Campground Beach: sandy beach with calm shallow water and mangrove shoreline3 photos
Photo: YourWorldExplorer, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (source)

Campground Beach

Marathon, Florida

Ocean beach in Marathon, facing south, with parking and bathrooms within walking distance.

  • Pier
  • Camping nearby
  • Warm water 8.4
  • Bathrooms
  • HoursNot on file
  • Parking2 lots within 1,310 ft
  • DirectionsGoogle Maps
4.6/ 10Fair
Beach Score 4.6 of 10, Fair.How we score beaches
Calm water
5.2 of 10
Water
89 Ftoday
Sunset
7:32 pmover land
Parking
Mapped2 within 1,310 ft
Families
Fair
54of 100

Today, Thursday, Sep 10

Fair beach day

Very warm water. Watch: 26% rain chance, wind, waves.

86 Fpartly cloudy
High
87 F
Sea temperature
89 F
Waves
1.9 ftup to 2.5 ft
Wind
14 mphup to 22 mph
Rain chance
26%
UV index
6high
Sun
7:08 am to 7:32 pm
Tidesnext low at 2:43 am
  1. Low2:43 am0.4 ft
  2. High9:12 am2.9 ft
  3. Low3:38 pm0.3 ft
  4. High9:41 pm2.3 ft
  1. 8:00 am87 Fovercast, 21% rain, 15 mph
  2. 11:00 am87 Fovercast, 21% rain, 8 mph
  3. 2:00 pm84 Fdrizzle, 12% rain, 12 mph
  4. 5:00 pm · best85 Fovercast, 8% rain, 5 mph

Forecast for Thursday, Sep 10, local time (GMT-4). Weather data by Open-Meteo.com, refreshed hourly. Sea temperature and waves are model values for the nearest offshore point. Tides from NOAA CO-OPS station Grassy Key, south side, Hawk Channel (8723933), 1.8 mi from the beach, heights above MLLW.The rating rule is on the methodology page. Planning a future date? See typical weather by month.

Great for

  • FamiliesFairCalm water 5.2, bathrooms nearby
  • SwimmingGoodWaves around 2.9 ft, sea 82 F on average
  • SunsetsLimitedsets over land
  • ConvenienceLimited2 parking lots, no food mapped
  • CampingYescampground (1 within 0.6 mi)
How the Beach Score is calculated: 4.6 of 10

The score is the sum of the components below. Clear water counts only where a clarity source exists. Rankings never take revenue as an input.

ComponentPointsFact
Facilities1.8 of 3Within walking distance: parking, bathrooms.
Calm water1.0 of 2Mean daily maximum wave 2.9 ft.
Warm water0.8 of 1Mean sea temperature 82 F.
Sunset over water0.0 of 1The shore faces away from the sunset all year.
Free entry0.0 of 1An entry fee is mapped.

Ranks #2 of 7 for beachfront camping in Florida, #2 of 168 for warm water in Florida, #8 of 19 for camping nearby in Florida, #38 of 41 for showers in Florida, #47 of 67 for pier in Florida. All beaches in Florida.

Verdicts on the cards come from the same facts. Sources: OpenStreetMap (Sep 10, 2026), Open-Meteo (Sep 10, 2026), Operator official pages (hours, fees, rules) (Sep 7, 2026). The formula is on the methodology page.

Aerial view of Campground Beach in Marathon, Florida, shoreline and surroundings, USDA NAIP imagery from May 2023
Campground Beach: shallow turquoise water with distant mangrove island and blue sky

Aerial imagery: USDA NAIP 2023 via USGS National Map, public domain (source) · Photo: Good Free Photos, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (source)

Amenities

  • Parking2 nearby
  • Free parkingNo
  • Bathrooms2 nearby
  • Showers1 nearby
  • Restaurants and barsNo
  • Beachfront hotelsNo
  • Hotels nearbyNo
  • Beachfront camping1 nearby
  • Camping nearby1 nearby
  • Pier1 nearby
  • BoardwalkNo
  • Free entryNo

Water, sand, and nature

  • Calm water5.2 of 10
  • Warm water8.4 of 10

Nearby means within walking distance of the beach centre (980 ft to 1,640 ft, by kind), from OpenStreetMap. Scores are 0 to 10. Sources: OpenStreetMap (Sep 10, 2026), Open-Meteo (Sep 10, 2026), Operator official pages (hours, fees, rules) (Sep 7, 2026); the method for each is on the methodology page.

Hours, fees, and rules

Entry
$5 per vehicle ($4 single-occupant vehicle or motorcycle, $2 pedestrian, county surcharge may apply)
Pass
Florida State Parks Annual Entrance Pass accepted, $60 a year, $120 for a family
Operator
Run by Florida State Parks
Address
Ocean Drive, Marathon, FL 33052

From Florida State Parks fee schedule (effective May 10, 2021), checked Sep 7, 2026. Hours and fees change; the official page is the final word. Address from OpenStreetMap (nearest road, approximate).

Sunset and sunrise

The shore faces south (164 degrees). The sun sets over land all year.

Computed from the OpenStreetMap coastline and the sunset azimuth for each month.

Planning a trip

Early October is usually warm, with very warm water and a higher chance of a rainy day.

Water
85 FVery warm
High
83 FWarm
Rainy day
59%Rain is common
Waves
3.1 ftModerate

What to expect

  • Very warm swimming water, around 85 F
  • Moderate waves, around 3.1 ft
  • Rainy days are common in October (18 a month)
  • October is within Atlantic hurricane season, at its peak
Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, peak from mid-August to late October. Storm history near this beach

3 October storms within 62.1 mi since 1980, about one every 15 years, 2 at hurricane strength. Most recent in any month: Tropical Storm Eta, November 2020, 14.4 mi away. Source: NOAA HURDAT2 best tracks, counted at tropical storm strength or stronger. Season dates from the NOAA National Hurricane Center.

Campground Beach through the year

Measure
Warm waterJan: 75 F, mildFeb: 76 F, warmMar: 78 F, warmApr: 79 F, warmMay: 84 F, very warmJun: 86 F, very warmJul: 88 F, very warmAug: 89 F, very warmSep: 87 F, very warmOct: 84 F, very warmNov: 81 F, very warmDec: 77 F, warm
Low rainJan: 6 rainy daysFeb: 5 rainy daysMar: 6 rainy daysApr: 7 rainy daysMay: 8 rainy daysJun: 20 rainy daysJul: 16 rainy daysAug: 20 rainy daysSep: 21 rainy daysOct: 18 rainy daysNov: 5 rainy daysDec: 6 rainy days
Calm waterJan: waves 3.2 ft, moderateFeb: waves 3.2 ft, moderateMar: waves 3.2 ft, moderateApr: waves 3.4 ft, often roughMay: waves 2.2 ft, moderateJun: waves 2.5 ft, moderateJul: waves 2.1 ft, moderateAug: waves 2.2 ft, moderateSep: waves 2.1 ft, moderateOct: waves 3.3 ft, often roughNov: waves 3.5 ft, often roughDec: waves 3.6 ft, often rough

Darker is better: warmer water, fewer rainy days, calmer water. Monthly means, 2023-2025, from Open-Meteo. Values for a date blend the nearest two months; the bands and the rule are on the methodology page.

When to go

  • Best overallMarch to Mayvery warm water · fewer rainy days · warm days
  • Warmest waterJuly to September89 F average
  • DriestJanuary to February5 to 6 rainy days a month
All monthly averages, 2023-2025Campground Beach: sea and air temperature by monthMonthly mean sea surface temperature and daily maximum air temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.60708090100JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecSea temperature (F)Air, daily max
MonthSea tempAir maxRain daysWave height
Jan75 F (24 C)73 F (23 C)63.2 ft
Feb76 F (24 C)74 F (24 C)53.2 ft
Mar78 F (25 C)76 F (25 C)63.2 ft
Apr79 F (26 C)78 F (26 C)73.4 ft
May84 F (29 C)82 F (28 C)82.2 ft
Jun86 F (30 C)85 F (29 C)202.5 ft
Jul88 F (31 C)87 F (30 C)162.1 ft
Aug89 F (31 C)87 F (31 C)202.2 ft
Sep87 F (31 C)86 F (30 C)212.1 ft
Oct84 F (29 C)83 F (28 C)183.3 ft
Nov81 F (27 C)78 F (26 C)53.5 ft
Dec77 F (25 C)75 F (24 C)63.6 ft

Monthly means, 2023-2025. Weather data by Open-Meteo.com. Wave height is the mean of daily maximum significant wave height.

Explore Campground Beach

Parking, food, stays, and facilities around the beach, mapped in OpenStreetMap within 0.7 mi.

All places near Campground Beach as a list (9)

Beach access Main access and 3 more · Nearest parking 170 ft · Nearest restrooms 190 ft · Nearest showers 170 ft

Distances are straight-line to the nearest point of a 600 m stretch of shoreline around the beach's mapped point (OpenStreetMap maps this beach as a point); walking times assume 80 m a minute. Access points are where OpenStreetMap paths, steps, and boardwalks meet the beach. Coordinates 24.7402, -80.9820. Open this spot in OpenStreetMap or Google Maps. Missing or wrong? Fix it in OpenStreetMap and it appears here after the next weekly update.

Nearby beaches

Questions about Campground Beach

Is there parking at Campground Beach?

Yes. 2 mapped parking areas within 1,310 ft. Source: OpenStreetMap.

How warm is the water at Campground Beach?

Sea surface temperature averages 88 F (31 C) in July and 75 F (24 C) in January. Source: Open-Meteo marine model, monthly means.

Is the water calm at Campground Beach?

Calm water scores 5.2 of 10. Mean daily maximum wave height is 2.9 ft. Source: Open-Meteo marine model.

Can you see the sunset over the water at Campground Beach?

No. The shore faces away from the sunset all year.

When is hurricane season at Campground Beach?

Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 to November 30, with the peak from mid-August to late October, per the NOAA National Hurricane Center. Since 1980, 16 named storms passed within 62.1 mi of the beach, 7 at hurricane strength, most in August, September and October. Source: NOAA HURDAT2 best tracks.

Sources

  • © OpenStreetMap contributors (data as of Sep 10, 2026)
  • Weather data by Open-Meteo.com (data as of Sep 10, 2026)
  • [operator], checked [date] (data as of Sep 7, 2026)
  • Storm tracks from the NOAA National Hurricane Center HURDAT2 archive, public domain (data as of Sep 10, 2026)
  • Tide predictions from NOAA CO-OPS station Grassy Key, south side, Hawk Channel (8723933), public domain
  • Rip current risk, surf, and alerts from the National Weather Service KEY office for Monroe Middle Keys (FLZ077), public domain

Licenses and refresh dates for every dataset are on the data page. Something wrong? Every beach page has a report button; corrections are logged with a date.

© OpenStreetMap contributors. Beach location, shoreline, and amenity positions are from OpenStreetMap under the ODbL. Data updated Sep 10, 2026.