Quiet Waters Park

Tucked away in the bustling suburbs of Deerfield Beach, Quiet Waters Park offers one of South Florida's more unusual camping experiences. This sprawling 427-acre Broward County park features sparkling lakes, tropical greenery and enough outdoor recreation to keep just about everyone entertained. But here's the twist: forget about bringing your RV or even pitching your own tent! Instead, the campground features 25 preassembled canvas tents and two traditional tepees, all situated on a scenic lakeside peninsula. With kayaking, fishing, mountain biking, cable wakeboarding and a seasonal water playground, there's certainly no shortage of ways to work up an appetite before gathering around the campfire. 

The campground itself is relatively small and refreshingly uncomplicated. Each 10-by-10-foot canvas tent sits on an elevated wooden platform, helping keep campers off the damp Florida ground, while individual sites feature electricity, running water, picnic tables, charcoal grills and fire rings. The two tepees offer a fun alternative, particularly for families with adventurous youngsters. Restrooms with hot showers are conveniently located within the camping area, and there's even a sand volleyball court and horseshoe pit for a little friendly competition. While the grounds are attractive and the lakeside setting is lovely, don't expect luxury accommodations or complete seclusion. This is camping with a few creature comforts, not 'glamping' at the Ritz-Carlton! 

There are a couple of important considerations before booking. First, you'll need to bring your own bedding and camping essentials, mosquitoes can be relentless during warmer months, and South Florida's humidity doesn't magically disappear just because you're sleeping under canvas. Secondly, there are absolutely no RV campsites, making this a destination exclusively for tent and tepee enthusiasts. Nevertheless, for families, first-time campers and anyone seeking an easy introduction to outdoor living, Quiet Waters offers a wonderfully different experience. Third, if you are thinking of booking one of the teepees as a novelty experience, you should, but be aware, there's a reason why Native Americans generally didn't use teepees in FL - there's very little ventilation, so at least during the summer months, you'll want to avoid these particular accommodations.

Insider's Tip: (1) If you want an absolute beautiful sunset view directly from inside the canvas tent you booked for the night or your nearby picnic table, then book one of the sites that sit on the northern edge of the small peninsula of campsites; (2) There's slightly more breeze that blows into your thick canvas tent if you are on the southern perimeter of the peninsula - I booked site #21 and experienced GREAT views of the water, had decent breezes (but still needed the aid of my electric jumbo fan); (3) If you are thinking about bringing your bike or hiking shoes, you absolutely should AND your swimming shorts as the cable skiing adventure is WELL WORTH IT - I wished I had known this was here before I arrived here otherwise I would have come prepared; and (4) The CG staff here are FIRST RATE, so when you are booking, be sure to follow their recommendations and advice - perhaps the biggest tip I could give you is to download the APP before you arrive to allow for a seamless gate entry experience, even after dark.

Happy Camping!