Best Tent Camping near New Smyrna Beach, FL

The view was amazing the tent site was amazing#25 is next to the dog walk, the restroom and the beach overlook. Prepare for windy conditions coming off the ocean and if it is stormy add some extra protection from the rain if you are tent camping. Amazing place to camp quiet and right on the Atlantic

We stayed here a lot when we first moved to Florida and loved it. We stayed in the tent ⛺️ area because it was the most cost effective. What you should know about the tent area is that it is not drive up, you have to walk a short distance to your site.

One thing that we loved about the location is that it is close to all of the attractions. We actually walked home from Universal Studios to our campsite one night.

Some other things to know you can only stay for 14 days at a time and only 14 days in a month. This was an issue for us as we were working in the area and camping full time. This seemed to be the case with all of the county parks in the area, so we had to move every two weeks.

Apparently you can stay longer in the RV Park, but they wouldn’t let us with our roof top tent. They went as far as to say that it is illegal. We looked into it latter and found that not to be true. Apparently it is illegal in Orlando to camp in a tent within city limits. This does not apply to roof top tents though as they are not on the ground. They were a bit rude about the whole thing and after being lied to, it left a bad taste in our mouths.

Remember that the tent sites are not drive up? Yea, we couldn’t use our roof top tent there either, fortunately we carried a ground tent too.

Some other things to know, the tent sites are close to the highway/ turnpike so there is always traffic noise. Some weekends and during breaks it is a training ground for high school rowing teams (you are not allowed to use a canoe in the lake either, but somehow rowing is ok) and there are competitions. So it can be busy then and noisy in the morning when they are training and competing.

Don’t look too closely at the girls in their tight athletic outfits either. Our neighbor got tossed out for that and complaining about their littering (which was a legitimate complaint there were water bottles littered everywhere when they were there).

So those are the pros and cons. In spite of the negative stuff we would and have gone there again as it is a nice spot.

Warning: you are not actually on New Smyrna Beach at this RV wonderland, but rather, a good 15-20 minute drive to one of the most glorious drive-on beaches in all of Florida. So what you may sacrifice in terms of immediate beach access, you more than make up for in an affordable place to rock up your RV (max 50 feet length), rent a cabin (1BR or 2BR) or pitch a tent for the night. This destination marries ancient Oaks with swinging Palms and has a very nice forested feel encircling the place (and helping you forget all of that traffic that is whirring by just outside of the property). 

As for the campground itself, all of the typical hook-ups (electric, water and sewage) are available for the mobile-inclined RV’ers out there. For those that prefer to camp au naturale, there’s a handful of spots, but honestly, you won’t feel as though you are out in nature whatsoever, as the noise in the place is pretty unsettling as the individual campsites are too close together. And if you have just rocked up in your car or SUV and are looking for an alternative to hotels, then you have just hit the lottery, as the cabins here, while small, are quaint and fairly new as well as offering a proper front porch swing. 

New Smyrna Beach RV Park & Campground offers up amenities like a nice little swimming pool (at about 4pm, there were some pretty nice cocktails being poured poolside!) along with free WiFi, TV scattered relatively new picnic tables and stand-up BBQ grilles. 

Insider’s tips? This spot is perfect whether you are heading to Daytona 500 or watching a rocket launch form Kennedy Space Center. I’d also highly recommend Central Florida Zoo, which has 116 acres of exotic animals and botanical gardens to explore. Of course, there’s 25 miles of pristine Atlantic shoreline encompassing the dunes and Mosquito Lagoon, which is one of the state’s longest stretches of undeveloped and protected preserve to explore. 

Happy Camping!

If you’ve landed on this review hopefully its because of a primary decision to visit one of the greatest beach communities in all of Florida – New Smyrna Beach. This super-slim archipelago boasts some of the most perfect white sugar sand beaches anywhere – plus, the best part is that this beach is a proper ‘drive-on’ beach, so whatever you would normally have to haul in a cart or wheeled by trolley to the beach, you can simply keep in the trunk or bed of your SUV / car / truck. And if you are here, hopefully you have planned to be here for some time – or, upon seeing how simply amazing New Smyrna Beach is, have decided that you need a place to stay ... but unfortunately, you and a couple thousand other people have come to the same conclusion. So what do you do? 

Well, you look for simple and affordable accommodations nearby, and that’s what will attract you to Sugar Mill Ruins Travel Park, which is conveniently located only 15 minutes drive or so from beachside bliss. While this is definitely an RV-laden outpost, the vibe here is quite contagious, with its main office greeting you immediately upon arrival, where just past this wooden log cabin structure pure hedonism awaits with vibrant bouncing beach balls popping up and down in this overgrown campside Florida shaped-pool bursting with loud southern country music (yee-haw!) and nearly everyone en towe brandishing a coozie with some cheap domestic beer and endless “hey y’all’s” and smiles to boot at the ‘Tiki Hut’ (warning – there’s nothing here that resembles a ’Tiki Hut’ apart from the drinks they pour, although even here, no umbrellas!). This place feels like Spring Break for the adults toting 2-3 kids with them as they dwell in their mobile manufactured temporary housing. 

With all the proper hook-ups being provided (30 / 50 amp electric, sewer, water), this oversized RV menagerie feels like it’s been carved out of a forest of tall needle-pine trees sheltering its residents from the sweltering heat of NE Florida. The family-friendly restrooms and shower facilities are fairly clean and there’s picnic tables and BBQ grills sporadically littered all over the place. Sugar Mill Ruins also rents out very affordable cabins (12 x 20) with twin bunk beds and fold-out futon (nice) complete with mini-fridge, table, chairs, microwave and even a porch with deck chairs. There’s more than 200 sites to choose from complete with a playground for the kiddos, game room with 2 billiards tables, plus 3 acres of lake fishing along with a cool pavilion with games and events (this is the main building that you’ll first encounter). 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) While not exactly a destination, Sugar Mill Ruins is so dang convenient to some of the best beach experiences you might ever encounter, depending upon your leaning, leave early and spend as much time as you can at New Smyrna Beach; (2) If you’re looking for a different place to soak some suds, I highly recommend Norwood’s Treehouse Bar, which has fantastic cocktails and local live music; and (3) For simply sublime food, check out Outriggers Tiki Bar& Grille, which has a pretty gracious happy hour where you can spot manatees and dolphins while biting down on some of the freshest catch in Florida, but with outstanding accoutrement, like key lime coconut beurre blanc and sticky bamboo rice or pineapple and peppadew rhum butter infused fish entrees. 

Happy Camping!

This is a beautiful campground with proximity to the Florida Scenic Trail. Ideal for tent camping, as the forest service roads were a little rough for our RV. Campground is along a beautiful and unique wet prairie. No cell service, no electric or water hookups. Worth a stay in a tent! Recommend using entrance off route 19 via forest service road 86.

One of our favorite places to visit. The springs are amazing. Camping facilities are nice. Would be 5 stars if they had some sites with electric hookups. Outside of that a great place for tent camping.

Blike trails, from rv. to tent camping, year round enjoyment. Was there with 4 children 2 adults during a freezing cold snap. Didn't lower our enjoyment, the challenging cold 20°F, made it all the more fun!

I enjoy going to Blue Springs. Many activities for the family. Biking, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, boating, and watching nature. There is cabins or areas that allow RV or tent camping. There is even areas that you can go fishing.

Nice spots for tent camping. Got surprisingly cold when I visited. Would’ve been 5 stars if it weren’t for obnoxiously loud and rude neighbors that were yelling/screaming until midnight. If you camp here, expect to hear lots of partying.

Stopped for a night here on the drive down the coast. Lots of turtle nest sites blocked off and an empty beach. RVs are wall to wall with tent sites so bring your earplugs if you're a tent camper or you'll be hearing generators all night.

Another nice stop on our East Coast bike tour! Spacious sites with picnic tables and water. Charge phone in the bathroom. No hot water for shower the night we were there though, and the tent camping area backs up to the main road into the neighborhood, so we heard car noise throughout the night.

At the tent sites you are not allowed to have campfires which is kind of a bummer. The sites are on a slight slope that goes down to the lake. The sites are nice with a good view of the lake

Lovely place to camp, bike, and swim! Easy access from tent sites down to the springs. Many manatees can be seen while exploring the springs. Check out the Head spring and cave entrance at the northern end of the swimming area—nothing short of magical.

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.

Who doesn’t love spending time on an island! I came here with a group who had reserved the picnic pavilion for a birthday party. The trip to the island on the ferry was quick and easy. There was a great playground for the kids and we enjoyed a nice long hike as well. We did not stay over night but I did notice some nice looking cabins and primitive camping sites. The cabins and tent camping sites are all nestled together so it’s not very secluded except the few trees between sites. There are nice tent pads though and the cabins look like a great option with nice screened porches as well as a fire pit and picnic table. A place to go back someday :)