Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Mount Dora, FL

This is an absolutely beautiful small campground surrounded by water and huge oak trees with Spanish moss. There are birds and little alligators so abundant wildlife. It is very quiet and inexpensive. I only paid $36 for two nights. It is near a beautiful little town called Mount Dora which has a bunch of shops and nice restaurants. There is a park around every corner. Needless to say, I loved my visit to Trimble Park!

This is probably the largest park we have ever stayed in. We normally go for the smaller quaint parks but we decided to try it out. We went along the outside rim in site Mako 7. The sites are large enough and have most have full hook ups. Not many trees for shade, but it is in Florida so that is to be expected. We were fortunate to have a couple of grassy areas around close to walk the dog. There is a dog park but it was on the other end of the campground. We did go one day and the park is nice. It’s sand and has poop bags. But no water for drinking so take your own. This side of the park had more trees and was nice for walking around with the dog. No WiFi in the area closest to the dog park. Sites seemed mostly level but only the new section has nice concrete pads. The older sections are hit and miss as to what the site looks like. All in all it’s a great location for visiting all the local attractions... (but we didn’t do that).

Easy access to I 75 Has nice pond with wildlife , cabins to rent and all services . Friendly staff and dog park.

Has by far not been my favorite. It’s divided into 3 parts. We are Accross the road with no swimming pool or dog park. The main camp has a pool but the hot tub is broken. The dog park they do have has been closed the entire time we have been here. The main camp ground is very crowded and close together but at least there is a lot going on compared to our side which is very very quiet except for the fair people who have started coming in. There is another pool in the third section but that has been closed forever. I also am not fond of the area itself. For some this might be great but if you have small kids I don’t think this is the camp ground for you. Luckily we have a membership because with the lack of amenities I would have been disappointed to pay the going rate.

After hours check in was EASY and we were able to call and speak with someone at 5:30pm. Friendly and kind hosts who care about their camp and their guests. The dog park was amazing! The cite was grass pull through but spacious! I loved the feel of this place.

The park isn’t the best park we have been to but the surrounding area and safety and nice people make up for it. The bathroom is very nice and modernized. Laundry is more pricy than any other but they take card so it’s nice not having to get cash or quarters every time. Don’t like being towered the front of the park right next to the road. Love to be in the back where all the shady trees are. Sometimes neighbors play loud music until pretty late. The people in the park are so nice. The heated pool and hot tub are wonderful though could use some more water in it at times. One of the bathroom stalls has been closed forever and isn’t being fixed so there is only two in the main one. There is another set though in the club house area. Has a nice library and a mail room. Mount Dora and down town Eustis are beautiful.

If like me, you find yourself on the never-ending, all-consuming search to find the very best campground on earth, then you will rejoice at what I discovered here in little known, far out-of-the-way Trimble Park Campground located just due south of Mount Dora – one of the quaintest small towns in the US (more on this later).

Allow me to begin by saying that the first thing I look for in a ‘magical unicorn campsite’ is that it truly is a unique discovery. Not made for – or even known by – the masses. Following a series of turns, and likely getting lost at least twice enroute and then having to double-back more than a few times where you’ll find yourself cursing as to whether or not the destination you are seeking out is actually even worth it … is exactly when you find yourself discovering this very particular slice of natural paradise. It’s here where I mistakenly came across one of the most amazing campgrounds I have ever been so excited to uncover in all of my backpacking, tent-unfolding, fireside grilling and midnight star-gazing sojourning. 

So let me break it down for you. Beyond being a bit of a ‘hidden gem,’ Trimble Park Campground is idyllically sandwiched between two beautiful and very good sized lakes – Lake Carlton to the south and Lake Beauclair to the north (and just a smidge further north, you’ll come to a much larger Lake Dora) – so all you fish-catching, clear lake boat sailing and sunset-on-the-water seekers, rejoice at this very fantastic conundrum you will experience: with so many lakes at your nearby disposal, which one will you chose? Sprinkle in an ever-present chorus of tree frogs, never-ending patch quilt of verdant, green lilipads and more Spanish moss hanging from bending ancient Oaks than you’ve ever seen in your entire existence, then the charm factor of this spectacle just multiplied by 10 (at least). Add to this the simply superb way in which the local, regional rangers take METICULOUS care of this place, from the well-manicured lawns and pristine conditions of the shelters, picnic tables, BBQ grills, children’s playgrounds, fishing piers and even the newly paved flat roadways you’ll find yourself wanting to slowly crawl through so you don’t miss anything as you take in all the surroundings, this campground feels as though there is not a single blade of grass that is misplaced. It’s all been perfectly packaged to deliver a most amazing camping experience. 

But the hands-down, most absolute amazing aspect of this entire experience is this: that nearly every RV / Tent campsite sits waterfront (and westward facing at that, ensuring one of the most brilliant sunsets you’ll see from the natural confines of your jungle-like make-shift camping abode). All sites come with water and electric, picnic tables, fire rings and BBQ’s, communal washing sinks and you’ll back up into the site, so as to maximize the lakefront views. There’s a separate bathroom facility that is fairly good and decently clean. 

Massive insider’s tip? While there are primitive camping sites, apart from a bear pole to hang your trash, there is nothing on these sites (and they are incredibly small) – so I would highly recommend you book a non-primitive campsite (one of the very few times I have ever recommended this). Insider’s Tip#2? Further afield, you’ll want to make use of Wekiva Springs State Park – one of the best natural springs in the entire Sunshine State – you don’t want to miss this one! Last insider’s tip? If you don’t have to leave this place, then don’t. But if you must, you won’t have to mosey far to find just about everything you could want in just a 15 minute drive to the little showboat of a small town in nearby Mount Dora. This picturesque village has a number of grocery stores, small shoppes and boutiques as well as simply outstanding restaurants, which sent my Foodie radar to an all-time high. Joints I highly recommend include: Pizza Amoré, Ken’s Amish Deli & Bakery, Tony’s Clam Chowder Seafood, The Beauclaire, Jeremiah’s, Pisces Rising and 1921 Mount Dora. 

For scenic shots of Mt. Dora, head to Gilbert Park where there’s a brilliant little lighthouse, flocks of seagulls and lots of aquatic rentals. On Saturdays, there’s a great little Farmer’s Market in town, called Renninger’s Farmer & Flea Market, where we bought fresh produce for our entire camping stay. Outside the main town of Mount Dora, you’ll find big box retailers like Publix, Target and Walmart. I sincerely hope I raised your expectations with regards to this particular natural campground oasis – even if I have, trust me, you will be pleasantly surprised by just what an amazing, precious camping experience awaits you here. 

Happy Camping!

I can’t say enough about how nice this campground is. The folks working here are so overwhelmingly helpful. They will even fill your propane tank for you. The laundromat is impeccable and cost is reasonable at $2.00 to wash and $1.50 to dry. They have gourmet ice cream in the office! The lots are graveled and level. The roads are free of pits and east to navigate. The lots are more spacious than at most places. There is a dog park, too. No litter here. Not even a cigarette butt! We will be back!

This is a great spot. Plenty of trees. Most sites have some space to spread out. Many pull-through spots. The wi-fi repeaters are good for remote workers. This is a paid option and worth it. The bathrooms are cleaned often but some guests don’t clean up after themselves- leaving hair and trash behind- rude! The staff is wonderful as and the permanents are welcoming. Laundry is pay by phone. There is a dog park. Only downside is lack of concrete pads- roads and parking spots are sandy. Minor issues with heavy rains. Quick drive to the beach. Must haves: outdoor mat, above ground camp fire ring, longer hoses.

If you’re looking for a spot to park your 5th wheel or mobile RV campsite for the night and don’t mind being shoulder to shoulder with likeminded RV campers, then the flatly paved surfaces of Kissimmee RV Park, complete with 193 campsites, might just be for you. While just off the I-4 corridor taking you into Orlando (only 30 or so minutes due north of this location), pet-friendly Kissimmee RV Park offers close proximity to and affordable overnight accommodations near all of the amusement parks (just 6.5 miles away) the Magical City has to offer. 

As far as amenities go, there’s a handful: recreation hall, full-service kitchen, heated pool, shuffle board court, bingo, horseshoe pits, scattered BBQ grills, spartan restrooms and bath house (although in need of refurbishment), laundry-O-mat, ice machine, free WiFi (but only at rec hall and pool – many people complained that they couldn’t access WiFi while at their sites, but if you read the fine print, that’s not what this place promises), RV storage, dog parks & walking paths, a few scattered gazebos and a propane tank refilling station. Each site comes with its own flat concrete slab that you can call home for the night, accompanied by a lone picnic table and all the typical hook-ups you would expect (30 / 50 electric amp, water, sewage, etc.) along with designated dump sites and an electric charging station as well as small pond. 

Insider’s tips? Sure, here’s a few: (1) if you are tent camping, apparently Kissimmee RV Park has some sites, but as we were passing through with an RV, I didn’t bother to look, so check this out; (2) Tired of foraging through your cooler or on-board mini-fridge for your next meal? Then there’s no shortage of options being this close to Disney, so while there’s the chain restaurants nearby (Chili’s, Perkin’s, BJ’s, etc.), I recommend a few off-the-beaten places like Fat Boy’s BBQ, Savion’s Place or Capone’s Dinner & Show Theater;(3) Fan of comic books? My family and I stumbled across Coliseum of Comics Kissimmee and it was a nice diversion for a few hours; and (4) Want to go back in time for a nice meal and theater?! Then look no further than Medieval Times, which is literally just down the road! 

Happy Camping!

padded or unpassed sites. nice pool with grille. happy hour specials. activities for children. very clean park. numerous bath houses. very nice laundromat. key card needed to access so feel safe. also guarded gate. pet friendly, even wIrh dog bathing station wIth soap! highly recommend.

“Unfortunately, we do not allow any pets in our park and/or campground. I can recommend the following parks in the area that are pet friendly: Trimble Park, Magnolia Park and Wekiwa Springs state park.”

This place is gargantuan and has so many roads and alleyways that I got lost navigating the place at least a couple of times. And just when I thought that I seen all of Southern Palms RV Resort, upon exiting the place, I realized that there was even more of Southern Palms right across the street where the expansive RV parking lot continued. 

Located on the outskirts of Eustis here in the Sunshine State, this place has just about everything you could be looking for – from parks, shuffle boards, evening themed dancing and lakes to bike paths, swimming pools and bocce ball. But wait, there’s more… there’s also: clubhouse/ lounge for large group gatherings, whirlpool / spa / jacuzzi for those late night relaxing moments, fitness center to get your workout in, showers / restrooms that are just decent, ballroom for those evening dance parties, WiFi that is pretty superb, basic and expanded TV cable packages, picnic tables galore, BBQ grilles as far as the eye can see, the whole place is pet friendly, a horseshoe pit (where Joey is the local hero), mail center, game room complete with billiards table, a dog park that is always jam packed with man’s best friend as well as a laundr-O-mat (bring your quarters!) an extensive library (without its own Dewey decimal system) … and the list goes on, but I will end here. 

Downside to this place is that, well, it’s a mega mall of RV’s, campers and semi-permanent, yet mobile housing solutions, and there’s a lot more people and accommodations than there is really space for, so it is quite overcrowded and you will definitely hear your neighbors at all times of the day, in addition to all of the scootering traffic going by your ‘campsite’ whether day or night. So if you are simply looking for a place to stay for the night enroute to somewhere else, this is not a bad place, but given the overpopulation and the fact that every single amenity offered, while great for some, makes me feel like I just left home to go somewhere else where they have everything that I just left at home. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few… First, if you are looking for a great meal and something out of the ordinary, head on over to The Dam Smoker and you will discover some pretty outrageous BBQ, which you can order and eat there (or order by the pound and go find a nice lakeside bench to enjoy) albeit in some very modest settings. Second, if you’d like to escape your asphalt slab for a nice slice of nature, then head over to Long Leaf Pine Trail, which has a decent hike, or check out the wildlife at Hidden Waters Preserve, both of which are near Lake Joanna.


Happy Camping!

The Hog Island Recreation Area is located on the eastern bank of the Withlacoochee river close to the small town of Nobleton. Part of the recreation area includes the Hog Island Nature Trail, part of the Trailwalker Program and officially certified as part of the longer Florida National Scenic Trail. The Hog Island Campground (fl-dof.com) provides nicely shaded and dry campsites for tent and RV campers with picnic tables and fire rings at each site. These sites are amazingly screened from each other with natural understory vegetation and access to the Withlacoochee River. Restroom with showers (which could use a little love and care), water spigots and a dump station are located nearby. Campers arriving by canoe can stay at a riverside campsite that includes access to drinking water.

This is a good campground with pretty decent warm/hot showers and electric hookups, so you aren't going to really be spending a few days completely off the grid. Although, cellular service is spotty, but mostly usable. The camp hosts were really nice and supposedly no pets are allowed, but I definitely heard some dogs at night. Just a few steps away is the Hog Island boat ramp, nature trail and a section of the Florida National Scenic Trail leaving you with lots to do.

You get your standard nice campground features

·       Large shared picnic area

·       Good fishing

·       Canoe and boat launch

·       No pets allowed.

*I heard some dogs and there were basically no one around, so maybe the host let some people get away with it…

·       2-mile loop Nature Trail.

·       Hiking trails:

•  - River Trail/Sumter is 7.2 miles.

·       Equestrian trails: 

•  - Hernando Main Loop is 18.65 miles.
•  - Hernando is 36.35 miles.
•  - Sumter is 7.70 miles.