Best Glamping near White Springs, FL

One of 5 river camps along the Suwanee River and the 2nd camp from White Springs. This system of river camps currently is first come first served with no fee - but that could change soon and screened sleeping platforms may require reservations. Reservations can be made for groups and are suggested. Our outfitter American Canoe Adventures makes our reservations for us. The Suwannee River river camps are spaced a days paddle apart and are wonderfully convenient (especially in summer when afternoon rains come daily and bugs are everywhere).

Most of the time you will have a camp host on the property and MAY have firewood for sale. Their site is hte last site past the bathrooms(and they are past all the sleeping pavilions.

This river camp has lots of tent camping space, a small bath house with water and electric, grills, fire pits, and screened sleeping platforms with electric, lighting and ceiling fans. Many units also have hooks to hang you hammocks. Sleeping pavilions typically will hold 6-8 persons and have small corner tables with small bench. Each has picnic table and fire ring. You will find a broom in each shelter - please sweep out and leave clean for next group.

There is a nice beach at lower water levels to pull up your vessel or you can tie boat up under ramp. At high water this ramp can be tricky to unload from in a strong current (we have seen it with no beach visible) Always take paddles, PFD's, fishing equipment, food items and valuables to your camping area - do not leave in boats. There are raccoons and other nocturnal creatures and an occasional bear passing through.

Swimming and fishing are nice here. Lots of places to explore. Make sure you have some bug spray for evenings in summer months

What a nice local campground! Many amenities! Lots for the kids to do, pond with ducks, playground, nice store, Camping for everyone - tents, cabins, RV's. You can even hang a hammock (with tree safe straps) in a few places! Staff was wonderful. Bathrooms have code to access an are very clean. Nice Laundry facility that costs $1.50 per wash and same to dry. We stayed in May. Ground was very soft in tent camping area - do not drive vehicle past parking pad (we saw where folks before us got stuck). Please is VERY well lit at night, if you need it dark to sleep you will want to be prepared.

Very close to many local attractions like White Springs, Suwannee River State Park, Stephen Foster State Park, and more. Many wonderful local restaurants, and antique shops to! We use ACA Canoe Outfitters in White Springs for our paddling trips and LOVE Fat Bellies BBQ - both 15 min away in White Springs. If you go don't miss visiting the "spring house"!

Overall: Excellent campground with close access to the Suwannee River, not far off I-75 near White Springs. The sites are, for the most part, nicely private with a good bit in intentional foliage between them. Most of the sites are well shaded. The river access and trail are beautiful. The water level was quite high when I was there compared to prior visits so it was not possible to walk along the waterline. 

Getting there: Get off I-75 at the White Springs exit, go East on NW thunder Street, left on State Rd 100 and follow the signs. 

Check in and staff: I was there on a Saturday night, having easily made reservations online using the Florida State Park website: https://www.floridastateparks.org/camping. My ticket with site number and map was there in the little booth for pick up. I did not see any staff the entire time that I was there. 

Amenities: Most of the attractions like the carillon tower, craft center etc were closed when I was there. The canoe launch and the river access were easy to get to and beautiful in the early morning light. It seemed that a wedding was recently done or going to be done down by the river in the little pavilion there. Fresh water and electricity at sites with them worked well. 

Bathrooms: clean, well kept. Laundry machines available. I did not try taking a shower so I cannot comment on that but they looked clean. 

Site: I had site 33. Very nice, private and relatively close to the bathroom.   Flat and well drained.  Bugs not too bad this time of year.  Fire ring, BBQ and wooden picnic table were clean.  The only negative that I experienced while there is that one neighbor or the other seemed to have the entire population of the campground at the site, having a very raucous noisy party. I finally had to yell for quiet about 10 pm to try to get some sleep. Fortunately the folks responded by quieting down, even though “quiet time” starts at 11pm per park rules.

I imagine that Suwannee Music Park Campground was borne out of the wonderful brainchild idea of someone who was fortunate enough to attend the original Woodstock back in ’69 and after leaving the upstate NY experience, woke up 3,000 miles away here on the shores of the Suwannee and said to themselves,“hey, why not try to create that experience here in NW Florida?!” And thus, this nature-embracing outdoor musical playground was given birth.

Let’s begin with the sheer size of this place: with 800+ acres and over 600 campsites to choose from, this thickly wooded sprawling campground expanse is massive. And when it comes to the camping itself, no matter what type you might be thinking of - from RV and 5th Wheelers to those towing Horse Trailers and, Primitive Camping and Treehouses as well as Cabins for lease, every type of outdoor camping is offered here.

The major attraction here, apart from the live music performances that get booked very frequently in this camping outpost, is the direct access you’ll have to the historic Cypress tree-lined Suwannee River, which is nothing short of fantastic if you enjoy paddling a kayak or canoe. If you are looking for something just as active but different, there’s a dedicated disc golf course as well as endless miles of trails, perfect for hiking and biking.

Other amenities include: horse stables, children’s playground, covered pavilions, a bird sanctuary, chapel, small lake with fishing dock (catch & release only), bat house (apparently the largest in the US), tree house, craft village, boat launch, barn museum, drum circle, horse wash / manure disposal, arcade game room with pinball machine, live music pavilions, shelters, potable water stations, karaoke, riverside beach, viewable bee hives, golf cart rental, designated dump stations, WiFi, on-site cafe and general store (firewood, ice, beer, T-shirts, hats and caps), bar and music hall, pickin’ shed, geocaching, rock waterfall, first aid stations, swimming pool (that also serves up ice cream and pizza poolside), multiple music stages, restrooms and shower facilities and Suwannee River dock. For the RV crowd, Suwanee Music Park offers 20 / 30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage hook-ups.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) Despite being pretty far removed from civilization for those really wanting to embrace a nice chunk of untouched nature, I have to admit this place was overwhelmed with golf carts when we visited, which really takes away from the ambiance of being out in nature in the first place IMHO. Many times this place felt more like the Villages (the world's largest and most well-heeled retirement community located south of here in central Florida) than a remote camping outpost; (2) Should you need anything, the town of Live Oak is just a 20 minute drive south of here wherein you’ll find just about everything you are looking for, including a Busy Bee for excellent bathrooms, showers and laundry facilities, Walmart Supercenter and Publix for groceries as well as just OK restaurants like Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, Zaxby’s and a Waffle House, but for actual really good food, keep on heading south to the center of town where you’ll find Big Wood BBQ & Grill, The 406 or Brown Lantern; (3) If you were fascinated by the drama, murder and mayhem on the Netflix series Tiger King, then head south of Live Oak to Mystic Jungle where you can see all of their amazing wild cats that normally you would only be able to see while on safari; (4) For my primitive tent pitching bredren, of all the amazing places to consider here, I would strongly recommend those primitive camping spots that are either located near the Bat House over just north and west of Farm Field or the primitive camping sites just east of Spirit Lake; (5) Only downsides include: very overcrowded in some places, lots of bugs (so be sure to bring the Citronella!), uneven land to pitch a tent in the primitive camping area, RV sites are pretty close to one another, WiFi is intermittent and weak in many places, ‘golf carts gone wild’ scenarios, lots of restrictions and rules (destroys that Woodstock vibe I thought we would find here), dated bathrooms will take you back to the 1970s; (6) Upsides include: incredibly friendly staff, very close to Highway 10 making this spot very easy and quick to access, incredibly well-stocked general store; and (7) For best bat viewing, come at dusk to watch them leave by the tens of thousands turning the sky dark, and then come before dawn to watch them all return while sipping your Americano in a lawn chair.

Happy Camping!

Ranger Review: Matador Backpack Beast 28L at O’Lena State Park, Florida.

Campground Review:

Ever seen Jurassic Park? O’Lena is a lot like that :)

I travel with my three amigos ( Pomeranian, Dachshund and Australian Cattledog) and was on high alert as soon as we entered the park. My dogs don’t understand that this is the type of park where the wildlife will chase and eat them instead of the other way around ………So that being said keep a close eye on your kids and pets!

The foliage is lots of fern and primitive looking fauna which makes for a very intriguing visit. Another movie that came to mind while hiking on the river loop trail was “Anaconda”, no I didn’t see any snakes( or alligators for that matter) but the trail and bridges were reminiscent of that movie , no machete required. Instructional signage along the way and interesting sights along the Santa Fe River. The bridges were pretty cool and the original recreated settlement is pretty awesome. All CCC construction. There is a picnic area, a pavilion, a lodge, a museum, several other structures and a swimming area (WHAT!!) which was closed when we visited due to high water levels. Funny sign ( LOTS of sarcasm cause you know somebody did it) says to not swim with the alligators……I was glad for that warning cause I had my water wings ready to go.

There are several trails available for hiking and biking and a primitive campsite on Sweetwater Trail. Santa Fe River goes underground in this area and you can check it out along the trails, going in and coming out again.

There is equestrian camping and trails available but I did not visit that area. Bug spray and be aware of your surroundings while enjoying the trails.

The Dogwood campground sites are well spaced out with sand, electric, sand, water, picnic table and sand. Some of the sites are more suitable for group camping. The Dogwood trailhead is in the campground. It is a well maintained easily accessible area. Other then being on constant watch for wild creatures waiting in ambush to grab my dogs I like this park. It felt very tropical primitive and has several activities to enjoy.

Product Review:

Matador Beast28 Packable Technical Backpack https://matadorup.com/ has been a very useful and versatile addition to my outdoor gear. It hangs in its stuff sack in the back of my vehicle out of the way until needed (PRO). When I have need of a small sturdy backpack for day hikes or light overnighters it’s right there ready for use.

When I first received my Matador Backpack I pulled the Beast28 out of its stuff sack and explored all its pockets and possible attachment sites. I then Re-folded it and actually got it back in the stuff sack (PRO), a definite plus since I often have a hard time re-stuffing gear into its original bag.

I have extra bladders from my hydration systems so I loaded the Beast with a bladder, no problem. There are right and left “ports” from inside to outside the pack and elastic straps on the shoulder straps to run the hose through. This option of course goes on both Pro and Con. PRO-the ability to load bladder and run hydration hose , CON-it’s not going to fit in the stuff sack anymore. So hydration bladder has to be packed and carried separately (not that big of a deal).

I’ve read where other people were not to impressed with the pocket size but when I loaded it up I was able to fit everything I wanted to pack for an overnight. Mind you I’m not a “professional” backpacker, however I stay pretty comfortable when I do venture into the woods.

I used the Beast as a day bag while at O’Lena , I packed it with snacks and a few other essentials. I am long in torso and noticed that the hip belt is more of a middle waist belt for me. The Beast worked well and was comfortable for a short hike around the river area.

I wore the Beast again while hiking on Ft Campbell, Ky. Longer distance, little bit more gear. I had to redistribute my load because my cook pot was sitting in the bottom of the bag and riding in the small of my back, not comfortable. I adjusted the shoulder and waist straps a few times on this hike for comfort. Something that would be a nice upgrade would be pockets on the waist straps for snacks, etc so that you don’t have to completely remove the bag to reach your snacks.

Most recently I wore the Beast at Mammoth Cave National Park for an overnighter. Everything I needed fit in the Beast(PRO). Two things (CONs) I noticed, one the Beast has no “frame/skeleton” per say so when you are attempting to pull single items out other items tumble out also because the bag basically collapses on itself…if that makes sense :) two, once again due to the lack of a “frame” when you work up a sweat while hiking your back gets wet because the bag is sitting right on your shirt/skin, no breathable material in between.

Overall I like the Matador Beast 28 , it is convenient, versatile and well made.

Site# 54 Check in: 1pm Check out: 11am Full hook- up Easy to level Gravel back-in (Most, if not all sites are Buddy sites - so be prepared to face a neighbor you do not know. -We were literally looking at each other for ten weeks - with us having two dogs and neighbors having three dogs-complete bark fest). We were so close our awnings would not go out all the way or we would touch.

Lot is Shaded with lots of trees. Not a big lot since you have to share space with your neighbor

• No concrete patio - no picnic table but had a fire ring

Located in the middle of nowhere- Dollar General is four miles away and Walmart is 11 miles (doesn’t seem far but on all back roads, it takes a while) Closest highway (75) is 45 miles away & I-90 is an hour

Zero WiFi or Zero cell service (1 tiny bar but not enough to do a basic internet search) - once we purchased Starlink ($599), we were able to stream. No Cable TV- limited channels No Outdoor kitchen No Outdoor community sinks to clean big pots

They do not pickup garbage at site daily, Must walk to garbage dumpster - not too far

Allowed to ride personal golf carts Not Able to rent golf carts or pedal bikes from them Golf cart not really needed- smaller campground Indoor heated Swimming pool Natural Spring within park but due to rain & flooding of the Suwannee River over the ten weeks we were there, we were unable to access the spring or experience kayaking or the few amenities of the park. Very disappointing.
Had a Playground No Bocce ball, shuffleboard, There was basketball court and volleyball court.

Good general store with basics No Activity Center for kids Unsure if there are activities for kids (there were not from January-March). There is not a snack bar/restaurant . Not a Game room, putt putt, or jumping pad for kids No Workout room

Streets are gravel/sand -not great for riding bikes in campground Great places to ride bikes outside of campground (not near this campground) though- look for Nature Coast State Trail

Lots of cabin and tent space Individual bathrooms with own sink, shower, toilet & clean

Laundry machines (one washer & one dryer) per bathhouse- only two bath houses

Dog area - not fenced in - they have a huge field behind the campground that they keep the outside mowed & is a great place to walk dogs

There were not bugs/flies initially but as it has started warming up, it has slowly gotten worse

There were trails to hike off of the campground.

The most disappointing aspect is that they were selling presidential hats in the general store. One - politics and recreation don’t go together and two- if you’re going to sell one candidate but not the other, you’re a biased business