Best Glamping near Navarre Beach, FL

Keep in mind, this is a Preserve. Good trails, coastal dunes with lakes, fishing, paddling, beach, cabins, and tent camping including Glamping!

The campground is technically not in a traditional beach such as Miramar or Clearwater; rather, it’s a small bay front area with a small man-made beach area adjacent a pier out into the bay. The campground is well-maintained except for the ant mounds around all the sites. The water in the bay is clear with a dark sandy bottom. The campsites are very close together and limited parking area for vehicles. Even with the crowded sites, the park is nice and quiet and a short drive west to the main Navarre Beach.

The retreat offers several amenities including showers, laundromat, and gas grills. There are even bouncy houses and playgrounds for the kids.

It's located on the river and they have a pet beach separate so even your dogs can enjoy the water.

The camp manager is nice and very helpful. They are definitely a great asset.

Full service hookups are currently limited as they work on an expansion, but they do have plenty of water/power hookups both off and on the river. There's also a cabin, glamping tents, and a tiny house. There are plenty of shaded spots.

There are a few long term residents who are friendly and welcoming.

I definitely recommend this campground for a fun, relaxing stay.

We had an awesome time at Camping on the Gulf (Camp Gulf). My husband and I took our 4 kids and they loved it there. 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. We were in a pull through and it was a bit tight and small, but really that was my only complaint with the campground. The sites in the back of the park were roomier and had some shade, which I think made up for them not being as close to the ocean. The bath houses were awesome! They had individual bathrooms with a toilet, sink and fully tiled shower with glass enclosure. These were by far the best bathhouses I have ever seen. There is a large laundry in the middle of the campground and it was very clean with a huge table for folding clothes on and large rolling carts to put your laundry in when you take them out of the washer or dryer. There were also 2 pools, one of which was heated. This was great because it was still pretty cold at the beginning of April. There is a large water slide beside the main pool. They also had lots of activities for the kids. My kids made lots of friends and really hated to have to leave. In addition to campsites they also have glamping tents which looked really neat and cabins/tiny houses for rent. Additionally they offered golf cart rentals and had a food truck located inside that park. We ordered nachos from it one night and they were great.

Campground Review:

If you are ever in the Florida Panhandle, you have to stop at Topsail Hill Preserve State Park. I have been coming here for years as a visitor and the past four volunteering in the campground because I love it so much. The campground used to be a private RV park so there are lots of amenities with really nice campsites but once you leave the campground there are over 1,600 acres to explore and 3.2 miles of pristine white sandy beaches to walk on. The park is divided into three sections: the RV park, a 22-site tent-only section, and 32 one and two-bedroom bungalows and cabins for rent.

There are 156 RV sites that are level and a mix of paved and crushed gravel with full hook-up and cable television (75+ channels). Park roads are paved and easy to navigate in any size RV. There are plenty of tall trees for shade and bushes that provide privacy. There are no fire pits but you are allowed to have a fire if you bring your own pit. The fair majority of sites are back-in but there are a handful of pull-thru sites and all are level. The water sewer and electric hook-ups are all well-placed at the site and there is a light at the end of each driveway. There are 22 tent sites with an elevated gravel tent pad, fire ring, water spigot, and 110 electric hook-ups. Most of the tents are set under tall pine trees while a few are more in the open and are sunny. A concessionaire offers “glamping tents” with beds, lamps, carpet, chairs and outdoor furniture. There are also one and two-bedroom cabins that can be rented year-round.

Within the park is a free wifi hotspot, a non-heated swimming pool, beach access with tram service, club house, camp store, bike/kayak/canoe rental, laundry, amphitheater, shuffle board, and a host of park activities and ranger-led tours. The restroom and laundry facilities (which are only $1.50 per wash/dry) are clean and seemed adequate to handle the crowds. The campground is located ¾ mile from the beach which is accessible via a walking/biking trail or a tram operated by the park. During the winter months the tram runs every two hours, but during peak season it runs once an hour. Once you are on the beach you have miles and miles of unspoiled white sand and blue water to enjoy. There are also numerous ponds and coastal dune lakes scattered throughout the campground for the fishing enthusiasts. The coastal dune lakes are a globally rare ecosystem occurring in only a handful of places around the world and definitely worth exploring (which you can do with watercraft rental).

Nearby are thousands of acres managed by the state forestry department which have miles and miles of hiking trails. The park is located within a mile of a Walmart (with food), gas station, Subway and other restaurants. Within 5 miles are tons of shopping opportunities, movie theater, restaurants, grocery, etc.

What we really liked about this campground are the level, paved, full-hookup sites and the fact that it is in a state park so you have access to miles of hiking/biking and a gorgeous beach. The beach here is the most beautiful in Florida and can be completely empty in the winter. The not-so-good things about this park are the cost and how crowded it can be in the peak season. During peak season this park is very busy and you have to book very early. The cost is $42/night (unless you are a Florida senior resident and then it is half price) which is high for state parks . . . but compared to other private parks in the area that is reasonable.

Product Review:

As a Ranger for TheDyrt I occasionally get outdoor products to test and on this trip I was able to test a High Hopes Hammock. I was pretty excited to receive a hammock because I am one of the few people I know that does not own a hammock putting me a little behind the times. One cool feature of this company is that for every hammock purchased, they donate either a hammock, various survival supplies or money to organizations helping the homeless, impoverished countries or those affected by natural disasters.

High Hopes offers many different colors of hammocks many of which are bright and fun and the large selection made it hard for me to choose because I like so many of them. The hammock is lightweight at just 1 ½ pounds and tucks nicely into a pouch attached to the side of the hammock. The hammock fit perfectly into my small day pack so I took it with me on a long hike and set it up when I wanted a break. I chose the hammock and strap bundle which is $10 more than just a hammock but definitely worth it (bringing the total without tax to $59.99). The straps are 9 ½ feet long with 15 loop holes so you can make this fit in a lot of different locations where trees may be pretty far apart. The hammock is large at 9 ½ feet long and 6 ½ feet wide and easily fits two people or you and your furry friend. The capacity is a whopping 400 pounds so it is good that the tree straps and steel carabiners are heavy duty. The setup is super easy as you just wrap the straps around a tree or other supportive post and clip the carabiner into the loops on the strap. Then, in you go. Once inside you can use the attached Velcro to close the hammock so you feel like you are in a cocoon. This is also a nice feature if you want privacy. The Velcro closure may help keep some pesky insects out but not all as there are only three Velcro patches which leaves gaps.

Click here for my video review.

The downside of this company is their customer service. I was on a “live chat” with them and when I asked about a mix up with an order they went totally silent and I never got another response. I tried emails and those went unanswered. They offer various promotions online and discounts if you sign up for their email list. They were advertising free two-day shipping on orders over $50 which is great but keep in mind there is processing time which in my case was about five days.

In addition to hammocks they sell clothing, accessories and hats. There are a lot of hammocks of this type on the market but High Hopes sets themselves apart from the competition because of their involvement helping those less fortunate. Since I haven’t owned another hammock, I can’t attest to quality differences but this one seems to hold up well so far.

Campground Review: 

Let me start by saying this is a very large park with a variety of campground options so I will do my best to first review the overall park then discuss each of the sites individually. The park sits alongside the gulf coast and has multiple access points to the beach. It also has an extensive paved trail network that is perfect for all kinds of activities including running, walking, and biking. While visiting the park we biked and explored the butterfly garden which I highly recommend. We also had the chance to visit the pier and the education center and everything is so well organized and taken care of. Overall, there is so much to explore you will definitely need multiple days worth of adventure. There are two major campground areas in the park and I will start by discussing the yurt option. 

There are several yurts that are set up and organized for camping during certain parts of the year that each have 4 cots and a fire pit. There is also a large pump sink and a wild west looking shower in this area. If this option is available I would highly suggest checking it out. It is perfect for groups and provides a nice private area to spend your night away from the more crowded RV sites. This area is also centrally located and remote from the remainder of the park so you will have an incredible view of the night sky. The site is kept very clean and mostly covered in sand so it was wonderful to walk around barefoot. Finally, although you will have to bike or hike to get to these sites there is already firewood available for purchase so you won’t have to carry that in with you. 

The tent/RV area is very large and has a variety of amenities that will make your stay very enjoyable. Overall, it is on the slightly more expensive side for a campground but provides easy access to the beach and is significantly less than many of the nearby hotels. One thing I really liked was that they have created a separate area for tent-only sites from the combined tent/RV spaces. This gives you a slightly more rustic experience if that is what you look for. On top of all the usual features, they have a pool and picnic areas that campground guests can use and don’t forget to stop by the wildlife education center. You can also join in for one of the rangers led educational walks to see wildlife around the park

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**Product Review:** As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products. At this campground, I tried out the Morsel Spork XL. After eating several meals using this innovative spork some of my favorite features are: 

1. Length: I got the long-handled spork to be able to use it both for regular campground meals on plates or bowls and also with backpacking meal bags and eating out of cookware which each has its own needs in terms of reachability. However, until I opened the package I didn’t imagine just how long the XL spork was and this was very exciting to see. I haven’t had a camping tool that provides nearly as much reach as the Morsel Spork. Besides the obvious use of reaching to the bottom of a dehydrated backpacking meal bag, the long spork is also incredibly helpful for not burning yourself while cooking in deep pots or stirring large meals without worrying about getting your hands dirty. 
2. Multi-edged spoon: The spork spoon end is designed to have both a rounded edge and a sharp-angled edge both with a flexible rubber edging. This makes it even more multifunctional by allowing it to clean any remaining food out of all types of pots and bowls. I found this was helpful to enjoy every last bit of our delicious camping food and made clean up so much easier. Its such a simple design idea but makes such a huge difference in practice. 
3. Durability: I loved how lightweight the plastic material was but also didn’t ever worry about it snapping or breaking during use or in my backpack. They used a strong but slightly flexible plastic that won’t easily snap in half but also can withstand heavy use in tough foods. We were able to use the spork to cut through hard cheeses and also mix rice dishes. The curved shape of the long handle gives it extra strength and they even designed it to be washed in the dishwasher when you get home. Overall, this is the best spork I have ever used and has even become part of my daily lunchbox. When you use it to eat while camping you can quickly tell the amount of thought that went into engineering each aspect and finding the way to make it not only effective but also last you many years of adventure.

My wife and I are frequent campers in NW Florida and Alabama.  Topsail is certainly one of our favorites.  Excellent access to the beach, hiking, biking (many miles), lakes, great campground.  One of the best!

This might be my favorite place to camp in all of florida. The campgrounds are clean , quiet and steps from the beach. Great hot showers that are cleaned daily. A visit to the fort is a must. We moved from campsite to campsite to extend our stay. No bugs and always a breeze.

Absolutely beautiful campground. The sites are full hookup with cable. Wooded sites create privacy. So many hiking and biking trails on property you will be busy for days. 30A is right out front which has a great bike path to take you to many restaurants and seaside towns. The park rangers are knowledgeable and super helpful. There is a tram to take you to the most beautiful undeveloped beach in Florida. 3.5 miles of sand and sea, no condos, buildings or distractions.

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. The others can accommodate small/medium RVs and travel trailers. There are water and electric hookups snd a dump station in all but D loop. Bathrooms and showers. Every site is just a short walk to the beach. Some sites have shade, bu those on the inside loop do not. Also, because of the trees, there are hight, length, and slideout restrictions on some outside loop on sites. Be sure to check before making reservations. Reservations can be made through the .gov website.

We had a reservation for one night and on the reservation I specifically said we would be arriving after hours. The website said to call a number the day of before 5 to get the gate code. No problem, normally. BUT, I called multiple times that day and nobody ever answered. Then I called the general Florida Park number and the lady tried to help. She also could not get anyone to answer and said she didn’t have any other number to use. So, we just hoped to arrive and maybe someone would be there. Nope!! Arrived, gates closed, nobody there to help, slept in the local Walmart parking lot. 😡.

Great spot! Cool shorter hiking trails to take you to lakes or the gulf, or as we call it Lake Florida now. For hammock campers the tent camping spots are okay for hammock camping. I made due but I was in spot 21 and there are no trees accessible enough to hang a hammock up how you would want, BUT they had a couple 4x4s in the ground so I used one of those and a tree, everything went up properly. It was windy, rainy and around 30° and I was extremely comfortable.

Fire pits are great, it looks like all spots have a picnic table.

All in all great spot. I’ll be back soon!

The campground and park were beautiful and clean. There is room to ride bikes and walk/hike on the trails. The trip to the beach is a bit hilly for Florida standards and the walk down the boardwalk is a bit long, but the beauty of the almost untouched dunes and coast is worth it all. Typically there is a trolley from the campground but it was closed due to COVID while we were there, but we would have taken our bikes either way. There is a pool, which was also closed due to COVID. We suggest bringing your bikes and a light beach rig you can pull down to the sand. Topsail is one of our favorites so far and we look forward to going back!

PROS 

Security gate that closes at sunset and requires code for entry. 

Site 81- level; gravel parking pad; 8x30 ft concrete patio; moveable picnic table; partial shade 

Very nice beach 

Hourly tram to the beach 

Good bike paths 

Very nice Campbell Lake 

Bathhouse very clean and cleaning hours were clearly posted 

Loved the in-park coffee shop and their cruffins 

CONS 

Fee charged for making my own on-line reservation 

No veteran or senior discount 

Arrived to a large pile of dog poop in our site 

Site 81- no firepit 

Site 81- absolutely no privacy from neighbors 

Military jet noise from 3 nearby military installations 

Roads tight

Don’t Miss In park coffee shop, Kith& Kim, cruffin pastry 

Fish On Restaurant Destin 

Old Florida Fish House Seaside 

Acme oyster House Sandestin

The location of the campground is great with awesome sounds and sights nearby. The campground itself was completely full and felt like we were packed in like sardines with many of the other campers not respecting our campground site or park rules in general. I saw numerous people strolling across other people's campsites along with ours. People also did not use appropriate firewood and collected it from the park(which they got talked to by the Park Rangers). Once everyone’s excitement settled down at night about 10:30 pm you could hear the sound of the waves crashing from the Gulf of Mexico and the bay. This made for an easy night sleep. We would recommend staying at this campground as the location had great history and things to do from touring Fort Pickens, walking the beach, fishing or taking a stroll on the Florida Trail.

Check out our blog at www.unnamedadventures.com and follow our journey on Facebook and Instagram or on our YouTube Channel at Unnamed Adventures. 

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Got here late  in the afternoon after the campground reservation checkstation closed, so I found a host and made sure I could claim an empty site. All was good, so I found an empty site and paid up in the morning. I ended up in Loop D at site D26. All of the tent sites are in Loops B and D, and the RV sites are in Loops A, C, and E. It was really nice to have so much separation between the tents and RVs. My site was out in the open in the middle of the loop, not ideal. The better sites are on the outside edge of the loops as they back to shrubs and trees. The bathhouse was nice, modern, and clean (though the one in Loop C is even better as I think it is newer). 

There is a good trail to the beach across the road (about a 1/4 mile), and a really nice trail that leads all the way to the fort (about a mile away). The trail that goes to the fort is part of the Florida Trail, a 1,500 mile long trail from the panhandle to the tip of the peninsula. Definitely spend some time touring the fort! There is a pretty good self guided tour and there is a nice museum and gift shop. And it is fun to watch the fishermen and scuba divers on the seawall and on the piers.

We loved Fort Pickens for many reasons...BEACH...BEACH...BEACH! Not only that but there is an amazing Fort to explore!

Picture your campsite nestled among live oaks draped with Spanish moss...a short hike and you are either at the beach or at the Fort!

A few of the campsites were not ideal...our tent site had some type of water facility next to it. The sites are close together with little privacy. That being said...the campground is all together beautiful and we enjoyed our camping experience.

Our campground was across the street from a lovely boardwalk that takes you right to a beautiful sugar white beach that goes on for miles and miles with no restaurants, condos, etc. Just nature at its best!

The Fort is so cool and the park offers tours and there is also a great gift shop. You can also explore the bay near the fort and beach comb along the shore.

We were surprised to find that the beginning (or end) of the Florida Trail is near the Fort. We rode our bikes several miles on the trail.

The bathroom facilities at the park were fine and we had a nice campfire.

This is a AWESOME campsite for all ages...and especially for kids...so much to explore and learn. If you have kids, encourage them to join the Jr. Ranger Program and they will get a cool pin made from wood (they will need to fill out a booklet that is very informative).

We have camped here twice and totally plan to camp here in the future!

This was the first really vacation camping trip our family took and it was work but it was one of the best vacations we have every had. We were very new to camping on vacation so it was quite the learning experience. And Fort Pickens, FL was a great place for our 1st outing. The campgrounds were very clean and well kept. Our camping spot was very roomy, enough for 1 large tent, a small tent, 2 canopies, and we still had room to walk around. You did have a large concrete slab for your car or either your camper. Now one thing we wish we had had at our site was some trees for shade, because in July in Florida it gets HOT. But we did not have the shade so we just kept under the canopies with the fans blowing. One thing we sis love about our site was we were right across from the bathrooms, Loop D site D22, and that was very convenient, esp in the morning when everyone was rushing for showers & getting ready for the day. Now the showers were on the older side, but they worked.
There was a store at the campgrounds for your basic needs if you ran out of anything, ice bread, sunscreen, etc. But I would recommend making sure to stock up because the prices are higher at the store. But its great to know its there if you need it. Outside the store that had laundry facilities, 4 washers and 4 dryers. I believe it was about $2 per machine, so make like i did to just wash once for the week. I waited until Wednesday & it got us thru the rest of our vacation. One tip, get to the washers very early or you will not get them til late that evening. I got up at 5:30 a.m. to get my washing started. Soon after I got there people started filing in. What we really loved about Fort Pickens was the beach was just minutes away. You could ride your bike, walk or even drive to the areas you wanted to visit for the day. The beach and water was just beautiful. The water was crystal clear and very calm. Now a couple of days the water temp got a lil too warm but it was cooling than being in the sun on the beach. Another location we enjoyed visiting was the bay side just behind our campsite. We walked down a trail and had easy access to the bay, where the water was just as clear & everyone took their kayaks out. It was even calmer water than the ocean so it was a lot easier to paddle in this water. There is so much to do in this area that it make the perfect vacation spot for just about everyone. You can explore the Fort at Fort Pickens, or stroll to the lighthouses, or visit the Pensacola Naval Air Station and Naval Aviation Museum. You also have a wide selections of restaurants and shopping to enjoy. A great family friendly campground!!