Key Largo, FL – April 5 & 6, 2024

From the lower keys, we headed toward Flagler Beach, over 400 miles and nearly 7 hours away. We didn’t want to drive that far in one day and were very curious to check out Key Largo and John Pennekamp State Park. Our original 2-week reservation there had been reduced to 2 nights, as we had picked up cancellations in the lower keys. We thought we would need 2 nights to check out the area.

Upon arrival at the campground, we really wished we had to stay for only one night. Our campsite was one of the least desireable. It was quite cramped. Our neighbors’ picnic table was about an inch from our sewer access. Our picnic table was similarly located near our other neighbors’ sewer access. We hurried to leave the campground and explore the area.  We managed to enjoy a couple of cold oceanside beers.

The next day we had a fun paddle and took advantage of the laundry facilities. I also checked out the aquarium and day use area, which were very busy and crowded with weekenders from the Miami area. The beach area was pretty small. The aquarium is small and sort of old, though my experiences with aquariums includes the Maui Ocean Center and the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

There happened to be a full-time RV family in the campground, who was also in both of the lower keys campgrounds at the same time as us. Their smallest boy was about 3 years old and rode a small bicycle with no training wheels continuously, all around each campground, often faster than his older brothers. Fortunately, no one ran over him, as his small size made him very hard to see.  We escaped the campground again the second day, for a cold beer and ocean breezes. We don’t plan to return to that park unless we have to, but we did make the most of it.

Our campsite at John Pennekamp State Park. It was one of the least desirable sites in the campground and our least favorite in Florida (we have been to 20 Florida campgrounds, multiple sites at some, as of 2024).
We had to check out the Caribbean Club, which was very close by. We have been been streaming Key West Pirate Radio over the past year and have heard many adds for it. It is famous for being the inspiration and film location for the Bogart and Bacall movie, Key Largo. The Netflix series, Bloodline, also did some filming there. It’s basically a very old dive bar with very casual dockside seating and not very photogenenic. A band was setting up to play just as we were leaving.
Jimmy Johnson’s Big Chill is a very popular place to have drinks or dinner on Key Largo. We noticed the music was geared toward locals during the week. On the weekends they featured a lot of Latin dance music for the weekenders.
A Lionfish in the aquarium at John Pennekamp State Park. The lionfish is a venomous invasive species. A favorite place of ours in Marathon, Castaway Waterfront Restaurant and Sushi Bar, includes lionfish on the sushi menu (Of course, this post about Key Largo has to include a mention of the lower keys…..).
We paddled this area on the boat channel and canoe trail at John Pennekamp State Park.

 

Curry Hammock & Bahia Honda State Parks – 2nd 2 weeks in the lower keys – Mar 22 – Apr 4, 2024

We really enjoyed our bonus time in the lower keys. We met up with friends we met there in past years and made many new friends.  We made the most of our time camping there, since we have not booked any campsites for next year. Florida residents can now book 30 days earlier than everyone else and there is nothing available when we can book. We may find a way, in the future to visit northern Florida, but we believe the keys will be extremely difficult. (We are not sad because we have some very fun travels planned for next winter, without the RV.)

Curry Hammock State Park. This was our least favorite campsite in the lower keys, as it was across from the dump station and trash. Otherwise, it was a nice spacious site. We were fortunate to pick up a cancellation at a much better site and leave this one early.
(site #26)

Curry Hammock Stae Park after a storm.
Watching the University of Iowa women’s basketball and Caitlin Clark at Curry Hammock State Park. We had to keep the boards inside because of high winds.
We caught the last weekly winter music bonfire at Curry Hammock State Park. The camp hosts managed the fire while seasonal park volunteers played the music.
One of our favorite Florida camping dinners is fish tacos – tuna, grouper, mahi or ono (wahoo) with cheddar, chipotle ranch, avocado, lettuce and salsa. We use paper plates when we are in one place for a period of time and want to conserve space in our gray tank.
Enjoying a cold one Sparky’s Landing in Marathon.
Seagrass on the beach at Curry Hammock State Park. We were happy that it was just normal seagrass, rather than the smelly Sargassum seaweed that was there last year. The Sargassum seaweed causes high bacteria levels and a very repulsive odor.
Marathon Park is on my morning run route, when we camp at Curry Hammock State Park
Early morning walk on the Old Seven Mile Bridge. Like the Bahia Honda Bridge, it was originally part of the overseas railroad, built by by Henry Flagler as part of the Florida East Coast Overseas Railroad and later became a highway. When the new bridge was built, the old bridge was converted to a paved 2.2-mile walking and cycling path connecting Pigeon Key and Marathon Key.
The beach at Curry Hammock State Park

 

The best site at Curry Hammock State Park is enormous, has a view of the ocean and is just steps from the beach. Someone had cancelled a reservation, allowing us to leave the dump station site early and to stay longer in the lower keys.
(site #8)
During our bonus time in the lower keys, we had more time at Keys Fisheries for live music.
We often get to know musicians when we are traveling. We had the opportunity to listen to the very talented Corey Young a couple of times. He has recently released some new original music, some of which was recorded with the famous Mac McAnally, from Jimmy Buffet’s band. Hopefully he will remember us when he is famous.
Sunset at Curry Hammock State Park
My daily lunch is a salad, which is especially good in Florida. We always find really good fresh produce during spring, there, at farmer’s markets or Publix grocery stores.
Fred the Tree on the Old Seven Mile Bridge, Marathon, FL. Fred is decorated for the holidays every year. The small tree is known as Fred, Jr. or Wilma, depending upon who you ask.
Yes! another cancellation! We exended our stay in the lower keys by 3 days and camped next to the lagoon at Bahia Honda State Park. We were able to paddle from the campsite and saw manatees regularly. (site # 12)
At Jolly Mon Pub & Grill, Big Pine Key. Once a week a group of park volunteers, from Bahia Honda SP and Curry Hammock SP, meet up for a jam session/hootenanny. They include a beginner, a couple of novices, and the rest are very experienced. There were 20+ musicians, including our friend Rachel, some with multiple instruments (guitars, banjos, mandolins, steel guitars, ukuleles, etc). They just wing it, making sure everyone is featured. So fun and inspiring!
At the walking/cycling path on the Old Seven Mile Bridge.
Our friends cancelled a reservation at the best site in Bahia Honda State Park, allowing us to stay two more days. We had slowly reduced our planned stay at John Pennecamp State Park from two weeks down to two nights. We had never been there, but had not heard anyone say that they liked it and we hated to leave the lower keys. We would later learn we made the right choice, for us. (site #14)
Ocean view from inside the RV at Bahia Honda State Park. (site #14)
View of our premium campsite from the Old Bahia Honda Rail Bridge walkway. Bahia Honda State Park (site #14)
Our final dinner, for the year, in the lower keys. Ceasar pita with blackened tuna at one of our favorite restaurants, Burdine’s Waterfront in Marathon. This is for one person??….really????
Dave’s bacon cheeseburger with fries at Burdine’s Waterfront in Marathon.
The outdoor bar seating at Burdine’s Waterfront. This area was empty because it was a weekday and very windy.
A manatee in the marina at Bahia Honda State Park.