Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Hobe Sound, FL

Hobe Sound FL Jonathan Dickinson SP This park has two campgrounds. Pine Grove Campground, has 90 sites, it is located near the ranger station. These large sites have more space between and foliage for privacy. Sites have clothes line, fire pit, picnic table and are all level gravel. Very nice clean bathouses with family room. None of the washers and dryers were working. There's a playground and picnic Pavilion. Some road and train noise. Had good downpour today and had a little lake at back of site but within an hour it disappeared! Great place to stargaze. Saw a  great full Wolf Moon.

River Campground is more rustic, it has 52 sites, is about four miles from the park entrance, near the Loxahatchee River. Sites close together, no privacy. The River CG is great if you plan to fish or kayak. Close to boat ramp. Sites are dirt. Also more mosquitoes. There's major utility construction going on next to this camp right now. 

Good things- Miles of paved and off road bike  and hike trails, great bird watching, star gazing, canoeing, kayaking, fishing. Seasonal horse back rides. Fun and informative boat tour to Trapper Nelson's. There's a great learning center. Amazon delivers to Ranger station. Stores and restaurants a couple miles away.

For hiking, biking(street and mountain), paddling, boating, and a great camping experience, Jonathan Dickinson State Park gives you all of that and more. Located off U.S. 1 in Hobe Sound, this park and campground offer a variety of activities. And depending on which of the 2 camping areas you choose, you can also have a Florida camping experience where the only noise you’ll hear is the rustling of the palm fronds in the breeze.

There are two distinct and very separate campgrounds in the park. The Pine Grove Campground is located along U.S. Route 1 after you go past the ranger station. We looked at the campground from the satellite view on Google Maps. It seemed very open with almost no trees. When we rode through it on our bikes it confirmed what we saw on Google. Immature trees next to flat slabs with no atmosphere. If you want to just experience the rest of the park, or you are just stopping over a night or two on the way to somewhere else, this might be an okay choice. And there are more campsites in this campground that can accommodate Class A motorhomes better than the River Campground.

But if you want to experience the best Jonathan Dickinson State Park camping, pick the River Campground. The River Campground is about 6 miles in from Hwy U.S. 1 and rests on the edge of the Loxahatchee River. These sites are smaller than at the Pine Grove campground. There isn’t a lot of shade here either, but the overall atmosphere is great. Lots of palms trees, pine trees, and saw palmettos. It’s quintessential Florida. And there is no ambient noise at all because you are so far in from the highway.

To see our full review visit https://lifestyleover50.com/jonathan-dickinson-state-park-camping-review/

We sold our house in West Palm Beach and relocated to Vero Beach for work, choosing to stay in our RV at this park while awaiting our new home to be built. Initially, we were excited, but the management at this park turned out to be a nightmare. Despite the reasonable and straightforward rules, we faced constant harassment. We have two dogs that we walk multiple times a day. There are no trash cans or doggy bags on the property except in the dog park, so we took the initiative to buy an outdoor trash can and a bulk supply of dog waste bags to ensure we cleaned up after our pets. Yet, we received weekly notices accusing us of not cleaning up after our dogs. Each time I went to the main office to discuss these notices, I was told to“just ignore it” as it was likely a“pesty neighbor.” Additionally, when family visited us for the day and parked at our RV slot, we received notices about parking violations. After discussing this with the office, we were advised to have our visitors park in the lot by the restaurant, which we did. Despite this, we continued to receive notices for various infractions, such as improper water hookup and not stopping completely in the neighborhood. This felt like borderline harassment. As responsible adults who strive to follow regulations, we were perplexed and frustrated by these continuous and unfounded accusations. Each time we sought clarification from the office, they dismissed our concerns, blaming"nosey neighbors" and suggesting neighborly disputes were at play. Ultimately, we were given a 30-day notice to vacate the property. This experience is particularly disappointing because we had suggested this park for our upcoming family reunion, which would have brought 47 rentals for a week. Now, I can't wait to leave this place. For anyone considering a short-term stay, this park may suffice. However, I strongly advise against bringing pets unless you want to be harassed and falsely accused. For those seeking a long-term rental, avoid this park at all costs, as you will face weekly harassment. Furthermore, we had several packages confirmed as delivered to the“receptionist/front desk,” which mysteriously went missing, apparently mishandled by the staff. Our initial excitement to be part of the Road Runner community has completely dissipated. I am eager to leave and will never return. I do not recommend this park and will be warning others. 0/10.---