Florida camping???

[jleas524]

We will be traveling to Florida soon. We are planning a trip to Winter Haven to visit LEGOLand and then on to Key west. this will be a two week trip. Does anyone have any comments on the campgrounds in Winter Haven, the Gulf Coast or Key West campgrounds? I would love to hear your views of them and the routes to them. We will be entering Florida on I-95 and then can go any way. We will be traveling in a Class C M/H without a toad.

Thanks for your help...

[fla-gypsy]

Lots of good camping in Florida which has one of the best state park systems in the nation. The Keys has 4 state parks all a little different with something to offer. Pennekamp SP in Key largo has a FHU CG with great snorkel trips, Curry Hammock SP has a nice CG (W&E only) and sits just off the water, Long Key SP is W&E only but sites back right up to the water with great vistas and Bahia Honda SP has snorkel trips and an actual beach but the CG (W&E only) is very busy. All would require reservations. The best CG in the Keys by far is Bluewater Key RV resort which is very pricey. The best beaches on the gulf are in the panhandle IMO. I prefer Ft Pickens NSS (W&E only), Henderson Bch SP (W&E only), Grayton Bch SP (1 FHU loop) and St Andrews SP (W&E only). There are others on the gulf in the panhandle as well. In north central Florida is Salt Spgs NF Rec area which is worth the stop. Also many other SP's in Florida worth considering. With two weeks there is no reason not to see other places than the Keys. I can provide other info if needed. I have camped the length and breadth of the state.

[ed6713]

There are lots of public campgrounds along your route. Here is my favorite internet site to find them.
Public CAmpgrounds

In July you can probably find a place in one of the Keys campgrounds. They are all winners. Reservations are best.

John Pennekamp and Curry Hammock are our favorites.

[ependydad]

For Key West, I've heard nothing but good about Bluewater Key park (well, except that it's incredibly expensive). We're headed there this winter and will be paying $175/night after taxes.

Bahia sounds nice, but being in a big rig (42' fifth wheel + crew cab/long bed truck) - I worry about being able to fit. Plus, I've heard that getting reservations can be difficult.

For Orlando area, we are Thousand Trails members and can't beat the price of the TT Orlando park in Clermont. It's a nice park- we've stayed there twice now (once over Christmas 2012 and more recently over July 4 of this year). The summer months are their off season so the # of activities are fairly low (daughter wanted to do the craft that they advertised, but they said they weren't doing it right now).

[kgarrett9999]

We just returned from the Keys. We stayed in the Bahia Honda State Park about 35 miles from Key West that was recommended by a friend.

When I was researching campgrounds for the trip, virtually all campgrounds in the Keys were either very expensive or the reviews were horrible and they were at least moderately expensive. Bahia Honda is $38.50 per night which is one of the lowest (if not lowest) priced campgrounds in the Keys.

Bahia Honda sites are fairly close together but there is vegetation between most sites that makes it difficult to even see your neighbor. The roads are tight as well, but overall it is a nice campground. I will return. Bathroom/showers were clean and well kept. The beaches were great. A small store on site had lots of needed stuff as well as souvenirs and they have a fantastic snorkeling trip that leaves right from the park to Looe Key.


On this trip, we also stayed at a number of campgrounds along the Gulf Coast.

In Pensacola, Fort Pickens was very nice. Campground has large sites though it is somewhat of an open field. Trees and dunes around the campground provided too good of a wind break. Didn't have any problems with the awning in the wind, but the lack of a breeze on hot summer days wasn't enjoyable. Good clean restrooms/showers. Fantastic beach on the Gulf and Bay side of the island. We will return here if we can't get into Henderson Beach State Park.

Henderson Beach was fantastic. Large sites isolated with vegetation. Great beach. Nice restrooms. Very beautiful campground.

We stayed at Gulf Air RV Resort in Fort Myers. It is mostly full-time permanent sites, but they have a number of sites that they rent out. I probably won't stay here again though it would be ok for a single night. It isn't actually on Fort Myers Beach and I had a few issues while at the resort. Large snake in the open laundry room. Dump pipe lid at my site had not been removed in years and I had to borrow a large set of pliers from a local resident. Cable didn't work.

Little Manatee River State Park is a small state park with 20-25 sites. Small sites with tight road though I had my choice of all except about 6-8 sites I still had difficulty backing my 30 ft tt into the site I chose. Lots of insects/mosquitos. Dump didn't have hose connector for my black tank flush. We stayed here 1 night on our way to the Keys and cancelled a 3 night reservation that I had on the way back. Definitely won't stay here again since the wife didn't like it at all.