Best Cabin Camping near Port Orange, FL

If you’ve landed on this review hopefully its because of a primary decision to visit one of the greatest beach communities in all of Florida – New Smyrna Beach. This super-slim archipelago boasts some of the most perfect white sugar sand beaches anywhere – plus, the best part is that this beach is a proper ‘drive-on’ beach, so whatever you would normally have to haul in a cart or wheeled by trolley to the beach, you can simply keep in the trunk or bed of your SUV / car / truck. And if you are here, hopefully you have planned to be here for some time – or, upon seeing how simply amazing New Smyrna Beach is, have decided that you need a place to stay ... but unfortunately, you and a couple thousand other people have come to the same conclusion. So what do you do? 

Well, you look for simple and affordable accommodations nearby, and that’s what will attract you to Sugar Mill Ruins Travel Park, which is conveniently located only 15 minutes drive or so from beachside bliss. While this is definitely an RV-laden outpost, the vibe here is quite contagious, with its main office greeting you immediately upon arrival, where just past this wooden log cabin structure pure hedonism awaits with vibrant bouncing beach balls popping up and down in this overgrown campside Florida shaped-pool bursting with loud southern country music (yee-haw!) and nearly everyone en towe brandishing a coozie with some cheap domestic beer and endless “hey y’all’s” and smiles to boot at the ‘Tiki Hut’ (warning – there’s nothing here that resembles a ’Tiki Hut’ apart from the drinks they pour, although even here, no umbrellas!). This place feels like Spring Break for the adults toting 2-3 kids with them as they dwell in their mobile manufactured temporary housing. 

With all the proper hook-ups being provided (30 / 50 amp electric, sewer, water), this oversized RV menagerie feels like it’s been carved out of a forest of tall needle-pine trees sheltering its residents from the sweltering heat of NE Florida. The family-friendly restrooms and shower facilities are fairly clean and there’s picnic tables and BBQ grills sporadically littered all over the place. Sugar Mill Ruins also rents out very affordable cabins (12 x 20) with twin bunk beds and fold-out futon (nice) complete with mini-fridge, table, chairs, microwave and even a porch with deck chairs. There’s more than 200 sites to choose from complete with a playground for the kiddos, game room with 2 billiards tables, plus 3 acres of lake fishing along with a cool pavilion with games and events (this is the main building that you’ll first encounter). 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) While not exactly a destination, Sugar Mill Ruins is so dang convenient to some of the best beach experiences you might ever encounter, depending upon your leaning, leave early and spend as much time as you can at New Smyrna Beach; (2) If you’re looking for a different place to soak some suds, I highly recommend Norwood’s Treehouse Bar, which has fantastic cocktails and local live music; and (3) For simply sublime food, check out Outriggers Tiki Bar& Grille, which has a pretty gracious happy hour where you can spot manatees and dolphins while biting down on some of the freshest catch in Florida, but with outstanding accoutrement, like key lime coconut beurre blanc and sticky bamboo rice or pineapple and peppadew rhum butter infused fish entrees. 

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What I love about Ocean Grove is that it puts you smack dab due south of St. Augustine (a.k.a. Ancient City), but far enough away where you can get away from the noise, traffic and otherwise touristy area of the country’s oldest city. While the downside is that this roadside RV stand is, well, located roadside and in fact, right on the AIA, it does place you within a few minutes’ drive to some of the best beaches, like Crescent Beach, which is only 4 blocks away. Given that this is a fairly well-known attractive area known for its beaches and southern way of seaside life, there’s also no shortage of tiki bars, fish shacks and taco stands to choose from, all within walking distance. 

As for the RV Resort itself, Ocean Grove lives up to the word ‘resort’ given all the amenities that you’ll find here, especially the very well-maintained, amazingly massive heated in-ground pool, gargantuan paved patio deck (with separate area for dining) complete with patio chairs, umbrellas and lounge chaises, along with the overgrown group-sized bubbling hot tub, in addition to offering a very well-stocked market store, restaurant and bar (can anyone say “Mai Tais poolside, por favor?!”) as well as perhaps its most impressive asset, offering direct water access to the Intracoastal (along with kayak rentals, in case you forgot yours). 

Additional amenities include: basketball and bocce ball courts, coin-operated laundr-O-mat (complete with community book exchange / library), billiards and foosball tables, propane refilling station, pull-through and back-in RV slots complete with full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric, sewer and water), perfectly level paved RV pads to park on, picnic tables, horseshoe ring, fishing pier on the San Julian river, lagoon with turtle watching, children’s playground, doggie park with designated dog run, boat ramp, RV / boat / jet ski storage area, complimentary WiFi, large picnic pavilion, cable TV (additional charge), golf cart parking, designated dumpsters, community fire pit (the only place on the premises where fires area allowed), recreation hall with A/C and oversized wall-mounted TVs, heated and air-conditioned bath houses with showers. Extra points here for Ocean Grove providing a gated entry point with actual staff that adds additional layers of security, important given the proximity to the AIA. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) IMHO the best spots here at Ocean Grove are those that are waterfront: F138–F141 next to the fishing pier or J100–J126; (2) One of the very few detractors at this place is that of the 208 RV slots available, you will notice that Ocean Grove attempts to make every square inch count, so no matter where you are parked, there won’t be a ton of privacy and your hook-ups will feel very crowded (sewage line right next to the picnic table, hmm, not very enticing to say the least!); (3) When you get tired of trying to figure out what that next meal is going to be when staring down at your mini-fridge or cooler, then check out some local haunts, like Salt Water Cowboy (where anything from the Land, Sea and Swamp section like fried Alligator is pretty amazing), World Famous Oasis Restaurant or Connolly’s Shore Grill for fresh caught seafood; and (4) If you are looking for a decent place to do some great hiking, then look no further than due southwest of Ocean Grove 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). 

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OK, so maybe it’s not quite like Margaritaville (nor do I think there is any aspiration to be like Jimmy Buffet’s version of paradise), but if you’re toting an RV and looking to dock up to a lakeside marina that is perfectly attuned to the ‘living in outdoors but comfortably’ mindset, then there’s one heck of cantina waiting for you with cold 'tall boys' and some pretty amazing local catch fried / grilled / baked up any which way you’d like. 

Hidden under the shade of Ancient Oaks, Magnolias and tropical Palms, there’s few better places that I would recommend to find respite from the busy week than this Lodge & Resort in Welaka. Located just about 20 minutes south of North Central Florida’s Palatka and right on St. Johns River, with plenty of amazing fishing spots to cast from, whether on land or in watercraft, this very well could be your slice of perfect natural heaven. 

As far as amenities go, all RV sites offer 20 / 30 / 50 electric amp hook-ups. And no worries if you don’t have an RV, because the good folks at Welaka Lodge & Resort will rent you one of their many (there’s about 10) river-front cottages. Regardless of where you lay your head for the night, there’s a proper heated swimming pool and jacuzzi here with an adjacent community bar making ‘sipping & sudsing’ quite easy to accomplish. There’s decent WiFi for all your devices and social media navigating pleasures as well as lending library, laundr-O-mat, boat slips in addition to kayak and canoe rentals. Located in this same community complex are the shared restroom and bathhouse facilities (which were just OK, to be honest). Back at the main office, you’ll find that there’s a little store where they have a small amount of sundries, booze, camping supplies and ice to purchase. The best part? I found the Boat Bar to be an EXCEPTIONAL amenity that no other waterfront RV resort can compare with – even if I wasn’t staying here, I would absolutely be hanging out at the bar every night to catch the blissful sunset as well as enjoy the outstanding locally caught and cooked seafood. If cruising on the river / lake isn’t your idea of fun, there’s tons of fantastic options for land lubbers too. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Not more than a 7 minute drive from Welaka Lodge & Resort is the under-visited natural gem of Welaka State Forest, just teaming with interesting paths to hike, horse trails to ride and all sorts of endemic wild animals to scout; (2) If tent camping is your thing (because they don’t offer this back at the Resort), there’s plenty of tent pitching options here that will be sure to delight. For more on this, please visit my TheDyrt review of Welaka State Forest; (3) If you are satisfied with being on the water in front of Welaka Lodge & Resort, but want to get off ‘the plantation’ anyway, there’s a few great excursion options that I would highly recommend from Shrimp R Us for excellent locally caught seafood and great happy hour specials that will allow you to mix and mingle with the locals; (4) Just libations? Then there’s Long’s Log Cabin, which is just a saloon for good ‘ol boys (and the lasses that put up with them!) who like to keep things pretty down to earth; and (5) Just down the road from the Lodge is Sunset Landing, which is an amazing spectacle for the eyes as well as fantastic little kitchen that makes pretty great appetizers to keep your sundowners company. 

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One of the few crown gems you’ll discover along Beverly Beach, Camptown RV Resort & Campers Village is MASSIVE! But I must forewarn my tent pitching brethren – this is 100% an RV hangout (for the most part) of the concrete jungle kind. That said, if you’re looking for a spot to park your mobile living room for the night (or the month) and want to be able to either quickly access, or better yet, have amazing views of the Atlantic Ocean with simply outstanding beaches, then look no further than Camptown! 

From an amenities standpoint, all slots are either vertical or diagonal (facing directly towards the ocean or across the street towards the Intracoastal) with both sides offering full hook-ups (water, sewer and 50 amp electrical service - Camptown offers 30 amp adapters free of charge) as well as complimentary cable and WiFi for all your social media surfing needs. Don’t have an RV? Not a problem, Camptown has you covered with their cabin rentals (but there’s only about a half dozen, so make a reservation early if you want these). Onsite you’ll discover a fairly full-service market with gifts and souvenirs, fishing gear, beach items, snacks and soda, booze and mixers as well as all the RV camping supplies you might need while here. 

What I love most about Camptown is that it puts you SMACK DAB in front of one of the most beautiful beach shorelines on Florida’s Atlantic Coast. One warning I would give, having stayed shortly after Hurricane Nicole hit, is that a decent amount of the coastline has been demolished and there are several oceanfront businesses and access-ways that are now defunct and under construction. Additionally, Camptown is midway between 2 great locations – St. Augustine (aka ‘Ancient City') to the north and Daytona Beach to the south. Both offer additional great beaches (but you should have no problem on this front here at Beverly Beach) as well as a ton of nightlife, culinary, cultural and entertainment options. 

Inside tips? Here’s a few: (1) While boasting about being ‘pet-friendly,’ if you are thinking about renting a cabin here at Camptown, think again – no four-legged friends are allowed; (2) As you are this close to paradise, I have to make ‘treasure-seekers’ aware that if you are on the hunt for shark teeth, you are nearby one of the world’s most famous beaches for discovering the dental remains of 20 or so different Selachimorpha (and some prehistoric, if you are lucky enough); (3) When you get tired of trying to figure out what’s on the menu for your next meal, I highly recommend grabbing an oceanside brunch at Java Joint with the Country Benedict (the sausage gravy is outstanding!), ordering a pair of crab cakes at Turtle Shack Café or pursuing fresh fried conch fritters at Break Awayz; and (4) If you want to drop your kayak in some ‘frakish’ (sea and fresh water) waters, then stop by Si Como No Inn (can’t miss this vibrant oceanside hostel) that has access to the Matanzas River/ Intracoastal. 

Happy Camping!

Blue Springs Florida Blue Spring State Park Campground has 51 campsites, w/e for tents, trailers and smaller RVs. My favs are 29 32 and 34 Cabins are also available for rent. There's are kayak rentals, picnic areas, boat ramp, playground and hiking trails. The sites are sandy, have a picnic table and firepit. There's good spacing and shade. Very nice bathhouses with large stalls and family bathrooms. Laundry$2.50 No street lighting so good for star gazing. A few mosquitoes out at dusk in January🙄 Best thing here is all the manatee!! The spring is the largest on St Johns river.There's over 500 present with lots of babies. Very nice viewing areas all along the spring. We went early in the mornings and enjoyed the place to ourselves. They do have narrated boat tours and ranger talks. Water activities like swimming and kayaking are closed mid Nov to Apr. Can kayak on St John's river. Convenient shopping and restaurants a few miles away.

Depending upon what type of camping you are looking for, Princess Preserve offers up just about every outdoor possibility that one could think of – from hike-in group camping and family-style tent compound in an open range and river-front tent pitching at its best to 5 star cabin / cottage rentals. IMHO the cabins that are for rent here at Princess Place Preserve are, without a doubt, some of the very best waterfront cabins you will ever find here in the entire state of Florida. Not that I have been everywhere, mind you, but I have been to an awful lot of campgrounds in the ‘Sunshine State’ and I have yet to find better. 

Princess Place Preserve offers an endless array of live and ancient Oaks dripping with Spanish Moss every which way you look, featuring not just 1 single campground to choose from, but rather 6 individual, completely distinctive campgrounds – each one completely different and incredibly unique from one another. The individual campgrounds within Princess Place Preserve include: Group Campground, Hill Campground, The Cottages, Pellicer Campground (also referred to as Dock Sites), Equestrian Campground and Moody Campground. For this particular review, I will be focused on the The Cottages. 

What makes these cabins outstanding? Here are the top 5 reasons: (1) There are only 3 cabins to choose from, making them quite the exclusive offering for those that don’t want to pitch a tent for the night in arguably one of the most beautiful slices of nature in northern Florida; (2) Each of these cabins sit waterfront overlooking the delectable Princess Place Preserve marshes and just beyond, the expansive Pellicer River, which ultimately feeds into the Matanzas River – it’s a ‘frackish’ water wonderland at your door step! And if you have a kayak or canoe, you’re also in luck, as all 3 of these cabins have their very own river access point for easy launching; (3) From the moment you rock up to these ‘cabins’ you will be shocked to realize that these are more outfitted like fairly newly constructed houses, complete with A/C, WiFi, satellite dish, backyard screened-in porches complete with 4 wooden rocking chairs and inside you’ll discover that all of the comforts of home have been provided with each cottage offering 2 bedrooms (each with a queen bed), 2 ensuite bathrooms, separate living room (with an additional sleeper sofa) and dining room (dining table and 6 chairs) along with a fully-functioning kitchen and all of the typical items you would expect to find: dishes, glassware, silver, utensils, pots and pans, etc.; (4) At $125 per night (plus applicable taxes as well as refundable security deposit), the price is simply outstanding, considering the fact that the cabins are basically new, waterfront and places you smack dab in some of the most opulent natural settings in the state of Florida; and (5) Perhaps my most favorite thing about these cabins is that if you still want to pitch a tent outside (some of us are just die-hard campers afterall!), there’s plenty of space to do that, as well as the outdoor amenities, which include a picnic table, stand-up grill and fire ring (just like every other camping option here at Princess Place Preserve) – the huge difference here of course, is that in just a few steps, you can leave mother nature at any moment, cook up a meal like you were at home, recline in a comfy sofa, watch TV or surf the internet and enjoy a hot shower if you would like to. 

As far as Princess Place Preserve itself is concerned, there are more than 1,500 square acres to explore that will offer the best of both surf (well, actually, 3 conjoining rivers) and turf (which is simply fantastic marsh). On the surf front, you’ll have the trifecta of salt marshes from the Matanzas River, slow-moving currents of the Moody Creek and abundant fishing of the Pellicer Creek to contend with – all three of which make for perfect kayak, canoe and paddle board exploration (just be on the watch for alligators!). Back on land, there’s plenty of hiking trails that provide a bevy of well-cleared fully-functioning foot paths … while on the other hand, you will discover trails that are in dire need of some decent pruning as well as those, due to recent rainfall, will be either flooded or too muddy to trudge through. 

The name Princess Preserve comes from the widow Angela Cutting who remarried a Russian prince and assumed the title of princess (although there was no coronation). The entire park is managed by Flagler County Parks & Recreation, which I have to say, apart from the bathroom / shower facilities, have done an amazing job at not just preserving this amazing nature destination, but the county is in overdrive in its restoration efforts of the place, as you will see with the main lodge and nearby buildings and horse stable that have recently received a very nice refurbishment. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you are interested in booking one of these 3 cottages, you will want to book WAY AHEAD OF TIME, so plan with plenty of advance timing in mind; (2) These cottages come with linens and towels, microwave, refrigerator, but note that there are no dishwashers; (3) Interested in taking advantage of the historic tours that are offered here? Just a short walk from your cabin you will meet up at the Lodge (just past the Stables) where tours are offered on a first-come, first-served basis, so upon arriving here, be sure to ask a Park Ranger for first availability; (4) If you are a biker, like I am, you will definitely want to bring your bicycles here, where all of the main roads and even most of the trails are simply perfect for riding on and the expansive nature of Princess Place Preserve will give you miles and miles to explore without biking on the same trail twice!; and (5) With a full kitchen at your disposal, I can’t imagine why you would want to go out to eat, but if you do, I highly suggest 386 over in Hammock Beach, where they have Wine Down Wednesday (offering 50% off bottles of wine of which I recommend the Bertani Amarone from Veneto), where you can order an expertly cut Tomahawk Ribeye Steak or the Mexican Triggerfish to wash it all down with. 

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I stayed at the youth camp for a 10-day training seminar in January. The youth camp is secluded from the family campground, and the cabins are nicely spaced among beautiful pines. The cabins are clean and have comfortable mattresses--some cabins have a bathroom. The shower house is not heated but never ran out of hot water! The water here tastes and smells good, it does not have a sulphur smell.

Beautiful trails, paddling and swimming in the park. Many deer and waterfowl.

The springs are one of my favorite day getaways! There are beautiful walking trails, beautiful and refreshing cool springs, kayak rentals for $20. There are also some small caves there for anyone who free dives or snorkels. Perfect for a picnic or a nice relaxing afternoon near the water.

The actual campgrounds, themselves, are a ways away from the spring. It would be a good idea to bring a bike as a walk from one to the other might be far for most in the Florida summer heat. The campgrounds are very well kept with a fair bit of space and foliage between sites for privacy. Love this place!

Who doesn’t love spending time on an island! I came here with a group who had reserved the picnic pavilion for a birthday party. The trip to the island on the ferry was quick and easy. There was a great playground for the kids and we enjoyed a nice long hike as well. We did not stay over night but I did notice some nice looking cabins and primitive camping sites. The cabins and tent camping sites are all nestled together so it’s not very secluded except the few trees between sites. There are nice tent pads though and the cabins look like a great option with nice screened porches as well as a fire pit and picnic table. A place to go back someday :)

We stayed in a cabin at this park. Beds were a little uncomfortable, but other than that, everything was great. Bathrooms were clean, staff was great!

We only started one night, thank god bc we would have left early. Long term residents made it not so private and made us quite uncomfortable for our family about d the campground and pool. Cabin faced the long term residents as well and was right in front of the dump station. Just uncomfortable feeling. I am so thankful that we decided not to tent, we would have never slept with the speeding, loud trucks on the highway. We could hear all of it through the walls of the cabin. Do yourself a favor and go somewhere else 😬😬😬😬 Front desk woman was the only thing that was nice.

Very Friendly personal working there , helpful with insights and information about the surrounding area .... They have Cabin's which are reasonable for the area and it's in a convenient location to attractions etc .

I enjoy going to Blue Springs. Many activities for the family. Biking, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, boating, and watching nature. There is cabins or areas that allow RV or tent camping. There is even areas that you can go fishing.

There’s a wonderful river to canoe/kayak to see all sorts of animals and wildlife. It’s a wonderful adventure, I’ve seen deer and wild turkey on the shores as well as tutles, numerous birds and cranes, otters, and plenty of gators! (No worries, they are not aggressive, but do not approach wildlife without realizing their natural reaction will be to fight or flight). The camping is amazing and there are many options of site, cabins, tents, RV. There are also fun hiking trails and a gorgeous spring to cool off in the Florida heat. There’s a reason all of the locals love to go on the weekends!