Why RVers stay here
John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is a Florida state park campground at mile marker 102.5 in Key Largo, the first state park you reach after entering the Florida Keys and the only one in the country built around an underwater coral reef. The campground sits in a tropical hardwood hammock, and the glass-bottom boat and snorkeling trips that leave from the park marina are genuinely world-class. It suits nature-first RVers in smaller rigs who want reef access at state-park prices rather than resort amenities.
The practical picture: 47 sites with electric and water but no sewer, a dump station on site, and rates of $36 to $48 a night plus an $8 park entry per vehicle. The official maximum is 40 feet, but the sites are tight and 35 feet is the realistic comfort limit; big rigs can physically fit but maneuvering gets uncomfortable fast. Reservations run through ReserveFlorida.com and open 11 months ahead, which is what it takes for winter dates. Cell signal is decent on Verizon and AT&T. The trade-offs are sandy, shaded sites that need leveling blocks and aggressive dusk mosquitoes in the hammock, especially in summer.
- ✓Glass-bottom boat tours and snorkeling trips to the reef depart from the park's own marina
- ✓The only US state park focused on an underwater coral reef, right at the top of the Keys
- ✓State-park pricing of $36 to $48 a night in a region where private parks charge far more
- ✓Shaded sites in a tropical hardwood hammock, with a dump station on site
- ✓Decent cell signal on Verizon and AT&T
- !Small, tight campground: 40-foot official limit but 35 feet is the realistic comfort ceiling
- !Electric and water only, no sewer; sandy pads need leveling blocks
- !Mosquitoes in the hammock can be aggressive at dusk, especially in summer