Best Glamping near New Smyrna Beach, FL

Unfortunately, we had a LOT of rowdy neighbors who paid little if any attention to the park rules. Quiet time is supposed to start at 11 but, frankly, I don't think rowdy time ever ended. All. Night. Long. on Friday night and spilling over into Saturday morning, Noon and night. I don't think they ever slept. 

Had this been our first visit to a Florida State Park, we might not have gone on to explore a dozen other of the Florida State Parks in the area that accommodate RV's. That would have been a shame because we have enjoyed other Florida parks in the area. 

If this review concerns you, try close-by Lake Louisa State Park or Lake Griffin State Park: an entirely different scene with campers who actually camp as opposed to a mob of people just looking for a place to be drunk. 

About a week after we stay at a Florida park, we get a survey which asks a number of questions. One of them is "Did you feel safe?". The answer here is a resounding"NO!". I arrived right at 3PM and was set up by 4PM, before most of the drinkers arrived to spoil the scene. By 9PM I had basically pulled everything back in the RV for fear of it being stolen or shot at then stayed inside for the rest of the weekend. 

There was zero social distancing, one of the best parts (up until this visit) of camping in the first place. Sites here seemed a bit closer together than other parks but that might have been just my reaction to the scene and those spoiling it for others. 

I had two other bookings in the future for this park which I have canceled. There are just too many great parks in the Florida system. This is not one of them.

Absolutely the best place to camp right on the beach in north Florida! Kinda pricy but unforgettable views and experience.

Beautiful Florida wildlife,birds especially in winter.Can be viewed by canoeing or hiking.Great food at the island.

Only thing on weekend the later you go the lonnger wait to get in park.

Close to home and took a drive through one day. Haven't been camping yet this year due to illness but getting ready to get on the road. Love State parks in Florida looking forward to Wekiwa Springs visit..

Located in Flagler, Florida. this campground has spots directly on the Atlantic Ocean. We have stayed here many times but the price continues to go up so I can't say we will be returning. Highest I paid was $130 per night on holiday weekend but now it is way more than that. Amenities: full hookups, ocean side sites, laundry mat, store.

Beverly beach puts you and your RV feet away from the Atlantic Ocean. They have options for many different budgets from deluxe oceanfront to cheaper sites that are across the street. The sunrises from tbe Oceanside sites will recharge your soul. Close to Daytona and bound to be very popular during race weeks. So start planning the perfect Florida beach RV vacation

Really nice campground with all the amenities, showers, water, and power hookups for rv’s, or in my case to charge my phone and camera. We’re staying at the family campground as the primitive was full, so word of advice, book well in advance. Beautiful place love the springs!! Hoping to see some Florida native black bears fingers crossed...

There’s a wonderful river to canoe/kayak to see all sorts of animals and wildlife. It’s a wonderful adventure, I’ve seen deer and wild turkey on the shores as well as tutles, numerous birds and cranes, otters, and plenty of gators! (No worries, they are not aggressive, but do not approach wildlife without realizing their natural reaction will be to fight or flight). The camping is amazing and there are many options of site, cabins, tents, RV. There are also fun hiking trails and a gorgeous spring to cool off in the Florida heat. There’s a reason all of the locals love to go on the weekends!

After our last camping trip where we lost our tent to the elements we recently got a Cotopaxi Inti 2 and thought we'd give it a go somewhere a little closer to home. The campgrounds are nicely wooded and provide a ton of much-needed shade from the Florida sun. Check in was smooth and uneventful and we got to our site (#32) which did seem rather close to those around us, but we set up and then started making dinner. Exploring the campground, we realized it a little weirdly setup with all the sites arranged in a loop with the sites on either side of the road and the facilities (which are nice) in the center of the loop. There isn't a direct path and if you're on the outside of the loop you will have to walk through/by a site within the center ring and then through the "woods" to get to the bathhouse. Some sites have more of a path than others. There are a few accessible sites which have a paved pathway to the bathhouse, but you'd have to walk directly through someone else's campsite to get to them...a little weird. After eating we started to make a fire and thought the group (very near) next to us was a getting a little loud and it definitely made it seem less secluded, when of course we get a Florida downpour (starting to think we can't go camping without it raining) which of course wasn't predicted and we all had to rush to our tents. Stayed huddled in there (and this time thankfully the rain stayed outside our tent) it got much quieter and darker and eventually, we slept through the night to awaken to it still raining... At this point, we were simply glad to be dry and packed up and left in the drizzle. We were on site 32 which was probably one of the furthest from the facilities and you had to walk through a thick path past the clothesline to the back of the bathhouse to get there. If you prefer a more direct line I'd call before booking online and ask about the best locations to get back and forth to the facility. But we were glad it wasn't our site that people were walking through...

My friends and I have camped Wekiva a few times now, mostly because it's in our backyard. Being located in central Florida I think it goes without saying that tent camping here in the middle of summer comes with its own challenges, such as the excruciating heat. But other than stating the obvious let's cut to the chase. Pros: Kayaking, Natural Springs and community swimming hole, BBQ locations, separate camp grounds for tent versus RV, short distance to Wekiva Island. The natural springs of central Florida keep a cool 72 degrees year round making swimming something you can always do. The head spring of Wekiva is a fairly large swimming hole which like most springs remains crystal clear water, great for snorkeling. The downfall however is this area gets insanely crowded during the summer months. Here you are able to rent kayaks, canoes and rafts for fair prices. Usually around $35 per kayak for 4-6 hours. Once you launch you have two main options of which direction to go. One being a more scenic route where you will more than likely see a large number of birds, turtles and the crowd favorite...alligators galore. There are no rangers on the water with you, so you are responsible for your own safety around the gators. The other direction leads you to Wekiva Island, the party place! Wekiva Island is also known as the redneck riviera. Here you'll find a couple of bars, volleyball, corn hole, a food truck and many more activities. (You can also drive straight to the island which also offers kayaking rentals). Over all, the springs and the river make for an adventurous fun day. Cons: The camp sites themselves are quite close in proximity to one another not leaving much privacy. You are contained to remain within the dirt boundaries opposed to setting up camp on softer ground. You are limited to only 2 tents and two cars on the site itself. Additional parking is close by. The real con was the camp ground attendants. My friends and I are in our mid thirties and not loud and obnoxious residents. You will be annoyed by several rangers on golf carts constantly hovering and interrupting you as well as your good old camp ground host who may or may not live on one of the grounds? He wasn't friendly and made us uncomfortable.

All in all to sum it up, if you are looking to spend some relaxing time on the water and see some unique Floridian wildlife you'll have a great time!

So this park has been so encroached upon by urban sprawl that there's a rather constant drone of traffic from the two-lane road used to access the State Park and all the neighborhoods that have been built right up to the parks boundaries. The traffic is only really audible from the campground not so much farther into the park near the spring swimming area. Even more remote is paddling down the river that flows from the spring boil. This is a busy place on summer weekends so busy the park reaches capacity sometimes as early as 10:00am as with all Fl. state parks use Reserve America for camping reservations. I give it 5 stars because the springs are phenomenal and the river is perfect. Bring 'em if you got 'em: kayaks,bikes,lawn chairs,fishing rods,bug spray but that last one is a given anywhere in Florida. Pro tip: if you have your own watercraft they will allow you to chain it up near the canoe launch which is advisable as it's quite a hike from the parking lot to the river.

I like to camp out places where swimming is available. We camp a lot during the summer but since this is Florida it's HOT regularly and sizzling during the summer months. Although the spring is quite a walk, with floats in tow, driving is an option also and there is always lots of parking, and it goes in a curve so your never to far from accessing the springs no matter where you end up parking. Oh and they allow you to use a golf cart also. I'm not all that impressed with the sites, crushed shell, and you have to pitch the tent on it also, would be cooler if they let you pitch it a bit off site so your in the pine straw verse the crushed shell, which sucks to sleep on if you don't have a pad. This campground sees more rigs then tents and thankfully there is electric hook ups so you don't have to here any generators, bc you are close close by each other. Showers were decent if you got one with a shower head and having hot and cold adjustable is nice. We also took advantage of the clothes line they have on site as well as the second loop has a book exchange. LOVE THOSE! We saw tons of wildlife even just chilling at the campground. Turkey, deer, tortouse, friendly squirrels. Your in bear territory but there are no bear lockers which is nbd we are used to keeping our coolers in our trucks at night. Definitely will camp here again. Bring your kids, your floats, kayak, snorkle ... You can even bring your canapy to the water area with lawn chairs and your mini grill and just do the place for the day at the springs it self. They also have a horse coral and a BUNCH of hiking trails.

As I rock up to this roadside campground destination, I’ve got Don Henley’s ‘Boys of Summer’ playing on the old Spotify, which is just the perfect soundtrack to this multi-faceted campground refuge. Here in (slightly) northern Florida, where the beaches never stop luring locals and tourists alike to its white-capped shores and summer really does seem like it never ends, you’ll discover Daytona’s Endless Summer Campground. From the very moment you drive onto this property, you’ll feel somehow transported to something between Margaritaville and Yogi Bear’s Yellowstone Camping Outpost (in the make believe illustrated world). 

While there’s no cartoon characters per se, you will immediately be greeted by a large oversized log cabin structure that is the main office. Here, you’ll come into contact with some of the nicest and most accommodating staff I have ever met operating a campground (and I’ve met a few). Just to the side of this campground HQ lies the community pool, which faces towards the main road that you would have taken to arrive here. Kind of an odd place to put a pool if you ask me, but hey, it works. Surrounding this splash pool are no shortage of lawn games (think: horse shoes, planko, life-size jenga, etc.), fire pits and children’s playground. And while they showcase a number of tents erected on the place (there is in fact, a small area for tent campers), this is basically a campground for the RVing crowd. But don’t worry, if you don’t have a tent or camper, Endless Summer has you covered, as they rent a dozen or so log cabins. 

As for the amenities, this pet-friendly place packs a lot in, from its recreational room(just behind the main office entrance) where there are DVD’s, books, board games and a full-service kitchen, mail room along with a fairly decent meeting space chalk full of fold-up tables and chairs (think VFW hall). Up at the front office, there’s also a mini-mart / store that has just about everything you could imagine (and likely have forgotten) – I love that they have S’mores kits, BTW! But don’t worry, if you’re not in any immediate rush, there’s a Publix and Walgreen’s just down the street. All of the basic hook-ups are here (electric, water and sewage), as well as scattered BBQ grills, picnic tables, fire pits, soda machines, plenty of community patio chairs and tables, coin-operated Laundr-O-Mat, a fairly excellent bathhouse and restroom facilities. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) As you’re a stone’s throw away (just a 10 minute drive) from Daytona Beach, arguably, one of the best beaches in the state, if not the country, you’ll want to hit one of these ‘drive-on’ white sand beach destinations – but get there early!; (2) If you find yourself getting tired of franks & beans on the grill and want someone else to do the cooking for you, check out Giuseppe’s Steel City Pizza, family-owned since 1982 and located just down the road from Endless Summer; and (3) If you come bringing a kayak or canoe, head on over to the causeway and cross A1A where you can drop your watercraft just about anywhere to explore Halifax River or Wilbur Bay (which has some amazing local wildlife, so bring a camera!). 

Happy Camping!

One of the few crown gems you’ll discover along Beverly Beach, Camptown RV Resort & Campers Village is MASSIVE! But I must forewarn my tent pitching brethren – this is 100% an RV hangout (for the most part) of the concrete jungle kind. That said, if you’re looking for a spot to park your mobile living room for the night (or the month) and want to be able to either quickly access, or better yet, have amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean with simply outstanding beaches, then look no further than Camptown! 

From an amenities standpoint, all slots are either vertical or diagonal (facing directly towards the ocean or across the street towards the Intracoastal) with both sides offering full hook-ups (water, sewer and 50 amp electrical service - Camptown offers 30 amp adapters free of charge) as well as complimentary cable and WiFi for all your social media surfing needs. Don’t have an RV? Not a problem, Camptown has you covered with their cabin rentals (but there’s only about a half dozen, so make a reservation early if you want these). Onsite you’ll discover a fairly full-service market with gifts and souvenirs, fishing gear, beach items, snacks and soda, booze and mixers as well as all the RV camping supplies you might need while here. 

What I love most about Camptown is that it puts you SMACK DAB in front of one of the most beautiful beach shorelines on Florida’s Atlantic Coast. One warning I would give, having stayed shortly after Hurricane Nicole hit, is that a decent amount of the coastline has been demolished and there are several oceanfront businesses and access-ways that are now defunct and under construction. Additionally, Camptown is midway between 2 great locations – St. Augustine (aka ‘Ancient City') to the north and Daytona Beach to the south. Both offer additional great beaches (but you should have no problem on this front here at Beverly Beach) as well as a ton of nightlife, culinary, cultural and entertainment options. 

Inside tips? Here’s a few: (1) While boasting about being ‘pet-friendly,’ if you are thinking about renting a cabin here at Camptown, think again – no four-legged friends are allowed; (2) As you are this close to paradise, I have to make ‘treasure-seekers’ aware that if you are on the hunt for shark teeth, you are nearby one of the world’s most famous beaches for discovering the dental remains of 20 or so different Selachimorpha (and some prehistoric, if you are lucky enough); (3) When you get tired of trying to figure out what’s on the menu for your next meal, I highly recommend grabbing an oceanside brunch at Java Joint with the Country Benedict (the sausage gravy is outstanding!), ordering a pair of crab cakes at Turtle Shack Café or pursuing fresh fried conch fritters at Break Awayz; and (4) If you want to drop your kayak in some ‘frakish’ (sea and fresh water) waters, then stop by Si Como No Inn (can’t miss this vibrant oceanside hostel) that has access to the Matanzas River/ Intracoastal. 

Happy Camping!

If your idea of a magnificent campsite includes the opportunity of waking up to an endless blue horizon eclipsed by the sinking sun at dusk, then look no further than this very quaint, out-of-the-way boutique lakeside gem. Located on the outskirts of the Ocala National Forest, Pine Island RV & Marina offers up 9… that’s right, count‘em up, just 9… lakefront RV slots. IMHO, the best spots are #1 and #2 or #7… but hey, EVERY SINGLE SLOT faces an unobstructed view of blue bliss, so you’d be lucky to get any one of these waterfront vistas. Let’s just say, book your slot early as the pickins’ are slim here. 

Jennifer, the on-site manager, who has served this wonderful little outpost for the past 3 years was nothing short of sweet, helpful and very informational. She informed me when we visited that the entire place is in ‘upgrade mode,’ but I was quick to inform her that the views needed no improvement. Look for an expanded general store, where today you’ll simply find a billiards table, stand-up bar in one corner, while the rest of the store is lined with camping gear, basic groceries, toiletries, sundries, snacks, cold beverages, games, books, fishing gear, etc. 

Amenities: Waterfront RV Sites, RV Rentals (they have 3-4 to choose from), Marina, Boat Slips, Boat Ramp, Camp Store, Bait Shop, Wine & Beer Bar, Kayak Rentals, Recently Remodeled Bathrooms & Shower Facilities, On-Site Laundry, Ethanol-Free Fuel, Firewood and Camping Supplies, Billiards, Corn Hole, Outdoor Area w/ Picnic Tables, Grill, Fire Pit. Individual Sites include Fire Rings, Picnic Tables and 30 / 50 electric Amp. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) With only 9 waterfront slots to choose from, you want to book as early as possible; (2) While there is a proper boat launch, you will note that while Lake George is the second largest lake in all of Florida, it is also one of the most shallow, meaning that if you’d like to launch right in front of any one of the camping spots, you can, but you definitely want to be wearing some aqua socks or something as the rocks here are both slippery and sharp; (3) When you get tired of trying to figure out what the next meal is and don’t want to turn to your cooler or on-board mini-fridge for the solution, then you are going to be hard-pressed as there really isn’t too much in the way of ‘foodie paradise’ out in these parts – the nearest restaurants include: El Amigo Mexican Restaurant, Mystic Bistro, La Esperanza Mexican and Palmeras, but all of these are just mediocre (at best) – the only place we did find that was definitely worth it, albeit a 30 minute drive from Pine Island RV & Marina, is Drifters Riverfront Bar & Grill, which has typical glorified bar food (think burgers, wings, sandwiches, fried everything, etc.), but their seafood offering was actually pretty dang nice; and (4) If you are on the lookout for decent trail hiking, then head back from whence you came to discover Lake George Conservation Area, where there’s some decent, albeit non-descript trail hiking to be had. 

Happy Camping!

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. 

Happy Camping!

The sites here are super tight but the campground is get very clean, April and Jeff do a good job of maintaining the campground and the location is perfect. Wish the sites were bigger and it was a bit easier to get in and out of the spots

Friendly helpful staff. Amenities are kept very clean. Pool, laundry room, horseshoes, giant Jenga cornhole, playground, and well kept grounds for walking and bike riding. Cable and wifi included. Wifi worked reasonably well considering the amount of people using it. We stayed 3 months and loved it!

This was the first RV campground we stayed at when we became Full time. We stayed an entire month and LOVED it. *This review is prior to COVID so there may be changes since.

Pros

Super family-friendly! This used to be a KOA but now is privately owned and operated. You're only a 10-15 min drive to the closest beaches (further for the lighthouse and Ponce Inlet). It had a great pool, a playground, and a dog run. Great rates for monthly and seasonal. The location is close to grocers, shops, beaches, and more. People are kind in the camp store, and our kids were very welcomed. Also, there was cable, which is a fun plus for rainy days. Trash pickup service and Community events!

Cons:

We luckily didn't have anyone besides us for the month, but the sites are rather tight and not all have shade. Prices do fluctuate because of high volume season (snowbirds).