Worth reading: Why you should consider an offseason family vacation to Florida Sea Base

At the southernmost tip of our country lies a tropical paradise known as the Florida Keys. It’s the perfect place for a family vacation, and from October through April, the BSA has you covered.

“Driving over the Spanish Harbor Channel bridge heading north from Key West, you may notice a bunch of large, tan tents with quaint porches facing the ocean along a perfect slice of beach,” writes Florida Sea Base staffer Natalie Rembisz in a heartfelt letter that lists all the reasons you should visit Camp Sawyer, the site of Sea Base’s Family Adventure Camp. “A tropical paradise filled with adventure in the heart of the Florida Keys awaits.”

The program is open to families with youth under 18 and to all adults registered with the BSA.

So much to do

There is no shortage of things to do and see at BSA Family Adventure Camp at Florida Sea Base. You can spend all your time at Camp Sawyer, enjoying the deluxe tents (with electricity! and beds!). Or you can explore the surrounding restaurants, museums and chartered adventures that the Florida Keys has to offer.

You can dive in for a snorkeling outing, explore the shoreline via kayak or take a sailboat out on the water

“Word is spreading about this hidden gem,” writes Rembisz.

It won’t stay hidden for long. Read Rembisz’s entire letter, then reserve your spot.

Homegrown adventure

Since the launch of BSA’s Family Adventure Camps in 2018, the whole family can enjoy the same fun, thrilling adventures that Scouts have loved for decades. At Philmont Scout Ranch, campers can go horseback riding or hiking, tackle a COPE course and more. And at the Summit Bechtel Reserve, ride a zip line, bike along the trails, climb rock walls or cast a line at the family fish camp.


About Aaron Derr 429 Articles
Aaron Derr is the senior editor of Scout Life and Scouting magazines, and also a former Cubmaster and Scouts BSA volunteer.