Best Glamping near Live Oak, FL

I imagine that Suwannee Music Park Campground was borne out of the wonderful brainchild idea of someone who was fortunate enough to attend the original Woodstock back in ’69 and after leaving the upstate NY experience, woke up 3,000 miles away here on the shores of the Suwannee and said to themselves,“hey, why not try to create that experience here in NW Florida?!” And thus, this nature-embracing outdoor musical playground was given birth.

Let’s begin with the sheer size of this place: with 800+ acres and over 600 campsites to choose from, this thickly wooded sprawling campground expanse is massive. And when it comes to the camping itself, no matter what type you might be thinking of - from RV and 5th Wheelers to those towing Horse Trailers and, Primitive Camping and Treehouses as well as Cabins for lease, every type of outdoor camping is offered here.

The major attraction here, apart from the live music performances that get booked very frequently in this camping outpost, is the direct access you’ll have to the historic Cypress tree-lined Suwannee River, which is nothing short of fantastic if you enjoy paddling a kayak or canoe. If you are looking for something just as active but different, there’s a dedicated disc golf course as well as endless miles of trails, perfect for hiking and biking.

Other amenities include: horse stables, children’s playground, covered pavilions, a bird sanctuary, chapel, small lake with fishing dock (catch & release only), bat house (apparently the largest in the US), tree house, craft village, boat launch, barn museum, drum circle, horse wash / manure disposal, arcade game room with pinball machine, live music pavilions, shelters, potable water stations, karaoke, riverside beach, viewable bee hives, golf cart rental, designated dump stations, WiFi, on-site cafe and general store (firewood, ice, beer, T-shirts, hats and caps), bar and music hall, pickin’ shed, geocaching, rock waterfall, first aid stations, swimming pool (that also serves up ice cream and pizza poolside), multiple music stages, restrooms and shower facilities and Suwannee River dock. For the RV crowd, Suwanee Music Park offers 20 / 30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage hook-ups.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) Despite being pretty far removed from civilization for those really wanting to embrace a nice chunk of untouched nature, I have to admit this place was overwhelmed with golf carts when we visited, which really takes away from the ambiance of being out in nature in the first place IMHO. Many times this place felt more like the Villages (the world's largest and most well-heeled retirement community located south of here in central Florida) than a remote camping outpost; (2) Should you need anything, the town of Live Oak is just a 20 minute drive south of here wherein you’ll find just about everything you are looking for, including a Busy Bee for excellent bathrooms, showers and laundry facilities, Walmart Supercenter and Publix for groceries as well as just OK restaurants like Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, Zaxby’s and a Waffle House, but for actual really good food, keep on heading south to the center of town where you’ll find Big Wood BBQ & Grill, The 406 or Brown Lantern; (3) If you were fascinated by the drama, murder and mayhem on the Netflix series Tiger King, then head south of Live Oak to Mystic Jungle where you can see all of their amazing wild cats that normally you would only be able to see while on safari; (4) For my primitive tent pitching bredren, of all the amazing places to consider here, I would strongly recommend those primitive camping spots that are either located near the Bat House over just north and west of Farm Field or the primitive camping sites just east of Spirit Lake; (5) Only downsides include: very overcrowded in some places, lots of bugs (so be sure to bring the Citronella!), uneven land to pitch a tent in the primitive camping area, RV sites are pretty close to one another, WiFi is intermittent and weak in many places, ‘golf carts gone wild’ scenarios, lots of restrictions and rules (destroys that Woodstock vibe I thought we would find here), dated bathrooms will take you back to the 1970s; (6) Upsides include: incredibly friendly staff, very close to Highway 10 making this spot very easy and quick to access, incredibly well-stocked general store; and (7) For best bat viewing, come at dusk to watch them leave by the tens of thousands turning the sky dark, and then come before dawn to watch them all return while sipping your Americano in a lawn chair.

Happy Camping!

Great place! Very level site with great hook ups. Nice helpful staff. Don’t forget to check out the Florida trial here!

We love this campground. The sites have nice shade ( important in Florida) the bathrooms are clean and well designed. We love hiking down to the Santa Fe river.

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.

This place is amazing. Aside from the occasional music festival, which also is jam packed full of camping and other amenities, you will gain an experience for sure. Amidst Florida pines and oaks, you will find, the suwannee river. Follow a trail from your campground to the beautiful and dark waters of the Suwannee. If your a fan of wildlife, they also have bat houses aplenty to keep your eyes high with the treeline.

Looking for some after hour drinks? Well this place also has a bar and music hall.

Ever wanted to feel like your in a fantasy book? Well the spirit of suwannee park has a beautiful treehouse close by. Come rent this tall fairylike beauty! I fell in love with this place as it very local to me. People in these parts know what it's like to be here, if your not from around here, we welcome you to come experience north Florida. :) it's not all beaches here.

This place was amazing! It just has this magical vibe about it. The people are friendly, there's plenty to see, and it's just an all around great place. I can just image the festivals are even more killer. It's close to many of Floridas springs as well. Definitely a must see

Very large unique campground it offers tent camping, RV camping, camping with horses & cabins. Most famous for their events & concerts. Most campers bring their golf cart & ride the trials. There is a restaurant/bar on site that has live music on on weekends; there is also a general store that has most anything you may need, as well as a Starbucks. Great weekend getaway if your in South Georgia/north Florida.

Nice camp ground. Most of the space were pull through for Rv/campers. They were pretty narrow spaces. Lots of trees and shade. The entire campground was dirt and some gravel. The bathrooms were ok. Not kept the cleanest, but not the worst I’ve seen.

Super close to the river for easy access. Be prepared it almost rains every day in Florida, so if tent camping be prepared for rain.

The campsite was nice and private. The bathrooms were clean. The park had nice hiking trails, but I enjoyed the kayaking most of all. There is a swimming section. The river goes underground but you can’t kayak in this area. The river has a small rapids area, for Florida. Got to see a snake sunbathing next to two turtles with kayaking. Fun park!

We've stayed @ O'Leno 3 times over the past year and love it! The campsites are spacious, well shaded, and with in easy walking distance to the Bathhouse/Restrooms. The facilities are kept clean and neat. There are plenty of trails and a swimming hole on the Santa Fe River. 

We also like that O'leno is 15 -20 minutes from some of Florida's beautiful Natural Springs.

O’Leno State Park Review| Site 50 Oleno State Park is the camping I always remembered. You know, like quintessential state or national park imagery where you would expect to see“Smoky The Bear” around the next bend. It was one of Florida’s original state parks being built by the Civilian Conservation Corps after WWI as part of the make work project by FDR. This is probably why it has that National Park Vibe… you feel immediately at ease and that you are outside in nature. The campground surely has that feel as well as the facilities down by the river. 

There are still a few remaining buildings from the original town of Keno. This park reminds me of Hillsboro State Park with its suspension bridge over the Sante Fe River before it disappears into the ground only to appear another 3 miles downstream. The hiking in this park is OUTSTANDING. In addition, the campsites are really nice. 

We camped in Dogwood Campground which is near the entrance of the park. Most of the reviews seem to indicate that people prefer Magnolia Campground which is about 1.5 miles down the road near the river and most of the activities but after riding through that campground we were happy we were in Dogwood with it’s narrow dirt road and very rustic primitive appearance even though the sites have power and water. 

We would certainly return to this park when we can stay longer and visit some of the nearby Springs like Gilchrist Blue or Ginnie. We were in site#50. The bathhouse was clean as they are in all Florida State Parks and kind of cool that it is in the middle of the campground with small trails leading to it from a number, if not most of the campsites. 

NOTE: Some of the photos were from a trip earlier in the year as we didn’t take many pics this trip. It may appear“greener” than it actually is in North Florida in February. By the end of March it will look like this again.

Booked a spot here over the New Years weekend as we travel through Florida. This is a small, family owned rv park. 15 back-in sites. Very friendly owner. You book by calling in only. The town of Steinhatchee has more to offer than Perry where we stayed at KOA. Only complaint is need to upgrade the wifi.

I didn’t actually stay overnight here, but biked over from the nearby Hart Springs campground. Nice facility with fully shaded spots among Florida forest. There were a number of unmarked buildings, but upon researching it looks like a covered pool and clubhouse. The spring swimming area was lovely and clear and no crowds. Seems like a nice place to stay for a fun, activity filled getaway.

Older Florida park with roots in the CCC and Forestry Service. Large park with hiking, bike and equestrian trails. Along the Santa Fe River there is a swimming hole, suspension bridge, old buildings and a small museum. Magnolia loop would be the best loop for RVs, but spots can be had. Facilities are clean, albeit old. Camping loops and pads are hard sand. Sites vary in size and level. Separation between sits is not bad but suffered in hurricane damage. Some sites appear a bit tight with overhanging trees.

This is one of the busiest campgrounds in Florida. Their HUGE festivals draw in matching crowds so check their schedule before booking so your experience is one that matches your desires. We camped along the river - primitive tent camping. We were told to just go out and pick a spot and we got a nice one. there was a lot of golf cart traffic into the evening - they offer rentals and this location is very large so to see it all folk cruise around the trails on them. We were only staying one night and launching from there for an over night kayak trip on the Suwannee River. Lots of places to explore and sights to see when exploring! great staff and concession center. they also have tree house rentals, RV spaces and cabins.

I can’t say too much about this campground because I didn’t stay here. We say the sign and wanted to check it out so we just talked to the nice people in the office and they told us to take our time. The campground looked like nice decent size sites. They have 5 cabins available. A cute playground, volleyball area and a covered, screened in pool. The spring wasn’t anything amazing but definitely a way to cool off here in the Florida heat. I will definitely be staying here in the future.

We loved this campground. We did not visit pool/hottub or bathrooms... had a camper delivered and towed our boat up. Perfect spot on the Sante Fe with the Ichetucknee and Suwanee rivers super close. Huge dockage and nice spot for overflow/trailer parking. 

The park it self was very nice we got a River spot and loved it. 

We did get take out from the bar, it was bar food. Wifi is bad, like real bad but you are in the woods. Had enough on my mifi to stream Dinner and a Movie for NYE. Speaking of NYE they had a Motley Crew cover band, social distancing and masks are not a thing in this part of Florida, like the posters from the health department don't even mention masks, so if COVID is still a thing prepare yourself. There is one gas station within a few miles and that is it. Bring everything you need or eat bar food.

Arrived here for a three-night tent stay in early October after staying at the George L. Smith State Park in Georgia. This place has soo much potential. It was quite deserted. Switched from spot 324 to 375 next to the lake where it was more level. What's up with the restrooms though? There are a couple of spots where port-a-potties have been set up. They are ventilated and well lit, but they have no water though they have what are supposed to be running toilets and even sinks. There's a raised platform with shower stalls, but there's no running water?

The place is otherwise very beautiful and peaceful, but that is also because it's absolutely empty. Haven't seen any other tents here, just a couple of small campers in this section. One the other side of the lake there were about 12 big rigs, far from here. This place is enormous. Lots of bugs. Never seen these many flies in all 13 camps visited in Florida, Georgia, or South Carolina so far.

Very well stocked Country Store within the park, and Walmart is five miles away.

This is way out in the country. Not far off interstate 75 mere Lake City To. You can float down the river and have a cookout or picnic after or in the middle. There are trams to take you back to midway point and a bus to the beginning. Beautiful clear water and lots of springs no homes along your float. You may see otters or other nature. Ive been many times and never seen a gator. It fills up fast at the very beginning as they only let so many down from the head. But you can always go in at the midway point and float for a couple hours and thenget out and take the tram back. Ive been going since a kid and I'm from Florida and have never seen a alligator there thou signs are posted. Its been my experience that gators tend to stay out of the cold springs.

This campground as a lot to offer. First off, it is on the well known Florida river, the Suwanee River, so there are many water sports that can be done here. There is an accessible boat ramp, but unfortunately it is low at this part of the river (May 2018), so its best for canoeing, kayaking and paddle boarding. I was able to take me dog down there for a quick swim which she loved! Pets are allowed as long as they are on a leash and do not enter the cabin areas. The tent/RV areas are very large and also pretty private which is nice. The facilities were very clean and large and the staff is wonderful!

What makes this site different than a lot of places I have been is that there is a craft village. They are usually open daily for different activities. The gift shop is very large with a lot of crafts that have been made in the village. Make sure to ask about Edgar the Alligator. He is hidden around the park and if you find him, you get a free ice cream. This is such a fun idea for kids (or if your like me, adults too!). There is also a very old bell tower and muesem on site which offers a lot of history about Stephen Foster and his influence on folk songs.

Spring can be different every year in Florida - always come prepared for bugs. This year it was the gnats if you were near the water - pretty bad. Up in the bank where our site was they were not so bad. Because these sites are way back in the woods primitive - previous campers did not practice LNT toilet behaviors - but we let mgmt know and I believe they were going to address. If you stay here during one of their famous music event this place can get insanely busy. Even the back trails in this are are heavily driven by golf carts (and many times drivers under the influence) Keep kids close while walking the dirt roads/trails. Mid week is best time to camp here to avoid crowds of party goers.

 Product Review

On this kayak camping trip I had the opportunity to test out the Stream2Sea Sunscreen, Shampoo, Conditioner and the bonus is they are all eco friendly! I received the Conscious camper Kit the day before I headed out on the river and for 2 days in the FULL sun I did not get a burn. The sport sunscreen is very thick and takes a bit to rub in till absorbed but I can verify it works great! The shampoo, conditioner & Body Wash were fabulous and left my hair feeling silky smooth. Packing sizes were prefect for my dry bag. They included a very informative card about the products and why they are eco-conscious and coral safe! REMEMBER – a little bit goes a long way with this product! Pick up your  Conscious Camper Kit  before your next day out this summer at https://stream2sea.com/product/conscious-camper-kit/

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This was our first camping trip to O’leno State Park. We’ve camped at several Florida state parks and this one ranks up toward the top. We camped in site 49 in the Dogwood loop. We were a bit concerned about getting our 32’ Imagine into the site just based on previous reviews and the camp loop road being very narrow. However, we had no issues getting in. Might have taken a bit more adjusting to get it right where we wanted it, but it wasn’t difficult by any means. The Dogwood loop is very wooded and feels very secluded. Site 49 was very spacious and shaded. The only negative aspect of camping in the dogwood loop is that you are about 1.5 miles from the river / park area, which is where almost all of the trails originate and where all of the things to see and do are. The park is very clean and well kept. We saw deer every evening on our drive down to the river along the main road, but no deer in the campground or any wildlife for that matter aside from birds. It did seem a bit odd that there were no raccoons. We left our trash out the first two nights by mistake, but it was ever messed with. Would definitely recommend this park if you like quiet and secluded camping where you can relax and unwind.