Boca Chita is a pristine little island in south Biscayne Bay with a protected lagoon able to accommodate 20-30 boats. It is crowded and noisy on the weekends as the younger boating crowd has now discovered the place and have ruined the peace and quiet with outrageously loud hip hop, rap and Latino music played all day long and well into the evening. It is sometimes nerve-wracking. If you cannot close up your boat tight and turn on the A/C to drown the noise out, you'll probably leave as we have done. There is no noise enforcement at all. My advice is to stay away and anchor out off Sands Key or Elliott Key to the soluth.

Very nice place to visit on boat we stayed there overnight and it was so nice, just bring bug spray it's like all places there is always a animal or insect to shake things up, Key West is not a good place to sleep rooster city.

I took a day sailing trip out there with my new wife any we absolutely loved it, Our Capt set up a BBQ for us in the very clean pick nick area, the bugs were almost nil as we walked one of the Key paths around., The water was a little chilly as we did a little snorkeling off the beach, We felt as if we had the key to our selves as there were only 3 other boats there when we arrived for a day trip. The other boaters that were there were very friendly, We found our selves sharing some snacks, drinks, and friendly banter till we sailed off. I will definitely go back on another weekday for another romantic day with my wife.

I have camped many times on Boca Chita and have always had a great time. The channel into the harbor is well marked and the harbor itself is excellent and well sheltered. On the weekends try to arrive early as the harbor fills up quickly. Another option is to arrive at dusk, when the many day boaters have departed. The island is relatively small (one can walk around the entire key in about 15 minutes). If you have kids, this is great because you can let them run loose without having to worry. Typically there are also plenty of other kids on the island, as well as many exploring opportunities, so the kids will always have a great time on their own. One can relax and enjoy the beautiful view of Biscayne Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. The campsites are good and I have never seen more than 10 other tents at a time at the campsites. The harbor is typically lively at night (i.e. noisy), but in general the 10pm limit for playing music is respected. The one time I was there when a boat didn't heed this rule, a Miami Dade Police boat showed up relatively quickly and silenced the offender. I have also noticed that many of the same boats are there every weekend which adds a nice neighborly feel to the harbor. The bathroom facilities are relatively well maintained and a cleaning crew shows up every Sunday morning to clean them. If you are looking for a quiet relaxing place to camp, Boca Chita is great. Where else in South Florida can you have an ocean view a few yards from the water for $15 a night? My only warning would be to make sure to clear out before noon on Sundays. After that, a hoard of Sunday boaters descends upon the island with plenty of loud music, shouting and beer guzzling.... The transformation is rather shocking. While the times I have stayed on Boca Chita the bugs have been at a minimum (Jan - Mar), I would highly recommend bringing some bug spray with you as they do come out in the evening.