Best Tent Camping near Welaka, FL

Recent Tent Reviews in Welaka

1012 Reviews of 30 Welaka Campgrounds

• 

  Amy P.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 21, 2024

  Juniper Springs Rec Area - Fern Hammock Springs

  Party Camp

  Overall it’s not a bad campground but I have no plans to ever return.

  The good: clean bathrooms with running, hot water; wild Florida flora; starry night skies. The spring run is one of my favorites. It’s difficult and technical and challenging and I just love it.

  The bad: the worst part of my experience was other campers being loud after quiet hours and the camp host doing nothing about it. While most people kept it down after 10 (as stated in the rules) one group of partiers was up til 3am, blasting music and hootin’ and hollerin’. I know the park can’t control individual’s behavior but, again, the camp host was on site and did nothing about it. I talked to other campers the next day who all lamented at their lack of sleep because of this one group. It was so bad we only stayed one night. We left the next day after kayaking the run because our home in the city is quieter.

  Also, there’s a general lack of information available for visitors. There are no maps available, for the campground or the run. I had to take a picture of an employee’s personal map of the grounds which ended up being inaccurate because it listed a shower facility that doesn’t actually exist. I asked the staff at the spring run for a map and they didn’t have one I could look at. I asked “how do I know I’m at the end of the run for pickup?” She said “it’s right after the bridge.” Which was true, but it’s not labeled in any kind of way so if I hadn’t asked, I would’ve just kept on paddling forever. Their website has limited information and the confirmation email I got after booking had incorrect information. It said to call if I’d arrive after hours starting in November, so I did, and was told that policy wasn’t in effect for a few weeks. None of these things are a big deal on their own but when they’re all together it becomes a pattern.

• 

  ENRIQUE T.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 16, 2024

  Clearwater Lake Campground

  Pristine

  Fantastic hosts, camp grounds are impeccable, bath houses cleaned and surrounded by nature, what a wonderful place to be.

• A

  Amber R.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 15, 2024

  Jennings State Forest Hammock Campground

  Quiet and peaceful

  I stopped here to stay overnight on a Thursday as I was passing through. There was only one camper but did not know that until I left the next morning. It was quiet and felt secluded. The sites were close as you would normally get in an established campground but there was plenty of brush to separate each site.

• J

  Jill P.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 22, 2024

  Ocala RV Camp Resort

  No tent camping allowed

  I called and was told they don’t allow any tent camping. Just an FYI. Was advised only the state parks in the area allow tent camping.

• 

  James P.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 21, 2024

  Starke-Gainesville NE KOA

  Better than average KOA

  Large sites. Very nice pool. First rate laundry facilities. Great playground and dog park.

• 

  Alexandra E.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 19, 2024

  Alexander Springs Recreation Area

  Right across Florida Trail and cold but gorgeous spring

  Very convenient campground to go for a hike along the florida trail and cool off in the gorgeous blue spring waters. It does get crowded so plan accordingly.

• 

  ENRIQUE T.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 3, 2024

  Ocala National Forest Lake Dorr Campground

  Nice and quiet

  Very small and quiet place , great for beginners.
  Host was great, bathrooms cleaned and hot showers. 15/20 minutes away plenty of amenities and shopping if necessary.

• 

  Nicole H.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 16, 2024

  Silver Springs RV Park

  Camper

  Quiet and friendly place. Better for campers.

• 

  Julian G.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 28, 2024

  Pine Island RV & Marina

  Great staff and wonderful view

  Friendly staff and well maintained Park and facilities with great fishing and an amazing view of Lake George.

• 

  Joe R.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 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

  

  Jul. 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

  

  Jul. 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

  

  Jul. 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

  

  Jul. 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

  

  Jul. 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

  

  Jul. 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!

• 

  Timothy G.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 29, 2024

  Ross Prairie Campground

  Great place to camp or rv

  Had no problems, calm and cool surroundings.

• 

  Jeff E.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 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

  

  Jun. 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

  

  Jun. 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

  

  Jun. 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

  

  Jun. 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

  

  Jun. 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

  

  Jun. 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

  

  Jun. 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

  

  Jun. 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

  

  Jun. 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.