Boyd's Campground in Key West

Trip Planning

Go RVing To These Island Campgrounds

Explore these island campgrounds recommended by Jeff Crider!

The idea of RVing on an island may seem like a fantasy, but there are actually quite a few islands just off the East and West Coasts that have RV campgrounds, from the Florida Keys to the Outer Banks of North Carolina to the islands of Virginia, Maryland New York and Maine.

You can even find RV campgrounds in the San Juan Islands, near Seattle, and at Martha’s Vineyard, off the coast of Cape Cod, with ferries available to transport your RV across the water. Here’s a sampling of nearly 30 RV-friendly campgrounds across the U.S. that are worthy destinations for island camping adventures!

  • Big Pine Key Resort in Big Pine Key: This 10-acre resort features waterfront RV sites as well as rustic campsites and Airstream and luxury travel trailer rentals. 
  • Boyd's Key West Campground: Boyd’s has 200 RV sites and 50 tent sites. Through a partnership with Key West RV Rentals, they’ll set up a travel trailer on site and have it ready and waiting when guests arrive. “We have guests that fly down and rent an RV,” park co-owner Shaun Hamilton said, adding that the drive south of Miami to Key West is a once in a lifetime adventure that includes passing Everglades National Park. Many of Boyd’s guests also enjoy snorkeling at Dry Tortugas Island. “The water quality there is incredible,” Hamilton said. Onsite amenities at Boyd’s include a swimming pool and a food truck that provides breakfast and lunch. The food truck vendor, De Luna’s Cafe, specializes in delicious Cuban cuisine, which is highly sought after, Hamilton said.
  • Fiesta Key RV Resort and Marina in Long Key: This 28-acre Thousand Trails resort sits on its own private island. Amenities include a swimming pool and spa, an on-site restaurant and a bar on the beach. Popular nearby attractions include Long Key State Park, the Dolphin Research Center, and Bun n’ Mary’s Dive Center.
  • Grassy Key RV Park and Resort in Marathon: This park offers waterfront, premium and standard RV sites with water, sewer, electrical and cable hookups with a free WiFi hotspot at the clubhouse. Beautiful sunsets and views of the waters of the Gulf of Mexico are visible throughout the resort. For those who bring their own boats, the resort’s docks offer easy navigation into the Gulf.
  • Jolly Roger's RV Resort in Marathon: This resort features full hookup sites that include cable TV, a secluded harbor with a large dock with boat slips, a heated swimming pool, a covered pavilion, a tiki hut setup upon a white sand beach, a swimming and snorkeling area, and a fenced in dog park.
  • Sugarloaf Key / Key West KOA Resort in Sugarloaf Key: Amenities at this park include a swimming pool and hot tub; a full-service marina with boat rentals; an onsite restaurant; a poolside pub; an interactive dog park; and a private beach. Activities include snorkeling while planned activities are available during the winter season.
  • Sun Outdoors Islamorada: This is a brand new, all-ages resort with RV sites and rental accommodations with ocean views. Amenities include a heated swimming pool, state of the art clubhouse, and poolside cabanas.
  • Sun Outdoors Key Largo: This resort offers 35 full-hookup RV sites with cable TV and WiFi service. Amenities include a boat launch, docks and a small private beach perfect for snorkeling and swimming. Rental accommodations are also available.
  • Sun Outdoors Marathon in Marathon: This all-age RV resort features exclusive access to 300 feet of secluded waterfront nestled along the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico. This resort also has its own private marina with 16 boat slips, a fishing area, a fish cleaning station, and access to the resort’s boat ramp. Other amenities include a swimming pool and recreation hall for planned activities and events and a waterfront tiki hut.
  • Sun Outdoors Sugarloaf Key in Summerland KeyThis existing resort, formerly known as Lazy Lakes RV Resort, opened in October with 73 full hookup RV sites and 20 vacation cottages following a multimillion-dollar upgrade. Blue Water Development Corp. said it invested just over $14 million into the purchase and renovation of this resort, which is located in the Florida Keys along a seven-acre saltwater lake surrounded by parks and mangroves. Resort amenities include Aqua Bana, kayak and paddleboard rentals.
  • Sunshine Key RV Resort & Marina in Big Pine Key: This 75-acre resort offers waterfront RV sites and a wide range of amenities, including a marina with boat docks, a swimming pool, and an outdoor pavilion. Activities include dancing, volleyball, pickleball and tennis courts, and simply relaxing on the beach. Paddle board and kayaks are available for rent.
  • Key Largo Kampground & Marina in Key Largo: This park sits on 40 acres alongside the Atlantic Ocean, off the main South Creek channel in a sheltered cover. The park offers RV sites, including waterfront sites, as well as a marina with 14 wet slips to dock your boat. The park is just a few minutes south of John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.
Boyd's Campground in Key West
Photo courtesy of Boyd's Campground in Key West

 

Sagahadoc Bay Campground on Georgetown Island: This campground has 1,200 feet of frontage along the ocean and direct access to the water, including several RV sites sites that are just a few steps away from the water. 

Sagadahoc Bay Campground, Georgetown, Maine

Camp MD in Piney Point: This park is located on St. George Island off the Potomac River.

Martha's Vineyard Family Campground in Vineyard Haven: This park has a three-night minimum during peak season, a two-night minimum during the shoulder season, and a two-week maximum throughout the season. The campground is seven to nine miles from popular beaches.

  • North Fork Cottages and RV Resort in Greenport: This Long Island campground features RV sites and a variety of rental accommodations as well as a swimming pool and organized family activities. 
  • Sun Outdoors Association Island in Henderson: This unique campground on Lake Ontario offers its guests the ability to watch either the sunrise or the sunset over the water, depending on which campsites they reserve. A narrow road built on rock pilings leads to the 65-acre campground, which offers over 300 RV sites, many of which have waterfront views of Lake Ontario. The campground also has several waterfront cottages, cabins and a few tent sites as well as a 68-slip marina and boat launch. Guests can schedule excursions on the park’s on-site fishing charter or take advantage of boat and kayak rentals. The park also has an onsite restaurant. During the first half of the 20th century, the island was used as a retreat center for corporate executives of General Electric and its predecessor companies. It was later used as a YMCA summer camp and an Olympic sailing center before becoming a private campground.

Sun Outdoors Association Island

  • Camp Hatteras in Rodanthe: This campground has frontage along both the ocean and sound and offers a mix of RV and tent sites and park model RV rentals. Amenities include a heated indoor pool; outdoor pool; a kiddie pool; a Jacuzzi; a dog park, pickleball, tennis and basketball courts; miniature golf; cornhole; and bicycle rentals. Water sports equipment rentals are available at the park’s marina.
  • Cape Hatteras / Outer Banks KOA Resort in Rodanthe:This campground features RV and tent sites as well as rental accommodations. Amenities include an onsite restaurant for breakfast and lunch, water slides and a jumping pillow.
  • Holiday Trav L Park in Emerald Isle: This beachfront campground offers grassy campsites. Amenities include  70-foot-long swimming pool, a go kart track and an onsite wine market and store. Planned activities include live music.
  • Ocean Waves Campground in Waves: This 68-site park features ocean access and a swimming pool, camp store and game room
  • Rodanthe Watersports & Campground in Rodanthe: This campground features RV and tent sites. The park also offers kayak and stand-up paddle board rentals as well as sailboat rentals and lessons.
  • Jamaica Beach RV Resort in Galveston: This 181-site resort offers quick access to the beach and numerous onsite amenities, including multiple swimming pools and a 700-foot-long lazy river.
  • South Padre Island KOA Holiday on South Padre Island: Guests at this campground can launch their boats or kayaks into the Gulf Coast waters at the park’s boat ramps. The park also offers a free shuttle to a number of local destinations, including waterfront restaurants, souvenir shops, the convention center, the beach, and local museums. The shuttle runs daily and travels the length of the Island, or you can take another route that crosses the Queen Isabella Causeway into Port Isabel. All of the shuttles are equipped with a bicycle rack, ADA accessible with wheelchair lifts, and offer complimentary WiFi.
  • Stella Mare Beachfront Resort in Galveston: This resort offers each beach access as well as a 3,000-square-foot observation deck with gulf and bay views, a tiki bar, a heated outdoor pool and splash pad, a multi-activity playground and dog parks.
  • Tropic Island Resort in Port Aransas: This island resort is 1.5 miles from Port Aransas Beach. Onsite amenities include heated, saltwater pools and hot tubs and a dog park.
South Padre Island
Photo courtesy of South Padre Island KOA in Corpus Christi

 

Sun Outdoors Chincoteague island on Chincoteague Island: This waterfront, island resort features a half mile of shoreline and a private fishing pier and boardwalk as well as an outdoor swimming pool.

  • Lakedale in Friday Harbor on San Juan Island: Situated on 82 wooded acres with three spring-water lakes, the property is nestled between Roche Harbor and Friday Harbor on San Juan Island in Washington state. It is easily accessible by ferry or plane. The campground features RV and tent sites and a variety of rental accommodations.
  • West Beach Resort on Orcas Island: Guests at this resort enjoy fishing and crabbing off the park’s pier. Guests may catch shiner perch, pile perch, kelp greenling, or even a salmon or lingcod! West Beach Resort is home to many creatures. Common sightings are bald eagles, blue heron, king fishers, osprey, jumping salmon, harbor seals, porpoises, and otter. Sometimes small sharks and skates patrol beneath our pier at night along with the occasional orca and humpback whale in our bay.

 

Jeff Crider

Author

Jeff Crider, President and CEO of Crider Public Relations, has been involved in covering the campground industry for over 25 years. Jeff has worked as a freelance writer for publications such as RV Business, Motor Home Magazine, Trailer Life, Highways and other Affinity Group Inc. publications since 1995. He has also successfully pitched many of the nation's top tier media outlets, including CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The Financial Times, Reuters, The Associated Press and National Public Radio. In addition to writing, Jeff is also a talented photographer and humanitarian.