From Swamp to Salsa to Sunset: South Florida by RV

The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum near Lake Okeechobee

The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum

The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum in Clewiston, near Lake Okeechobee, is nestled in the heart of the Everglades on the Big Cypress Seminole Indian Reservation. The museum is home to more than 200,000 works of art and historic objects of the Seminole people, who have inhabited Florida for thousands of years.

Lake Okeechobee

After exploring the exhibits, unwind at nearby Lake Okeechobee, a 730-square-mile freshwater giant known for world-class bass fishing. Spend the afternoon casting a line or simply relaxing lakeside at camp—your RV parked beneath the shade of swaying palms.

Whitehall, the Henry Flagler Museum in Palm Beach

Drive to Palm Beach and visit Whitehall, Henry Morrison Flagler's Gilded Age Mansion. Flagler, a railroad tycoon and co-founder of Standard Oil, was easily the most important figure in Florida history in the late 1800s and early 1900s. He fostered the development of the state’s agriculture and tourism industries, including Florida’s emergence as one of the nation’s top snowbird destinations. Flagler’s 75-room mansion is now a museum.

With your RV parked nearby, explore the manicured gardens, marble halls, and Flagler’s lasting impact on the state’s history before heading back to camp for an oceanfront sunset.

Miami’s Art Deco District, South Beach, and Little Havana

Miami’s Art Deco District

Miami's Art Deco District in South Beach has nearly 1,000 Art Deco buildings, the largest concentration of Art Deco buildings in the world. Built between the Great Depression and the early 1940s, these buildings are notable for their prominent geometric lines, sleek curves, chrome accents, and bright, eye-catching pastel colors. Both guided and self-guided tours are available.

South Beach and Little Havana

After having your fill of Art Deco architecture, relax on the sugar sands of South Beach for a few hours before heading to Little Havana. Miami’s famed Cuban district features great restaurants, stores, and entertainment venues, including places to dance Salsa.

Everglades National Park

No trip to South Florida would be complete without a visit to Everglades National Park, the largest subtropical wilderness area in the United States and the only place where American alligators and crocodiles coexist. The Everglades is about two hours from Miami, depending on traffic.

Traveling by RV makes it easy to access trailheads and visitor centers spread across this vast landscape—then return to the comfort of your home on wheels to rest before your next adventure.

Drive from the Everglades to Key West

Start your morning surrounded by Everglades wildlife, then drive south along the iconic Overseas Highway, one of the most scenic drives in America. In just four hours, you’ll cross 42 bridges on your way to Key West, the southernmost point in the continental U.S. Before enjoying the evening at Mallory Square where street performers, artists, and live music create a festive nightly sunset celebration, be sure to set up camp so that all you have to do when you return to your RV is crawl into bed!

Ernest Hemingway’s Home, Harry S. Truman’s Little White House, and Fort Zachary Taylor

The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum

Several historical attractions that highlight different aspects of U.S. history from the late 1800s through the first half of the 1900s can be found in Key West.

The Ernest Hemingway Home & Museum has daily tours through both levels of the home as well as self-guided access to the back office where Hemingway wrote many of his classic books. Sloppy Joe's, the old bar where Hemingway gathered inspiration for some of his books, is also within walking distance of Hemingway’s home and is still in operation.

Harry S. Truman's Little White House

Harry S. Truman's Little White House was built in 1890 as naval officers' housing, but was later used by prominent visitors, including inventor Thomas Edison, scientist Edward Hayden, and six American presidents. Its most important usage was as the winter White House of Harry S. Truman, who spent 175 days of his presidency there from 1946 through 1952, during which time he faced the rebuilding of Europe, the Palestine question, changes in U.S. foreign policy, and America’s response to the Cold War.

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park

Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park is also in Key West and features a historic fort with the largest collection of Civil War armaments in the U.S. as well as a scenic beach.