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Take a trip to Old Florida at Sun Outdoors St. Augustine, formerly known as Compass RV Resort. As one of the best RV parks near St. Augustine, Florida, you'll discover great site options, including full hookup sites, patio sites, and buddy sites.
Our three sections, The Grove, The Pond, and The Oasis, each deliver a different experience. Guests can enjoy a spacious dog park, swimming pool, fitness center, laundry room, a nature trail that winds through the resort, and a friendly community with fun planned activities. Discover all that our St. Augustine RV park has to offer.
Flamingo Lake RV Resort has a variety of beautiful, spacious sites that will accommodate just about any size RV that you or your group might have. Sites are clean, well equipped and well maintained.
Take a trip to Old Florida at Sun Outdoors St. Augustine, formerly known as Compass RV Resort. As one of the best RV parks near St. Augustine, Florida, you'll discover great site options, including full hookup sites, patio sites, and buddy sites.
Our three sections, The Grove, The Pond, and The Oasis, each deliver a different experience. Guests can enjoy a spacious dog park, swimming pool, fitness center, laundry room, a nature trail that winds through the resort, and a friendly community with fun planned activities. Discover all that our St. Augustine RV park has to offer.
$50 - $52 / night
Authorized Users Active Duty, National Guard, Reservists, Retired Military, 0-100% DAV, Purple Heart Recipients, Former POW, Veteran Caregivers, DoD Civilians, Sponsored Guests, Public with an approved "Associate Membership" (call office)
Johnson RV Park accepts reservations, is only for RV's and doesn't have laundry, restrooms or showers. McKenna Campground is first-come only, allows tents, and has showers, restrooms and laundry. 2 tent limit per primitive site. There is a new Wal-mart super center in Starke, Fl. about 15 miles from the Campground. There is a small px with limited food supplies available on post.
Active Duty, National Guard, Reservists, Retired Military, 0-100% DAV, Purple Heart Recipients, Former POW, Veteran Caregivers, NAF Civilians, Active DOD Civilians (Retired DOD not allowed). Read this Article on Authorized Users
Dump, Sewer
Water
Electric
Laundry
Showers
Playground
Beach
Fishing
Golf
Library
Gas
Commissary
Exchange
Fitness Center
Shoppete
Swimming
Snack Bar
Class VI
Post Office
Car Wash
$60 - $79 / night
$85 - $104 / night
Waterfront, 420 Friendly and Clothing Optional camping and Gla.ping Destination. Welcome to Runaway Bay! You can lose yourself, find yourself and be yourself all on the same trip!!! We offer luxury glamping Yurts and cabins, as well as sites to set up your own tent. We are refreshingly different. We offer gourmet meals, at our Private Chef Dinner for Two Experience and relaxation services, as well as, yoga, meditation, reiki, sound bath, couples introduction to tantra and our very popular plant based magic meditation.
Check us out online at: https://www.runawaybaylodge.com/
$30 - $160 / night
Guide
This RV park is in a great location near the outlet malls. All sites were pull through gravel full hook ups. For as crowded as the place was it was very quiet. There is a dog park and a basketball court.
Guide
Once you get over that this is not a resort and just a place to sleep for the night, it's great. There's just enough space to use your campsite and to chill once your day of work or adventure is done. Lots of locals using this park for full time but just remember: RV Parking, not RV Park.
Easy on-off to the highway, easy access to Jacksonville though on the west side of the city and a bit from the beaches.
I don't know if I would use if for a tourist spot but, for an overnight or a long term, affordable stay, this is 100% a good spot.
Legend
Kind of an odd set up.. seems like someone had a large piece of land in a residential area and decided to just allow a bunch of RVs and rent campers to stay there. Per reviews on Hipcamp we expected a small quiet open piece of land, but when we arrived it was more of a cramped and crowded RV park, with RVs parked and crammed in every available space.
It was fine for an overnight, but it seemed like an interesting community to join if you wanted to stay long term.
Apparently the cost for an RV site with hookups is $30/night but on hipcamp there was an option for dry camping for $10 and we selected that and had no issues. We were guided to an open area that seemed to be more of a driveway but it was probably fine since we were leaving in the morning.
Good place if you need a place to stay close to town.
Legend
Formerly known as Water’s Edge Oak RV Park, this lakeside RV retreat has been completely refurbished under new ownership who have renamed this outdoor camping respite Old Florida RV Park, so do take note of these changes as of October, 2024. This RV resort, complete with just 34 FHU (30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage) slots that dot a small, simple single loop, sits right on Orange Lake. One of its great assets is the quick and EZ access you’ll have to this formidable fresh water lake that is very decent in size and is perfect for kayaking, canoeing and boating along with fishing where you’ll have no problem reeling in redear sunfish, large- and smallmouth bass, black crappie and bluegill. When we rocked up, all we needed to do was scan the QR code to book a slot for the night – while somewhat impersonal, it was incredibly convenient and EZ enough to find our slot and apart from meeting all of our neighbors, we never actually got to meet the owners as it seems as though they run this RV park on remote control.
This RV resort lives partially up to the name of ‘resort’ as there’s freshly minted Tiki huts throughout the property that look to be like they are in partial construction-mode, although when finished, these freestanding structures will definitely be a draw for those wanting to sip their Mai Tais under a straw-covered canopy. The road that leads you into this CG is perfectly smooth but wide enough only for a single vehicle moving in a one-way direction around the loop, where you’ll easily find diagonally-slotted pull-through (in the center) or back-in (on the exterior) RV sites complete with a perfectly paved adjoining patio decked out with brand new picnic tables. And while the interior of the RV resort is barren, exposing you to all of your soon-to-be-neighbors, the exterior perimeter is surrounded by a decent thick tree line along with brush and a new fence that encircles the property adding to the sense of safety and security here.
From an amenity’s standpoint, what exists now is very good, but apparently there are plans to develop a lot more, like an in-ground pool, pickleball courts, horse shoe rings, game room as well as kayak and canoe rentals along with offers of wildlife and fishing tours. There’s also the promise of a general store, full Tiki bar (open to the whole community), weekend food trucks and a community grilling area. There’s a lot of ‘Coming Soon’ amenities, so hopefully the good folks here at Old Florida RV Park make good on their plans, but those newly built Tiki Huts, which apparently will be offered only with the more premium sites (read: upcharge), are a good indication that all of these other amenities will be offered shortly. What is currently on-site is in either fairly excellent condition and / or brand-spanking new, like a facility that has an 8-seat movie theater, showers and restrooms, excellent boat ramp launch as well as a community fire pit.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Unfortunately, for mi tent-pitchin’ bredren, there are not sites that allow for you to set up for the night, so you’ll have to keep looking for higher ground; (2) Should you be in the mood to check out some local fare, there’s just a small smattering of offerings in the nearby hamlet of Citra with options like Phil’s Grille and Sweet Baby Cheese’s or you’ll have to head a bit further west to the tiny town of Orange Lake to feast on Eagles Nest Bar & Grill, Lupita’s Taqueria, Southern Cooking and Georgie’s Lakeside Restaurant; (3) If you haven’t tried your go at a spring here in Florida, you need to add this to your bucket list – and fortunate enough for you, Salt Springs, which is one of the best springs in all of Florida, is located just about 20 minutes away from Old Florida RV Resort, so bring your goggles and fins and head on over to Salt Springs where if you are lucky, you’ll find some friendly manatees to swim alongside.
Happy Camping!
Guide
This is a top notch RV park/marina.....has a full service restaurant with a very nice tiki bar right on the river. Staff is just the best and the sunsets are beautiful. Full size RV sites with full hook up and the whole park is paved or pavers. Very nice pool and full laundry. Plenty of bars and restaurants within a short drive.
Legend
If you find yourself in North Central Florida and in need of a patch of land to call home for the night, located just off Highway 17 just 5 miles due south of Palatka, you’ll encounter Lynch’s Landing RV Park, which offers immediate access to St. Johns River, where there’s plenty of fantastic boating and fishing to be had. That said, this spot should be looked at as a layover or a step towards your final destination, as while the access to fresh water is amazing, the campground offering is meager at best. Currently this ‘park’ is in the midst of a major refurbishment as ownership has recently changed hands.
Amenities here include: direct access to fishing on St. John’s River on the proprietary pier, full-service RV hook-ups (water, sewage and 30 / 50 amp electric) and a fairly decent boat ramp, in case you are towing your own behind you. Here you’ll discover that there’s every kind of boat docking at Lynch’s Landing from dinghies, yachts, canoes and kayaks and even the 40-footer fishing boats that you’ll occasionally see in these parts. With all 37 sites, there is complimentary WiFi offered for your web-surfing pleasure, along with just OK bathroom and shower facilities, an onsite laundr-O-mat, 200-foot fishing dock (panoramic sunset views are complimentary!).
No RV? Not a problem. Lynch’s will rent you a riverfront bungalow (but book way in advance!) complete with microwave, bathroom (with solo shower), fridge and TV. Surprisingly, there are no picnic tables or BBQ rings anywhere – I guess these ‘campers’ are cooking everything inside this fairly RV-exclusive mini-park versus throwing meat on the grill for their meals. Apart from this property’s close proximity to St. Augustine (30 minutes), Daytona Beach (60 minutes) or the City of the Most Famous Mouse (90 minutes), what is pretty impressive is the low $’s you’ll pay for the nightly, weekly and even monthly rental.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) In my view, Lynch’s Landing is not a destination – at least not at this moment until they refurbish the place, so my recommendation is to arrive late and depart early, unless you are really here for an excellent access point to the lower point of St. John’s River; (2) If you are looking to get some hiking in, look no further than Welaka State Forest, where there’s 2 decent trails (both integrated to the Florida forest Service’s‘ Trailwalker Hiking Program’) with the first, Spring Trail, offering a short 2-mile loop that ends in Mud Springs and the second, John’s Landing Trail offering either a 3.5 or 4 mile loop; and (3) While Lynch’s doesn’t offer much in the way of a natural spot to socialize and get to know the community, if you do find yourself missing civilization, in less than a 5 minute drive, you can join a sweltering crowd at either Oasis, which is a small roadside joint featuring beer and wine or Chico’s, which is the local Mexican cantina.
Happy Camping!
Legend
Should you find yourself anywhere near the home of The Gators here in landlocked Gainesville, then the location of Santa Fe Palms RV Resort itself will be one of its greatest assets. Located NW of town, you will find yourself just far enough away from the noise, traffic and otherwise mayhem that surrounds the college town atmosphere of UF. That said, you’ll also be close enough that just a short 10 minute drive will place you within proximity to just about anything you might want or need, from restaurants and bars, to city parks, retail store fronts as well as big box retailers and shopping malls … as well as of course, the University of Florida itself.
As for this RV resort in particular, I always have to question places that use the term 'resort' in the first place – but here at Santa Fe, they really do live up to the word ‘resort.’ Apart from discovering a seemingly newly-built and certainly very well-maintained outdoor encampment perfect for your RV or 5th Wheel parking pleasure, you'll also enjoy all of the various amenities that indeed makes this roadside campground really feel like an RV resort community in full swing. In all there’s some 115, mostly diagonal, slots to chose from that offer 30 amp, 50 amp back-in or 50 amp pull-through sites, charging $65, $75 and $85 respectively, which IMHO is (especially for the area you currently find yourself in) slightly more expensive than expected.
With higher prices, expectations rise, but I found Santa Fe Palms delivers, offering not only a premium experience, but one packed with tons of amenities, including: high-speed fiber optic WiFi, beautiful lanai patio complete with several tables, chairs and sun umbrellas that sit alongside a very generous heated in-ground swimming pool, fitness room, pickleball court as well as a laundr-O-mat and restroom / shower facilities. All sites have full hook-ups featuring electric with various amp options, water and sewage, while there’s a good amount of sites that have pull-through options where the others will have back-in. The paved roads that run throughout this place are grade A perfect and perhaps the best feature of the entire place is the top-notch gate access and security surrounding the entire perimeter. There’s even a spacious doggie park in the NW corner of Santa Fe to take your pooch for a stroll. Lastly, the main building where you would also check-in at features work stations as well as a small shop where you can buy sundries and snacks.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Unless your idea of a great hike is walking around in circles within the perimeter of Santa Fe Palms RV Resort, I would highly suggest a trek to nearby Buck Bay Flatwood Preserve, which is just due northeast of this spot where you’ll walk / drive due east to the Circle K and then take the country road due north about a ¼ mile before you reach this spot; (2) If you are coming with either a canoe or kayak, the best place to drop anchor is Newmans Lake, which you will be able to access at a number of places, although I strongly recommend Palm Pointe Park, but if too busy, just due south is Earl P Powers Park, where both of these locations have excellent boat launches; (3) When you grow weary of trying to conjure up that next meal from the depths of your onboard mini-fridge fridge or roto-molded, bear-proof Cordova cooler and want to check out some of the local fare, there’s a handful of no-frills options, but hey, life is short, so I’ll let your GPS help you find those spots and instead, I’ll recommend 'don’t miss options' like Satchell’s for the best pizza in town with an Instagram-worthy backdrop; and (4) Should you want to hit the links, nearby Santa Fe Palms RV Resort is Ironwood Golf Club, which is decent, not amazing, but gets the job done.
Happy Camping!
Ranger
Be advised that this park is on Mayport Naval Station, so you will need proper military ID to access the base.
We are tent campers, and stayed in the tent area Fri-Mon over Labor Day.
The tent area is just that, and area. No designated spots, no fire rings, and no picnic tables. There was one table in the middle of the area and one water spigot for all to use. The area is shaded nicely and there is usually a breeze blowing in. When the breeze stopped, it was quite warm, even at night.
The park is mainly long term rv’ers with huge campers. The rv spots have little to no shade.
The staff was friendly, and called us while we were driving down, to get our ETA.
The grounds were well kept, even though Saturday and Sunday mornings, they were mowing at 8am.
The only dumpster we saw was about 1/4 mile from the tent sites. There is a big dog park across the street from the the rv park, and a nice beach about 1/2 mile away.
There is a PX about 1/2 mile away, the main exchange and commissary are off base a few miles from the main gate.
The bathrooms were clean, and had plenty of hot water. The park also has a laundry room next to the bathrooms.
Overall a very nice park, and we will definitely go back. We will be more prepared next time, knowing there are no fire pits or picnic tables in the tent area. Can’t beat the price of $10/night for that view.
Scout
Best RV Park in Jax area
Legend
Alright, it’s KOA, so if a fabricated outdoor ‘camping moment’ is what you are after and don’t mind the concocted grounds you are on and want an easy-breezy no frills outing underneath the stars you will encounter, then the KOA pitstop located in Starke (NE of Gainesville) has you covered. You’ll find this commercially-produced camping outpost right off the worn pavement of highway 301, which runs right through north central Florida is easy to find, conveniently sandwiched between the Murray Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership to the south and the Tractor Supply Co due north (but don’t worry, there’s also an IHOP right across the street, completing this concrete jungle campground adventure).
This camping depot is too well organized for my taste and has over 100 slots perfect for the RV and trailer parking crowd, 5 spots for tent campers (unfortunately, nearest the highway – so bring your earplugs!) along with 2 cabins and 2 studio lodges. The standard RV slots are on Elm, Oak, Pine, Maple and Hickory, while the more premium sites are located on Walnut, Chestnut, Magnolia and Spruce. Big Birch lane separates coach class camping from first class – but hey, we’re all out in nature, so is there really a divide?
Amenities? And while this KOA is older and battle-worn more than most of the other properties I have driven by, this also has a ton of amenities, including: a heated pool, complete with lounge chairs and sun umbrellas, community fire pit, game room, dog parks(one for bigger breed and one for small pups), horse shoe pit, shuffleboard, playground and swings, sandbox, propane filling station, picnic tables, bocce ball, designated trash and recycling bins, nature trails, WiFi, Cable / TV as well as full RV hook-ups including water, sewage and electric (30 / 50 amp). For anyone that is in need of anything they may have forgotten or run out of (like all KOA’s) there’s a mini-mart on-premise that has ice, wood, sodas and just about anything else you could think of (and for anything they don’t have, there’s a Walmart and Ace Hardware so close you could just walk to either). And don’t worry if by chance you forgot your RV, trailer or tent – if you are in need of somewhere to call home for the night, this KOA has you covered as they rent a few studio lodges and rustic cabins.
Insider’s Tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you are on the look-out for a REAL camping experience and don’t want to settle for this KOA manufactured experience … then don’t. There are options! Within a 30 minute drive of here, I would recommend Mike Roess Gold Head Brand State Park, which is simply FANTASTIC and provides more than 5 different campgrounds from primitive to RV-heavy and everything in-between; (2) When you get tired of foraging for the next meal from your onboard RV cooler, then head into the town of Starke for some local grub, wherein I highly recommend anything from the ‘Swamp Things’ portion of the menu at Cedar River Seafood, where afterwards you can finish the meal off with a scoop of the cold stuff at nearby Strickland’s; and (3) If you are looking to experience some of the best nature in the area, be sure to check out either Camp Chowenwaw Park and Black Creek Park and Trail, both conveniently located just due northeast of KOA Starke/ NE Gainesville.
Happy Camping!
Scout
Great location, simple, clean, safe, good people. Tents, vans, skoolies, pop ups, rvs/motorhomes. A mix of long term and short term. Great fire circle and clubhouse with bathrooms and showers.
Traveler
This is the third time this year I’ve been to this campground. I came here in February this year, then brought the family in July and now I’m here solo in December. Campground is great for a few reasons, one of which is that you feel like you’re camping in the woods vice pulling into an RV parking lot. You get full hook ups, a picnic table and a fire ring for an unbelievable price. It has great access to a very long strip of beach, which is awesome news if you’re a surfer or just a beach lover. They have miles of off-road biking trails, which seems to be a big draw for a lot of folks that come here. It can get a little noisy at night even after the 10 PM quiet hours. The camping store is good and overall i would highly recommend this campground.
Legend
If you find yourself in north central Florida and looking for a place to ‘drop anchor’ for the night, then you should give Gainesville RV Park some consideration. While not actually located in Gainesville (it’s about 30 minutes northeast from the home of 'The Swamp' - a.k.a. University of Florida), which depending upon your particular situation, is either a benefit (because this will surely be a cheaper option than what you will find in Gainesville proper) or downside, as there really isn’t too much out this way apart from the light hum of cars coursing along the fairly slow-moving traffic that can be found along Highway 301.
As for this RV parking lot itself, Gainesville RV Park gets HIGH points for offering up a highly secured RV camping outpost – upon arrival, you will be greeted by a well-fortified sliding gate that only guests will be able to access with a respective key code (provided upon check-in). To the side of this entrance is the main office (here is also where the bathhouses are located, which I found to be somewhat odd and inconvenient, especially if you are located at the furthest extremities of the campground) where you’ll check-in and be given your particular slot # and a map for your stay. Upon entry, you’ll head straight forward with one circular loop (intersected with 3 single lanes) of the campground to the left and beyond this, beyond the small pond, is a second loop (also dissected by 3 single lanes) in the far west and returning back towards the entrance you’ll discover a massive standing open-air lodge (a.k.a. Rec Hall) with dozens of picnic tables, air hockey and community BBQ grills. Here near the lodge there are about 4-5 individual tent camping spaces(located just due north of the Rec Hall), with nothing more than water spigots and electrical outlets, but honestly, this whole campground is really geared towards those that are pitching a mobile RV camping outpost.
Amenities: pull-through or back-in RV sites with full hook-ups(30/ 50 electrical, water and sewage), picnic tables, independent party space for private events, fire ring w/ fold-over grill, standing BBQ grill, trash & recycling bins, remote dump station, propane refueling station, catch & release fishing pond, pet park, shaded community grill area, washing sink, scattered water spigots, basic WiFi (which is slow, but you can upgrade to premium for a small surcharge), satellite access, coin-operated laundry facility, shower / restrooms and flat earth pads to park your RV on. You’ll want to note that Gainesville RV Park is working on installing a swimming pool, but no construction on this was seen during our visit. Prices per night for RV parking slots – of which there are 154 to choose from (not including the tent spots) – range from $55 to $65.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few:(1) If exotic animal sightings are in your ‘game plans’ during your outing (and why wouldn’t it be after all the drama Netflix has dished out about this seedy industry here in northern Florida?!), then give thought to heading about 15 minutes northwest to Carson Springs Wildlife Conservation Sanctuary, where you can meet up with jaguars, cheetahs, lions, tigers, pumas, lynx, caracal (yeah, look that one up!) and even a leopard (rarest of all the big cats) along with the more sedate rhinos, hyenas, kune pigs, bat-eared fox and lemurs; (2) Traveling with kayak or canoe and looking for a nice aquatic launching pad? While you won’t be able to do anything at the small pond at Gainesville RV Park, just due south you can access Lake Alto Park, which has some decent oaring potential, but if you are looking for something larger, keep on heading southwest to Lake Sante Fe, where the fishing is quite good; (3) If you’ve never done off-roading or tried your hand at rally racing, then head on over to Florida International Rally & Motorsport Park where you can race your own cars or better, rent one of theirs!; (4) Want to check out a natural spring (or don’t even know what one is?!), then head on over to nearby High Springs where you can snorkel in 72 degree waters … year-round; (5) The best sites at Gainesville RV Park include: PO4 – 16 (basically all the pond front sites) as well as W1– W18, which is kind of surprising as they are the cheaper slots, but back up to the treeline and are furthest away from any roads / noise; and (6) If you’re looking for some decent dine-in or carryout after giving up on what to prepare for you next meal, restaurant offerings out in these parts will be scarce with either unexciting options (think Subway, Wendy’s) or small-town bespoke haunts like Waves Crab House or Randy’s Rib Shack. You should check out Classic Café, which is just OK and located right in front and to the right of Gainesville RV Park.
Happy Camping!
Legend
If you find yourself up in the northeastern corner pocket of the Sunshine State, and for some reason end-up here in Palatka (a.k.a. The Farmer’s Market of the entire State of Florida) and looking for a spot to park your mobile living room on solid ground, then Crystal Cove Marina & RV Resort might just be the spot for you. Careful though, as there are only about 8 spots here to choose from (although this RV riverside stand is promising 40 more tree-lined RV slots in the near future), but all sites come with full hook-ups including 30 / 50 electrical, water and sewage. There are no picnic tables, BBQ grills or any other amenities to speak of, but you will have direct access to St. Johns River with an amazing boat launch. That’s about it.
Other than the pavement that you will drive on upon entering this spot or the flat and level sandy locations that you will park upon, there’s not a whole lot to this particular place, although there is an incredibly nice restaurant / bar scenario called ‘The Lighthouse’ (formerly named ‘Captain’s Cove Bar’) which is a decent bar with all of the usuals on tap and on shelf. There’s food trucks and live music on the weekends, but bear in mind that your RV will be parked in the same spot as said food trucks along with all of the local parking traffic that overruns the parking lot you will find yourself in.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) While there’s not much to offer in these parts, you are right near Palatka, which is kind of an overgrown town, that has a number of standard drive-by restaurants that you’ll expect (Chili’s … add every standard fast-food restaurant chain here), but there are a few hidden gems, of which, I highly recommend Corky’s Bell Seafood @ Gator Landing, which I would encourage you to try the fried whole catfish or the mahi-mahi served grilled or blackened; (2) Despite the bar offering here at Crystal Cove, which might keep you rooted because it’s just so dang easy and close, I would highly recommend a trip to Welatka Lodge Resort, which for a 25 minute ride south along the St. John's River will certainly impress; and (3) If you’re looking for a great slice of nature to discover and hike / fish / kayak / etc. then head on over to Etoniah State Forest, which is less than a 20 minute drive from Crystal Cove and there’s 4-5 amazing hiking trails to explore as well as Georges Lake with which to cast a line.
Happy Camping!
Legend
While this RV roadside camping lot has recently changed hands from Cookseys RV to Smiling Gator, even after they had published their new roadway sign, just a week later, it was already being replaced by a new one, so keep your eyes on who’s actually managing this place. Despite the management ‘change O hands’ game that might be going on, from what I can tell, very little has changed between ownership teams. This location is still just off a rather busy 16A highway (just a 7 minute drive due east towards the ocean from I95) complete with 3 or so very basic lanes lined with diagonally parked RV’s.
While Smiling Gator doesn’t offer up much in the way of amenities, it does still provide back-in and drive-through slots with the typical RV hook-ups (water, sewage and 30 / 50 amp electrical) along with a main office that has stacks of information on the local surrounding area, which is principally Ancient City (St. Augustine) and nearby attractions. There’s no tent camping offered here per se and a simple restroom and shower facility that has recently been renovated(and I use that term very loosely – likely just a fresh coat of paint). You’ll discover that there’s a few scattered picnic tables and a designated dumpster or two, but that’s about it, so if you are planning to stop by Smiling Gator, bring whatever lawn furniture and accoutrement that you might require.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Just across the street from Smiling Gator you’ll access one of the many entrance points to 12 mile swamp, which has some pretty fantastic hiking trails (just be sure to pack the mosquito repellant!); (2) If you come bearing watercraft, there’s no shortage of great access points, where I would highly recommend a stop by either Princess Preserve or Faver-Dyke State Park, both of which offering fantastic boat / kayak / canoe launches and some really great natural exploration; (3) When you have grown tired of digging through your RV’s mini-fridge or over-stocked Cordova cooler (props to my peeps in Idaho making the best cooler known to man (or Sasquatch for that matter!) and want to venture into the local community for some typical fare, then I highly recommend you give the food trucks gathered at Munch a try for some excellent Venezuelan empanadas, southern fried chicken sandwiches, mouth-watering hamburgers or freshly fried fish& seafood; (4) Don’t mind getting a bit dressed up and want a high-end, but local experience next to the water and don’t mind whatever the price is on the receipt? Then head on over to Cap’s on the Water where you’ll have the most delectable seafood experience overlooking the Intracoastal; and (5) If you come bearing tents and want one of the most amazing authentic (quasi) primitive camping experience, then head on over to North Beach Campground on the strand between Ponte Vedra and St. Augustine beaches where you can encounter both the best of what the Atlantic Ocean has to offer as well as the Intracoastal.
Happy Camping!
LegendWow! What a discovery it was to stumble across Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park! That was (and still remains) my immediate reaction after having ventured to this slice of paradise just due north of Jacksonville, which, for endless bonus points, is strategically located running adjacent to the Atlantic Ocean – all without the far more crowded beachheads you’ll discover south of here in spots like Neptune, Atlantic and JAX beach. In all there’s about 1.5 miles of white beach coastal oasis awaiting sea and sun worshippers.
For the small $5 price tag to enter this park, you’ll have endless distractions to keep you and the kids occupied for a good long while. From kayaking, fishing and canoeing in the self-contained lake (and no worries if you didn’t bring your own kayak and canoes– they have a rental shop here that will take care of you) to swimming and surfing in the ocean, this is a water-fueled adventure that will keep you coming back again and again. There’s even a splash park for the kiddos.
Don’t want to get wet? Not a problem, there’s a number of hiking trails as well as some hard packed earth paths and miles of paved roads that you can bike on. With 447 square acres of mature coastal hammocks, you’ll find yourself immersed in some of the best of what nature has in store for you here in the Sunshine State. Apart from quite possibly some of the most accommodating, pleasant and amiable staff and park rangers, you’ll also be impressed by the many camping options that abound – from primitive and tent to RV sites and even cozy cabins that you can rent by the night.
And if you want to look further afield, there’s even more camping options at nearby Huguenot SP(see my other review for more details on that particular campground). One of the best parts about camping at KAH is the online map that shows you EXACTLY what you’ll be getting when you rent a spot (for more, check out this link: https://www.coj.net/departments/parks,-recreation-and-community-services/recreation-and-community-programming/kathryn-abbey-hanna-park.aspx). Whether with a Lake View (the most prized campsites), or burrowed near the forest’s edge, you’ll find that while there are an absolute TON of campsites to chose from, there is relative privacy to be had, if you are patient and flexible with your timing and location. The sites I recommend most are#210 and#211 as well as#175 and#161.
You’ll discover that the campground offers a number of amenities including: laundry, recycling, bathrooms, showers, RV hook-ups (electric, water, waste), dump stations, playgrounds (conveniently located not next to the dump stations!), picnic shelters (reserve well ahead of time), boat ramps, amphitheaters, plenty of parking, resident police (huge points for this security feature as well as the key code security gate that guards the campground entrance) and there’s even a campground shop that you can buy ice, kindle and everything else you may have forgotten at home. Insider’s tip? If you are interested in camping here, my biggest recommendation would be to book early – especially for those shoulder season long holiday weekends (Memorial and Labor Day are especially jam packed).
Happy Camping!
Guide
Northwest of Jacksonville, FL, not far from the Jacksonville Airport. Excellent cell service, both Sprint and Verizon - great for using a hotspot for internet/streaming. Park Wifi is too weak for streaming. Clean laundry room that uses quarters. Full hook ups with 50 amp service. Level sites on grass. Many residents and some snowbirds, plus short stayers and overnighters. We stayed a week unexpectedly after a city park reservation was found to be both unsuitable and undesirable. Gracious office staff and a quiet park. Go north on the highway it's on about 5 miles to a nice Winn-Dixie grocery store near Hilliard.
GuideArrived excited to stay in a "purple" (up to 35 feet) 50 amp rv site with full hookups for a week by the beach. Have read great reviews of this park. We made this reservation in December. We checked in and arrived at our site, #25, only to find a low front, high middle, low back end back in site, too narrow for slideouts and with great washed out tree roots extending towards the center of the high middle. We would have bottomed out badly to straddle the higher center after the rear wheels dropped down in the lower back end of the site. This also put the sewer uphill from our black tank. Our 33 foot class A was not going to work. I went to the office, only to be told they were full with no other sites available, oh, and no refund because we had checked in, and that is City of Jacksonville rules. Did I mention it was raining, cold, and about 2 hours until dark? We left, drove through the rain out of Jacksonville and found a nice private RV park with an available level site outside of Callahan, FL.
GuideWe really wanted to stay down near the beach, but all the State Parks were full and the RV resorts looked more like trailer parks and expensive parking lots. We decided on Stagecoach and were very pleased. The staff was very efficient and friendly.
All the sites were pull-thrus and level which made set up easy. There were a few trees giving us shade from the hot FL sun. Shower facilities were clean. Laundry room had no change machine so make sure you’ve got quarters. Behind the resort “beyond the fence” was an area the is use for flying remote control planes and they were fun to watch.
TravelerWe paid for a monthly sport for 860 a month including electric and cable. By far the nicest rv resort we have been to, has a lake and swimming area with a water jungle gym. We loved the restaurant and I actually ended up working there for a bit. Front desk staff could have been nicer... A couple of them. Also we put our name on the list to be moved and we were there for a while on a spot near the free way that we didn’t like. We never got moved and other did so that was frustrating. Shaded spot was nice. We loved that they have trash pick up daily right at your spot. They have dog walking bag stations with trash cans. The bathrooms are outdated but the were clean most of the time. Laundry room was a little hot, and little pricy. The part that we didn’t like was the side of town The Flamingo Resort is on a dangerous city, the Walmart was not safe at night. So it’s good as long as you stay in the gated rv resort and then drive to the nicer parts of Jacksonville.
Legend
Formerly known as Compass RV Resort, Sun Outdoors of St. Augustine is an RV mega-resort paradise in the midst of Old Florida, placing you in very close proximity to both the cobblestone streets of the touristy oldest city in the nation (a.k.a. Ancient City) as well as the amazing white powder sand beaches of northern Florida. Located just a stone’s throw from the busiest transport artery in all of Florida (I95), whether you’ve just come down from the north to grab some warmth and sunshine or heading further afield as part of a larger trip, Sun Outdoors makes both a good pit stop as well as a spot that you might want to drop anchor for several nights.
You can’t call an otherwise RV parking lot a ‘resort’ without throwing down a number of amenities and Sun Outdoors – a chain of RV pit stops throughout the country with dizzying amounts of distractions and add-ons – will deliver on this front easily. From offering the basics like back-in and pull-through well-paved, flat RV slots (there’s more than 160 spots to choose from) with gravel pads and all the full hook-ups (20 / 30 / 50 amp electric, sewage and water) offering solo, patio and buddy sites. There’s 3 different sections to this park each offering up a slightly different experience, including: The Grove, The Pond and The Oasis. In addition to standard pet-friendly hook-ups, all sites provide complimentary cable and WiFi, fire ring with foldable BBQ rack and picnic tables as well as full access to spartan cleaned restroom and shower facilities as well as other community amenities (see more below).
Additional amenities include: spacious dog park, heated in-ground swimming pool, nature trails that encircle the resort, fitness center, coin-operated laundr-O-mat, on-site storage, corn hole, gazebo / picnic area, clubhouse as well as catch & release fishing in the small pond on-site. And if you don’t have an RV, don’t worry, the good folks here at Sun Outdoors will rent you one of two versions of newly fabricated 1BR mobile homes. Bonus points additionally as Sun Outdoors is protected by a remote-control operated entrance gate, along with a main office (where you’ll check-in) that is fully staffed around the clock adding extra layers of security.
Insider’s tips? (1) If you’re a golfing fanatic (and admittedly, I am not), then you are in luck as just a bit further up north on I95 you’ll come across World Golf Village, where in addition to offering up Buccee’s and CostCo for all your camping and shopping needs (where a Home Depot and Bass Pro Fishing will be installed shortly), there’s also World Golf Hall of Fame featuring exhibits and displays of the sport; (2) For the history buffs, there’s Castille de San Marcos National Monument, which is one of the oldest stone masonry fortifications in the western hemisphere (let alone the US) originally founded by the Spanish way; (3) While you might be living the blues inside your RV or simply want to replace the sound of highway traffic with something more pleasant, 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; (4) If you are looking for a decent place to do some great hiking, then look no further than due south of Sun Outdoors 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); (5) If you’ve forgot anything, while there’s an on-site market here at Sun Outdoors, there’s also a Dollar General Store and slightly further down the road, a Publix; (6) Carrying watercraft and looking for a nice spot to hit the water? Then I HIGHLY recommend Princess Place Preserve that offers access to the Matanzas and Tolomato Rivers as well as Pellicer Creek; and (7) Lastly, if you are craving some great local fare and too tired to figure out what that next meal is, then I highly recommend these local favorite joints: Scoop for ice cream, Sunday for brunch, Munch for an assortment of food trucks and St. Augustine Fish House& Oyster Company for amazing fresh seafood with great Intracoastal water views overlooking St. Augustine.
Happy Camping!
Legend
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!
TravelerOnly a few travelers sites, most are long term. It is quiet here, no cable, free WiFi. Convenient to everything and owners are very nice. Sites are just about level!
Guide
Welcome to High Springs RV Resort under new ownership!! This park has been transformed into a beauty. Conveniently located just a quarter mile off interstate 75, but nestled into the nature, hidden jem. Everything from the heated/airconditioned private bathouse to the concrete slabbed sites. This resort is a must see
TravelerWe had a site(194) on the lake, very clean and spacious with a deck on the lake. Across the way, at night, the shore and lake fountains were lit with beautiful lights. Bathrooms were very clean, but not numerous. They had Bingo on our first night of arrival. Unfortunately, during our three day stay, we had a Nor'easter. It rained and blew hard during the entire trip, except when we packed up to leave. It was not the fault of the Campground, just our dumb luck. We camped at Flamingo Lake RV Resort in a Travel Trailer.
GuideJust left STARK FLORIDA KOA. No shade but a huge amount of space between sites and set up on an angle which increased the sense of space. Sites had full hook up, elec, water, sewer. Very clean laundry, heated pool, camp store, propane, activities. Very nice people.
Legend
This is a state-of-the-art RV destination, easily accessed by exiting I-95 and driving westward for less than a minute. Located just due north of Jacksonville, you'll be able to easily spot Pecan Park just as you exit all of the busy traffic(as you head northerly) and city mayhem to Florida's largest city. What this RV parking lot lacks in terms of personality, sense of community and absence of unmanicured natural surroundings makes up for in terms of ease of accessibility from the country's busiest east coast highways and brand spanking newness. While not a destination IMHO, this gigantic concrete paved, diagonally slanted RV parking lot might be a good place to layover as you are traveling to your ultimate destination.
The office, grounds, recreation area(s), laundry room, restrooms / shower facilities and adjoining pool are all fairly brand new and very well kept. The pet-friendly RV park itself is incredibly organized in single-lined fashioned with 1-way directions keeping the flow orderly. There’s decent space between slots for both parking and makeshift outdoor living with plenty of room to roll-out the shade from your RV home from the perfectly poured and 100% level concrete pad you will be parked on. While there’s not a lot of attractions around the park, its proximity to I-95 makes this very attractive for a single night layover. And if you've got your fishing pole and looking for a little distraction, there is a nearby lake, albeit small, for some interesting catch & release fishing. Other amenities include: picnic tables, stone-encased fire rings, full hook-ups (20 / 30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage), back-in and pull-through slots to chose from, WiFi, LP gas, horseshoe pit and on-site storage.
Insider's tips? Here's a few: (1) As this is not a destination location, I would recommend you get in late and leave early in order to make the most of your time enjoying the location you are really traveling towards; (2) If you are planning on staying here at Pecan Park for any length of time and want to explore some of the great natural surroundings around Jacksonville, I highly recommend checking out the following (all of which are less than 20 minutes from this RV parking lot): Amelia Island SP, Big Talbot Island SP, Pumpkin Hill Creek Preserve SP, Little Talbot Island SP; (3) Should you want to explore some great local Florida beaches, head on over to Atlantic Beach which is the northernmost beach in Jacksonville otherwise, you can hit up Huguenot Memorial Park, which has some pretty cool beach access due north of Atlantic Beach over near Mayport where you can see his might Naval installation; (4) Should you need to load up on supplies or groceries while at Pecan Park, if you head due east on Pecan Park Road and south on Main Street, you'll find a Publix in the Duval Station Center; and (5) While you are sitting next to I95, there's actually not much there apart from Love's Travel Stop, but if you head south and get off on the very next exit, you'll hit the comfort food jackpot that includes: Chili's, Chick-Fil-A, Cracker Barrel, Salsas, Olive Garden, BJ's, Mellow Mushroom, Carraba's, Starbucks, Moe's Southwestern, Longhorn, Ruby Tuesday, 5 Guys (and the list goes on).
Happy Camping!
Discover the charm of RV camping near Penney Farms, Florida, where you can enjoy a mix of nature and convenience. With several well-reviewed parks in the area, you'll find the perfect spot to park your RV and unwind.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular RV campground near Penney Farms, FL is Compass RV Park with a 4.5-star rating from 19 reviews.
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