Best Tent Camping near Melbourne, FL

Old fishing camp being cleaned up by new management. Pontoon boats for rent, bait, tackle, and snacks in the office/store. Rv sites, permanent mobile home sites and I think tent camping. General manager Doc is so friendly. He love ensuring people are enjoying themselves.

First timer car/tent camping and our stay was perfect. Deer roam happily around and your wake up call in the morning is courtesy of feisty Sandhill Cranes calling back and forth. Park and facilities were super clean. Nearby trash facilities checked and cleaned multiple times a day during our stay. I can't say how crazy it is during the summer time, but in the early fall it's a beautiful campsite to just hang out in and chill.

We loved our tent camping experience at Lake Kissimmee. Our site was 22 in Loop 1 and we were pleasantly surprised to discover that we had our own direct path to the bathroom, which wasn’t something featured on the FL State Park booking site. On-site store was only open on specific days of the week and did not carry ice, but they did have small bundles of firewood. We look forward to booking the same spot when we come back to visit during the colder months.

4 miles down washboard sand/gravel road will beat your truck and trailer to death. And the sites are small!! 18’ trailer in site #6 and had to unhitch the tow vehicle as it was sticking in the road. Barely fit 22’ trailer and tow vehicle in site #1 without unhitching. That aside, it is a beautiful quiet spot that is excellent for star gazing. Bath house is clean and lots of hot water. If you are car camping or tent camping or have a camper van, this might be a good spot for you. It is a dark zone, so no lights after dark - use red lights.

All around a great location to get away and explore. This is one of the most comfortable and well-kept campgrounds I've found in FL. The staff and volunteers were very attentive and accommodating. The other campers were friendly and enthusiastic. We tent camped in the Equestrian loop, and the sites were decently spaced with plenty of room for our two tents, two cars, and 8 campers to spread out without bothering the neighbors. There are no stores or restaurants nearby, so pack well. These sites have water, electric, grill, and a table. Firewood is available for $7 cash per bundle (honor system). The dumpster is by the firewood. You can buy ice from the rangers for $2.50 during business hours. Showers are hot. Bathrooms are spacious.

I should probably mention that I'm camping spoiled. I traveled for a year or so around the country tent camping, and lived in Colorado for 10 years camping at least once a month out west. I'm from Florida, and I really didn't think there was much worth seeing here, so I stopped looking. It turns out I was wrong.

The air was so clean that we felt like we were on oxygen! The night sky was absolutely breathtaking, but catching dawn and dusk over the landscape is really nice too. The trails were well maintained and clearly planned to create a unique experience, while being just challenging enough to feel like a real adventure.

The animals just weren't afraid of humans. Our 6 teenagers were so excited to stand face-to-face, only a few feet from gentle deer, bunnies, and turkeys. We even saw some lazy baby alligators sunning on the Military Trail.

The Prairie Loop Trail took much longer than we anticipated, and the wind pushing us back was insane, but it was gorgeous and we had a lot of fun. I'll just plan better for that next time. And, the whole family agrees there will be a next time, soon!

If you are looking for a place in FL where you really feel "out in it", away from absolutely everything, while still having what you need to be comfortable, this is it.

This is a great spot to RV camping, less so for tent camping. Nice and clean park amenities conveniently located within biking distance of several restaurants at Port Canaveral for dinner with the family or drinks as you watch the cruise ships leave. The campground, Itself, has easy beach access with great views of the sunrise, however this also means it is typically VERY crowded during the summer months. It’s closeness to the jetty means that the waters on the beach side are fairly calm and blocked from the big waves of ships leaving port but the pier on the other sides of the jetty has water deep enough for fishing and even the occasional sea turtle sighting!

This site is also located very close to the boat launch. If you like deep sea fishing this is a great location to bring your boat or look into one of the day trips offered at the Port about a mile away. Great for a day trip if you are visiting the Orlando area or want to avoid beachside hotel prices on a family vacation.

Melbourne FL 👍👍👍👍

PROS · Sites are shell · Good water views · Shore Fishing · Boat Launch · Fishing Museum · Birds · Pavement biking in camping area · Playground

CONS · No-See-Ums · Swimming & Surfing beaches across Big Bridge. Bike lane goes to Bridge, but then you have to ride on the road

Sebastian Inlet State Park near Melbourne, FL.  We stayed for stopovers on way down and back from Miami area.  Most campsites do not have water views but are just a short stroll away. Most sites have limited privacy but some have more vegetation buffer. The campgrounds were quiet, clean and pleasant. With a Northern and Southern section, this park offers several access points to the ocean beach, the inlet itself and the River.  We were delighted to stroll the long beaches and watch the surfers, watch fishermen in the river in the morning and evening, and watch the many pelicans feeding from the bridge structure over the river.  The swimming area behind the jetty on the north side creates an almost man-made tide pool which is perfect for swimming and for younger children to play in the shallows without waves or currents.  We hope we can get reservations again!

We've had the pleasure of staying at both site 185 and 11, and our experience was delightful with both choices! The front office staff consistently exudes helpfulness and politeness. Each site is equipped with water hookups, electric connections, and sewage facilities. What's impressive is that these amenities are available on every site, setting them apart as the most competitively priced campground in the vicinity—my thorough research of other options confirms this. Notably, JOY RV offers the flexibility of both short-term and long-term stays, a versatility that distinguishes them from neighboring campgrounds. On top of that, they provide onsite storage options, complimentary wifi, a refreshing pool, impeccably maintained showers and restrooms, and a convenient laundry facility. For those requiring a peaceful environment to focus on tasks like schoolwork or professional assignments, the spacious and tranquil clubhouse proves to be a valuable asset—I, personally, take full advantage of this convenience. The campground enjoys a strategic location with a nearby Sam's Club for shopping convenience. Plus, its direct access to the interstate simplifies travel to Melbourne(approximately 30 minutes away), Daytona Beach(roughly an hour's drive), and even Orlando(merely 45 minutes away). It's undeniable that this location is prime. In our quest for the perfect camping spot, stumbling upon JOY RV was a stroke of luck. Without reservation, we wholeheartedly endorse it to fellow travelers seeking a phenomenal experience.

Different from other areas of Florida the Prairie area is open and vast. I found it quiet, and enjoyable place to be alone with my thoughts and hiking. I was met with groups of wild turkeys and other animals and enjoyed peaceful wondering. Great set up for this tent camper and would love to go back again.

My partner and I were looking for a snow-bird location for the winter in the Melbourne area and came across this park. We read the old reviews and wanted to make sure we left a more up-to-date review for others. 

So here's the deal... There aren't many RV parks in the area(at least near where we wanted to be) so options were slim. We spoke with Sue, the absolutely outstanding property manager, and decided to give the park a try. It is important to note, the park is under new ownership/management(Parakeet Communities- parakeetcommunities-dot-com/community/lucky-clover/). The new management has worked*extremely* hard to clean up and revitalize the park so please try to ignore some of the older reviews.

This park is definitely not for overnight or even weekly stays. This is a long-term mobile home and RV community with individuals who either live here full-time or for at least several(6+) months at a time. Navigating the inside roads with a big-rig is only possible with the help of the on-site property maintenance person, Jason, who is also amazingly friendly and helpful. The spaces are close together but even with our 43' fifth wheel, we were able to back-in to our space easily enough.

We have found all residents in the park to be extremely friendly, polite, and all live with a tremendous sense of community pride in the park. Our immediate neighbors walked over and introduced themselves the first day we moved in, which was so delightful and welcoming. We know our neighbor's names and feel very welcomed and safe in this park.

< 6 month rates are$1,400/mo and>6 month rates are around$1,100(or thereabouts). Rent includes electricity, water, sewer, and trash. There is a laundry building with washers/dryers but we have not used them. The park is in a prime location near shopping, groceries, restaurants, and is walking distance to the beach. There is also a well-kept swimming pool on property however, we have not had a chance to take a dip; It looks nice enough though. Cellular service is decent in the park however, if you will be here long-term, it would be best to purchase Internet service through Spectrum for$50/mo. All sites have Spectrum cable hookups but you will need to purchase your own TV/Internet service.

First time at Lake Kissimmee State Park! We loved it. We arrived just before sun down. First of all the drive into the park is beautiful. Classic Florida landscape and made us so excited to start camping. We were in loop 1 site 13. The sites are pretty private we couldn’t see the campers to the sides of us and they are very large. Bathrooms were very clean. Best part was all the wildlife we encountered. In the morning a family of deer walked right by our tent! There are three main hiking trails up to 6.7 miles. We did the 6 mile loop and it was beautiful and peaceful. Primitive hike in campsites available along the trails which we will be checking out for next time. Reservation was easily made through reservation America.

We decided to book a group primitive campsite in this state park. We were in the primitive group campsite on the Buster Island Loop. It was about 3 miles to hike in to the site. The path is very clear with markers and when you arrive at the site, there is a clear indicator to follow. The path to the site is right off the main trail.

Since this is a primitive site, there are no facilities and keep in mind you need to bring your own water for drinking, cooking, cleaning etc. At the site there were two picnic tables and a fire ring which was enough for our group. The area was cleared with a lot of space to set up all of our tents. We were here in late April when the weather was getting warmer so remember to bring mosquito repellent and enough water for your whole group to stay hydrated!

The hiking trails are loops about 6 miles long where you can experience different types of Florida environments and boating on the lake. And there are also history demonstrations showing the old Florida cowboys at the park.

All in all, this park has many options and activities. Whether you are into water sports or biking and hiking, this park has it all.

If you love camping, wildlife, and stargazing but still want the convenience of amenities (i.e electricity, running water, bathroom, shower) then this is the place for you.

Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park is part of IDA International Dark-Sky Places. The park has little light pollution and also a stargazing pad where you can also camp on.

The campgrounds aren't large but the campsites are good for tents and RVs. The one site we stayed at had water and electric hook-ups and a firepit. We were close to very clean restroom area that also had showers, washer and dryer. They do have primitive campsites for the more rustic individuals. The campgrounds are about 45 minutes from town, but the ranger station sells ice for $2.50 and firewood purchase is by honor system. We also saw other campers with their dogs so pet-friendly as well.

Lots of hiking trails and so much wildlife. We saw deer grazing near our campsite!

Make sure to bring lots of mosquito repellent, especially in the summer months. Otherwise you'll get bit...a lot! But it is Florida after all.