3 campgrounds with availability this weekend
The white-sand shoreline of Miramar Beach hosts Camp On The Gulf, a premium glamping destination providing canvas tent accommodations, yurts, and upscale outdoor lodging just steps from the water. The campground features climate-controlled glamping units with comfortable bedding, private bathrooms, and resort-style amenities including two swimming pools—one covered and heated with an adjacent hot tub. "We had an awesome time at Camping on the Gulf," one visitor noted, "they also have glamping tents which looked really neat and cabins/tiny houses for rent." Topsail Hill Preserve State Park Campground also offers glamping options with full hookups, picnic areas, and market access, all situated along the scenic Highway 30A corridor where guests can experience the natural beauty of coastal dune lakes and pristine beaches.
Activities at these Destin-area glamping resorts blend beach relaxation with outdoor recreation. Guests staying at Camp Gulf's glamping accommodations enjoy direct beach access with crystal blue waters and sugar-white sand, plus on-site amenities including a large water slide, basketball courts, and organized family activities. According to a camper, "The bath houses were awesome! They had individual bathrooms with a toilet, sink and fully tiled shower with glass enclosure." At nearby Destin Army Recreation Area, military families have access to glamping accommodations complemented by boat rentals, paddle boards, fishing docks, a splash pad for children, and a 300-foot pier. The campgrounds' proximity to Destin Harbor, emerald beaches, and shopping destinations makes these upscale canvas accommodations ideal for experiencing Florida's Emerald Coast without sacrificing comfort.
"There is a tram that takes you to the beach and there are over 16 miles of hiking and biking trails. Restrooms are clean and climate controlled. All sites are full hookup with cable."
"The trolley will take you to the beach, runs every 30 minutes or you can bike or walk. The bath houses are very clean and air conditioned if you visit in hot months."
Available this weekend
from $24 - $130 / night
"They can’t stop talking about it and are ready to go back. The campground is right on the Gulf of Mexico with some sites right on the sand."
"Kind staff, well cared for pools, activity center, bathrooms, laundry, and roads (important since it’s right on the beach!)."
"Clean bathrooms with decent showers. $1.50 for each laundry machine. Dirt/paved roads, your gear and rig will get muddy or sandy. Great staff, close to commissary and exchange."
"Camp Robbins is located on Eglin AFB just outside the Fort Walton Beach area."
"Very clean, right on Choctawhatchee Bay, less than 5 minutes drive from Destin Harbor."
"The location is awesome. There is laundry and showers on site. The campground is mixed with some hotel and villa accommodations as well. The pool and splash pad are perfect for kids."
from $20 - $24 / night
"Staff: once again the entire staff is a living definition of southern hospitality."
"We tent camped but we had a nice shady spot on a comfortable raised sand bed. This campground has it's own sweet little beach and pier. Also has a small hot tub and a 4 foot deep heated pool."
"Fort Pickins is a large National Park campground on Gulf Islands National Seashore in Florida. There are 4 camping loops. Loop D is tents only."
"Gorgeous white sand beaches a short walk from the campground. Clean, great hot showers, level asphalt pads, water and electric, dump station on site."
Available this weekend
from $20 - $40 / night
"Lake surrounds all sites. Beautiful setting.private baths.huge amenities center. Fishing and glamping tents"
"This camp resort is set on a lake with paved pads, full hookups, an activities center, swimming pool, laundry, excellent bathroom amenities. Lake allows fishing and is pet friendly."
from $75 - $85 / night
"PROS Entire site pea gravel
Moveable wooden and metal picnic table
Stainless steel pedestal BBQ grill
Metal fire pit with cooking grate
Quiet
No street lights
Bathhouse has motion activated"
"This site was within easy walking distance of the beach which was quiet and perfect for building a sand sculpture or just watching the sunset."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $28 / night
"Great place, level concrete sites, many with pond view, nice, clean bathhouse, trash cans, and dumpsters, water and electric , dump station... The only con is sites are close."
"Better yet, I got an RV spot on the day of arrival. Great pull-through sites with fire ring, picnic table, water, and electricity. Pitched my tent on the banks of Sand Pond."
Available this weekend
from $23 / night
"Friendly, helpful staff. Plenty of pull throughs. Some pads are dirt, some gravel, some concrete. They appear to be adding gravel to un-occupied sites. "
"We enjoyed our stay here and will be back for future Florida stays. Great staff. Pool was nice! Great little putt putt area for kids."
ScoutMy campsite was turned into a construction zone. See pictures. My site should have not been available given the work that would be done. People all over my site, terrorizing my dog, using my picnic table as a staging area for supplies. Manager devoid of any form of empathy. They offered a site move(no thank you a day before departure) and 50% off(not adequate). AVOID AT ALL COSTS.
TravelerSmall campground. Peaceful. Mostly older people in small RVs. Oddly enough no issue with mosquitoes which was shocking! Very nice sites
GuideTopsail Hill Preserve State Park is an excellent place for tent camping in December, especially if you enjoy hiking, wildlife, and having easy access to the beach without the summer crowds.
December is a great time to experience the park. The cooler temperatures make hiking much more enjoyable, and the campground is generally quieter and more relaxed than during the warmer months. The nights can get chilly, so I would definitely recommend bringing a good sleeping bag, warm layers, and something to block the wind. During the day, though, the weather can be perfect for exploring.
My biggest advice for December tent campers is to prepare for changing weather. You could have a beautiful mild afternoon followed by a cold and windy night. Bring layers, rain protection, and a windproof jacket rather than relying on one heavy coat.
Overall, Topsail Hill Preserve State Park is one of the better winter camping destinations on the Florida Panhandle. You get the Gulf, hiking, birding, dune lakes, wildlife, and a comfortable campground all in one place. For someone who prefers quiet trails and beaches over hot weather and summer crowds, December may actually be one of the best times of the year to camp here.
TravelerExcellent location for camping and having easy access to the beach. Bathhouse was incredibly clean and well maintained. Camp store has plenty of equipment to rent and there is tons of trails to ride bikes around and to the beach.
ScoutI rarely leave negative reviews, but this experience was incredibly disappointing. I reserved a specific campsite many months in advance for my birthday. Before arriving, I even received an email confirming that exact site. When I checked in, I was told they had given my reserved site to someone else and moved me to a different spot. The whole reason I booked so far in advance was to secure that particular location, so this completely defeated the purpose of planning ahead. What made the situation even worse was how it was handled. The manager never apologized or acknowledged the mistake. Instead, I was met with an attitude that made it seem like my frustration wasn’t justified. A sincere apology and some accountability would have gone a long way. To“make it right,” they offered a 20% discount, which honestly felt insulting given that they failed to honor a confirmed reservation on a special occasion. It wasn’t about the money—it was about keeping their commitment and treating customers with respect when they make a mistake. Unfortunately, what should have been a memorable birthday started with disappointment because of the park’s poor reservation management and lack of customer service. I hope they improve their processes and, more importantly, learn how to take responsibility when they let their guests down.
TravelerTop rate Florida State campground with full hookup. Bathrooms are spotless. Beach access with tram available throughout the day. We will be back.
TravelerCould have been lovely, but no camp hosts and no one to call when METHany and her spawn show up with a loose pit bull, burning garbage, and defecating on your campsite. Nice flat site, very low water pressure, but good electric 50amp. NOTE: it's a state park so ANYONE can book- including methheads who let their pit bull run loose, burning garbage(including the pet waste we shamed her into picking up) causing us to close our windows, and allows teens to drive against traffic, car surfing....and there's NO ONE to call for help because the camp host is gone all day(at work?) and automatically unreachable after 5pm.
ScoutGreat campground, quick walk to the quiet beach, good bathrooms and laundry facilities
TravelerWe recently stayed at Splash RV Resort at site 83 and had a great experience overall. Our site was excellent, featuring a decent little yard, and it was almost perfectly level—only about a half-inch off from left to right across the width of our camper. There was also plenty of room to park our F-450 right in front. The resort's location is perfect for day trips to the nearby beaches, and the roads inside the park are great with very easy access from the highway. (Note: There isn't much shopping nearby besides a Dollar General, so come prepared!) The facilities here are absolutely amazing. The bathhouses and laundry rooms are honestly resort-quality. We also ordered the cinnamon rolls a day in advance, and they were incredible. The resort app works flawlessly—we used it to request a propane refill, a fire pit, and firewood, and the service was incredibly fast every time. Almost all of the employees were super awesome and friendly. The only negative interaction we had was with the older lady working at the camp store. She constantly hounded us multiple times about not wearing our wristbands. Given that the resort has a gate code, gated security, and guest lists, the aggressive monitoring felt like overkill—especially since I personally cannot sleep with things on my wrists. To make this place a true 10/10, I have a few suggestions for management: 1 The Pizza: While the other poolside food was surprisingly good, the pizza was a letdown. It was a typical frozen, "waterpark-style" reheated pizza that cost $20. For that price point, the resort should definitely choose a higher-quality option. 2 Pool Sun Shades: Currently, the sun shades are over the shallow section of the adults-only pool. These really should be moved over the children’s section (at least on one side). Kids are much more sensitive to the sun and it’s always a struggle to get them out of the water to reapply sunscreen. 3 The Fitness Center: It was pretty pathetic and could definitely use a functional trainer or better equipment to match the quality of the rest of the resort. Overall, it’s a beautiful place to stay with top-tier amenities, and we would definitely come back!
Topsail Hill Preserve State Park Campground features tent and RV sites with private hammock camping options in a coastal preserve setting. Located along the scenic Highway 30A corridor near Santa Rosa Beach, the park maintains several shorter hiking trails leading to coastal dune lakes or the Gulf. Winter temperatures can drop to around 30°F, making appropriate gear essential for off-season visitors. During colder months, electrical hookups provide essential heating capabilities for tent campers.
Fishing from dedicated piers: Eglin AFB FamCamp offers access to fishing docks where military families can catch local species. A camper notes, "There is a base gym, boat and equipment rentals and bay side access for fishing and swimming on post and close to the camp as well."
Explore historic military sites: Fort Pickens Campground provides access to preserved Civil War-era fortifications. "The campground is far removed from any city lights as it is 10 miles out of town on a skinny peninsula of land," shares one visitor. Walking tours of the historic batteries offer panoramic views of Pensacola Bay and the Gulf.
Paddling on coastal dune lakes: Pine Log State Forest offers freshwater paddling alternatives to ocean activities. "We had a great view of the river and easy access to the hiking trails," reports a camper who stayed at one of the primitive sites. The forest maintains three primitive sites along Pine Log Creek, each approximately half a mile apart.
Private tent camping areas: Topsail Hill Preserve State Park Campground offers secluded tent sites separated from other campers. One visitor mentioned, "Our site was back off the road in the brush - very private even with a trail just on the other side of the bushes." The tent camping area includes site 21 with adaptable hammock camping setups.
Individual bathroom facilities: Camp On The Gulf provides private bathroom amenities beyond standard campground facilities. According to a camper, "They have individual shower rooms that have a toilet and sink too." The campground maintains both standard and premium RV spots with varying depths and widths.
Natural wildlife viewing: Visitors consistently note deer sightings at multiple Destin-area campgrounds. A Sand Pond camper was "lulled to sleep by the croaking of bull frogs while watching the moon rise from my sleeping bag." The forest setting creates natural habitat for diverse wildlife only 25 miles from Panama City Beach.
Security protocols: Military camping facilities near Destin require proper identification. At Eglin AFB FamCamp, "Department of defense ID is required for entry!" The base location provides enhanced security while placing visitors close to commissary and exchange facilities.
Crowding conditions: Beachfront sites at popular campgrounds often have tight spacing. One camper observed about Camp On The Gulf, "Parking your rig is TIGHT. Like super tight. 2 nice pools and all other amenities like Wi-Fi, laundry, sewer, etc."
Military aircraft noise: Military base camping includes regular aircraft activity. A visitor to Eglin AFB FamCamp notes, "If roaring and screaming fighter jets first thing in the morning is not for you scratch this camp off your list."
Splash features for children: Several facilities include water play areas beyond swimming pools. At Destin Army Recreation Area, families appreciate the "nice pool, splash pad, laundry facility and bath house."
Private beach access: Navarre Beach Camping Resort provides waterfront relaxation with fewer crowds than public beaches. "This campground has its own sweet little beach and pier. Also has a small hot tub and a 4 foot deep heated pool," notes one family.
Seasonal family activities: Camp On The Gulf organizes regular children's programming. One visitor shared, "The week we were there they had a different activity for the kids each day. They had painting sand dollars, bubba the alligator show, face painting and even an Easter egg hunt."
Navigational considerations: Glamping close to Destin, Florida often requires careful RV maneuvering. At Gulf Pines KOA, "RV sites are long enough for 44 ft motorhome and toad. However sites are at 90 degree angle and hard to get into for big rigs, but doable."
Check site dimensions: Campsites vary significantly in size within the same campground. A Camp On The Gulf visitor advises, "Pay attention to the size site you reserve some of them are more narrow and less deep than others. It can make backing in a challenge."
Road access variations: When glamping in forested settings near Destin, access roads may require planning. At Sand Pond Campground, a visitor notes, "We have about 1 mile of dirt road to get here. Some campsites can be tight if you have a big rig."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Destin, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Destin, FL is Topsail Hill Preserve State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 74 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Destin, FL?
TheDyrt.com has all 20 glamping camping locations near Destin, FL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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