Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge

Staying at Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge is a great alternative to the State campgrounds and the KOA campground. It’s usually got more availability than the Florida State Campgrounds, and cheaper than the KOAs. It has fantastic amenities, a super location, and lots of things to do. There’s a boat launch so you can bring your boat and keep it docked in front of or at least near your site. There are tent sites and RV sites, both available on the water and not. There are fishing charters out of Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge, and you can fish and snorkel from shore at the campground too. Here’s a quick rundown of amenities:

• convenience store
• marina with gas
• rec room
• rooftop pool
• bait & ice
• hotel
• heavy duty permanent tent rentals
• trailer storage near the boat launch
• full rv hookups

Since the lodge is located on Big Pine Key, guests at the Big Pine Key Fishing Lodge will almost certainly encounter Key Deer. These tiny cousins of the larger white-tail deer in the north are protected by federal laws. They roam freely on the island within special grounds set aside just for them, but they wander into the campground and onto the roads as well. Be careful when driving because they try and cross the road on Big Pine Key. The ones who wander into the campground like to beg so if you’re cooking they will be very curious and even sometimes aggressive.

If you are tent camping, a good choice might be the spots right on the water, facing east. You will have a lovely view of the bridge and of course the flats in front of the island. During winter months, however, this is the windiest spot in the campground. Make sure to secure your tent very carefully!

From the campground, there are several day trips worth mentioning. You can explore the beautiful island of Big Pine Key, which is pretty large and has more vegetation, including trees, than most other Florida Keys. The preserved land with the pine trees also has very wide sidewalks perfect for bicycling. You can also explore several walking paths that circulate into the forests. There’s also Blue Hole, which is a freshwater sinkhole in which alligators are known to live. You can also drive to Key West, which is roughly 35 miles from Big Pine Key. That means it will take you about an hour to drive. There are all kinds of things to do in Key West, including museums, tours, watersports, diving, snorkeling, sunset cruises, and of course Duval Street bars and shopping. If you like scuba diving, then you’re in luck because Looe Key is just a few miles away. Looe Key reef is among the cleanest and most beautiful reef spots in all the Florida Keys. There are trips out of the the Looe Key Dive Center as well as Bahia Honda Staet Park. If you choose to drive the other direction for your day trip, you will cross over the Seven Mile Bridge and into Marathon. There are lots of fishing opportunities around Marathon, and many little bridges in the area as well, from which you can fish. Marathon also features Sombrery Beach, one of the finest freem beaches in the area.