Best RV Parks & Resorts near Fort Mccoy, FL

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.

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If you find yourself in North Central Florida and in need of a patch of land to call home for the night, located just off Highway 17 just 5 miles due south of Palatka, you’ll encounter Lynch’s Landing RV Park, which offers immediate access to St. Johns River, where there’s plenty of fantastic boating and fishing to be had. That said, this spot should be looked at as a layover or a step towards your final destination, as while the access to fresh water is amazing, the campground offering is meager at best. Currently this ‘park’ is in the midst of a major refurbishment as ownership has recently changed hands. 

Amenities here include: direct access to fishing on St. John’s River on the proprietary pier, full-service RV hook-ups (water, sewage and 30 / 50 amp electric) and a fairly decent boat ramp, in case you are towing your own behind you. Here you’ll discover that there’s every kind of boat docking at Lynch’s Landing from dinghies, yachts, canoes and kayaks and even the 40-footer fishing boats that you’ll occasionally see in these parts. With all 37 sites, there is complimentary WiFi offered for your web-surfing pleasure, along with just OK bathroom and shower facilities, an onsite laundr-O-mat, 200-foot fishing dock (panoramic sunset views are complimentary!). 

No RV? Not a problem. Lynch’s will rent you a riverfront bungalow (but book way in advance!) complete with microwave, bathroom (with solo shower), fridge and TV. Surprisingly, there are no picnic tables or BBQ rings anywhere – I guess these ‘campers’ are cooking everything inside this fairly RV-exclusive mini-park versus throwing meat on the grill for their meals. Apart from this property’s close proximity to St. Augustine (30 minutes), Daytona Beach (60 minutes) or the City of the Most Famous Mouse (90 minutes), what is pretty impressive is the low $’s you’ll pay for the nightly, weekly and even monthly rental. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) In my view, Lynch’s Landing is not a destination – at least not at this moment until they refurbish the place, so my recommendation is to arrive late and depart early, unless you are really here for an excellent access point to the lower point of St. John’s River; (2) If you are looking to get some hiking in, look no further than Welaka State Forest, where there’s 2 decent trails (both integrated to the Florida forest Service’s‘ Trailwalker Hiking Program’) with the first, Spring Trail, offering a short 2-mile loop that ends in Mud Springs and the second, John’s Landing Trail offering either a 3.5 or 4 mile loop; and (3) While Lynch’s doesn’t offer much in the way of a natural spot to socialize and get to know the community, if you do find yourself missing civilization, in less than a 5 minute drive, you can join a sweltering crowd at either Oasis, which is a small roadside joint featuring beer and wine or Chico’s, which is the local Mexican cantina. 

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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.

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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.

Our little family booked this place last minute, though no reviews, we threw the dice & got lucky. The campground has primarily full time RV residents and 55+ mobile homes. The facilities were clean. Had full hook ups and etc. some of the campers (full time) looked a little bit on the older side but everybody was NICE and I felt 110% safe (were traveling with a toddler so safety is my number one concern). The groundskeeper and manager live at the park and are extremely accommodating. It’s not a luxury RV park so if you’re looking for the glitz and glam - this isn’t it. Wi-Fi is slow - so that’s the only negative I have to say about the property.

If you find yourself up in the northeastern corner pocket of the Sunshine State, and for some reason end-up here in Palatka (a.k.a. The Farmer’s Market of the entire State of Florida) and looking for a spot to park your mobile living room on solid ground, then Crystal Cove Marina & RV Resort might just be the spot for you. Careful though, as there are only about 8 spots here to choose from (although this RV riverside stand is promising 40 more tree-lined RV slots in the near future), but all sites come with full hook-ups including 30 / 50 electrical, water and sewage. There are no picnic tables, BBQ grills or any other amenities to speak of, but you will have direct access to St. Johns River with an amazing boat launch. That’s about it.

Other than the pavement that you will drive on upon entering this spot or the flat and level sandy locations that you will park upon, there’s not a whole lot to this particular place, although there is an incredibly nice restaurant / bar scenario called ‘The Lighthouse’ (formerly named ‘Captain’s Cove Bar’) which is a decent bar with all of the usuals on tap and on shelf. There’s food trucks and live music on the weekends, but bear in mind that your RV will be parked in the same spot as said food trucks along with all of the local parking traffic that overruns the parking lot you will find yourself in.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) While there’s not much to offer in these parts, you are right near Palatka, which is kind of an overgrown town, that has a number of standard drive-by restaurants that you’ll expect (Chili’s … add every standard fast-food restaurant chain here), but there are a few hidden gems, of which, I highly recommend Corky’s Bell Seafood @ Gator Landing, which I would encourage you to try the fried whole catfish or the mahi-mahi served grilled or blackened; (2) Despite the bar offering here at Crystal Cove, which might keep you rooted because it’s just so dang easy and close, I would highly recommend a trip to Welatka Lodge Resort, which for a 25 minute ride south along the St. John's River will certainly impress; and (3) If you’re looking for a great slice of nature to discover and hike / fish / kayak / etc. then head on over to Etoniah State Forest, which is less than a 20 minute drive from Crystal Cove and there’s 4-5 amazing hiking trails to explore as well as Georges Lake with which to cast a line.

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Stayed in the middle of the week. Sadly this site does cost a bit of money ($34 when I went). RV hookups, electricity, showers and bathrooms all easily accessible. Swimming only in the designated areas of the spring with chances to see tons of wildlife, the water is crystal clear and beautiful. There is also a decent nature walk nearby as well.

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. 

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Formerly known as Compass RV Resort, Sun Outdoors of St. Augustine is an RV mega-resort paradise in the midst of Old Florida, placing you in very close proximity to both the cobblestone streets of the touristy oldest city in the nation (a.k.a. Ancient City) as well as the amazing white powder sand beaches of northern Florida. Located just a stone’s throw from the busiest transport artery in all of Florida (I95), whether you’ve just come down from the north to grab some warmth and sunshine or heading further afield as part of a larger trip, Sun Outdoors makes both a good pit stop as well as a spot that you might want to drop anchor for several nights. 

You can’t call an otherwise RV parking lot a ‘resort’ without throwing down a number of amenities and Sun Outdoors – a chain of RV pit stops throughout the country with dizzying amounts of distractions and add-ons – will deliver on this front easily. From offering the basics like back-in and pull-through well-paved, flat RV slots (there’s more than 160 spots to choose from) with gravel pads and all the full hook-ups (20 / 30 / 50 amp electric, sewage and water) offering solo, patio and buddy sites. There’s 3 different sections to this park each offering up a slightly different experience, including: The Grove, The Pond and The Oasis. In addition to standard pet-friendly hook-ups, all sites provide complimentary cable and WiFi, fire ring with foldable BBQ rack and picnic tables as well as full access to spartan cleaned restroom and shower facilities as well as other community amenities (see more below). 

Additional amenities include: spacious dog park, heated in-ground swimming pool, nature trails that encircle the resort, fitness center, coin-operated laundr-O-mat, on-site storage, corn hole, gazebo / picnic area, clubhouse as well as catch & release fishing in the small pond on-site. And if you don’t have an RV, don’t worry, the good folks here at Sun Outdoors will rent you one of two versions of newly fabricated 1BR mobile homes. Bonus points additionally as Sun Outdoors is protected by a remote-control operated entrance gate, along with a main office (where you’ll check-in) that is fully staffed around the clock adding extra layers of security. 

Insider’s tips? (1) If you’re a golfing fanatic (and admittedly, I am not), then you are in luck as just a bit further up north on I95 you’ll come across World Golf Village, where in addition to offering up Buccee’s and CostCo for all your camping and shopping needs (where a Home Depot and Bass Pro Fishing will be installed shortly), there’s also World Golf Hall of Fame featuring exhibits and displays of the sport; (2) For the history buffs, there’s Castille de San Marcos National Monument, which is one of the oldest stone masonry fortifications in the western hemisphere (let alone the US) originally founded by the Spanish way; (3) While you might be living the blues inside your RV or simply want to replace the sound of highway traffic with something more pleasant, you can actually just head up the street and listen to the blues at probably one of the coolest outdoor venues in the country at St. Augustine Ampitheater; (4) If you are looking for a decent place to do some great hiking, then look no further than due south of Sun Outdoors where you can check out Matanzas State Park, that has miles and miles of unspoiled hiking trails with virtually the entire place to yourself (save the deer and gators that you might come across); (5) If you’ve forgot anything, while there’s an on-site market here at Sun Outdoors, there’s also a Dollar General Store and slightly further down the road, a Publix; (6) Carrying watercraft and looking for a nice spot to hit the water? Then I HIGHLY recommend Princess Place Preserve that offers access to the Matanzas and Tolomato Rivers as well as Pellicer Creek; and (7) Lastly, if you are craving some great local fare and too tired to figure out what that next meal is, then I highly recommend these local favorite joints: Scoop for ice cream, Sunday for brunch, Munch for an assortment of food trucks and St. Augustine Fish House& Oyster Company for amazing fresh seafood with great Intracoastal water views overlooking St. Augustine. 

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Welcome to High Springs RV Resort under new ownership!! This park has been transformed into a beauty. Conveniently located just a quarter mile off interstate 75, but nestled into the nature, hidden jem. Everything from the heated/airconditioned private bathouse to the concrete slabbed sites. This resort is a must see

Just left STARK FLORIDA KOA. No shade but a huge amount of space between sites and set up on an angle which increased the sense of space. Sites had full hook up, elec, water, sewer. Very clean laundry, heated pool, camp store, propane, activities. Very nice people.

While just a short jaunt from I95, in under 7 minutes from 3-lane express highway traffic, you’ll find yourself sauntering south on a meandering paved entranceway with white picket fences and swear that you were driving onto the set of Dallas (for those of us that remember that Texan drama series!). Once you swing around the bend, a blockade of Ancient Oaks and Magnolias draped in an excessive amount of Spanish Moss are there to greet you to Bulow RV Resort (which is run by Encore RV Resorts). And WOW! does this place pack a lot in! 

For starters, this RV campground is MASSIVE with nearly 400 back-in and pull-through slots to choose from. Nestled on the banks of the Bulow Creek and nearby to the Intracoastal, with the famed Flagler Beach just beyond, this campground is perfect for those seeking water (of any kind). And for those that prefer land, no worries, out here, you are completely surrounded by 6+ golf courses and a ton of great hiking trails. Don’t have an RV? Cringe at the thought of setting up a tent? Absolutely not a problem here at Bulow RV Resort, where they’ll rent you 1 of 5 types of cabins / cottages (note: no pets allowed on these premises though). 

Really, the only downside to this entire place is the lack of privacy that you’ll encounter here – apart from being surrounded by Florida’s most amazing natural wilderness.  Once inside this RV compound, it is quite barren and therefore doesn’t offer much in the way of privacy or a sense of seclusion. So if living in an RV city, complete with road signs and attractions is your idea of paradise, then Bulow RV Resort could be ideal for you. 

As for amenities here, you won’t be disappointed – although you may be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of things to do! Starting with the basics, there are scattered picnic tables and BBQ grills and very well maintained restrooms and clean shower facilities. For RVers, all of the basic water, sewage and electric (30 / 50 amp) hook-ups are available and most of the spaces are fairly wide-open and barren, so you won’t have much privacy anywhere in this campground. In addition, there’s RV storage, ballroom/ banquet hall (because you never know when you might need to throw a big party, right?!), horseshoes, mini-golf, sand volleyball court, designated picnic / bbq areas, clubhouse / lounge, dog park and all the WiFi for your social media surfing pleasure. There’s also a fairly well-stocked market on-site, propane refill station, plenty of designated dump stations, shuffleboard, full service bar (yes, I couldn’t believe it either!) and an activities center that has a full lineup of daily events. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a fairly decent sized pool that has an absolutely pristine laundr-O-mat located right next to it. I know! Mai Tais, floaties and running a load of whites all-in-one! 

Insider’s Tips? Here’s a few: (1) For those that are spending just a few nights (or even a week), you’ll want to find a spot much closer to the front of the property – as the back of the property is organized more for longer-term monthly ‘residents’; (2) For those that enjoy hiking, I strongly recommend heading just due south of this RV resort to Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic Park, where you can hike Bulow Creek Canoe Trail, which is quite short and basic, or head further south to Boardman Pond where there’s a pretty cool observation platform for bird-watching; (3) For tent campers, you’ll discover that this resort has isolated a place directly in front (near those white picket fences), where you will be separated from the RV community.  Again, because there is ZERO ground coverage, you will feel a little like a ‘spider in a bathtub,’ so I would recommend if you are going to camp here, to opt for a site as far west as you can (towards those Ancient Oaks and Magnolias I first mentioned – in fact, I would just go primitive and head in that direction anyway); (4) If you’re looking to drop a kayak or canoe in the water, you can either do that directly on-site where the Bulow Creek merges with the Halifax River (nearby the swimming pool) or further afield and southernly, you can drop your watercraft in Tomoka Marsh Aquatic Preserve where you’ll enjoy much wider expanses; and (5) When you get tired of firing up the grill for each meal and want to venture out into the local area, go try out Flagler Fish Company which has been a local (funky) favorite for years or The Anchor, both of which serve up just amazing seafood done up any which way you can imagine. 

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Ocala North RV Resort is in horse country, yet convenient to both Gainesville and Ocala. We stayed here last June and came back for the winter. Now we are staying indefinitely and loving it. There is mature landscaping in the original part of the resort. New heated saline pool opened last February. They are expanding with 200 more sites set to open in the late summer. Great place for a short stay or long vacation. Friendly people!