Best Cabin Camping near Ormond Beach, FL

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. 

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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). 

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OK, so maybe it’s not quite like Margaritaville (nor do I think there is any aspiration to be like Jimmy Buffet’s version of paradise), but if you’re toting an RV and looking to dock up to a lakeside marina that is perfectly attuned to the ‘living in outdoors but comfortably’ mindset, then there’s one heck of cantina waiting for you with cold 'tall boys' and some pretty amazing local catch fried / grilled / baked up any which way you’d like. 

Hidden under the shade of Ancient Oaks, Magnolias and tropical Palms, there’s few better places that I would recommend to find respite from the busy week than this Lodge & Resort in Welaka. Located just about 20 minutes south of North Central Florida’s Palatka and right on St. Johns River, with plenty of amazing fishing spots to cast from, whether on land or in watercraft, this very well could be your slice of perfect natural heaven. 

As far as amenities go, all RV sites offer 20 / 30 / 50 electric amp hook-ups. And no worries if you don’t have an RV, because the good folks at Welaka Lodge & Resort will rent you one of their many (there’s about 10) river-front cottages. Regardless of where you lay your head for the night, there’s a proper heated swimming pool and jacuzzi here with an adjacent community bar making ‘sipping & sudsing’ quite easy to accomplish. There’s decent WiFi for all your devices and social media navigating pleasures as well as lending library, laundr-O-mat, boat slips in addition to kayak and canoe rentals. Located in this same community complex are the shared restroom and bathhouse facilities (which were just OK, to be honest). Back at the main office, you’ll find that there’s a little store where they have a small amount of sundries, booze, camping supplies and ice to purchase. The best part? I found the Boat Bar to be an EXCEPTIONAL amenity that no other waterfront RV resort can compare with – even if I wasn’t staying here, I would absolutely be hanging out at the bar every night to catch the blissful sunset as well as enjoy the outstanding locally caught and cooked seafood. If cruising on the river / lake isn’t your idea of fun, there’s tons of fantastic options for land lubbers too. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Not more than a 7 minute drive from Welaka Lodge & Resort is the under-visited natural gem of Welaka State Forest, just teaming with interesting paths to hike, horse trails to ride and all sorts of endemic wild animals to scout; (2) If tent camping is your thing (because they don’t offer this back at the Resort), there’s plenty of tent pitching options here that will be sure to delight. For more on this, please visit my TheDyrt review of Welaka State Forest; (3) If you are satisfied with being on the water in front of Welaka Lodge & Resort, but want to get off ‘the plantation’ anyway, there’s a few great excursion options that I would highly recommend from Shrimp R Us for excellent locally caught seafood and great happy hour specials that will allow you to mix and mingle with the locals; (4) Just libations? Then there’s Long’s Log Cabin, which is just a saloon for good ‘ol boys (and the lasses that put up with them!) who like to keep things pretty down to earth; and (5) Just down the road from the Lodge is Sunset Landing, which is an amazing spectacle for the eyes as well as fantastic little kitchen that makes pretty great appetizers to keep your sundowners company. 

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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. 

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Should you find yourself in north central Florida where the sun melts the unrelenting scorching hot humid days into a bright inferno dusk before sprinkling the night sky with shining bright holes to heaven in a moonlit nocturnal ceiling of utter darkness and are looking for the perfect spot to experience what the great Sunshine State has to offer, then I would recommend a nice little respite called Trails End Outdoors RV Park& Cabins. But be forewarned, if you are driving just a bit faster than one ought to on Highway 20 just west of Palatka between the drive-by towns of Hollister and Interlachen, you might just miss this hidden gem. 

To access Trails End Outdoors, you will head north on Willis Road and follow a series of quick turns and curves on this slow-moving jagged gravel road, but no worries, the good folks of this campground outpost have cunningly placed a sign to guide you along your way at any single point that you might drive in the wrong direction. After a few minutes of navigating what looks to be somewhat hidden residential areas with large country farm lawns and plenty of pasture for cattle and horses, you will eventually arrive at what looks like at first a country western ranch, where you’ll turn into the property. 

Heading straight ahead, you’ll come across a massive open air hall-like structure that offers up an outdoor living room complete with chairs and lawn furniture, grills and BBQs as well as some rocking chairs. Just beyond this informal community gathering area to the left, you will see a raised pool that is quite inviting and has a nice wooden deck all the way around it- just the perfect escape from the blistering heat that this part of Florida is known for. The next two buildings will make you reminisce about the Wild West with its wooden facade country store-looking main office building, followed by a‘his and hers’ outhouse, the former of which is where you will check-in. And just beyond the main office to the north, you will glimpse vast open pastures full of farm animals hiding beneath the shade of ancient Oaks dripping with Spanish moss as though these trees had been growing long white beards for hundreds of years. 

After checking in, depending upon what set-up you’ve signed up for, you’ll be directed back the way you came, where a small singular loop will take you around the property, first to the handful of scattered wooden cabins(cleverly named after famous cowboys like Wyatt Earp, John Wayne and Doc Holiday) that make up their own small cul-de-sac with each log cabin unit offering up a porch with rocking chairs and/ or patio chairs with nice tall lanterns in front of each cabin. If you continue down the lane, you’ll pass a number of conjoined trees that have fresh-cut wood, perfect for a roaring fire to be set later in the evening. Beyond the handful of cabins, you’ll arrive to the rest of the property that is reserved for RVs and 5th Wheelers. All of these spaces have a simple but effective layout with very long slots that have been freshly laid with larger black stone gravel, with the entire area very easy to navigate and pull into. Standard hook-ups are available with 30 and 50 amp electric along with septic and water. There’s no real privacy between all of the slots, so no matter where you go, while some slots have better shade than others, there will be unobstructed views between you and your neighbors. 

Beyond the mobile camping parking area, there’s 20 or so open acres where you can pitch your tent. From an amenities standpoint, there’s a very good community bathhouse, just OK WiFi, as well as the communal areas that I described at the start of this review. Trails End Outdoors offers up a number of activities from fishing($35 per day), turn-key campfire set up(in 2 hour increments), ability to interact with horses and cattle as well as a(very) small pond with its own pontoon boat. 

Insider’s Tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you are looking for a nice slice of nature while at Trails End Outdoors, recommend heading north to Oak Hammock Camp / Rice Creek Preservation Area or Etoniah State Forest Campground, where you’ll find some pretty amazing paths to hike or some decent horseback riding trails to gallop on; (2) Should you be towing watercraft and are looking for some decent places to dip your canoe or kayak into, you’ll be delighted to know that you are surrounded by a number of small finer lakes, of which I highly recommend Lake Ida or Mirror Lake, both just due west on Highway 20 or Jewel Lake, just NW, which has a very good boat launch; (3) Should you be looking for some restaurants in the area, I suggest you try out Hog Wild Burgers& Shakes for a couple of scoops of great ice cream, Nanna’s Country Cafe for biscuits& gravy or True Grits, well, for grits, what else?!; and (4) Should you need just about anything while out this way camping, the small town of Interlachen should have you covered with a pharmacy, Ace Hardware, post office, Circle K gas station, CVS, Family Dollar store or groceries at Hitchcock’s Market. 

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For those of you who find yourself hauling your vacation behind you and / or looking to rent a cabin in a small corner (er, intersection, actually) in the country’s oldest city, and don’t mind a completely pre-fabricated outdoor experience in the midst of an otherwise strip mall environ, then look no further than St. Augustine KOA. While there’s a lot of qualifiers here, I understand, one of the huge upsides to this otherwise overcrowded 2-lane 115 slot filled faux campground RV-slanted outpost is that it places you closest to St. Augustine’s greatest treasure (and no, that wouldn’t be the fabled ‘Fountain of Youth’) – it’s beautiful Atlantic coastline with white powder sand and shark-tooth strewn beaches. 

As for this KOA campground itself, you’ll find this urban jungle outpost on the corner of Pope & AIA, which you’ll stumble across just a block south after taking Highway 312 from St. Augustine proper to Anastasia Island, which is separated from the mainland by the Matanzas River. But don’t worry, for any of you who break out in hives at the thought of leaving civilization when upgrading for a night underneath the stars (which BTW will be drowned out by the light pollution here at this KOA), you will be comfortably surrounded by all the creature comforts of the materialistic surrounding you (pretend) thought you were trying to escape, as there’s a CVS, McDonald’s, 7-Eleven and Domino’s Pizza in a single stone’s throw of where you are ‘camping out in nature’ here at St. Augustine KOA. 

Amenities? Well, it’s KOA, so get ready for the massive download on what this camping theme park has to offer: heated pool w/ neon color lounge chairs & umbrellas, 50 max amp back-in RV slots, cable TV, KampK9 (that’s a doggie park in KOA speak), laundr-O-mat, thin tree lines, tetherball, picnic tables, dilapidated wooden fence, fishing (don’t ask me where or how good), firewood (for sale, of course), BBQ, ticks, fire frills, WiFi, propane refilling station, gift shop, tour shuttle, playground, little moat, paddle boats, fleas, banana bikes, automatic key-card security gate, designated trash dumpsters, showers & restrooms (quite in need of some decent cleaning and refurbishment IMHO), micro-swamps, deluxe cabin rentals (a dozen or so) and (the ever so marked-up KOA) convenience store. 

Insider’s Tips? Here’s a few: (1) This is easily the most outdated, run-down KOA I have ever had the unfortunate experience to visit. While I would EASILY recommend MANY other places to ‘drop anchor for the night’ and to have a REAL outdoors camping experience (just drive 3 minutes away to Anastasia Island SP or 15 minutes away to North Beach Campground), if it’s late at night, you’re tired of looking around and are excited to be this close to the beaches, then check-in, grab a coozie and chill at the pool until sunrise when you can leave; (2) While you may be tempted by some of those pretty un-amazing fast food or ‘hole-in-the-wall’ local joints, I would encourage you to drive just a little bit for some otherwise excellent restaurants, including Fillin’ Station, Beachcomber, La Cocina or Sunset Grille; (3) If you’re a tent camper like myself, you’ll be incredibly disappointed by this place, although they do offer up 10 or so designated tent sites (inconveniently located right near all the swooshing car traffic and honking on Pope Road; (4) While you might be living the blues while staying at this KOA, you can actually just head up the street and listen to the blues at probably one of the coolest outdoor venues in the country at St. Augustine Ampitheater; and (5) Make the most out of the fact that you are literally only ¾ mile from St. Augustine Beaches, so while this KOA is not ideal (to say the absolute least), you will relish the fact that you can leave it as early and return as late as you want to experience one of the best white sand beaches in the Sunshine State. 

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Blue Springs Florida Blue Spring State Park Campground has 51 campsites, w/e for tents, trailers and smaller RVs. My favs are 29 32 and 34 Cabins are also available for rent. There's are kayak rentals, picnic areas, boat ramp, playground and hiking trails. The sites are sandy, have a picnic table and firepit. There's good spacing and shade. Very nice bathhouses with large stalls and family bathrooms. Laundry$2.50 No street lighting so good for star gazing. A few mosquitoes out at dusk in January🙄 Best thing here is all the manatee!! The spring is the largest on St Johns river.There's over 500 present with lots of babies. Very nice viewing areas all along the spring. We went early in the mornings and enjoyed the place to ourselves. They do have narrated boat tours and ranger talks. Water activities like swimming and kayaking are closed mid Nov to Apr. Can kayak on St John's river. Convenient shopping and restaurants a few miles away.

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. 

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I stayed at the youth camp for a 10-day training seminar in January. The youth camp is secluded from the family campground, and the cabins are nicely spaced among beautiful pines. The cabins are clean and have comfortable mattresses--some cabins have a bathroom. The shower house is not heated but never ran out of hot water! The water here tastes and smells good, it does not have a sulphur smell.

Beautiful trails, paddling and swimming in the park. Many deer and waterfowl.

Whether you like to get on the water in a kayak, canoe or fishing boat, whatever your mode of water transportation, you are in for a treat here at Tomoka State Park, which offers up more than 2,000 acres of a dynamic, diverse natural playground. This state park gem located in the center of Florida along the Atlantic Ocean east coast, Tomoka is a nature-lover’s paradise offering countless areas to launch your choice of watercraft, multiple miles of hiking trails, splendid fishing spots to cast a line from, semi-private shaded areas perfect for a secluded picnic as well as, of course, an idyllic spot to pitch a tent or park your RV camper and enjoy some outstanding experiences underneath the stars. 

To begin with, what’s with that name ‘Tomoka?’ Well, this unique name heralds from the Timicuan native American tribe that once dwelled here (and can be traced as far north in Florida as Jacksonville – look for Timucuan Preserve). This indigenous tribe thrived in this area due to the abundance of fishing and hunting that abounds as well as being just a perfect spot to establish and build an Intracoastal-led community. Once you get on the water, you’ll be sure to enjoy the 13 mile kayak / canoe trail that is so popular here. 

As for the campground itself, it’s a simple thin, but long and narrow 1-way loop intersected in 3 places that you will discover here at Tomoka SP that offers up some 97 spots for camping. All sites come with a picnic table (some in better condition that others), water and electric lines, wooden T-post w/ 2 hooks perfect for holding a garbage bag in one hook and recycling in the other as well as in-ground fire ring all set upon level sites with hard packed sand. There are 3 very clean and well-organized community restroom / shower facilities, which seemed like just the perfect number, given the total of sites in the campground, with each offering up coin-operated washers and driers as well as vending machines. There’s also a visitors program building that offers up educational seminars and group activities that change week-to-week. A proper dump station is also located at the front of the loop. 

Don’t have a kayak or canoe? Forget something? Need some advice on where to float your boat? Want to get some good local advice on where to go and what to do? Then look no further than Tomoka Outpost, which you’ll come across about halfway through the state park. This cantina-like river-front mini-mart has you covered with both groceries and sundries as well as kayak and canoe rentals. If ever I saw a missed opportunity for a bar / restaurant, Tomoka Outpost would be it. All you need to do is look at the Intra-coastal (or Tomoka River) waterfront real estate that this place occupies, along with its nearly exclusive ability to serve up food & drink for at least a 10 mile radius, before you begin scratching your head wondering why they haven’t set up a proper restaurant and bar. With a near 100% occupied campground space here, along with the day-trippers, it is astounding to me that this hasn’t been though of before now (and forgive me if it has, but not realized for reasons I don’t understand). 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) When you grow tired of trying to conjure up that next meal from what remains inside your RV mini fridge or from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler, then check out the few restaurants that exist for you to try out, wherein I recommend River Grille on the Tomoka for Cajun-inspired seafood or Houligan’s, which is basically glorified bar food; (2) If you don’t mind a slightly longer drive to get there, you’ll want to head to Ormond Beach where you should check out Jimmy Hula’s for arguably the best tacos in all of Florida, Lagerheads Bar & Grill, which is a neighborhood joint which is a down-to-earth seafood eatery or Lulu’s Oceanside Grill that offers up some pretty amazing live music on the weekends; (3) For the best sunset, head on over to Tomoka Outpost and have the Captain pull you a pint of their fresh draught, made especially for them, and munch on some boiled peanuts; (4) Don’t forget to stop by the northern stretch of the peninsula, where you can spy the Tomokie statue, which depicts Oleeta, an Indian war princess who is taking aim at Chief Tomokie with murderous intent as the chieftan had defied the sacrilegious prohibition of imbibing from the sacred Cup of Life, or so the legend goes; (5) As there is sand everywhere here in Tomoka SP, I highly recommend that you bring a box or matte that you can leave all your shoes and flip flops at outside of your tent or RV, otherwise, you’ll end up with sand everywhere inside; and (6) Hats off to the Ranger staff here at Tomoka SP – you are easily the best group of nature professionals I have ever had the pleasure of engaging with while camping. Keep up all your great work! 

Happy Camping!

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 :)

The springs are one of my favorite day getaways! There are beautiful walking trails, beautiful and refreshing cool springs, kayak rentals for $20. There are also some small caves there for anyone who free dives or snorkels. Perfect for a picnic or a nice relaxing afternoon near the water.

The actual campgrounds, themselves, are a ways away from the spring. It would be a good idea to bring a bike as a walk from one to the other might be far for most in the Florida summer heat. The campgrounds are very well kept with a fair bit of space and foliage between sites for privacy. Love this place!

We stayed in a cabin at this park. Beds were a little uncomfortable, but other than that, everything was great. Bathrooms were clean, staff was great!

We only started one night, thank god bc we would have left early. Long term residents made it not so private and made us quite uncomfortable for our family about d the campground and pool. Cabin faced the long term residents as well and was right in front of the dump station. Just uncomfortable feeling. I am so thankful that we decided not to tent, we would have never slept with the speeding, loud trucks on the highway. We could hear all of it through the walls of the cabin. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else 😬😬😬😬 Front desk woman was the only thing that was nice.

Very Friendly personal working there , helpful with insights and information about the surrounding area .... They have Cabin's which are reasonable for the area and it's in a convenient location to attractions etc .