Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Sunshine Key RV Resort and Marina is a unique resort with adjoining marina that offers the RV adventurer unprecedented access to a tropical island environment. Our Encore RV resort is located on the 75-acre island of Ohio Key, near Big Pine Key in the lower Florida Keys. It provides the perfect gateway for ocean activities, or just relaxing at the water's edge. There is great fishing right from this beautiful RV resort in Florida Keys. Located onsite is Keys Boat Tours, a Blue Star Operator who rents out kayaks, stand up paddle boards, and bikes, as well as offers fishing charters and snorkeling tours that take off from Sunshine Key RV Resort. Blue Star is a program that recognizes operators who "are committed to promoting responsible and sustainable diving, snorkeling, and fishing practices to reduce the impact of these activities in the Florida Keys."
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
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Encore Sunshine Key offers a lively atmosphere that guests find both energetic and noisy. While the rooms receive mixed reviews for comfort and cleanliness, some point out the need for updates and address mold concerns. The hotel's cleanliness, amenities, and family-friendly vibe are highlights, with the beach and marina standing out, although Wi-Fi and maintenance could be improved.
Its prime location is lauded for proximity to attractions and ocean views, but guests feel the pricing does not always match the value received. The service is generally viewed as friendly and accommodating, despite some communication hiccups.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Lively
Rooms
Uncomfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Meticulous
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Well-appointed
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From the warm, friendly welcome when we arrived to guidance to our site (and parking assistance if you need it), until today we have thoroughly enjoyed our first visit to the Keys and Encore Sunshine Key.
Located in an ideal location in the Middle Keys (Ohio Key), you can travel both West to Key Largo East to Key West! Travel times will vary depending on traffic, weather, and construction (they are currently repaving portions of US 1. The views from East to West are incredible and always changing.
Sunshine Key Campground is well manicured, maintained, and streets are well defined. A mixture of gravel and paved roads the sites are level and well placed for parking even big 5th wheel rigs. Truly it is a beautiful island paradise that has made me think of retirement and longer term visits (just think as I continue to work mobile). Restrooms and trash containers are well placed and easily accessible.
You can decide your involvement level and participation in the numerous activities planned daily. From kids focused fun to adult exercise and adult bingo, you have plenty of opportunities and Nick, Hope, Michelle, and Sandy (so far), communicate well through their text messaging system. If you wanna lounge on the beach, people watch, or just relax by the pool, that is available as well. With a marina on the west side of the campground, you can arrange everything from sunset cruises, fishing charters, snorkeling, a sunset view dock, and swimming of course. You can view tarpon, birds, and manatee (look for them drinking from the fresh water coming from the boats), and the occasional shark as well. You can go shelling by going under the bridge and on the island close by past the mangroves (easiest at low tide). Go to the outside of the island for best luck (remember you can’t take conches & shells that still have living residents!) Golf carts at the campground (they even rent them) as well as bikes are great methods of travel and there are bike paths off campground on US 1 as well. The heated pool, activities room, playground, and open activities area is a great place to become involved in the community. The Chevron gas station is part of the facilities and it is well stocked with supplies, souvenirs, and fuel too, of course. Propane is also available. There are several RV repair folk available if you need those services during your visit.
Cable tv, picnic tables, and full hookups are found at the camping sites. Internet is excellent (Verizon and Starlink) work great and ATT cell service work as well. You can rent internet services if you don’t bring your own.
Encore Sunshine Key Resort & Marina is now at the top of our locations for future return trips!
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Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:Don’t miss the many experiences we enjoyed! There are many more but we only had two weeks!
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Encore Thousand Trails, Owner at Encore Sunshine Key
Responded Jan 13, 2025
Thank you for your fantastic review! We appreciate your kind words and are thrilled to be your top choice for future trips. It's great to hear that our team members contributed to making your stay memorable. We are delighted that you enjoyed our amenities, activities, and island paradise. We can't wait to welcome you back for another wonderful stay.
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On 4/28/2024 we were driving out of the Keys when our car overheated and we stopped at a service station. We contacted a mechanic to help us. The Sunshine Key Resort was next door and I walked over to see if I could purchase a day pass while our car was repaired. They told me no but that I could use all their facilities, including the pool all day. They told me a man was selling tamales and fruit drinks out by the pool and then told me where water/coffee, and restrooms all were located. The man with the food was closing up but he gave me chips, salsa, and a drink free of charge. While sitting at the pool an employee came by and offered to get me towels or anything else I might need. The service station was also owned by the Resort and the clerk was so nice and friendly. Eight hours later we were back on the road but will be forever grateful for all the kindness and generosity of all associated with the Resort!! Denny & Sandy
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Date of stay: April 2024
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Encore Thousand Trails, Owner at Encore Sunshine Key
Responded Jun 12, 2024
Your kind words mean a lot to us, and we are thrilled that we could make your visit a pleasant one. We truly appreciate your recognition and hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back for a more leisurely stay in the future. Thank you for choosing our property! We are delighted to hear that you had a great experience using our facilities and that our team provided exceptional service during your unexpected stop.
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This park is in a fantastic location. The staff is absolutely wonderful but I feel bad for them. Their GM is a piece of work it seems. In one week they had 6 employees leave. Mostly because of how the GM handles things and secondly for changing employees hours after signing a contract. This man went so far as to "sell" all the Thousand Trails spots for the month of February so that he doesn't have to deal with TT people. He doesn't like Thousand Trails or Fulltime travelers. He came from a hotel background and seems to think it can be run the same way. After the storm I personally spent 2.5 hours cleaning the pool because maintenance was so shorthanded. Equity Lifetsyles needs to do a better job at selecting management. The other thing is they need to open up more spots for their membership program. It seems they'd rather the park be empty than make any money at all. It does fill up on the weekends. But it was a fun time. I'll probably be back but hoping for a change in management at the very least a change in how they treat employees.
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Date of stay: November 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled with friends
Room Tip:The weekends fill up with everyone from Miami. Use the pool during the week and you'll have a...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Encore Thousand Trails, Owner at Encore Sunshine Key
Responded Nov 21, 2023
Thank you for sharing your experience. We apologize for any inconveniences you may have experienced during your stay. Our team always aims to provide the best guest experience, and we will be sure to pass on your comments. We hope to have the opportunity to exceed your expectations in the future. You are always welcome here.
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I recently stayed at Sunshine Key RV Park, and it was a huge disappointment. This place is extremely expensive, and in addition to paying for your site, you are charged extra for electricity, which they do not calculate fairly and looks like a scam. The rules here are absurd. Children under the age of 10 are not allowed to play outside without adult supervision, so forget to relax if you are on vacation with your children. They don't even allow you to drive a golf cart unless you have a driver's license and are over 21. There is also a strict midnight curfew to be outside, and no outdoor music is allowed. However, if you bribe a security guard with food or $20, they turn a blind eye. In addition, they told me that if you give them money under the table, they can discount your electricity bill, which is completely unethical. The marina closes at 6 PM, and if you do not return with your jet ski or boat before that time, you will not be able to take it out. They seem to be prejudiced against Cubans, and although they organize activities throughout the year, they mysteriously stop in summer when more Cuban families rent for vacation. The children's basketball park was closed, leaving children with nothing to do. In addition, they impose a 10 PM curfew to get the kids back in their RVs, which is ridiculous for a vacation spot. To make matters worse, the pool was closed for most of the summer, so if you don't have a boat, there's literally nothing to do. For the price they charge, Sunshine Key RV Park is definitely not worth it. There are much better places to stay with fewer unnecessary rules and restrictions. I do not recommend this park to anyone looking for a fun and relaxing holiday. Besides, the office seems to be the best person in the world but it is a double-edged soul laughs in your face and stabs you in the back she lives in the trails with her children and if they have no problem it is an unpleasant place to spend time with family I do not recommend it The manager is another who absolutely does not know what it is to direct something so beautiful and landscaped for those of us who have enjoyed that place for years the truth is not as big a company as employs such inept people my name is javier gil
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Date of stay: May 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled with family
Room Tip:Recientemente me alojé en Sunshine Key RV Park, y fue una gran decepción. Este lugar es...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
The staff was great, the services were great, the amenities were great, and the site was great!
I cannot say enough about how awesome the staff and services are at this resort. On the day we were supposed to check out, our bedroom slide had an electrical issue. Staff went above and beyond to extend our stay and assist in any way possible.
Our site was great, even during a torrential downpour our site stayed dry (358).
The resort is beautiful and about two miles from the entrance to Bahia Honda State Park, which is one of the most beautiful state parks that I have ever visited.
This resort is a must stay and we plan on coming back.
Thank you Sunshine Key staff!!
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: November 2023
Value
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Encore Thousand Trails, Owner at Encore Sunshine Key
Responded Nov 26, 2023
Thank you for your kind words! We appreciate your feedback and look forward to welcoming you back for another enjoyable stay in the future. Our team works hard to provide exceptional service and create memorable stays for our guests. We're thrilled to hear that you had a wonderful experience at our property. We're glad that our amenities and location met your expectations.
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We love to come down to Sunshine Key stay is always friendly and accommodating. This past week we left our RV for 2 weeks and we had a severe thunderstorm come through I texted the office and Michelle and Amanda responded right away. They sent Chris to check on Rv and advised our location was fine but our tent got damaged for a small fee they took care of it. There fast response was greatly appreciated. I highly recommend coming down to Sunshine Key. You are only one hour from Key West and Marathon is right over bridge. The best part is the staff.
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Date of stay: August 2024Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Encore Thousand Trails, Owner at Encore Sunshine Key
Responded Sep 3, 2024
We're delighted you enjoyed our convenient location and that you had a fantastic experience. Your recommendation is valuable to us, and we can't wait to welcome you back on your next visit. It's great to hear that our team provided you with prompt and helpful assistance during your stay, making you feel well taken care of. We appreciate your kind words.
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Beautiful campground in a great location and we’ve enjoyed it for years. The staff used to rake the sites clean and smooth before the next camper would come in and everything was kept nice and clean. We’ve been coming here for 5 years in a row, but unfortunately I feel like the park has not been kept up as much now as it used to be and the prices have doubled in the last 5 years. It has priced it to where the campground is only 1/2 full during the busiest months (January) of their season. I’ve spoken with lots of folks we’ve met through the years and they either didn’t come back this year due to the ridiculous high prices, or like us, won’t be returning next year due to the high prices. Obviously this is how most people are feeling already because January in the past years has been completely booked but now this January most sites are open including about 1/3 of the ocean front sites which you used to have to get on a list for. I understand inflation, but the average person just can’t spend $200 plus a night. A lot of the permanent and employee sites are run down and junked up looking. For a high end priced campground I would think management would have higher standards from their employees and full time sites than they do.
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Date of stay: January 2025
Value
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Encore Thousand Trails, Owner at Encore Sunshine Key
Responded 4 weeks ago
Thank you for providing your feedback on your recent stay. Feedback like yours is crucial to our ongoing efforts to enhance the guest experience. We value your loyalty and detailed observations. Rest assured, we will share your comments with our team for review.
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I noticed some differences between our 2023 stay and this year’s 2024 visit. While there have been some improvements to the campground overall, there are still some issues. Certain parts of the park feel cluttered, almost like a downgraded trailer park, though that's just my impression. Online check-in was also problematic, as I couldn't complete it despite trying various approaches. The check-in questionnaire felt redundant, repeating much of the information from the reservation form—doing it twice seems unnecessary.
While the grass on the campground was mowed, there’s still trash accumulating in the mangroves along the ocean, which could use more attention. The campground's WiFi also falls short; many guests, especially those staying short-term, need reliable connectivity to keep in touch with the outside world, so an upgrade is definitely needed.
Overall, it's a good campground. But compared to other RV campgrounds and resorts, Sunshine Key could do more to provide value for its nightly fee. Not all campgrounds can be called a “resort,” and Sunshine Key still has work to do to reach that level, though its pricing already reflects resort expectations. Will we return next year? With so many options in the Keys, it’s a 50/50 at this point. However, I do think it has tremendous potential to become the standout destination in the Keys!
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Encore Thousand Trails, Owner at Encore Sunshine Key
Responded Nov 13, 2024
We're glad to hear that you appreciated various aspects of your stay, including our property and the check-in process. Your support and feedback are truly appreciated. We understand the importance of delivering value to our guests, and we will take your thoughts into consideration as we work towards improving even further. Thank you for taking the time to share your detailed feedback. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you back in the future so you can experience the improvements we're making. Your insights are valuable to us as we strive to enhance our services.
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Getting into the park has a slight downhill entrance off highway and we pull a box trailer behind our 38' MH, sometimes it will scrape at the hitch but this time we did not.😁 Neither did it going out. The interior roads are a mix of some paved, some gravel depends on the street. All sites are level with pea gravel, so no sand in the RV was great! There are nice palms, flowering trees and other nice shade trees scattered around the park. The main beach has comfortable lounges with white sand. Yes, there is seagrass and yes it did smell like sulfur. Wear reef shoes if entering water, as there are rocks near the shore. The current can be strong at the beach also, so be aware. The marina had lots of fish to look at (no fishing). The Sunset pier was nice to watch a sunset (with the other campers). The staff are all very friendly, Linda checked us in and was very informative. The location is very close to Bahia Honda State Park and we spent one very nice day there. The road noise was an issue for sleeping especially, but put in your earplugs and no problemo. All in all, Sunshine Key RV Resort and Marina was very nice for us.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: May 2022
Value
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Encore Thousand Trails, Owner at Encore Sunshine Key
Responded May 16, 2022
Dear 638lindao, Thank you for the 5 star rating. We value your feedback and strive to provide you with the best customer experience possible. Come back soon.
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I booked a stay in one of their RVs as a surprise for my boyfriend's birthday. We were lucky enough to get an RV unit close to the waterfront and were able to walk over to it every morning and watch the sunrise. The staff was extremely friendly and always willing to help.
The RV was very spacious for two people and clean. The AC worked VERY well and it even got pretty chilly in there. The kitchen faciliies were perfect for what we needed them for and everything was well taken care of. Booking an RV is a great option for those who are more into glamping than camping, like myself. The sunset pier was beautiful and there was a lot of wildlife hanging around there and the boat docks. We even got to see some manatees swim by!
The RV park is only about 8 minutes away from Bahia Honda park that offers many activities and Key West is only about an hour away. The location of this park worked out great for us.
I do wish they offered some more activities at the resort, we weren't able to partake in their muffins & mimosas event as it only lasted an hour. A campfire area would also be a great idea for people to go roast some smores in the great outdoors.Overall, it was a great trip and I could definitely see myself returning again.
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Date of stay: October 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
Room Tip:thatched roof areas near the waterfront get snatched up quick so wake up early to snag a place...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Columbia City, Indiana2 contributions1 helpful vote
No it isn't and as far as I can tell, they don't plan to fix it. They also don't plan to replace the camper clubhouse or the cafe! They keep charging more and don't replace or maintain anything. Pool water is also cold!
There are more places to choose from in the Big Pine Key area.
PRICE RANGE
$249 - $302 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
sunshine key rv hotel big pine key
LOCATION
United StatesFloridaFlorida KeysBig Pine Key
NUMBER OF ROOMS
409
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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