Lakeside RV Park

Located in central Florida right off Highway 19 (due Northwest of Orlando) and a stone’s throw from Lakes Eustis and Yale, this roadside despot is a mediocre stopover if you’re in a pinch for a decent place to pause for the night. While quite compact, this boutique RV park has a few different loops that will take you around the small, but alluring little Smith Lake that this property is situated around. 

While most of the spots on these grounds seem to have been occupied for some time by the same RV renters, there were a number of spots available when we stopped by. Nearby in Dona Vista, you’ll be able to access a single restaurant – Mason Jar – which serves up, as you would imagine, local homecooked southern fare, like biscuits and fried everything, and they feature here homemade tea, which, um tastes like Lipton tea bags left in the sun for a few weeks. Apart from this single joint, there’s a handful of mechanics shops and about 50 churches (which based upon the population here, could only serve 2 people per service). 

Net-net, there’s not a lot here, so stop in, fuel up, spend the night, get some rest and head onwards to wherever you’re going.  To be clear, this place isn't a destination, it's just a layover. The RV park itself has all the standard fare: water, electric and sewage hook-ups, complete with a (surprise, surprise) heated inside pool, overlooking the lake. If you’ve got a canoe or kayak, take it for a spin on the rather small, but nonetheless inviting lake. There’s the standard picnic tables, garbage receptacles and even a community BBQ. Overall, the ‘don’t tread on me’ community is quite closed-knit here and suspicious of anyone that hasn’t been parked here for at least a year. 

Happy Camping!