Where to Stay in Biscayne: In the Park, Gateway Towns & Campgrounds

By David Sanchez · Data: National Park Service · ← Complete guide Biscayne

Biscayne isn't like other national parks. With 95% of its area covered by water, it has no lodge or hotel within its boundaries. The only way to spend the night in the park is to get on a boat and reach one of the two island campgrounds accessible only by water. For everything else, the logistics are simple: Homestead is the natural base, about 20 minutes by car from the Dante Fascell Visitor Center, with enough hotel options for every budget. Plan on 1 to 2 nights to cover the park's main activities, or up to 3 if you're combining it with nearby Everglades National Park (see the Biscayne trip itinerary to fine-tune your plans).

Where to stay: towns, lodges and campgrounds (5)

All Gateway townsLodgesCampgrounds

• Gateway town Homestead entrance Dante Fascell / Convoy Point · hotels, supermarket, gas station Directions ↗
• Gateway town Florida City entrance Dante Fascell / Convoy Point · hotels, supermarket, gas station Directions ↗
• Gateway town Cutler Bay entrance Dante Fascell / Convoy Point · hotels, supermarket, gas station Directions ↗
• Campground Boca Chita Campground first come, first served · 60 sites Directions ↗
• Campground Elliott Key Campground see NPS · 20 sites Directions ↗

Show interactive map Base map © OpenStreetMap · © CARTO

⚠ Gateway town & Lodge data is undergoing editorial review.

Staying in the Park or Outside It?

It's the question every visitor asks, and here the answer comes down to one thing: do you have access to a boat?

If you have a boat or plan to join a guided trip from Convoy Point: the park's islands are open to you. Elliott Key and Boca Chita Key each have a campground accessible only by water, with a night on a tropical island as the payoff for the extra logistics. It's secluded, it's unusual, and it's an experience few Florida visitors can claim.

If you don't have a boat (the vast majority of visitors): you'll stay outside the park, and that makes perfect sense. The visitor center and the launch point for kayaks and canoes are on the mainland at Convoy Point. One night in Homestead puts you less than 30 minutes from the start of your activities.

The decision tree at a glance:

• Island camping, an immersive experience → Elliott Key or Boca Chita Key (boat required).
• Comfort, family, and a controlled budget → Homestead or Florida City.
• Miami + Biscayne combination → Coral Gables or South Miami (45 minutes from the park, with plenty of hotels).
• Biscayne + the Florida Keys → Key Largo, 25 miles south, as your base.

Staying in Biscayne: Lodges and Park Accommodations

There is no lodge or hotel inside Biscayne National Park. Unlike Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon, or even Everglades National Park, the NPS has granted no hotel concession here. The park's approach is clear: preserve its coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangroves rather than fill the shoreline with land-based accommodations. If you want to spend the night within the park's boundaries, island camping is your only option. See the best hotels near Biscayne if you'd rather sleep in a hotel bed.

Camping in Biscayne: The Park Campgrounds

Biscayne has two campgrounds, both on islands and accessible only by boat from Convoy Point. You need to plan the logistics ahead of time. There are no roads, no regular ferry for visitors without their own boat, and no way to resupply once you're there.

Elliott Key

Elliott Key is the park's largest island. Its campground has tent sites on grassy areas, basic restrooms, and fresh-water showers. The island is covered in dense tropical vegetation, with a coastal trail running north to south. Wildlife is everywhere: manta rays in the nearby waters, tropical birds in the canopy, and mosquitoes that are especially relentless after dark. I learned that the hard way during an early-season visit. Don't underestimate the bug spray; it's every bit as essential as the tent.

Boca Chita Key

Boca Chita is the photogenic little sister, an island covering a few acres with a decorative 1930s lighthouse, palm trees, and an unobstructed view of Biscayne Bay. The campground has fewer sites, but the atmosphere more than makes up for it. You can see the island in an hour. What matters is spending the night there, in almost total silence.

Reservations: both campgrounds are managed through Recreation.gov. During the busy season (December through April), sites fill up several weeks ahead. The campgrounds aren't accessible to RVs because there's no access road. See all the practical details on Biscayne's campgrounds, including fees, rules, and amenities. If you're traveling in a converted van or other camper, check out the RV camping options around the park.

Where to Stay Around Biscayne: Gateway Towns

The park is surrounded by a ring of accessible towns, but it never has an American-style park village. The options are limited but well targeted.

Homestead

This is the classic base, and it deserves that status. Homestead is about 15 to 20 minutes by car from the Dante Fascell Visitor Center, following the canal east along SW 328th Street. The city is practical rather than touristy, which means reasonable hotel rates. You'll find affordable national chains and several decent independent motels, supermarkets for stocking up before a kayaking trip, and neighborhood restaurants where you can eat well without spending much. Homestead has another strategic advantage: it also works as a base for Everglades National Park, less than an hour to the west. If you're planning to visit both parks, you won't have to move your luggage.

Florida City

Just south of Homestead, Florida City shares the same logistical hub. The two cities are so close that maps often blur them together. Florida City is slightly closer to the Everglades entrance, but for Biscayne the difference is negligible. Lodging falls into the same price ranges, with a few well-maintained roadside motels.

Coral Gables and South Miami

If your trip combines Biscayne with a visit to Miami, Coral Gables offers a good geographic compromise. The neighborhood sits halfway between downtown Miami and Homestead, with a wider range of hotels and midrange prices. Allow 40 to 50 minutes to reach the visitor center, depending on traffic on US-1. That's manageable if you leave early in the morning.

One important distinction: Key Biscayne (the Miami residential neighborhood connected to the city by the Rickenbacker Causeway) and Biscayne National Park are two separate places, more than 25 miles apart. Looking for them in the same place is the most common trip-planning mistake. Key Biscayne is an upscale Miami neighborhood. The national park is near Homestead. Two different places, one bay in common.

Key Largo

If your road trip continues toward the Florida Keys, Key Largo is a sensible option farther south. Allow 45 to 60 minutes to reach Biscayne's visitor center, depending on traffic on US-1. The area leans toward resorts and water sports, which works well if you're also planning to snorkel at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park. To learn more about this part of Florida, our Regions guide to South Florida lays out the area's geography and logistics.

When to Book Your Biscayne Accommodations

The park has a subtropical climate and gets sunshine practically year-round. The busy tourist season runs from December through April, bringing dry weather, temperatures around 68°F in January, stable boating conditions, and calm seas. It's also when Homestead and Florida City fill up on weekends, especially during American school breaks.

A practical rule: book your accommodations 4 to 8 weeks before arrival during the busy season. For the island campgrounds, check Recreation.gov as soon as the reservation window opens. Elliott Key and Boca Chita sites go quickly.

Avoid planning an offshore camping trip from June through November: that's Florida's hurricane season. A system can form and intensify quickly in the Gulf of Mexico or over the Atlantic, making boating unsafe. To choose the right window for your priorities, our When to Visit Biscayne guide covers the advantages and drawbacks of each period, month by month.

Summer is hot and humid. The average climbs to 82°F in July, with afternoon thunderstorms almost every day. That isn't a dealbreaker for water activities, but mosquitoes in the islands' wooded areas are at their worst.

Accommodation Budget: How Much Does It Cost to Stay in Biscayne?

Biscayne is one of the most affordable national parks, largely because its gateway towns aren't high-priced tourist destinations.

These ranges reflect the busy season and vary with availability. Boat tours and kayak rentals are additional. Set aside an activities budget based on your itinerary.

Our Recommendation Based on Your Travel Style

First visit, simple logistics: make Homestead your base for 1 or 2 nights. You'll be close to the visitor center, the kayak launch, and organized snorkeling trips. It's an easy, efficient setup.

Traveling with kids: choose Homestead or Florida City and book a hotel with a pool. After a day of kayaking under the subtropical sun, the pool becomes a priority for parents and kids alike. See Biscayne's family activities to choose options by age.

Nature lovers and travelers with a boat: don't miss a night on Elliott Key or Boca Chita. Getting there takes effort, but the experience is exceptional. Plan ahead and book early through Recreation.gov.

Tight budget: island camping remains the cheapest option if you have the boat access needed to get there. Otherwise, Homestead motels offer the best combination of price and proximity to the park.

Biscayne + Everglades combination: Homestead and Florida City are the only logical choices. With one park 20 minutes away and the other less than an hour away, you can maximize your time without moving your bags. The Biscayne guide explains how to combine both parks into a coherent trip.

Frequently Asked Questions