Best RV Parks & Resorts near Alachua, FL

RV Park Reviews near Alachua, FL

860 Reviews of 169 Alachua Campgrounds

• W

  Windell S.

  Guide

  May. 20, 2021

  Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park Campground

  Awesome campground and facilities!

  We stayed here a couple of years ago while visiting family and friends in Lake City, about 20 miles away.  I was very impressed with the facilities, very clean and well kept.  Site 19 is a long pull through with plenty of room for a big rig and tow vehicle.  Picnic table and fire ring available.  Beautiful trees with Spanish moss give the park that old Florida feel.  This is Florida, so expect humidity and some bugs.  Not a lot of breeze at our site but very shady.  Staff was very courteous and helpful, work campers rode by occasionally and would carry off trash if needed.  There is a nice museum and camp store/gift shop onsite also.  Cell service was good, didn't try the tv.  There is no big stores nearby, just a Dollar General in White Springs near the entrance.  Definitely a thumbs up.

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• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  Sep. 28, 2025

  Arrowhead Campsites & Mobile Home Park

  Budget-Friendly Stay Just Off I-75 in the Horse Capital of the World

  Sitting quietly just off I-75, Arrowhead Campsites & Mobile Home Park in Ocala, Florida is located on one of the busiest thoroughfares that runs through Ocala. This place is a no frills, straightforward, budget-friendly campground where grass pads, shady trees and neighborly vibes create a cozy Old-Florida atmosphere. First impressions? This isn’t a resort, but while there is a community pool (that wasn’t working when we stopped by and TBH was incredibly cringe-worthy), it’s a practical, easygoing basecamp that gives you everything you need while keeping you close to Ocala’s natural gems ... as long as you manage your expectations before arriving here.

  Facilities are simple but sufficient (unless they aren't working at all). There are around 100 sites with full hookups (30 / 50 amp electric, water, sewer), most on grass with decent leveling. Guests have access to free Wi-Fi, cable TV, mediocre bathrooms and subpar showers, a laundry facility, picnic tables and a recreation room. Long-term residents mix with short-stay campers, so expect a lived-in, welcoming feel. The campground also features a dining hall and small community events, adding a sense of 'cringy neighborhood' to your stay.

  Ocala itself is the star attraction nearby. Known as the ‘Horse Capital of the World,’ you’re just minutes away from equestrian centers, rolling farms and the glass-clear waters of Silver Springs State Park. The Ocala National Forest offers endless hiking, kayaking and wildlife watching, while downtown Ocala brings restaurants, art galleries and Southern charm.

  Insider Tips? Here’s a smathering: (1) IMHO the best sites are the ones with grass pads near the front loops for the easiest pull-in and better spacing, especially if you’re arriving late, which is convenient as well for those that want to make an early, discreet and trouble-free exit in the morning; (2) Should you need to stock up on anything, there’s a Walmart Supercenter, Publix, Home Depot and Lowe’s all within a 10-minute drive; (3) A nearby hidden ‘easter egg’ you’ll want to explore are the lesser-visited trails at Silver Springs State Park where you’ll find quiet boardwalks and an historic pioneer village that many tourists (and even local residents) miss; (4) If you’ve come with your kayak, a great place to launch is at Silver Springs State Park where you can paddle down the Silver River. Expect to see turtles, manatees and wild rhesus (not Reese's, but sounds the same) monkeys that somehow call the riverbank home; (5) Because there are long-term residents here at Arrowhead, it’s best to request a short-term site closer to the entrance for less foot traffic and quieter evenings; and (6) When you get tired of conjuring up that next meal from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler, then check on some local joints like Big Lee’s Serious About BBQ for its nationally acclaimed BBQ brisket, ribs, and sides or Ivy on the Square with its upscale comfort food in a historic downtown building and there’s also Latinos y Mas serving up fusion Latin classics with Mediterranean touches.

  Happy Camping!

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• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  Apr. 5, 2024

  Santa Fe Palms RV Resort

  Well-Laid Out RV Oasis on Edge of Gatorville

  Should you find yourself anywhere near the home of The Gators here in landlocked Gainesville, then the location of Santa Fe Palms RV Resort itself will be one of its greatest assets. Located NW of town, you will find yourself just far enough away from the noise, traffic and otherwise mayhem that surrounds the college town atmosphere of UF. That said, you’ll also be close enough that just a short 10 minute drive will place you within proximity to just about anything you might want or need, from restaurants and bars, to city parks, retail store fronts as well as big box retailers and shopping malls … as well as of course, the University of Florida itself.

  As for this RV resort in particular, I always have to question places that use the term 'resort' in the first place – but here at Santa Fe, they really do live up to the word ‘resort.’ Apart from discovering a seemingly newly-built and certainly very well-maintained outdoor encampment perfect for your RV or 5th Wheel parking pleasure, you'll also enjoy all of the various amenities that indeed makes this roadside campground really feel like an RV resort community in full swing. In all there’s some 115, mostly diagonal, slots to chose from that offer 30 amp, 50 amp back-in or 50 amp pull-through sites, charging $65, $75 and $85 respectively, which IMHO is (especially for the area you currently find yourself in) slightly more expensive than expected.

  With higher prices, expectations rise, but I found Santa Fe Palms delivers, offering not only a premium experience, but one packed with tons of amenities, including: high-speed fiber optic WiFi, beautiful lanai patio complete with several tables, chairs and sun umbrellas that sit alongside a very generous heated in-ground swimming pool, fitness room, pickleball court as well as a laundr-O-mat and restroom / shower facilities. All sites have full hook-ups featuring electric with various amp options, water and sewage, while there’s a good amount of sites that have pull-through options where the others will have back-in. The paved roads that run throughout this place are grade A perfect and perhaps the best feature of the entire place is the top-notch gate access and security surrounding the entire perimeter. There’s even a spacious doggie park in the NW corner of Santa Fe to take your pooch for a stroll. Lastly, the main building where you would also check-in at features work stations as well as a small shop where you can buy sundries and snacks.

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Unless your idea of a great hike is walking around in circles within the perimeter of Santa Fe Palms RV Resort, I would highly suggest a trek to nearby Buck Bay Flatwood Preserve, which is just due northeast of this spot where you’ll walk / drive due east to the Circle K and then take the country road due north about a ¼ mile before you reach this spot; (2) If you are coming with either a canoe or kayak, the best place to drop anchor is Newmans Lake, which you will be able to access at a number of places, although I strongly recommend Palm Pointe Park, but if too busy, just due south is Earl P Powers Park, where both of these locations have excellent boat launches; (3) When you grow weary of trying to conjure up that next meal from the depths of your onboard mini-fridge fridge or roto-molded, bear-proof Cordova cooler and want to check out some of the local fare, there’s a handful of no-frills options, but hey, life is short, so I’ll let your GPS help you find those spots and instead, I’ll recommend 'don’t miss options' like Satchell’s for the best pizza in town with an Instagram-worthy backdrop; and (4) Should you want to hit the links, nearby Santa Fe Palms RV Resort is Ironwood Golf Club, which is decent, not amazing, but gets the job done.

  Happy Camping!

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• 

  Teresa S.

  Guide

  Oct. 9, 2021

  Suwannee River Bend RV Park

  Suwannee Superb

  Staff: respectful, informative and available

  Sites: Clean; limestone gravel with concrete patios on most; premium waterfront sites with decks; newer hookups; big rig friendly with many pull through sites, lots of trees.

  Extras: Club house, boat ramp, ice machine, small child gym set, dog wash, dog run, boat slips.

• 

  Lee D.

  Legend

  Dec. 31, 2022

  Silver Springs State Park Campground

  HUGE sites!

  General: 59-site campground in two loops plus 10 cabins. 

  Site Quality: These sites were HUGE. Many were pull-throughs. Our site (51) could easily fit four of our vans! All sites were gravel and level and had water, electric, and (I believe but we didn’t use) sewer hookups, a bbq grill, a fire ring, and a large picnic table. Each loop has a handicap-accessible site near the restrooms. In addition to the size of the sites, there was reasonable separation/privacy between them. Although I did not see the inside of them, the cabins looked beautiful – they were large with huge screened-in porches. One of the cabins was handicap accessible. 

  Bathhouse: Was very clean. In addition to the men’s and women’s bathrooms, there were two family restrooms, complete with showers, and the showers had plenty of hot water.  

  Activities/Amenities: There is no swimming or fishing here but you can rent kayaks. Note: the launch area is not within walking distance of the campground. We chose to do an organized tour with Get Up and Go Kayaking with glass bottom kayaks. The launch site for this tour is a quick drive from the campground. There are also several hiking trails that were well marked. There is a museum geared toward school groups that is open to the public only on the weekends (we were there during the week). Although the gate agent said there was no recycling, we saw a recycling bin near the restrooms/dumpster. It was not indicated what materials were accepted so I assumed it was single stream. Other amenities include a dishwashing sink, vending machine, a small lending library, and a washer/dryer.

  This state park was a pleasant surprise and we wish we could have stayed longer!

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• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  Dec. 3, 2023

  Cooper Lake RV Community

  Shaded Lake-Side RV Parking Bliss

  This RV parking pad is located in north central Florida, just due southwest of Palatka (a.k.a. the Sunshine’s State Farmer’s Market) where you’ll find southern charm hanging from more than the moss off the ancient Oaks here, which underscores one of the best highlights of Cooper Lake RV Community: its abundance of shade. Conveniently located right off (and I mean in front of) Highway 20 about 4 miles just due west of Interlachen, you’ll discover the eponymous Cooper Lake (for which this RV stand is named after) is located just behind the small body of fresh water and offers up some decent catch & release fishing, albeit this lake is more of a pond. If you cross the highway, due south and just a couple of stone’s throws away, there’s much bigger Lake Galilee to contend with and is much better for boat fishing IMHO. 

  As for the pet-friendly campground itself, there’s about 50 or so pull-through and back-in RV slots complete with full hook-ups (50 amp electric at every site along with water and sewage) along with a gathering area complete with horseshoes, shuffleboard, community fire pit, frisbee golf, gazebos, picnic tables and BBQ grills. While the bathrooms are very well-maintained, when we visited there were no showers per se (although in speaking with the management, some are in the works to be built, so I would definitely call ahead if this is a deal-breaker).  There’s WiFi here (but it’s not so good), designated dumpsters, vehicle storage as well as a fairly decent laundr-O-mat near the clubhouse. Rates for Cooper Lake RV Community: $45-$55/daily; $250-$300/weekly; and $650-$700/monthly. 

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) While Cooper Lake RV Community is not a destination in and of itself, this is a really nice place run by very well-meaning folks and while this RV spot is definitely new it’s definitely worth the stop if you find yourself out this way; (2) When you get tired of staring into your onboard mini-fridge and/ or want to try out some of the local cuisine, head on over to True Grits, well, for the grits of course, Nanny's Country Café for simple breakfasts or Smokedogs Bar-B-Q for quite possibly some of the best brisket and homemade cole slaw in the world!; and (3) If you are looking for some great water to dip your kayak or canoe in, head south to Lake Ocklawaha where there’s a half dozen or so spots where you can launch from. 

  Happy Camping!

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• D

  Dennis B.

  Scout

  Jun. 5, 2024

  Holiday Trav-L-Park RV Resort

  Short overnight stay

  Easy to find, close to I-75 Freeway. Older RV park with many permanent sites. Pull through, full hook ups with cable TV. Not too quiet but building on East side blocks much of the Freewaynoise. Large shade trees. Intermixed temp and permanent sites. Didn't see a store nor sites showers and restrooms. Pool is closed. Looks permanent.

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  Oct. 1, 2023

  Starke-Gainesville NE KOA

  Roadside Fabricated Camping

  Alright, it’s KOA, so if a fabricated outdoor ‘camping moment’ is what you are after and don’t mind the concocted grounds you are on and want an easy-breezy no frills outing underneath the stars you will encounter, then the KOA pitstop located in Starke (NE of Gainesville) has you covered. You’ll find this commercially-produced camping outpost right off the worn pavement of highway 301, which runs right through north central Florida is easy to find, conveniently sandwiched between the Murray Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership to the south and the Tractor Supply Co due north (but don’t worry, there’s also an IHOP right across the street, completing this concrete jungle campground adventure). 

  This camping depot is too well organized for my taste and has over 100 slots perfect for the RV and trailer parking crowd, 5 spots for tent campers (unfortunately, nearest the highway – so bring your earplugs!) along with 2 cabins and 2 studio lodges. The standard RV slots are on Elm, Oak, Pine, Maple and Hickory, while the more premium sites are located on Walnut, Chestnut, Magnolia and Spruce. Big Birch lane separates coach class camping from first class – but hey, we’re all out in nature, so is there really a divide? 

  Amenities? And while this KOA is older and battle-worn more than most of the other properties I have driven by, this also has a ton of amenities, including: a heated pool, complete with lounge chairs and sun umbrellas, community fire pit, game room, dog parks(one for bigger breed and one for small pups), horse shoe pit, shuffleboard, playground and swings, sandbox, propane filling station, picnic tables, bocce ball, designated trash and recycling bins, nature trails, WiFi, Cable / TV as well as full RV hook-ups including water, sewage and electric (30 / 50 amp). For anyone that is in need of anything they may have forgotten or run out of (like all KOA’s) there’s a mini-mart on-premise that has ice, wood, sodas and just about anything else you could think of (and for anything they don’t have, there’s a Walmart and Ace Hardware so close you could just walk to either). And don’t worry if by chance you forgot your RV, trailer or tent – if you are in need of somewhere to call home for the night, this KOA has you covered as they rent a few studio lodges and rustic cabins. 

  Insider’s Tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you are on the look-out for a REAL camping experience and don’t want to settle for this KOA manufactured experience … then don’t. There are options! Within a 30 minute drive of here, I would recommend Mike Roess Gold Head Brand State Park, which is simply FANTASTIC and provides more than 5 different campgrounds from primitive to RV-heavy and everything in-between; (2) When you get tired of foraging for the next meal from your onboard RV cooler, then head into the town of Starke for some local grub, wherein I highly recommend anything from the ‘Swamp Things’ portion of the menu at Cedar River Seafood, where afterwards you can finish the meal off with a scoop of the cold stuff at nearby Strickland’s; and (3) If you are looking to experience some of the best nature in the area, be sure to check out either Camp Chowenwaw Park and Black Creek Park and Trail, both conveniently located just due northeast of KOA Starke/ NE Gainesville. 

  Happy Camping!

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• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  Dec. 24, 2024

  Old Florida RV Resort

  Refurbished Lakefront RV Resort Complete w/ Tiki Huts

  Formerly known as Water’s Edge Oak RV Park, this lakeside RV retreat has been completely refurbished under new ownership who have renamed this outdoor camping respite Old Florida RV Park, so do take note of these changes as of October, 2024. This RV resort, complete with just 34 FHU (30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage) slots that dot a small, simple single loop, sits right on Orange Lake. One of its great assets is the quick and EZ access you’ll have to this formidable fresh water lake that is very decent in size and is perfect for kayaking, canoeing and boating along with fishing where you’ll have no problem reeling in redear sunfish, large- and smallmouth bass, black crappie and bluegill. When we rocked up, all we needed to do was scan the QR code to book a slot for the night – while somewhat impersonal, it was incredibly convenient and EZ enough to find our slot and apart from meeting all of our neighbors, we never actually got to meet the owners as it seems as though they run this RV park on remote control.

  This RV resort lives partially up to the name of ‘resort’ as there’s freshly minted Tiki huts throughout the property that look to be like they are in partial construction-mode, although when finished, these freestanding structures will definitely be a draw for those wanting to sip their Mai Tais under a straw-covered canopy. The road that leads you into this CG is perfectly smooth but wide enough only for a single vehicle moving in a one-way direction around the loop, where you’ll easily find diagonally-slotted pull-through (in the center) or back-in (on the exterior) RV sites complete with a perfectly paved adjoining patio decked out with brand new picnic tables. And while the interior of the RV resort is barren, exposing you to all of your soon-to-be-neighbors, the exterior perimeter is surrounded by a decent thick tree line along with brush and a new fence that encircles the property adding to the sense of safety and security here.

  From an amenity’s standpoint, what exists now is very good, but apparently there are plans to develop a lot more, like an in-ground pool, pickleball courts, horse shoe rings, game room as well as kayak and canoe rentals along with offers of wildlife and fishing tours. There’s also the promise of a general store, full Tiki bar (open to the whole community), weekend food trucks and a community grilling area. There’s a lot of ‘Coming Soon’ amenities, so hopefully the good folks here at Old Florida RV Park make good on their plans, but those newly built Tiki Huts, which apparently will be offered only with the more premium sites (read: upcharge), are a good indication that all of these other amenities will be offered shortly. What is currently on-site is in either fairly excellent condition and / or brand-spanking new, like a facility that has an 8-seat movie theater, showers and restrooms, excellent boat ramp launch as well as a community fire pit.

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Unfortunately, for mi tent-pitchin’ bredren, there are not sites that allow for you to set up for the night, so you’ll have to keep looking for higher ground; (2) Should you be in the mood to check out some local fare, there’s just a small smattering of offerings in the nearby hamlet of Citra with options like Phil’s Grille and Sweet Baby Cheese’s or you’ll have to head a bit further west to the tiny town of Orange Lake to feast on Eagles Nest Bar & Grill, Lupita’s Taqueria, Southern Cooking and Georgie’s Lakeside Restaurant; (3) If you haven’t tried your go at a spring here in Florida, you need to add this to your bucket list – and fortunate enough for you, Salt Springs, which is one of the best springs in all of Florida, is located just about 20 minutes away from Old Florida RV Resort, so bring your goggles and fins and head on over to Salt Springs where if you are lucky, you’ll find some friendly manatees to swim alongside.

  Happy Camping!

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