Panacea, Florida camping options typically experience seasonal storm surges during hurricane season. Within this Gulf Coast area, the sandy, low-lying terrain sits just a few feet above sea level, creating drainage issues at primitive sites after heavy rains. Most campgrounds remain open year-round, but October through March offers the most comfortable temperatures for tent camping without the extreme humidity.
What to do
Fishing from dedicated piers: Holiday Campground features a fishing pier with cleaning stations for preparing your catch. One visitor notes, "Right on the water!!! There is a fishing pier and small beach. The bath house is sparkling clean and the pool is great!"
Wildlife viewing at forest sites: Ochlockonee River State Park Campground offers excellent opportunities to spot unique animals. "We saw the white squirrels. On our walk through the nature trails we saw a doe (not the resident white deer)," reports one camper. The park is known for its rare white squirrels with small gray patches on their heads.
Stargazing in low-light areas: The region's distance from major cities creates ideal conditions for night sky viewing. At Womack Creek Campground in Tate's Hell State Forest, "You'll see lots of stars on a clear night and will not be disturbed by the rest of the world!"
Kayaking accessible waterways: Launch directly from Myron B. Hodge City Park with easy river access. A visitor describes it as having "a beautiful little park with a nice children's playground. Boardwalk, trail, clean bathrooms, secure showers with passcode given to campers only."
What campers like
Waterfront access: Holiday Campground provides direct bay views from select sites. As one reviewer states, "This campground's setting advertises great sunsets and it lives up to that. We had a waterfront site. The back of our site has lots of and trees to the bay beach."
Clean facilities: Many campgrounds maintain above-average bathroom conditions. At Myron B. Hodge City Park, visitors appreciate the "clean bathrooms, secure showers with passcode given to campers only. Security gate that closes at night."
First-come sites: For spontaneous trips, Myron B. Hodge offers no-reservation camping. "Sites are first come, first served. Hot shower. (Ask Camp Host, Tom, for key when He comes by early evening to collect camp fee.) $20 per night," explains one camper.
Privacy between sites: Ho-Hum RV Park offers varying levels of seclusion depending on location. "It's the views that bring you to the Ho Hum RV Park. I had a waterfront site and thoroughly enjoyed letting the dogs run on the beach."
What you should know
Dirt roads and limited GPS coverage: Many forest campgrounds require careful navigation. For Womack Creek Campground, one visitor advises: "Hard to find on gps, use directions from your reservation confirmation email. Coordinates are 30.001026153564453, -84.53910827636719."
Variable water availability: Some primitive sites lack potable water. At Womack Creek Primitive Sites, "Just note that 'non-potable water' means that there isn't any, not that you cannot drink it. There is one road in, and its the same road out."
Internet connectivity challenges: Cell service varies dramatically between sites. At Myron B. Hodge City Park, "Verizon 2 bars, Starlink 20 to 114 Mpbs with cloudy skies, which allows me to get my work done."
Limited services in nearby towns: Small communities offer basic necessities but few options. A camper at Ho-Hum RV Park advises: "Come prepared with all supplies because they have little on offer to buy."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Bayside RV Resort & Marina provides family-friendly waterfront options. "Each riverfront has a cabana and picnic table with water and electric hookups," shares one visitor.
Swimming options: Several campgrounds offer swimming areas or pools. At Holiday Campground, "The pool area is beautiful, although a bit small. The bathrooms are newish and tasteful."
Fishing opportunities for kids: Young anglers can enjoy catching local species. At Bayside RV Resort, "Right on the Ochlocknee River going out to the gulf so you can catch redfish and trout off the pier at the site."
Space considerations: Some sites provide more room than others for family activities. At Ochlockonee River State Park, "Our site was very roomy. There are tons of sand squirrels here—as soon as we got in, we took to the bath house; when we came back our neighbors had weighted down our food totes as those (really cute, white) squirrels had already tried to get into our food."
Tips from RVers
Site sizing challenges: Many campgrounds have limited space for larger rigs. At Ochlockonee River State Park, "This park is the tightest Fl State Park in our experience. The road among the sites and the sites are all dirt but level to the eye. Only the handicap space has a concrete pad (#23)."
Hookup considerations: Full hookups aren't universal in the area. For Womack Creek, "Some have electricity hook ups, and some do not. Only one site on the whole property has water."
Pull-through availability: Some sites offer easier access for large vehicles. At Ho-Hum RV Park, "Nice park. All pull through sites except for waterfront. Pier to fish from. Right on the Gulf. Facilities are clean."
RV site stability: Ground conditions affect leveling. At Ochlockonee River State Park, "Concrete pads are level and electrical hookup looks new. Our truck camper fits perfectly, but big rigs are a tight fit."
