38 campgrounds with availability next weekend
Silver Springs State Park Campground's dedicated pet areas welcome leashed dogs throughout the main camping loops, with 24-hour access to walking trails. Ocala North RV Park maintains a well-cared-for dog park that receives regular praise from visitors who note the park is "very pet friendly" with ample space for dogs to run off-leash. Both campgrounds accommodate tent, RV, and cabin campers with pets, though specific pet policies vary by accommodation type. Grand Lake RV & Golf Resort features two separate dog park zones for different sized dogs, while Sportsman's Cove Resort allows pets throughout their lakeside property. Most campgrounds in the Citra area enforce standard leash requirements outside designated off-leash areas and request campers clean up after their pets.
The natural surroundings near these pet-friendly campgrounds provide excellent opportunities for dog walking and exploration. Orange Lake offers water access for dogs that enjoy swimming, with Sportsman's Cove Resort providing direct lake access. Several campgrounds feature wooded perimeters with walking paths ideal for daily pet exercise. Visitors with pets should note that caterpillars falling from trees at certain times of year can be an issue, requiring campers to sweep RV slides before bringing pets inside. Local veterinary services can be found within 20-30 minutes of most Citra campgrounds, with the closest full-service options located in either Gainesville to the north or Ocala to the south. Most campgrounds accommodate standard pet supplies, though specialized food or medication should be brought from home.
"The sites are large and spacious with shady trees surrounding each site. It is very quiet and peaceful. Note that pets are allowed in the campground area but not in any other areas."
"We rode our bikes around the campground and were amazed as almost all the sites were huge! Live oak trees with Spanish moss...this campground is truly the "Real Florida"."
Available next weekend
from $24 - $110 / night
"Very close to the University of Florida. Nice campground recently renovated."
"You can literally walk along the wetland trail and stand right next to a horse!"
Campground full next weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $18 / night
"There are no laundry facilities but if you exit park and drive left there is a laundromat, local food, dollar store, bait tackle."
"We’re a married couple in our forties traveling with two dogs and a cat in our 37 foot motorhome. We stayed at Salt Springs campground for about a week in February."
Available next weekend
from $38 - $70 / night
"They have a little dog park, walking trails, off property is a nice bike ride, huge swimming pool, activities, laundry room and friendly people. At night the stars are amazing."
"Dog Park is nice. The Dyrt info needs to be updated however. No tents, no pop-ups allowed. We are a Ford Transit Conversion Camper built in 2022 and we're allowed a short stay only."
"Sites 1-39 are not near the Florida Trail but it was not a bad walk to the other side of the campground to get to the trail. Would stay again."
"Water is stationed within walking distance, tastes weird. Nonpotable?Clean sites. Bath house with hot water, boat ramp for large and small boats. Current is very fast for kayaking."
Available next weekend
from $12 - $22 / night
"A perfect place to enjoy fishing, wildlife and the Florida Birding Trail. Clean Restrooms, friendly stuff."
"The park is in a great area Mcintosh and Micanopy are historical towns with great walk, and bike ability. Right in Orange Lake yoy can kayak. They have rentals for 10.00."
from $39 - $50 / night
"The amenities and facilities are very clean and the lake view is awesome. Will definitely be back soon."
"Located at the southern tip of Rodman Reservoir, which is one of the major water tributaries that you can float around the NE perimeter of the Ocala National Forest, you’ll discover that this backwater"
"Pulling into Ocklawaha Canoe Outpost near Fort McCoy feels like arriving somewhere that doesn’t rush you, where the tall trees and wide river channels invite the kind of slow, unhurried breathing that"
from $35 / night
"Great group of people with positive energy and diversity of both people and rigs. Long term, tents, tiny homes, skoolies, and traditional travelers all in one place."
"Great location, simple, clean, safe, good people. Tents, vans, skoolies, pop ups, rvs/motorhomes. A mix of long term and short term. Great fire circle and clubhouse with bathrooms and showers."
from $25 - $50 / night
"We wereet at the entrance by a gentleman in a golf cart. He brought us directly to our site, and helped us get squared away. He recommended the local restaurant for dinner."
"A lot of people drinking and walking."
GuideA “real Florida” campground originally built by the CCC. Sites are decent size with typical Florida flora between the sites for some privacy. 30 amp/water hookups on site. Roads are hard pack sand/gravel and not real smooth. A nice family campground for smaller size rigs. A playground accessible to most sites and classic bathhouse with showers is conveniently located. Lots of hiking trails. There’s an orange tree on my site!
GuideI liked this park it is large, lots to explore. We took our dog on her first camping trip and she was fantastic. I would like to go back without her though because I think I could hike better without her. There are a number of trails, but it rained for some of our stay so we getting get away from our camp too much. It was still lovely. I think a trip back is in order because we definitely didn’t experience all we would like to have experienced. We had our kayaks but since we had the dog we didn’t go. But I can see us returning for more adventures. We did walk over the suspension bridge, that was beautiful, a nice after the rain thing to do.
GuideThis was the first park we stayed in once we got our new camper. I have an old truck that has not pulled something like this before so we wanted to be somewhat close to home. The park staff were great, the facilities were great. It is a smaller park, and close to the road. It didn’t bother us, but I imagine it could bother a tent camper. There was a family reunion or something going on the weekend we were there so it was packed and a little noisy outside of the camper. But everyone was very nice. There are some shorter hikes and the second oldest live oak in the state. I think if we had not forgotten our life vests at home I would have more to say about the paddling option, but you can also fish. We would go back.
GuideMy husband and I went here for a long weekend, it was a really nice park we saw a lot of deer. There is 4+ miles of the Florida State Trail that runs through this park that we hiked. The terrain changes multiple times giving you a nice change in scenery. There is a ravine there too. The staff was great, and the facilities were clean. You can buy patches there too if you like to collect patches (or stickers) from the State Parks. And if you have the Florida State Park passport they have a stamp. It’s a good sized park and kept us busy.
LegendThis Old Florida location has a Western bent to the place with the covered wagon motif and ranch-styled main office with what looks to be a horse tie up on the porch, so whatever the theme might be, this RV enclave is a good stretch away from the I75 highway that you moseyed onto in to find this 55+ retirement one lane (OK, there’s a simple loop) cowboy retirement OK corral. You’ll access Countryside RV Park via Country Rd 489 just off of Route 470 and if you blink (you know, because of all that dust blowing off the prairie), you’d miss the turn-off, so keep your eyes peeled, pardner, and about 20 yards into the property, you’ll swing by the office on what looks to be freshly laid, small single vehicle lanes and check in with the sheriff (er, the RV manager), who will direct you to your humble piece of very flat land, which no doubt will be draped in shade provided by the scattered ancient and live oaks that are sweating Spanish moss creating a very (trust me) un-wild, wild west vibe.
There’s some basic amenities here in addition to the standard pull-through parking pads and FHUs offering 20 / 30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage, including: sanitary dump, impeccably clean his / her restrooms and shower facilities, picnic tables, WiFi, cable TV, coin-operated laundry, horseshoes, side X side shuffle boards that are in pristine condition, recreation room with billiards, dog park, fire pit, retention pond, on-site storage, exercise equipment and gym. There’s even a proper mail room in case you plan on staying long enough that you need to receive mail here or have it forwarded (beats waiting for the Pony Express to arrive). Due to this being a semi- or full-retirement zone, Countryside offers additional diversions and activities like bingo, Karaoke, bowling, arts & crafts as well as Bible study, in addition to learning how to lasso your very own steer (OK, I made up this last one).
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If your ID or social security card doesn’t clearly state that you are 55+ you won’t have any luck at this hideout; (2) If you do manage to stay here, IMHO the best spots are those either on the western - but of course - side of this depot (#6 – 22) or eastern (#46–#59) perimeters; (3) Should you need to load up on anything while here, there’s not much nearby apart from a Dollar General and Kal’s Food Grocery, but if you don’t mind driving slightly further afield, there’s a Publix NE of here and a Winn-Dixie and Walmart due south of here towards Bushnell; and (4) In the event that you’d like to grab some local grub, there’s Big Apple Café and a Subway nearby in the small town here, or up on Lake Panasoffkee there’s Big Bass Grill Lakefront Restaurant & Marina, which I highly recommend.
Happy Camping!
LegendPulling into Boogerville Hideout right off US 17 feels less like arriving at a campground and more like rolling into a full-on Roadhouse movie sequel where you’d expect Jake Gyllehnhaal (nee Patrick Swayze) to be bouncing at the front door. Upon entry, you might hear the rumble of bikes, the glow of string lights and the pulse of a live music set the tone before you even park. Located just south of Green Cove Springs, this biker bar and restaurant has recently carved out roughly a dozen RV slots behind and surrounding the property, creating a unique overnight option that blends convenience with a high-energy, social atmosphere. The setting is open and informal, with gravel and packed dirt surfaces, easy pull-in access and a layout that wraps around the main bar, stage and outdoor beer garden patio area.
The RV sites themselves offer basic hookups, making it functional for a quick overnight, but amenities beyond that are minimal. There are no traditional bathhouses, no playgrounds and no campground-style comforts, just port-a-potties that are shared with patrons of the bar. The vibe here is unapologetically lively, especially on weekends when live bands, karaoke, and DJs turn the outdoor beer garden into something closer to a small festival than a campground. Navigation is simple enough, and setup is quick, but this is clearly not designed for quiet evenings, early bedtimes and families with small kids - trust me - would not want to ‘drop anchor’ here for sure.
Surrounding the property, you are positioned along US 17 with quick access into Green Cove Springs for supplies, where you will find grocery options like Dollar Tree and El Supremo, gas stations like BP and casual dining spots like The Pub @ Magnolia Point, Roger That Wings & Things. If you are looking to balance the energy of Boogerville with a bit of calm, nearby parks and the St. Johns River offer opportunities to reset during the day before returning to the action at night.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) Choose a site as far from the stage and US 17 as possible if you plan to turn in early, as music can run late on weekends; (2) Expect noise, this is part of the experience, not a drawback to be avoided; (3) Bring earplugs if you are a light sleeper; (4) Plan to use your own onboard facilities if possible, as port-a-potties are shared and can get busy (and somewhat messy, particular closer to midnight on the weekends); (5) This is best treated as an overnight stop tied to enjoying the bar and music rather than a traditional campground stay; (6) If you are looking for any great grub in the vicinity, you’ve just hit the BBQ jackpot as less than a 20 minute drive from here, you’ll discover the legendary Woodpeckers Backyard BBQ that will be – without any contention – the greatest spot for smoked grub you will find IN THE STATE OF FLORIDA (yeah, I know, that's a big statement - so prove me wrong); and (7) If you’ve had 1 or 2 too many, you want to be incredibly careful and not try your luck up or down US 17 as this stretch of pavement is continuously patrolled by Florida’s finest, which is just yet another reason you should consider laying up for the night here @ Boogerville Hideout.
Happy Camping!
ScoutWe are in a travel spot. Lots of highway noise. Pretty area mostly owners only
TravelerRoads are rough, Bathrooms are clean, host seemed like a good guy. Here during off season but the beach looked like fun
GuideSites have full hookups which is awesome for a state park. Also picnic tables, grills and a fire pit. The sites are big and relatively private. To visit the spring you can hike or drive. Being you camping receipt to get in free. Glass bottom boat tour is $15 for adults but there is a nice walking path and you can see manatees in the spring from the shore. The restaurant was nice, good pizza!
Campgrounds near Citra, Florida showcase the natural wetlands and springs ecosystem of north-central Florida. The area sits at elevations between 70-90 feet above sea level with a subtropical climate that brings humid summers and mild winters. Seasonal flooding occurs in low-lying areas near Orange Lake and Rodman Reservoir, particularly during the summer rainy season when afternoon thunderstorms are common.
Kayaking springs and waterways: Salt Springs Recreation Area offers both kayak rentals and natural springs access within the Ocala National Forest. "The spring is a short walk from the campground or a quick bike ride," notes Miranda R., who found the experience "Beautiful & Relaxing."
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park provides observation platforms for spotting diverse wildlife. "Many opportunities to spot wildlife close by... Buffalo, deer, eagles, alligators, owls," shares Jenn B., who recommends visitors "Visit Sweetwater" for optimal viewing.
Fishing in multiple waterways: Rodman Campground connects directly to Rodman Reservoir with boat launch facilities. Justin W. noted that "The boat ramp is well kept and there is ample trailer parking nearby," making it convenient for anglers to access prime fishing spots.
Trail hiking through varied ecosystems: The Florida National Scenic Trail runs adjacent to Rodman Campground with 5.1 miles of accessible trails. Charlie M. describes it as "a scenic setting for a campground," where he enjoyed "bookending a memorable trip" with overnight stays before and after backpacking.
Spacious, well-maintained sites: Silver Springs State Park Campground receives consistent praise for site quality. "The sites are big and have plenty of space between them," notes Carlos R., adding that it has "that old Florida feel." Jody O. confirms this assessment: "Large sites with ample separation from your neighbors."
Clean facilities with reliable amenities: Ocala North RV Park maintains excellent standards for their facilities. "The park is very clean and well cared for. Staff is very attentive," according to a camper identified simply as "Name," who specifically highlighted the "Great pool and fitness center."
Access to water recreation: Ocklawaha Canoe Outpost & Resort offers direct river access with multiple water activity options. Kate M. describes it as "a friendly campground with canoe/kayak rentals and a shuttle service" where "the tent area is near the river and very wooded--lots of places to hang a hammock or pitch a tent."
Authentic Florida natural settings: Many campgrounds preserve natural habitats. Sportsman's Cove Resort sits directly on a lake that one camper described as "natural and undisturbed," while another called it "a perfect place to enjoy fishing, wildlife and the Florida Birding Trail."
Seasonal insect considerations: Several campgrounds report seasonal challenges with insects. A tent camper at Citra Royal Palm RV Park noted: "Caterpillars were falling from the tree not that the owners could do anything about that but we had to sweep the slides off so we didn't have any in our RV!"
Noise factors at certain campgrounds: Rodman Campground can experience noise from nearby recreational facilities. Jeff E. warns about "Hog Waller Campground and ATV Resort (right across the river)" where "there was loud music, dirt bikes, ATVs and 4-Wheelers screaming through the entire night" during special events.
Varying cellular connectivity: Connectivity varies significantly between campgrounds. At Sportsman's Cove Resort, Rebecca H. reports "Terrible phone service," while at Ocala North RV Park, John found adequate signals, noting: "They have an amazing campground WiFi deployment. I was getting about 15mbs down and 6mbs up."
Bathroom access distances: At some sites, facilities may be distant from certain campsites. Jeff E. observed at Rodman Campground that "Bathrooms were clean (with hot showers) but were a bit of a hike if you camp riverfront."
Boat tours for all ages: Silver Springs State Park offers glass-bottom boat experiences suitable for children. Carlos R. shares: "We have a 4 year old and a 10 year old and they both really enjoyed the boat tour also."
Educational ranger programs: Several parks offer guided experiences. Lindsey H. at Paynes Prairie Preserve recounts: "We did the Ranger led hike which was really nice, my 5 year old struggled to keep up with the Ranger and there are decent elevation changes."
Kid-friendly amenities: Look for campgrounds with dedicated recreation areas. Stephanie observed at Grand Lake: "The Rec center was utilized almost every day with my two younger children. Everyone there seems to be long term/permanent guests and all is very friendly and welcoming."
Swimming opportunities: Natural springs maintain constant temperatures year-round. As Stuart K. notes about Salt Springs: "Like most natural springs, as the day progresses, the spring will get busier and busier" and recommends "that you chose to go either early or later in the day" since "the water's temperature doesn't change remaining constant at 72 degrees throughout the day."
Site levelness considerations: Some RV sites require additional leveling. At Ocala North RV Park, Sue G. observed that "Sites have paved pads but most are not level" despite the campground being "nice enough."
Shared electrical hookups: At certain campgrounds, power connections may be shared between sites. One RVer at Citra Royal Palm RV Park reported: "We shared power with the guy next to us and the breaker blew. Not too happy with that!"
Dog-friendly facilities: Grand Lake RV & Golf Resort provides separated dog park areas. Clayton D. was impressed with the "Great dog park, 2 separate zones!!!" Most dog friendly campgrounds near Citra offer designated pet exercise areas, with Grand Lake offering dedicated spaces for different sized dogs.
Local service access: Most campgrounds sit between population centers. T S. notes about Grand Lake RV & Golf Resort: "Have to drive 20 to 30 minutes North or South to get to a grocery store," which affects planning for longer stays.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Citra, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Citra, FL is Silver Springs State Park Campground with a 4.8-star rating from 44 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Citra, FL?
TheDyrt.com has all 273 dog-friendly camping locations near Citra, FL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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