Back in March (2023) we camped at Long Point Campground in Melbourne, Florida, which is on the east coast. Long Point is not a State Park campground, it is run by Brevard County. Residents of the county can reserve sites before anyone else. Check out the website for up to date information about this campground.
The whole campground is an island with many sites that back up to the water. This is saltwater, and it is a river which is part of the long ICW (Intracoastal Waterway). This island is back off the main channel, which can cause the water around the island to be somewhat stagnant as it is mostly shallow.
On our first visit, we had a small, uneven campsite, but nice water access – even though it was shared. I was eager to see how our second trip would go.
This time we camped in May and we had a great view, but there was no easy water access directly from our site. A bunch of coquina rocks (rocks made up of tiny coquina shells) were piled all along this section of the river. These rocks are treacherous, but probably added to deal with erosion.
When booking a site online it’s impossible to tell whether you will have access to the water or not. I thought we would. Do not assume that every site on the water gives you easy water access!
Our stay of two days began with wonderful peace and quiet.
Fortunately, our site – #67 – was the last in the row of rentable sites (at the time). Every campsite beyond us, down to the end of the island, was closed (photo below) due to erosion from storms. That meant we could use the beach access next door (site #68) for putting in the kayak. (The campers in that little tent at the end of the island were working on their boat motor which they ran off and on all morning the next day.)
To the north, our closest camping neighbor was many sites away. We had arrived right after the Memorial Day weekend and the place was nearly empty!
Our first afternoon was hot and sunny. The water was calm and perfect for kayaking. The wind picked up the following day, but I went out for a while and kayaked around the southern end of the campground.
For about 24 hours we had our area completely to ourselves. It was peaceful and wonderful. I launched my kayak from site #68 with a nice sandy beach. I even did a little swimming in the shallow water. It worked out perfectly.
Water is the Reason to Camp Here
If you get a water access site (and in my opinion it’s the only reason to camp here), it’s a great area to do some kayaking, or paddle boarding, if the wind holds off. This campground also has a boat ramp and a place to keep the trailer. Quite a few sites had boats pulled up to the site!
Then, Everything Went Downhill
From complete peace and quiet for 24 hours to a family invasion next door. Campers came and took both sites along the water next to us.
Of course it’s a campground, and we simply lucked out by having so much space to ourselves, but the campers who set up next door were rudely loud, with no consideration for the fact that they had neighbors. They spoke loudly to each other, the kids yelled and then more people came to visit them! It was party time. The woman was up at 7AM talking loudly on her phone – on speaker!
So this is one big downside to camping on Long Point. The sites are tight with no privacy. If you get loud and obnoxious neighbors they are close. We had one good day and quiet night, but once the peace was gone, nothing was fun. If we hadn’t been leaving the following morning, I’d have asked for another site.
My Thoughts on Long Point
After staying at Long Point Campground two different times, I’ve come to realize that the sites are pretty well crammed together. Because campers can place their trailers, and tents, in any position on their site, you could be directly facing other campers. And if they are loud and obnoxious all day long, there is no buffer.
Some spots are larger – longer, but many are quite small. Not every site along the water has water access. Some have nice little beaches, and some have only a small access through the bushes. Some sites have no water access, or it is shared with the camper next door.
Scout Island has a nice beach with shallow clear water. This island is accessible by a bridge at the campground. I have no idea if the island is ever closed for scouts to actually camp there. When I walked over to Scout Island this time, I had the place to myself (due to a low volume of campers), but last time there were many people walking their dogs and letting them swim.
In comparison to the waterfront campground near us, this one is half the cost, so I still think it’s a good value if you like a water view. Having access from a site is the best. You are also very close to the beach at Sebastian Inlet. My son rode his electric bike there. There is a nice sidewalk on the main road. For more thoughts from campers who stayed at Long Point, read the reviews at RV Life Campground Reviews.
Some negatives for me: The trash truck came by at 7:30 in the morning (on a Thursday and ?) to empty all the dumpsters in the campground. It is loud if your site is near a dumpster (we were). There were a lot of loud crows. I suspect people feed them so they have learned to be annoying. Right across the road from our site was a lamppost with a light that was on all night (not good for night sky viewing if you like that sort of thing). Getting there (from the north, and probably from the south) means driving in traffic, which is typical for Florida especially near the coast.
I’m not sure we would ever go back here to camp again – We did because one of the best sites (so I thought) was open to rent. Read about camping trip #3 here.
The Campsites: Here’s a Map
My thoughts on some of the sites. If you only want a great water view, the site we had, and the three next to it were perfect (65-67). Site #65 was also on the rocks, but had a little area to access the water. We watched those campers put a kayak in. Also, if you don’t care about being in the water, or if you need a larger size site, sites 114 and 115 at the southern end are large. All the sites beyond us on the water, which were closed, did have nice little beaches with water access, but they were fairly small. They were closed for a reason, and who knows what will happen. More rocks could be added, but I hope they can keep the water accessible.
Most campsites have water and electric only, but a few in the center of the island have full hookups. There are two dump station areas for the rest of us.
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Pass it on
Hi Jeanne, thank you so much for this nice comment. I appreciate you taking the time to leave one. Being on the water is the best! Fortunately there is a lot of water where I live, of all kinds. I’m glad you enjoyed reading the blog, and thank you also for sharing the site with friends. You are awesome..! Pam
Thank you for the beautiful views and your honest comments. I’m in NJ, I spent all childhood summers on the water, and love your website. Your photos and words made it just like being right there with you. I’ll share it with all my friends.