Best Cabin Camping near Orange Park, FL

This review is for CRSP Cottage 10, a 2 bedroom, 4 bed, 1 bath, pet friendly house down a quiet road within the park. The park staff at the gift shop were very kind and engaged. They collected our balance and $50.00 pet fee there. Not all cottages are pet friendly. Cottage 10 is...so plan ahead! Despite that, there was 0 smell when we entered the cottage. It was very clean! Exceptional view of Crooked River! Our family of four loved s’mores under the stars and twisted coastal trees. There is a jumbo picnic table and fire pit. Carrying meals out was no issue and so much less exhausting than cooking on the Coleman stove and dealing with gear and tents. That’s also a fun experience, but coming back to AC and a private bathroom after a full day of hiking Cumberland Island is worth the nightly price tag. One day it poured. We comfortably watched the storm from the cozy screened-in porch. The kitchen is well stocked, minus a cutting board. No biggie. Made do. I always travel with a reliable and sharpened kitchen knife, kitchen scissors, and my trusty cast iron pan. But I was surprised to find supplies at the cottage like paper towels, toilet paper, and dish washer pods. The beds are comfortable and the linens and towels are clean and plentiful. It was a great experience and we would love to return.

What I love about Ocean Grove is that it puts you smack dab due south of St. Augustine (a.k.a. Ancient City), but far enough away where you can get away from the noise, traffic and otherwise touristy area of the country’s oldest city. While the downside is that this roadside RV stand is, well, located roadside and in fact, right on the AIA, it does place you within a few minutes’ drive to some of the best beaches, like Crescent Beach, which is only 4 blocks away. Given that this is a fairly well-known attractive area known for its beaches and southern way of seaside life, there’s also no shortage of tiki bars, fish shacks and taco stands to choose from, all within walking distance. 

As for the RV Resort itself, Ocean Grove lives up to the word ‘resort’ given all the amenities that you’ll find here, especially the very well-maintained, amazingly massive heated in-ground pool, gargantuan paved patio deck (with separate area for dining) complete with patio chairs, umbrellas and lounge chaises, along with the overgrown group-sized bubbling hot tub, in addition to offering a very well-stocked market store, restaurant and bar (can anyone say “Mai Tais poolside, por favor?!”) as well as perhaps its most impressive asset, offering direct water access to the Intracoastal (along with kayak rentals, in case you forgot yours). 

Additional amenities include: basketball and bocce ball courts, coin-operated laundr-O-mat (complete with community book exchange / library), billiards and foosball tables, propane refilling station, pull-through and back-in RV slots complete with full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric, sewer and water), perfectly level paved RV pads to park on, picnic tables, horseshoe ring, fishing pier on the San Julian river, lagoon with turtle watching, children’s playground, doggie park with designated dog run, boat ramp, RV / boat / jet ski storage area, complimentary WiFi, large picnic pavilion, cable TV (additional charge), golf cart parking, designated dumpsters, community fire pit (the only place on the premises where fires area allowed), recreation hall with A/C and oversized wall-mounted TVs, heated and air-conditioned bath houses with showers. Extra points here for Ocean Grove providing a gated entry point with actual staff that adds additional layers of security, important given the proximity to the AIA. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) IMHO the best spots here at Ocean Grove are those that are waterfront: F138–F141 next to the fishing pier or J100–J126; (2) One of the very few detractors at this place is that of the 208 RV slots available, you will notice that Ocean Grove attempts to make every square inch count, so no matter where you are parked, there won’t be a ton of privacy and your hook-ups will feel very crowded (sewage line right next to the picnic table, hmm, not very enticing to say the least!); (3) When you get tired of trying to figure out what that next meal is going to be when staring down at your mini-fridge or cooler, then check out some local haunts, like Salt Water Cowboy (where anything from the Land, Sea and Swamp section like fried Alligator is pretty amazing), World Famous Oasis Restaurant or Connolly’s Shore Grill for fresh caught seafood; and (4) If you are looking for a decent place to do some great hiking, then look no further than due southwest of Ocean Grove where you can check out Matanzas State Park, that has miles and miles of unspoiled hiking trails with virtually the entire place to yourself (save the deer and gators that you might come across). 

Happy Camping!

Depending upon what type of camping you are looking for, Princess Preserve offers up just about every outdoor possibility that one could think of – from hike-in group camping and family-style tent compound in an open range and river-front tent pitching at its best to 5 star cabin / cottage rentals. IMHO the cabins that are for rent here at Princess Place Preserve are, without a doubt, some of the very best waterfront cabins you will ever find here in the entire state of Florida. Not that I have been everywhere, mind you, but I have been to an awful lot of campgrounds in the ‘Sunshine State’ and I have yet to find better. 

Princess Place Preserve offers an endless array of live and ancient Oaks dripping with Spanish Moss every which way you look, featuring not just 1 single campground to choose from, but rather 6 individual, completely distinctive campgrounds – each one completely different and incredibly unique from one another. The individual campgrounds within Princess Place Preserve include: Group Campground, Hill Campground, The Cottages, Pellicer Campground (also referred to as Dock Sites), Equestrian Campground and Moody Campground. For this particular review, I will be focused on the The Cottages. 

What makes these cabins outstanding? Here are the top 5 reasons: (1) There are only 3 cabins to choose from, making them quite the exclusive offering for those that don’t want to pitch a tent for the night in arguably one of the most beautiful slices of nature in northern Florida; (2) Each of these cabins sit waterfront overlooking the delectable Princess Place Preserve marshes and just beyond, the expansive Pellicer River, which ultimately feeds into the Matanzas River – it’s a ‘frackish’ water wonderland at your door step! And if you have a kayak or canoe, you’re also in luck, as all 3 of these cabins have their very own river access point for easy launching; (3) From the moment you rock up to these ‘cabins’ you will be shocked to realize that these are more outfitted like fairly newly constructed houses, complete with A/C, WiFi, satellite dish, backyard screened-in porches complete with 4 wooden rocking chairs and inside you’ll discover that all of the comforts of home have been provided with each cottage offering 2 bedrooms (each with a queen bed), 2 ensuite bathrooms, separate living room (with an additional sleeper sofa) and dining room (dining table and 6 chairs) along with a fully-functioning kitchen and all of the typical items you would expect to find: dishes, glassware, silver, utensils, pots and pans, etc.; (4) At $125 per night (plus applicable taxes as well as refundable security deposit), the price is simply outstanding, considering the fact that the cabins are basically new, waterfront and places you smack dab in some of the most opulent natural settings in the state of Florida; and (5) Perhaps my most favorite thing about these cabins is that if you still want to pitch a tent outside (some of us are just die-hard campers afterall!), there’s plenty of space to do that, as well as the outdoor amenities, which include a picnic table, stand-up grill and fire ring (just like every other camping option here at Princess Place Preserve) – the huge difference here of course, is that in just a few steps, you can leave mother nature at any moment, cook up a meal like you were at home, recline in a comfy sofa, watch TV or surf the internet and enjoy a hot shower if you would like to. 

As far as Princess Place Preserve itself is concerned, there are more than 1,500 square acres to explore that will offer the best of both surf (well, actually, 3 conjoining rivers) and turf (which is simply fantastic marsh). On the surf front, you’ll have the trifecta of salt marshes from the Matanzas River, slow-moving currents of the Moody Creek and abundant fishing of the Pellicer Creek to contend with – all three of which make for perfect kayak, canoe and paddle board exploration (just be on the watch for alligators!). Back on land, there’s plenty of hiking trails that provide a bevy of well-cleared fully-functioning foot paths … while on the other hand, you will discover trails that are in dire need of some decent pruning as well as those, due to recent rainfall, will be either flooded or too muddy to trudge through. 

The name Princess Preserve comes from the widow Angela Cutting who remarried a Russian prince and assumed the title of princess (although there was no coronation). The entire park is managed by Flagler County Parks & Recreation, which I have to say, apart from the bathroom / shower facilities, have done an amazing job at not just preserving this amazing nature destination, but the county is in overdrive in its restoration efforts of the place, as you will see with the main lodge and nearby buildings and horse stable that have recently received a very nice refurbishment. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you are interested in booking one of these 3 cottages, you will want to book WAY AHEAD OF TIME, so plan with plenty of advance timing in mind; (2) These cottages come with linens and towels, microwave, refrigerator, but note that there are no dishwashers; (3) Interested in taking advantage of the historic tours that are offered here? Just a short walk from your cabin you will meet up at the Lodge (just past the Stables) where tours are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, so upon arriving here, be sure to ask a Park Ranger for first availability; (4) If you are a biker, like I am, you will definitely want to bring your bicycles here, where all of the main roads and even most of the trails are simply perfect for riding on and the expansive nature of Princess Place Preserve will give you miles and miles to explore without biking on the same trail twice!; and (5) With a full kitchen at your disposal, I can’t imagine why you would want to go out to eat, but if you do, I highly suggest 386 over in Hammock Beach, where they have Wine Down Wednesday (offering 50% off bottles of wine of which I recommend the Bertani Amarone from Veneto), where you can order an expertly cut Tomahawk Ribeye Steak or the Mexican Triggerfish to wash it all down with. 

Happy Camping!

We spent a pleasant long weekend here in this 2-br cottage with a peaceful view of the river. Full kitchen, screened-in porch, and a fire ring outside. We t in a short nature walk along the river, but this cottage made an especially great jumping off point to catch the ferry in St. Mary’s for a day trip (with bikes) to Cumberland Island. It poured the whole day, so we felt especially grateful for the dry cabin and ability to cook food upon return. Would definitely return and would bring the kayaks to use in the park next time. Be sure to also check out the tabby sugar works ruins just down the road from the park!

Simply put, the ‘surf’ side of Little Talbot Island State Park is all white capped oceanfront and white sand beach paradise with its opposing side strategically located across the street is the ‘turf’ that hosts some 3 dozen or so campsites in lush, verdant foliage completely encapsulating the campground in a jungle-like canopy of ancient Oaks complete with signature draping Spanish moss. While there’s definitely oceanfront camping options out there, particularly in Florida, what is quite unique about Little Talbot is that while you will be able to access the beach and ocean, you aren’t parked right in front of it. In fact, you’ll have a decent hike or a short ride to get to the seaside from your campsite. 

Serene beaches await you on this remote barrier island where snake-like river inlets provide ample kayaking, canoeing, paddle-boarding and boating options further inland, while choppy waves from the frolicking Atlantic Ocean will beckon you further east. Beachside, you’ll discover that there’s half a dozen or so picnic shelters running parallel to the seaside, along with a perfectly paved bicycling / running pathway along with dedicated restroom and shower facilities. Just over the sand dunes, you will arrive at some of the most pristine, well-kept beaches in Florida’s entire eastern coastline. 

With the actual campground in mind, there’s 3 circular loops or ‘neighborhoods’ that the campsites are organized around – on the far eastern side are sites 1-10, and by far, these are the most secluded, but also IMHO, the best of all the sites. There’s great growth here between each individual campsite, so while you’ll hear (and likely see) your neighbors, there is a decent amount of privacy. The second set of sites 11– 20 sit in the center of the campground and nearest to the bathroom and shower facilities (which are just OK BTW), but offer somewhat better waterviews of Myrtle Creek and further beyond that, Simpson Creek. These sites are much more open and don’t offer much if any privacy. The third set of sites is on the far western side of the campground and feels the most dated and in dire need of some TLC as most of the sites I saw were overgrown with substantial leaf pile-up on the picnic tables, which were pretty dilapidated anyway. 

As far as amenities are concerned, bearing in mind this campground leans more basic, rustic and primitive, you'll find: 20 / 30 amp electricity, fresh water, decent fire ring w/ BBQ lid and picnic tables.  There is a laundry facility along with two bathhouses and there is a proper trash dumpster upon exiting the campground.  There's a decent kayak / canoe launch (and if you don't have your own, Kayak Amelia located just a 1/4 mile up the road has rentals) on the western periphery of the campground where there is a short dock for casting a fishing line along with a bait cleaning station.  The kiddos will discover a nearly brand new playground (although submerged by water when we were there) and a group campfire circle for larger groups offered on a first-come, first-served basis

Insider’s tips? Here's a few: (1) If you’d like to get a good hike on, well, of course you have the 7 miles of unspoiled beach shoreline, but if you’re looking for something further inland there is a small nature loop that is pretty nice and is located at the campground; (2) Up in these parts, you have to mind the timing for low and high tide, so when checking in, ask the park rangers and they’ll get you all squared away; (3) no pets on the beach or boardwalks; and (4) If you need a break from roasting hotdogs and beans fireside, head due south to The Sand Dollar for some pretty great seafood while overlooking St. Johns River with Jacksonville as a backdrop. 

Happy Camping!

Florida has many many different camping options.  I was looking for something unique and different from what I'd done before and this place popped up on my radar.  Definitely Different and Unique for Florida. And the perfect place to review my icemulecoolers.com 

Campground Review:

Camp Chowenwaw is located in Green Cove Springs, FL adjacent to the St. John's River and on Black Creek.  It was a Girl Scout Camp for 70 years and is now owned and operated by Clay County, FL (https://www.claycountygov.com/departments/parks-and-recreation/camp-chowenwaw-park).  There are many different styles of camping available here with lots of privacy between the different sections.  

I chose to camp in the Treehouse Point for a weekend where there are 9 Treehouses available for camping.  A group of us went and had Treehouse #4 and #5.  Each screened in non electric Treehouse slept 4 in bunk beds.  There were several central fire rings with a picnic table/benches throughout the unit.  A shared bathhouse with toilets, sinks, lights, and hot showers was available in the unit also.  There was a central dining hall for all of Treehouse Point with electric, lights, fans, inside fireplace, stove, refrigerator, sink area, and porch with outside charcoal grill and picnic table.  

Even with sharing the dinning hall with other campers it was great since it was big enough and everyone was friendly.  The Treehouses are spread out with some trees in between so they are semi private.  The pool is available but doesn't open til 10 am where as we were all ready to go earlier since it was HOT.  It was very enjoyable but HOT in July with no electric in the Treehouses.  We had no issues with mosquitoes or yellow flies and the frogs serenaded us every night loudly, so that was a cool experience.  We had decided not to take kayaks since there was a bit of a walk into our area and we didn't want to leave them in the parking area on our vehicles, which turned out to be a good decision because the kayak launch was under repairs.  They are planning on upgrading a lot so it should be great soon.  They recently upgraded and replaced the fishing pier and its awesome.  We are planning to go again in the Fall when its cooler.  I would recommend this place for a unique experience.  On a side note:  Green Cove Springs has a pool also in a community park on the St. John's River that is spring fed and would be a cool stop.

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Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get to test products.  A Camp Chowenwaw I tested the icemulecoolers.com.  I got the ICEMULE Pro XL (33L which equals 24 cans plus ice) in Camo.

1.  What I loved about the ICEMULE was that I could wear it like a backpack and be comfortable and free my hands for something else.

2.  I loved that the straps were wide and comfortable.

3.  I also loved that the chest cross strap could be moved up and down to make it more comfortable for women to use the chest cross strap.

4.  The straps had lots of room to make smaller or larger so it will be great fit  for a variety of people and body styles.

5.  It kept my ice solid for three days in the FL heat.

6.  It has a port to add air to enhance the coolers insulation.

7.  It holds A LOT!!  I had 9 bottles of Propel water and 2 bags of grapes and 1 whole bag of ice.  It wasn't too heavy and there was room for much more.

Only draw back I had was that the camo style is fabric and tends to sweat a lot.  The other colors are vinyl and don't seem to sweat.

I'm ready to use my ICEMULE Cooler again.  I even want to take it kayaking and get some more accessories for it from their site like a dry bag and a waterproof box.

I don’t think there’s anything like Hog Waller Campground & ATV Resort that I’ve ever come across (or even heard about) in all of my travels, so if gettin’ all muddied up is your idea of a yippee-kiyah good time, then look no further than due southwest of Palatka here in north central Florida. Basically, this 1,100 acre outdoor family fun park is for the outdoor recreational enthusiasts of the 4 wheeler type, where you’ll see all shapes, sizes and colors of ATVs and UTVs where everyone is hunkering down to see who can get the muddiest (note: trails are open only 9am to 5pm daily, so apparently no night muddin’!). 

Here at Hog Waller, you’ll discover decent bathing and restroom facilities along with several vendors who show up every weekend to provide fresh smoked BBQ, clothing, any type of soda or snack you can think of, as well as, the prerequisite hawkers selling branded clothing and ATV / UTV parts. There’s also a general store (the ‘Hoggy Woggly’), dump station, proper garbage and recycling bins as well as even an on-site restaurant cleverly titled 'Hog Trough' (although the menu is quite limiting). In all, there’s 63 available sites here with 55 areas (not slots, mind you) earmarked for RV pull-through or back-in slots (with typical 20 / 30 / 50 amp electric and water), 9 tent sites and 8 rustic cabins that come with 2 sets of bunk beds (no mattresses included though, which I found odd) that sleep 4 and offer heat/ air, power, inside and outside lighting. 

Note for tent campers like myself – Hog Waller is considered ‘dry camping,’ which was a new one for me. Basically, you can camp in any setup – car, bus, tent, dog house, whatever – but you have to stay 25 feet away from everything (roads, mud pit, buildings, etc.). The upside here is that you don’t need to make a reservation – you can just show up, pay the admission price and go find an empty place to camp for the night, but be sure to bring everything with you that you might need (e.g. water supply, generator). 

Additional amenities include: complimentary WiFi (that isn’t terribly great, given the remoteness of the place), swimming pool and campfire nights with live music on the weekends. Everywhere is pet-friendly, so bring your four-legged friends. Speaking of pets, as local legend goes, if you hear the squealing of what sounds like a wild boar or hog around the witching hour, have no fear, it's likely the monstrous beast that Hog Waller is named after! The security here, outfitted by Putnam County Sheriff Deputies, is excellent and further complemented by an onsite paramedic and volunteer fire fighters for each event, so you’ll enjoy having fun while feeling safe the whole time. 

Insider’s Tips? Here’s a few: (1) When you get tired of mudding it up on your ATV and prefer to go for a nice hike, check out Salt Springs Observation Trail in nearby Fort McCoy; (2) If you haven’t checked out Florida’s natural springs, you’re in luck as nearby Hog Waller is either Rock Springs or Silver Springs, both of which offer up glass-bottom kayak rentals that are pretty amazing if you haven’t had that experience yet; (3) If you come toting your kayak or canoe, you’ll have to go a bit further afield to drop your watercraft in Lake Ocklawaha – I recommend Rodman Recreation Area, just due south of Hog Waller, where they have a proper kayak launch near the dam; and (4) if you get tired of cooking up franks & beans, then head just due west down 310 (the 2 lane highway that runs in front of Hog Waller) and check out Hog Wild Country Café (yes, keeping with the 'hog' theme for as long as I possibly can here!) where I recommend the slab of ribs with cornbread or the smoked beef brisket (don’t miss out on the homemade cole slaw – some of the best I’ve had here in the South). 

Happy Camping!