Great Camping Sites, All Around Florida

From primitive camping to full-service grounds, Florida has a full spectrum of camping websites to pick from. Here’s some information to get you began:
By Terry TomalinThe Everglades Rodgers River Bay, Everglades
National

Park-As the sun sets over the mangrove forest, an only alligator leaves its burrow and begins trying to find supper. Set down on a tent platform 3 feet above the brackish water, we are out of harm’s method, however still close adequate to feel a tingle down the spinal column, a natural mammalian response to any large reptile.The’gator comes within a couple of yards of our”chickee,”the Seminole Indian word for

houses such as this, however appears unconcerned to our existence. Rather, it appears more thinking about an egret resting at the water’s edge.We watch as the ‘gator moves in for the kill, but the water bird is too quick. The egret flies off squawking and we laugh

in pleasure, having seen a phenomenon generally reserved for the Discovery Channel.Welcome to camping in the Everglades, among the lots of unique locations in Florida where roughing it isn’t constantly so rough.Everglades National Park, among the country’s most popular parks, draws visitor from around the world wishing to experience that wild side of Florida typically seen only on television documentaries.Possible journeys can vary in length from overnighters to week-long trips along the 99-mile Wilderness Waterway. Campers have lots of camping areas to choose from. The chickees are generally the most remote, but the land and beach websites also have a distinct charm.During the cold weather, the park is often visited with tourists, who are served on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, call 305-242-7700. In summer season, a few of the park is inaccessible or inappropriate for visitation.But Florida has literally hundreds of fantastic camping areas, from deserted seaside islands ideal for camping tents to full-service camping areas that can accommodate high-end rvs. North Florida With its rolling dunes covered in sea oats, Grayton Beach State Park in the South Walton area is certainly among the state’s last terrific, unspoiled beaches. The park provides visitors an opportunity to see what Florida appeared like when the Spanish explorers first peeked at its shores.The park has 30 provided two-bedroom cabins

, in addition to a
59-site

camping area, complete with water and electrical connections and a centrally situated toilet center. The cabins and campsites are all within simple walking range of the beach. The 200-site Fort Pickens Camping site located within the borders of Gulf Islands National Seashore near Pensacola also provides excellent

outdoor camping of all types. Camping tent campers have their own space, but recreational vehicle enthusiasts will discover a warm welcome too.The nearby fort, built in 1834 to safeguard Pensacola Bay, is most famous for housing the Apache war chief Geronimo. Bookings can be made through the national park reservation system, 1-877-444-6777. For information, go to recreation.gov.Destin’s Camping on the Gulfallows visitors a direct view of the emerald green Gulf of Mexico. The camping site has 16 sites on the water, more than 200 altogether, in addition to nearby cycling routes and a family-friendly play area. Call 877-226-7485. Northwest Florida does not have a monopoly on fantastic beach outdoor camping. St. Augustine’s Anastasia State Park has stunning wooded camping sites within simple walking distance of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s a preferred destination for birders intending to capture the fall migration.The 139 wooded campgrounds can accommodate both tents and RVs. Each comes with a picnic table and fire ring. The fantastic commodity here is shade, which is welcome especially throughout the summer season. Call 904-461-2033. Nearby, the independently run Ocean Grove Camp RV Resort is also 500 backyards from the beach, and St. Augustine’s historical location is just five miles souths. The resort has some facilities for kids, consisting of a playground, volleyball and basketball courts, kiddie pool, swimming pool and jacuzzi, along with a boat ramp for kayaks and canoes. Call 1-800-342-4007. Head inland and you’ll see what Stephen Foster was thinking of when he composed the Florida state anthem. Suwannee River State Parkis a popular stopping-off point for canoeists.

The camping site has 30 websites, total with electrical hookups, grills and picnic tables. Call 386-362-2746. Other choices consist of the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park & Camping Area in Live Oak; Suwannee River Hideaway Campground; and the Yellow Coat Camping site, with highly-rated private centers in Old Town with riverfront campsites.In Flagler Beach, the Bulow Resort has a wide variety of oak-shaded camping areas, 364 to be precise. Campfires are permitted, and cable television service hook-ups are offered also. Call 386-439-9200. Camp at one of the numerous campgrounds of the Blackwater River State Forest. Explore this beautiful mature long leaf pine forest and exceptional water resources that provide a variety of leisure chances such as hiking, swimming, fishing, hunting, nature study, off-roadway cycling, horseback riding and Off-highway vehicle tracks. Central Florida Found at the confluence of the Tomoka and Halifax rivers, Tomoka State Park has a few of the most stunning live oak trees in the state of Florida.Visitors will enjoy the natural trails that wind through forests once lived in by Timucuan Indians. The park likewise rents canoes and kayaks to explore the neighboring rivers. Call 386-676-4050.

Heading west, the freshwater springs of OcalaNational Forestare a big draw to campers. Salt Springs Leisure Area, about 25 miles northeast of Ocala, has picnicking, canoeing, treking and swimming in the 72-degree water spring. Alexander Springs Entertainment Location is about 30 miles southeast of Ocala and much of the same.
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third spot, Juniper Springs Recreation Location, is among the earliest and most popular outdoor camping areas in the forest. It is about 25 miles east of Ocala and also heralded for its terrific swimming and snorkeling.

For a different kind of camping, Hontoon Island State Park on the St. Johns River has six”rustic”cabins, primitive sites and boat outdoor camping centers. This park, near DeLand, is one of Florida’s most wild. Another native Timucuan website, Hontoon Island’s biggest claim to fame is the large owl totem, sculpted from a single log, discovered in neighboring waters. A replica now stands in the picnic location, the initial having been delivered off to a museum. The park is available by private boat or ferryboat. Call 386-736-5309. Discover your “type “of outdoor camping at one of the numerous dispersed camping sites within the 164,000+acres of the Withlacoochee State Forest. Choose from electrical or primitive sites near to the river, equestrian facilities, Off-Highway automobile or bike tracks. South Florida Cayo Costa State Park on Florida’s southwest coast is accessible by private boat or public ferryboat. Primitive camping areas are available on the Gulf, cabins are on the bay and boat outdoor camping facilities lie at the bayside dock. Cayo Costa is a favorite retreat for anglers and shell collectors.With 7 miles of virgin beach, Cayo Costa is a place where you can stroll for hours and forget about civilization. However be aware that campers should only take what they can carry.

It is best to take a trip light and see during the cooler months when insects are less of a concern. There is no phone service to the island, but you can call the ranger station in Boca Grande at 941-964-0375. Bahia Honda State Park is straight out of a Jimmy Buffet song– turquoise-colored

water, palm trees and sugar-sand beaches. Florida Keys outdoor camping does not get any better than this and, as an outcome, camping areas are at a premium.There are 3 various campgrounds, each with its own allure, and appointments can be made up to 11 months ahead of time. The 48-site Buttonwood Campground can manage everything from Recreational vehicles to tents. The 24-Sandspur sites, smaller, with lower

clearance, are in a hardwood hammock and can accommodate pop-up tent trailers. The eight Bayside Camping area websites have no electrical power and minimal centers. Hammock camping can be carried out in websites 45, 54 and 73 in the Bayside Camping area. Call 305-872-2353. Another Keys ‘camping option is the Key Largo Kampground & Marina, situated at 101551 Abroad Highway.

The large waterfront sites have complete hook-ups (water and electric). There are also 2 pools, laundry facilities and a corner store. Call 305-451-1431 or go to www.keylargokampground.com. Discover personal privacy and seclusion in South Florida’s Myakka State Forest primitive(self-contained)camping area, with more than 40 miles of tracks for hiking and off-road cycling. Bird watching and fishing opportunities abound within the forest, ignoring anxiety marshes and along the Myakka River. For more camping options, check out go to FLORIDA’s camping page. From primitive camping to full-service premises, Florida has a complete spectrum of camping sites to choose from. Here’s some info to get you started …

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