Best Campgrounds near Ponce Inlet, FL

Tucked along the shores of The St. Johns River flowing southward to Lake George, Gateway Fish Camp feels like stepping back into a gentler, quieter version of Florida where fishing poles outnumber smartphones. This little slice of Old Florida charm has a down-home, relaxed atmosphere that’s equal parts rustic and welcoming. The first thing you’ll notice is the water – calm, wide-open lake views that practically beg you to sit (although as there's actually no chairs, I would encourage you to bring your own) a spell on the dock and watch the sun do its magic at either end of the day. Just follow the sandy ‘streets’ or road pathways covered in shade down to the main office.

The campground here is small and unpretentious (that is my kind word for it at least), offering both pull-in and back-in RV sites, although if I’m honest, there’s a handful of RVs that looked like they’ve been here for a while and have no pretensions of leaving anytime soon. Is the place a bit disheveled and in need of a fresh coat of paint and a good bit of gardening manicure?  Yes.  Expect electric hookups, basic water access, and a layout that’s easy enough to navigate without fancy maneuvering. Restrooms (albeit primitive) are serviceable and clean, and the overall vibe is one of practicality rather than polish. Pet owners will be glad to know furry friends are welcome, and the pace of life here makes it easy to wander with them. It’s not luxury camping, but it’s honest, comfortable, and refreshingly straightforward.

What really makes Gateway shine is its direct access to Lake George, a dream come true for anglers, kayakers, and birdwatchers. You can drop a line for bass, launch a kayak from the dock, or just sit by the water and spot ospreys circling overhead. Crescent City itself is a short drive away for groceries, gas, or a diner breakfast, but the lake and surrounding marshes provide the real entertainment. This is the kind of place where the sound of boat motors mixes with bird calls and nobody seems in a hurry.

Insider Tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you can, snag a campsite close to the water’s edge – you’ll get front-row seats to sunrise and a constant cool breeze; (2) For a memorable local meal, head over to 3 Bananas Restaurant right on Crescent Lake in Crescent City. Their blackened fish sandwich is as good as the view from the deck; (3) If you are a tent camper like me, you’ll want to take note that this place only has primitive bathrooms, so either bring your own, otherwise, you’ll be hiking to the nearest Publix or Dollar General; (4) Kayakers will love paddling out toward the lake’s eastern shoreline. And if you don’t have a kayak, fret not, the good folks here at Gateway Fish Camp will rent you 1 of the 2 that they have. Early morning trips often reward you with glimpses of herons, egrets, and even the occasional alligator – all from a safe distance, of course!; and (5) Apart from having direct access to Lake George (and nearby access to Crescent Lake), one of the very big upsides to being here at Gateway Fish Camp is the direct access to Fort Gates Ferry, which docks here and for a small fee will transport you to the other side of the St. Johns River, saving you substantial amount of time driving around this body of water.

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Located so close to the St. Johns River that if you were any closer to it, you’d be swimming in it! For those anglers that are looking for no frills accommodations – whether those be from the confines of your own RV or 5th Wheel… or in the event that you need to rent a place for the night – then Bass World Lodge & Marina has you covered by offering up one of the 4-5 RV slots it has or by renting you one of its basic cabin rentals (up to 10 people can be accommodated). Fishing is coveted in these parts that will place you on the northernmost tip of Lake George in the very itty bitty enclave of Georgetown, which if you want to discover what Old Florida looks like, then just stop on by here for a spell.

Given the weather conditions in this part of Central Florida, you can check-in to Bass World Lodge & Marina year-round and within minutes of getting set up, you’ll easily have access to the St. Johns in no time by leveraging one of 2 boathouses that sit adjacent to the property here. If you’ve got angling on your mind, you’ll have no problems casting for big- and small-mouth bass, crappie, channel catfish, pickerel, bluegill, lake trout, landlocked salmon, yellow perch, bluegill, panfish, northern pike and even American eel. While on the lake, you can enjoy all sorts of watersports like waterskiing, tubing, paddleboarding, kayaking, wakeboarding, canoeing, boating and even gator hunting (permit required).

Amenities include: 2 individual boat houses, fish cleaning stations complete with running water, boat slips for rent, non-ethanol fuel, FHU’s offering water, sewage & electric, bait & tackle, community grills, makeshift car rim fire pits, fish cleaning stations, lakefront seats & benches, fishing pier, boat docking, boat rentals, scattered card tables, assorted dock seating and on-site market with souvenirs, cold beverages, beer, ice, snacks and all the fishing gear you can swing your fishing pole at. There’s even a guide you can hire here to show you around the nearby fishing holes.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) While brackish, somewhat darker-than-usual waters makes for just mediocre (at best) swimming accommodations, you’re in luck if coming here as nearby, there are gorgeous springs like Silver Springs, Juniper Springs and Alexander Springs, which all 3 will offer crystal-clear snorkeling and swimming options unlike you’ve ever experienced; (2) Because Georgetown is tiny, there’s barely any restaurant options, although we were able to find nearby a few really good spots like Idle Awhile for Cajun Fried Pickles & Blackened Haddock chased down by Rum Runners, Fatboy’s Saloon for Peel & Eat Shrimp, Hawg Burners with iced Tall Boys and Renegades on the River serving up Gator Tail and the best Shepherd’s Pie on the St. Johns – all within reach of a proper Tiki Bar where the Mai Tais pour freely; (3) This RV outpost on the St. Johns River has been up and running by the same family for 3 decades, so when it comes to knowledge of where to cast your line or how to get to a secluded area and away from the crowds, you can ask any one of the family here for some spartan tips and recommendations; (4) IMHO the best RV spots are those closest to the inside loop (#6 and #7), while if you are wanting to rent a cabin, I actually rate those a bit further away from the main office / riverfront, where it is quietest (#3 - #5); and (5) If you’ve come without a boat to get on the water, no worries, Bass World Lodge & Marina has you covered by offering up Pontoon and Bass Boat rentals, which at $175 - $315 per day is incredibly affordable.

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If your idea of a sublime slice of heaven includes being surrounded by a body of water, complete with docks to tie up your boat so that you can rise early to hook lake trout, smallmouth and largemouth bass, black crappie, brown bullhead, yellow perch, landlocked salmon, chain pickerel, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smelt and northern pike (even though you are here in the south), then Georgetown Marina, Lodge& RV Park might just be the perfect place for you. I will add, this is a small fisherman’s town kind of place – don’t expect creature comforts here and modify your expectations that this spot is incredibly functional for those that just want to get on the water, fish and bring back trophies to carve up for dinner.

This RV park is a bit on the smaller side, and in all, there’s about 33 slots with FHU’s offering 20, 30 and 50 amp electric to choose from which the best of the lot being those sites (#1–#4) that are closest to the water or those sites that sit on the northern perimeter that are most isolated from the rest of this encampment thereby delivering a heavier dose of peace & quiet. Those sites that sit further back are quite crowded and offer no view, so look at this area as more of a glorified parking lot exclusively organized for RVs and 5th Wheelers. If you are a tent camper, this is not an ideal place for you, so I would recommend you look at other nearby accommodations. The gem here is the dock that will provide you with a place to house your boat enabling you again to access the lovely waters of Lake George swiftly and securely.

From an amenities’ standpoint, this watery outpost offers up marine fuel, docks, fishing and boating guides, airboat charters, facilitated gator spotting, bait & tackle for sale, boat storage, boat lift equipment, restrooms, showers and laundry facilities (that are just passable), scattered picnic tables and grills, dockage (up to 60’), airboat rides, narrow boat launch that provides quick and EZ access to Lake George, WiFi, concrete patios, pump out, fish cleaning tables with hoses, dockside lounge chairs, access to nearby springs, designated dump stations and a small marketplace in the main office that will sell you bait, lures, ice cream, candy bars, boat supplies, ice, beer and wine as well as souvenirs. In the event that you don’t have an RV, there’s 7 small cabins that this CG will rent you that come with LR, BA, BR that sleeps 4-8 people and kitchen areas along with screened porch.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Whether with a motorboat or paddling kayak and canoe, you will want to be very careful to watch the swarms of manatee that live in this lake; (2) If you’ve never gone out to see gators at night, you really should give it a try and here with Captain Adam Delaney, you’ll have an excellent time as this is his specialty; (3) At $45 / night, $225 / week and $450 / month along with $10 nightly dock fees this is a very affordable spot; and (4) While there’s not a whole lot in the surrounding area of Georgetown, there is a handful of restaurants like Idle Awhile Resort that serves up an incredibly awesome breakfast with local fare like River Shrimp Hash and Banana Nut Bread French Toast, The Oaks Golf Club Café offering proper British Fish-n-Chips and other American-fare as well as Renegades of the River featuring a Tiki Bar and its own kitchen dishing out calzones, pizzas and typical bar fare like cheese curds, fried pickles and wings but the dish that steals the show is the Catfish platter.

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In all of my camping experiences, Trimble Park CG holds a very special place as one of my MOST favorites – and having camped in nearly 400 different campgrounds, that’s saying something! As my post from 3 years ago provided quite a bit of detail on this spectacular campground, I’m following up on that review by sharing additional fotos as well as providing a topline update capturing highs & lows:

Highlights: (1) Great kayaking in nearby Lake Beauclair and Lake Carlton; (2) Supreme amount of peace & quiet as there are less than 15 total campsites; (3) Nearby restaurants and stores in picturesque Mount Dora provide a nice distraction, if the very place you find yourself in isn't enough; (4) The majority of sites (#3-#13) are waterfront with all sites being spacious, flat and nicely shaded, courtesy of all the ancient and live Oaks dripping with Spanish moss; (5) Seemingly brand new playground for the kiddos; and (6) Restrooms and shower facilities are fairly well taken care of.

Lowlights: (1) There are very few amenities here beyond the restrooms, picnic tables and fire rings; (2) Cyclists and those looking for trails to hike will be disappointed as there’s not much if anything here to either hike or bike on; (3) Booking a reservation on a fairly archaic website with a non-sensical process that involves booking 45 days in advance, so you have to time the precise days you want to camp here and be the first person to reserve a spot at 12:01am on the day that those spots become available … and with just 15 available sites to book, competition for this camping gem is fierce!

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This is less an actual campground than it is a single gravel lane that runs parallel to A1A to the west and the white caps crashing down along a pretty spectacular piece of sand to the east where you’ll be treated to unbridled views of the Atlantic Ocean. So, technically I guess you could call this a CG, because there’s a designated place to park your RV or 5th Wheel (no, this is not a place for mi tent-pitchin’ bredren unless you like setting up camp on gravel with RVs on either side of you, and even then, I don't think they'll let you camp here in a tent), there’s a restroom / shower facility with a single coin-operated washer & dryer set and a perimeter complete with a key-coded security gate (which is pretty much open during the whole day), but other than the standard issued picnic table and fire ring at each site, there’s not much more to this place.

Oh, but hey, you have DIRECT access to the Atlantic Ocean on a pretty decent beach (albeit that had just been nearly completely wiped out recently courtesy of Hurricanes Ian and Milton).

The one thing I will say about this particular location – if you actually want to camp (er, park your RV) as close to the beach and ocean as possible, this is one of the very few places up and down the eastern Florida coastline that you can do this, while still having a fairly intimate, enjoyable experience. Add to this all of the other abundant natural amenities available in the other half of the park (just across the street, mind you), combined with being just a short drive to civilization back at Flagler Beach, and this spot is pretty difficult to pass up. Downsides? Sites are pretty close to one another and while there is decent brush-like perimeter that blocks you from seeing all the traffic passing by A1A, you will have next to no privacy between you and your neighbors here at this roadside CG.

Finding Gamble Rogers Memorial SRA couldn’t be easier, and if you’re heading to this CG, you’ll just want to turn towards the beach from A1A, where the entrance to the CG is immediately on your right. You need only drive down the single gravel lane until you find your spot among the 34 or so slots that exist after first checking in at the Ranger Station that sits opposite this location on the other side of A1A. Apart from the massive attraction that is the beachhead itself, for the most part, all of the other amenities that you’ll want to take advantage of here at Gamble Rogers will be found on the Intracoastal side of the SRA where you’ll find hiking paths, 6 different sized covered pavilions that are perfect for a small family of 4 or can fit a BBQing family reunion of 100 or so – but I would highly recommend for the larger sized planned group events to reserve well in advance. This entire SRA is pet-friendly and there is a sanitary disposal for RVs and 5th Wheels along with standard water & electric hook-ups.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you come toting a kayak or canoe, there is an excellent launch near the first set of covered pavilions on the Intracoastal, and if you don’t have your own, the good folks here at Gamble Rogers will gladly rent you one of theirs; (2) Whether you are staying beachside or riverfront, if you’ve got swimming on your mind, you’ll want to avoid going for a dip in the alligator-infested frackish waters of the Intracoastal and instead fare better in the ocean’s sea salt, but do beware of the warning flags as rip currents in this area can be quite unpredictable and thus dangerous; (3) There’s an excellent boat launch on the Intracoastal side with fairly wide access and a very minimal decline into the water, but you’ll want to motor slow given all of the manatees in the area;(4) The restroom facilities beachside are just mediocre and will certainly get the job done, but I found the bath house back on the Intracoastal side to be nothing short of spectacular, especially with the turbine-like ceiling fans that keep the place fresh and dry – not a bad place to hang wet clothes to let them dry; (5) When you grow weary of rummaging through your RV mini-fridge and wanna check out some local fare, while fairly touristy, we tried out the Funky Pelican, which has the long pier that was nearly destroyed from the last Hurricane that ripped through here, and have to admit that the seafood combination plate for $20 was most excellent; and (6) IMHO the best sites on the beachside are those located furthest south(#25-#34) as they are further away from the entrance and seem better shrouded from the traffic noise.

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If you come bearing an RV or fifth-wheeler, are 55+ and don’t mind living next to the swooshing 2-lane traffic of highway 17, then Bass Capital RV Park might very well be the perfect retirement sunset location for you. Located just a few stone throws from the 'Bass Catching Capital of the World' – Crescent Lake – this RV park(ing lot) is sandwiched between Crescent City to the north and Seville to the south. What this place lacks in terms of amenities and activities, makes up for being incredibly economical ($45/night) as well as conveniently placing you within spitting distance of both Crescent Lake as well as Florida’s second largest body of water, Lake George.

As for Bass Capital RV Park itself, this age-restricted retirement roadside stand is organized as a simple oval with a dissecting lane cutting through the fairly small football field-sized area, offering up about 60 or so individual RV slots, most of which are back-in, and just a handful that are pull-through with all offering up standard hookups (30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage) and a picnic table as well as solid 8’ x 14’ concrete or pebble-strewn parking pads. Bass Capital offers up RV slot rental by the night ($45), week ($250) or month ($410), plus the cost of electricity.

Amenities: Clubhouse, Pet-Friendly, Private Lake with Fishing Pier / Dock, Community Events, Outdoor Storage, Onsite Laundr-O-Mat, Park Benches, Mail, Community Board, Doggie Park, Picnic Tables, Designated Trash Disposal and Endless Sunsets.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you are looking to get your angling on, I highly recommend booking a pro fishing guide over at 333 Fish Camp (you can check out my review on this spot on TheDyrt), which is just down the road from Bass Capital and if you do decide to book a guide, I highly recommend Cole, who is the onsite angling ombudsman who will not only educate you on how to fish, but more importantly, WHERE to fish at Lake Crescent; (2) If you have kayaks and canoes entowe, I highly recommend dipping them into Lake George over by Pine Island RV & Marina (you can check out my review on this spot on TheDyrt), where they have a proper boat launch, or you can simply push off from any of the lake edges that make up Lake George Conservation Area; and (3) When you get tired of trying to figure out what’s next for dinner or simply want to try out the local fare, I highly recommend driving (or boating) a bit further south to Astor where you’ll discover Drifters River Bar & Grill, which serves up some fairly decent glorified American bar food, of which I highly recommend the fried shrimp basket, seasoned fries and/ or the corned beef & cabbage.

Happy Camping!