Best RV Parks & Resorts near Ocklawaha, FL

There are more RVers here in the winter than I thought possible in one place not the Hershey or Tampa RV Show.  Lots of families, lots of older folks, overall a good mix of people.  

There are multiple sections here each with a completely different feel.  D section is old-school, Florida State Park-like camping.  You have that romantic, southern charm and foliage.  It's tight for big rigs, lacks internet and getting your Starlink out there can be a challenge.  T-Mobile and AT&T work great out there but, it depends on what you need.  The new section is immaculate with large grass sites, nice pads and easy back-in sites for even the biggest fifth-wheels.  This is the best place if you have a need to work from your camper.  If, like us, you like to work from a tent, you cannot put anything on that beautiful grass campsite.  This is why we stay in the older section.  It's run-down, crumbling concrete pads that need to be repoured, decent sized sites AND you can use the grass.

This is our third time here and we will keep coming back due to community and locality.  Not far from Disney though traffic makes it harder to get to the other parks.  Wawa and Publix are just outside the gate for your coffee and grocery needs.  

Get here at noon ON THE DOT if you want a new site.  D section I recommend 35 feet or under, and enjoy the parade on Saturdays and Sunday as 40-100 new rigs come in.  

STAY AWAY FROM THE SITES NEXT TO THE SEWER ACCESS, THEY STINK!

We enjoy this park a lot because it has so much to offer in the park, nearby, and we often see our friends here each winter. They have approximately 850 sites depending on the tortoises (sometimes they get a whole spot if their best is there). They are adding about 180 sites on the south side of the park. Full hook ups, generous yards, decent landscaping. There are some permanent structures, mostly rentals and the cabins. There are some personal sites as well. The park is about 2.63 miles all the way around the outer loop. Sometimes the cows from next door get loose and come visit. Sometimes there are alligators underneath RVs.

With so many guests they also have a gate guard shack thing and lots of staff members. They have dark green polos ride around on golf carts. They are super friendly. Most of them are RVers at the park as well.

They have many sections. A- Lots of pull throughs B- Giant Field where the kids play C-Not sure where this section is... D- Jungle, Secluded, Private, also with snakes but a lot more shade E/F/G- Normal RV Park in the grass, some shade in some parts. H- Residents of the park and some staff I- Residents and long term guests.

Getaway Cabins- they are adorable from the outside, they look massive compared to an RV.

Cell signals: This park is in Clermont, FL and it’s not a huge town but decent sized town. There isn’t great cell service. The park is further from a tower and there are so many RVers in the area that don’t count towards the population, it becomes a bandwidth issue. This park does have some kind of DSL for long term contracts. They have WiFi for a few throughout the park, and in the Club House they have better WiFi.

They have: 2 Pools 1 Hot Tub Mini Golf Tennis Courts Pickle Ball Courts Shuffle Board Club House Mail Room Camp Store A small Lake with Kayak rental Alligators Sand Hill Cranes Tortoises A Garden Basketball Kids play room and play area Arcade Gym Several pretty ponds and a giant lagoon

Most of all we come here repeatedly because we love to see our friends and being a member we can all stay for free.

We recorded several videos about Thousand Trails Orlando:

https://youtu.be/xiMkg_pDEoM

This RV parking pad is located in north central Florida, just due southwest of Palatka (a.k.a. the Sunshine’s State Farmer’s Market) where you’ll find southern charm hanging from more than the moss off the ancient Oaks here, which underscores one of the best highlights of Cooper Lake RV Community: its abundance of shade. Conveniently located right off (and I mean in front of) Highway 20 about 4 miles just due west of Interlachen, you’ll discover the eponymous Cooper Lake (for which this RV stand is named after) is located just behind the small body of fresh water and offers up some decent catch & release fishing, albeit this lake is more of a pond. If you cross the highway, due south and just a couple of stone’s throws away, there’s much bigger Lake Galilee to contend with and is much better for boat fishing IMHO. 

As for the pet-friendly campground itself, there’s about 50 or so pull-through and back-in RV slots complete with full hook-ups (50 amp electric at every site along with water and sewage) along with a gathering area complete with horseshoes, shuffleboard, community fire pit, frisbee golf, gazebos, picnic tables and BBQ grills. While the bathrooms are very well-maintained, when we visited there were no showers per se (although in speaking with the management, some are in the works to be built, so I would definitely call ahead if this is a deal-breaker).  There’s WiFi here (but it’s not so good), designated dumpsters, vehicle storage as well as a fairly decent laundr-O-mat near the clubhouse. Rates for Cooper Lake RV Community: $45-$55/daily; $250-$300/weekly; and $650-$700/monthly. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) While Cooper Lake RV Community is not a destination in and of itself, this is a really nice place run by very well-meaning folks and while this RV spot is definitely new it’s definitely worth the stop if you find yourself out this way; (2) When you get tired of staring into your onboard mini-fridge and/ or want to try out some of the local cuisine, head on over to True Grits, well, for the grits of course, Nanny's Country Café for simple breakfasts or Smokedogs Bar-B-Q for quite possibly some of the best brisket and homemade cole slaw in the world!; and (3) If you are looking for some great water to dip your kayak or canoe in, head south to Lake Ocklawaha where there’s a half dozen or so spots where you can launch from. 

Happy Camping!

General: 59-site campground in two loops plus 10 cabins. 

Site Quality: These sites were HUGE. Many were pull-throughs. Our site (51) could easily fit four of our vans! All sites were gravel and level and had water, electric, and (I believe but we didn’t use) sewer hookups, a bbq grill, a fire ring, and a large picnic table. Each loop has a handicap-accessible site near the restrooms. In addition to the size of the sites, there was reasonable separation/privacy between them. Although I did not see the inside of them, the cabins looked beautiful – they were large with huge screened-in porches. One of the cabins was handicap accessible. 

Bathhouse: Was very clean. In addition to the men’s and women’s bathrooms, there were two family restrooms, complete with showers, and the showers had plenty of hot water.  

Activities/Amenities: There is no swimming or fishing here but you can rent kayaks. Note: the launch area is not within walking distance of the campground. We chose to do an organized tour with Get Up and Go Kayaking with glass bottom kayaks. The launch site for this tour is a quick drive from the campground. There are also several hiking trails that were well marked. There is a museum geared toward school groups that is open to the public only on the weekends (we were there during the week). Although the gate agent said there was no recycling, we saw a recycling bin near the restrooms/dumpster. It was not indicated what materials were accepted so I assumed it was single stream. Other amenities include a dishwashing sink, vending machine, a small lending library, and a washer/dryer.

This state park was a pleasant surprise and we wish we could have stayed longer!

It’s not common to find a spot that you can plant your RV on and go out to hit the links for the day all in the same location, but here at Clerbrook Golf & RV Resort you can hit par on both fronts. Located right off Route 27 just due west of Lake Apopka in central Florida, Clerbrook offers nearly 300 acres of prime landscape that posits 1200+ RV slots for your parking and vacationing pleasure. Here you’ll be able to perfectly blend a golfing oasis that blends its RV offering complete with lush vegetation, interconnecting ponds and narrow canals all surrounded by ancient Oaks draped with Spanish Moss. 

As far as amenities goes, Clerbrook does not disappoint. Here’s just a small list of all the great amenities you’ll find: Welcome Center, Heated Swimming Pools, BBQ and Picnic tables, Planned Activities, Clubhouses, Billiard Room, Card Rooms, Post Office, Fishing Area, 18 Hole Golf Course with Pro Shop (note: first 9 holes are complimentary with a visit to the Pro Shop), Exercise & Fitness Center, Horseshoe Pits, Recreation Hall, Laundry, Shuffleboard Courts, Library, Nature Walks, Pets Welcome, Picnic Pavilion, Driving Range, Dog Park, Wood Shop, Basketball Court, Playground, Restrooms & Showers, Softball Field, Hot Tub, RV Storage, complimentary WiFi, Arts and Craft Classes as well as Live Entertainment on the weekends. Of course, for RV’ers you can expect both back-in and pull-through slots with all of the traditional water, sewage and electric (30 / 50 amp) hook-ups. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you’ve got wine on your mind (and why wouldn’t you when on holiday?!), just meander a few miles south of Clerbrook and you’ll discover a fairly respectable winery called Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards offering tours and tastings featuring Muscadine grapes (apparently a prominent grape varietal down in these parts known for their antioxidant qualities; (2) When you get tired of fixing every meal from your mini-fridge or cooler, then you’ll have to head south to Clermont where you’ll find PeruRican Ceviche, which for these parts is pretty outstanding and if you are still longing for pizza, check out Mamma Rita’s Pizzeria for some good pies and pasta; and (3) If nature is calling and you want to get out for a good hike, then head due south to Hiawatha Preserve that has a few dog parks, playgrounds, picnic areas, hiking paths, and of course, access to Lake Hiawatha, in case you want to drop your kayak or canoe in the water. 

Happy Camping!

While there are many natural springs throughout north central Florida, Salt Springs is considered by many to be one of the best preserved and well-maintained springs throughout the state as well as being the ‘main attraction’ here in the Ocala National Forest, where you’ll find yourself at should you choose to swing by Salt Springs. Located in the center of the state, you’ll have near equal access to both the Atlantic Ocean to the east as well as the Gulf shores to the west. What’s great about Salt Springs SP is that there’s a lot more to experience and explore here than just the springs themselves, which you can swim, fish and canoe in, but nearby, there’s Lake Kerr, which offers up some additional on-the-water adventures.

As for the CG itself, to be clear, there are (2) campgrounds here at Salt Springs SP – one exclusively for the mobile-minded, while a second for the tent-pitchin’ breed. I will isolate my comments here for the former, which features 106 back-in and pull-through slots available for those camping with RVs, 5th Wheelers and / or trailers complete with FHUs offering up 30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage, making this the largest CG of any in the Ocala National Forest and the only one with FHUs. And while most RV-centered CGs tend to line up parking pad slots so close together you’ll wonder whether or not you are a sardine, the spaces here are actually nice and spacious although there’s not a ton of trees or brush within the center or between sites to provide campers with any sense of privacy, although the arrow tip-shaped CG is flanked around its perimeter with decent tree-line cover and thick bush. And while each of the sites appeared to be quite level and perfectly accommodating to most RV sizes, you’ll want to take note there are gently rolling hills around this CG, which features nicely paved driving pathways and cement, grass and gravel pads.

Amenities: There are (2) very well-maintained and incredibly clean restroom facilities located centrally, with shower facilities in the tent CG, recycling dumpsters located on the northern perimeter, boat launch near Salt Springs Marina, small fishing canal just due north of the tent camping area, dump station, overflow parking, horseshoes and shuffleboard on the western edge, drinking fountains, picnic tables, fire rings, standing BBQ grills, pavilion with basketball court on the southern perimeter, camp store on the far eastern edge near the springs parking area, canoe rentals (offered up on a first-come, first-served basis… so you’ll want to get yours bright and early!) additional overflow and boat parking on the eastern flank betwixt this CG and the primitive tent area and, of course, likely the entire you’ve come here in the first place, the Salt Springs itself.

Insider’s Tips: (1) If you are looking to cast a line in nearby Lake Kerr complete with its cypress tree-lined shores, you can do so by accessing any one of the main piers and fishing docks that are scattered around this freshwater bastion of aqua marine or you can cast a line to catch bountiful small- and largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, blue gill, warmouth and shellcracker at one of the peninsulas that poke into this lake either at Lake Kerr Key to the north, Point Pleasant on the western edge or, right near Salt Springs by taking NE 247th Ct to the dead end on Juniper Street; (2) While there’s not a ton of eateries that are all that tempting in these parts, if you do decide to ‘get off the reservation’ nearby, there’s a Subway, Salt Springs Pizza, Square Meal, Hunt Brothers Pizza and Southern Buffet, that are honestly all just ‘mid,’ so for those that don’t mind a slightly longer drive, check-out Elis River Park Café, Townsend Cove, Renegades on the River, Sunset Landing and The Grill Out; (3) It is HIGHLY advisable that you make your CG reservations here at Salt Springs SP WAY in advance by calling 1-877-444-6777 or booking online at Recreation.gov; (4) There is a single 2-mile hiking trail that is at best, moderate, although the path offers up a nice boardwalk midway through with excellent views of trees endemic to the Ocala National Forest like the many varieties of Oaks (Chapman, Sand Live, Ancient, Live, Myrtle), Big Scrub, Saw Palmetto, water-logged Palmettos and, of course, the Southern Magnolias, most of which you’ll find dripping with Spanish moss; and (5) Like most natural springs, as the day progresses, the spring will get busier and busier, so I always recommend if you are camping at a spring – because this grants you automatic admission unlike those who are just visiting for the day and are therefore subject to being turned away once the spring reaches capacity – that you chose to go either early or later in the day – as the water’s temperature doesn’t change remaining constant at 72 degrees throughout the day and, in fact, all year round.

Happy Camping!