Most people I know visit Florida by plane. They stay at an expensive resort in Disney World or in a condo at the beach (or both) and then head home. Not only is that type of vacation quite costly, it means that the best parts of Florida (in my opinion) have been missed.
Of course, if you are not an outdoorsy type of person, you may be very happy to skip a trip to a state park, or chance to kayak on a river. Campers have adventurous blood running through their veins, and they know how to find adventure while saving their cash.
As you get ready to plan your camping vacation in Florida, just remember that it is hot there. Most of the year it is very hot, with no cool down at night either. Camping with the luxury of air conditioning is the way to go, if you ask me, but to each his, or her, own.
When planning your trip, a great place to start is the Welcome to Florida State Parks site. This website is full of great information about the many parks all over the state as well as the variety of campsites available. Some places have facilities for horses and some are for boat hookups, so you can “camp” in your boat as you travel. Some are right on the ocean, with beaches just a few steps away. If you are truly adventurous and prefer seclusion, look for a location in the Primitive Camping area. (You own snakebite proof boots, right?)
Navigating the site is easy. View a state map and choose the area you plan to visit, then click on the links there. More specific information is given on each specific park page. I like the looks of Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area at Flagler Beach. Park the camper right on the dunes with the ocean on one side and the ICW (Intracoastal Waterway) on the other.
** At the time of writing this, there are alert notices for certain parks, and one of them (Blue Springs) is familiar to me, so I looked it up. The notice is because the manatees have come into the spring area early so the spring has been closed for swimming. Of course going there to view the manatees is allowed.
Camping is one of the best ways to visit the real Florida. These are the beautiful places that Disney lovers never venture out to see. And they are really missing out.
P.S. Disney has camping too.
(The postcard image is from art1st’s store @ Zazzle)
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