Florida's geography makes the campervan case straightforward. The state is flat, the campground network is dense, the weather from November through April is some of the most comfortable in North America, and the driving distances between significant destinations are manageable. No other state in the eastern US has this combination of subtropical wilderness, coastal scenery, and year-round camping viability.

The Florida Keys route is a specific argument on its own. You cannot experience the Keys by staying in Key West hotels; the character of the islands is in the water, the fishing docks, the mangrove channels, and the campgrounds that sit directly on the Atlantic side. A campervan parked at Bahia Honda State Park, with the old bridge overhead and the Keys backcountry spreading out in every direction, is a completely different trip than anything available at a hotel price point.

Miami International Airport (MIA) is 11.3 km northwest of downtown, approximately 20-30 minutes by car. Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) is 46.7 km north, roughly 40-50 minutes by car and often offers lower fares. Both airports are within reasonable distance of the Indie Campers Miami pick up centre. Florida has no toll-free alternative to the main highways in the metro; see the logistics section for SunPass details.

Every booking includes unlimited kilometres, 24/7 road assistance, and a Basic Protection Plan as standard. A Florida Keys return trip from Miami covers 644 km. Add the Everglades, a run up the Gulf Coast, and a stretch north toward Georgia and you're past 2,414 km for the week without trying. There's no per-mile cap on any of it.

One-way hire are available from Miami to all active Indie Campers US pick up centres. The natural one-way from Miami runs north along the Atlantic coast through the Space Coast, Savannah, and Charleston before dropping off in Orlando, Atlanta, Nashville, or as far as New York. The whole eastern seaboard is accessible without retracing a single mile. Confirm availability and pricing at booking.

Winter (November to April) is when South Florida is at its best and the rest of the country figures that out too. Temperatures run 65-26.7 °C, humidity drops to tolerable levels, the mosquito population is manageable, and the campgrounds in the Everglades, the Keys, and the state park system fill up with visitors from across the US and Europe. This is peak season in every meaningful sense: book campgrounds months ahead through Reserve America and Recreation.gov, and expect Florida state parks to be at or near capacity on weekends from December through March.

Spring (March to May) is a transition. March is spring break and the most crowded single month in the Florida tourism calendar. Traffic on the Keys is at its worst the second and third weeks of March. By late April the crowds thin, temperatures climb into the high 80s, and the summer humidity starts building. April and May are legitimate for campervan travel in Florida; just not the Keys on a spring break weekend.

Summer (June to September) is the most demanding season. Temperatures hit 90-35 °C with humidity that makes 35 °C feel like more. Afternoon thunderstorms arrive reliably every day from June through September. The Everglades mosquito population in summer is not a minor inconvenience; bug spray and screens are survival tools. The upside is that campground availability opens up significantly and the Keys are noticeably less crowded. Early morning activity from 6-11 a.m. before the heat peaks is the functional approach to summer camping in south Florida.

Hurricane season (June 1 to November 30) is a real planning factor. The peak window is August through October. Monitor the National Hurricane Center (nhc.noaa.gov) daily during these months and have a flexible cancellation plan. Florida campgrounds in a hurricane's path close with short notice and evacuation orders can cover entire coastal counties. This is not a reason to avoid Florida entirely in fall; it's a reason to watch the forecast and book with flexibility.

3 to 5 Days

Miami + Florida Keys (400km return trip, 3-4 days)

Day 1: Pick up campervan, drive south to Key Largo (100km, 1 hr 15 min via Florida's Turnpike), John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park snorkeling, overnight at John Pennekamp campground
Day 2: Drive the Overseas Highway south through Islamorada and Marathon, Seven Mile Bridge crossing, overnight at Bahia Honda State Park (GPS restricted; book well ahead)
Day 3: Key West day trip (50km south from Bahia Honda), Duval Street, Mallory Square sunset, Hemingway Home, return to Bahia Honda overnight
Day 4: Return to Miami via US-1 and Florida's Turnpike (215km), Wynwood and Little Havana afternoon, depot drop-off

Miami + Everglades (250km return trip, 3-4 days)

Day 1: Pick up campervan, drive west to Everglades main entrance (60km via Florida's Turnpike), Anhinga Trail, Royal Palm, overnight at Long Pine Key Campground
Day 2: Drive main park road to Flamingo, Pa-hay-okee Overlook, kayak or boat tour on Florida Bay, overnight at Flamingo Campground
Day 3: Return via Tamiami Trail (US-41), Big Cypress Preserve stop, Miccosukee airboat tour
Day 4: Miami city day, South Beach, Little Havana, depot drop-off

7 to 10 Days

Florida Keys + Everglades + Gulf Coast (1,400km, 8-9 days)

Miami → Keys (3 nights: Key Largo, Islamorada or Long Key State Park, Bahia Honda) → Key West day → Everglades via US-41 Tamiami Trail (1 night at Big Cypress) → Naples Gulf Coast (1 night) → Fort De Soto County Park, St. Petersburg (2 nights, 240km north of Naples) → return to Miami via I-75 (530km). Covers the Atlantic Keys, the Everglades corridor, and the Gulf Coast white sand beaches in one loop.

Miami to Space Coast and Back (1,200km, 7-8 days)

Miami → Fort Lauderdale beach day (45km north) → Palm Beach (90km, 1 night) → Sebastian Inlet State Park (180km, 1 night, surf fishing and sea turtle nesting in season) → Kennedy Space Center/Titusville (50km, 1 full day) → Canaveral National Seashore (1 night) → Daytona Beach (70km, 1 night) → return south via I-95 (460km). The Space Coast is the most underrated overnight destination within a day's drive of Miami.

14+ Days

Full Florida Loop (2,800km+, 14-16 days)

Miami → Keys (3 nights) → Everglades/Big Cypress (2 nights) → Naples/Marco Island (1 night) → Sanibel/Captiva (1 night, seashell beaches) → Fort Myers Beach (1 night) → Sarasota/Siesta Key (1 night) → Tampa Bay/Fort De Soto (2 nights) → Crystal River (1 night, manatee snorkeling) → Ocala National Forest (1 night, free dispersed camping on national forest) → Gainesville (1 night) → return south via I-75 (550km). The full Florida circuit from one depot.

Miami to Atlanta One-Way: The Atlantic Coast Route (1,700km, 10-12 days)

Miami → Fort Lauderdale (45km) → Palm Beach (90km) → Vero Beach (120km) → Kennedy Space Center/Titusville (180km) → Canaveral National Seashore (50km) → St. Augustine (180km, oldest city in the US) → Savannah, GA (130km) → Tybee Island, GA (1 night) → Charleston, SC (165km) → drop off Atlanta (535km via I-26). The cleanest one-way north from Miami in the Indie network.

Most travellers find 7-9 days ideal for combining the Keys and the Everglades with enough time in Miami before departure. The Keys alone deserve a minimum of 3 nights; rushing them defeats the purpose.

Fuel Stations

• Costco — Cheapest fuel in the metro (members only), typically $0.15-0.30 below street pricing. Worth the detour for a full tank before heading south or west
• BP — Dominant presence throughout the Miami metro and along the Tamiami Trail corridor heading into the Everglades region
• Shell — Widespread coverage on I-95, Florida's Turnpike, and US-1 through the Keys corridor
• Chevron — Strong suburban coverage in Broward and Miami-Dade counties
• Wawa — Expanding rapidly through South Florida. Consistently competitive pricing, clean facilities, and large parking areas that work for full-size campervans. Best chain for routine fill-ups in the metro

Average regular unleaded price in Florida: $3.20-$0.98/L. Florida prices track close to the national average; prices in the Keys run $0.08-0.16/L above Miami metro levels due to the logistics of island delivery.

Florida and regional fuel notes:

• Key West fuel is the most expensive in Florida, often $0.50-0.80 above Miami. Fill completely in Florida City or Homestead before entering US-1 at the top of the Keys
• Marathon, in the middle Keys, has the most reliable fuel options mid-Keys if you need to top up
• Everglades City and Flamingo have no fuel stations inside the park; fill in Homestead or Florida City before turning south or west
• Big Cypress Preserve on the Tamiami Trail has no fuel for 96.6 km between Miami and Naples; fill before entering
• North toward the Space Coast, Brevard County fuel runs close to Miami pricing

Propane Refill Stations

• U-Haul — Multiple Miami metro locations throughout Dade and Broward counties, open 7 days a week, $0.92-1.19/L, campervan-accessible. Most reliable option for propane refills before a Keys or Everglades departure
• Blue Rhino / AmeriGas — Cylinder exchange at most Walmart, Home Depot, and Lowe's locations throughout South Florida. Exchange only, approximately $20-25 per 9.07 kg swap
• Camping World — Full campervan supply store with propane fill station. Best pre-trip provisioning stop for extended Florida trips
• Tractor Supply — Locations in Homestead and Davie (Broward County) carry both refills and cylinder exchange

Propane notes: Propane powers your fridge, stove, and onboard heating. A typical tank holds 20-114 L and costs $70-135 to fill from empty at current Florida rates. No propane refill options exist inside Everglades National Park or along most of the Keys below Key Largo. Fill in Miami before departure and top up in Homestead for the Keys or before entering the Everglades.

Dump Stations

• Camping World — Dump station available during store hours
• Long Pine Key Campground, Everglades NP — On-site dump station for registered campers
• Flamingo Campground, Everglades NP — On-site dump station for registered campers
• John Pennekamp State Park — On-site dump station for registered campers in Key Largo
• Most Florida state parks have dump stations for registered campers; non-guest use $10-15. Call ahead to confirm

Essential Apps for Your Miami Campervan Trip

• GasBuddy — Real-time fuel prices across Florida. Keys pricing varies significantly from the mainland; check before every fill-up once you're past Homestead
• NPS App — Download offline maps for Everglades, Biscayne, and Dry Tortugas before departure. Cell service inside the Everglades park interior and along the backcountry routes drops to nothing
• Recreation.gov — Federal campground bookings for Everglades (Long Pine Key and Flamingo). Book winter dates as far in advance as possible; both fill up completely by November for December-March
• Reserve America — Florida state park campground reservations system. Used for John Pennekamp, Bahia Honda, Long Key, Fort De Soto, and most other Florida state parks. Create an account before your trip
• SunPass — Florida's cashless toll system. Florida's Turnpike and the majority of Miami's expressways are cashless toll roads. Register your hire plate through SunPass or the Toll-by-Plate system before driving. Violations are $25+ above the original toll per occurrence. Download the app before pick-up
• Waze — Best real-time routing for Miami metro traffic. Enter your campervan height and length to avoid low-clearance routes on older overpasses in the city
• Windy — Marine and weather forecasting app. The Keys and Everglades coastal areas are exposed to wind and storm systems that change fast; essential for anyone planning kayaking or boat activities in Florida Bay or the backcountry
• iOverlander — Best for Big Cypress dispersed camping coordinates and user-reviewed access road conditions during dry season

Minimum driver age for Indie Campers vehicles is 21. A valid driver's licence is required for all drivers; international visitors must carry an International Driving Permit alongside their home country licence. A credit card in the primary driver's name is required at pick-up for the security deposit.

The America the Beautiful Annual Pass at $80 covers entrance fees at Everglades, Biscayne, Dry Tortugas, and every other NPS fee site in the country. If your trip includes Everglades plus one or two other NPS units, the pass covers its cost immediately.

Florida state park campground reservations go through Reserve America (reserveamerica.com), not Recreation.gov. This is a separate system and a separate account. Bahia Honda and Long Key in particular go live 11 months ahead and fill up the same day. Set calendar reminders for your target booking dates and have your Reserve America account set up before those dates.

Set up SunPass or prepare the Toll-by-Plate process before picking up the vehicle. This is the single most important administrative task for a Florida campervan trip and the one most travellers skip until they've already driven through six toll gantries.

Speed Limits

• Florida interstates: 113 km/h in rural areas, 105 km/h near urban zones, 88.5 km/h in the Miami metro and active construction sections
• US-1 Overseas Highway through the Keys: 45-88.5 km/h depending on the section, strictly enforced by Monroe County Sheriff
• State highways: 55-105 km/h
• Urban streets: 25-56.3 km/h
• School zones: 15-32.2 km/h when children present, automated enforcement in many Miami-Dade and Broward school zones

Enforcement: Florida Highway Patrol active on interstates. Monroe County Sheriff's Office is highly visible on the Overseas Highway through the Keys; the 72.4 km/h sections through populated areas and near bridges are actively ticketed. Miami-Dade and Broward counties have automated school zone cameras. Fines $100-500 depending on speed over limit.

Road Conditions

• Excellent: I-95 north of Miami, Florida's Turnpike, and I-75 (Alligator Alley) are well-maintained multi-lane highways throughout South Florida
• Scenic but demanding: The Overseas Highway through the Florida Keys is two lanes for most of its 201 km length with limited passing opportunities and no shoulders on the bridge sections. Allow 3-4 hours from Florida City to Key West without rushing
• Remote: Everglades main park road (61.2 km to Flamingo) is two lanes with no services and active wildlife crossings. The Tamiami Trail (US-41) across the northern Everglades has long empty stretches between services; fill before entering
• Flooding: South Florida roads flood quickly in summer storm events. I-95 and SR-836 in Miami can have standing water within 20 minutes of a heavy storm. Do not drive through flooded sections; depths are impossible to judge from inside a vehicle
• Hurricane evacuations: In a declared hurricane evacuation, Florida's contraflow system reverses certain highway lanes to increase outbound capacity. Follow official FDOT and local emergency management directions if you're in the state during an active hurricane event

Driving Culture

• Lane discipline: Florida drivers are aggressive and fast. Left lane camping by slower vehicles is almost universally ignored as a social norm in South Florida. Be prepared to be passed at speed on both sides
• Miami expressways: The Dolphin Expressway and I-95 through downtown involve complex interchange weaves, short merge distances, and drivers who treat lane markings as suggestions. Navigate at traffic speed and don't hesitate at merge points
• Overseas Highway: Passing is nearly impossible on most of the Keys corridor. Accept that you'll follow traffic at whatever pace the slowest vehicle ahead sets, particularly through the bridges
• Alcohol limit: 0.08% BAC (0.00% for drivers under 21). Florida DUI fines start at $500 for a first offence plus mandatory licence suspension. Checkpoints are common on US-1 through the Keys on holiday weekends

campervan-Specific

• Height: Know your exact vehicle height for Miami city driving. Several older underpasses on surface streets in the Miami metro have restricted clearances below 3.96 m. Waze with campervan height entered routes around these; do not rely on standard navigation
• Length: Bahia Honda State Park (10.7 m maximum), Long Key State Park (10.1 m maximum), John Pennekamp (12.2 m maximum). Verify your specific vehicle length against campground maximums before booking. Key West's streets are not accessible for vehicles over 22-7.62 m; base outside the city and day-trip in
• Propane: Turn off propane at all fuel stops. No specific tunnel restrictions on Florida's main highway network, but standard safety protocol applies
• Parking: No campervan street parking in South Beach or the Miami Beach barrier island. Use designated campgrounds and caravan parks as a base and rideshare or take the Metrobus into South Beach. The Miami Beach Convention Center area has limited campervan-accessible lot parking for day visits; check Park Mobile app before driving in
• Alligators: Alligators are present in every body of water in South Florida, including drainage ditches alongside campgrounds and park roads. Do not allow pets or small children near freshwater edges, particularly at dawn and dusk. An alligator sitting near a path is not necessarily about to move; give it a wide berth and keep moving
• Wildlife on roads: White-tailed deer, raccoons, Key deer (smaller endangered subspecies in the lower Keys), and occasional Florida panthers cross roads throughout South Florida. Key deer on US-1 through the lower Keys from Big Pine Key south to Stock Island are a specific concern; the speed limit drops for good reason through that stretch and violations are heavily fined

• campervan hire: $850-1,800 (varies by season and vehicle size; Art Basel week in December and spring break in March increase prices 30-50%)
• Fuel: $190-330 (regular unleaded $0.85-0.98/L, 600-1,448 km typical week including Keys loop, 19.6-29.4 L/100km = 50-435 L; Keys gateway fuel add $0.11-0.16/L above Miami pricing)
• Propane: $25-55 (if refill needed mid-trip)
• Tolls: $30-80 (Florida's Turnpike and Miami metro expressways are unavoidable on most routes; SunPass or Toll-by-Plate required)
• Campgrounds: $175-645 ($20-92/night × 7; Big Cypress free primitive on the low end, Bahia Honda State Park full hookup on the high end)
• Food: $200-550 (groceries vs. restaurants; Miami dining $15-38/person; Joe's Stone Crab is a budget event in itself)
• Activities: $80-300 (Everglades NP $35/vehicle or covered by America the Beautiful Pass; John Pennekamp snorkel tour $35/adult; Kennedy Space Center $75/adult if north; Dry Tortugas ferry $217/adult)
• Parking: $20-70 (Florida's Turnpike campgrounds included in site fee; SunPass covered above; city day visits $10-20/day)

Total estimates:

Budget: $1,500 (smaller campervan, cook all meals, Big Cypress free camping and NPS campgrounds at base rate, America the Beautiful Pass covers park entries, Everglades and Keys driving without paid boat tours)

Mid-range: $2,900 (mid-size campervan, mix of cooking and eating out, Florida state park campgrounds throughout the Keys, Everglades entry, John Pennekamp snorkel trip, one Miami restaurant night)

Premium: $5,000 (larger campervan, frequent dining out including Joe's Stone Crab, Bahia Honda and full hookup campgrounds, Dry Tortugas day trip, Kennedy Space Center, Art Basel week dates)

Florida sits mid-range for US campervan travel costs overall, but the Keys push the budget higher than most regions. State park campground fees ($43-45/night) are above the NPS average, and Keys fuel and food prices carry a tourist premium throughout the island chain. The Everglades and Big Cypress offer genuine budget camping on the western approach that offsets Keys costs if you structure the trip as a loop rather than a Keys-only route.

Miami → Orlando (380km, 3 hr 30 min via Florida's Turnpike north) — Walt Disney World, Universal Studios, Kennedy Space Center, and the Gulf Coast beaches are all accessible from an Orlando base. The cleanest short one-way in the Florida network.

Miami → Atlanta (1,100km, allow 1-2 days via I-95 north through Savannah) — Savannah's historic district is a natural overnight break at the 900km mark. One of the strongest mid-distance one-ways in the eastern US network.

Miami → Nashville (1,700km, allow 2-3 days via I-75 north through Atlanta) — Atlanta is the natural one-night break point. Nashville is the second major city on the route and a full stop before continuing further north.

Miami → New York (2,000km, allow 3-4 days via I-95 north) — The complete East Coast run. Jacksonville, Savannah, Charleston, the Outer Banks (detour on NC-12), and Washington D.C. are all on or near the route.

Miami → Chicago (2,300km, allow 4-5 days via I-75 north through Atlanta and I-65 or I-57 north) — A strong cross-country run through the South and Midwest. Atlanta and Nashville are the natural two-night break points before the final push north.

Miami → Los Angeles (4,400km via I-10 west, allow 12-16 days) — Through the Florida Panhandle, New Orleans, Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The southern cross-country route with the Everglades as the starting note and the Pacific as the finish.

One-way fees vary by route and season. Confirm availability and pricing at the time of booking.

Two national parks within an hour. One of the most unique drives in the country in the Florida Keys. The full eastern seaboard heading north without a single mile of backtracking. A city with a food culture, an art scene, and a coastline that justify at least two days before you leave.

South Florida does not look like the rest of America and it doesn't feel like it either. The Everglades at dawn with herons on the anhinga trail and an alligator in the canal alongside the road is as specific to this place as the Grand Canyon is to Arizona. The Keys are a chain of islands connected by bridges over open water with no equivalent elsewhere in the continental US.

Pick up in Miami, drive south on the Turnpike, and both of those things are yours before the first afternoon is over.