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We have visited Saint Augustine– the nation’s oldest city–three times in the past two years.  The second time we stayed for a whole month! Thanks to those experiences, we’ve had the opportunity to learn more about the great food scene in St. Augustine, indulge in some wonderful meals, and discover what we think are some of the best places to eat in St. Augustine.

When trying to find the best restaurants in St. Augustine, we feel like we get to live like locals when we stay in our Thor Gemini RV, making Anastasia State Park our temporary home. There are a few different areas of the city that are home to some wonderful dining areas. We’ll share some great places to eat the beach area of Anastasia Island, the historic downtown, Lincolnville, and the waterfront areas along the river and out towards Vilano Beach.  We hope this helps you find a few fun restaurants to visit when you stay in St. Augustine!

As always, menu items, and hours can change frequently. You may want to confirm details before you go by calling or checking their website, or social media pages.  All images and opinions are our own. 

Best Places to Eat When Visiting St. Augustine Florida

St. Augustine is a place full of history and a variety of restaurants. As a waterfront city there are many seafood restaurant offerings but there’s also fine dining, Southern comfort food, and some Cuban-inspired fare as well. Here are a few of the St. Augustine restaurants we’ve enjoyed, and we hope you will too!  We’ve presented these in a bit of random order but with some of our favorites first.

St. Augustine Fish Camp

142 Riberia St, St. Augustine, FL staugustinefishcamp.com

Upscale fresh coastal seafood favorites, and cocktails in a beautiful waterfront location

We’ve eaten at the St. Augustine Fish Camp each time we’ve visited St. Augustine. Our first visit to Fish Camp was when we stayed in St. Augustine for only a few days, and the next time it was one of our first stops!

Fish Camp has a few other locations in coastal Florida, but it’s still not what you’d ever call a chain, each space is unique with well-crafted dishes on the menu that feature the local fare.

The decor at St Augustine Fish Camp is upscale nautical, open, and modern, and it is an immediately welcoming spot close to the water. We chose the back bar where the seats offer a little hideaway from the main dining room but still afforded us a water view.

Our bartender, who we had as our server on both visits, was a fantastic steward of the place. He was a great conversationalist and kept all the bar patrons happy and engaged while mixing and serving delicious craft cocktails and pouring perfect pints.

Shrimp and grits from St. Augustine Fish Camp

As native New Englanders, we were impressed to see the fried clams offered, but we ultimately decided to go with the local cuisine and picked the Shrimp and Grits. It was so good the first year, we just repeated the order in year two. So much for branching out; maybe next year!

The menu is a pleasing mix of fresh seafood favorites with local and multi-coastal influences. As we mentioned we saw North to mid-Atlantic favorites on the menu like clam chowder, cod, and blue crab next to southern-style dishes like Oyster Po Boys, Shrimp, and Grits, Low Boil for Two, and Fried Green Tomatoes.

Fish dip appetizer 

There are also some Carribean-inspired dishes like the conch fritters and Mediterranean-style plates like fried octopus. There are also burgers, and delicious pork and chicken entrees if anyone in your party doesn’t favor seafood. We highly recommend this spot if you’re seeking a great atmosphere and delicious food.

Asado Life

173 Shipyard Way, St. Augustine, FL 32084 asadolife.com

Upscale waterfront restaurant that offers a fine dining and Argentinian grilling experience that is not to be missed!

The open-flame outdoor grill at Asado Life

Asado Life was a new restaurant for us to visit in 2024, and we will certainly make it a point to return on all of our future trips to St. Augustine. Asado Life is named for and inspired by the traditional Argentinian method of barbeque.

Chef Matthew Brown has taken this BBQ method and turned it into the overarching theme of the restaurant: experience grilling. The dinner menu consists of a Prix Fixe menu of chef’s selections which are posted seasonally on their website.

The fixed price offerings for the Waterfront dinner range from the Asado Trio for $59, all the way to the Tomahawk rib eye for two for $169. There are also lunch options and seating at the bar.

The Waterfront dinner is by reservation only, and reservations are booked out well in advance.  Since we decided to go last minute with friends, we didn’t have reservations so it gave us a great opportunity to experience the lunch offering.We were extremely impressed by the meal itself, the portions, atmosphere, and overall experience.

At lunch,we ordered the Grilled Asado Trio for two along with the classic Pisco Sour. Our friend who joined us is originally from South America, and he verified that both the Pisco Sour and the meat was prepared both authentically and perfectly. The Asado trio was all that we expected and more. The Argentinian steak was so flavorful and perfectly complimented by the seasonings, and chimichurri sauce as well as the open flame method of cooking.

The Asado Trio

We sat outside with a fantastic view of the River as well as the outdoor open flame grills, and high-end barbeque equipment that is the foundation of the Asado Life brand.

Since we were there during lunch, we could see the chefs preparing some of the prix fixe offerings for the dinner service over the open flame. The open terrace, as well as the inside bar, is decorated in an upscale coastal style of the restaurant. Both areas are beautiful spots to spend time.

Interior bar sand dining pace at Asado Life

If you’re not in the mood for a meat-centric meal, Asado Life also offers burgers, sandwiches, salads, and small plates. You can also shop the market for prime cuts of meat, spices, sides, and much more.

Whether you make a reservation for one of the prix fixe dinners, enjoy lunch, or even just pick up some seasonings and prepared food from their market, we think the Asado Life is the good life!

River  + Fort

12 Avenida Menendez, St. Augustine, FL 32084  riverandfort.com

Steak and seafood in an unforgettable atmosphere with beautiful views 

As you drive down the Avenida Menendez you can’t miss the fort — Castillo de San Marcos — and the Mentdoz River — and across from both of those is one of St. Augustine’s newer restaurants and a fine dining experience: River and Fort.

This restaurant has an amazing atmosphere. The multi-level space features a ground-floor open dining terrace,  spacious dining rooms high ceilings, and plenty of windows and porches showing off the view. There are also welcoming bar spaces on each level and a popular rooftop deck.

Seared scallops and chow chow with red pepper gastrique

While it was the rooftop deck and the outdoor lounge area that we had seen online and encouraged us to go in, it was actually the only disappointing aspect of the space. The rooftop deck doesn’t have the best view of the fort and the water, but it still has the gorgeous design elements that are present in every area of this space. The menu is also limited to flatbreads and pizza on the rooftop.

Since we wanted to have the full steak and seafood experience the restaurant is known for, we opted for an early dinner and craft cocktails. We ordered the seasonal cocktail– the Sage Blossom– which was a delicious combination of strawberry puree, sage syrup, and St Augustine rum and Pimm’s.

The Stuffed New York Strip from River & Fort

For our meal, we splurged and ordered the stuffed New York strip and the seared scallops. Both were dishes to remember, both for their incredible presentation well-balanced flavors, and perfect preparation.

The menu offers wines by the glass and craft cocktails along with a full bar and wines but the bottle.

River + Fort is a definitely fine dining experience, with the best cuts of meat and fresh fish prepared with sophisticated pairings, but they still cater to the whole family with a kid’s menu and classic dishes.

Whether you go here for a drink or enjoy a full meal, it’s a fine dining experience in a gorgeous building with a beautiful view.

The Rooftop at River & Fort offers flatbreads and cocktails

The Floridian

72 Spanish St #3638, St. Augustine, FL thefloridianstaug.com

Floridian-inspired tiki cocktails and fresh farm-to-table food with a Southern twist

The Floridian is located on historic Spanish Street in downtown St Augustine and is another local treasure we had on our list of spots we wanted to try. Some of the Foodie RV YouTubers we follow had raved about the food there and they were right to do so!

The Floridian’s menu philosophy revolves around using the finest local ingredients to craft Southern comfort food with a modern twist. The result is a menu filled with upscale comfort food that pays homage to the rich food culture of the local farms in Florida and the cuisine of the South.

Beet Salad with the Catch of the Day

We ordered the Citrus Beet Salad with the Catch of the Day and the Not Your Momma’s Meatloaf sandwich and enjoyed both of those tremendously. The restaurant’s atmosphere is fantastic. It’s a sophisticated and aesthetically pleasing mix of old Florida style with bold tropically themed wallpaper, rattan details, retro decor finds, and beautifully chosen details from the tables to the plates and tables.

Not Your Momma’s Meatloaf

The cocktails were out of this world. We tried the Garden Gimlet and Saturn in Crosshairs cocktail which were two of the best drinks we’ve ever had.  The service was efficient and welcoming, echoing the warmth and hospitality that was apparent in every aspect of this place.

Beachside Diner

451 A1A Beach Blvd, St. Augustine, FL 32080  beachsidediner.com

Classic brunch and breakfast options with brunch cocktails in a lively beachside diner

When we are staying at Anastasia in our RV, we don’t want to have to pack up the RV to go out to for a meal–especially breakfast– so we are always eager to find restaurants that we can bike or walk to.

The Beachside Diner is located on A1A in the beach district of St. Augustine on Anastasia Island. It’s about a 7-minute bike ride from our campsite at Anastasia State Park.

Waffles with fruit 

This diner is a clean, cheerful, and welcoming modernized 1950s-style dinner that serves a fantastic breakfast and offers brunch cocktails. There’s a whole menu dedicated to their creative takes on Bloody Marys!  It gets crowded at breakfast, but we didn’t have to wait long for seating.  The breakfast offerings are fantastic. We had the 2-2-2-2  which is exactly the kind of full breakfast combination with pancakes, eggs, and sausage that we always crave, but can rarely find!

We also had the chicken fried chicken – another delicious and somewhat hard-to-find combination. We were tempted by the cocktail offerings but saved it for our second visit where we had the waffles which were as visually gorgeous as they were delicious and the biscuits and gravy which we loved! Highly recommend this as a breakfast or brunch spot.

Beachcomber Restaurant & Bar

2 A St, St Augustine Beach, FL 32080  beachcomberstaugustine.com

Beachfront dining with excellent cocktails and island-style seafood, burgers, and salads.

The Beachcomber is one of our favorite places to bike from where we stay in Anastasia State Park. St. Augustine has some great bike paths, and taking some of the back roads from the State Park to A1A  will get you to the Beachcomber in just a few minutes.

Island-inspired cocktails are a specialty at The Beachcomber

The Beachcomber is an amazing little beach bar and restaurant right on the sandy entrance to the beach. You can sit outside at the picnic tables and outdoor covered patio that have a nice view of the dunes and water.

We love sitting at the bar since all the doors are open and the beach atmosphere very much carries into the bar space. We’ve gone for lunch, light mid-day food, and cocktails.

The bar makes a great Dark N Stormy, a drink called Changes in Latitude, and they are known for their Goombay Smash. All of the cocktails are great. We also enjoyed the Coconut Shrimp appetizer and the Big Fish Reuben.

It’s one of those places that really makes you feel like you’re on vacation. For a additionaly fun stop on the way home, there’s a little bar on the corner of A1a that is a fun spot to have a beer while being able to sit right on the street.

The Conch House

57 Comares Ave, St. Augustine, FL 32080 conchhousemarinaresort.com

A Caribbean-inspired eatery with great island-style drinks, outdoor seating, tiki huts, expansive decks next to a beautiful marina

We spend a lot of time in the vicinity of the Conch House because friends of ours keep their boat in the marina there. We are usually enjoying Bloody Marys or Painkillers at the fun bar decks that overlook the waterfront and marina. However, one day we decided to sit down and have a proper meal.

The Painkiller at The Conch House is authentically and perfectly made

The restaurant is known for its Caribbean-inspired menu, featuring a variety of seafood dishes, tropical flavors, and island-inspired cocktails. The menu often includes items like conch fritters, jerk chicken, and other dishes with a Caribbean twist.

Tiki style outdoor seating huts at The Conch House

One of the coolest things about The Conch House is the tree house style Tiki Hut seating with multiple level tikis that function as outdoor booths.

We got to sit in one of these, and we ordered the Shrimp & Grits, which our friends highly recommended, the hushpuppies, the Shrimp Anastasia seafood pasta, and a watermelon lime chili cocktail.

Shrimp and grits from The Conch House

The shrimp and grits were the spicy variety with tasso ham, so it wasn’t our favorite preparation, since the spicy ham overpowered the shrimp, but it was still good. The Shrimp Anastasia and the Watermelon cocktail were all delicious! The restaurant has a laid-back vibe, and with its outdoor seating options, tiki huts, and a waterfront deck, it’s a wonderful spot to enjoy Carribean-style comfort food while taking in the waterfront view.

Shrimp Anastasia seafood pasta

Ice Plant Bar

110 Riberia St, St. Augustine, FL  iceplantbar.com

 Craft cocktails and farm-to-table plates in the unique setting of a former working ice plant 

For a unique atmosphere and delicious cocktails, we love the Ice Plant Bar. Ice Plant is just a few steps down the road from St. Augustine Fish Camp and right next to St. Augustine Distillery. The interior is unlike any other restaurant, with a modern industrial feel, soaring ceilings, and a large open space, that has been carefully renovated to keep the historical details of the former ice plant.

Interior space at The Ice Plant

The Ice Plant Bar is known for craft cocktails and farm-to-table cuisine. Since St. Augustine Distillery is right next door, there’s a tasting room on the first floor of the Ice Plant in the distillery offering samples of local gins, vodkas, and bourbons.  For dining options, you can move upstairs to enjoy sitting at the tables in the open modern industrial space or outside on the small covered patio.

The Ice Plant Truck

The menu offers salads, sandwiches, southern dishes, and seafood like their famous blue crab beignets and smoked fish dip. What truly sets this place apart are the cocktails.

The bartenders here are mixologists creating drinks that are as visually appealing as they are flavorful. From classic cocktails with a twist to low and no-alcohol options mocktail concoctions, the drink menu is a work of art with ingredients like aloe, snap pea, rose hips and avocado seamlessly blended into magical cocktails.  One of our personal favorites was the Moonage Daydream, a cocktail that brilliantly captures the farm-to-table meets distilled botanicals.

Salt Life Food Shack

321 A1A Beach Blvd, St. Augustine, FL 32080 saltlifefoodshack.com

Cocktails, happy hour, and seafood favorites from the coastlines of the world in an upscale beachy atmosphere

After seeing Salt Life’s ubiquitous logo plastered on vehicle windows, and emblazoned on t-shirts, sunshirts, and other gear, we hadn’t associated the Salt Life brand with anything related to dining.

However, St. Augustine is home to one of the small group restaurants known as the Salt Life Food Shacks owned by the coastal fishing brand. We were pleasantly surprised to find that we enjoyed our experience there.

The name “shack” doesn’t really apply, since the restaurant is a beautiful modern 2-story building on A1A across from the beach. The contemporary surf-inspired decor, open-air bar seating, a great happy hour menu, delicious cocktails, and fast service made this one of our favorite happy hour stops during our time in Anastasia Island.

Salt Life’s menu unsurprisingly is ocean-inspired, offering a variety of coastal seafood dishes from many different saltwater environments from the New England Clam Chowder to Hawaiian-inspired Poke Bowls.

We went on a Thursday for their Oyster & Margarita specials where they offer 1/2 price margaritas 1/2 price Elevated Patron Margaritas and $9.99 for a dozen raw oysters, or 1/2  a dozen baked oysters. We also enjoyed their tuna roll and the shrimp brochette along with our order of the crab stuffed oysters and skinny and salty margaritas.

Prohibition Kitchen

119 St George St, St. Augustine, FL 32084 pkstaug.com

A vintage industrial-style atmosphere with live music nights, serving specialty hamburgers, American comfort food, cocktails, and boozy milkshakes 

One of the restaurants we knew we had to try was Prohibition Kitchen, located on historic St. George Street. The interior is a huge space with a vintage Prohibition-style speakeasy with industrial artifacts that give it a steampunk atmosphere.

Prohibition Kitchen specializes in contemporary American Gastropub food with a farm-to-table focus and a Southern twist. The sandwiches and burgers – including a build-your-own option are what they’re most known for.

The Prohibition Style Atmosphere at the bar at Prohibition Kitchen

We were there for lunch, so we had the PK Signature burger and the Bootlegger Burger with fried green tomato and pimento cheese, along with their famous boiled peanuts. We were also tempted by all the adult milkshakes we saw being served, but since we knew we had a day of walking and sampling other bites to eat, we didn’t indulge. From the baked mac ‘n’ cheese with add-ins to poutine, and hearty short rib dishes, we thought that the menu offers a range of delicious and hearty southern comfort foods that are perfect for lunch on a day spent touring St.Augustine.

The Bootlegger Burger

O’Steen’s

205 Anastasia Blvd, St. Augustine, FL 32080  osteensrestaurant.com

Known for: Casual fried seafood restaurant with classic Southern sides

O’Steen’s is a casual seafood restaurant right on Anastasia Boulevard, making it easy to get to from both the historic district of St. Augustine and the beaches. O’Steen’s was founded by the O’Steen family in the 1960s and has remained in the family ever since.  It’s now considered to be one of the must-visit spots in St. Augustine for any fried seafood lover.

The famous fried shrimp and sides at O’Steen’s

The menu at O’Steen’s is known for its focus on Southern-style and traditional seafood dishes; especially their famous St. Augustine Fried Shrimp. An important thing to note if you’re planning on going is that it is a cash-only restaurant. You can also enjoy crab cakes, clam chowder, various fried seafood, and Southern-inspired sides.

The Blue Hen Café

223 W King St Ste A, St. Augustine, FL 32084  bluehencafe.com

Hearty Southern biscuits and sandwiches and sides for breakfast, brunch, or lunch

The Yard Bird, a famous dish at the Blue Hen Cafe

This is a breakfast and lunch spot that my husband pedaled to on one of his bike trips into downtown St. Augustine.  The Blue Hen Cafe is known for its Southern comfort food, especially buttermilk biscuits and gravy, shrimp and grits, and fried chicken. The lunch menu features breakfast items along with a variety of substantial sandwiches. While he went with the famous Yard Bird  – a combination of buttermilk fried chicken, with onions, gravy, and collard greens for breakfast, our second pick would be the Fried Green Tomato BLT for lunch.

The Village Garden Food Truck Park

1480 S Old A1a S, St. Augustine, FL 32080  villagegardenftp.com

A collection of food trucks offering street tacos, salads, smoothies, coffee, and acai bowls 

One of the coolest things about staying at Anastasia State Park is the amazing combination of the natural setting of the park and ocean combined with the proximity to various attractions and restaurants. Right outside the park through the back exit down Nona and Papa Road is open only to foot traffic and bikes there’s a cut-through that takes you down a few neighborhood streets where Old A1A intersects with new A1A.

Budda Bowls and Salads are a way to get a quicky healthy meal in Anastasia Island

This little space is the permanent home to 4-5  food trucks including our favorite, Big Island Bowls. We mainly ate at Big Island Bowls, because getting fresh salads and veggies along with some healthy fruits is always tricky on the road. We loved the Shaka Bowl and the Hibiscus Bowl, along with the Spicy Thai Budda Bowl for a quick and easy lunch or early dinner.

One night also tried the street tacos and puffy tacos from both Kusina Colorado and the Birra Tacos from The Little Sombrero and had drinks from  The Good Karma Cafe.

Acai bowls are a specialty at Big Island Bowls

The drawback to these trucks is that not all are open, and there seems to be a lack of variety; specifically, there’s a surplus of taco and smoothie options, but it would be great to have a burger or barbeque truck to balance out some of the dining choices.

If you’re a fan of food trucks in general there’s no shortage in St. Augustine. There’s a coffee truck and a taco truck near the front entrance to Anastasia State Park, and there are some that show up in the parking lot when there are concerts at The Amp – the music venue next to the park. There are also many food trucks and food stands that come for the weekly farmers market on Saturday morning.

Blackfly

108 Anastasia Blvd, St. Augustine, FL 32080  blackflytherestaurant.com

Steaks and seafood prepared in fine dining methods in a relaxed bistro atmosphere

This restaurant’s name throws us off a little, as we tend to think of the frustrating gnat-like bug, and not the fine dining experience this place is known for. Of course, as many fishermen know, a blackfly is a fly fishing term, and the Blackfly sister restaurant is located in the Bahamas — so we’re lucky to have its counterpart in St. Augustine.

Friends of ours who also spend time in St. Augustine have insisted this is the place for a great meal, and they visit weekly! We were there for a late night after a day out, so we didn’t really get to experience the full expanse of the menu, but from what we saw there were so many excellent choices for seafood, as well as an extensive wine list.

We somewhat lamely had the pizza since we had eaten a large meal earlier that day, but we’d like to go back with the sole purpose of trying out their extensive menu. The pizza was fantastic, in a true margarita style with a delicious crust. The atmosphere of the bar and dining space was upbeat and welcoming and our friends splurged on rockfish and other entrees that looked fantastic, and probably more in line with what we’d order on a regular night.

We’d love to try the Wellington beef tips, and the Cocquille St. Jacques, as well as the seafood entrees like Blackfly Fried Shrimp and the Scallops Brandon or the catch of the day done in one of their excellent preparations. They also offer fine options like steaks and chops from their grill and an offering of desserts including the Celebration Cake which is perfect for a special occasion.

Andaman Asian Bistro

1935 A1A S, St. Augustine, FL 32080 andamanasianbistrofl.com 

A collection of Asian cuisine favorites including sushi, Thai dishes, and appetizers in a welcoming space

Pad Thai 

We were in the mood for Asian food and sushi after our month-long dining adventures that were heavy on comfort food, so one evening we biked the short distance from the back gate at Anastasia State Park, and used caution to cross over into a little plaza where Andiman’s is located.

This little spot is in a strip mall and has a welcoming small outdoor seating area. Inside, there are booths and tables along with a sushi bar. We ordered the pad Thai, the Andaman Platter which is an assortment of their best appetizers, and the Elton John roll.

The Elton John roll, one of the chef’s specialty rolls at Andaman

The dishes were excellent, with the beautiful presentation that one likes to see at a good sushi restaurant. All the food was delicious with fast and friendly service. While we wouldn’t travel to St. Augustine specifically for a visit to Andaman, it’s very nice to have it as an option within biking or walking distance to the park, especially when you’re craving pad Thai.

Pizza Time

124 St George St, St. Augustine, FL 32084

Unforgettable pizza with generous and creative Italian-entree-style toppings in a fast-casual environment

See the slices before your order. The line moves quickly!

Pizza Time has smartly marketed itself as “The Second Best Pizza in the US” thanks to its standing on TripAdvisor back in 2015. While we can’t prove ourselves that it’s true, this marketing tagline does have some really exceptional pizza behind it. If you’re looking for loaded gourmet slices with toppings you won’t find at most of the pizza chains and pizza parlors, Pizza Time is for you.

Burrata pizza

Be warned, it’s a cash-only spot and there’s a line and a fast ordering process where the efficiency of ordering is appreciated. There’s a rotating selection of pizza by the slice. These slices are loaded with options that sound more like entrees than toppings. The pizza toppings are rotating but on the days we were there, we were treated to toppings like lasagna, chicken parmesan, ravioli, meatballs, eggplant parmesan, along with full, heaping dollops of ricotta, mozzarella, and burrata. The generous toppings make for hearty slices.

Eggplant Parmigiana Pizza

At between $8 to $10 a slice for the heavier toppings, you can easily spend $20 on just a few slices, but they are delicious and not to be missed!

Sunset Grille

421 A1A Beach Blvd, St Augustine Beach, FL 32080 sunsetgrillea1a.com

Beachfront dining with a large menu featuring, seafood, pasta, and classic dining favorites, perfect for families

The Sunset Salad

Sunset Grill was another A1A restaurant, within a short bike ride from the State Park. It has an outside and multiple levels of seating. It has lots of Seafood options, as well as salads, sandwiches, pasta and “land food”.

On our first visit, we sat at the bar for a happy hour drink. We had the Sunset Salad with fish and Sunset Shrimp seafood pasta. We were impressed by both dishes and appreciated the friendly and efficient servers at the bar and the delicious Sunset Cocktail.

The Sunset Shrimp

We went again with a group of 5 of us when family was visiting, and we sat in the back room. Unfortunately, that time we had uneven service (it seemed like we were forgotten in that back room!), and our food didn’t taste as fresh and wasn’t presented as well.  This lead us to conclude that this spot could be a bit hit or miss. We’d go again, but wouldn’t make it a part of our must-visit destination each time we go.

Auggie’s Draft Room

3 St George St, St. Augustine, FL 32084  auggiesdraftroom.com

A self-serve tap house with affordable and tasty burgers

St George Street in St. Augustine is where the crowds go to take in some of the historic architecture of St. Augustine while browsing various shops and restaurants. It’s a busy and touristy pedestrian-only walkway. As we walk, we like taking lots of little breaks away from the crowds for food and drink.

The self-serve draft system at Auggie’s

We visited Auggies mainly because we had a coupon from the coupon book we picked up at the St Augustine Visitor’s Center, but we were also intrigued by their burgers and their unique draft system that allows you to pay by pour. The burgers were good and served quickly, and the open seating was a very nice atmosphere. The beers on the draft weren’t an exotic selection by any means – Bud Light was one of the selections — so we just had a few small pours and then headed to the St. Augustine Distillery tour that was right next door.

St. Augustine Restaurants We’d Love to Try

Even with this long list, there are still some classic St. Augustine restaurants as well as classic and world-famous spots that we haven’t visited yet. On our next visit we’d love to try these places that we’ve heard good things about.

Llama

We’ve heard Llama offers a fine dining experience of fantastic Peruvian food expertly prepared by their chefs using classically trained methods. The dishes are works of art and are meant to be an experience. The ceviche and the grouper in plantain leaves would be dishes we’d love to try.

Forgotten Tonic

We peeked at the menu here when dining nearby at getting some ice cream sandwiches at Peace Pie, and both the atmosphere and the menu looked fantastic!

Aunt Kate’s

This waterfront restaurant is located in the Vilano Beach area. and has a 100-year tradition of serving seafood baskets and entrees that are exactly the kind of food we love to eat on vacation.

Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille

Harry’s Seafood Bar & Grille, is supposed to be a legendary spot nestled across from the Bridge of Lions across from the fort on one of the main streets of St. Augustine. We tried to get in twice, but unfortunately, it was packed and too long of a wait for our party. However,  we did get to quickly glimpse at the gorgeous courtyard garden. We’d love to have lunch on a leisurely day here in St. Augustine.

Colombia Restaurant

The Columbia Restaurant is part of a chain known as Florida’s Oldest Restaurants, and since St. Augustine is America’s oldest city, it’s almost like you’re getting double the history! The Columbia is known for award-winning Spanish and Cuban cuisine. This location is also known for its impressive architecture with an open two-level style courtyard and tile-lined space and fountains. Everything from the famous 1905 salad to the Cuban sandwiches for lunch, tapas, or one of their seafood or steak entrees served in the traditional Spanish style all sound delicious to us!

More Ideas for Where to Eat

If you’re looking for more ideas for where to eat in Florida, check out our best places to eat in Marathon, Florida.

We’ll also be soon writing more about our experiences camping at Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine as well as our picks for the best bars in St. Augustine, and where to enjoy some sweet treats when visiting St. Augustine.

If you’re snowbirds like us, who go north for camping in the summer, you might also enjoy hearing about our travels further north camping in the Delaware Seashore as well as our adventures camping in Boothbay, Maine.

We’ve stayed in Marathon, Florida for several seasons camping in the Florida Keys at our home-away-from-home at Jolly Roger RV Resort. While we stay, we enjoy many of the local restaurants repeatedly. And, since everything in the Keys can be expensive, getting the most out of our dining budget becomes a top focus. of our Keys vacation.

If you’re looking for the best happy hours in Marathon Florida, we’re sharing our guide to the happy hour deals we enjoy most when visiting the mid-point of the Florida Keys.

While we love a good meal, we especially appreciate a good deal on good food even more, that’s why we seek out as many happy hour specials as possible. Since we staying for an extended period in Marathon, finding good food at a good deal is not only a budget-friendly bonus, it’s one of our favorite things to research.

Thankfully, many Marathon restaurants are full of fantastic happy hour specials. That said, we’ve found it’s pretty hard to initially find and keep track of the happy hour specials day-to-day without visiting several sites, reading several reviews, and creating your own list of go-to places to find the best spot for happy hour each night.

In order to help you find those details — and to help ourselves keep track of these happy hour specials as well — we’ve created this guide to all of the Happy Hour offerings we’ve found in the Marathon. We’ve listed them in alphabetical order for easy reading.

As always, happy hour specials change frequently. While we have made our best effort to keep this list up to date, these deals are likely to change frequently or to be discontinued altogether,  you may want to confirm hours, and deals before you go by calling, or checking their website, or social media pages.  If you’re a restaurant in Marathon and you’d like us to make an edit or add your happy hour special to this list, get in touch with us via our Instagram!

Barnacle Barney’s Tiki Bar

Location: 1688 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050 (Behind Bluegreen Vacations)

Barnacle Barney’s Facebook Page

3-5 pm Daily

$5.00 

Seasoned Fries

Chicken Mini Tacos

Pizza Logs

$7.00

Chips + Queso

Onion Rings

Sweet Potato Tots

Fried Cauliflower

Guacamole Bites

Creamy Mango Habanero Bites

$10.00 

Pretzel Bun Sliders (2) and Chips

Conch Fitters

Giant Pretzel with Cheese

$12.00

Blackened Tuna Bites

Fried Lobster Bites

Buffalo Wings w Blue Cheese

Barney Wings

Drink Specials

$2.00 off all alcoholic drinks

Barnacle Barney’s was a spot we tried for the first time this season. Located off of Overseas Highway, and behind the Bluegreen Resorts, this tiki bar meets sports bar has beautiful water views of the Gulf side of Marathon, outdoor seating that looks out on a few private islands nearby. It’s a great place to spend the afternoon.

If you’re a frozen drink lover, this is one of the few spots with frozen drink specials on Happy Hour.  Their take on the Key Lime Colada, was one of our favorites. We also tried the sweet potato bites, the lobster bites and the sliders that were on happy hour special. The beer menu features local drafts from Florida Keys Brewing and Islamorada Brewing with New England classic Narragansett Lager thrown in. In fact, the only drawback if you’re a domestic beer lover, and just want a Miller Lite or a Bud Light is that all of the beers are local craft beers, except for the ‘Ganset.

Castaway Waterfront Restaurant + Sushi Bar

1406 Oceanview Ave, Marathon, FL 33050

castawaysfloridakeys.com

Happy Hours: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM  (Closed Wednesdays)

$7.00 Food Specials

Chicken Wings

Fried Chicken Livers

Fish Fingers

2 Chili Dogs

4 PC Crab Rangoon

4 pc Lumpia

Chips and Pico De Gallo

4 PC Tuna Nachos

Spicy Tuna Dog

Spicy Tuna Crunch Roll

California Roll

Dragon Roll

Veggie Roll

Sashimi * Nigiri (3) pc per order

Drink Specials

Yuengling & Bud Light $2

12 oz Well Drinks $5

House Wine $6

Rum Punch $8

Sailors Sedative $9

Bloody Wilson $10

Drafts 1/2 Price 2-3 pm

The happy hour at Castaway Restaurant starts early and has an extensive offering making it the perfect spot for a lunchtime happy hour, or to do some day drinking if you enjoy that sort of thing. The Castaway happy hour is full of sushi and seafood options, including special rolls, tuna nachos, fish dip, and beers on tap and cocktails like the Rum Punch. Both indoor and outdoor bar seating is available.

Dockside Boot Key Harbor

35 Sombrero Blvd, Marathon, FL 33050

Dockside’s Facebook Page

Happy Hours:  3:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Food Specials
Sweet Potato Fries: $6

Fish Dip w/Chips: $7

Onion Rings: $6

3 Soft Pretzel w/whole grain mustard: $5.25

Wings (Buffalo/BBQ Ranch/Bleu Cheese): $7

Drink Specials

Well Drinks: $4

Domestic Bottles: $3.25

Bud Light Draft: $2.09

Wines: $3.25

Dockside Bar & Grill s located right next to the Boot Key Harbor marina area. It’s a great spot for looking out at the water, enjoying live music, and getting super-speedy bartending service while savoring their great happy hour specials. Deals include; well drinks for $4, Bud Light draft for under $3.00, and as well as tasty bar food as a discounted price. We love and usually order their fish dip and onion rings.

There is live music almost every night from both local musicians and national acts, so it’s well worth staying on past the happy hour specials.

Florida Keys Steak and Lobster

3660 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050

flkeyssteakandlobster.com

Happy Hours: 11:30 AM – 6:00 PM (Early bird until 5:30 PM)

Food Specials

$5.95

6 Chicken Wings

Mozzarella Sticks

Spinach Artichoke Dip

$6.95

Buffalo Shrimp

Potato Skins

$7.95

1/2 Pound Peel & Eat Shrimp

Calamari with Mango Sauce

Shrimp and Crab Ball

Prime Rib Kabobs

Tuna Tataki

JB Salmon Roll

 Drink Specials

All Well Drinks $5.00

Bud Light 3.00

Iguana Bait – Kolsch 4.50

Stella Artois – Pale Lager 3.50

Spearfish – Amber Ale 4.50

Funky Buddha Hop Gun – IPA 4.50

Featured Stout or Porter 5.00

Domestic 3.00

Import/Craft 4.50

Sailfish Sunrise City – IPA 4.50

Crazy Lady – Blond Ale 4.50

Blue Moon 4.50

O’Douls Non-Alcoholic Beer 3.75

Becks Non-Alcoholic Beer 3.75

Omission Lager – Gluten Free 3.75

Heineken Non Alcohol 3.75

Stella Apple Cider Gluten Free 4.00

3 Daughters Key Lime Cider 4.00

Canyon Road – Cabernet, Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, White Zinfandel
$5 Glass / $12 Half Carafe / $20 Full Carafe

Angeline Sauvignon Blanc 6.00

Moulin De Gassac Rose 6.00

Monte Degli Angeli Pinot Noir 6.00

Florida Keys Steak and Lobster is a must-visit spot for happy hour deals. Not only does it start at 11 am, but it also has some of the best deals imaginable. Florida Keys Steak and Lobster is one of the few restaurants in Marathon that aims to have a bit more of a fine dining experience rather than the typical tiki atmosphere.

The bar is windowless and therefore a little bit dark, so it won’t give you an island outdoor dining experience, but it will give you the chance to sample some delicious peel-and-eat shrimp, calamari, and have a beer for only $3!

We also adore their early bird dinner specials  that start at 3:30. It’s great way to have their salad, steak, and seafood dishes for less. Along with Key Colony Inn, this is probably one of the best cheap happy hour deals.

Havana Jacks

 401 E Ocean Dr, Key Colony Beach, FL 33051

havanajacksoceanside.com

Happy Hour 4 pm-6 pm

Food

The Giant Pretzel –  Bavarian salted pretzel served with beer cheese $15

Sesame Seared Tuna Wontons served with wasabi aioli with soy glaze $18

“House Favorite” TNT Shrimp tempura beer battered with boom boom sauce $15

George’s Shrimp Fritters $15

Tuna Tini Hawaiian style tuna poke with avocado, onion, sesame seeds,  soy glaze,  and wontons $18

Edamame with sesame oil, sesame seeds, soy sauce $9

Coconut Shrimp coconut encrusted  with sweet chili sauce $15

Havana Wings mild, hot, guava BBQ or mango jerk or sweet chili served with blue cheese or ranch and celery

Drinks

$2 off all draft beer, domestic bottle beer, house liquor, and house wine.

The discount on beer and drinks is the real discount here — the food prices seemed a bit high to us. In addition to saving money on these drink specials, Havana Jack’s is a great open-air spot to enjoy live music and ocean views in their bar and outdoor lounge area that overlooks the Atlantic Ocean.

The Coconut Shrimp and Edamame were our happy hour picks, but like we said – $9 to $15 for simple appetizers isn’t exactly a deal. We also loved the Key Lime Colada here, but unfortunately, it’s not on the happy hour.

Island Fish Company

12648 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050

islandfishco.com

Happy Hour 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM Daily

Various food and drink specials.

Wouldn’t you know it – we forgot to take pictures of the menu and offerings the one time we went to the Island Fish Company happy hour.

We actually couldn’t find the happy hour menu online for this spot, but we know that they have one every day between 3 and 5. We think it might be one of those hard-to-pin-down happy hours full of rotating specials on food and drink. However, we know the happy hour at Island Fish is a Marathon staple, so we’ll have to try it the next time we’re in town.

If you know the specifics, we’d love to add the details, so tag us on Instagram with any updates and we’ll add the happy hour special here.  The atmosphere overlooking the gulf and open-air tiki setting is one of our favorites. Also, you might get to see a helicopter land!

Key Colony Inn

700 W Ocean Dr, Key Colony Beach, FL 33051

kcinn.com

3:00 PM – 5:00 PM (Weekends 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM)

Food

$5 Fried Calamari

$5 Sesame Seared Ahi Tuna

$5 Shrimp Cocktail

$5 Tomato Bruschetta

$5 Caprese Salad

$5 Fried Mozzarella

$5 Mussels in creamy garlic sauce

$5 Cheese Pizza

Drinks

$5 Margarita

$5 Pirate Punch

$5 High Noon

$5 Espresso Martini

$5 Cappuccino Martini

$5 House Wine

$5 Bloody Mary

$4 Well Liquor

$3-$6 Beer

The Key Colony Inn happy hour is LEGENDARY and for good reason! You can get two drinks and two apps for $20! Those $5 espresso martinis! $5 full size pizzas! And as you can see from the list; that’s just the start of it.

Additionally, the old-school Florida vibe of  Key Colony Inn located near the Key Colony Golf Club lined with palm trees is a classic location.

We love the Pirate Punch, as well as the caprese salad, shrimp cocktail, ahi tuna and — of course — the pizza! These amazing happy hour offerings draw quite a crowd so you’ll want to get there early for these deals, especially if you want to sit at the bar. Thankfully, the happy hour specials are available in the spacious dining room areas as well.

We are always stuffed after the $5 pizza, but we wanted to stay one of these days for an entree of one of their pasta dishes.

Keys Fisheries

3502 Gulfview Ave, Marathon, FL 33050

keysfisheries.com

 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Stone Crab Claw $15 each (Subject to availability and market prices)

Gulf Oysters $23 Dozen / $17 Half-Dozen

Fresh Tuna Poke Bowl $19

Stone Crab Chowder $8

$6 Bar Appetizers
Conch Ceviche
Tuna Sashimi
Crab & Spinach Dip
Smoked Fish Dip
1/4 lb Peel & Eat Shrimp

Upstairs on the deck at the Keys Fisheries Raw Bar (also now known as Shannon’s Crab Trap) is one of our favorite places to be in this world.  A beautiful breezy view of the gulf, great live music, great sunset views,  and an unbelievable deal on stone crab claws and toast at sunset make this one of our favorite spots ad the perfect place for an early evening happy hour. The happy hour specials here are mainly on food, but there is a $1.00 off on some beer and wine as well. Keys Fisheries is known for their fresh seafood which is why we love their conch ceviche for happy hour.

In addition, we enjoy splurging on the Lime in Da Coconut cocktail or the Lobster Reuben (both are delicious, but not on happy hour specials). The bar also has super friendly staff who go above and beyond to make your time at Keys Fisheries enjoyable. Be sure to thank them for their exceptional service!

Lighthouse Grill

1994 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050

lighthousegrillmarathon.com

Happy Hours: 3:00 PM – 7:00 PM Monday – Friday

Food

Drinks

$2 off all Drinks

The Lighthouse Grill, the bar within Faro Blanco Resort, is a beautiful spot for an upscale happy hour experience. In addition to the food and drinks,  enjoyed the panoramic view of the marina and water.

While the happy hour specials don’t offer any huge bargains on dining, it was a nice way to sample some of their apps and drinks at a discount.

The cocktails are expensive (we paid $19 for a martini off the happy hour!) so it’s nice to have that $2 off option. We tried the Cuban Rice Balls for our app, thought it was delicious, and would order it again.

Porky’s

1410 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050
3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
www.porkysbaysidebbq.com

Drinks

 $8 – The Following Classic Cocktails:

Mojito

Rum Punch Margarita

Pina-Colada

Pain Killer

—

$5 Sangria

Red or Sparkling

$5 Wine

Red: Cabernet, Merlot, Pinot Noir

White: Chardonnay

—

$5 Well Drinks

Pinot Grigio, Sauv. Blanc Sparkling: Moscato

Draft Beer

Andre Brut Champagne

$4 Bud Light

$5 Stella Artois

$4 Domestic Bottles

$6 Iguana Bait

Bud, Bud Light

$6 Islamorada Seasonal

Coors Light

$6 Marlin Wit

Miller Lite, Mich Ultra

$6 Funky Buddha IPA

Food

75¢ Peel ‘n’ Eat Shrimp (10 minimum) Served Chilled

$1.75/each Fresh Oysters (6 min)

$6 Pork Belly Bites w/Remoulade Sauce

$8 BBQ Pork or Chicken Sliders (3)

For Brisket (add $2); NC Pork or Mojo Pork (add $1)

$9 Smoked Chicken Wings (6)

(Buffalo or Spicy Thai)

$8 Fish Fingers

$8 Chef’s Tacos of the Day (2)

$9 Calamari

$9 Blackened Mahi Quesadilla

$9 Mussels Marinara

$9 Tuna Tataki

$8 Classic Roll / $8.50 Spicy Roll (choose Tuna or Salmon)

$12 Saku Tuna Nachos

Porky’s Bayside is in one of the many tiki huts on our happy hour list. This open air spot is off of Overseas Highway and one of the last stops before you cross the Seven Mile Bridge as you are on the way to Key West, but is still near Marathon.

This bar offers a casual atmosphere, marina side location,  and live music. We love that this happy hour includes good drink specials like a Pina Colada and a Painkiller – it’s hard to find good frozen mixed drinks on happy hour, but this place has a great selection of frozen and hand-mixed tropical cocktails.

The food is also a big draw for their happy hour offering. In fact, we have never dined for a sit-down meal here. We’ve only had happy hour food where we enjoyed the tacos of the day, the BBQ sliders, and the Mahi quesadilla especially. The only dish we didn’t enjoy were the pork belly bites which were too fatty and chewy for our liking.

The service behind the bar is excellent, with attentive and friendly bartenders.

Porky’s also have one of our favorite takes on key lime pie – a wedge of key lime pie with fried panko bread crumbs and raspberry sauce.  We’ve heard good things about the breakfast too, and the dinner menu is substantial.

Sparky’s

6850 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM daily (Closed Mondays)

www.sparkyslanding.com

Peel & Eat Shrimp and Wings $0.45 each

$1.00 off imports and drafts

$6.00 House Wine

$5.00 Domestic Bottles

$5.00 Well Drinks

Sparky’s Landing is one of our favorite restaurants in Marathon, and it was one of the best places in our article on The Best Restaurants in Marathon, Florida. Sparky’s features a large bar overlooking the water, outdoor waterfront seating, and a huge oversized tiki dining room. Sparky’s is a very popular spot; the bar is always packed, but it’s extremely hard to find a seat at happy hour, so arrive early!

The happy hour has been voted one of the best in Marathon, but to be honest we’re not sure why it gets this award. We find that it’s a very limited happy hour offering compared to some of the others we’ve mentioned here. The food specials are just the peel-n-eat shrimp and wings,  and if you don’t like either those (and one of us doesn’t at all!) you’re kind of out of luck for food. We prefer several of the other Marathon happy hours that offer a nice discount off of a range of small plates and appetizers from the regular menu.

The same goes for the drink specials, which are beer, wine, and well drinks. We love the specialty cocktails at Sparky’s, but since there’s no happy hour discount on those there’s no huge deal for us here on drinks either. We usually just settle for a beer or a rail rum and coke. Add to that the trouble with finding parking and bar seating after 4 and we’ve gone the opposite direction where we actually will avoid going to Sparky’s during happy hour, and go at 6:30 once happy hour clears out.

When we do go, we usually end up just ordering full-priced small plate or entree and drinks here – which, from their business perspective is probably great, but we’d really like to see a happy hour of a small menu that offers a discount on the delicious food the offer and at least one of the special cocktails that Sparky’s is known for before we would be able to give it our own little award for best happy hour.

SS Wreck

Hours: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM
58835 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050
www.sswreck.com

$8 – Special Menu

$1 OFF – Bottle & Draft Beers

$1 OFF – House Wine

$1 OFF – Well Drinks

$1 OFF – Seltzers

The S.S. Wreck was mentioned in our best key lime pie article for having the best key lime pie. But before we tried the delicious key lime pie, our first visit to “The Wreck” was for the happy hour.

Our first happy hour here was a bit of an uneven experience from a service perspective, with slow-to-arrive food and an overly-feisty waitress who gave us grief when we ordered water along with our drinks, and then forgot about us. After that first bad experience we have had some very good service there from the two servers who are most often behind the bar.

The day we went the special menu happy hour offering was nachos, and we just had 2 Coronas, so it was a pretty uneventful happy hour experience for us, but largely as a result of our own ordering. It’s not always clear what will be offered on the $8 special menu for food, but we appreciate the $1 off drinks. When not ordering from the happy hour menu,  we really enjoy the coconut shrimp, fajitas, tuna poke nachos from the regular menu as well as the legendary key lime pie!

Tiki 61

243 61st Street, Marathon, FL 33050

tropicalcottages.net

$1.00 off Beer, Wine and Canned cocktails

$1.50 off  Signature Drinks and Shots and Cocktails

Tiki 61 is located in the Tropical Cottages off of  Overseas Highway. Tropical Cottages are vacation cabin rentals, that are also home to a taco food truck called La Isla Tacos as well as a tiki bar called Tiki 61. Florida Keys tiki bars are one of the best things about the Keys, Tiki 61 is exactly the kind of atmosphere we love in the Keys.  It’s a local favorite, has live music, and there’s usually a seat somewhere. Tiki 61 and the Tropical Cottages were recently featured on Motel Rescue, and had an amazing makeover as a part of that process. The bar is now beautifully appointed with updated chic tropical decor. The cocktails are fantastic, and all of our favorites are on the daily happy hour which is $1.50 off signature drinks and $1.00 off beer, wine, and canned cocktails. We love the Painkiller, Rum Runner, Pina Colada, and the Strawberry Margarita. The tacos from the taco truck, aren’t a part of the happy hour, but grab a fish taco and then settle in for a few drinks during happy hour for a wonderful evening.

Places to Eat and Things to Do in  Marathon Florida

We hope this helps you keep track of some of the best happy hour specials in Marathon, Florida. We’ll keep adding to this as our travels continue! Until then, save us a seat at the bar!

For more recommendations, check out our picks for the best restaurants in Marathon, Florida.

If you’re a camper or RV, also check out our thoughts on the best RV camping in the Florida Keys.

As with all of our posts, the information provided here was accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of our visits to these restaurants. However, menu items, locations, hours, and availability are always subject to change. You may want to double-check specials, as well as restaurant locations and hours. All opinions are our own.

Except where noted, all images are photographed by and copyright of the editors of Currently Traveling. Use of our photos is prohibited without permission. None of this content was sponsored unless noted we always purchase our own food and beverages for all the dining experiences mentioned in this article.

If you’re planning a trip to Marathon, Florida, and wondering where to eat, we’re excited to share with you our picks for some of the best places to eat in Marathon. There are so many restaurants offering great food and atmosphere in the Middle Keys of Florida. From casual light bites to gourmet meals and everything in between, here are a few of our favorite contenders for the best restaurants in Marathon, Florida. While we haven’t been everywhere, these are a few of our favorite spots to visit each year.

The Best Places to Eat in Marathon, FL

We are fortunate to have spent the past three winter seasons in Marathon, camping in the Florida Keys at Jolly Roger RV Resort. While we try to cook some meals in the camper, going out to eat and sampling local fare is one of our favorite things to do. Not only does it get us out of the confines of our small RV, but it also helps us experience the cuisine and culture of any place we visit.

Since we stay for several months at a time in Marathon, we’ve had the chance to sample many of the local Marathon restaurants from Grassy Key to the Seven Mile Bridge for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We hope our picks for dining in Marathon will help you enjoy many meals during your stay. We’re presenting these restaurants simply in alphabetical order since ranking these would be a difficult task.

Bongo’s Botanical Beer Garden

59300 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050   ridethelagoon.com

Bongo’s Cafe is an amazing watersports park and tropical cafe in Grassy Key.

Bongo’s is a place you need to visit at least once while in Marathon.  In addition to a beautiful tropical garden seating area, tiki bar space, murals, and artwork from local artists, the property features a one-of-a-kind cable park lagoon for wakeboarding and watersports. There, you’ll see people of all ages learning or practicing holding on to what looks like a ski lift cable while wakeboarding over jumps.

The welcoming entrance to Bongo’s tropical bar and outdoor dining space.

At the bar area, they serve tiki cocktails that are crafted with local ingredients and garnished with fruit from the on-site gardens. The food offerings are out of a permanent food truck onsite. Dining options vary a bit day-to-day, but often include small plates for sharing, Caribbean and Polynesian-inspired bowls and wraps,  breakfast, brunch, and sandwich offerings, as well as daily specials. Everything we’ve tried or seen on neighboring diners’  tables looks beautifully prepared with fresh and healthy local ingredients.

The garnishes and fresh ingredients make Bongo’s Bloody Marys special. (We remembered to take a picture only after taking several sips!)

Bongo’s is a great spot for starting your weekend or having brunch since there is usually a fun crowd and a local musician on stage. You can also take your cocktail and walk through the little garden pathways looking at the wild banana plants and other fruits growing from the trees around the bar or head down to watch the water sports. There’s also a shop onsite full of wakeboarding gear and merchandise to commemorate your visit.

When dining there for brunch, we loved the guava mimosa and the Bloody Mary with special spices and calamodin orange garnish. We also enjoyed their Mojo Pork bowl, split a breakfast sandwich, and enjoyed a delicious guava and cheese pastry that was the special of the day. We haven’t been there yet this year, but we can’t wait to visit. We have no excuse not to since it’s just a quick walk from where we stay at Jolly Roger.

Burdine’s Waterfront

1200 Ocean View Ave, Marathon, FL 33050 burdineswaterfront.com

The entrance to Burdine’s Waterfront

Burdine’s Waterfront is a Marathon restaurant fixture and a fantastic place to check out if you’re seeking a great beach bar atmosphere with a water view.  Burdine’s offers an outside open-air tiki deck bar that is situated on the waterway near Boot Key Harbor with a panoramic view of the mangroves there.

We visited with friends one day to sample the two types of key lime pie they offer as well as the famous fries and hamburgers. We returned for a second year to try the fries and the key lime pie again.  As we noted in our best key lime pie in the Florida Keys article, Burdine’s serves one of our favorite unique takes on the fried key lime pie.

The fries at Burdine’s are some of the best we’ve ever had. Bottle of Old Bay not included — but recommended!

Burdine’s is also one of the best places in all of Florida for a huge plate of fresh-cut fries. As Marylanders who are known to tote a small bottle of Old Bay with us to various restaurants, we think the fries become even more perfect when we topped them with a sprinkle of this spice.

Perhaps our only disappointment with the setup at Burdine’s is that they only serve beer and wine, and the relaxed waterfront tiki location seems like the perfect place to slip a frozen drink cocktail.

We’ve heard that it’s a great spot for lunch, with plenty of seafood and non-seafood sandwiches and handhelds to try. We’d think we’d like to try their take on the Mahi Reuben the next time we’re there. The very friendly, efficient, and hard-working bar staff and the relaxed atmosphere make it a welcoming spot to spend a sunny afternoon.

Castaway Waterfront Restaurant and Sushi Bar

1406 Oceanview Ave, Marathon, FL 33050 castawayfloridakeys.com

Entrance to the legendary Castaway restaurant in Marathon, Florida. Known for lionfish and fresh sushi

Castaway is the place to get fresh seafood including sushi or the lionfish they are famous for. It’s rumored that the owner often dives for this spiky and invasive fish and gives it to the kitchen to cook for that same day in creative ways.  If you’re looking for an afternoon early happy hour, this is also the place to try with an extra special deal on half-priced drafts from 2-3 pm with sake and 52 beers on on tap.

The fish dip  and a snifter of happy hour beer at Castaway Restaurant

The happy hour includes decent food specials like tuna nachos, crab rangoon, and a nice selection of sushi rolls. The full lunch and dinner menu is extensive with many sandwich and seafood offerings,  creative sushi rolls, as well as their famed pink Key West shrimp, prepared lobster roll style.

The famous Bloody Wilson from Castaway

We’ve tried the smoked fish dip, and the crab rangoon, but perhaps what we love most is getting a few sushi rolls to split. We also tried their legendary take on the Bloody Mary; the Bloody Wilson which is a snack in itself. This bloody mary is topped with shrimp, bacon, and a blue cheese-stuffed olive. That’s enough garnishes to help you survive on a deserted island.   As a bonus, if you’re lucky enough to sit next to the owner, as we once were, you’ll get to hear some interesting stories about his life on the sea and how Castaway Restaurant came to be.

Dockside Bar And Grill

35 Sombrero Blvd, Marathon, FL 33050 facebook.com/docksidebkh

A view of the stage for live music on the deck of Dockside at Boot Key Harbor

Dockside is called a hidden gem, and that may be because it’s a little bit off of the path of the usual Overseas Highway spots, and incredibly difficult to find a parking spot.  Dockside at Boot Key Harbor is set up on the waterfront area of Boot Key Harbor next to a marina and off the road to Sombrero Beach behind Publix. It’s the perfect spot for enjoying affordable happy hour drinks and food at the bar or under the waterfront-covered canopy with many outdoor tables. It’s a very popular spot almost every day of the week, so go early if you have hopes of finding a seat at the bar.

We have been 2-3 times and there has always been live music that ranges from country to rock classics to upbeat yacht rock style standards. When you’re there enjoying the drinks and music, it’s a great place to grab a casual bite to eat. The food is simple, tasty, and budget-friendly. We look forward to the combination of tasty bar comfort food and affordability which is a nice break for our dining budget since we eat out all the time. We loved the Philly Cheesesteak, the hamburger, the sweet potato waffle fries, and the fish dip at Dockside. While the bar fare food is very good, it isn’t destination dining, but the combination of food, music, drinks, friendly and hardworking bartenders, and waterfront atmosphere makes this spot special.

Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House

3660 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050  flkeyssteakandlobster.com

If the packed-full parking lots each day are any indication we’d venture to say that people really like Florida Keys Steak and Lobster House.  One reason many love it is because their famous Happy Hour starts at 11, and goes until 6. The happy hour offers many appetizers, sushi options, and drink specials. However, it’s also well known as the place to get fantastic entrees as well. We hear that there’s an early bird dinner from 3:30 to 5:30 that offers one of their fantastic entrees, along with soup or salad, 1 side, and flan or key lime pie. That deal alone would pack any parking lot.  Florida Keys Steak and Lobster is also one of the few spots to have a classic steak house experience complete with attentive service and beautifully presented plates.  Florida Keys Steak and Lobster, as the name suggests, offers some impressive cuts of meat, surf and turf dishes, as well as filet mignon, and exciting plates like Hawaiian coconut shrimp.

While we haven’t yet had any of these dinners, we’re told people enjoy so many of the signature entree here. The reason we don’t go very frequently is that we tend to gravitate towards the light and bright outdoor tiki-style places to eat with water views that truly make you feel like you’re on vacation. By contrast, Florida Keys Steak and Lobster is quite dark inside, and beyond happy hour it’s a bit out of our daily dinner budget. But if you’re looking for a special occasion spot,  a meat lover tired of all the fried fish options in the Keys, or a family looking to appease a variety of tastes while on vacation, this slightly upscale dining option might be the spot for you.

Frank’s Grill

11400 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050 franksgrillmarathon.com

Catch of the day prepared Francaise style at Frank’s Grill in Marathon, FL.

Frank’s Grill is one of our favorite restaurants in all of Marathon, Florida, and a meal that we think of frequently when we’re not in the Keys the rest of the year. Frank’s is an unassuming little restaurant from the exterior, but the Italian food rivals that of any major city restaurant. All of the sauces are well-balanced and they have the added benefit of being able to add local fresh-caught seafood to favorite preparation styles like piccata, Francaise, and poached in clam sauce.

The Osso Bucco at Frank’s Grill in Marathon, FL is an unforgettably delicious dining experience!

Because of the quality of food and service, we have now made it a tradition to visit Frank’s for special events like Valentine’s Day when we’re in Marathon.  Everything on the menu is probably fantastic but in particular, we have enjoyed two piccata seafood plates; scallops and grouper, as well as the veal parmesan, and the showstopping Osso Bucco. The Osso Bucco was both a gastronomically and visually impressive plate. At least four other diners asked us about this impressive dish and even took pictures. All dinner entrees come with a salad, Italian bread, and a side of your choice of pasta.

Frank’s also offers an excellent wine list full of favorites like Caymus, Opus One, and steaks, so if you want a fine dining experience while you’re on vacation, you don’t want to overlook this little gem situated off of Overseas Highway in the corner of a huddle of small businesses and professional offices in a building that appears to have been a motel in a past life.  The service at Frank’s is also delightful. We had the witty, warm, and engaging Linda as our server two years in a row, and her quick wit and excellent service just add to the delight of this place.

Frank’s restaurant is small in square footage with just a few tables both inside and outdoors, so you’re going to want to make a reservation for this place. We’ve made reservations sometimes a month ahead of our stay, especially for big events like anniversaries or Valentine’s Day. We do have one little trick in case you forgot or were unable to make a reservation: order your food to go and take it to a sunset view somewhere nearby. If you are getting tired of the same fried seafood offerings and tiki hut standards, your taste buds will thank you for the variety of cuisine at Frank’s.

Irie Island Eats

4540 Overseas Highway, Marathon, FL 33050  irieislandeats.com

Irie Island Eats is one of our favorite spots to eat when we are in Marathon.

Irie Island Eats became a favorite spot of ours on the last day of our first year in Marathon and it has now become the first place we stop for food when we arrive.

Irie Island Eats can be easy to miss when driving by car with the windows up, because it is best found by the smell of smoking meats from a billowing grill that sits outside by the road. It was that tantalizing smell that led us to discover this amazing spot while biking past one day. Irie Island Eats is a food truck that is situated in a tropical garden space next to a thatched roof building, which was a farmers’ market for years, and is now a prepared food market that is part of the Irie Eats establishment as of winter of 2024. The thatched roof market section of Irie Island Eats now serves grab-and-go breakfast bowls, coffee, empanadas, sandwiches, and salads, as well as fresh fruit, vegetables, and eggs in addition to vegan ice cream options, honey, and other local treats and gifts.

Floriditos are filled with Kalua pork and plantains  –  one of the amazing appetizers from Irie Island Eats. 

The main Irie Eats restaurant is a food truck that is set back in amongst a variety of tropical plants past swinging gates from the parking lots, or in the gardens behind the storefront.  The lush tropical garden seating creatively camouflages the nearby highway and makes the garden dining area feel like a vacation within a vacation. The collection of tables, chairs, and lounging couches offers an enjoyable eating oasis.

The new dinner menu (after 4) at Irie Island Eats in Marathon

There are usually many specials offered each day as well as build-your-own bowl, salad, and taco options.  To order a bowl you can select from the special bowls of the day, or create your own. To create your own you’ll first pick a base or rice, slaw, or veggies,  then pick a style with more seasoned veggie add-ins like slaw and pickled onions, and then pick a favorite protein from their wide selection of smoked meats, seafood, and vegan options. Our favorite bowl creations usually include the coconut rice, the Key Lime Cilantro slaw, and the Mango BBQ ribs. We also love the Sunshine Salad.

You can’t beat the combination of coconut rice, smoked meat, and fresh veggies found in the bowls at Irie Island Eats.

Lunchtime is the perfect time to visit Irie, the portions are generous so you’ll have enough to share for two or have a second bite at dinner time. However, if didn’t go at lunch and you’re craving Irie Eats for dinner, thankfully the restaurant is now open later, and shifts to a dinner menu at 4 pm on Thursday-Saturday.  Whether you eat-in or are waiting for your name to be called for your order, there’s usually a pleasant seat available in their tropical setting of patio couches, surfboard bar tables for two, and other outdoor seating. When we are in Marathon we often will eat more than two meals a week here.

The unique garden seating options and pathway flanked with tropical greenery at Irie Island Eats

There are also smoothies and an excellent selection of classic hard-to-find bottled sodas and aloe juice. There’s no liquor license, so you won’t be coming to this place for a tropical drink, it’s just the destination in Marathon for some incredibly prepared meals for lunch and dinner. We think it’s wonderful to have such a healthful and flavorful food option during our stays in Marathon.

Island Fish Company

12648 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050 Islandfishco.com

The tall sign out front marks the entrance to Island Fish Co, one of the most popular restaurants in Marathon.

Island Fish Co is one of the most popular spots in Marathon.  They have outside seating with a beautiful view of the water and are known for their happy hour, oysters, tropical cocktails, and Caribbean-inspired dishes and seafood offerings.

While riding past on the bike trail, we’re always extra careful near here because the parking lot is full of cars coming and going, and it’s an area where both motorists and cyclists need to be very cautious. We have been for a couple of meals and enjoyed them, but it was during our first year in the Keys, and we haven’t been back lately, but we need to return to give a more detailed review.

We think we had the Mahi sandwich and shrimp tacos and were more impressed with the Mahi Sandwich. They make several nice cocktails including a fantastic Key lime colada, which we do remember! If you do opt for one of those cocktails, please let someone else do the driving, and use extra caution in and out of the busy and tight parking lot. We’ve also heard that they serve a fantastic breakfast, so we’ve added that to our list of places to try for breakfast.

Key Colony Inn

700 W Ocean Dr, Key Colony Beach, FL 33051 kcinn.com

The legendary Key Colony Inn 

The Key Colony neighborhood is one of our favorite communities in Marathon. The Key Colony Inn – known just as The Inn to locals – is a classic fixture of the community. The Inn is right next to the Key Colony golf course and has a definite old-school Floridian country club feel. One can easily imagine it being the biggest destination for dining back with Key Colony was first developed and when the Inn was one of the few restaurants in the area.

This pizza is just $5 during happy hour at the Key Colony Inn! Pair it with a shrimp cocktail or espresso martini those are only $5 too!

People continue to flock there for the unbelievable happy hour specials that run all week long. The happy hour offerings are legendary for a reason; they include a full-size cheese pizza for $5, Caprese salad, and $5 espresso martinis, and that’s just the start of it! The full menu offers classic Italian dishes as well as a multitude of sauces and preparations for seafood options. We get so excited about the happy hour specials that we have yet to eat a true meal here, but when we do we can’t wait to try some of the classic Italian offerings like spaghetti and meatballs and chicken marsala.

The bar seating is tight and goes quickly, but thankfully there are two large dining rooms, and one has a huge atrium that overlooks the golf course and offers plenty of seating for large groups and families.

Keys Fisheries

3502 Gulfview Ave, Marathon, FL 33050 keysfisheries.com

The freshest seafood can be found at Keys Fisheries in Marathon, Florida.

If you’re looking for the freshest and best seafood restaurants in the Keys, and perhaps in all of Florida, you’ll want to pay a visit to Keys Fisheries. Keys Fisheries provides fresh caught seafood for many of the local restaurants, as well as restaurants in Florida and up and down the East Coast. At their location in Marathon, you’ll be sitting right next to the docks where all the fresh catches come in.

This access to amazing seafood means they let their menu shine with simple and super fresh seafood dishes. Seating in the restaurant is picnic-table style covered casual outdoor dining. You order at the window and then collect your order once it is called. From appetizers like the fresh and famous pink Keys Shrimp to the world-famous Lobster Reuben.

You only need to decide if you want to get your fresh seafood in raw ceviche, sandwich, or fried basket form. If you’re an accomplished fisherman, they also offer preparations for your own catch! The lobster Reuben in particular completely lives up to the hype. If you love a traditional Reuben, and you love seafood, we think you’ll love this combination of fresh sweet lobster meat and sauerkraut on a perfectly grilled sandwich. They also offer a great and reasonably priced slice of key lime pie.

The happy hour deal of the century might be these 5 stone crab claws for $20 at the Keys Fisheries happy hour, but it’s only available when seasonal catch conditions have been favorable.

Keys Fisheries became a favorite spot of ours to visit during our stays for the amazing views from the Keys Fisheries upstairs rooftop bar and deck, the fantastic happy hour specials, and delicious cocktails.

They usually offer an unbeatable deal on their most famous and sought-after catch the fresh stone crabs are served at happy hour as an order of 5 along with a mustard sauce at a very happy price (around $20). However, due to seasonal environmental conditions, the stone crabs have been unavailable in the 2023-2024 winter season. Instead, they offer other sizes of stone crab during happy hour. The last time we wentthey had jumbo available when we were there, for a reasonable market price.

We also love getting the conch ceviche and fish dip during happy hour along with a “Lime in Da Coconut” or other tropical drink. While sitting at the bar enjoying the sunset, don’t be surprised if you’re given a complimentary sunset shot to toast the sunset with your fellow patrons right when the sun sets. Great service, food, and views make this one of our favorite spots.

La Isla Taco Grill + Tiki 61

243 61^ST Street, Marathon, FL 33050 tropicalcottages.net

The menu at La Isla Taco Grill has something for everyone!

La Isla Taco Grill is a permanent food truck in front of the Tropical Cottages and Tiki 61 Tiki Bar off of Overseas Highway. It’s open from 11 to 8 with a break from 3-4. La Isla Offers authentic Mexican tacos, burritos, and more. They offer excellent fish tacos, handmade fresh salsas steak al pastor tacos and burritos, and even a few vegan options.

If it’s Tuesday, you’ll likely find us at this unique establishment and neighboring Tiki Bar Tiki 61. Usually, you’ll want to find a seat in the tiki bar area first, then place an order from La Isla Tacos and settle in to listen to live music from the Tiki Seekers or other local musicians. It’s also a great spot to enjoy conversations with the friendly bartenders the bar regulars.

After you place your order from the La Isla food truck they will then call your number while you wait. The number calling happens on a terrible old speaker, so it can be a challenge to hear your order but it’s (part of the charm), we think! We usually go around 5 and wait in Tiki 61 and enjoy a margarita, beer, or specialty cocktail.

The Tiki Seekers always provide the perfect soundtrack for Taco Tuesday

If you’re there on Tuesday, it’s probably time for the Tiki Seekers to take to the stage.  This singing and songwriting team has been at it for years belting out covers and originals so well-known that people will be singing along.  Don’t go home before they play their original song, “Cargo Pants”. If you stay at the bar after most of the people have gone home you might even get to say hi to Midas, a handsome golden retriever who will sometimes make an appearance at the bar.

Parking is available but very limited, and use caution when leaving the parking spaces as there are often many folks waiting for their food order.

Lighthouse Grill

Located in the Faro Blanco Resort, the Lighthouse Grill is one of the places that has been recommended to us a few times. We finally had the chance to stop there while writing this article. As we usually do with any new-to-us place, we went in to take advantage of the Happy Hour from 3 to 6 to see if the atmosphere, food, and drinks warranted another visit for more of a meal. As boaters, the beautiful open-air modern bar overlooking the water, lighthouse, and marina felt right at home. It was an uncharacteristically cold Keys evening when we visited, so the staff fired up the outdoor heaters and dropped the sides of the bar enclosure to keep the place toasty. This resort bar is modern and coastal chic, and in keeping with the upscale resort. They serve classic dishes along with some that highlight traditional Keys flavors. We enjoyed the happy hour offering of Cuban Rice Balls for an appetizer as well as a cocktail and a few of the nice selections of beers on tap. We also ordered a Caesar salad, since we’re always trying to get a few more vegetables in. It was cold and crisp, just like we like it! The happy hour prices for appetizers and beer were reasonable and a great way to take a break from some of the fast-casual spots. We met up with a friend who encouraged us to order a martini, and that was a budget breaker for sure, coming in at $19 when we asked for Ketel One. It was delicious but certainly not in our normal budget.

Service was efficient and friendly, and the gorgeous views of the marina and really pleasant atmosphere will keep us coming back for more happy hours in the future.

Porky’s Bayside Restaurant

1400 Overseas Hwy MM47.5, Marathon, FL 33050 porkysbaysidebbq.com

Porky’s Bayside Restaurant is one of the last stops in Marathon just before the Seven Mile Bridge. It’s an open-air tiki-style restaurant and bayside marina, with bar and table seating, and some great offerings in terms of seafood, sushi, happy hour specials, and decadent desserts. Even after a few visits, we haven’t really haven’t even made a dent in their large menu which is so many pages long that we’re sure it offers something for everyone.

Usually, we are there for the unbeatable happy hour specials and excellent service at the bar. On the Happy Hour menu, the small bites including slider BBQ Pork Sandwiches, Mahi Quesadilla, Chef’s tacos, and Smoked Chicken Wings are worth a try. We tried the Pork Belly Bites once and that was a total miss –  a basket of hard-to-eat fatty, chewy bits that we didn’t finish.  The pina colada, painkiller cocktail specials are also delicious and worth a try.  They normally have decent live music that’s not too loud while sitting at the bar so that we can still hear your conversations.  We don’t eat out much for breakfast but we’ve been told that Porky’s does it right, so we’re going to try to check out their breakfast options. We also love their unique take on the key lime pie as detailed in our Best Key Lime Pie article!

Sparky’s Landing Fish N Cocktails

13205 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050 sparkyslanding.com

The welcoming entrance to Sparky’s Landing, one of our favorite restaurants in Marathon

Sparky’s was one of our favorite restaurants in all of Marathon, Florida on our first and second years in the Keys.  We visited several times throughout our stay and always tried to make it by biking the nearby bike trail via our e-bikes to enjoy the happy hour specials that they offer every day they are open (they’re closed on Mondays). If you’re staying at the Fairfield Inn, then Sparky’s is right next to your hotel, and you’ll be within a long walk or short bike ride if you stay in Key Colony.

The happy hour is a modest offering compared to some, but it does include a few beer, well-drink specials and the crowd favorite of chicken wings and peel-and-eat shrimp from 4 to 6 every day. We’re not big wing and shrimp fans, so what keeps us coming back is the warm and welcoming service, the staff that is hustling every minute, and the clean and welcoming huge tiki hut bar and grand dining space. Sparky’s bar looks out onto the water in the harbor across to Coco Plum Drive. Each night right when the happy hour ends, local musicians will take to the stage. The live entertainment, view, atmosphere, and great service will make you want to stay longer and enjoy the rest of the evening.

On many visits, we were quite sure we saw the owner on site, serving customers as well, and it was apparent that Sparky’s is an exceptionally well-run restaurant that values great food and friendly and expeditious service.

The Freuben Sandwich at Sparky’s Landing Fish N Cocktails is one of our favorite dishes.

For full entrees, one of our favorite dishes is the Cajun Pasta with blackened Mahi Mahi. They refer to it as ‘dolphin’ on their menu, but it’s not the sweet and smart mammal dolphin you’ll find performing at the Dolphin Research Center, it’s Mahi Mahi. Also, you can’t go wrong with their wood-fired 3 Little Pigs pizza, we love their Fried Green Tomato BLT sandwich, and the Sparky’s Steak Salad. Another mahi mahi (dolphin) dish we love is the Freuben Sandwich, which is fried mahi served Reuben style with their delicious slaw. While they offer fried seafood, one of the great things about Sparky’s is the you have the option of taking a from the fried fish dishes once in a while. We’ve also had delicious desserts here including the tres leches cake. We hear they make a great key lime pie, and somehow we’ve missed trying it, because we’re always full after our meal!

The Sparky’s Steak Salad, is topped with perfectly prepared steak and a hearty dollop of greens with tangy balsamic dressing.

This year in 2024, we’ve noticed that the word is definitely out about Sparky’s and we’ve struggled to grab a seat at the bar, especially during happy hour. Usually, some seats open back up around 6 or 6:30, but getting there before 4 with time to spare has been something we’ve had to strive for. If you have your sights set on the dining room, they don’t take reservations, so it’s good to get there early for that as well. To get a little more room going, Sparky’s has recently widened the wraparound outside the deck, so that you have a bit more elbow room to enjoy a drink, however, according to our server, food is no longer available at the deck area – only at the bar. The fact that Sparky’s is always packed, is a testament to the excellent food and service.

The newly remodeled deck at Sparky’s Fish N Cocktails

Sparky’s is a family-friendly place and a great spot to feed a crowd and one of the few spots in the Keys that can seat a large party, so if you’re heading to the dining room there’s also usually a line out the door and a bit of a wait especially on the weekends around dinner hour, when it’s clear lots of people decide to enjoy the wonderful atmosphere and food. While you wait you can take a photo in the iconic oversized Adirondack-style Pilar beach chair, duck into their on-site airstream, and grab a t-shirt or other Sparky’s merch which will serve you well as a conversation starter and a tribute to your good taste in restaurants if you wear it on your travels.

S.S. Wreck + Galley Grill

58835 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050  sswreck.com

The S.S. Wreck and Galley Grill was one of the first spots we ate when we arrived in Marathon. The Wreck, as it seems to be known by locals, is conveniently located within walking distance of our RV resort. It offers happy hour and dinner specials as well as an extensive menu of surf and turf. While the happy hour deals weren’t our favorite offerings, The Wreck does a great job with seafood and is also well known for its prime rib specials. Overall, the S. S. Wreck is casual seafood and bar fare with a range of items on the menu that is likely to offer something for everyone in your party.

We brought our own freshly caught fish to the S.S. Wreck where it was wonderfully prepared by their chef. 

One of our favorites is the Coconut Shrimp, which were wonderfully light and well battered with an excellent real coconut taste and coating.  We also loved the fresh Tuna Poke Nachos which combined delicious fresh tuna, fresh wonton chips, fresh avocado, and mango salsa on top.

S. S. Wreck’s Tuna Poke Nachos

In the past, we have also enjoyed the fajitas that we ordered after seeing a fellow diner’s order and seeing that it was a sizzling plate with an incredibly generous portion. We also brought a fresh catch there and had it prepared by the chef. We were happy with how both the fried and Keys preparations turned out as well as the sides that were offered.

A mango colada at the S. S. Wreck. One of the many tropical cocktails that are available.

We have had both good and bad experiences with service as well as food. The experience varies greatly from completely excellent bar service, and a hearty and warm welcome from the hostess, to sometimes and somewhat inattentive service in the dining room and at the bar seats. Usually, a seat at the bar will guarantee great service from the hard-working bar staff.    The Wreck is located next door to the Dolphin Research Center, making it an ideal spot to grab a bite to eat before or after your visit there.

Our biggest reason to recommend the S. S. Wreck is the key lime pie! We think it’s the best key lime pie in the Florida Keys!

More Marathon Restaurants We Want to Try

Between returning time and time to some of our favorite spots, and being busy with trying new places, we’ve missed a few restaurants along the way. Here are a few of the restaurants that we’ve heard good things about, we just haven’t made it there yet! We’ll plan to update this post when and if we get to try these places.

Brutus Seafood

Mile Marker 51 Bayside, 6950 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050  brutusseafood.com

We pass Brutus Seafood often on our trips north and south on Overseas Highway, but we just haven’t made the stop yet, since we try for waterfront dining as much as possible. The menu seems to have lots of great options including the  Mahi Rachel and the Vaca Salad.

Butterfly Cafe at Tranquilty Bay

2600 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050  tranquilitybay.com

A few of our family members stayed at Tranquility Bay for Christmas several years ago, and they raved about the experience. We’ve heard that the onsite restaurant Butterfly Cafe is a wonderful spot for upscale dining and a delicious brunch. We’d also like to try the outdoor bar, TJ’s Tiki Bar which looks like a beautiful place to enjoy a drink at sunset.

Herbie’s Bar and Chowerhouse

6350 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050 herbiesbar.com

While we didn’t have the chance to have a meal at the legendary Herbie’s, we rode our bikes there and brought back a slice of their famous key lime pie to try. While there we drank a couple of craft beers from their decent draft list.  People around us in the bar area seemed to be regulars and most of them were having drinks. We’d like to try the  Chicken Sandwich made famous by Diners Drive-ins and Dives, and the Cheeseburger in Parafries as well as the Chowder when we visit.

Hideway Cafe

57784 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050  rainbowbend.com/hideaway-cafe

When we mention that we love food and that we love to go out to eat, Hideaway Cafe comes up again and again as one of the best fine dining spots in Marathon. The sign for the Hideaway Cafe is easy to miss, and visible only when cars aren’t parked in front of the sign. We’ve heard that if you can find it, behind the lodging at Rainbow Bend, the Hideaway Cafe offers a true fine dining service experience and truly gourmet cuisine. We’ve been so tempted by descriptions we’ve heard of the food and service that we’ve added this to our must-try list!

The Cracked Conch

4999 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050  facebook.com/TheCrackedConchCafe

We’ve heard this is a great spot to try for breakfast and is known for the Key lime pie. It also seems to be a good option if you’re craving some diner-style meals!

The Rhum House

58182 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050  grassyflats.com/the-rhum-house

The Rhum House is a new addition to the dining and cocktail offerings in Marathon for the 2023-2024 season, and we’re excited to try it. It’s on the grounds of the Grassy Flats Resort, and from the advertising we’ve seen it looks like it will have an amazing atmosphere, upscale food offerings, and elegant cocktails. We’re excited to visit sometime soon.

More Florida  Dining and Travel Ideas

Looking for more details about dining in the Marathon? Check out our thoughts on the best Happy Hour deals in Marathon! We’re also planning on sharing our picks for  best Key Lime Coladas, as well as the best places for breakfast in Marathon in two upcoming articles. After Marathon we head to St. Augustine where we will soon share our picks for camping in St. Augustine and the best restaurants we’ve found during our time in St. Augustine.

As with all of our posts, the information provided here was accurate to the best of our knowledge at the time of our visits to these restaurants. However, menu items, locations, hours, and product availability are always subject to change. You may want to double-check restaurant locations and hours. All opinions are our own.

Except where noted, all images are photographed by and copyright of the editors of Currently Traveling. Use of our photos is prohibited without permission. None of this content was sponsored. unless otherwise noted, we purchase our own food and beverages for all the places mentioned in this article.

Key lime pie was a favorite dessert in our family, and we have long made the habit of ordering this tasty tangy pie when we’ve seen it offered on various restaurant menus.

So, when we decided to spend the winter in the Florida Keys, the home of the Key lime pie, we knew we’d be ordering it at a lot of spots. We decided to make it an official search of the best key lime pies in the Florida Keys.

In Search of The Best Key Lime Pies in the Florida Keys

While we haven’t tried all the key lime pies from Key Largo to Key West, we tried enough of them to form a respectable little list. We certainly ate enough key lime pie to have a few favorites!

We’ll keep adding to this list as we have the opportunity to try more pies and restaurants during our travels in the Keys.

The History and Origins of Key Lime Pie

While we know our own personal history with how we came to be key lime pie aficionados, we did have to look up some of the details on the origins of the key lime pie.

The tangy lime filling is made with key limes, a specific type of lime, once native to the Florida Keys, although sadly it is no longer widely grown there. The key lime is smaller and tarter than the Persian lime, the kind of lime we usually see in our grocery stores and drink garnishes.

The pie itself is known for its custard-like filling, although there are also softer, fluffier creamy icebox versions. The filling is most often paired with a graham cracker crust, and sometimes a meringue topping.

Many key lime variations exist and probably hundreds of recipes that offer a slightly different approach.

The Restaurants with the Best Key Lime Pie in the Florida Keys

We discovered that most restaurants in the Keys that have key lime pie strive to be unique with their offering. If they don’t have a special recipe to call their own, they may carry locally-made pies in-house.

A few restaurants bow out altogether from the key lime pie competition and don’t serve it; realizing that superior options abound in the Keys. However, those restaurants that have been able to make remarkable versions of the key lime pie can rely on tourists and locals alike to order the dessert often and on repeat.

After careful consideration of all the pies we sampled, we are excited to present our picks for the best key lime pies in the Florida Keys. We won’t keep you in suspense so we’ll start with the winner!

1. The S.S. Wreck + Galley Grill

58835 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050

sswreck.com

Our winner! We think the S.S. Wreck and Galley Grill in Marathon, Florida serves the best key lime pie in all of the Keys.

The best! The S.S. Wreck and Galley Grill happened to be next to our RV resort and was a restaurant we went to because it was within walking distance the first night we arrived. While our first dining experience there was a little uneven because of service and bad ordering on our part, we soon learned that the S.S. Wreck was rumored to be one of the best spots for key lime pie. We finally sampled it for ourselves (3 times!) and found we agreed with that opinion.

Now, while we don’t know the full recipe, the S.S. Wreck’s key lime pie is more of a cheesecake-style key lime pie, rather than the classic custard style. It’s a tall and generous slice of pie with a deliciously thick graham cracker crust and the perfect balance of creamy filling and a little bit of tartness. Our personal preference is always for a thicker creamy key lime pie, and this pie is it!

As we learned of others who shared in our opinion that S.S. Wreck has the best key lime pie in all of the Keys we heard stories of people going to great lengths to bring this pie back to friends and family and even to have it as a wedding cake. We understand why it’s legendary!

2. Burdine’s Waterfront

1200 Ocean View Ave, Marathon, FL 33050

burdineswaterfront.com

For a key lime pie like no other, you have to try the fried key lime pie at Burdine’s Waterfront in Marathon, FL.

Burdine’s Waterfront was recommended to us as a place to check out for a great beach bar atmosphere with a water view, as well as great fries, burgers, and an exceptional key lime pie. We went to Burdine’s once in 2022 with friends, and visited again in 2023 to do a second tasting of their famous fried key lime pie!

In 2022, we ordered both the regular custard-style key lime pie and the fried key lime pie for a comparative taste test. The classic custard key lime was indeed delicious, but the fried key lime pie was again a stand-out. As you can tell, by this point in the review, we’re not key lime pie purists – we appreciate a little variation and ingenuity.

In 2022, the fried key lime pie tasted – and we mean this as the highest compliment – like a deep-fried McDonald’s apple pie, except with key lime in the place of piping hot apple filling. The addition of cinnamon and sugar against the tartness and creamy key lime filling was a delightful combination and it left a lasting impression as one of our favorite desserts of that trip.

In 2023 we ordered it again, and this time there was a slight difference. Perhaps it can be chalked up to the idea that we were anticipating the fried dough, cinnamon, and lime flavor combination this time, whereas we were surprised by it before. In 2023, the pie pastry also had more crispy firmness, and structure. It was presented beautifully like a  tightly folded burrito or egg roll fold shape with a delightful golden brown color. The pastry seemed ever so slightly firmer and denser and was perhaps fried for a bit longer, but still, one of our all-time favorite takes on the key lime pie.

3. Keys Fisheries

3502 Gulfview Ave, Marathon, FL 33050

keysfisheries.com

Keys Fisheries became a favorite spot of ours to visit during our stays for the amazing views from the rooftop deck, the fantastic happy hour specials, cocktails, stone crab, and the not-to-be-missed Lobster Reuben! We visited several times, but on one of our first visits with our friends, we decided to sample the key lime pie as a part of our ongoing taste testing.

The Keys Fisheries key lime pie is a generous slice of the classic custard-style key lime pie. It has a low profile and a nice high graham cracker crust. It is very tart and a great pie for those who love the classic custard-style, It’s possibly one of the top examples of that traditional style and a great compliment to the amazing seafood and cocktails available there. Sadly, we ate it up too quickly and didn’t get a picture, but this is one we’ll try again!

4. Porky’s Bayside Restaurant

1400 Overseas Hwy MM47.5, Marathon, FL 33050

porkysbaysidebbq.com

With its crispy outer layer and tangy cool key lime pie with a bit of sweet raspberry sauce, Porky’s fried key lime pie is definitely a standout when visiting the Keys.

By now you know that we are a fan of unique takes on the key lime pie, which is one of the things that brought us to Porky’s Bayside Restaurant. In addition to enjoying the happy hour specials and excellent service at the bar, we decided to end one of our meals there with their famous fried key lime pie. Porky’s fried key lime pie is significantly different from that of Burdine’s, but it still earned a place in our hearts as a favorite.

Porky’s fried key lime pie is accented with a crispy breadcrumb and egg crust and is paired with a raspberry sauce. It’s crispy, sweet, tangy, warm, and cool at the same time. It’s definitely a one-of-a-kind treat and we thought it was delicious!

More Key Lime Pies We Tried

These key lime pies didn’t make it to our list of the best, but they still left an impression!

Blue Heaven

729 Thomas Street, Key West, FL 33040

blueheavenkw.com

This key lime pie from Blue Heaven is an absolute supermodel! However, Key West’s humid weather and a fragile dollop of meringue don’t always mix. We need a redo of this one!

Blue Heaven’s key lime pie is something out of a Hollywood movie version of what a key lime pie should look like, which is why it’s our cover model for this article! On one of our first trips to Key West we missed out on going to Blue Heaven, which was suggested to us as a fabulous brunch place. A few days later we happened to spot an image of their famous key lime pie in a review online and it was so visually stunning and perfect that serious food FOMO set in, and we started planning a return trip to center around tasting this key lime pie.

What did we see that made the return trip necessary? Well, as you can see, Blue Heaven’s key lime pie has a solid 3 inches of frothy meringue topping with perfectly toasted points looks like a dream. We couldn’t wait for that meringue sugary crunch combined with a tart custard-style key lime pie.

When we did return to Blue Heaven we had a delicious brunch, which we’ll detail in a future post. To make sure we didn’t miss out while we were crunching, we ordered our key lime pie upfront, so that we would miss out in the event that they ran out for the day. Our server agreed with that plan since she said supplies of the pie were already getting low. Even at noon, it seemed like perhaps we got the second to last slice!

However, here’s where the story takes a bit of a sad turn. Our server also mentioned something about the meringue being off that day. We forget the exact reason, something about the heat, or the egg falling, or perhaps a new chef. Which leads us to the actual taste test. Something was indeed off with our otherwise model slice of pie. The mile-high meringue didn’t have that crispy frothy sugary crunch – instead, it had a bit of a gummy, eggy taste, which was a sure sign of something going wrong with the meringue mix. The base of the pie was tangy and good.

So, because of the bad batch of meringue, we’ve put Blue Heaven on our list to revisit. We feel like perhaps we didn’t get a slice of pie that was indicative of the true style of their world-renowned key lime pie. But, if you’re in search of the most gorgeous slice of pie imaginable, this slice looks like a food stylist created it!

Herbie’s Bar and Chowder House

6350 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050

herbiesbar.com

While we didn’t have the chance to have a meal at the legendary Herbie’s, my husband rode by the restaurant one day on his bike and thoughtfully brought back a slice of their famous key lime pie for me to try. While the pie arrived a little worse for wear after being in a bike bag, I am sure that it was originally a beautiful presentation. Herbie’s Key Lime Pie is definitely an authentic recipe, and rumored to be created the authentic hand-squeezed key limes. If you’re a key lime pie purist in search of the real thing, this is a fine example of it! No picture was taken, because of the bumpy transport via his bike bag.

Key West Key Lime Pie Company

Online and with various distribution locations. Headquarters at 511 Greene Street, Key West FL 33040

keylimepieco.com

Another treat brought to me was a personal-sized key lime pie from the Key West Lime Pie Company that my husband found while doing some grocery shopping. It was frozen at the time, and I barely let it thaw before eating it. Because of the size, there is a high ratio of graham cracker crust to filling, which makes for a tasty treat. This was a great little portable key lime pie to bring home to family and friends. These are readily available at various grocery stores and convenience stores in the Keys.

The No Name Pub

30813 Watson Blvd, Big Pine Key, FL 33043

nonamepub.com

No Name Pub is rumored to be hard to find, and we can imagine back in the day that it was. However, with modern GPS devices and Google Maps, finding the No Name Pub is fairly easy to do.

We went for the famously delicious pizza as well as to see this bit of Keys history with our own eyes. We also wanted to see some of the famous Key deer (from a safe distance of course).

Since it had been a few days since our last key lime pie taste test, we ordered a slice to go here even though we were stuffed from the wonderful pizza.

The No Name Pub key lime pie is soft and creamy. It has almost a whipped cream or whipped topping texture. This pie scoops up in much lighter spoonfuls than the cheesecake style or the classic custard style. It’s also a very light flavor and color. While this pie was certainly refreshing, it’s more of an ice box key lime pie style. While it’s not our personal favorite style of pie, it’s a great light way end to a big meal, and always better than skipping a slice altogether.

This is a simple, light, and refreshing slice of key lime pie, and an easy way to end a big meal of pizza from No Name Pub in Big Pine Key, FL.

Key Lime Pies We Need to Still Try

We could only consume so many key lime pies during our trip. We averaged about 2 or 3 a week and honestly came back home 10 pounds heavier. So, because of timing and trying to pace our key lime pie consumption, we didn’t make it to a few notable spots. We we do visit these, we’ll update this article with our thoughts and perhaps some new rankings!

Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen

99336 Overseas Hwy Key Largo, FL 33037

mrsmacskitchen.com

Mrs. Mac’s Kitchen is on our list of key lime pies to try the next time we are in the Keys. We stopped there for breakfast and had the coconut cream waffles instead of a key lime pie, but we heard their key lime pie outstanding. If our yummy breakfast was any indication, we definitely believe the hype!  With two locations and easy access from both sides of Route 1, we really need to plan a stop!

Publix

Various locations

publix.com

If you spend a lot of time in Florida or in the Keys you’ll almost certainly be popping in for groceries at Publix. And since we mentioned to a few people in Florida our love of (and search for) key lime pie, Publix key lime pies were mentioned to us several times as being some of of the best around. Since we were already sampling at least 2-3 slices of key lime pie a week,  we didn’t feel the need to buy a Publix key lime pie on our grocery runs. However, we keep hearing about how good it is, so we’ll have to pick one up the next time we’re there to make our own determination of how good they are.

The Fish House

102401 Overseas Highway, Key Largo, FL 33037

fishhouse.com

We had two great meals at The Fish House, in Key Largo and we have heard that their key lime pie is one of the best. Sadly, though, we neglected to try it! Instead, we were tempted by the coconut cream pie on our first dinner there. The second time we visited we stopped for a late lunch and were too stuffed to order pie! However, we try to visit each time we are near John Pennekamp, so we will certainly add it to the pies we need to try!

Sparky’s Landing – Fish n’ Cocktails

13205 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050

sparkyslanding.com

Sparky’s was one of our favorite restaurants in all of Marathon, Florida. We visited several times throughout our stay and always tried to make it by e-bike to enjoy the Happy Hour Specials! However, we didn’t order dessert except for one night when we were tempted by the waitress’s praise of the special Tres Leches cake that evening. So while we have heard that Sparky’s key lime pie is one of the best, we still need to taste it ourselves before adding it to our list of top picks!

Havana Jacks

401 E Ocean Dr, Key Colony Beach, FL 33051

havanajacksoceanside.com

We visited Havana Jacks in Key Colony a few times for lunch, happy hour, and dinner, but we neglected to order the key lime pie! We saw it being served to another patron at the bar, and it looked impressive and delicious! We instead used up our reserves in our key lime quota by ordering their Key Lime Cocktail which was absolutely one of our favorites. Havana Jack’s key lime pie will be something we’ll have to order next time, although the steep price of $12 per slice was also a bit of a deterrent for just casually ordering it.

Kermit’s Key West Key Lime Shoppe

200 Elizabeth Street, Key West 

keylimeshop.com

Kermit’s is said to be the birthplace of the key lime pie and therefore the gold standard of how a key lime pie should be made and should taste. However, we simply ran out of time, weren’t in that area, and had probably already saturated our key lime taste buds on our trips into Key West. Since Kermit’s is the way it should be done, we’ll have to try it and we’re sure it will be added to the list of our favorites soon!

Blonde Giraffe Key Lime Pie Factory

92220 Overseas Hwy, Tavernier, FL 33070

blondgiraffe.com

We absolutely love the name of this Tavernier establishment and we’ve heard it’s one of the best spots for key lime pie – especially in the Upper Keys. However, when passing through Tavernier, we were on a deadline to get to our campsite, so we whizzed right by this legendary stop. Their key lime pie is award-winning, so it’s probably one we should have made time for. We’ll try to visit this spot on our next trip through the Upper Keys.

Other Key Lime Treats

As we mentioned, we were tempted several times by other key lime confections, that weren’t in pie form. We really enjoyed the Key Lime Pie Cupcake from Sweet Savannah’s, and we’ve heard they make ice cream, and a great version of the real key lime pie as well.

We also had lots of key lime-flavored cocktails! We sampled these at so many places that they warrant a separate article! Stay tuned for details on some of our favorite key lime cocktails. They were all so good that it will be an even harder list to compile! In the meantime, take a look at what we think are the best spots for RV camping in the Florida Keys.

As with all of our posts, the information here was accurate at the time of our visits to these restaurants, but menu items, locations, hours, and availability are always subject to change. You may want to double-check restaurant locations and hours. All opinions are our own.

Except where noted, all images are photographed by and copyright of the editors of Currently Traveling. Use of our photos is prohibited without permission.

The Florida Keys are by far one of our favorite places to camp in the United States, and we’re not alone in that sentiment. The Florida Keys is a popular destination year-round, especially during the winter months. Since affordable hotels and space, in general, are at a premium on the Keys, camping there makes a lot of sense to many RVers like us!

Best Places for RV Camping in the Florida Keys

We have been lucky enough to spend several months camping in the Keys, and we still haven’t visited all the potential camping destinations, but we hope to! Since we have researched a few places to stay, and actually stayed at a few Keys camping locations, here’s our list of the best options for camping in the Florida Keys. We’ll start with Key Largo in the northern Upper Keys, work our way down mile marker by mile marker through Marathon in the Middle Keys, and end up in the Lower Keys in Key West in this guide to Florida Keys campgrounds.

These were our findings at the time of publication and based on our personal opinion, please check with each individual park to verify any details that are important to you before booking, including amenities, dump stations, hookups, site sizes, and their ability to accommodate your RV.

Best Camping in the Upper Keys

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Key Largo FL

102601 Overseas Highway (MM 102.5) Key Largo, FL 33037 

reserve.floridastateparks.org

We are huge fans of the entire Florida State Park system, and John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park is one of the most sought-after reservations one can have out of all of those state parks. It’s a popular spot for several reasons. First, it’s located in Key Largo, which is the first major Key off of the mainland in Florida and a short drive from Miami. This makes it an ideal stopping point on your way in or out of the Keys. Secondly, as the name of the park suggests, the bulk of the square footage in this State Park is underwater, in the acres and acres of protected water and offshore reefs. For this reason, it’s a must-visit destination for divers, snorkelers, or anyone who enjoys the water. In addition to the snorkeling and diving excursions, there are kayak rentals, glass bottom boats, several picnic areas, educational exhibits concessions, a dive shop, and a gift and equipment shop in the day-use section of the park.

The campground is about a 5-minute walk away from these amenities, by way of a paved road and parking lot. The campground sites are on the smaller and less-private side compared to the usually spacious sites with privacy landscaping that Florida State parks have to offer, and many sites are edged by the mangroves which often emit a distinctive smell, and can be a breeding ground for dreaded no-see-ums and other bugs. The real benefit of this campground is the location in the gateway of Keys as well as the proximity to all of the water-focused amenities of John Pennekamp State Park. It’s also located right off Route 1, so there are restaurants nearby –we liked The Fish House— as well as a Publix grocery store.

Biking and walking on this road outside of the park is a bit tricky, especially because it’s a two-lane highway in some spots, but it is doable for short trips if you are cautious. The park road is also pretty dark after hours, so be sure your bike and gear are reflective and well-lit if you are journeying out after sunset. We’ll go into more detail about our stay at John Pennekamp including things to do and places we ate in a post dedicated to our thoughts on that campground. John Pennekamp offers 47 full hookup sites, and is pet friendly.

For day trips and booking water activities visit www.pennekamppark.com ,  for camping reservations all campsite reservations are managed through Florida State Parks at reserve.floridastateparks.org.

Best Camping in the Middle Keys

Jolly Roger RV Resort, Marathon, FL

59275 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050 (MM 59.2)

jrpt.com

This luxury RV Resort is our home away from home in the winter and one of the best parks we’ve ever visited. It’s the ideal combination of a dream location, amenities, service, immaculate grounds, and community that makes this park special.

If you are hoping for waterfront camping with beautiful views of the beautiful clear blue Keys water, this campground is it. There are several waterfront sites and even more water-view sites that give campers a beautiful view of tranquil waters in the Gulf of Mexico, and magnificent sunsets at night.

Because space is at a premium, the camping sites are relatively close together and there’s not a lot of privacy or landscaping between each site. But don’t worry about that too much – the gorgeous grounds of Jolly Roger Travel Park itself give you plenty of places to enjoy the view. There’s a well-maintained pool on site, which provides a tranquil spot to swim and sunbathe. It also frequently hosts morning water aerobics.

If the beach is more your thing, there is a groomed man-made beach complete with tiki shade palapas. lounge chairs and brightly colored Adirondack chairs for reading, sunbathing, or enjoying the sunsets. There’s also a Pavilion that hosts all of the many activities like bingo, dances, special movie nights, and meals and is often just a gathering spot for a little bit of shade and view.

For fishing and boating lovers, the resort also boasts a boat ramp, marina, boat slips, and a fish-cutting station, providing a great way for boaters and fishermen to have easy access to the water. If you bring your boat or kayak, there’s also a boat launch and roped-off swimming area, which has lots of sea life for exciting on-site snorkeling.

The Park offers full hookups at all 160 sites including big rig-friendly sites, and several areas of pull-through sites for large RVs and trailers. There are freshly updated laundry room facilities, and a small camp store and mail room in the office.  There is also a very clean bathroom for all campers with hot showers and a limited number of efficiency apartments available.

Best of all this park is centrally located in Marathon, Florida, which has the most modern conveniences of any of the middle keys like grocery stores, pharmacies, restaurants, and diversions like fishing charters, and jet ski rentals.

It’s within walking distance to the Dolphin Research Center, the SS Wreck (home of the Best Key Lime Pie in the Keys!) and Bongo’s Cafe. It’s the perfect spot to stay to enjoy easy access to Marathon and a great mid-point for exploring all of the Keys. Sites are hard to come by at this resort because of these amazing amenities, but if you do get a reservation, it’s likely that you’ll love your stay. If you stay here, also check our our picks for our favorite happy hours in Marathon, Florida for ideas on where to get food and drinks for less!

Sun Outdoors, Marathon, FL

59151 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050 (MM 59.1)

sunoutdoors.com/florida/sun-outdoors-marathon

Sun Outdoors is quickly becoming one of the major brands of campground management, and while we have mixed feelings about the practice of buying up some of the mom-and-pop campgrounds all over the country, we can’t deny that the Sun Outdoors brand does a great job of updating campgrounds and bringing a little extra polish.

The Sun Outdoors in Marathon is formerly the Pelican RV Resort and Marina. This RV park has a limited number of RV sites but also offers vacation rental sites and motel efficiencies. It’s right next to Jolly Roger RV Resort, which is why we took a tour.

The sites were a mix of gravel and paved, with very little landscaping, but the park also ends with a great clubhouse and common area that gives a view of the Gulf of Mexico. The tiny-home-style motel rooms, seem like a great option for housing guests who might not fit in your RV, or as a vacation option if you’d prefer not to drive down in an RV.

Grassy Flats, Marathon FL

 58671 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050 (MM 58.6)

grassykeyrvpark.com

Grassy Key RV Park is another RV park in the highly desirable area of Marathon, FL, and it’s another RV park we heard our fellow campers have enjoyed staying at. While we haven’t stayed here ourselves yet, we see it in our travels around Marathon. It has the benefit of being another waterfront RV park, which is a rarity. It’s also Big Rig-friendly. The sites seem to be level gravel, and there are beautiful water views, some waterfront sites, full hook-up, a pool and dog park as well as a marina and beach area.

Curry Hammock State Park, Marathon FL

56200 Overseas Highway Marathon FL 33050 305-289-2690 (MM 56.2)

floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/curry-hammock-state-park

There are only a few Florida State Parks on the Keys, and there’s a high demand for reservations because they offer beautiful camping sites in amazing natural settings, all for low rates. Curry Hammock is one of the most popular Florida State Parks, because it’s a large swath of protected land in the otherwise populated area of Marathon, FL.

Several of the Curry Hammock camping loops have views of the Atlantic Ocean and offer spacious sites, with level gravel in a nature preserve setting that offers mangroves, and water activities like kayaking.  Reservations for Curry Hammock are hard to come by, but we had friends who stayed at Curry Hammock. Because of that, we were able to that a quick tour of the park, even though we didn’t stay there.

What we saw was impressive there are 28 sites, all of them spacious, especially by Keys terms. Electric (20, 30, and 50 amp services are available), and water. There is no sewer and also no laundry facilities making it a little difficult for longer stays, however, there are several laundromats in town. The pads were level and gravel and several of them offered beautiful views of the water. The water and a beach area is just a few steps away from all sites.

We didn’t try the restrooms, but our friend reported that they were clean and serviceable. There are dedicated campsites for tents, in addition to the RV-style sites which allow both tent and RV camping.  Curry Hammock, because of its location on the Atlantic side of the Keys, is a destination for kiteboarders, snorkelers, fishermen, paddleboarders and kayakers. There are also nature trails for hiking, spotting unique wildlife and plants, birding, and exercise.

Coconut Cay RV Resort and Marina, Marathon FL

7200 Aviation Blvd, Marathon, FL 33050  (305) 289-1870 

coconutcayrv.com

Coconut Cay is a small RV park in Marathon, which we drove by and took a quick look into. Coconut Cay is one of the newest parks in the area and is part of a Resort Hotel and Marina that are also on the property. This small campground offers a beautiful swimming pool, close proximity to the restaurants and other amenities in Marathon. We loved the look of the houseboats known as Aqua Lodges in the marina area.

Best Camping in the Lower Keys

The Lower Keys offer beauty, nature, and tranquility if you stay towards Big Pine and end in the nightlife and excitement in Key West and Stock Island. Here are a few of the  RV-friendly campgrounds we considered in the Lower Keys.

Bahia Honda State Park, Big Pine Key, FL

36850 Overseas Highway Big Pine Key FL 33043 305-872-2353 (MM 36.8)

floridastateparks.org/BahiaHonda

There’s a reason Bahia Honda usually gets ranked the top Florida State Park to visit and as one of the top campgrounds to visit in the US — it really is a rare gem. We watched countless reviews and YouTube videos of Bahia Honda State Park campground, but nothing really prepares you for exactly how beautiful and unique this campground is until you visit it yourself.

The Park is open for day use for snorkeling, beaches, and enjoying nature there. The Campground is waterfront with many waterview sites and views of both the Gulf side and the Atlantic side and views of both the old and new the old Bahia Honda bridges.

We visited as day visitors and enjoyed the snorkeling, beach, concessions, and riding our bikes around the campground and road loops. At the time of our visit, the Sandspur sites and beach were closed for construction and damage sustained in Hurricane Irma, but we hear that they have reopened during the summer of 2022. The Buttonwood loop was open ( sites 1-48) which seemed like the most desirable spots since they are best suited to RV camping, and offer water and electric.

Getting reservations for Bahia Honda Campground is beyond tricky, with sites that are reserved the second they become available, but we will keep trying to see if we can camp here someday! Some campers report issues with bugs as well as bridge noise, but most feel that the idyllic and unforgettable views supersede any minor inconveniences.

Sugarloaf Key/Key West KOA

251 State Rd 939, Sugarloaf Key, FL 33042 (786) 876-7724

koa.com/campgrounds/sugarloaf-key/

This privately-owned campground on Sugarloaf Key offers various amenities, including RV sites, tent sites, and cabins. Known as the “Southernmost KOA” We drove by in on our way to Key West, and noted the proximity to great water views and that it seems to have very modern and updated facilities. It is a wide-open park that can accommodate many RVs, especially bigger Class As and those needing pull-through sites. It’s a luxury campground and as a part of the KOA chain, there are certain amenities you can count on, and is equipped with swimming pools, a marina, and recreational facilities. Being right along Route One, it provides easy access to Key West, without being too close to the hustle and bustle.

Boyd’s Key West Campground, Key West FL

6401 Maloney Ave, Key West, FL 33040 305-294-1465

boydscampground.com

For camping closer to the action and excitement of Key West, many campers seek out Boyd’s on Stock Island. Boyd’s is only 4 miles from downtown Key West and is a family-run campground that has been in business since 1963. Three generations of the family now still run the business and are known for providing family-friendly hospitality to all.

Most sites, except for those designated for tent camping, include full hookup, i.e., 30/50 Electric,  Water, Sewer, Cable, picnic tables, and pad. The most desirable sites are the full hook-up sites that back up to the waterfront for all classes of RVs as well as travel trailers, there are also Dockside and Limited Waterview as well as Inland sites. Boyd’s offers a marina, fish cleaning station, and kayak rentals for water lovers a large pool swimming offer laundry, and security, and is pet friendly. Boyd’s is also near restaurants including the legendary Hogfish Grill.

We have not yet stayed at Boyd’s but we drove by on our way to Hogfish Grill. While we loved the proximity to downtown Key West, we also saw that the surrounding area of Stock Island revealed properties that showed both extreme wealth and extreme poverty, with some of the houses and streets still showing the devastation from storms.

These are just a few of the options we looked into for camping in the Florida Keys, but there are many more campgrounds to visit and review. We’ll be providing in-depth details on our stays at John Pennekamp and Jolly Roger and we’ll add any future stays in the Keys or campground considerations to this post as we visit more camping spots in the Florida Keys.

10 Reasons to RV Camp In the Florida Keys

Camping in the Florida Keys offers a unique and memorable experience due to the natural beauty, warm climate, and abundant opportunities for fun. Here are some reasons why we think camping in the Florida Keys is a not-to-be missed experience!

1. Crystal Blue Waters

The Florida Keys are known for the crystal blue-green water that surrounds this string of islands on both the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic sides. It’s like being transported to the Caribbean, except that you can drive and bring your RV. Camping allows you to wake up near the beach and enjoy activities such as swimming, sunbathing, beachcombing, and relaxing by the water, then jump back into your RV for air conditioning, refreshing food or drinks, and take a quick shower after a day on or near the water.

2. Stunning Sunsets

The Florida Keys are renowned for their long sunny days, with a light breeze followed by spectacular sunsets and many waterfront campgrounds offer views that rival the sunset you’ll see in Key West.  Each night at our RV Resort it’s a ritual to head down to the common areas along the water and watch the sunset set over the bays on the Gulf of Mexico. Watch for the green flash!

3. Water Activities

Visiting the Florida Keys means being in close proximity to both the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. You can enjoy a wide range of water activities, including jet skiing, swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, paddleboarding, fishing, and boating. It’s a paradise for water enthusiasts, and there are lots of campgrounds and parks that will give you the opportunity to interact with the marine life in a way that is safe for both you and the animals.

4. Tropical Climate

The Florida Keys are tropical environment, which means you can expect warm  temperatures and lush palm trees, tropical flowers, and other vegetation. There’s always a slight breeze blowing which helps the humid warm air. It’s the only place we know of in the US where the climate rivals that of the Caribbean islands. There is consistently good weather and warm temps between 70-80 if you stay in January, February, or March.

6. Marine Life and Wildlife

The Florida Keys are home to a rich array of fish, birds and other wildlife, both on land and in the water. While camping, you may have the chance to spot creatures like birds and lizards,  and on the water, you’ll see marine creatures like dolphins, manatees, pelicans, and sea turtles, as well as a variety of unique and colorful fish and coral reefs while snorkeling or diving.

7. Island Atmosphere Without the Plane Trip

The Florida Keys provides a laid-back island atmosphere in almost every spot you’ll visit. Whether you stay at a campground or in a resort you can unwind and enjoy the relaxed pace of the Keys. Tropical drinks, island-themed food, and a slower schedule all create an easy way of living. It’s one of  the few places in the US that you can drive to and feel like you’re visiting an island in the Carribean.

8. More for Your Money

While the Keys are always a very expensive place to visit, camping there makes staying in the Keys a bit more reasonably priced, so that you can stay for longer. While you’ll still pay top dollar for restaurants and groceries, you’ll be paying a moderate fee for your site, rather than a huge fee for the room rate at a resort or hotel.

9. Plenty of Things to Do

Whether you’re out on the water boating, snorkeling, kayaking or fishing in Key Largo or having a few cocktails in Key West, there’s so much to do in each mile of the Keys.

10. Great Food and Drink

We found so many restaurants and bars to enjoy while visiting each of the Keys. Here are our favorite restaurants in Marathon, our favorite happy hour deals in Marathon, and our picks for the best Key Lime Pie in the Keys.

Remember to plan and prepare for your camping trip in advance, considering factors such as reservations, campground facilities, and any specific regulations or guidelines set by the campsite or park. Enjoy the natural beauty and outdoor adventures that the Florida Keys have to offer during your camping experience!

More Adventures to Read About

If you like the combination of summers in the Northern US and winters in the South, you might like these recent posts we’ve done on Camping in Maine in Boothbay, Camping in Delaware at Lums Pond, Cape Henlopen in Lewes, and Delaware Seashore State Park in Rehoboth Beach. You might also be interested in our review of our RV, the Thor Gemini 23TW on the Ford Transit chassis.

We recently camped in Boothbay, Maine for the second time. In this post, we’ll share some of our experiences from camping in and around Boothbay Harbor, Maine. We’ll share our ideas for where to stay and what to do while you’re there!

Best Places for Camping in Boothbay, Maine

We’ve camped twice in Boothbay Maine, and stayed at the same place both times. As luck would have it, thanks to a huge backlog of posts we need to write for our 2021 travels, we were just getting ready to write up our experience from 2021 in Boothbay, when we traveled back to Boothbay for 2022. Therefore, I’m using some notes and photos from 2021, but I will be adding to the post with the benefit of our 2022 experience of staying for a second time in the Boothbay Harbor area.

Camping in Boothbay, Maine at Boothbay Craft Brewing

When we go to Boothbay, since we are traveling by RV, we love to stay at Boothbay Craft Brewery which is a brewery, tavern, restaurant, Harvest Hosts site, and a small RV campground that now has 16 sites. (There were only 14 sites last year when we visited). We stayed last year after searching for a spot to stay with our Harvest Hosts membership and then ended up staying for a longer stay in the RV park. For those who may not know, Harvest Hosts is a membership-based network of wineries, breweries, farms, and restaurants that allow self-contained boondocking for RVs and campers. The stays at these sites are free with a Harvest Hosts membership, but they do ask that you make a purchase from your host of at least $25.00 per night. Usually, this is easy to do, especially at Boothbay Craft Brewery where there are so many fantastic beers, and food offerings available at their Biergarten. This year we stayed one  night as a Harvest Hosts guest, and then paid for additional days directly to the campground.

View of the RV sites and Cabins in the evening at Boothbay Craft Brewery & RV Park

Boothbay Craft Brewery RV Camping Amenities

Boothbay Craft Brewery is an excellent spot to stay when exploring the Boothbay Harbor region. The RV park has both back-in and pull-through spaces, available with full hookups for electricity, water, and sewer connections. The gravel sites are level and edged with grass to give each space some nice room for spreading out chairs and grills. There’s also free Wifi, a dumpster for trash removal, and a beautiful bath house for paid RV guests. Sites also come with a picnic table, fire ring, and light post, and some of the back-in sites also have a grill.  The owner, Riley, could not be kinder and more welcoming. He is often the one who will see you to your site. He’s often hard at work on-site and in addition to knowing everything about brewing and Boothbay, he is also quite knowledgeable on all things RVing as an RVer himself.

The Watershed Tavern provides delicious farm-to-table food, craft cocktails, and stellar beers made on-site at Boothbay Craft Brewery

Beers and Food at Boothbay Craft Brewing

While there are some great restaurants to explore in Boothbay — and we’ll touch on a few of those — we really enjoy staying at our campground and having the benefit of the on-site food and beverages at Boothbay Craft Brewing at the outdoor biergarten that is an outdoor extension of the Watershed Tavern. On our first visit in 2021, we tried a Margarita Pizza and their famous Thirsty Botanist beer.  On our visit in 2022, we were able to enjoy even more of the menu. We again ordered and enjoyed the Margarita Pizza – delicious large pieces of mozzarella basil and tangy tomato sauce, along with their sour beer –  Puckerberry, and their flagship 633 Beer.  On our second night we tried the cheese pizza, also delicious – and the Farmers’ Salad.  The craft cocktails are also exceptionally good. We kept coming back to the Farmer’s Daughter and The Tools of the Trade. The brewery also features pop-ups and collaborations with other local purveyors.  That night was Brother Shucker. We enjoyed the dirty oysters – which were actually a very clean-tasting combination of oysters, roe, and sour cream, and the smoked mussels with fried jalapenos.

The Biergarten is lined with picnic tables games and lights that make it a festive and welcoming spot for enjoying all the food and drinks the Brewery has to offer.

Since the brewery isn’t open for breakfast or lunch, it’s also worth noting that there’s a  combination Dunkin’ and Subway combination restaurant within a 1/3 of a mile of Boothbay Craft Brewery, which is a short walk, and an even shorter bike ride or drive. The road between Boothbay Craft Brewing and Dunkin’ is very busy, so definitely use caution if you walk or bike. We went a few times and since we don’t have a car were thrilled to be able to get coffee, donuts, and sausage egg and cheese breakfast sandwiches so close to our site, without needing to bike or drive the RV into town for breakfast.

This area at Watershed Tavern hosts music and food from local farmers. We enjoyed fresh scallops and oysters from Brother Shucker here.

Parking and Getting Around Boothbay in an RV

Getting into town is easy by car, but can be a little trickier by RV or bike. Parking in Boothbay can be crowded and a bit hard to come by for the most desirable spots, but the town tries its best by having a good mix of paid on-street parking and municipal lots.

During our trip in 2021, we just had the RV, so we drove that into town and were able to find some parallel parking spots with 4 hour parking that we fit into. This was good, because RVs are prohibited in most of the paid parking lots in Boothbay. Our rig also did a great job of handling the hills and somewhat twisty roads of this area of Maine. In 2021 we tried a few times to get and Uber to be able to go downtown in that but, to no avail.  In 2022, we relied heavily on our Rad e-bikes to get us into town, since we wanted to keep the RV set up and the AC on for the dog at our campground. While there are bike lane signs and even a biking initiative supported by the local Rotary, it is still pretty difficult to ride around and into Boothbay because of the steep hills, narrow breakdown lanes, tight sidewalks and congested areas of town, and basically non-existent biking amenities like paths and racks. It was definitely a drawback to trying to get back and forth to enjoy the downtown area.

As we mentioned, RVs aren’t allowed in many of the public parking spaces in Boothbay, even for our smaller rig (24 feet). We did have some success with parallel parking, especially the 4 hour spots on the street which had some nice shade. We found a few parking spots near smaller Beaches in Boothbay in Southport, that are fun to visit to read a book.

The Footbridge Across the harbor in Boothbay is one of the many historic and scenic attractions by the water in this quaint town

Where to Eat in While Camping in Boothbay, Maine

Boothbay is full of great places to eat. One of our favorite things to do in a new-to-us town is to check out the dining options! Since food is a necessity as well as a fun diversion in any new town, here are some of the places we went. We’ll write more in a list of Places to Eat in Boothbay, but here’s a quick overview of some of the spots we liked.

On our drive into Boothbay during our trip in 2021, we stopped about nine miles away from Boothbay in Wiscasset, ME to get a lobster roll at the infamous Red’s Eats. We’ll detail that adventure in future posts about all things lobster and lobster rolls!  While the lobster rolls were pretty good, the line was no fun. To avoid that line in the future, and to get another perspective on lobster rolls, we’d also like to check out Sprague’s Lobster across the street.

On our trip in 2021, we enjoyed the Boothbay Harbor landmark, McSeagulls. This tavern and restaurant has a waterfront dining room and bar, and a great well-rounded menu of seafood and traditional fare. In 2021, this was one of our first dining experiences during COVID, and it felt very clean and safe in a sunny, open-air environment. We had a Haddock Sandwich with onion rings and a Maine Fields Salad which features blueberries also the Mc Seagull’s Mule which also features blueberries. To continue with the blueberry items, we also enjoyed blueberry ice cream at the Downeast Ice Cream Factory for dessert. On our trip in 2022, we were happy to see that McSeagulls was still in business after we heard the news that it was closing and/or changing hands in 2021. While we didn’t eat there this visit, the menu and the view looked just as good as before, with many of the same favorites we enjoyed, and we’d certainly go back anytime!

In 2021, we also stopped at Pinkham’s Market one day for lunch – an amazing meatball sub! And we ordered two lobsters and steamers already prepared which we brought back to our campsite to eat with drawn butter. It was a memorable camping meal, and it was made so much easier by being able to pick up the seafood already steamed and prepared from Pinkham’s. In 2022, we enjoyed the Cape Cod Chicken sandwiches from the same market and picked up provisions as well as lobster again!

On our trip in 2022, we decided to check out Kaler’s which offers a beautiful view of the harbor from their picnic table-filled deck. It was the afternoon, and we had dinner reservations, so we kept it light and just split an order of onion rings and a pitcher of beer. However, we found both the bartender, John, and owner Mary at Kaler’s to be extremely welcoming and fun to chat with! We went back before boarding the Cabbage Island Clambake to try the lime mule cocktail the Bad Larry. We’d love to return again for some fried seafood and blueberry pie!

For dinner one evening, we were celebrating a special occasion this trip, so we decided on Ports of Italy as a fine dining spot for our special dinner. We enjoyed the Bocce Ball cocktail, Eggplant Rollatini, Fruite de Mare, and Osso Bucco.

In addition to the Dunkin’ that is close to Boothbay Craft Brewery and RV Park, there is Bet’s Fish Fry, which is open odd hours, because they close when they sell out for the day, but is usually open Tuesday through Saturday 11-2. The Fish Sandwich and fries can’t be missed.

Kaler’s offered waterfront dining with a panoramic view of the harbor, excellent food, drinks, and welcoming service

Things to Do While Staying In Boothbay

While some of our camping arrangements and dining experiences qualify for us as things to do for us, we also found some other wonderful diversions in Boothbay! We’ll write up a longer post of specific things to do, but here are a few things we enjoyed while there!

In 2021, we took one of Capt’ Fish’s Harbor Cruises to get a view of the water. We elected to take the Harbor Cruise with Lighthouses, Seals, and Lobster Trap Haul,  They also offer whale watching, puffin cruises, and other itineraries! We enjoyed it because it helped us get our bearings, see the Harbor and interesting islands, see some of the Maine coast, and learn some history of the area — all while enjoying a beautiful day on the water!

In 2022, we did the famous Cabbage Island Clambake.  While this is a dining experience, it also qualifies as a once-in-a-lifetime (or perhaps more than once, if you’re lucky!) kind of authentic Maine travel experience. The boat ride out to the island is a narrated tour that lasts about an hour and takes you through some of the beautiful details of the history of Boothbay Harbor. The tour will also point out some of the landmarks nearby, as well as the islands you pass on the way out to Cabbage Island where the Clambake is held. The Clambake is a feast of lobster, clams, corn, fish chowder, potato, and a hard-boiled egg. Accompanied by iced tea or water and a delicious, and famous blueberry cake for dessert! The whole experience isn’t one you’ll ever forget.

The Cabbage Island Clambake is one of the most classic and unique Maine dining experiences in Boothbay, Maine

Boothbay is home to the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens  It’s just a few miles from the campground, but requires pre-purchased tickets and also doesn’t allow RVs to park on the property. Dogs are also not allowed, so it was a bit tricky for us to figure out a visit. For some of these logistical issues, we haven’t gone yet, but is on our list of places to visit.

The Boothbay Harbor Shops also include Galleries that feature local artists paintings and crafts. There are so many talented artists that make Boothbay their home, thanks probably in part to the endless sources of artistic inspiration from the water, boats, and coastline. We also enjoyed Maine and Ivy, and The Footbridge Shop, and thought they were some of the nicest stores to visit for classic-meets whimsical preppy attire and tasteful gifts respectively.  We also ducked into Marcel’s Submarine Shop and Whisky Bar –  a winning combination of excellent gourmet subs and fine whiskies, which had an extensive list of whisky and cocktails. There’s much more to experience in Boothbay including spas, beaches, resort hotels, and even more restaurants but we didn’t have the chance to visit those during this stay.

No cooking and easy clean up is appreciated when you’re trying to eat lobsters in an RV. Pinkham’s Market will steam lobsters for you. We took them back to our campsite and ate them there!

More Places to Stay in Boothbay

For RVers, there are a few other places to camp in Boothbay. For instance, Shore Hills is down the street from Boothbay Craft Brewing and we passed in on our drive-in. We also passed Gray’s Homestead Oceanfront Camping in Southport which looks like a neat spot to try sometime since it’s waterfront and offers seasonal sites. The harbor also has several gorgeous resorts, hotels, and bed and breakfasts.

If we ever travel here just by car, enjoying a fine dining and spa experience while enjoying the Spruce Point Inn or staying at Linekin Bay Resort in one of their Oceanfront rooms or pet-friendly cabins or looks like it would be a fun thing to do. However, we absolutely love the hospitality and location we found at Boothbay Craft Brewery and will likely return again next year!

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Getting To Lewes, Delaware

Cape Henlopen Park Attributes and Amenities

The Campground at Cape Henlopen

We decided on Delaware Seashore State Park as the next destination on our first shakedown trip in our RV. After visiting Lums Pond, we wanted to not only extend our trip a little but also visit the Delaware beaches. So, we headed to Delaware Seashore State Park as our next destination. Here’s our take on the highlights of the park!

Review of Camping at the Delaware Seashore State Park, Rehoboth DE

Indian River Inlet Bridge in Rehoboth Beach Delaware

The Campground at Delaware Seashore State Park is ideally located right on the water with a path to walk out to the beach at the park. Delaware Seashore State Park Campground is in Rehoboth Beach, and close to Lewes, Dewey Beach, Fenwick, and Ocean City.

Getting To Delaware Seashore State Park

It was about an hour and a half drive to Delaware Seashore Park on the way from Lums Pond.  We wanted to make a few stops on the way, namely a Target to pick up some more storage bins, and also a trip to the grocery store. During the trip, we were having some issues with our GPS – which is a known issue in the Thor Gemini, which we now have a fix for and will document on this site at some point – but it prevented us from successfully finding the Target! Walkway from the Campground to the Beach, Heading back to the Campground

We picked up groceries at the Acme in Lewes and then decided to drive past our campground and around Rehobeth, Fenwick, and Ocean City to get our bearings. We’ll share more about those trips down below!

Things to Know about Camping at the Delaware Seashore State Park

The campground is actually two separate areas on either side of the Inlet, ( North Inlet and South Inlet) so it’s very important to know which side you’re going to be on since it’s no fun to have to cross the bridge unnecessarily to turn around. The entrance is also a little bit tricky from what we remember, you have to turn right then follow an access road, and be sure to pick the correct land for RV, since there is also a lane for just general beach access)

Off Season Camping at Delaware Seashore State Park

We were there in the off-season of March 2021, so there was no sewer available. It also made the park pretty open, but there were still a fair amount of campers. If it had been during the prime summer season, it’s not hard to envision how packed in the campers would be.  Despite being a state park, and close to the beach,  Delaware Seashore State Park, isn’t our favorite type of camping because it lacks a little bit of the things we love about camping – namely privacy, and feeling close to nature. It’s basically a parking lot. There is no landscaping between sites, and the entire place is paved. The inlet itself is pretty, but watching the water current is also a little intense! There’s a reason the Indian River Lifesaving Station was erected there over 100  years ago. The current just rips through the inlet, and boats from the nearby Indian River Marina the Coast Guard boats that leave from the station there have to fight the strong current coming in and out of there.  We were also there during extremely windy weather, and without other campers or any barriers like trees bushes and other buildings, the wind gusts were constant and hit us hard.  In the summer it seems like the park would be exposed to the elements like sun and heat, making the power hookup (and the resulting access to air conditioning) a key component of the place.

Things To Do Near the Delaware Seashore State Park

Dunes and the Lovely Beach near Delaware Seashore State Park

We’ll have to go into far greater detail at some point about all the things there are to do in the Delaware Seashore Area. There are so many restaurants and activities to enjoy in the surrounding areas including Rebobeth, Dewey, Fenwick, and Ocean City. On our trip, since it was still towards the time when things were shut down for Covid we simply walked around the Bethany Beach area, checking out shops and restaurants along the boardwalk that we’d love to come back to. Dining is always a big part of our adventures so some of the spots we ate make up the biggest part of our things to do!

Places to Eat near Delaware Seashore State Park

Ultimately, for dinner, we ended up down the road Matt’s Fish Camp at the Bethany Beach location. Matt’s Fish Camp has been a favorite of ours since we first visited a few years ago at the Lewes location. We love it because as originally New Englanders, we are always in search of New England-style seafood when we aren’t able to be in our hometowns!  Matt’s Fish Camp gets it, they have delicious lobster, great onion rings, clams, and more. Because of Covid, we decide to place an order for take-out. It was fun to be able to just pull up, get our order, and eat in the RV in the parking lot. We usually try to drive to a scenic spot to eat, but the food smell was too tempting! We had and would highly recommend the Lobster Deviled Eggs, crab cakes, and fried clams.

Views of Matt’s Fish Camp Bethany Beach

The next day, we decided to drive the RV into Dewey to get a break from all the wind at the campsite. Thanks to our smaller size, we were able to find on-street parking and we walked to Dewey Beer Company.  Dewey Beer quickly became a new favorite when we discovered their amazing sour beer – Secret Machine. Amazing flavors like marshmallow, tangerine, oreo, and raspberry get combined into a sour beer that tastes like a smoothie!  The food was delicious as well – we had the hamburgers. Sitting at the bar tables that face the street and are open to the air felt safe during Covid.

Lunch at Dewey Beer Company and Sample Sizes of Secret Machine Fruited Sours

We spent another windy night at Delaware Seashore State Park before heading home! Our next adventures included New England, South Carolina, and Florida before we returned to Delaware, but if you want more info on Delaware Camping, stay tuned for our next Delaware camping post where we will detail our visit to  Cape Henlopen State Park, and we also went back to where it all began – Lums Pond!

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In this post, we’ll review why we picked the Thor Gemini 23TW AWD, also known as the Compass in some markets, as the RV for us.

Why We Picked the Thor Gemini 23 TW

Our search for the perfect RV started several years ago when we realized an RV might be the perfect complement to our life of spontaneous travel. With relatives up and down the East Coast, and a desire to enjoy New England in the summer, and the Southern US in the winter, we casually started looking at RVs in 2015, but didn’t commit to purchasing anything.

Then a combination of early retirement, working from home, a desire to visit family members who are aging and had a few health issues, and a lack of easy travel options during COVID, plus the release of the Ford Transit ECO Boost chassis were a few things that moved us along and made 2021 the year to purchase our RV. We ended up with the Thor Gemini 23TW AWD. Here are some of the reasons we picked this powerful little RV.

Class B+ is For Us!

We knew we wanted a small, easy-to-drive, easy to park – go -anywhere motor home. We didn’t have a wish to tow, or the desire to purchase a new towing vehicle. We wanted something that would be like a B Class but would have the space of a C.  We looked at a few used C-class RVs and although we liked the space we quickly, realized that even 27 feet would be too large to fit our easy-to-park requirements. Thanks to YouTube we were able to watch walkthroughs of other RVs like the Winnebago Ekko, Navion, and finally the Gemini/ Compass models from Thor. We also soon learned about the drivability,  safety, and fuel-efficient benefits of the new 2020 Ford Transit Chassis, which helped us narrow our search even more to Class B+/C RVs built on that chassis. We also wanted a modern, bright interior, and were pleased to see that a few brands were offering this for 2020 models and beyond.

Researching Our Options

Since we have many RV dealers near us we were able to see a few in person. We loved the Leisure Vans Wonder Rear Lounge model, but with a 2-year wait time until delivery, it didn’t fit in our plans to start to travel by RV in the Spring of 2021. Through the detailed views on YouTube from both Matt’s RV reviews for General RV Dealerships and the Thor Manufacturer, we were able to get a pretty good sense of the layout of the TW23 as well as the space. A light, bright interior option. We loved the Estate Gray package, which featured soft pale cream gray cabinetry and black hardware, neutral gray floors, and countertops – a perfect combination of modern farmhouse and classic white kitchen we wanted in our own home.

We were able to see these finishes in person at a local dealer who had taken delivery of a Compass, which is exactly the same as the Gemini, it’s just a brand name change they make to allow sales in different dealer markets. Even though it was the alternate floor plan  — the Compass TE — we were able to get a good sense of the general space and finish. Pleased with our in-person walk-through, we felt like the TW was for us!

Finding the Right RV Dealer

Unfortunately, we had terrible customer service at that dealer which was only 45 minutes from our house in Pennsylvania. We couldn’t get the most basic questions answered about finish choices and they seemed disinterested in taking our order. It’s certainly not the experience you want when you’re planning to make an investment like this.

This site is not sponsored by them, but our conversations with General RV were vastly more helpful and informative, and we felt much more confident placing our order with them because of their knowledge. Also because of their inventory, we lucked out and were able to place an order in February 2021 for March 2021 delivery. Even though our nearest General RV was over 5 hours away, the fact they have national locations, and that they were opening a new location in 2022 only 30 minutes from our house, made General RV the dealer for us.

Taking Delivery of the RV

We waited a few short weeks and purchased and prepared some of our RV must-haves and then prepared to drive to Ohio to pick up our new RV. We’ll detail the pre-purchase check and walkthrough in a post soon since we know how important it is to have a checklist of items you’ll want to review before taking delivery!

Through the pre-purchase check and walkthrough, we found that the Gemini was immediately what we expected in terms of interior details, storage, and amenities. There were a few minor things like finding a home for some of our belongings and figuring out the best place to store things.

What We Love About the Gemini TW

We will be sharing more detailed reviews of each aspect but here are a few of the highlights and things we love!

The Ford Transit Chassis

The Ford Transit Chassis is one of our favorite things about the RV. It’s easy to drive and does handle like a car. The seats are extremely comfortable, it has amazing visibility and the cab storage compartments, cup holders, and caddies are very well thought out. We haven’t had a chance to really use the limits of the AWD, but it’s so nice to know we have it as we travel through different weather conditions.

The Bed

Many people choose to buy a new mattress, but we actually found the mattress that came with the RV has been fine for now. We added a thin topper and it had been comfortable. One of the things we love is that the bed folds up with all of the bedding intact so it is just a matter of releasing it from the storage position and the bed is ready to go. One of the storage tricks we learned is that items like sheets and towels can also be stored within the spaces between the slats.

The Closet and Storage Space

We have spent as long as a month at a time in different weather conditions in the RV and have found that the closet provides more than ample storage for all of our clothing. Some Gemini owners have made modifications, but we simply use thin hangers and some cloth-covered boxes for bulky items like sweaters and jeans. We’ll share with you which bins we like for this space and how we organized our closet in a later post.

The Fridge

We are also impressed by the storage space in the fridge and freezer. We tend to pack it dully, even when we don’t require tons of food storage, because we find it helps to reduce movement while we travel, and a stuffed fridge helps to keep things insulated and cold! It has been great to be able to have plenty of room for fresh food, storing leftovers, and having some space for frozen food as well.

Separate Shower

Having a dedicated shower (as opposed to a wet-/dry bathroom) was one of the requirements! We did switch out the shower head and had to learn a few tricks for using the on-demand water heater, but once we did, it has been great to be able to shower on the go!

Our Travels

So far we have visited Ohio, Lums Pond in Delaware, Codorus State Park in Pennsylvania, Huntington Beach in Myrtle Beach, Seacoast New Hampshire, and Boothbay Harbor and Portland, Maine, with travels to Hilton Head, Destin, The Florida Keys, and Jekyll Island planned for 2022! Stay tuned for more details and reviews of campgrounds as we go.

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These are some of the camping equipment and must have products we use in our Thor Gemini for storage, decor, cleaning, and maintenance.