Exploring Florida...Recommendations wanted
My wife and I are retiring at the end of this year and our first trip out will be end of February beginning or March time frame in 2023. We plan on leisurely heading down to Key West and back from the...
Forum Discussion
It's true campsites can be hard to find. Florida State parks are always mostly filled year round. Sites in northern FL are somewhat less full than those south of Orlando. But you have1 10 months to plan and reserve sites. I'm not sure but FL State parks used to allow reservations 7 months in advance, check that on their website.
Florida Parks map.
They've been adding parks and are over 200 now but many do not allow camping.
So parks, Anastasia SP on the beach at St Augustine is always popular as is Ft Clinch SP near Jacksonville. Augustine is more interesting to explore. Further south Jetty Park at Cape Canaveral is a great county park, close to Cape Kennedy. And is on the Atlantic Beach.
We generally don't go further south anymore until the Keys. Of course Disney's campground is very popular and rught inside the parks but rather pricey. Going south on I-95 switch to the Florida State Turnpike around West Palm Beach to avoid driving in the Miami area, you do NOT want to drive in Miami especially with an RV. Take the FTP all the way to the end and about a mile straight south pick up the road into the Keys, US 1.
Any State Park in the Keys will be excellent, and Pirates Cove commercial park in Marathon is good but in January will be very expensive, on the order of $100 a night as will all commercial camps. You can day trip to Key West from Marathon.
Everglades NP will be a good choice on the way north. Collier Seminole SP at the west end of US 41 (the Trail) is where we stay down there.You should take US 41 across the state to get to see the Everglades area, don't speed in the reservation. Air Boat rides can be had all along there and the loop road will be loaded with wading birds, Egrets and such. Check out the Shark River section of Everglades NP.
Oscar Scheer SP in Sarasota is another good one for seeing the Sarasota area, beaches, the State Theater at the Asolo, and the Circus museum are there with a lot more. Inland you could daytrip to Myakka River SP to get close up views of 'gaters and walk their up in the trees sky walk. They have a boat ride too.
Desoto park, which I think is a County park in Tampa is good to explore that area.
Going north there is a whole list of great State springs parks. Manatee, Rainbow, Homosassa, Weeki Wachee (for the mermaids) to name some of them. Manatee is our favorite for camping. Tarpon Springs is a tourist spot for the Greek Sponge fishing area. Rock Crusher commercial park is very popular in that area.
And that about takes care of the peninsula part of the state. The panhandle is another whole story. Most people do not realize how big the state is, it is over 1000 miles from Key West to Pensacola.
Have fun in the free state of Florida.
Florida Parks map.
They've been adding parks and are over 200 now but many do not allow camping.
So parks, Anastasia SP on the beach at St Augustine is always popular as is Ft Clinch SP near Jacksonville. Augustine is more interesting to explore. Further south Jetty Park at Cape Canaveral is a great county park, close to Cape Kennedy. And is on the Atlantic Beach.
We generally don't go further south anymore until the Keys. Of course Disney's campground is very popular and rught inside the parks but rather pricey. Going south on I-95 switch to the Florida State Turnpike around West Palm Beach to avoid driving in the Miami area, you do NOT want to drive in Miami especially with an RV. Take the FTP all the way to the end and about a mile straight south pick up the road into the Keys, US 1.
Any State Park in the Keys will be excellent, and Pirates Cove commercial park in Marathon is good but in January will be very expensive, on the order of $100 a night as will all commercial camps. You can day trip to Key West from Marathon.
Everglades NP will be a good choice on the way north. Collier Seminole SP at the west end of US 41 (the Trail) is where we stay down there.You should take US 41 across the state to get to see the Everglades area, don't speed in the reservation. Air Boat rides can be had all along there and the loop road will be loaded with wading birds, Egrets and such. Check out the Shark River section of Everglades NP.
Oscar Scheer SP in Sarasota is another good one for seeing the Sarasota area, beaches, the State Theater at the Asolo, and the Circus museum are there with a lot more. Inland you could daytrip to Myakka River SP to get close up views of 'gaters and walk their up in the trees sky walk. They have a boat ride too.
Desoto park, which I think is a County park in Tampa is good to explore that area.
Going north there is a whole list of great State springs parks. Manatee, Rainbow, Homosassa, Weeki Wachee (for the mermaids) to name some of them. Manatee is our favorite for camping. Tarpon Springs is a tourist spot for the Greek Sponge fishing area. Rock Crusher commercial park is very popular in that area.
And that about takes care of the peninsula part of the state. The panhandle is another whole story. Most people do not realize how big the state is, it is over 1000 miles from Key West to Pensacola.
Have fun in the free state of Florida.
