Best Cabin Camping near San Mateo, FL

Located at the southern tip of Rodman Reservoir, which is one of the major water tributaries that you can float around the NE perimeter of the Ocala National Forest, you’ll discover that this backwater camping outpost sits on 7+ acres of heavily forested woods and offers up 3 distinct types of camping opportunities: RV / 5th Wheeler, primitive tent-camping and cabin rentals. While apparently long a bastion of this particular area, dating back to the mid-80’s, Ocklawaha Canoe Outpost has been under new management for the past few years. Unlike many of the CG's in the area, this river-front, nature-embracing outpost is smaller than most with only 22 sites available.

Situated just west of the tiny hamlet of Eureka in Fort McCoy, you will first spot the area designated for RVs, 5th Wheelers and trailers a moment or two before arriving to Ocklawaha Canoe Outpost as this spot sits alongside the roadway with 2-3 gravel pathway access points before actually making your arrival to the main office and beyond it, the main parking area. In all, there’s some 11 slots available with FHUs offering 30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage connections along with a picnic table and fire ring at each site. Being next to a main artery of Rodman Reservoir, one always needs to be aware of elevation, in case of flooding, so what we noticed immediately, even before arriving to the Ocklawaha main office is that both the RV-designated area as well as the main office sit on more elevated land, which is a bonus in case of flooding. Unlike the cabin and primitive tent camping areas, the RV-designated area does not possess much of any shade. At $40 / night (and $45 / night including bath house) and $240 / week ($270 / week including bath house), we found the pricing here to be just about right.

For those of you thinking about renting one of the 6 log cabins that exist here, what I liked most about this particular set-up is that all of these units are located in close proximity to one another – we’ll call this the cottage enclave – which combined, share the community amenities specific to this community. Bear in mind, these cabins are not pet-friendly, so leave your 4-legged friends at home, or look to one of the other 2 modes of camping here. You have your choice between a one- or two-room cabin, both of which offer heat, A/C, furnished with bedding, towels, dishes, pots, pans, microwave, mini-fridge, small cook top and coffee pot. Each cabin also comes with a porch offering semi-privacy to take your morning coffee as well as brand-new Weber charcoal grill that sits in front of each cabin along with an in-ground fire pit. At $134 / night for the single that sleeps 5 (with 7 being the max) and$154 / night for the double-cabin that also sleeps 5 (with 6 being the max), considering the location of where you are at, combined with the amenities provided and the relative quality of the cabins, I found the pricing to be fairly economical. The prices decrease substantially to $109 and $129/ night respectively if one books multiple nights, which makes this a no-brainer for even a short stay.

With mi tent-pitchin’ bredren in mind, you’ll appreciate that of the 3 available types of camping here, the area reserved for setting up your own non-mobile, semi-permanent nylon camping haven will place you closest to the river, where within 50-60 yards you’ll easily be able to access the Rodman Reservoir from a decent-sized tributary. While obviously that’s a huge plus, you also want to be careful about knowing when it’s going to rain and for how long as this also would be the area that gets the most flooding if there was any. Another bonus is that the tent-sites ARE pet-friendly, so you can smile as those cabin campers stroll past your sites (while your mutt barks at them). As for the grounds themselves, there’s 2 different areas that the pathway to the river’s edge dissects in half with 4-5 sites being available on the one side and only 1-2 sites being available on the other, which will provide you with just slightly more privacy. There’s not a whole lot to these sites, where you’ll simply have a picnic table and fire ring, but you’ll be surrounded by a great tree line and solid brush, albeit you won’t have sheltered views between sites. You’ll also want to take note that, again, the pathway to the river runs through the primitive tent camping area, so while not heavily trafficked, you will certainly experience pedestrians and fellow campers coming and going. Cost per night for tent camping is an acceptable $25/ night (up to 4 people, and $5/ pp after that), which again, scouting the area and staying in a few other places, seems about right.

Additional community amenities not already mentioned include: community bathhouses with impeccably clean restrooms and well-maintained showers, ping pong, recreation room with board games, corn hole, canoe & kayak rentals w/ shuttle service, horseshoe pit, kid’s playground and a small pond that is stocked for simple, yet enjoyable ‘catch & release’ as well as firewood available for sale @ $5/ bundle.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) This CG is right on the Ocklawaha River populated with dense wetlands, marsh and semi-tropical forests sprouting sable palms, swamp maples, the odd pencil-thin towering pines and submerged cypress, so the owners are very smart to have organized a few different river experiences that you should definitely take advantage of with 2 different outfitters being Gores Landing and Rays Wayside, both of which offer up canoe ($52 / $85), solo ($42 / $75) and tandem ($62 / $95) kayak rentals as well as transport ($25 / $60) with respective pricing and seasonal availability. There’s even overnight river trips that Ockalawaha will help you set up, where pricing depends upon the specific drop point and number of nights you might be interested in. Please note that all of the above runs everyday except Tuesdays; (2) While you of course can get on a kayak, canoe or boat to catch some fish, if you don’t want to, you can simply cross the road from Ockalawaha CG and access the Wildlife & Fishing Area that has its own set of public docks and piers that you can cast a reel from – and in fact, these spots are very well-maintained and offer up some magnificent views of the head of the 100-mile Ocklawaha River as she flows southernly from Rodman Reservoir; (3) If you want to indulge in one of Florida’s greatest treasures, you’ll need to visit a natural spring and the good news is that there’s several of the state’s best springs surrounding you here, including: Salt Springs, Homosassa Springs, Deleon Springs, Silver Glen Springs, Alexander Springs, Juniper Springs, Silver Springs and Rainbow Springs; (4) If you’ve got fishing on your mind while in these parts, expect to be hauling in crappie, sunfish, small- and largemouth bass, catfish and bream; and (5) The owners Lance & Theresa are absolutely wonderful people that will do whatever it takes to ensure your stay is flawless!

Happy Camping!

Located in north central Florida just south of Florida’s agricultural heartland in Palatka, you’ll spot 333 Fish Camp if you are driving slow enough on Highway 17 heading north out of Crescent City, but only if you have your eyes peeled looking for the place. Apart from an oversized relatively new roadside sign that somehow sits back from view, an entirely thick shrubbery and tree line and 30 degree downgrading, albeit well-paved lane block this waterfront oasis from passing-by view. 

The best part about 333 Fish Camp? If you’re an angler or simply want to be out on the water, then this place is a perfect spot as it offers easy-to-maneuver and immediate access to Crescent Lake along with the St. Johns River, which through its many intracoastal waterways, will grant you access to the Atlantic Ocean if you so choose. As for the layout of the place itself, 333 offers up Deluxe Waterfront RV Sites (adjacent to marina and pool, but with direct views of Lake Crescent) and Premium RV Sites (offer both back-in and pull-thru sites and are located further up the hill and further away from the lake, but still offer great views, just a slightly longer walk to the water). All sites offer dedicated BBQ grill, fire pit and 50 amp hookups, except the Premium, which offer 30 and 50 amp. In addition to these 2 types of RV accommodations, 333 offers up (6) Efficiency Cottages, (1) Vacation Home and even a couple Waterfront Tiny Homes (all are perfect for 2 Adults / 2 Children, save the Vacation Homes, which are larger and may accommodate more people), which I thought were particularly amazing. All of these alternative modern housing rentals feature kitchenettes, private restrooms and showers, refrigerators (with freezer), coffee machines, TV’s, A/C and screened in porches. 

Amenities: Pet-Friendly, General Store (fishing apparel, bait, tackle, rods & reels, lures, baits, basic groceries, sodas, beer, sunscreen, bug spray, etc.), Full Marina (w/ 3 dedicated slots), Lakeview Wooden Dock (w/ pristine, elevated views of Lake Crescent, along with a jumbo TV for watching your favorite game), Hillside Heated Pool (complete with lounge chairs, gazebos and even views of Lake Crescent), River House (offering TV, seating, office space, WiFi, meeting space, kitchen / bar area, bathroom, shower facilities and even a laundr-O-mat), Fishing Pier (there’s even a standing prize for anyone who catches the largest fish on the pier!), Boat Fuel Station, Boat Ramp, Charcoal Grills & Fire Pits, Efficiency Cottages, RV & Trailer Storage and Complimentary Hi-Speed WiFi. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you are a beginner fisherman like me, I highly recommend booking a pro fishing guide and Cole Hewitt is the on-sight angling ombudsman who will not only educate you on how to fish, but he knows Lake Crescent like the back of his hand, so you’ll benefit from also knowing WHERE to catch bass; (2) While we always go camping with our kayaks and canoes entowe, if you forgot yours or simply want to try out a true angling kayak, then you’re in luck as 333 offer up a handful of rentals, and even if they are fully-booked up, you can head back into town where there’s plenty of spots that will rent you some watercraft; 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 the fun and vibrant 3 Bananas, which basically serves up some fairly decent glorified American bar food, of which I highly recommend the grilled, blackened Mahi Mahi as well as their buffalo wings – but don’t forget to order the fried banana cheesecake– it’s out of this world! 

Happy Camping!

Located due north of Crescent Lake here in Putnam County within north central Florida and just off Highway 17, you’ll come across a very well-appointed RV gated community that sits atop a rolling hill with tons of tall needle pines, palms and ancient oaks shrouding this unassuming hidden oasis in both privacy as well as shuddering it from the nearby highway traffic. In fact, if you’re driving too fast, you might just miss this little hidden gem … but something tells me, that’s not really a concern for the good folks here at Cherry Blossom, who were completely booked up when we stopped by one sunny afternoon in January. 

As for the layout of this place, it’s quite simple. To begin with, the moment you turn onto Cherry Blossom’s main entrance, you will be greeted by perfectly paved roads that feature on the right, the main office building, where you’ll check in, along with this RV resort's beautiful in-ground heated swimming pool as well as main restrooms and shower facilities (which are as immaculate as they come!), indoor and outside laundry facilities behind and to the side of the building. On the left, there’s a newly planted pickleball court, open air gazebo with freshly poured concrete (although you’ll have to bring your own chairs, table and BBQ), 2 sets of cornhole, which is all fenced in, providing for a nice doggie park environ. You’ll also discover a full-on propane service area before arriving to the key-guarded lift gates that provide a huge plus-up in security for this RV haven, which is located right on a fairly busy highway. 

Once inside the compound, there’s a simple long and narrow loop to follow that is dissected in the middle, so after passing by the administration office, keep heading towards the right and you’ll circumnavigate the entire place. At the top of the loop, you can turn right, which is essentially a short lane with a dozen or so RV slots on the left and a half dozen cabin lodges on the right. While most of the slots on the periphery of the loop and the lane are fairly well-shaded and offer very good (not great) privacy, those slots located on the interior of the loop are fairly open with scant brush, save a few isolated palms or oaks, so needless to say, you and your camp will be in complete view of the entire campground. My personal recommendation, if you have the opportunity to do so (note below, there is no reserving specific sites, which seems absolutely Proletarian to me!), is to pick one of the RV slots that is located on the lane at the top of the loop – these are deluxe sites, have more space as well as greater privacy. 

Prices for Standard RV slots are$55 ($350 / wk and $575 / mo), whereas the Deluxe RV sites are$60 ($400 / wk and $675 / mo), with the only difference being Standard has grass & gravel w/ cement patio, whereas the Deluxe features asphalt pads and in addition to picnic table and BBQ, offers up a fire ring. Me thinks for $5 more, it’s a deal go Deluxe and drop anchor on a solid patch of land, plus, who doesn’t love a fire ring?! All slots come with 30 / 50 amp, metered electric and complimentary cable TV& WiFi. Don’t have an RV? Not a problem, Cherry Blossom will rent you one of their 1BR/ 1BA lodges for $1,050 by the month (but read the fine print: no pets, no smoking, no kids and only 2 adults (so no fun!).

Amenities: Back-In and Pull-Through RV Sites w/ Full Hook-Ups (30 / 50 electric, water & sewage), Doggie Park, Corn Hole, Pickleball Courts, Heated In-Ground Swimming Pool w/ Patio & Chaise Lounge Chairs, Indoor & Outside Laundr-O-Mat, On-Site Market, Club House with Foosball, Billiards Tables, Game Room and Exercise Room, Playground, Propane Fueling Station, Turtle-Gazing(there’s 3 beautiful tortoises named Browser, Crush and Rafael who guard Cherry Blossom RV Resort day and night!), Designated Trash & Recycling Bins 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) When you book at Cherry Blossom, they won’t guarantee you a specific site – you will only know exactly where you are staying when you arrive and are assigned a specific spot. My HUGE recommendation would be to arrive as early as you can so that you can understand what spots will become available that day, have yourself a little tour of the place and then go back to office and let them know which spot(s) you prefer; (2) You should note that the fee you’ll be paying for the night covers 2 people only and after this, a $2.50 per day or $30 per month fee charge is incurred; (3) There are no cancellation refunds here – once booked, you are immediately charged and that money is gone forever; but if you do need to cancel or postpone, you are offered a camping credit - major bummer IMHO!; and (4) When you get tired of trying to figure out what that next meal is and want to sample some local fare, just head due south to Crescent City, where there’s a few decent restaurants to choose from like 3 Bananas, Crescent City Diner and Palmeras. 

Happy Camping!

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). 

Happy Camping!

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. 

Happy Camping!