Best Tent Camping near Ponte Vedra, FL

Cumberland Island is a beautiful pristine National Seashore accessible by ferry off the coast of Georgia. We tent camped there in the middle of June 2021. It was a hot time of year but under the canopy of the live oak trees where the tent sites are located (Sea Camp) was easily 10+ degrees cooler than elsewhere. However, be warned, it was extremely humid. You might consider taking a small battery-operated fan. If I return, I will try to visit during a more cool season of the year. 

The tent sites are large, roomy, and equipped with a picnic table, fire ring, pole for hanging stuff, and a big metal lockable wildlife-proof box. There is no electricity or water except at the shower/restroom building that is near the campsites. You can borrow a cart to take your tent and supplies from the boat to the campsite (Seacamp only - the more distant campsites (on the north side of the island) are hike & carry only). You can also bring your own wagon/cart on the boat (we did). You can rent a bicycle on the island at the ranger station or bring your own. The ferry charges $10 to transport your own bike). Otherwise, the approximately 45-minute ferry ride costs $15 per person. You need to make a reservation in advance online (https://www.cumberlandislandferry.com/st-marys-cumberland-island-ferry/). You will need to reserve the campsite well in advance (they fill up quickly) and pay online (https://www.nps.gov/cuis/planyourvisit/camping.htm). You may pay the national part fee (parking fee?) of $20 at the park station in St. Marys prior to boarding the ferry or you can pay it online in advance as well. I paid in advance online but the rangers reimbursed me after I got there because, to my surprise, it just happened to be National Park Week and the parking fee was waived as part of the celebration. Lucky me.

The island is absolutely beautiful with miles of pristine beach with lovely waves and a luscious live oak forest. You can swim. Watch out for jellyfish. I flew a kite, too. Watch the sunrise in the morning and at night, you might get an unpolluted view of the stars. Expect to see wild horses on the beach and the trails. You should not try to approach them or feed them but they came pretty close to me anyway. So it is easy to get a good look at them. A harmless armadillo visited our campsite one day.

The rangers were super nice. We enjoyed an outdoor lecture on sea turtles outside the ranger station when we were waiting for the ferry on our departure day. The rangers also provide tours of the south side of the island and the Dungeness Ruins (the remains of Lucy Carnegie’s island mansion).

I highly recommend camping (or even just visiting for the day) on Cumberland Island, Georgia.

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!

This is one of the BEST state parks we have been to in Florida. As a family of 5 it was an amazing time and the kids want to go back. The fort is informative and the kids had a blast discovering it. The beach is clean and secluded. The River Campground is amazing. If tent camping, I suggest you don’t camp at the tent only sites.

Great park for tent camping and small motorhomes. We are 37 feet and only 5 sites were able to accommodate us mainly due to tree branches and large overhanging limbs. It's quiet and there's a large amount of vegetation between sites.

My friends and I have tent camped at LTI no fewer than 7 times over the last few years. The sites are nice and tucked away, birds are plentiful and the bathrooms are always very clean. Beach access is a drive (or bike ride) across the street.

The facilities at this camp ground are nearly immaculate. The beach access is spacious and pristine. Water sport equipment rental and snack shack on site. Highly recommended to the beach enthusiast. Caution: concerts at the amphitheater can be heard from some sites if you're tent camping.

From hiking trails two camping fishing kayaking cycling and disc golf!!! Primitive tent camping RV camping or cozy cabins great for the whole family. Reasonably priced. The very friendly staff. A great starter camping location or Family Getaway. I give four stars because the restrooms are not up kept.

They allowed me to put a truck camper in a tent site. Full hook ups. Swimming pool (not clean or heated). Showers were ok. Free breakfast. Basic but free. 😊 Easy drive to St Mary’s

Many campgrounds in Florida offer either a beach or tree canopy campsite but not both. Anastasia is one of the few that has both and is very well maintained.

Most of the campsites in this State Park have oak tree canopies with the hanging spanish moss that give it a soothing shady feel.

The beach is a short car ride away (or decent walk but not too far).

My visit was for tent camping but the sites have full hookups and there is a dump station for RVers.

Welcome to Amelia Island and Fort Clinch State Park, which is just about the only campground on the island (more on that later), where rich Floridian history is complemented by one of the more popular seaside beach destinations in the state – and with 825 miles of oceanfront here in sunny Florida, that’s saying something! As you arrive to this prized Florida state managed park – and let me add that with all of my journeys exploring all of the amazing SPs the Sunshine State has to offer, this is definitely one of the finest – you will be almost immediately captivated by the never-ending maze of ancient Oaks with their signature cascading Spanish Moss that appear to have been hanging on for dear life for centuries, if not millennia. 

At first, the idea of camping out on or near a gloriously flat endless blue horizon of gentle lolloping white-crested waves set against the singular frontline of pastel-colored umbrella-strewn beaches like what is found on the northern edge of Amelia Island sounds so idyllic, what with its sunsets, white powder beaches and fairly uncrowded beaches … but then, when you put that to the test, well, it’s another thing altogether. To begin with, the month is July and our location, lest you forgot, is northern Florida where 100 degree weather and cloudless skies, coupled with the southern reaches of Georgia, with its swamp-like, muggy humidity, combined can make for a sweltering hot outdoor experience, to say the least. So while shoulder seasons like spring and autumn might be more favorable than the middle of summer, if you do plan on camping at this particular campground here at Fort Clinch, then you will want to ensure your RV has A/C and if you are tent camping, you better bring plenty of shade with you, because for some unknown reason, the good folks at Florida State Parks saw fit not plant any shade whatsoever in the tent camping area. 

As for the campground itself, you will discover Atlantic Beach Campground is quite small and sits on the northeastern most corner of Amelia Island offering just 6 tent campsites, which will be the first half dozen sites you see on the left as you approach the campground, following by a small oval loop with only 21 slots, definitely earmarked for the RV driving or 5th Wheel toting campers. There’s just a dump station that separates the RV parking oval from the tent camping area. In the center of the RV parking oval is a very good-sized restroom and shower facility that is spartan-clean and also features coin-operated washer and driers. On the eastern side of the RV oval is the beach access point which has a very nice, well-maintained beachwalk offering both a shower (for rinsing that sand and salt off after you leave the beach, which I have to admit, is a HUGE bonus as most beaches in Florida don’t have this, which makes all the difference when you’re trying to keep sand out of your RV or tent) that will welcome you to a most glorious beachfront with white powdered sand waiting for your footprints. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s quite a few: (1) If possible, time your stay here to coincide with the first weekend of every month when a soldier garrison re-enacts battlefield movements and skills by firing off cannons and offering up some hands-on storytelling of what it was like to live centuries ago when this area was a key military outpost; (2) You will want to note that there are several oceanfront beach access points that unfortunately lead to ocean water that apparently you are prohibited from swimming in – according to the signs at least, due to rough currents, which seemed odd as there weren’t even waves in those parts – so if actually getting in the ocean is an important factor to you actually deciding to come here (let alone camp here) in the first place, then I would STRONGLY recommend you call the Rangers Station ahead of driving or reserving here to confirm that swimming is actually allowed and if so, specifically where; (3) I was absolutely blown away by the bicycle wonderland that exists here at Fort Clinch SP – with more than 6 miles of off-road, bush-wacking, hill rolling and dune descending, oak tree canopy covered multi-use bike trails that are just begging for your wheels to leave their mark here – the best bit? Unlike the beachheads, these maritime forested bike trails are completely covered by shade, so while you can escape the heat and humidity, at least you won’t get sunburnt as you pedal throughout this park. Do note that this multi-use trail is also used by hikers, which can move in both directions, but bikers may only be pointed in one direction and helmets must be worn at all times; (4) Don’t have a bike or forgot yours at home? Not a problem, the good people at the visitor center will rent you one (if there are any left) but as this is a very popular activity here, be prepared to get here early (or better, call ahead and reserve one); (5) If you are here to experience the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, you’ll be delighted to know that there’s more than 100 species that are protected here from Red-tailed hawks and great horned owls to purple sandpipers, barred owls and painted buntings, to name but a few; and (6) My best tip is saved for last (who are still reading) – as I am a tent camper, when I first came here to Fort Clinch, I was certain that I would fall in love with the Atlantic Beach Campground, but honestly, with absolutely ZERO shade, coupled with the timing of our visit being in July, we were completely miserable with the heat, humidity and unrelenting heat. After several hours of doing our best to enjoy ourselves, we ultimately contacted the Ranger Host and asked to be moved over to the Amelia River Campground, which is also here at Fort Clinch (and you thought there was only 1 campground here, didn’t you?!). After moving to this location, complete with tons of shade … as well as its very own access to the beach, we were much happier. Just something to bear in mind – know the difference between where you want to hang out for a few hours, like a super sunny hot beach location, and where you want to spend several hours relaxing and ultimately spending the night. We definitely learned our lesson and just want to pay that forward here. 

Happy Camping!

We enjoyed our visit to Fort Clinch. We tent camped which placed us in the west side of the park, the riverside which we preferred. That side is shadier due to the large oak trees. The bathrooms and showers were squeaky clean and the staff were very helpful. The park is stunning in its beauty. Highly recommended.

Anastasia park is one of the cleanest parks. Friendly rangers . Camp sides nice in woods. Beach so close that u can hear splash waves. Bathrooms clean. Mix tent sites and RV. Close to St. Augustine but if u are inside park u dont even think u r that close

The green tunnel oak canopy and Spanish moss over the roadway is your welcome to this state park, an anachronistic island surrounded by quiet suburbs on Amelia Island. High profile vehicles need to watch overhead clearance, due to the canopy.

The eponymous 19th century third system fortification and museum has a wealth of information and interactive living history volunteers describing its operational span of Civil War, Spanish American War, and World War Two. Hiking, biking, wildlife, fishing, and birding are the other major activities here. There is a beach for swimming and surfing, Note St. Mary’s inlet is an active shipping channel with strong currents. Camp store and souvenir shop, special event and wedding planning. This is a major stop on the Great Florida Birding and Wildlife Trail, with some 100 avian species represented.

Group Primitive Campground favors youth groups with up to 11 month advance reservations, 30 days for adult groups if available. Three sites with capacity for 75. One of the best in the state parks system.

42 established tent sites in oak and Spanish Moss. Climate controlled bathrooms.

RV camp 21 back in sites with another six tent sites near the dunes. Renovated bathroom and laundry facilities, dump station.

More of an RV park. If you are tent camping be aware that you are going to be pretty close and exposed to your neighbors. Our first night we had a large, loud group right next to us. The next night we had a new large group that decided to watch a movie outside. Plus they kept the lights they had strung up on all night, so no relief from those lights in our tent. They did all quiet down at night, which was nice. If you are tent camping, these sites had somewhat of a buffer: Sites #41,45,46,53. On the bright side you have easy access to the beach, hiking trails and fort. The fort is pretty cool. Bathrooms were nice and clean. It is very affordable. Customer service was a mixed bag. Upon entry they were super nice and helpful, subsequent days they were not as much. We wanted to extend our stay and asked about possible cancellations as the online booking looked full. They were short with us, told us to go online to check, meanwhile we saw sites sit empty the entire time we were there. If you are traveling with teenagers who don’t find old forts cool, there is a basketball court and skatepark right outside the park.

Fort Clinch has beaches, woods, with excellent hiking trails, and a civil war eara fort. The tent sites were a bit pricy, considering they don't have electricity. But they are in a very convient location, you can see lots of stars and hear the waves at night while you're sleeping. There were very few bugs. I would reccomend it if you are in the Jacksonville area.

There are two loops for campers, both very nice - one is near the lakes but not directly accessing the water (you’ll get more RVs in that area) and the tent camping loop backs up against the woods. Great access to water sports, the ravine hiking trails, dirt roads leading out the back entrance for motorcycles to easily access the nearby forest roads, and the amenities are spare but clean. The staff are always friendly and understanding, and other campers tend to be seasonal, return groups and families - pets are more than welcomed.

We stayed at the Atlantic beach campground in the tent section. Our site was super sandy and had no shade. Bring a dining tent for shade! It was quite windy, but you could hear the ocean crashing on the beach at night. You do have to park and walk a little in to your site. You’re nearby your neighbours but a long walk away from the RVs and the washrooms. The restroom was super clean and very new. Each tent site had its own potable water tap. Definitely going to return! Such a unique area and campground!

Tent campsites are nice, but close together. Each site has a picnic table and firepit. The campground also has a lot of RV sites. The restrooms were really nice, with large showers, and washer and dryer. You can walk to the beach access, or drive to a larger beach access a short distance away. There were a lot of deer that ran close to the campground.

We had a great weekend camping at Fort Clinch! We stayed at a tent site near the beach. The bathrooms were nearby and very clean. The campsite included a fire pit, picnic table and potable water. There are no trees/shade at the campsite and lots of gnats and mosquitos if the wind isn’t blowing so be sure to bring repellent.

We toured the fort, hiked some trails, went to the beach and saw lots of deer. It was a great weekend getaway!

Located in Jacksonville, Florida this state park is one of the most impressive places we’ve stayed. The surroundings make you feel as if you’re staying in a jungle. The park is massive and offers cabins, RV sites and tent sites. The bathrooms and showers are clean and well kept. The park offers a variety of activities including mountain biking trails, access to a lake and several beaches. We spent one day fishing and had a great time! Each site has a fire pit and a picnic table, along with full hook ups. The store has everything you could possibly need and sells firewood and propane. Book online to see photos of what each site looks like to make sure you get as much space as you need for your size rig.

This is an excellent place to pitch a tent and spend time in nature without traveling far. Great hiking trails and the Pelicer Creek is available for fishing. Bring a kayak.

The camp sites are huge. The tent sites are elevated which should help keep the soil dryer in case of rain.

Keep in mind that there is no water available at the camping sites or the entire park for that matter. Potable or non potable so you have to bring in all drinking water and water for washing dishes if you plan on doing some cleanup. Also, there are bathrooms but they’re pretty far. The campsites do have nearby porta potties.