Best Glamping near San Mateo, FL

Absolutely the best place to camp right on the beach in north Florida! Kinda pricy but unforgettable views and experience.

Very close to the University of Florida. Nice campground recently renovated.

Nice sites and some even have full hookups which is unusual for a Florida State Park.

Has beautiful sandy trails and near the silver springs park that allows kayaking and boat access on 40. You can rent a cabin or park rv. Not the most beautiful Florida park.

Lots of Floridas natural beauty but it felt like the camp sites were a bit close together. Very few full hookups most with electricity and water only. Probably won't stay here again

Located in Flagler, Florida. this campground has spots directly on the Atlantic Ocean. We have stayed here many times but the price continues to go up so I can't say we will be returning. Highest I paid was $130 per night on holiday weekend but now it is way more than that. Amenities: full hookups, ocean side sites, laundry mat, store.

Beverly beach puts you and your RV feet away from the Atlantic Ocean. They have options for many different budgets from deluxe oceanfront to cheaper sites that are across the street. The sunrises from tbe Oceanside sites will recharge your soul. Close to Daytona and bound to be very popular during race weeks. So start planning the perfect Florida beach RV vacation

Just a beautiful state park, with that old Florida feel. The sites are big and have plenty of space between them. The the park staff we interacted with were very friendly and informative. The glass bottom boat tour is an absolute must, we had such a wonderful time and the boat captain had lots of interesting information. We have a 4 year old and a 10 year old and they both really enjoyed the boat tour also.

We really enjoyed this park. We camped at a tent only site which was private as there weren’t many tent campers while we were there during the week. Stayed at site 31 which is probably the furthest walk from parking but the most private. We saw wild bison, wild turkeys, deer, snakes, and several different species of birds. Disappointed we didn’t see any wild horses but will most definitely be back. Beautiful part of Florida.

My husband and I camped at Silver Springs Campground in our 33' RV and we loved the spacious sites this park offers! We rode our bikes around the campground and were amazed as almost all the sites were huge! Live oak trees with Spanish moss...this campground is truly the "Real Florida". Each site is shady, clean and the the bathroom facilities are close by and have a washer & dryer along with a sink..

The park also has several pretty cool looking cabins/cottages that were nestled in the forest. There is a museum and even a library!

You can hike or drive over to the adjacent Silver Springs (we rode our bikes) and take a boat tour of the mag. 1 crystal clear spring! We got lucky and scored with Oscar Collins, who has been a tour boat captain at Silver Springs for 49 years...he takes the tour to the next level with his knowledge, wit, and what can we say...the man is a Rock Star!

The park offers a launch where you can either rent a kayak or use your own to navigate the beautiful and serene Silver River and you just might see a gator or two...we did! The grounds at Silver Springs are beautiful with all types of flora & fauna. Grab a quick lunch at the restaurant or have an ice cream.

This park is one of our favorites in Florida and is great for all ages...especially for families with children. A fun place for adventure and exploring!

Silver Springs Silver Springs SP Beautiful Florida campground with 60 sites, many pullthrus. The sites are huge with lots of space and privacy. Lush surroundings. Water, electricity, fire pit, grill and picnic table on level gravel sites. The bathhouse is modern, clean, good sized. They have family showers too. Nice laundry facility. There is an environmental museum and a Pioneer Village and the grounds. Campgrounds are next to the Silver Springs where you have to take the glass bottom boat tour.$10 pp for seniors. You can also kayak the Springs but watch out for gators!The grounds on the Springs and campground have great trails.

This park is more than just a glass bottom boat tour. Within the park radius—> You have the “Silver Springs Attraction”, the state campground with all it’s hiking/biking trails, Silver River kayaking/paddling , a small museum and lots of history at this park. Then within an aprox 6mile radius (easy biking) you can enjoy Majorie Cross Greenway,Florida Trail, Swamp Lake trails and the state park equestrian trails. Wow! RV and tent sites -some with full hook up and really nice cabins. This was some the best kayaking up and down river....both ways were a joy to paddle. (Watch our kayaking the silver river video on our YouTube channel...resident manatees are often seen on river!!) We were here in a 34 foot Class A with only 2 bikes and 2 kayaks Happy Camping www.travylcouple.com

Silver Springs State Park Lovely state park in central Florida. Quiet, well spaced forested sites. We stayed in #27 in Feb 2021 but all the sites are nice. Bathrooms and showers all clean and there are some coin-operated laundry machines. Several good hikes from the campground although they don’t show up on the AllTrails app. The trail heads are near the Museum and they branch off into various trails. No trail maps at trail heads though - the only one we saw was deep into one of the trails. The River Trail and Swamp Trail are very nice. The campground is about a mile from Silver Springs SP day use area, and there are more hikes there. There are also kayak abs canoe rentals there. We rented a kayak for two hours and it was great. We will come back!

Spacey sites, though tent campers run the risk of RV generators in your ear as per most Florida state park sites.

Took me two days to see monkeys. I'd recommend staying 3 days if this is your primary reason for visiting the park. The Swamp and River trails (both trailheads are near the campground) are your best bet for seeing them on foot, but I only saw them by boat.

If you have your own boat or paddleboard, you can launch from the ramp half a mile off the River trail ($2 launch fee) and paddle upriver, then float down in the hopes of seeing monkeys.  You can also launch from Ray Wayside Park and paddle all the way up (6 miles, get wrecked).

In addition to a troop of rhesus macaques I saw gators, cormorants, anhinga, hella fish, great blue heron, red bellied cooters, and one otter!

This campground is nice the sites are nice sized and level. The campground is not located at the head springs where the glass bottom boats are and kayak rentals. This makes it even better. The campground is quiet. It's a 15 minute drive to the head springs. 

We had our own Kayaks so we put in at the head springs and paddled down to the campground. It's a 2 to 2 1/2 hour trip or more because of all the beautiful landscape and the wildlife. At the campground exit to get out of the river you have to have wheels to transport the kayaks back to the parking lot. It's about a 1 mile hike pulling the kayak.

You can also do a longer trip an paddle further to Rays Wayside. It's less busy paddling that part of the river. You will need to leave a vehicle parked at Rays Wayside to get back to the headsprings. There is a company for $10 per person that will pick you up there and brings you back. Silver Springs charges $55 per person. 

I was in site 53 and there are trails you can hike from behind many of the campsites. There is a cracker house village and a great museum with artifacts and giant skeletons of big creatures. Lots of fossils and arrowheads. The Museum is only open on weekends.

The bath houses are very clean and if cold out nice hot heaters. There is a washer and dryer at the bath houses too.

They sell firewood and ice at the campground. You use a QR code scanner to purchase it. The wood is nice and burns like wood should.

I went to Silver springs as a kid and always thought of it as a tourist trap. I never had a desire to camp there yet I will say I have changed my mind and have already booked for next year. 

Florida residents have a one month booking advantage which started this past January. If your a Florida senior resident you get 1/2 off the price. The campsite hang tag gets you into the headspring for free. 

The park is nice I will visit again.

I had relatively low expectations of Silver Springs mostly from childhood memories of hot, humid, crowded and touristy. Well, it was a real retro experience and I'm happy to say that not much has changed and that's a good thing!

The camp ground was exceptional with lots and lots of room. The river, as pristine as ever. The tour boats were the very same vessels of my childhood memories and provided a great backdrop to the overall setting.

I think we were in spot 51 which was a pull through and probably the very largest campsite we have ever had and it dwarfed our little travel trailer but we loved it.

It pretty much rained most of the weekend but we still enjoyed our long paddle with all kinds of wildlife INCLUDING THE MONKEYS!!!

The only reason I give this park a 4 and not a 5 star is you have to drive to the kayak launch which is in the same parking lot as the access for the day guests (and there are many). 

I applaud Florida State Parks for managing such a great facility in spite of all the pressure over the years. WE WILL RETURN.

We stayed here in the winter and the weather was very pleasant. The sites are all RV friendly with hookups but there are some sites that are designated as tent sites with a softer spot to stake in. Each site also comes with a standard fire ring and picnic table. The sites are large and spacious with shady trees surrounding each site. It is very quiet and peaceful. Note that pets are allowed in the campground area but not in any other areas.

The bathrooms and showers are close by and are very well kept and clean. It was never crowded. There are also laundry machines and vending machines there as well.

Near the campsites there are cabins for rent and a small museum. There is also a playground for children. Our favorite feature was that we were able to visit Silver Springs park free of charge if you brought your parking permit from the campsite. There are quite a few hiking trails near and one of them takes you directly to the park. Once in the park, you are able to rent kayaks or take the boat tour. The spring water is so clear you can see all of the fish swimming below!

Silver Springs is definitely a great place to visit for a relaxing Florida getaway.

Maybe the pines are whispering to each other, but if that’s the case, even they would be shut out with all of the passing by noise from this heavily trafficked highway that passes just in front of Whispering Pines RV Park. Located just due south of Starke in central Florida right off US Highway 301, Whispering Pines feels more like your retired grandpa’s backyard that he decided to turn into a small grassy RV parking lot than it does an actual fully-functioning campground, but if you are looking for a spot to park your RV for the night, it will do in a pinch. 

While most of this RV compound is beset with overgrown grass and sparsely planted foliage and trees (ahem, Whispering Pines), if you are looking for a no frills easy place to roll-up to and drop anchor for the night, then you could find worse places than this. In all, there’s about a dozen spots and while I can’t verify that all traditional hook-ups were offered, as we only used the 50 amp electric, beyond having a completely flat surface to park upon, you won’t discover much further than this from an amenities standpoint. 

For those that don’t mind a non-traditional roadside RV stand and the pretty intimate surroundings that you’ll find yourself in, all for an incredibly cheap evening rate, then all there really is to contend with here is the street noise (which can be quelled with a simple pair of ear plugs). 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you are looking for a nice nature experience, do give consideration to visiting Carson Springs Wildlife Conservation Foundation in nearby Gainesville – think Netflix’s 'Tiger King,' but PG-rated; (2) When in need of some decent hiking, just head due northeast to Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park, where you can drop a kayak and swim in the lakes / springs; and (3) When you get tired of foraging for the next meal from your onboard RV cooler, then head back north 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. 

Happy Camping!

If your idea of a magnificent campsite includes the opportunity of waking up to an endless blue horizon eclipsed by the sinking sun at dusk, then look no further than this very quaint, out-of-the-way boutique lakeside gem. Located on the outskirts of the Ocala National Forest, Pine Island RV & Marina offers up 9… that’s right, count‘em up, just 9… lakefront RV slots. IMHO, the best spots are #1 and #2 or #7… but hey, EVERY SINGLE SLOT faces an unobstructed view of blue bliss, so you’d be lucky to get any one of these waterfront vistas. Let’s just say, book your slot early as the pickins’ are slim here. 

Jennifer, the on-site manager, who has served this wonderful little outpost for the past 3 years was nothing short of sweet, helpful and very informational. She informed me when we visited that the entire place is in ‘upgrade mode,’ but I was quick to inform her that the views needed no improvement. Look for an expanded general store, where today you’ll simply find a billiards table, stand-up bar in one corner, while the rest of the store is lined with camping gear, basic groceries, toiletries, sundries, snacks, cold beverages, games, books, fishing gear, etc. 

Amenities: Waterfront RV Sites, RV Rentals (they have 3-4 to choose from), Marina, Boat Slips, Boat Ramp, Camp Store, Bait Shop, Wine & Beer Bar, Kayak Rentals, Recently Remodeled Bathrooms & Shower Facilities, On-Site Laundry, Ethanol-Free Fuel, Firewood and Camping Supplies, Billiards, Corn Hole, Outdoor Area w/ Picnic Tables, Grill, Fire Pit. Individual Sites include Fire Rings, Picnic Tables and 30 / 50 electric Amp. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) With only 9 waterfront slots to choose from, you want to book as early as possible; (2) While there is a proper boat launch, you will note that while Lake George is the second largest lake in all of Florida, it is also one of the most shallow, meaning that if you’d like to launch right in front of any one of the camping spots, you can, but you definitely want to be wearing some aqua socks or something as the rocks here are both slippery and sharp; (3) When you get tired of trying to figure out what the next meal is and don’t want to turn to your cooler or on-board mini-fridge for the solution, then you are going to be hard-pressed as there really isn’t too much in the way of ‘foodie paradise’ out in these parts – the nearest restaurants include: El Amigo Mexican Restaurant, Mystic Bistro, La Esperanza Mexican and Palmeras, but all of these are just mediocre (at best) – the only place we did find that was definitely worth it, albeit a 30 minute drive from Pine Island RV & Marina, is Drifters Riverfront Bar & Grill, which has typical glorified bar food (think burgers, wings, sandwiches, fried everything, etc.), but their seafood offering was actually pretty dang nice; and (4) If you are on the lookout for decent trail hiking, then head back from whence you came to discover Lake George Conservation Area, where there’s some decent, albeit non-descript trail hiking to be had. 

Happy Camping!

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!

As I rock up to this roadside campground destination, I’ve got Don Henley’s ‘Boys of Summer’ playing on the old Spotify, which is just the perfect soundtrack to this multi-faceted campground refuge. Here in (slightly) northern Florida, where the beaches never stop luring locals and tourists alike to its white-capped shores and summer really does seem like it never ends, you’ll discover Daytona’s Endless Summer Campground. From the very moment you drive onto this property, you’ll feel somehow transported to something between Margaritaville and Yogi Bear’s Yellowstone Camping Outpost (in the make believe illustrated world). 

While there’s no cartoon characters per se, you will immediately be greeted by a large oversized log cabin structure that is the main office. Here, you’ll come into contact with some of the nicest and most accommodating staff I have ever met operating a campground (and I’ve met a few). Just to the side of this campground HQ lies the community pool, which faces towards the main road that you would have taken to arrive here. Kind of an odd place to put a pool if you ask me, but hey, it works. Surrounding this splash pool are no shortage of lawn games (think: horse shoes, planko, life-size jenga, etc.), fire pits and children’s playground. And while they showcase a number of tents erected on the place (there is in fact, a small area for tent campers), this is basically a campground for the RVing crowd. But don’t worry, if you don’t have a tent or camper, Endless Summer has you covered, as they rent a dozen or so log cabins. 

As for the amenities, this pet-friendly place packs a lot in, from its recreational room(just behind the main office entrance) where there are DVD’s, books, board games and a full-service kitchen, mail room along with a fairly decent meeting space chalk full of fold-up tables and chairs (think VFW hall). Up at the front office, there’s also a mini-mart / store that has just about everything you could imagine (and likely have forgotten) – I love that they have S’mores kits, BTW! But don’t worry, if you’re not in any immediate rush, there’s a Publix and Walgreen’s just down the street. All of the basic hook-ups are here (electric, water and sewage), as well as scattered BBQ grills, picnic tables, fire pits, soda machines, plenty of community patio chairs and tables, coin-operated Laundr-O-Mat, a fairly excellent bathhouse and restroom facilities. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) As you’re a stone’s throw away (just a 10 minute drive) from Daytona Beach, arguably, one of the best beaches in the state, if not the country, you’ll want to hit one of these ‘drive-on’ white sand beach destinations – but get there early!; (2) If you find yourself getting tired of franks & beans on the grill and want someone else to do the cooking for you, check out Giuseppe’s Steel City Pizza, family-owned since 1982 and located just down the road from Endless Summer; and (3) If you come bringing a kayak or canoe, head on over to the causeway and cross A1A where you can drop your watercraft just about anywhere to explore Halifax River or Wilbur Bay (which has some amazing local wildlife, so bring a camera!). 

Happy Camping!

While just a short jaunt from I95, in under 7 minutes from 3-lane express highway traffic, you’ll find yourself sauntering south on a meandering paved entranceway with white picket fences and swear that you were driving onto the set of Dallas (for those of us that remember that Texan drama series!). Once you swing around the bend, a blockade of Ancient Oaks and Magnolias draped in an excessive amount of Spanish Moss are there to greet you to Bulow RV Resort (which is run by Encore RV Resorts). And WOW! does this place pack a lot in! 

For starters, this RV campground is MASSIVE with nearly 400 back-in and pull-through slots to choose from. Nestled on the banks of the Bulow Creek and nearby to the Intracoastal, with the famed Flagler Beach just beyond, this campground is perfect for those seeking water (of any kind). And for those that prefer land, no worries, out here, you are completely surrounded by 6+ golf courses and a ton of great hiking trails. Don’t have an RV? Cringe at the thought of setting up a tent? Absolutely not a problem here at Bulow RV Resort, where they’ll rent you 1 of 5 types of cabins / cottages (note: no pets allowed on these premises though). 

Really, the only downside to this entire place is the lack of privacy that you’ll encounter here – apart from being surrounded by Florida’s most amazing natural wilderness.  Once inside this RV compound, it is quite barren and therefore doesn’t offer much in the way of privacy or a sense of seclusion. So if living in an RV city, complete with road signs and attractions is your idea of paradise, then Bulow RV Resort could be ideal for you. 

As for amenities here, you won’t be disappointed – although you may be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of things to do! Starting with the basics, there are scattered picnic tables and BBQ grills and very well maintained restrooms and clean shower facilities. For RVers, all of the basic water, sewage and electric (30 / 50 amp) hook-ups are available and most of the spaces are fairly wide-open and barren, so you won’t have much privacy anywhere in this campground. In addition, there’s RV storage, ballroom/ banquet hall (because you never know when you might need to throw a big party, right?!), horseshoes, mini-golf, sand volleyball court, designated picnic / bbq areas, clubhouse / lounge, dog park and all the WiFi for your social media surfing pleasure. There’s also a fairly well-stocked market on-site, propane refill station, plenty of designated dump stations, shuffleboard, full service bar (yes, I couldn’t believe it either!) and an activities center that has a full lineup of daily events. And if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a fairly decent sized pool that has an absolutely pristine laundr-O-mat located right next to it. I know! Mai Tais, floaties and running a load of whites all-in-one! 

Insider’s Tips? Here’s a few: (1) For those that are spending just a few nights (or even a week), you’ll want to find a spot much closer to the front of the property – as the back of the property is organized more for longer-term monthly ‘residents’; (2) For those that enjoy hiking, I strongly recommend heading just due south of this RV resort to Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic Park, where you can hike Bulow Creek Canoe Trail, which is quite short and basic, or head further south to Boardman Pond where there’s a pretty cool observation platform for bird-watching; (3) For tent campers, you’ll discover that this resort has isolated a place directly in front (near those white picket fences), where you will be separated from the RV community.  Again, because there is ZERO ground coverage, you will feel a little like a ‘spider in a bathtub,’ so I would recommend if you are going to camp here, to opt for a site as far west as you can (towards those Ancient Oaks and Magnolias I first mentioned – in fact, I would just go primitive and head in that direction anyway); (4) If you’re looking to drop a kayak or canoe in the water, you can either do that directly on-site where the Bulow Creek merges with the Halifax River (nearby the swimming pool) or further afield and southernly, you can drop your watercraft in Tomoka Marsh Aquatic Preserve where you’ll enjoy much wider expanses; and (5) When you get tired of firing up the grill for each meal and want to venture out into the local area, go try out Flagler Fish Company which has been a local (funky) favorite for years or The Anchor, both of which serve up just amazing seafood done up any which way you can imagine. 

Happy Camping!