the most relaxing ways to experience the Florida Keys. You get the fun of being on and in the water, with the wonderful addition of included champagne and snorkeling gear. Usually this activity also falls around the sunset so you get to see some spectacular colors with the setting sun.
Disclaimer: We didn’t do this activity on this trip since our kids are so young; however, Ingrid has done this cruise before and had a blast. Snorkeling and sailing are great kid-friendly things to do to beat the heat in the Florida summer.
Parking
We easily found parking (pay by hour) within walking distance of the restaurant – I believe it was like $10/hr. We were all in for $30 since we were there just under 3 hours.
FAQs on Family Travel in the Florida Keys
What is the cost of 1 day for a family in Key West?
For our family, the level of activity and price point was perfect for us. We spent about $200-$250 for a family of 5 for about 4-5 hours in Key West after drinks, parking, and food.
Where are good restaurants in the Florida Keys?
The Florida Keys has a lot to offer, especially for RVers. We took it easy, so we didn’t do much other than great seafood at some well-recommended restaurants like:
- Sharkey’s on Key Largo
- Tides Beachside Bar & Grill at the Islander Resort on Islamorada
- Fish House Restaurant and Seafood Market on Key Largo
What are the top 5 most popular drinks in Key West?
- Rum runners
- Key Lime Martini
- Hurricane
- Key West Sunset
- Frozen Margarita
Our personal favorites when we visit are rum runners and piña coladas; however, the list of Key West inspired drinks are (almost) endless and very memorable like the Hemingway Daiquiri and the Cuba Libre (obviously, inspired by Cuba but that’s only 90 miles away from the southernmost point!).
Is it easy to find parking in Key West?
Yes, though there are exceptions if there are special events going on or you are near popular “tourist traps”. Personally, we didn’t have trouble parking anywhere in June (busy season).
We found ample parking in pay-by-the-hour lots, restaurants when we dined and campgrounds.
We downloaded the “Way to Park” app for the unmonitored pay lots. For the monitored pay lots, we were able to pay by credit card to the parking attendant.
Are open containers of alcohol allowed in the Florida Keys and Key West?
NO! However, during block parties and closed street events, open containers may be allowed in a specific zone. Open containers in vehicles are also not legal. Use discretion and don’t cause a ruckus. Find the municipal code here for the city of Key West, Florida.
What is the legal drinking age in the Florida Keys?
21 years old is the legal drinking age in the Florida Keys. The national drinking age in the United States of America is 21 years old, and this trickles down to all 50 states.
If you’re traveling from another country where the drinking age is lower but you are under 21 years of age, it is still illegal to drink alcohol as a minor despite the law being different in your land.
Florida Keys Water Activity Resources
If you’re looking for an active vacation spent on the water, then check out Hege’s blog on Key West vs. Key Largo.
In it, she describes her adventures visiting the Dry Tortugas, kayaking in the mangroves, snorkeling in the sea, and partying it up in Key West!
Conclusion to a Skoolie -friendly trip in Key West & the Florida Keys
The Florida Keys and Key West have every right to belong on a
It’s a fun, easy-going place to visit and we highly recommend it, even during the busy season.
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