Looking for an adventure where you can explore Panama City and then fall asleep in your tent? Find the best information on tent camping near Panama City, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. From remote to easy-to-reach, these Panama City campsites are perfect for tent campers.
For Active and Retired Military only.
$10 / night
$69 / night
From White Oak Landing, boats can launch onto the River Styx for an approximately three mile trip to the Apalachicola River, or head upstream to its quieter, slower moving reaches. The primitive camping area serves as a hunt camp during general gun season.
A picturesque campground situated among cypress stands along the bank of Owl Creek, Hickory Landing provides easy access to the Apalachicola River. There are 10 sites with picnic table and grill. ACTIVITIES Boating: Hickory Landing, on Owl Creek, is another excellent put-in for the two-mile trip to the Apalachicola River. Owl Creek is deep and wide, lined by the beautiful river swamp habitat of the Apalachicola floodplain. Camping: Campsites have picnic tables and grills. Vault toilet nearby. Hiking: Access to the Wright Lake Trail, a 4.6-mile loop. Wildlife Viewing: Excellent birding.
Small dispersed campsite for FNST hikers. No facilities.
Small, on-trail campsite for FNST hiker use. No facilities.
Cotton Landing, on Kennedy Creek, is a favorite of fishermen and canoeists alike. Its lazy, winding current has breathtaking views into the heart of a cypress swamp. From Cotton Landing, it's a four-mile trip to the Apalachicola River. Paddlers can also work their way upstream for several miles.
Ranger
Camped here in August of 2019 a quiet campground located about 25 miles from Panama City Beach. Mostly pine forrest nice campsites and a beautiful lake.
Ranger
Newly renovated following Hurricane Michael, the camp boasts great shower and laundry facilities, electrical hookups, back in and pull through sites among the quiet of the beach dunes and palmetto swamp... a great natural area minutes from Panama City/Panama City Beach. There’s great opportunities for beachcombing, snorkeling and diving, particularly on the south end of the park on Shell Island, which is accessible by water taxi shuttle during the season. Recent viewing includes the lower mount and traverse rings of gun turrets constructed 1942-43, when the 166th infantry regiment was stationed here to guard Gulf shipping from German U-Boats following the sinking of the Empire Mica.
Traveler
Loved this oasis outside of Port St. Joe! Tent camping limited but the 5 tent sites are ON THE WATER and the fishing is spectacular!
Scout
Great tent campground. Lots of privacy. Water spikes and grill and picnic table on site. The bath house was pretty clean though the shower head wasnt great. They were really close to the tent sites though. There's also a swimming hole right across the street from the tent sites which was also really nice! The caverns were beautiful. Will definitely go back!
Guide
I made the trip over from Panama City at the relative last minute for a quick night in the Apalachicola National Forest. Seeing that Wright Lake opened up recently, and with the majority of sites listed as First Come First Served, I figured I would make the drive and check it out. I was pleasantly surprised to find that only six sites were occupied and found myself Site 14 along the perimeter of the campground. Distance between the sites was pretty decent with at least some demarcation between each with vegetation. In the inner camp sites surrounding the bath house there however isn't anything that really breaks up one campsite to another. That being said, with most of the campground being empty, everyone had plenty of space. Things look a little refreshed with the grills and fire rings almost looking new, however some sites were missing grill plates for the fire ring. The lake itself isn't very big and there's an easy .25 mi trail that circles around it.
Guide
I’ve been on a road trip for the past six weeks, mostly tent camping as I go. I stopped by here, after seeing the listing on Dyrt, without a reservation. So lucky for me they had a site available. This is the nicest campground I’ve been to yet, I was so taken with it that I’ve already decided to return some day just to camp. The tent sites are all separated and private, the facilities are clean, and best of all they have access to the most lovely beach! The beach backs onto the preserve so there is no development for miles. It’s a truly unique experience!
LegendKeep in mind, this is a Preserve. Good trails, coastal dunes with lakes, fishing, paddling, beach, cabins, and tent camping including Glamping!
ScoutThis is the cleanest and nicest campground I have ever been to. The gravel at your tent site is raked like a Zen garden. The bathrooms are pristine, and cleaned daily. There is a coffee shop on site. A tram to take you to the beach. They provide water and electricity to each tent site, which is framed by vegetation and private. The beach is private. There are several long trails and lakes. You can see the stars, and hear the waves from the campground while you sleep. It’s really wonderful.
TravelerThis is a campground inside a resort city, space is limited but it has beach access and a great location. Store is very well stocked and all the employees were very friendly and courteous. bathhouse is showing age but was clean and well kept. Was there for an event weekend and despite every spot being full we never felt crowded, stayed in tent site #99, all sites are very shady as they all have trees between them. We had lots of rain and the tent site was well drained. Only downside is the sites have lots of roots in them, be prepared if you are not using an air mattress.
ScoutWe tent camped and brought our boat. If you love snorkling check out TH Stone Park. It is a protected bay with clear water. Lots of sealife to explore. Fishing is excellent all around this area.
Traveler
I stayed 2 nights last winter before it got crowded. cool little camp ground amidst the hustle and bustle of a busy beach town. I was tent camping and had a nice site that backed up to marsh land.
GuideThis is one of the nicest capsites I have ever been to. I love the privacy of the pod style tent sites, and the beach is gorgeous.
Traveler
We called ahead to reserve tent sites and ensure they had electric and water on every site. Upon arrival, we were told all sites to the right edge (water side) and right of the road were tent sites. However, the first half of this row has electric for rv’s only. Moving down the row, the sites had no electric or water hookups. The last sites were in complete sun and next to a boat ramp. All the sites had trash on the ground and none had picnic tables. The showers were just curtained off from the bathroom with no privacy, hook or bench. The staff was unwilling to help and we left without staying.
Guide
Tyndall's family camp offers all the amenities you hope for when camping. You can also simply tent camp if you prefer rather than camping in an RV. Its conveniently located near the base and also near the bay for fishing and other fun water recreational activities.
GuideChecked in Friday 01/17 and extended my stay from 2 nights to 7 nights. I’m enjoying the solitude. I’m at a tent site, no WIFI. T Mobile is 4 bars.
ScoutTopsail is one of my favorite campgrounds. We visit every year. Amenities I love are the free beach tram, the swimming pool, and free WIFI at the camp store. You will see a lot of people riding bikes here and you can rent them if you don't have your own.
You cant drive to the beach boardwalk and it's about .7 miles from the tent sites. We actually love this because Topsail beach is pristine and clean. The free tram runs every 30 minutes until 7:30 pm daily
tent sites are very clean and the bathhouse is scrubbed daily at 6 am. This place is one of the best if you don't mind the short walk/ride to the beach.
Scout
St Joseph Peninsula State Park on Cape San Blas is a great spot. We tent camped for 4 days and loved it! Bathhouse is air conditioned, sites are large and most have ample shade. Easy walk to the beach and the bay is also close for paddling and fishing! Wonderful very secluded beach and shells galore!
Traveler
10 campsites all fairly spacious (too big for just me as I am solo tent camping). CG overlooks a small lake. Nice open day use waterfront area. Swimming area as well. The lake has a hiking trail encircling it. Showers had hot water, I was surprised. 2 mi dirt road to get to it. I recommend.
LegendSo, we are usually tent campers but on this night we decided to try a cabin rental and we were SO happy with the decision. The tent sites had little shade and I think it would have been very hot in the summer sun! The campsites looked to be pretty private which was nice to note. The beach was wonderful- a very enjoyable place to spend time :)
ScoutWe started off at the rv / tent campground. Not too private but very clean. We moved to tent only site when one was available. Peaceful, clean facilities, hot showers and a firepit. Poles for hammocks too. Helpful staff and firewood on site to purchase 5$
TravelerThe tent campsites are clean, have water and electricity. The restrooms/showers are very clean and kept up also handicapped accessible. There is a tram that brings you to and from the beach. There is a swimming pool and games to keep you busy. Staff is very friendly and helpful.
ScoutGreat spot! Cool shorter hiking trails to take you to lakes or the gulf, or as we call it Lake Florida now. For hammock campers the tent camping spots are okay for hammock camping. I made due but I was in spot 21 and there are no trees accessible enough to hang a hammock up how you would want, BUT they had a couple 4x4s in the ground so I used one of those and a tree, everything went up properly. It was windy, rainy and around 30° and I was extremely comfortable.
Fire pits are great, it looks like all spots have a picnic table.
All in all great spot. I’ll be back soon!
ScoutWe were at one of the few 'tent' campsites in the park. Our site was back off the road in the brush - very private even with a trail just on the other side of the bushes. Either ride your bike or take the tram the mile to the boardwalk and beach. Clean showers, friendly staff at the camp store.
GuideThe trails are all well maintained and beautiful. They have paved and non-paved sections. There is a ton of biking in the park. I’ve seen a rabbit, hungry squirrels, and deer. The facilities are pretty nice. They have toilets, showers, and laundry really close to the rv and tent sites. They also have trams. The people that work there and the people that visit are normally really nice.
GuideMy daughter and I stayed one night in our Dodge Ram Promaster. The bathhouses were busy so we walked over to the tent camping area and used their bathhouses. From our spot it was actually a closer walk. They said it was a short walk to the beach but it took us 20 minutes. We rode the tram back because it was such a long walk. It would have better to ride a bike there, which was what most people did. Overall a nice park with cozy lots.
LegendWe had a bit of weather to deal with on our first night but it only got better from there. Our tent site was right on the water and was great for putting our small boat out when we wanted. The bathhouse is clean and the water hot. The views are spectacular.
The only negative is there’s no septic, so you have to have your black/gray water pumped, but even that’s not worth a rating deduction.
ScoutWe love Topsail Hill! We stayed for the first time in July 2020 in a bungalow. Met some folks on the beach that convinced us to try tent camping. We just returned from a week long tent trip and it was wonderful. The facilities are very well maintained and having a laundrymat on site helps out a lot! We did bring bikes and purchased bike trailers since the tram is not currently running due to COVID. You can rent bikes and trailers there, but we found bikes with gears to be helpful on the hills.
LOVE this place, the staff and the volunteers - and will be back soon!
Tent camping near Panama City, Florida, offers a blend of natural beauty and convenient amenities, making it an ideal getaway for outdoor enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Panama City, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Panama City, FL is Raptor Ranch at Tyndall AFB with a 4-star rating from 4 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Panama City, FL?
TheDyrt.com has all 15 tent camping locations near Panama City, FL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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