If you are a snowbird or seriously thinking about leaving your frost-bitten state for the warmth and sunshine of Florida and either have an RV already or are thinking about swapping out of your brick & mortar home for one of mobile living, but need a place to anchor yourself, I would highly recommend Olde Mill Stream RV Park, located just due north of Umatilla smack dab in the middle of Florida, which is an ‘Over 55’ roll-up and park community resort.
And from an amenities standpoint, I don’t know that you will find a place that has more of what you might be looking for than Olde Mill Stream. From a simple phenomenal little lake, complete with its own private piers for countless days fishing off of, to the waterfront shuffleboard plaza and oversized kidney-shaped fenced-in pool overlooking the lake, to a VFW-like clubhouse (a.k.a. Pearl’s Place), complete with its own bingo parlour (seats at least 100 by my count, so it must be quite the popular evening activity), doggie park, boat slips, a good-sized library, where most nights the locals convert it into a private poker tournament (although I found it very easy to access and be counted in, although I lost heavily to those guys!) and what is perhaps the best on-site laundry facility I have ever come across at any campground / RV parking lot.
This place is well-appointed no matter where you go and look and everything looks either brand new or simply very well taken care of. To illustrate that most folks are here semi-permanently, there’s even a full-scale Mail Room that is larger than my actual post-office, where out back you’ll discover even more, from a horseshoe pit and pickle ball courts as well as propane tank station. Olde Mill Stream is so massive that the roads you navigate all have street signs, making it easy to get around and not get lost. For those that want to rent plots to simply store stuff (RV’s, boats, cars) there’s an open field behind the RV resort for that too.
Insider’s tips? First, this place has a lake, so in Florida, that means there’s always the possibility of gators, so no swimming and keep your dogs on a leash. Second, if you’re looking to hit up some of the local Springs in this area – I highly recommend both Alexander and Juniper Springs (both just 20 minutes drive from here) as well as perhaps one of the most famous Silver Springs (45 minute drive), although bear in mind this last one doesn’t allow for any swimming (so what’s the point, me asks?!). Third, if you are looking for a good spot to eat at, try out Old Crow Real Pit Bar-B-Q, which is just down the road. Ask for Sheryl and be sure to order the nice tender BBQ pork ribs – you won’t be disappointed!
Happy Camping!
