Best RV Parks & Resorts near Waldo, FL

Should you find yourself anywhere near the home of The Gators here in landlocked Gainesville, then the location of Santa Fe Palms RV Resort itself will be one of its greatest assets. Located NW of town, you will find yourself just far enough away from the noise, traffic and otherwise mayhem that surrounds the college town atmosphere of UF. That said, you’ll also be close enough that just a short 10 minute drive will place you within proximity to just about anything you might want or need, from restaurants and bars, to city parks, retail store fronts as well as big box retailers and shopping malls … as well as of course, the University of Florida itself.

As for this RV resort in particular, I always have to question places that use the term 'resort' in the first place – but here at Santa Fe, they really do live up to the word ‘resort.’ Apart from discovering a seemingly newly-built and certainly very well-maintained outdoor encampment perfect for your RV or 5th Wheel parking pleasure, you'll also enjoy all of the various amenities that indeed makes this roadside campground really feel like an RV resort community in full swing. In all there’s some 115, mostly diagonal, slots to chose from that offer 30 amp, 50 amp back-in or 50 amp pull-through sites, charging $65, $75 and $85 respectively, which IMHO is (especially for the area you currently find yourself in) slightly more expensive than expected.

With higher prices, expectations rise, but I found Santa Fe Palms delivers, offering not only a premium experience, but one packed with tons of amenities, including: high-speed fiber optic WiFi, beautiful lanai patio complete with several tables, chairs and sun umbrellas that sit alongside a very generous heated in-ground swimming pool, fitness room, pickleball court as well as a laundr-O-mat and restroom / shower facilities. All sites have full hook-ups featuring electric with various amp options, water and sewage, while there’s a good amount of sites that have pull-through options where the others will have back-in. The paved roads that run throughout this place are grade A perfect and perhaps the best feature of the entire place is the top-notch gate access and security surrounding the entire perimeter. There’s even a spacious doggie park in the NW corner of Santa Fe to take your pooch for a stroll. Lastly, the main building where you would also check-in at features work stations as well as a small shop where you can buy sundries and snacks.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Unless your idea of a great hike is walking around in circles within the perimeter of Santa Fe Palms RV Resort, I would highly suggest a trek to nearby Buck Bay Flatwood Preserve, which is just due northeast of this spot where you’ll walk / drive due east to the Circle K and then take the country road due north about a ¼ mile before you reach this spot; (2) If you are coming with either a canoe or kayak, the best place to drop anchor is Newmans Lake, which you will be able to access at a number of places, although I strongly recommend Palm Pointe Park, but if too busy, just due south is Earl P Powers Park, where both of these locations have excellent boat launches; (3) When you grow weary of trying to conjure up that next meal from the depths of your onboard mini-fridge fridge or roto-molded, bear-proof Cordova cooler and want to check out some of the local fare, there’s a handful of no-frills options, but hey, life is short, so I’ll let your GPS help you find those spots and instead, I’ll recommend 'don’t miss options' like Satchell’s for the best pizza in town with an Instagram-worthy backdrop; and (4) Should you want to hit the links, nearby Santa Fe Palms RV Resort is Ironwood Golf Club, which is decent, not amazing, but gets the job done.

Happy Camping!

Formerly known as Compass RV Resort, Sun Outdoors of St. Augustine is an RV mega-resort paradise in the midst of Old Florida, placing you in very close proximity to both the cobblestone streets of the touristy oldest city in the nation (a.k.a. Ancient City) as well as the amazing white powder sand beaches of northern Florida. Located just a stone’s throw from the busiest transport artery in all of Florida (I95), whether you’ve just come down from the north to grab some warmth and sunshine or heading further afield as part of a larger trip, Sun Outdoors makes both a good pit stop as well as a spot that you might want to drop anchor for several nights. 

You can’t call an otherwise RV parking lot a ‘resort’ without throwing down a number of amenities and Sun Outdoors – a chain of RV pit stops throughout the country with dizzying amounts of distractions and add-ons – will deliver on this front easily. From offering the basics like back-in and pull-through well-paved, flat RV slots (there’s more than 160 spots to choose from) with gravel pads and all the full hook-ups (20 / 30 / 50 amp electric, sewage and water) offering solo, patio and buddy sites. There’s 3 different sections to this park each offering up a slightly different experience, including: The Grove, The Pond and The Oasis. In addition to standard pet-friendly hook-ups, all sites provide complimentary cable and WiFi, fire ring with foldable BBQ rack and picnic tables as well as full access to spartan cleaned restroom and shower facilities as well as other community amenities (see more below). 

Additional amenities include: spacious dog park, heated in-ground swimming pool, nature trails that encircle the resort, fitness center, coin-operated laundr-O-mat, on-site storage, corn hole, gazebo / picnic area, clubhouse as well as catch & release fishing in the small pond on-site. And if you don’t have an RV, don’t worry, the good folks here at Sun Outdoors will rent you one of two versions of newly fabricated 1BR mobile homes. Bonus points additionally as Sun Outdoors is protected by a remote-control operated entrance gate, along with a main office (where you’ll check-in) that is fully staffed around the clock adding extra layers of security. 

Insider’s tips? (1) If you’re a golfing fanatic (and admittedly, I am not), then you are in luck as just a bit further up north on I95 you’ll come across World Golf Village, where in addition to offering up Buccee’s and CostCo for all your camping and shopping needs (where a Home Depot and Bass Pro Fishing will be installed shortly), there’s also World Golf Hall of Fame featuring exhibits and displays of the sport; (2) For the history buffs, there’s Castille de San Marcos National Monument, which is one of the oldest stone masonry fortifications in the western hemisphere (let alone the US) originally founded by the Spanish way; (3) While you might be living the blues inside your RV or simply want to replace the sound of highway traffic with something more pleasant, you can actually just head up the street and listen to the blues at probably one of the coolest outdoor venues in the country at St. Augustine Ampitheater; (4) If you are looking for a decent place to do some great hiking, then look no further than due south of Sun Outdoors 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); (5) If you’ve forgot anything, while there’s an on-site market here at Sun Outdoors, there’s also a Dollar General Store and slightly further down the road, a Publix; (6) Carrying watercraft and looking for a nice spot to hit the water? Then I HIGHLY recommend Princess Place Preserve that offers access to the Matanzas and Tolomato Rivers as well as Pellicer Creek; and (7) Lastly, if you are craving some great local fare and too tired to figure out what that next meal is, then I highly recommend these local favorite joints: Scoop for ice cream, Sunday for brunch, Munch for an assortment of food trucks and St. Augustine Fish House& Oyster Company for amazing fresh seafood with great Intracoastal water views overlooking St. Augustine. 

Happy Camping!

General: 59-site campground in two loops plus 10 cabins. 

Site Quality: These sites were HUGE. Many were pull-throughs. Our site (51) could easily fit four of our vans! All sites were gravel and level and had water, electric, and (I believe but we didn’t use) sewer hookups, a bbq grill, a fire ring, and a large picnic table. Each loop has a handicap-accessible site near the restrooms. In addition to the size of the sites, there was reasonable separation/privacy between them. Although I did not see the inside of them, the cabins looked beautiful – they were large with huge screened-in porches. One of the cabins was handicap accessible. 

Bathhouse: Was very clean. In addition to the men’s and women’s bathrooms, there were two family restrooms, complete with showers, and the showers had plenty of hot water.  

Activities/Amenities: There is no swimming or fishing here but you can rent kayaks. Note: the launch area is not within walking distance of the campground. We chose to do an organized tour with Get Up and Go Kayaking with glass bottom kayaks. The launch site for this tour is a quick drive from the campground. There are also several hiking trails that were well marked. There is a museum geared toward school groups that is open to the public only on the weekends (we were there during the week). Although the gate agent said there was no recycling, we saw a recycling bin near the restrooms/dumpster. It was not indicated what materials were accepted so I assumed it was single stream. Other amenities include a dishwashing sink, vending machine, a small lending library, and a washer/dryer.

This state park was a pleasant surprise and we wish we could have stayed longer!

This RV parking pad is located in north central Florida, just due southwest of Palatka (a.k.a. the Sunshine’s State Farmer’s Market) where you’ll find southern charm hanging from more than the moss off the ancient Oaks here, which underscores one of the best highlights of Cooper Lake RV Community: its abundance of shade. Conveniently located right off (and I mean in front of) Highway 20 about 4 miles just due west of Interlachen, you’ll discover the eponymous Cooper Lake (for which this RV stand is named after) is located just behind the small body of fresh water and offers up some decent catch & release fishing, albeit this lake is more of a pond. If you cross the highway, due south and just a couple of stone’s throws away, there’s much bigger Lake Galilee to contend with and is much better for boat fishing IMHO. 

As for the pet-friendly campground itself, there’s about 50 or so pull-through and back-in RV slots complete with full hook-ups (50 amp electric at every site along with water and sewage) along with a gathering area complete with horseshoes, shuffleboard, community fire pit, frisbee golf, gazebos, picnic tables and BBQ grills. While the bathrooms are very well-maintained, when we visited there were no showers per se (although in speaking with the management, some are in the works to be built, so I would definitely call ahead if this is a deal-breaker).  There’s WiFi here (but it’s not so good), designated dumpsters, vehicle storage as well as a fairly decent laundr-O-mat near the clubhouse. Rates for Cooper Lake RV Community: $45-$55/daily; $250-$300/weekly; and $650-$700/monthly. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) While Cooper Lake RV Community is not a destination in and of itself, this is a really nice place run by very well-meaning folks and while this RV spot is definitely new it’s definitely worth the stop if you find yourself out this way; (2) When you get tired of staring into your onboard mini-fridge and/ or want to try out some of the local cuisine, head on over to True Grits, well, for the grits of course, Nanny's Country Café for simple breakfasts or Smokedogs Bar-B-Q for quite possibly some of the best brisket and homemade cole slaw in the world!; and (3) If you are looking for some great water to dip your kayak or canoe in, head south to Lake Ocklawaha where there’s a half dozen or so spots where you can launch from. 

Happy Camping!

While very conveniently located just off I95 in NW Jacksonville area, Sunny Oaks provides incredibly easy off-road access to park your RV for the night. In under 1 minute, you will be exiting a very heavily-trafficked interstate and find yourself in a secluded, family-owned fenced-in an RV-riddled maze that is, despite its proximity to heavy traffic, surprisingly quiet. There’s a proper office where you’ll check-in, secure your numbered parking place and be given all of the information that you need to successfully park for the night. 

Amenities include all the typical hook-ups (water, 50 amp electric and sewage), high speed WiFi, scattered pavilions and BBQ pits with picnic tables (so group picnicking, but no individual picnic tables are available), laundr-O-mat all in a quiet, wooded forest setting. This place offers holiday-themed events featuring Easter BBQ and a Halloween haunted house. The bathouses are relatively decent offering a his / hers 2 toilet and 2 shower facilities along with 4 combined outdoor showers. The place is dog-friendly and even has a small playground for the kiddos as well as a clubhouse with a proper exercise room, work / office cubicles, family room w/ TV’s, boardgames and even a game room. 

Insider’s tips? If you have the opportunity, head on over to Hana Park for some first-rate city park escapes that include camping, kayaking, swimming and biking options. I also highly recommend, if you have the time, to check out Amelia Island State Park (to the south) or Little Talbot Island for some excellent beachheads, proper tent camping (again) as well as numerous hiking, swimming and boating excursions. Lastly, if you’re looking for a great place to grab some local grub, check out Woodpecker’s Backyard BBQ for quite possibly the best BBQ you will ever eat here in FL (or perhaps anywhere!). 

Happy Camping!

While there are many natural springs throughout north central Florida, Salt Springs is considered by many to be one of the best preserved and well-maintained springs throughout the state as well as being the ‘main attraction’ here in the Ocala National Forest, where you’ll find yourself at should you choose to swing by Salt Springs. Located in the center of the state, you’ll have near equal access to both the Atlantic Ocean to the east as well as the Gulf shores to the west. What’s great about Salt Springs SP is that there’s a lot more to experience and explore here than just the springs themselves, which you can swim, fish and canoe in, but nearby, there’s Lake Kerr, which offers up some additional on-the-water adventures.

As for the CG itself, to be clear, there are (2) campgrounds here at Salt Springs SP – one exclusively for the mobile-minded, while a second for the tent-pitchin’ breed. I will isolate my comments here for the former, which features 106 back-in and pull-through slots available for those camping with RVs, 5th Wheelers and / or trailers complete with FHUs offering up 30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage, making this the largest CG of any in the Ocala National Forest and the only one with FHUs. And while most RV-centered CGs tend to line up parking pad slots so close together you’ll wonder whether or not you are a sardine, the spaces here are actually nice and spacious although there’s not a ton of trees or brush within the center or between sites to provide campers with any sense of privacy, although the arrow tip-shaped CG is flanked around its perimeter with decent tree-line cover and thick bush. And while each of the sites appeared to be quite level and perfectly accommodating to most RV sizes, you’ll want to take note there are gently rolling hills around this CG, which features nicely paved driving pathways and cement, grass and gravel pads.

Amenities: There are (2) very well-maintained and incredibly clean restroom facilities located centrally, with shower facilities in the tent CG, recycling dumpsters located on the northern perimeter, boat launch near Salt Springs Marina, small fishing canal just due north of the tent camping area, dump station, overflow parking, horseshoes and shuffleboard on the western edge, drinking fountains, picnic tables, fire rings, standing BBQ grills, pavilion with basketball court on the southern perimeter, camp store on the far eastern edge near the springs parking area, canoe rentals (offered up on a first-come, first-served basis… so you’ll want to get yours bright and early!) additional overflow and boat parking on the eastern flank betwixt this CG and the primitive tent area and, of course, likely the entire you’ve come here in the first place, the Salt Springs itself.

Insider’s Tips: (1) If you are looking to cast a line in nearby Lake Kerr complete with its cypress tree-lined shores, you can do so by accessing any one of the main piers and fishing docks that are scattered around this freshwater bastion of aqua marine or you can cast a line to catch bountiful small- and largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, blue gill, warmouth and shellcracker at one of the peninsulas that poke into this lake either at Lake Kerr Key to the north, Point Pleasant on the western edge or, right near Salt Springs by taking NE 247th Ct to the dead end on Juniper Street; (2) While there’s not a ton of eateries that are all that tempting in these parts, if you do decide to ‘get off the reservation’ nearby, there’s a Subway, Salt Springs Pizza, Square Meal, Hunt Brothers Pizza and Southern Buffet, that are honestly all just ‘mid,’ so for those that don’t mind a slightly longer drive, check-out Elis River Park Café, Townsend Cove, Renegades on the River, Sunset Landing and The Grill Out; (3) It is HIGHLY advisable that you make your CG reservations here at Salt Springs SP WAY in advance by calling 1-877-444-6777 or booking online at Recreation.gov; (4) There is a single 2-mile hiking trail that is at best, moderate, although the path offers up a nice boardwalk midway through with excellent views of trees endemic to the Ocala National Forest like the many varieties of Oaks (Chapman, Sand Live, Ancient, Live, Myrtle), Big Scrub, Saw Palmetto, water-logged Palmettos and, of course, the Southern Magnolias, most of which you’ll find dripping with Spanish moss; and (5) Like most natural springs, as the day progresses, the spring will get busier and busier, so I always recommend if you are camping at a spring – because this grants you automatic admission unlike those who are just visiting for the day and are therefore subject to being turned away once the spring reaches capacity – that you chose to go either early or later in the day – as the water’s temperature doesn’t change remaining constant at 72 degrees throughout the day and, in fact, all year round.

Happy Camping!