FL Looking For Campgrounds, Parks, Etc In Fl

Specifically CI campers recent experience in areas:
1. Pensacola-Navarre and Landward of the ICW
2. St Augustine-Flagler Beach
3. Ft Myers -Sansibel Island and inland

 

We live in Flagler Beach. Gamble Rogers State Park is a local favorite. We prefer the Intercoastal side versus the loop on the ocean. Reservations are difficult to come by, but there are several Apps out there which look for cancellations and will notify you when one is detected. My favorite App for this is “Wanderinglabs.com”. Lots of good local food in town. No chain food here. Anastasia is a great State Park in St Augustine. Many things to see in town. Highly recommend visiting the small Spanish Fort south of St Augustine at Mantansas Inlet. We enjoy it even more than the large Spanish Fort in St Augustine itself. Driving on the beach is allowed in this particular area also. Fort Mose in St Augustine is interesting also. The best shrimp in town is at Osteens. That’s where there locals go. The lighthouse is nearby too. During Christmas, the lights in St Augustine are beautiful.

 

I just returned from the "landward" area of Navarre. Specifically Blackwater River State Park campground and Bear Lake State Forest campground. Area loaded with history, rivers to paddle, hiking and biking trails. Miles of Florida many folks don't realize IS Florida. Bear Lake may be easier to get a campsite. They even have rare pitcher plants!! If you're nature lovers, I highly recommend this area.

 

Thank you and Gypsy for detailed help.

 

In the Blackwater State Forest you will find Krull Lake (no pets due to swimming in the pond), Bear Lake, and Hurricane Lake. All are excellent campgrounds. Big Lagoon west of Pensacola is highly rated along with Blackwater State Park in Santa Rosa County. Campgrounds connected to the armed services can be found at NAS Whiting(more for visiting families), NAS Pensacola, Blue Angel Recreation Area, and Eglin AFB. Just north of Baker, Fl, in Alabama is Conecuh National Forest Open Pond Campground. Bring a canoe or kayak. Hiking is still ok but getting hotter. Fishing is good. There are many private campgrounds often used by snowbirds.

 

We have reservations at Blackwater State Park next April. Couldn’t find anything at Grayton, Henderson, or Topsail. We are at Salt Springs in the Ocala National Forrest now.

 

Outstanding, thank you!

 

My only camping experience in Florida was in 1992 when I was in the Navy stationed in Orlando. I went out to Daytona for the weekend with three buddies, and ended up camping on nearby Ormond Beach. There, ummm, wasn't any campground, though...we just found what we thought was a semi-secluded spot and crashed. Two of us woke up at 2am with *thousands upon thousands* of small crabs all around us. We quickly sculpted some high-quality naked sand ladies where we were sleeping (to confuse the hell out of our two sleeping buddies when they eventually woke up) and left to go sleep in the car. Apparently our buddies woke up to old folks from the nearby senior center walking by, snickering at the guys passed out next to the naked sand ladies! Fun times.

Lisa and I are camping at St. Andrews State Park near Panama City Beach, FL later this year for an East Coast trip we're planning. The campsites are closer together than what we normally prefer (we're spoiled with space out West), but the beaches look beautiful. My preference would be to camp down in the Keys, but northern Florida is all we can fit into a packed schedule. And my wife hasn't camped in Florida, so we need to check off that box for her. We've both been to all 50 states *together*, but we are still missing a few states on the East Coast that we haven't camped in yet. By the end of the trip, we will have camped in all lower 48 states...all 50 states if you count boats!

Edit: Typos again. Fingers move faster than brain.

 

I'll be honest -- I've stayed at a number of state parks in Florida, without exception, they have all been phenomenal. When I see DNR workers blowing the needles and leaves off of the 'streets' daily during the week --- that says something. Shower houses are spotless, and I've yet to run into a serious maintenance issue.

The only problem is that they fill up fast and you'll never get into one unless you are extremely lucky (as in buy a lottery ticket too lucky) or you plan FAR in advance.

Bwaaa!!!! Thats awesome....

 

St. Andrew’s is a nice park that took a beating with Hurricane Michael. It continues to improve however. Take the day ferry to Shell Island. The beaches are beautiful all the way to Pensacola. The best experience near Daytona is Tomoka State Park. Lots of foliage and great kayaking.

 

FL has a new reservation system- open to more people on a discount but now up to one year ahead...so careful planning reqd...

Stay the Night

 

I wish they held some sites in reserve for more ad-hoc....at least give a chance of getting in on short notice.

I was looking in February and found some botique places --- the one we stayed at (captian's hideaway) the land was for sale --- I don't know if it will continue to be a campground or not. But, when finding this place, I did see quite a few hip-camp locations...some at wineries that looked REALLY nice.

I'm not sure when I'll get to Florida any time soon --- but these alternative camping stuff might be interesting. If I were in a t0tally self contained camper, I'd use harvest host as well....but teardrops don't really qualify since we dont' have black tanks....

 

Pinelog State Forest, Sand Pond Campground, North of Panama City is a low use campground. There is a dump station but no sewer hookups so the big rigs shy away. There are some primitive sites good for a CI, in particular primitive site 3.

 

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Thanks David!