Gainesville RV Park

If you find yourself in north central Florida and looking for a place to ‘drop anchor’ for the night, then you should give Gainesville RV Park some consideration. While not actually located in Gainesville (it’s about 30 minutes northeast from the home of 'The Swamp' - a.k.a. University of Florida), which depending upon your particular situation, is either a benefit (because this will surely be a cheaper option than what you will find in Gainesville proper) or downside, as there really isn’t too much out this way apart from the light hum of cars coursing along the fairly slow-moving traffic that can be found along Highway 301.

As for this RV parking lot itself, Gainesville RV Park gets HIGH points for offering up a highly secured RV camping outpost – upon arrival, you will be greeted by a well-fortified sliding gate that only guests will be able to access with a respective key code (provided upon check-in). To the side of this entrance is the main office (here is also where the bathhouses are located, which I found to be somewhat odd and inconvenient, especially if you are located at the furthest extremities of the campground) where you’ll check-in and be given your particular slot # and a map for your stay. Upon entry, you’ll head straight forward with one circular loop (intersected with 3 single lanes) of the campground to the left and beyond this, beyond the small pond, is a second loop (also dissected by 3 single lanes) in the far west and returning back towards the entrance you’ll discover a massive standing open-air lodge (a.k.a. Rec Hall) with dozens of picnic tables, air hockey and community BBQ grills. Here near the lodge there are about 4-5 individual tent camping spaces(located just due north of the Rec Hall), with nothing more than water spigots and electrical outlets, but honestly, this whole campground is really geared towards those that are pitching a mobile RV camping outpost. 

Amenities: pull-through or back-in RV sites with full hook-ups(30/ 50 electrical, water and sewage), picnic tables, independent party space for private events, fire ring w/ fold-over grill, standing BBQ grill, trash & recycling bins, remote dump station, propane refueling station, catch & release fishing pond, pet park, shaded community grill area, washing sink, scattered water spigots, basic WiFi (which is slow, but you can upgrade to premium for a small surcharge), satellite access, coin-operated laundry facility, shower / restrooms and flat earth pads to park your RV on. You’ll want to note that Gainesville RV Park is working on installing a swimming pool, but no construction on this was seen during our visit. Prices per night for RV parking slots – of which there are 154 to choose from (not including the tent spots) – range from $55 to $65. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few:(1) If exotic animal sightings are in your ‘game plans’ during your outing (and why wouldn’t it be after all the drama Netflix has dished out about this seedy industry here in northern Florida?!), then give thought to heading about 15 minutes northwest to Carson Springs Wildlife Conservation Sanctuary, where you can meet up with jaguars, cheetahs, lions, tigers, pumas, lynx, caracal (yeah, look that one up!) and even a leopard (rarest of all the big cats) along with the more sedate rhinos, hyenas, kune pigs, bat-eared fox and lemurs; (2) Traveling with kayak or canoe and looking for a nice aquatic launching pad? While you won’t be able to do anything at the small pond at Gainesville RV Park, just due south you can access Lake Alto Park, which has some decent oaring potential, but if you are looking for something larger, keep on heading southwest to Lake Sante Fe, where the fishing is quite good; (3) If you’ve never done off-roading or tried your hand at rally racing, then head on over to Florida International Rally & Motorsport Park where you can race your own cars or better, rent one of theirs!; (4) Want to check out a natural spring (or don’t even know what one is?!), then head on over to nearby High Springs where you can snorkel in 72 degree waters … year-round; (5) The best sites at Gainesville RV Park include: PO4 – 16 (basically all the pond front sites) as well as W1– W18, which is kind of surprising as they are the cheaper slots, but back up to the treeline and are furthest away from any roads / noise; and (6) If you’re looking for some decent dine-in or carryout after giving up on what to prepare for you next meal, restaurant offerings out in these parts will be scarce with either unexciting options (think Subway, Wendy’s) or small-town bespoke haunts like Waves Crab House or Randy’s Rib Shack. You should check out Classic Café, which is just OK and located right in front and to the right of Gainesville RV Park. 

Happy Camping!

Gainesville RV Park. We were working on a project near by and decided to use my RV, I booked a month, Jan 2023. I was assigned lot B3, in the wooded area. I was made aware that my neighbor(B1) works in the office. We figured good, peace and quiet. But NOO!!! Her husband would come home and start pounding beers and the smell of weed was non stop. EVERY DAY!! On Monday the 23rd we get to the site, We can her him screaming at the top of his lungs,“ I WILL MAKE YOU BLEED B*#CH”. Then you can hear her say, the neighbors are outside, then he starts screaming. F*^K those SPIC”S. I DON’T GIVE A SHIT ABOUT THOSE F^&KING SPIC’S. Tuesday evening, he comes outside to lean on a car to stare at one of my coworkers as to intermediate him. On Jan 31st. Another heavy smoking and drinking day for the neighbor as he rides his motorcycle up and down the road, yelling and screaming, looking towards our site, through other sites and well over the posted speed limit signs and with no lights on. He takes his shirt off to show his offensive jail house tattoo’s while looking at another coworker. And this time the wife, who works there is smoking and joking finding it hilarious. It took the pleasure off working out of town using my RV, and gave me a feellings of being in a ghetto ass TRAILER PARK. Keep in mind I am a business owner, if any member of my staff represents my company in this manner would be terminated on the spot. With this being only the beginning of the Natural Pipe line expansion, I have notified my fellow colleagues not to use this park. If they don’t through out the trash.

Not much to do here except the Waldo Flea Market next door! But if you are looking for a stopover in the area, it's a fine choice. The Classic Cafe is affiliated with the RV Park and it's the best burger and onion rings I've had in decades! The park is quiet and clean. Friendly staff.