Top Tent Camping near San Mateo, FL

Recent Tent Reviews In San Mateo

885 Reviews of 26 San Mateo Campgrounds

• 

  Nicole H.

  Scout

  

  September 16, 2024

  Silver Springs RV Park

  Camper

  Quiet and friendly place. Better for campers.

• 

  Joe R.

  Ranger

  

  July 25, 2024

  Anastasia State Park Campground

  So close to the beach!

  We had site 111, which we picked up last minute as there was a cancellation. Great site with plenty of room to spread out. Just big enough for our 33’ Class A. The beach was a 7 minute walk and easy. Nice gift shop and restaurant if food is needed and very close to the amphitheater.

  Tons of spiders (nature). The bathrooms and showers are right at average. Ranger was very nice.

• 

  Danton T.

  Scout

  

  July 22, 2024

  Silver Springs RV Park

  A great place to stay

  My wife and I decided last year to full time RV. We were already living in Ocala and we wanted to remain in the area. We discovered Silver Springs RV and are so glad we did. Everyone here, especially the staff, was so welcoming and friendly. SSRV is definitely going to be home for a long time.

• 

  Lorilee S.

  Ranger

  

  July 6, 2024

  Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park Campground

  Pretty and quiet

  This campground is really dark, quiet and pretty. The bathhouse was always clean. You can smell the well water in the bathhouse. Brings me back to my childhood memories. We rode our bikes to the observation tower, but we were not lucky enough to see any bison or wild horses. Still nice to see the open prairie. We had a big rainstorm and the back of our site did become a lake, but it was gone overnight. The bugs lit us up all hours, so make sure you different bug sprays.

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  July 1, 2024

  Rivers Edge RV Park

  Hidden Camping Gem Truly On The River’s Edge

  One thing’s for certain, this camping outpost located just outside the itty bitty village of Georgetown couldn’t be any closer to the mighty St. Johns River, which if you don’t know, is one of the largest and most prolific fishing rivers in all of Florida. Should you find yourself in north-central Florida and / or near Lake George and looking for a spot to call ‘home for the night’ (or many as it might be) then you’ll definitely want to plan a stay here at Rivers Edge RV Park, which is a little know campground jewel in the rough, but be sure to reach out well in advance, as with only 50 or so slots, this place books up quick.

  Apart from the very close proximity to St. Johns River – so close that Rivers Edge RV Park actually offers up boat launch and slips exclusively for its guests, so if you have a boat, whether with motor or not (like those of us towing canoes and kayaks), be sure to call ahead and enquire about available boat slips – this is one very pristine, well-kept and easily organized campground. There’s a decent amount of top-grade amenities including spartan-clean restrooms, shower & laundry facilities with brand new washers & dryers, propane refueling station, a pup playground, trash stations and waterfront nature walk path.

  What I appreciated most was that Rivers Edge RV Park offers up a distinct tent area, which places mi tent-pitchin’ bredren in our own canvassed-erected environ that is actually the closest camping option to the St. Johns River here. As for the RV or 5th Wheel crowd, the standard hook-ups are offered here including 30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage back-in and pull-through sites with concrete patios. Complimentary WiFi is offered everywhere and actually isn’t too bad (although our ability to stream was slow). Most sites offer up picnic tables and fire-rings and there are community offerings like a riverside pavilion (also with another set of restrooms and showers), lawn games, horseshoes, pickleball court and enough space for a good game of jarts or frisbee.

  As for the campground itself, you’ll access Rivers Edge RV Park simply by following Road 309 and just as this small country road bends making way for Drayton Island, you’ll want to turn in heading westerly, wherein you’ll be greeted by the main office where you’ll check in at the office immediately on the right. The layout for the campground is a simple loop, about the size of a junior football field with sites #1-28 on the right and the other sites through #54 on the interior of the loop. Should you not have a tent or an RV, no worries, the very good folks at Rivers Edge even have a handful of cabins that they’ll rent you. Overall, I found the pricing to be VERY affordable here – no matter what type of camping you might be interested in.

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Rivers Edge RV Park offers up firewood for sale for a decent price, which I always like to flag, because if you don’t need to find additional space to haul firewood with you, it frees up space for other things, right?; (2) If you’ve got kids and need a much bigger space to let them run around, nearby this campground is a very nice kid’s playground as well as a soccer field; (3) For anyone wanting a bit of an off-the-grid adventure, just south of Rivers Edge is the Drayton Island Ferry (just take your second right after the US post office), where you can cross the channel over to Drayton Island for some decent off-the-trail biking & biking as well as zip-lining, which you can access on the far western side of the island at Grands Island Resort, which is a very cool camping outpost in its own right; and (4) Should you grow weary of trying to conjure up that next meal from the depths of your roto-molded Cordova cooler or mini-onboard fridge, you’ll only find meager options near you that include Mel’s River Pub Italian Grille & Liquor Store that offers up a very diverse menu featuring pasta, sandwiches and pizzas, The Oaks Golf Club Café serving up glorified bar fare such as burgers, po-boys, wings, fried baskets, tacos & quesadillas and southern comfort food or Renegades on the River, which is actually another campground, but offers up a super-cool restaurant featuring pizzas, wings, peel & eat shrimp and fried foodstuffs like pickles and gator bites as well as a Tiki Hut pouring some mighty strong Daquiris and Mai Tais.

  Happy Camping!

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  July 1, 2024

  Rodman Campground

  Hidden Gem for Primitive Camping Solitude w/ Amenities & Reservoir Access

  Maybe it was that the light was falling at just the right time as I moseyed into Rodman Campground a good hour or so before dusk became official here just due south of Palatka, the Sunshine State’s ‘Unofficial Farmer’s Market’ and a pretty decent stretch from the endless miles of pristine white sand beaches on the Atlantic Coast or the overwhelming non-stop entertainment options of a city built on 'Mouse Magic.’ Whatever it was, there’s something that struck us as incredibly special about this particular campground outpost. I think what we left with was a surreal understanding that no matter what you come packing with, you’re gonna have just one helluva amazing camping experience here at Rodman Campground.

  This place is perfect for both the RV tribe as well as mi tent-pitching community. And I don’t often get to say that. As for the campground itself, while there’s 64 sites to choose from in all, there’s basically 3 distinct areas that you should be aware of. The first area is what I would call the VIP RV Lots, given its proximity to the Rodman Reservoir, while I’m not an RV enthusiast, but this spot feels like you’ve hit ‘the jackpot’ as it’s a single lane with 6 or so sites on either side and provides you with direct and easy access to a very well-maintained restroom and shower facility. The second area is exclusively carved out for my tribe – those that are packing their experience with them and like to unroll their version of protection from the elements while staring straight up at the blessed star-crossed sky while completely surrounded by the thick of nature and tall needle-like trees. And while Rodman Campground calls this the ‘primitive campground,’ I’ll affectionately refer to it as ‘Pitch-A-Tent Heaven.’ Admittedly, I’ve never set up camp so close to RVs that still made me feel like one with nature. The third and final campground option here at Rodman is what I will characterize as ‘RV Pavement Parking Lot Hell,’ where if you have an RV (and can’t get into the VIP RV spot, then, well, you’ll be parking yourself here, but hopefully the freshly poured flat concrete will turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

  Regardless of the camping neighborhood that you end up arriving at, Rodman Campground will impress upon you what an amazing place it is, first and foremost, by offering up what is, no doubt, some of the best FL SP staff you will ever encounter – they are friendly, helpful and incredibly proud of this patch of land that they call home. Secondly, the Rodman Reservoir offers nothing short of AMAZING kayak and canoe adventures. The amenities are pretty top notch: back-in and pull-through RV sites with full-hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage), scattered picnic tables, fire rings and BBQ grills, paved bicycle paths (and miles of additional pavement via Rodman Dam Road, boating within the 9K acre Rodman Preserve, designated dump stations, five reservable pavilions and an excellent boat ramp, freshwater fishing (license required), 5.1 miles of trail hiking (actually part of the Florida National Scenic Trail that runs adjacent to Rodman Campground, picnicking at waterfront pavilions (need to be reserved). If you’re a wild nature enthusiast, you’re in luck, because here at Rodman Campground, you’ll easily be able to spot: bald eagle, foxes, wild turkey, white-tailed deer, hawks and owls, osprey and the American alligator.

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If I was an RV’er (and let’s be clear, I’m not) and I was looking to book a spot here at Rodman Campground, I would absolutely be looking at the VIP RV Lots wherein I would chose any of the spots that are backed up against the wilderness (that would be on the west), which offer a greater degree of connectivity with nature (and thus additional privacy) where, in particular, I would book one of these amazing sites: #2, #5, #9, #10 and #12. While the other sites in this spot aren’t bad, they just don’t offer the amount of privacy that these other 5 sites do; (2) For mi tent-pitching bredren, while almost all of these camp sites offer you a pristine au naturale experience (apart from the few sites that are front-facing (#14-17; #38) you’ll want to prioritize any other site (#18-37) as best you can; (3) If you come bringing your boat, please be aware that there’s submerged logs and other underwater obstructions to be aware of, so motor with caution!; (4) When you get tired of staring down the bottom of your Cordova roto-molded cooler or the emptiness of your on-board fridge, and want to try out some of the local fare, then look no further than Hog Wild Country Café back in Interlachen (no, we’re not in Switzerland, but if you head back NW, you’ll find this spot on County Road 310) where all the traditional BBQ plates are being served (smoked brisket, smoked turkey, smoked pork, OK, smoked EVERYTHING) along with killer southern sides like mac-n-cheese, potato salad, slaw and, my favorite, Vidalia onion rings!; and (5) If you come hauling watercraft, you’ll have no shortage of great launches here at Rodman Campground, but if you are looking to dip your canoe or kayak in some different places, I would highly recommend Marjorie Harris Carr (just follow the Kenwood Boat Ram Road till it reaches a parking circle, from which you’ll easily see the boat launch) or over across the reservoir as well as just heading a bit further west to Rodman Recreation Area where you can drop in there or over at the Rodman Dam Kayak Launch, which has tons of tributaries to navigate.

  Happy Camping!

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  July 1, 2024

  Luna Sands Resort

  Hillside RV Camping Near Major Blue Hole

  Only a stone’s throw away to one of the most beautiful and isolated natural springs in the entire Sunshine State, which is Blue Springs SP, Luna Sands is a uniquely hidden campground, built exclusively for the RV driving or 5th Wheel-toting crowd. If you are a tent-pitching camper, then unfortunately there is ‘no room at this Inn’ so to speak, but the good news for you is that if you are reading this review, my HUGE advice would be simply to book a camping spot over at Blue Springs SP itself. That said, if you are looking for an off-the-beaten path RV campground, then you might as well have found heaven.

  This place has a quaint, clean community pool that greets you upon entry at the front office (which also serves as a campground market of sorts and sells a number of sundries at affordable prices). Across the way from the front office, you’ll discover the very spartan laundry facilities, adjacent to what looks like a killer outdoor Tiki hut bar with enough exposed floorboards for a proper bit of barn dancing and live music entertaining, although there was neither of these when we were passing through. There’s also a club house here and bath house facilities that were also incredibly clean and very well organized. This is also one of those RV campgrounds that comes with those silly themed weekends from November to April, so if that’s another draw for you, so be it. Additional amenities include: swing set, cornhole, basketball court, WiFi and kids playground with swing set.

  As for the campground itself, it is comprised of about 120 back-in and pull-through sites with capacity for 6 additional overflow slots in case the place either gets flooded or overrun somehow. Each slot is accompanied by the standard issued picnic table, which are in fairly decent condition, along with a standard fire ring and are situated on slightly sloping land, so be sure to check out the space beforehand for being level. Typical hook-ups are offered with 20 / 30 / 50 amp electricity, water and sewage. Once on the grounds, as you meander around the place, there’s a number of intimate, little micro-neighborhoods that dot the grounds of this campground. Each space has decent room to both maneuver as well as set up your outdoor living cabana. Cozy and neighborly is how I would describe the place, which might just be perfect, given the prices.

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) IMHO the best areas to secure a spot include those on the SW corner of the campground as they are far enough away from the main road and the other noise-inducing amenities on the campground. These slots include: #124– 131 as well as #A– K and #39; (2) If you hadn’t come here to access Blue Springs State Park, you should really rethink that and make sure you get over to this water wonderland, which is one of the very few 72 degree year-round crystal clear springs that offers up herds of manatees to swim alongside, particularly from November– February; (3) Should you be looking for some local fare after looking into the depths of your onboard mini fridge and coming up empty, then you are in luck as nearby there’s a sweet little Argentinian joint called Rincon del Sabor and another dive called Taste of Soul – neither of which you’ll wanna write home about, but will definitely give you a break from ‘frank& beans’ for the night. And if neither of those places do the trick for you, there is also a few other restaurants you might wanna check out like Gram’s Kitchen for low country breakfast cooked up all day, Mi Tierra Authentic Mexican as well as Fire on the Bayou for some nice, spicy Cajun; and (4) If you need to stock up on any supplies, nearby Luna Sands is a grade A Publix as well as a Walmart nearby, so you should have no problems being stocked up while staying here.

  Happy Camping!

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  July 1, 2024

  Blue Spring State Park Campground

  Keeping Cool @ Blue Springs

  Here at Sand Pine Campground inside of Blue Springs State Park, you’ll find that while this is a fairly large campground, the substantial amount of vegetation, along with the flow of how the campground is organized, the individual campsites give off a vibe of privacy, intimacy and solitude. Upon entry to this SP, you’ll meet likely some of the friendliest park rangers of any FL state park (although, honestly, the very GREAT rangers @ Rodman Campground ultimately win the battle!), who will provide you with all of the great information you need to have a great experience here.

  As for the pet-friendly campground specifically, each of the 51 sites has its own picnic table, water and electric as well as fire ring, while the ground itself is laden with powdery grey sand (so leave your boots or flip flops at the door of your tent or RV). The individual slots are somewhat tight and narrow to navigate, but most RVs should be OK to back into these sites. What you will appreciate the most about Sand Pine is that just about every site offers a substantial amount of privacy with solid, thick Floridian jungle putting decent distance between you and your neighbors. The only downside is that it is a solid hike from this campground to the spring itself, which will require you to drive there or take a decent bike ride.

  The amenities are pretty amazing with the two bathroom and laundry room facilities appearing to be nearly brand new and there are designated dump stations scattered throughout making disposal of trash and recyclables EZ. The restroom facilities had vending machines as well. As for the sand pine scrub nature you are surrounded by, but the real gem here of course is the fresh crystal spring that is teaming with manatees, which are best to view and swim alongside between the winter months of November and February. For my float-seeking friends, there’s a solid kayak / canoe launch and if you don’t want to get some oaring in, you can partake in a guided river boat cruise.

  If you’re looking to get away from it all and enjoy some privacy, then this is a great little campground for you to consider. And if you miss anything from the non-natural world, have no fears, a short drive into town to grab a pizza or load up on groceries is easy enough to manage. What I love most about camping here at Blue Springs SP is that during heavier tourist season, a reservation will guarantee you access to the spring, which sometimes gets full and therefore requires the rangers to stop traffic flow into the park, so if you've got a place guaranteed for the night, then, well, you need not worry about the morning rush when most will just worry about getting in the park.

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you find yourself out-of-luck in finding an available campground site to reserve, try your luck at booking one of the 6 often overlooked cabins, which BTW, come with their own set of parking spaces; (2) When you grow weary of digging through your onboard mini-fridge or roto-molded Cordova cooler, then check out some of the local fare where nearby in town, there’s a sweet little Argentinian joint called Rincon del Sabor, classic pie palace called Blue Springs Pizza and another ethereal dive called Taste of Soul – neither of which you’ll wanna write home about, but will definitely give you a break from ‘frank & beans’ for the night. And if neither of those places do the trick for you, there is also a few other restaurants you might wanna check out like Gram’s Kitchen for low country breakfast cooked up all day, Mi Tierra Authentic Mexican as well as Fire on the Bayou for some nice, spicy Cajun; (3) Should you need to stock up on any supplies, nearby Blue Springs SP has a 'grade A' Publix as well as a Walmart nearby, so you should have no problems being stocked up while staying here; and (4) When the kiddos get restless and the pristine nature that you find yourself surrounded by isn’t enough of a distraction, then head due east to Family Fun Town, which is a family-friendly amusement center with batting cages, mini-golf, arcade games and go cart racing. Yahoo!

  Happy Camping!

• 

  Jeff E.

  Guide

  

  June 26, 2024

  Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park Campground

  Immersed in Nature.

  Quiet, lots of wildlife (wild horses, bison, alligators, deer, birds, turtles); plenty of hiking and biking trails with beautiful sunsets on the lake. Restroom facilities are showing some age but clean.  Walk-in tent sites are pretty close to the Restrooms.

• 

  Jeff E.

  Guide

  

  June 26, 2024

  Anastasia State Park Campground

  Old City, Bike, Kayak & Beach!

  Bike to the Old City or see it from the water in your kayak. A beautiful beach is just minutes away by foot or bike. Was quiet at night. Super clean bathhouse. A few raccoons so take necessary precautions with trash and food storage.

• 

  Lorilee S.

  Ranger

  

  June 24, 2024

  Santos Trailhead & Campground

  Very nice

  This campground is the perfect size. Our site had shade about 95% of the day! We had the perfect size of an area behind our RV. Loved hearing all of the birds chirping. You can hear traffic since it’s right off of the highway. There are plenty of trees around. The bathroom was very clean. It’s nice and dark at night!! We did the hike to see the historical part of the Island. That was neat to read about. We also took the biking trail to say we went above i75 on the bridge. That was a round trip of 15.5 miles, if anyone is interested. It’s a really nice campground, especially if like doing trails and biking.

• L

  Louise C.

  Scout

  

  June 22, 2024

  North Beach Camp Resort

  Nice park bad bath house

  Camp sites are very nice. It’s right across the street from the beach. The problem I had was for the price you would think the bath houses would be I better condition. I guess they were clean but in such bad condition I couldn’t be sure.

• A

  Amanda W.

  Guide

  

  June 21, 2024

  Silver Springs State Park Campground

  Amazing kayaking & trails

  Campground is basic, very few sewer spots but there is a dump station. Big rig friendly, several pull thru spots, easy paved entry, gravel sites, I think all are 50/30. Plenty of space between sites. Clean bathroom, washer/dryer, soda machine. Very dark at night which I love. No lights except the bath house. Dog poo bag stations. Very friendly staff (Melinda & John, camp hosts were amazing) 1 mile from amazing kayaking. Great, woodsy hiking trails. Maybe 3 miles to Publix/Wawa.

• 

  Eleanor the Airstream R.

  Ranger

  

  June 18, 2024

  Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park Campground

  Wooded and quiet

  Great state park well off the main road. Quiet and wooded with limestone pads.

• 

  Ali P.

  Guide

  

  June 17, 2024

  Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park Campground & Cabins

  Quick 2 night stay

  Beautiful place, nothing to complain about

• R

  Ron G.

  Guide

  

  June 14, 2024

  Anastasia State Park Campground

  Beautiful campground

  We stopped in on our way to Lakeland, FL. Beautiful campground and well maintained. When we booked online it said only 2 spots to choose from but the park was 50% empty. Would definitely stay here again if we have the chance.

• 

  Haley L.

  Guide

  

  June 12, 2024

  Matanzas State Forest

  Rural Campground not far from st augustine

  Took some rough dirt roads to get to this campsite. If you value peace and quiet you will love this campsite. It’s more primitive than anything in my opinion. Star gazing out here is absolutely immaculate. The sites here are pretty large. You could fit several tents in these sites. Some limited service.

• 

  Haley L.

  Guide

  

  June 12, 2024

  Juniper Springs Rec Area - Tropical Camp Area

  Jungle camp

  Nice spots for tent camping. Got surprisingly cold when I visited. Would’ve been 5 stars if it weren’t for obnoxiously loud and rude neighbors that were yelling/screaming until midnight. If you camp here, expect to hear lots of partying.

• M

  Maggie C.

  Legend

  

  June 10, 2024

  Silver Springs State Park Campground

  Beautiful campground

  Loved this campground. We had sites 22 & 24. Site 22 has lots of sun; site 24 was full shade all day. I thought site 20 was the best. All campsites are very roomy. Bring your paddleboard or kayak. We drove to Silver Springs park and put in. Lazy river ride for 2 miles where we got out at the River trail. If you do this, bring your kayak wheels as it is a 1 mile walk back to the campground (or 1/2 mile to the River Trail trailhead). Then went to pick up truck where we started. Highly recommend this campground. There are also lots of trails to hike, but it was so hot when we were there we did not do any but the river trail.

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  June 9, 2024

  Twin Lakes Fish Camp

  Fishing Bliss in Swamp-Like Single Lane Camping Outpost

  Like the opening for 'Waterboy' (starring Adam Sandler), when you first rock up to Twin Lakes Fish Camp, somehow you feel as though you are visiting family in the very deep south with the likes of Bobby Bocher (pronounced BOO-Shay) greeting you upon arrival with a dilapidated golf cart eager to show you around this fairly minuscule one lane, dead-end campground that is more swamp outpost than pine forested campground. While definitely geared more towards the slightly semi-permanent resident than the overnight camping crowd, you’ll find a mixture of heavily seasoned RV trailers that don’t look as though they’ve moved anywhere in the past several years(or decades) along with a small handful of cabin rentals. Sure, there are a few spots here and there that you might park a 5th wheeler, RV or even see a pitched tent, but those spots are far and few between, if available at all.

  As you make your way down this single lane refuge, on the right, you’ll notice fairly tightly packed together RVs or 5th wheelers lining the tree-ensconced periphery, where on the left you’ll spot sites that have a bit more space to them and with less crowded confines. Also on the left, you’ll easily notice a decent inlet that is perfect should you be towing any form of small watercraft with you, be that a kayak, canoe or even small engine boat. As you make your way down this single lane, pass the river inlet boat parking structure on your left, you’ll spot the 4-5 cabins that are for rent before making your way to the very end of the lane, which you’ll discover the manager’s office on the right. It’s here where you’ll check in. Just beyond this spot is where the waterline begins, albeit for the first 20 or 30 yards, completely encased by Spanish moss of every variety hanging from ancient Oaks, Palmettos and the odd Pine. For dramatic effect, there’s even a partially sunken house boat (or two) in the rather shallow waters just off this small inlet, where you can easily walk on and cast a line or two from.

  With regards to amenities, apart from the swamp-like, down-home feel to this place, you’ll encounter fully-furnished cabins equipped with Direct TV, a small general store (that was closed when we visited), a tackle shop, WiFi (albeit incredibly weak), a recreation room (that didn’t have much but incredibly well-worn paperback books and a single fold-up table accompanied by the prerequisite ashtray), TV, scattered fire pits, covered picnic pavilion, small laundry room (that was closed while we were there), horseshoe pit, restrooms (that were anything but clean), full hook-ups with 30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage as well as a designated dump station and a fish cleaning station alongside that fishing boat parking structure.

  If you can get past the overall dilapidated condition of this place that transports you to a swamp-like wonderland, the upside is that Twin Lakes Fish Camp places you smack dab right in the heart of some pretty amazing fishing country. With Twin Lakes situated between Lochloosa and Orange Lakes, it’s the mouth of the famous Cross Creek that will return you right back here to Twin Lakes Fish Camp. Nearby, there’s the very quaint town of Micanopy, where you can load up on sundries and groceries as well as, if need be, travel further afield to either Gainesville to the north or Ocala to the south for many more dining and entertainment options.

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Rather than stay here, what I would HIGHLY recommend, whether you have an RV or are looking to pitch your tent, is to instead, seek another location for your camping adventures. If it were me, I would double-back to Paynes Prairie SP and book a spot there and simply come here to Twin Lakes Fish Camp to disembark on a fishing odyssey. Remember, it’s always important to note and differentiate a place that might be nice to visit versus a site that you want to call home for the night!; (2) Should you want to rent a 'jon boat', kayak, canoe or sumptknocker, you can easily do that here for $35/ day (and something tells me, you could probably talk the owner down a bit); (3) This place is fairly economical at $35 per night / $175 per week / $375 per month, but I would definitely recommend you look at the photos I’ve posted as well as do a bit of research on-line before booking anything here; (4) When you grow weary of cooking up ‘franks& beans’ for your next meal, and want to check out some local fare, just down the road is a very nice, quaint and actually somewhat upscale joint called The Yearling that serves up low-country delights like fried green tomatoes, fried gator bites and conch fritters in addition to main entrees like blackened red fish or shrimp & grits; and (5) While you won’t find any decent hiking in or around Twin Lakes Fish Camp, if you double-back to Paynes Prairie SP, you’ll find a ton of really great paths to both hike & bike.

  Happy Camping!

• S

  Serena S.

  Scout

  

  June 8, 2024

  Encore Bulow RV

  Pool was okay, but the staff wasn’t.

  I asked my parents to book this RV site because it has a pool and WiFi. First things first, you have to pay for WiFi. I spent $15 on WiFi for ONE DAY for 7 people because if you make only one account it allows only 3 devices to sign it with it. Doesn’t mention anything about that on their website or on here. The plants here and the views are really pretty. The pool was okay, and the one day and night we stayed there we met some friendly people who were staying there as well. The next morning, (40 minutes before checkout time) they were already calling my mom and asking us when we were leaving. Are you serious? Put an earlier check-out time on your business if you want people to leave earlier. It sucks because I recommended this site to my parents, and they treated my mom very crummy. We won’t be back here again.

• L

  Lisa D.

  Traveler

  

  June 8, 2024

  Anastasia State Park Campground

  Tons to do

  Beach is beautiful. Lots to do in the area. Ride your bike all day. Relax on the beach. Lots of history to learn. Don’t forget the farmers market on Saturday. Sites are a little too close.

• D

  Dennis B.

  Scout

  

  June 5, 2024

  Holiday Trav-L-Park RV Resort

  Short overnight stay

  Easy to find, close to I-75 Freeway. Older RV park with many permanent sites. Pull through, full hook ups with cable TV. Not too quiet but building on East side blocks much of the Freewaynoise. Large shade trees. Intermixed temp and permanent sites. Didn't see a store nor sites showers and restrooms. Pool is closed. Looks permanent.

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  May 26, 2024

  PepperTree RV Resort

  Two Halves From The Same Tree

  'Schinus mole' is the Latin genus for Pepper Tree, which oddly here in the States can be traced clear to the other coast where it is better known in the great state of California and less so here in Florida. Whatever the origins for the name and / or its impact on the nomenclature of this particular RV park one thing is sure to be true, which is if you are looking for a bit of spice to add to your wanderlust, than look no further than PepperTree RV Paradise!

  Got an RV and looking to get as close to one of the best locations near Crescent Beach? Then PepperTree RV Paradise might just be your overnight parking oasis that can easily be found south of St. Augustine down the legendary A1A. This is a particular special stretch of golden sand dunes where traffic and retail materialism give way to the open road, soft breezes blowing off the Atlantic, which will no doubt lure you to discover its goldmine of rough, rugged sandy beaches with towering palms swaying in the backdrop as if to beckon you closer.

  As for the location itself, this RV oasis is on the smaller boutique side and conveniently located on Anastasia Island between St. Augustine (a.k.a. Ancient City) to the north and Palm Coast to the south, which in this particular spot, if your ideal getaway involves broad beaches without too many tourists, then you’ve found the right destination. Here, you’ll discover one of the most amazing beachheads in Northern Florida, where the sand is a mixture of churned up seashells, golden sand speckles and the elusive shark tooth, which litter this seaside beach haven where the waves frolic in the ocean, the sun's ray dance on your skin and the sun sheds plenty of light from early dawn until the late-night embers from your oceanfront bonfire burn bright in stark contrast to the whitecaps breaking in the ocean's distance.

  Back to the campground, well, it's not much of a campground per se, as it is more a conveniently located parking lot for RV's, 5th Wheels and semi-permanent trailer houses. For my tent-pitching bredren, you would be advised to skip this location in favor of other locations just a couple stone’s throw from here – although the best nearby seaside oasis deserving of your attention would be Anastasia Island SP. Back here at Pepper Tree RV Resort, there's a small loop that encircles the grounds, dissected in the center with another roadway. What's pretty fab about this joint is that it's got a really nice, small pool (lots of the residents were hanging out there all day long drinking Margaritas) adjacent to the resort's main office, which also has (get a load of this…) its very own on-premise laundry room. The bath houses are equipped with showers, are immaculately clean and provide ample space to get your laundry washed, dried and folded.  Addtionally, there's designated dump stations and recycling areas scattered throughout the premises. If you are looking for amusement, in addition to the beach that sits just across the street, there’s also a basketball court, shuffleboard pavilion and horseshoe pits here at this RV resort.

  Insider’s Tips? Here’s a few: (1) When you grow tired of staring down the bottom of your onboard mini-fridge or roto-molded Cordova cooler and want to check out some local fare, for just ‘meh’ (Millennial speak for 'average') food that has a decent vibe, check out Connolly’s Shore Grill, Seafood Kitchen of St. Augustine or Hurricane Grill & Wings, but if you want some really delish, unique local dishes, then head on over to Salt Water Cowboys, but do be sure to get a reservation as this place fills up; (2) If you’ve got hiking or biking in your plans, then head south to the famed Washington Oaks Garden SP where you’ll have a good 4 miles or so of pathways to enjoy amongst a beautiful view of the Matanzas River all beset against a backdrop of a most beautiful Floridian botanical garden; (3) Should you come towing a kayak or canoe and looking for the perfect spot to launch, again, head south to either the Southeast Intracoastal Waterway Park or Fort Matanzas Beach Drive Access where you can easily launch into the very picturesque Matanzas River and catch a bird’s eye view of the Fort Matanzas National Monument; (4) Whether with your kids or perhaps on a picnic date with your significant other, if you can make your way here, check out Rattlesnake Island, which is a discoverer’s slice of heaven that resides just due west of the A1A; and (5) IMHO the best spots here at PepperTree RV Paradise are those located closest to the pool, which also feature an amazing view of the on-site lagoon, with those specific hard-to-get sites being #1– 9 due west of the main office or #77– 78 (+ A & B).

  Happy Camping!

• 

  Erin M.

  Traveler

  

  May 26, 2024

  Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park Campground

  Fantastic camp sites

  There aren’t many bad sites. Great trails and walking. BRING BUG SPRAY. I wish I had time to stay longer to see everything the park had to offer. I will be back!

• 

  David G.

  Traveler

  

  May 5, 2024

  Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park Campground

  Great park!!!

  This is now my top 2 in parks for camping. The tent only spots are nice and secluded. You do have to walk maybe 100-200 ft from your car to the campsite. I was in site #24. Nice and open with a lot of trees for protection. Great fire pit. No power or water at this site… site #25 has those. The whole grounds were well kept and the trails were easy. At the observation tower you can see a lot of the prairie and if you’re lucky you can see wild horses.

• 

  B M.

  Legend

  

  April 25, 2024

  Silver Springs State Park Campground

  Amazing Place

  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.