Best Dog-Friendly Camping near New Smyrna Beach, FL

If you find yourself heading to one of the best Atlantic-side beaches in all of Florida – New Smyrna Beach – then you are already in-store for what will be a fantastic experience. Until they actually let beachgoers camp out on the beach itself, finding a spot to ‘pitch your tent’ isn’t all that difficult to do in this area. That said, what you give up for convenience and close access to the white caps you’ll encounter in this beach destination makes you want to be somewhat more forgiving of the campground options available to you. 

Only about 2 miles away from the soft lulling of lapping waves, you’ll come across one of a few good options (see my other reviews for those other options), one of which is Gold Rock Campground & RV Park. Conveniently located off State Road 44 (which you’ll take after getting off the main I95 highway), you’ll head south when you come to Old Mission Road, which is just a short drive to this location. I would describe what you’ll find as basically a big open football field with a few lanes of mostly RV’s lined up side-by-side. The vibe is definitely pleasant and the place is communal with fringes of hippiness (just look at some of the psychedelic painted camper vans and buses – the owners of which will certainly not disappoint!). 

There’s a small office upon entry that you’ll check in at, pay your nightly deposit and then you’re off to find an open space of greenery that you’ll call home for the night. There’s all the standard hook-ups for the RV’s and as a tent camper, you really have the run of the town to place your portable home for the night pretty much anywhere you want to. The only real insider tips I can give you if staying here or in the area is to get to the beach early – and note that the white sandy beaches in these parts are ‘drive-on only,’ so bring everything with you, find your perfect spot at the beach and open up the backgate of your SUV or Jeep and set up your camp in the sand there for the entire day. Simply one of the best beach experiences I’ve ever had in Florida (and I live here, so that should be saying something). 

Happy Camping!

It is so nice, right on the Indian river. There is a large fenced Dog Park on the riverfront. Near Titusville, FL. You can see Kennedy Space Center across the water.

THIS quaint little park is so delightful. With so many gorgeous water birds and trees. The park sits off the Indian River and is the perfect place to catch a launch. The are also very dog friendly and have a dog park. The dock is also the perfect place to catch some redfish or snook. Had a wonderful time in this tucked away little spot.

Great location to walk down to the pier and watch the rockets launch from the space center. Nice swimming pool, store and laundry 3 on site. Ice big camp sites with lots of shade. Dog park and showers. Fish from the pier and small boat launch from park.

Has by far not been my favorite. It’s divided into 3 parts. We are Accross the road with no swimming pool or dog park. The main camp has a pool but the hot tub is broken. The dog park they do have has been closed the entire time we have been here. The main camp ground is very crowded and close together but at least there is a lot going on compared to our side which is very very quiet except for the fair people who have started coming in. There is another pool in the third section but that has been closed forever. I also am not fond of the area itself. For some this might be great but if you have small kids I don’t think this is the camp ground for you. Luckily we have a membership because with the lack of amenities I would have been disappointed to pay the going rate.

We stayed here simply to visit KSC and you cannot beat the location, it's just across the bridge. We stayed in the tent area, and while there was no privacy between spots, it was right on the water. The views were half nice - one half the lagoon and one half dog park. There was a great little dock out on the water but the ground was very wet and mushy. Toilets were fine but no fire rings provided.

I chose to camp here based on the previous reviews. Here’s my take. Pros: Close to Kennedy Space Center, pool, fishing pier, large off-leash dog park, full hook-up, canoe/kayak launch. Cons: Sites are small and close to one another, most people have a lot of “stuff” at their site, some groups can be quite loud into the evening hours, no campfire ring, trains come by during the night. No hiking available within the park. Sites experience a lot of washout when it rains. Several sites are close enough to a major road to hear the traffic quite easily.

This is a great spot. Plenty of trees. Most sites have some space to spread out. Many pull-through spots. The wi-fi repeaters are good for remote workers. This is a paid option and worth it. The bathrooms are cleaned often but some guests don’t clean up after themselves- leaving hair and trash behind- rude! The staff is wonderful as and the permanents are welcoming. Laundry is pay by phone. There is a dog park. Only downside is lack of concrete pads- roads and parking spots are sandy. Minor issues with heavy rains. Quick drive to the beach. Must haves: outdoor mat, above ground camp fire ring, longer hoses.

No dogs allowed and they like many Florida parks should have some way for Fl residence to actually be able to camp in Florida but no they don’t 

“Unfortunately, we do not allow any pets in our park and/or campground. I can recommend the following parks in the area that are pet friendly: Trimble Park, Magnolia Park and Wekiwa Springs state park.”

This place is gargantuan and has so many roads and alleyways that I got lost navigating the place at least a couple of times. And just when I thought that I seen all of Southern Palms RV Resort, upon exiting the place, I realized that there was even more of Southern Palms right across the street where the expansive RV parking lot continued. 

Located on the outskirts of Eustis here in the Sunshine State, this place has just about everything you could be looking for – from parks, shuffle boards, evening themed dancing and lakes to bike paths, swimming pools and bocce ball. But wait, there’s more… there’s also: clubhouse/ lounge for large group gatherings, whirlpool / spa / jacuzzi for those late night relaxing moments, fitness center to get your workout in, showers / restrooms that are just decent, ballroom for those evening dance parties, WiFi that is pretty superb, basic and expanded TV cable packages, picnic tables galore, BBQ grilles as far as the eye can see, the whole place is pet friendly, a horseshoe pit (where Joey is the local hero), mail center, game room complete with billiards table, a dog park that is always jam packed with man’s best friend as well as a laundr-O-mat (bring your quarters!) an extensive library (without its own Dewey decimal system) … and the list goes on, but I will end here. 

Downside to this place is that, well, it’s a mega mall of RV’s, campers and semi-permanent, yet mobile housing solutions, and there’s a lot more people and accommodations than there is really space for, so it is quite overcrowded and you will definitely hear your neighbors at all times of the day, in addition to all of the scootering traffic going by your ‘campsite’ whether day or night. So if you are simply looking for a place to stay for the night enroute to somewhere else, this is not a bad place, but given the overpopulation and the fact that every single amenity offered, while great for some, makes me feel like I just left home to go somewhere else where they have everything that I just left at home. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few… First, if you are looking for a great meal and something out of the ordinary, head on over to The Dam Smoker and you will discover some pretty outrageous BBQ, which you can order and eat there (or order by the pound and go find a nice lakeside bench to enjoy) albeit in some very modest settings. Second, if you’d like to escape your asphalt slab for a nice slice of nature, then head over to Long Leaf Pine Trail, which has a decent hike, or check out the wildlife at Hidden Waters Preserve, both of which are near Lake Joanna.


Happy Camping!

Arrived here for a three-night tent stay at spot 153. The campground is easily accessible from the highway, and a breeze to check in. Friendly staff. Dumpsters behind the main office. All roads are one-way counterclockwise. The bathroom and laundry room are about 100 meters from spot 153. Both are clean. There's a nice pavilion overlooking the water inside the eastern loop. There's a good size, fenced-in, leash-free dog park next to the water. The water views are beautiful at sunrise. There's a pier for fishing and just serene eastern observation toward Cape Canaveral. There's a kayak launch ramp as well.

Spot 153 was perfectly partially shaded, with a mix of sand and grass, and it was level. The only critters seen here are playful squirrels. RV spots can be quite close to each other, but not many of their inhabitants were seen outside during these chilly, mid-December days when the temperature dipped to 40F at night, and high 50's in the day. All spots have electric and picnic table. The water spigot at 153 was about two inches from the ground. Why?

The only downside of the campground is its proximity to railroad tracks and airport. The noise seemed to be constant on weekdays.

We stayed in site 4 in early January. The site had good separation from the neighboring sites and was level. The campground was mostly quiet. There are a couple of small trails right in the campground to see the Halifax River, but to have better views and water access you can walk or drive down near the trading post/picnic area. It seemed like most people were at this park for water activities and/or fishing. We enjoyed just watching the sunset over the river. If you are a pet owner and looking for a dog beach (most beaches in FL don’t allow dogs), Flagler Beach is a short drive from the campground.

Was fortunate to find a spot a Wekiva Falls for the weekend, last minute. Needed a place to stay to go to the Winter Park Art Fest. The people at check in were extremely friendly and had great customer service. They actually have someone guide you to your camp site and help you back in. They then review all the rules of the resort, show you how to hook up to electric/water/sewer. More than helpful. They were up front and honest about the crowds to be expected for the weekend and the noise/partying. He was right about that. Our site was across the street from the lagoon and on Saturday there was a DJ blasting music all days. I don’t think everyone in the campground should have to be subject to the music. It stopped at 5pm. Friday night the campground was noisy, but it quieted down by 10:30pm. Lots of kids, golf carts and people having fun. Not much in the way of shade trees. There are some palm trees scattered throughout. Most sites are back in. Sites are level and there is a concrete pad with a picnic table. Not all sites have fire rings. There is a dog park, cafe, food trucks on Sat. Great place for families. There was a strong sulfur smell around our site. Not sure where that was coming from

Very close wall to a river which was nice. 20-30 min drive in on very rough dirt road. Would not recommend if you do not have a truck or off road capable suv. Only 5 or 6 campsites total. There were many stray dogs and cats. Also the campsite had a lot of trash leftover from past campers. No bathrooms or showers. No camper hookups.

We stayed 2 weeks at this campground. We watched two rockets launch from the space center right from the pier at the campground. Nice , clean pet friendly and gated campground. Great fishing with so much to do and see like the space center just a few miles away. We will be going back and Manatees are everywhere. Beautiful creatures. Orlando is close by . I so miss this campground.