Waterside camping near Sunrise
Tucked between the Everglades and the Atlantic Ocean, Sunrise is tropical nature wonderland.
- Sunrise
Popular camping styles for Sunrise
Waterside camping near Sunrise guide
Overview
Bordering the Everglades Wildlife Management Area and close to Big Cypress National Preserve, Sunrise is a Broward County suburb with underrated nature access. Atlantic Ocean beaches are just 30 minutes away, and South Florida highlights like Biscayne National Park, Everglades National Park, and Key Largo are also within a 90-minute drive. During a Sunrise camping trip, you’ll find lush tropical nature and opportunities for hiking, biking, kayaking, swimming, wildlife watching, and fishing closeby. RV campers seeking RV parks with amenities like free wifi have options here and in neighboring Davie and Fort Lauderdale.
Where to go
Sunrise Surrounds
Markham Park is an urban oasis that borders the Everglades on the southwestern edge of Sunrise. The 669 acre park has dedicated mountain bike trails, disc golf, and a boat launch and fishing access on the New River Canal. The New River Greenway and the Conservation Levee Greenway converge here, giving runners and cyclists miles of protected multi-use trails. There’s even a campground at Markham Park with full hookups, picnic tables, grills, bathrooms, showers, and a dump station.
Atlantic Beaches
There are several excellent beach parks east of Sunrise, including Dr. Von D. Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park and Hugh Taylor Birch State Park. There are also nice public beaches in Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, and Deerfield Beach where you can swim, snorkel, and lay out in the sun. Manatee, dolphins, and tropical fish abound in South Florida’s Intercoastal and Atlantic waterways.
Big Cypress National Preserve
As I-75 heads west from Sunrise it crosses the Everglades in a section known as Alligator Alley. This road leads you straight to Big Cypress National Preserve, a sprawling park whose Big Cypress Swamp is home to alligators, orchids, bald oak trees, Florida panther, and black bear. You can paddle or swamp hike these wetlands. The Preserve also has pinelands and prairie for hiking and biking and multiple campgrounds.
Miami Area Nature Highlights
For day trips from Sunrise further south into the Miami area, check out Everglades National Park, boating at Biscayne National Park, and reef snorkeling at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park.
When to go
Due to its tropical climate, Sunrise has pleasant weather in the fall, winter, and spring. Summers are hot and humid with heavy rainfall—summer and fall make up Florida’s hurricane season, when keeping an eye on weather forecasts and monitoring Atlantic storm activity is a must for safety. South Florida’s busy season is winter, when travelers from the Northeast throng here to escape cold weather.
