Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Williston, FL

Recent Dog-Friendly Reviews in Williston

1091 Reviews of 217 Williston Campgrounds

• C

  Chris A.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 12, 2025

  Dogwood Campground — O'Leno State Park

  Quiet Old Florida Park

  Older Florida park with roots in the CCC and Forestry Service. Large park with hiking, bike and equestrian trails. Along the Santa Fe River there is a swimming hole, suspension bridge, old buildings and a small museum. Magnolia loop would be the best loop for RVs, but spots can be had. Facilities are clean, albeit old. Camping loops and pads are hard sand. Sites vary in size and level. Separation between sits is not bad but suffered in hurricane damage. Some sites appear a bit tight with overhanging trees.

• 

  Jeremy R.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 3, 2025

  Bowman's Landing

  Perfect for relaxing weekend by the river!

  We had the pleasure of visiting recently, and to my surprise this small campground exceeded my expectations! I traveled with two children, and they had a blast the entire time! This place had everything we needed and more. My daughter says her favorite part was fishing and swimming in the river. My son‘s favorite part was riding around on the provided bicycles and playing darts & cornhole by the communal fire pit. I was thoroughly impressed and will definitely be back. Not to mention, the camp hosts are unbelievably nice and did a fantastic job, keeping the campground clean.

• D

  Della S.

  Guide

  

  Dec. 31, 2024

  Shell Mound Campground

  Quiet but buggy

  We stopped at this campground to spend New Year’s Eve. Unfortunately, the power was out due to the most recent storm. We decided to go ahead and stay since my husband was able to pull the little bit of power that we wanted from the battery. We visited the town of Cedar Key and had supper which was really nice. We ate at steamers. It was crowded, but we got in quickly and the service was wonderful. When we got back, the bugs weren’t as bad as they were at dusk, but we had not had a shower and we were sticky. The next morning the bugs came back out and it was just miserable. We had a big rain come through so my opinion is this is a great camp for fisherman. The boat dock for air boats is right here And they have a really nice bathroom facility that’s kept clean. This one just wasn’t for me at this time. They also had a table to clean fish.

• 

  Jeff E.

  Guide

  

  Dec. 27, 2024

  Rodman Campground

  Florida Nature, Boating, Fishing & Biking

  Rodman Campground, nestled within the Ocala National Forest, offers a delightful escape for nature enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers. This peaceful campground provides a serene setting surrounded by towering pines and lush Florida foliage.

  The campground is immersed in the beauty of the Ocala National Forest, offering a tranquil environment for relaxation and exploration.  Its proximity to the Ocklawaha River and Rodman Reservoir allows campers to enjoy a variety of activities such as fishing, boating, kayaking, and wildlife viewing.  There are also several hiking and biking trails located nearby to explore the diverse ecosystems of the Ocala National Forest.

  Bathrooms were clean (with hot showers) but were a bit of a hike if you camp riverfront (you can follow the road around or go through the woods up and over a pretty steep hill).  Site 61 had a picnic table, fire ring, water and electric and was right on the river with only an access road (5mph) between the campsite and riverfront.  Be advised, that you cannot access the river from the camp site, you must go to the boat ramp, there is a steep drop off and there are signs telling you there is no access.  But you can put up a camp chair and enjoy relaxing at the top of the riverbank.  We saw deer at dusk meandering through the woods.

  Concerning the tranquil surroundings, a note of caution and something to definitely keep in mind when booking  ... IF there is an "ALL HOURS WEEKEND" at the nearby Hog Waller Campground and ATV Resort (right across the river), then the trails remain open 24 hours and you will not have any tranquility or relaxation all night.  We were there unfortunately on one of these weekends and there was loud music, dirt bikes,  ATVs and 4-Wheelers screaming through the entire night.  (24-Hour riding begins Friday 8:00am- Ends Sunday 5:00pm​... Gates and trails are open 24 hours during this period).  So be forewarned to check the schedules at Hog Waller before booking because you will hear the all night parties and roaring engines tearing up the mud pits.  This only detracts from Rodman when Hog Waller is in full swing but it's 1-2 weekends each month.  Also, if there is any type of fishing tournament going on, the boats on the river will wake you in a tent very early in the morning.  If you like getting up early and having a cup of coffee by the river and watching the bass boats go by then this is good fun, but don't think about being lazy and sleeping in (see video).

  Overall, it's a really nice park in the wilds of Florida and we have already booked our next stay (but not riverfront and not during a Hog Waller 24 hour weekend).  We look forward to visiting during the week when everything is more "chill".

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  Dec. 26, 2024

  Port Cove RV Resort

  Best Little Lakefront RV Oasis

  I don’t use the word ‘best’ sparingly whatsoever, so when I refer to this little lakeside gem using that term, it isn’t applied lightly. To begin with, the very well-meaning groundsman that runs this place is definitely THE nicest gent I’ve ever come across running a campground in all of my sojourns. Add to this the fact that this place, which has recently been refurbished, gets top marks for simply outstanding restoration efforts as well as fine attention to detail as it relates to all of the landscaping and overall layout of Port Cove RV Resort & Marina. This place offers up 74 total RV slots with 66 of those being FHUs and is meticulously groomed, incredibly organized all with an incredible eye for detail, layout and organization.

  As far as amenities go, Port Cove packs quite the punch with top marks for what is quite simply having the best eatery around for miles – Idle Awhile Restaurant & Bar– sitting right next door, ensuring that while you can fire up franks & beans for dinner over a roaring campfire, you can do that, but when you want to change things up, you don’t even need to get back in your cab or car to drive anywhere, but rather, just strap on your flip flops and walk 20-30 yards to this little waterfront oasis with spectacular views of Lake George / St. Johns River. Beyond coming close to having its own on-site restaurant, the second biggest draw here is of course the amazing pier and dock with EZ access to the beautiful body of water sitting in front of Port Cove RV Resort – this jetty is incredibly picturesque in and of itself, but what’s better, you can take your lawn chairs out on the pier close to sundown with an iced cooler of tall boys to watch the sun retire each night. Add to this list the amazing, heated pool with rock star sun deck complete with brand new patio chairs, sun umbrellas and tables along with black woven loveseats and chaise loungers with a westerly lakeview and you’ll be reaching for your Mai Tais in no time.

  Additional amenities include: spartan-clean and completely refurbished new restrooms and well-appointed showers, scattered picnic tables, outdoor wicker furniture, brand new solid wood picnic tables, gravel strewn pathways and pads, ancient Oaks dripping with Spanish moss along with tall Q-tip-like Palms, river / lake deck, laundry facility, boat launch, outdoor covered pavilion with tables, WiFi, mini-golf, designated dump stations, doggie park on-site mini-market (at the office), cornhole and community fire pits.

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) The best sites are those located right in front of the lake of which there are 9 to choose from, so call in advance to reserve one of these beauties, which are also protected from the harsh Florida sunshine with a combination of ancient and live Oaks dripping with Spanish moss as well as pencil-thin towering Sable palms; (2) In the event that you don’t have an RV, no worries, Port Cove has you covered with 6 different AirBnB rentals; (3) For a lakefront RV outpost like this, I found the rates incredibly affordable at $55 / night, $325 / week and $850 / month along with boat slip rentals @ $10 / night.; and (4) If you want to get ‘off the reservation’ Port Cove can arrange for a boat transfer to take you over to nearby Silver Glen Springs Recreation Park that features one of the best springs in all of Florida along with the opportunity to swim alongside manatees.

  Happy Camping!

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  Dec. 25, 2024

  Davenport Landing

  Magnolia-Shaded Cul-de-Sac Primitive Camping

  Located a hefty trek down a winding gravel road west of Route 19, you’ll have to maneuver around divots and potholes along this narrow gravel, dusty roadway for the better part of 2 miles before arriving to a small sign on the left-hand side of the road that indicates you’ve arrived at Davenport Recreational Area – so finding this place is relatively easy. Unless you make the unwise decision to turn into one of the small handful of options beforehand that would have you drive down a patch of road that likely you are not authorized to, my only advice would be not to exceed 15 MPH on this road as the poor condition of the road could do damage to a lower-lying vehicle. Once you come across the Davenport Recreational Area sign, take a right and slowly (as the road conditions worsen as you get off the main road) follow the narrow tire-rutted pathway to a fork, where on the right you’ll see TRAILHEAD marked on a tree to your right– here you want to turn left instead and follow the pathway to its conclusion, which is a round-about that you will have no other alternative but to stop and park your vehicle.

  Here at literally ‘the end of the road,’ you’ll be greeted by a dozen or so medium-sized Magnolias that blot out the sun’s rays and cast an unusually spooky shadow on this area, made even more dramatic by all of the Spanish moss falling from the tree limbs of these magnificent trees. While the ground here is flat – welcome to Florida, where for the most part, that’s par for the course – but barren and comprised of a combination of dirt and sand silt, which isn’t so bad when it’s dry, but when there’s rain, we’re talking some pretty messy mud-like conditions. As for what you’ll find here at this natural cul-de-sac, there isn’t anything. Literally. No picnic tables. No fire ring. No stand-up grill. No potable(or for that matter, non-potable) water spigot. Nothing. There is what looks to be a small wooden sign that likely was filled with information at some point in time that might have educated you about your stay here, but even that had nothing on it, apart from a single hand-made sign above it, indicating: “You are trash, if you leave trash,” which I wholeheartedly agree with. In all, perhaps there’s 5-6 individual spots that you could make a campsite from.

  If you are a true primitive camper who really wants NOTHING to complement or aid their outdoor survivalist experiment, then you have hit the primitive camping jackpot! Apart from the solid peace & quiet you’ll experience here, there’s an amazing little access point here to the Ocklawaha river that runs through this neck of the woods – which used to be a riverboat stop where steamboats would stop to fuel or disembark enroute to Silver Springs via the St. Johns which this tributary eventually connects to. Apart from being a scenic access point to the river, if you are looking to catch and eat your meals, then this will certainly be an added bonus. The steps down the ravine to the river basin are somewhat steep, but for anyone towing a light-weight kayak or paddleboard, me thinks you could likely manage to bring your watercraft down here and easily access emerald-green waters shouldered with an abundance of spade-shaped lily pads to grab some great oaring.

  When we stopped by, there was a team of fisherman there – not camping, mind you – but having a great afternoon nonetheless of ‘hooking‘ em’ and according to these local anglers, the fishing was great. Apart from this and the shade that the mighty Magnolias provide, the only other amenity that exists out here are the few trails that you can jump on to get a bit of hiking in. One word of caution, from my fishermen friends, is to be on the look-out for ‘Coyo-Dogs’ (a cross between canine species where a dog mates with a coyote) and black bear, both of which have been known to frequent this area, especially at night.

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) There’s a 1.2 mile interpretive hiking trail called Davenport Landing Trail that will take to you to the former steamboat landing, which makes for a medium-grade hike with some interesting history; (2) If you have an explorer’s mindset, you’ll be richly rewarded here as there is a small gravesite from the Civil War that you can find along with middens along the Ocklawaha River hiding traces of the Timucuan Indians that once populated this area; (3) For fellow arborists, in addition to finding these amazing Magnolias that seem to be especially planted here for you, additionally there’s sweetgum and red maple trees; and (4) You definitely want to keep your eyes peeled for alligators in this area, where while we didn’t see any right at the ravine’s base, we were told that plenty were sunbathing right around the bend in the river from where we were.

  Happy Camping!

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  Dec. 24, 2024

  Hog Waller Mud Campground & ATV Resort

  Gettin’ Muddy Never Felt So Good

  If you either own an ATV or dream of combining 4-wheel muddin’ with overnight campin’ then you have hit the jackpot here with Hog Waller Mud Campground & ATV Resort. As my post from a bit more than a year ago provided quite a bit of detail on this campground, I’m following up on that review by sharing additional fotos as well as providing a topline update:

  Highlights: (1) No shortage of mud-slinging fun for those ATV enthusiasts who want to spend all day long chasing trails with no end; (2) An incredibly unique and welcoming community of outdoor-motorcross enthusiasts; (3) Excellent topography to driving wild or hiking in the wild (but for the latter, make sure you wear bright orange); (4) Sites are spacious, flat and nicely shaded; (5) Despite being out in the boondocks, there’s an on-site restaurant and marketplace; (5) The restroom and shower facilities are actually pretty well-maintained and nicely outfitted.

  Lowlights: (1) There is nothing nearby to either stock up on supplies or grab a bite to eat, apart from the Hog Wild Country Café/ BBQ joint just a few minutes west of here, so when you come here, bring everything with you that you’ll need; (2) Maybe it is understood when you come into this place, but to state the obvious, this entire place is buzzing with ATVs, motorbikes and lots of other contraptions that makes for a loud atmosphere, so if you want peace & quiet, particularly on the weekends, you don’t want to check-in here; and (3) On the weekends, in particular, it feels like things get a too party-centric, so the music gets louder and the drinks often get the best of people, resulting in either louder chatter or, in a few cases, fights breaking out (but, to be fair, there’s always a few off-duty sheriffs watching the place, so things get broken up real quick).

  Happy Camping!

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  Dec. 24, 2024

  Caravelle Ranch Wildlife Management Area

  Roadside Shaded Primitive Camping Outpost

  This very unassuming county-run wildlife area sits on 13,000+ acres of thick wilderness and wetlands offering a number of different hiking trails, like Outhouse Hammock Loop, which is medium-grade level hiking trail of slightly more than 5 miles. There’s a long-winding road to Little Lake George situated just due southeast of this CG with a handful of trail access points. Located just due south of tributaries flowing eastward from St. Johns River and Rodman Dam, if you are coming here to camp, this will be one of the more primitive offerings I’ve come across and offered to permitted hunters. There’s only about 5-6 designated camping spots here to choose from, all of which come with just a simple picnic table and makeshift fire ring. The land itself, for the most part, is fairly flat apart from the random tree roots and just about everywhere you might want to pitch a tent, there was substantial tree shade to block an otherwise unrelenting hot Florida sun.

   Driving south on Route 19, you’ll come across Caravelle Wildlife Area just after you pass over the county bridge crossing the Ocklawaha River, where within about a half mile, you’ll find this primitive camping outpost on the east side, but be careful as this place will sneak up on you if you’re not looking for it. While there’s no sign informing you of the upcoming wildlife area that you’re about to visit, there is a stucco-like gate (think ranch portico entrances out in the open wild west), where upon accessing, you can either turn left towards a semi-permanent covered structure (great, in the case of rain), and if you don’t, you’ll find yourself heading straight into someone’s private property (mind the signs) or taking a right and meandering down a long winding gravel road to nowhere, but will eventually open up to Little Lake George if not beforehand to Bear Creek.

  Back at the open shed-like structure, you’ll discover that there’s a few signs and diagrams explaining the ‘gaming rules’ along with schedules sorted by seasons of the year. Over here, there’s also a potable water station, cleaning table and an odd hanging hook configuration that is for cleaning game that has been caught. There’s also a spray hose as well as what looks to be like a small open-air cleaning kitchen of sorts complete with countertops and lighting. Opposite this, there’s a kiosk that explains a bit more about the place you happen to be visiting. Beyond this, there’s not much more here. If you are a kayaker, you’ll find that there’s a great launch site just due south of here at Johnson Field Ramp which is just south of this location on Highway 19.

  Happy Camping!

• m

  matt T.

  Scout

  

  Dec. 22, 2024

  Shired Island Campground

  Camping area is blocked off

  I love this place its one of my favorite places to camp on a beach. I guess they have closed it cause there are big rocks blocking the access to the beach

• K

  Kat A.

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 20, 2024

  Manatee Springs State Park Campground

  Slow in the Winter months…

  Park staff as always super friendly and happy to great campers. Stayed in Hickory Loop which was quiet. Bathrooms ample and clean. Walk to the springs was a short one from our site 74. You will definitely see some manatee but swimming up close is a no no. The springs themselves are cold and dark and look better in pictures(at least this time of year) on a hot summer day could be refreshing. Having bikes or kayaks would have added to the fun. They do rent a tandem kayak around $50 for 2 hours. Brings cash to the concession to avoid paying card fee of a few dollars per transaction. Night walks down to the pier are a must.

• 

  N/A

  Scout

  

  Dec. 9, 2024

  Shired Island Campground

  Airboat Apocalypse

  It is too bad that they allow people to bring their airboats. Airboats have zero utility out here unless you want to run on land and water like a swamp. Shired Island is not a swamp, it's a wildlife refuge. Since they have no rules against airboats, the loudness of the machines gives visitors noise pollution where they might otherwise enjoy the sounds of the sea and the waves hitting the shore. If the airboats are there, everything natural is drowned out and, meanwhile, they feel as though they can run up on the land and ruin the habitat on the wildlife refuge. Airboats should definitely be made illegal at this location. Terrible.

• 

  Sara R.

  Scout

  

  Dec. 6, 2024

  Manatee Springs State Park Campground

  Disappointed for being Handicap

  I have trouble walking. I'm at site 38 and no handicap parking for showers. The shower doors and walls are nasty. Also, where I parked with 2 dogs. Was nothing more than a pile of dirt. Both are filthy after 5 days. I was also told that the station had no handicap parking for showers?

• j

  john

  Scout

  

  Dec. 3, 2024

  Shired Island Campground

  Closed

  Awesome place to camp but it's closed due to storm damage

• A

  Amanda W.

  Guide

  

  Dec. 2, 2024

  Champions Run RV Resort

  Clean, decent location

  I don’t know if I would necessarily call this place “luxury” but it is clean & quiet. To be fair, it’s maybe only 10% full. The little store has very little merchandise. The pool is very nice. The staff have been nice. There are several doggie poo bag & trash stations. The dog run by site 121 is very small & mostly dead grass and dirt, no shade or water. There is a nice tiki bar & pickle ball. Close to gas, groceries & shopping. Easy in & out. The landscaping is very small so no shade or privacy between sites but the sites are decently spaced. There is a bath house with laundry. Full hookups. Big rig friendly.

• 

  Jeremy R.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 28, 2024

  Black Prong Equestrian Village

  Great camping experience with or without a horse!

  My family and I had an incredible experience at black prong. Massive RV pad, full hookups, Golf Cart, plus privacy between you and your neighbor. As an added bonus we were able to bring our horse for trail rides throughout the park. Tons of room and friendly staff. Highly recommend. (Didn’t use the pool or hot tub but they looked nice and well kept)

• K

  Kyle J.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 26, 2024

  Camp Seminole Springs

  Quiet and secluded campground. Excellent for those visiting Ocala national forest.

  Had a great time at Seminole Springs Campground while visiting Ocala National Forest. check in was super easy and the hosts are fantastic. I will be staying here again.

• 

  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.

• D

  Dave D.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 19, 2024

  Manatee Springs State Park Campground

  Peaceful retreat

  Peaceful secluded campsites. Most have a wooded buffer. There are full hookup sites available. We stayed in site 33. Sites have fire ring and picnic tables.

• 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.

• 

  Joe R.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 14, 2024

  Black Prong Equestrian Village

  Awesome Harvest Host partner!

  We stayed one night on a grass spot with harvest host. While we did not “pay,” we were still treated as royalty. The entire team was amazing. The grass spit was up front by all of the amenities. The other lots are beautiful and further back. The pool is gorgeous. They have bikes that you check out with the bracelets, and the restaurant was top notch with live music.

• J

  John P.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 16, 2024

  Chassahowitzka River Campground

  Clean, easy access to water

  It’s a clean park with easy access to boat rentals (kayaks, canoes) and a boat launch if you have your own. Publix and Walmart are ~10 minutes away if you need anything. I came in September after a heavy rain and it was pretty buggy. Bring mosquito repellent. There are a number of long term campers with poorly kept RVs, but everyone is friendly.

• 

  Nicole H.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 16, 2024

  Silver Springs RV Park

  Camper

  Quiet and friendly place. Better for campers.

• N

  Name

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 13, 2024

  Ocala North RV Park

  Great experience

  We stayed here for 3 weeks. Park staff made sure we had a shaded site in the front of the park. The park is very clean and well cared for. Staff is very attentive. Location is convenient to Gainesville or Ocala, and the park is next to a beautiful horse farm with curious, friendly horses. Great pool and fitness center. Very pet friendly!! We’ve already booked our next stay

• 

  Ashley W.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 28, 2024

  Sun Retreats Ocala Orange Lake and Golf Resort

  Sun Retreat Ocala Orange Lake RV Resort

  This is a beautiful large RV and golf resort. The grounds were clean and well maintained. There is a full 18 course golf course and putting green. There are also onsite golf cart rentals and a golf pro shop. The staff were very helpful and friendly. Bath houses were clean. Nice laundry facilities available. Campground is directly in Orange Lake with a dock available. Fishing permitted off dock and from shore. All roads were paved. There are both RVs and vacation rentals. Many things to do and lots of options for other recreation nearby. We came for spring break and would definitely visit again.

• 

  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.

  Legend

  

  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.