25 Best Camping Spots in Florida

Boasting year-round temperate climes, beautiful white sandy beaches, crystal-clear waters, and a myriad of fauna and flora, Florida is the perfect place to spend the weekend camping, hiking, biking, and soaking up the state’s natural scenery without leaving a footprint. Home to more than 900 campgrounds and over 100,000 campsites, Florida offers an array of campgrounds and sites for every taste, from gorgeous beachfront campsites and hotel-quality cabins to primitive tent camping among ancient dunes and family-friendly forested spots. Here are some of the Sunshine State’s most popular campgrounds and recreation areas for the whole family to enjoy.

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1.Anastasia State Park

Anastasia State Park is a 1,600-acre state park located on a peninsula on the Atlantic coast of Anastasia Island and is home to a diverse range of ecosystems and abundant wildlife. Boasting more than 4 miles of beautiful white sandy beach, an estuarine tidal marsh teeming with plant and animal life, and a wonderful nature trail that winds through the maritime hammock and onto ancient sand dunes, Anastasia State Park offers a wide variety of things to see and do. Camping is available, with 139 campsites located a short walk or bike ride from the beach, and there is a picnic and grill area, a small gift shop, and concessions for the rental of bicycles, canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards. Other activities to enjoy in Anastasia State Park include hiking, mountain biking, beachcombing, birdwatching, and swimming.

300 Anastasia Park Rd, St Augustine, FL 32080, Phone: 904-461-2033

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2.Bahia Honda State Park

Set on the island of Bahia Honda in the lower Florida Keys, Bahia Honda State Park is one of Florida's southernmost state parks and is renowned for its beautiful beaches, excellent snorkeling, and magnificent sunsets. Camping is available at the park at two campsites, namely Buttonwood and Bayside. Buttonwood offers a variety of sites for camping rigs from large RVs to small tents with gravel sites, electricity, water, picnic tables, and grills. The campsite has a bathhouse with restrooms and hot showers as well as a dump station, and some sites have spectacular ocean views. Bayside is much smaller with just eight campsites, all of which are non-electric but have picnic tables, grills, and water. There is a small restroom nearby, and campers can use the bathhouse at Buttonwood for hot showers.

Monroe County, Florida

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3.Caladesi Island State Park

Set on one of the Gulf Coast’s few completely natural islands, Caladesi Island State Park offers a spectacular spot for camping, with a variety of activities to enjoy such as swimming, sunbathing, and beachcombing along the white sandy beaches. The park also provides excellent fishing, wonderful hiking trails, fantastic bird and wildlife watching opportunities, and canoeing and kayaking adventures. The park is home to a marina and offers boat camping, with electric and water hookups, a snack bar, and gift shop, and there are picnic tables, shelters, and picnic pavilions near the beach. Caladesi Island State Park is only accessible by boat or the ferry, which departs from Honeymoon Island State Park.

Offshore Island, Dunedin, FL 34698, 727-469-5918

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4.Camp Gulf

Located in the town of Destin in Florida’s beautiful panhandle, Camp Gulf offers a variety of vacation rentals from camping and RV sites to cabins and beach houses. RV sites are available right on the beach or in the upper park and north upper park sections, all of which have unbeatable views of the Gulf. Premier campsites are 20 feet wide and suitable for all sizes of rigs and have electricity and water hookups as well as direct access to the beach. Beach cabins are also available to rent and feature fully equipped kitchens, living areas and sleeping lofts, outdoor decks or concrete areas with picnic tables and barbecue grills, and modern amenities such as television and complimentary wireless Internet. Camp Gulf also offers a fully equipped beach house called the Sand Castle Beach House, which boasts 1,200 square feet of space with antique oak Amish furniture and spectacular views.

10005 Emerald Coast Pkwy, Destin, FL 32550, Phone: 850-837-6334

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5.Camp Venice Retreat

Camp Venice Retreat is a year-round vacation spot that offers tent and RV camping and rental cabins. Located in an old-growth oak hammock along the tropical Myakka River, the family-friendly campsite provides a great place to escape from the hustle and bustle of the city with plenty of activities such as excellent fishing, swimming, canoeing, kayaking, and birdwatching. Serene, shady areas along the waterfront offer an array of campsite for tents and RVs with electricity, water, and waste connections, and the campground has modern restrooms with hot showers, a heated swimming pool, rental canoes, and other recreational provisions. The downtown Venice Island is located just minutes away for additional requirements as well as dining, shopping, and other entertainment.

2520, 4085 E Venice Ave, Venice, FL 34292, Phone: 941-488-0850

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6.Best camping in Florida: Cayo Costa State Park

Set on the Cayo Costa, just north of North Captiva Island and west of Cape Coral, Cayo Costa State Park is a Florida State Park on a barrier island that boasts miles of beautiful beaches, acres of pine forests, oak-palm hammocks, and dense mangrove swamps. Accessible only by boat, ferry, or helicopter, the 2,426-acre park has several nature trails for hiking and mountain biking as well as bird and wildlife watching and has excellent fishing opportunities. The park has several camping options with 30 primitive campsites with picnic tables, barbecue grills, and potable water, and there are modern restrooms with cold showers and flush toilets. The island also has rental cabins island, boat camping facilities, and bikes, kayaks, and paddleboards for hire.

Captiva, FL 33924, Phone: 941-964-0375

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7.Curry Hammock State Park

Curry Hammock State Park is situated along both sides of US 1 on Crawl Key in the Florida Keys and protects large areas of mangrove swamp, seagrass beds, and rockland hammocks. Set on the most significant uninhabited parcel of land between Key Largo and Big Pine Key, Curry Hammock State Park features a 28-site campground along the oceanfront with beautiful Atlantic Ocean views and is open year round. The campsite has both tent and RV pitches with electricity and water connections, picnic tables, and charcoal grills, and a dump station is available nearby. The campground also has restrooms with composting toilets and solar-powered hot showers, and there is a gravel parking area for cars and RVs. Activities in the park include hiking and mountain biking on the 1.5-mile Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail, boating, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and power boating. Best Florida beaches

56200 Overseas Hwy, Marathon, FL 33050, Phone: 305-289-2690

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8.Dry Tortugas National Park

Dry Tortugas National Park is located 68 miles west of Key West and protects seven Dry Tortuga Islands, the most isolated of the Florida Keys, and Fort Jefferson. Set in the Gulf of Mexico, Dry Tortugas National Park has pristine coral reefs, beautiful white sandy beaches, an abundance of sea life, large breeding grounds for tropical birds, and legends of shipwrecks and sunken treasures. The park offers a variety of activities, including camping, picnicking, snorkeling and scuba diving, fishing, canoeing and kayaking, and birdwatching. Dry Tortugas National Park is only accessible by boat or seaplane and is part of the Everglades and Dry Tortugas Biosphere Reserve.

Florida, Phone: 305-242-7700

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9.Fisheating Creek Outpost

Fisheating Creek is a free-flowing stream that flows into Lake Okeechobee with a family-friendly campground and kayak and canoe rentals. The campground has 120 sites spread across three distinct areas for both tents and RVs, with picnic tables and access to a washroom with toilets and showers. The 52 RV sites are near the main entrance and have electric, water, and sewer connections, while the primitive tent sites are situated north and south of the entrance, some of which are close to the swimming hole and the waterfront. Fisheating Creek Campground also offers firewood sale and wireless Internet hotspots.

7555 US-27, Palmdale, FL 33944, Phone: 863-675-5999

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10.Florida Caverns State Park

Located in the Florida Panhandle near Marianna, Florida Caverns State Park is part of the Florida State Parks system and offers unique cave tours. Florida Caverns State Park features spectacular dry (air-filled) caves with spectacular formations of limestone flowstones, draperies, stalactites, stalagmites, and soda straws and has excellent boating, canoeing, and fishing opportunities at the Blue Hole spring and on the Chipola River. The 1,319-acre park also offers picnicking, hiking, horseback riding, and camping with 35 campsites featuring electric and water hookups for RV and tent camping. There are also three RV/tent sites with stables for visitors who bring their horses.

3345 Caverns Rd, Marianna, FL 32446, Phone: 850-482-1228

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11.Fort De Soto Park Campground

Fort De Soto Park Campground is a beautiful campground on the Tierra Verde in the St. Petersburg area that offers excellent camping facilities and lovely ocean views. The campground has several sites that cater for both tent and RV camping, with electrical and water hookups, plenty of shade, and access to modern restrooms with showers, toilets, and washer/dryer facilities. Activities in and around the campground include beachcombing, swimming, kayaking, fishing, boating, hiking, mountain biking, and birdwatching. Fort De Soto Park also has a playground for dogs and several cultural and historical attractions.

3500 Pinellas Bayway S, Tierra Verde, FL 33715, Phone: 727-582-2267

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12.Best camping in Florida: Henderson Beach State Park

Located near Destin in northwestern Florida, Henderson Beach State Park is a state park on the Emerald Coast Parkway with more than a mile of scenic shoreline, emerald green waters, and white sandy beaches. Camping at Henderson Beach State Park offers 60 campsites surrounded by the park’s secondary dune system, which include water and electric hookups and a central dump station. Air-conditioned and heated bathhouses with coin-operated laundry machines can be found in each camping loop, along with outdoor showers for rinsing off the sand and access to the beach via boardwalks. Six pavilions around the park are available for picnicking and grilling, and there is a children’s playground, a nature trail for hiking and mountain biking, and an abundance of shifting dunes, diverse ecosystems, and fauna and flora to see.

17000 Emerald Coast Pkwy, Destin, FL 32541, Phone: 850-837-7550

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13.Jonathan Dickinson State Park

Set on a historic site between Hobe Sound and Tequesta in Martin County, Jonathan Dickinson State Park is home to the Loxahatchee River, Florida's first federally designated Wild and Scenic River, and is teeming with a diverse variety of fauna and flora. The park offers two full-facility campgrounds –Pine Grove Campground, which offers 90 sites near the ranger station on the east side of the park, and River Campground, which has 52 sites near the Loxahatchee River. Both campgrounds have sites with water, electricity, picnic tables and barbecue grills, and modern restrooms with hot showers, washer, and dryers, and there is a dump station at Pine Grove Campground. Activities at Jonathan Dickinson State Park include ranger-guided tours of Trapper Nelson’s 1930s pioneer homestead, hiking, mountain biking, equestrian trails, canoeing, kayaking, and boat tours of the river.

16450 SE Federal Hwy, Hobe Sound, FL 33455, Phone: 772-546-2771

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14.Best campgrounds in Florida: Juniper Springs Recreation Area

Located between Ocala and Ormond Beach, the Juniper Springs Recreation Area is one of the oldest recreation areas on the East Coast. The area features Juniper Springs Campground, which offers 79 shady campsites spaces within walking distance of some of Florida's most beautiful springs as well as several activities such as hiking and mountain biking trails, boating, fishing, canoeing, and kayaking. The campsites do not have electrical, water, or sewer hookups, however, hot showers are available, as are trash receptacles throughout the camping area and a dumping station for vehicle holding tanks. Other facilities at Juniper Springs Campground include picnic tables, barbecue grills, and ample parking.

26701 FL-40, Silver Springs, FL 34488, Phone: 352-625-3147

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15.Kelly Park/Rock Spring

Kelly Park is a favorite recreation area and park with the beautiful free-flowing natural Rock Springs and a swift, clear creek at its center. Rock Springs is a stunning spring of clear 68°F water that cascades from a vertical rock bluff and attracts swimmers, tubers, and water-lovers from around the state. Kelly Park features tent and RV camping with shady spots, picnic pavilions, and a playground for children as well as a full-service concession. Kelly Park also features Camp Joy for group camping with dormitory-style or tent camping accommodations, a dining hall with kitchen, a meeting hall, picnic pavilions, and an array of recreational activities such as swimming, basketball, and horseshoe pitching. Other activities in and around the park include hiking, mountain biking, swimming, snorkeling, tubing, canoeing/kayaking, and wildlife viewing.

400 E Kelly Park Rd, Apopka, FL 32712, Phone: 407-254-1902

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16.Lake Kissimmee State Park

Lake Kissimmee State Park is a 5,930-acre Florida State Park with pristine landscapes and wildernesses, ranging from Flatwoods and prairies to floodplains, forests, and hammocks. Home to magnificent Lake Kissimmee, the park has full-facility campsites as well as primitive camping facilities and youth camping. Sixty of the sites have electric and water hookups, several have access to picnic tables, grills, and paved pathways to the restrooms, and a dump station is located nearby. Park amenities include modern bathrooms with hot showers and toilets, a children’s playground, a boat ramp and marina, and an observation tower boasting beautiful views of Lake Kissimmee. Activities in and around the campsite include hiking and mountain biking, horseback riding, picnicking, swimming, boating, fishing, canoeing, and kayaking.

14248 Camp Mack Rd, Lake Wales, FL 33898, Phone: 863-696-1112

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17.Best camping in Florida: Long Key State Park

Long Key State Park is a 965-acre park in Monroe County that is located on the island that was once the site of Henry Flagler’s Long Key Fishing Camp in the Middle Keys. Once a popular fishing destination for world's great saltwater anglers and a luxury getaway for the rich and famous in the early 20th century, today the island boasts a full-service campground where guests can spend the night and fish the famed flats. The 60 ocean-front campsites have individual electricity and water hookups, picnic tables and ground grills, and breathtaking views of the Florida Keys. Activities around the island include swimming, kayaking, snorkeling, picnicking, birdwatching, fishing, and hiking the mile-long Golden Orb Trail.

67400 Overseas Hwy, Layton, FL 33001, Phone: 305-664-4815

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18.Long Point Park & Campground

Located on an island in the Indian River Lagoon in Melbourne Beach, Long Point Park & Campground is an 84.5-acre conservation area close to the Atlantic Ocean and the Sebastian Inlet marine ecosystem. The full-service campground features shoreline campsites with lovely views, modern restrooms with toilets and showers, and access to an array of activities such as boating, fishing, swimming, snorkeling, hiking and mountain biking on several trails, picnicking, and a children’s playground. The Long Point Park & Campground is a short drive from the attractions at Sebastian and Vero Beach.

700 Long Point Road Melbourne Beach, FL 32951, Phone: 321-952-4532

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19.Oscar Scherer State Park

Oscar Scherer State Park is surrounded by acres of scrubby flatwoods that are home to the endangered Florida scrub-jay, making it a birder’s paradise. The 1,381-acre park features full-facility campsites with 104 fully equipped campsites for tent or RV camping with electric and water hookups, picnic tables, and grills. The campground has modern restrooms with hot showers and laundry facilities as well as seven ADA accessible sites, with aprons for parking and concrete slabs, and a youth/group camp area. Oscar Scherer State Park offers a variety of land-based and water-based recreational activities, including boating, canoeing, fishing, picnicking, hiking and biking on several nature trails, and plenty of bird and wildlife viewing.

1843 South Tamiami Trail, Osprey, FL 34229, Phone: 941-483-5956

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20.Thousand Trails Peace River RV Camping & Resort

Nestled among the woods on the outskirts of Wauchula, Thousand Trails Peace River RV Camping is a 75-acre RV camp in Florida surrounded by the Peace River, which runs a half mile around the border of the preserve. The campground offers 460 open-air and shady sites for RVs with electrical, water, and waste hookups, along with restrooms with hot showers, toilets, and washing facilities. The resort offers an array of amenities, ranging from a whirlpool, a spa and sauna, a swimming pool, a billiards and games room, and a bocce court to fishing, fossil hunting in the river, canoeing, kayaking, hiking nature trails, and wildlife watching.

2555 River Road, Wauchula, FL 33873, Phone: 863-735-8889

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21.Peanut Island Park

Peanut Island Park is an 80-acre tropical park and family-friendly sanctuary with an array of outdoor activities, camping, picnicking, and excellent fishing. Palm Beach County's only island park offers 17 tropically landscaped, reserved campsites that feature electricity and water hookups, tent pads, picnic tables and grills, as well as restrooms with hot indoor showers, toilets, and washing facilities. Amenities at Peanut Island Park include guarded and unguarded swimming beaches and a snorkeling lagoon, boat docks and slips, canoeing and kayaking, fishing in designated areas, picnic pavilions, fire rings, paved hiking and biking trails, and an observation deck with beautiful ocean views.

6500 Peanut Island Rd, West Palm Beach, FL 33404, Phone: 561-845-4445

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22.Rainbow Springs State Park

Rainbow Springs State Park is a 1,459-acre Florida State Park located 3 miles north of Dunnellon that offers a variety of outdoor and water-based activities, camping, and tubing in the Rainbow River. The park’s main “headsprings” entrance features beautifully maintained gardens and grounds with waterfalls, picnic areas with grills, and pavilions, and the Rainbow River offers canoeing, kayaking, tubing, swimming, and fishing. Rainbow Springs State Park’s campground is located along the Rainbow River in a separate area to the main entrance and offers campsites with electric, water, and waste hookups as well as modern restrooms with showers, toilets, and washing facilities.

19158 SW 81st Pl Rd, Dunnellon, FL 34432, Phone: 352-465-8555

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23.St George Island State Park

Located on the east end of St. George Island, St. George Island State Park is a state park in northwestern Florida that is accessed by a 4-mile-long bridge off US 98. Also known as Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park, the park has a campground with 60 campsites with electricity and water hookups, a central dump station, and two bathhouses with hot showers, toilets, and washing facilities. Two primitive campsites for tent camping can be accessed by a short hike or kayak trip, and a primitive group camping area is also available for scouts. St. George Island State Park has six large picnic shelters equipped with picnic tables and grills and offers a variety of activities such as swimming, shelling, beachcombing, kayaking, canoeing, snorkeling, fishing, and hiking. Apalachicola Bay has two natural boat ramps for launching craft.

1900 E Gulf Beach Drive, St George Island, FL 32328, Phone: 850-927-2111

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24.St Johns River Camp Ground

The St Johns River Camp Ground is located a quarter of a mile from the beautiful St. John's River and offers access to some of the best bass fishing in Lake County. The campground features large and shady campsites for tents, trailer, RVs, and motorhomes, with electricity, water, and sewerage hookups, and has open grills, fire rings, and paved driveways to the sites. The modern, wheelchair accessible restrooms have hot showers, toilets, and washing facilities, and there is a laundromat on site. Rental cabins are also available with fully equipped kitchens, living areas, full bathrooms, and heating and air conditioning, along with screened porches with barbecue grills and fire rings.

1520 FL-40, Astor, FL 32102, Phone: 386-749-3995

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25.T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park

T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park boasts miles of sandy beaches, incredible dune formations, dense forests, and a temperate year-round climate. The 2,516-acre park is embraced by the waters of St. Joseph's Bay and the Gulf of Mexico on two sides and has an isolated 1,750-acre wilderness preserve at the tip of the peninsula. The state park features full-service campsites with electricity, water, and sewerage hookups as well as modern restrooms with hot showers, toilets, and washing facilities. The park offers a variety of activities and outdoor recreation to enjoy, from hiking, mountain biking, boating, and canoeing to fishing, picnicking, beachcombing, and bird and wildlife watching.

8899 Cape San Blas Rd, Port St Joe, FL 32456, Phone: 850-227-1327

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