John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park Campground

The biggest asset of this campground was location. It is super handy to shopping and activities. The rangers and employees were really friendly and helpful.
Full hookups were really nice, but the picnic tables are all very close to your neighbors sewer connection (and we did smell the sewers more than we would have liked). The PVC water faucet is also very close to the sewer connection (definitely sanitize before using!) and is shared between campsites ours was on the wrong side so we had to run a hose thru our campsite to other side of the RV. But the water seems pretty good quality and we didnt mind drinking it. The sites are at right-angles to the road and tighter than most state parks, but they have some vegetation between the sites for moderate privacy. Mostly, the big trees provide a welcome shade for the campsites, rather than privacy.
The campground is gated 24/7, which is nice since it is so close to the day use area. The Park closes at exactly sunset we arrived 3 minutes after closing this evening and the gates were shut (keep that gate code with you)!
The Verizon data cell signal was reliably fast the whole time we stayed here (between 50-28 Mbps down, 12.5 - 9.4 Mbps up).
There are showers in the campground restrooms, which wasn't obvious on the map. The restrooms were pretty clean, but could use some updating. The outdoor laundry is located in the south end restroom (first one when entering the campground).
There were 2 washers and 2 dryers, which were $3.50 and $2.50 per load, respectively.
Kayak and paddle board rentals, snorkel gear, dive gear & tours are all available at the boat tour Gift Shop (book online or call to reserve), on the far side of the marina from the campground.

I arrived early for my Saturday checkin and was welcomed, it was nice to set up and enjoy the park a few hours early. A very nice Florida state park, it was pet friendly. As for a complaint if I had to pick one it’s the shared water spigots, my neighbor was clearly using the one for my site. The sites are close, some more than others. If privacy concerns you, this isn’t your place. But if your going to enjoy the miracle that is the Keys you will find more positives to enjoy!

I loved it here. I stayed 2 nights. I rode my Harley to Key West after the first night and took off after the 2nd night. Place feels safe. I had no problem leaving my vehicle and RV unattended while I was on the Harley all day.

Showers are clean. Sites are clean. I think it is a great place. All my neighbors were great.

I will definitely stay here again.

Not much new to say here, its the Keys, great weather and tight sites, hope you like your neighbors. Our sewer line was 2 feet from our neighbors picnic table. Great kayaking, but little hiking. Neighbors were quiet and no one caused any problems.

Great access from Hwy 1. Check-in required us to park and go in to the ranger station. Had some no see ums at night.

AT&T cell service was usable but not great, 1-2 bars of 5G, we got RSRP of -93 unboosted, boosted to -66. No HDTV channels were available.

We stayed here because we wanted to do the kayaking through the mangroves and snorkel boat tour at the park. We are full time RVers and live in a large 5th wheel. The campsites are on the smaller side and very close together. We are 43 feet and fit in site 18, but it was a little uncomfortable because many people around us were in tents or smaller RVs, and maybe it was my imagination, but they seem to look at us funny like we don't belong there in such a big rig. We even heard people commenting about why would we need such a large RV for camping. I know people don't realize we're travelers, not necessarily camping. We work remotely and travel all over the country, and so yes our RV is on the larger side, but it's also our house. Anyway, other than feeling quite conspicuous for that reason, we really enjoyed our stay. Having full hookups was a huge plus! The kayaking and snorkeling were awesome! Check in was quick and easy. Since we work remotely, good cell coverage is important to us. Verizon and AT&T both worked well, T-Mobile was a little slow.

In this video, I provide you a walking tour of the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park and Campground in Key Largo, Florida. Video uploaded here on Campendium for your immediate reference. I share with you our best campsites at the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park full-hookup campground. I show you the day use and concession area, Cannon Beach, and the marina where glass bottom boat and snorkeling tours originate. Verizon cellular service clocked in at 15.2 Mbps download speed and 4.33 Mbps upload speed. AT&T cellular service clocked in at 13.1 Mbps download speed and 3.45 Mbps upload speed. T-Mobile cellular service clocked in at 5.66 Mbps download speed and 2.10 Mbps upload speed.

We needed a place for one night on our way to Key West. John Pennekamp State Park was perfectly adequate for what we wanted. Level sites, full hookups, friendly staff, clean (yet outdated) restrooms, and shaded trails for dog walking. Sites are close together buffered with native Florida plants and trees. It’s a small campground, but we found it to be very quiet with a mix of tents and RVs. The no-see-ums are pretty fierce after sunset, so come prepared. Is it the best state park campground in the Keys? Probably not. However, the amount of available outdoor activities nearby is unbelievable.

Camped in a 35” motorhome. We are self-contained so cannot comment on restrooms/shower facilities.
Pros –
- Sites are level.
- The campground is quiet at night
- Near the marina, beaches and several short trails.
- The people working in the office are very nice. Did not know many details about kayaking or the trails though.
- Cell and internet on ATT, Verizon and T-Mobile worked well
- Full hookups
- The water is incredibly clear. We enjoyed seeing the underwater wildlife in the marina in our kayak.

Cons –
- Sites extremely close
- Very bad Sulphur smell due to small pond behind sites 19-22. Some people left earlier than their scheduled end date as a result (one was a young family with pregnant Mom). We are in a motorhome so we can keep the windows closed but some campers (in pop ups or tents) cannot.
- Park itself is extremely crowded. Beaches draw many people into the park. By 7:45AM every morning, there is a line at the park entrance. Snorkelers, glass bottom boat tourists and beach goers. The parking lots are full by 11AM every morning. Very busy place.