Starke-Gainesville NE KOA, near Starke, Florida, is a convenient spot for those looking for a straightforward camping experience with plenty of amenities. With 135 sites, it caters to RVs, tents, and even cabins, making it a flexible choice for different camping styles.

The campground boasts a heated pool, a well-stocked camp store, and clean facilities that visitors appreciate. Many have commented on the friendly staff, with one camper noting, “Everyone was very nice,” which adds to the welcoming vibe of the place. The sites are spacious, allowing for a comfortable stay, though some campers mentioned that the proximity to the highway can be a bit noisy, especially for tent campers.

For those wanting to explore, you’re just a short drive from local attractions like Cedar River Seafood for a tasty meal or the beautiful nature trails at nearby parks. If you’re in the mood for some fun, there’s a playground and a community fire pit for evening gatherings. Whether you’re just passing through or planning a longer stay, Starke-Gainesville NE KOA has the essentials covered for a pleasant camping experience.

Escape the chill of winter at the family-oriented, sun-drenched Starke KOA in the Gainesville area The campground offers extra-long Pull-Thru RV Sites with concrete patios. Beautiful Supersites with large patios, firepit, and grill. Rustic cabins and Studio cabins. Splash in the pool, shoot hoops, throw horseshoes, or find a quiet spot in the clubhouse to read a book or challenge a friend to a board game. There's even free wireless internet! Fun weekend activities with our family oriented Activities Director. Nearby, Crosby and Sampson lakes offer great boating - and you may even get a gator glimpse. Contact us today!



Starke-Gainesville NE KOA

Starke is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. Starke is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Starke. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.

Starke

The Best Camping Near Starke, Florida

Clean KOA resort. 

Just left STARK FLORIDA KOA. No shade but a huge amount of space between sites and set up on an angle which increased the sense of space. Sites had full hook up, elec, water, sewer. Very clean laundry, heated pool, camp store, propane, activities. Very nice people.

huge amount of space between sites

The people were so friendly. the facility was clean, showers were clean, water pressure at the sites was great, pool was very pretty, space was great between sites - not on top of each other. Quiet.

Very clean and friendly

KOA - Stark, FL: We spent Christmas Eve here on our way to south Florida. Bill greeted us, took us to our site, guided us in. Very friendly reception. I love it when you meet some one who really enjoys the work they do. A crazy storm came through and the temperature dropped drastically, but awoke in the morning and continue our trip. A few things of note:  campground is very clean and well kept, staff is super friendly and helpful, no campfire pits or grills at the sites.  There is a central area if want a fire. Full hook-ups at most sites. Sites fairly close together and not much privacy, but we liked it enough to stay here again on News Years Day (on our way back home).  Bill was just as helpful the second time. 

Great Staff

We staid 1 night traveling from southern to northern Florida. It's clean, well maintained, and reasonably priced. Wouldn't want to stay for a longer vacation unless your in the area for other reasons, but definitely will be back for a stop over. Also, would never stay in a tent as the sites are small and in a busy very lot area. Enjoy.

Good clean place a stop over.

Everyone was very nice, the Saturday breakfast was cheap and delicious, they were very welcoming and the kids had a blast! We only stayed 2 nights, but will definitely come back next time we’re in town. 

Great staff

Would have given 5 stars if internet was decent but it was awful. 
Our rig is 42’ w/ 4 slides and had lots of space. Escorted to our site. Nice picnic tables. Pool area was clean and inviting. Big playground. Dog park was up in front by office so long walk when hot. Laundry was reasonable $1.25. Office staff were friendly. 
Starke is very small and not much to do. Sonny’s BBQ is good!! Gainesville is an hour away. 

Big sites

Stayed few days   Nice quite roomy sites. Wi-Fi and cable work good
Walmart right down road. Several good places to go. Silver springs glass bottom boat ride about 1 he away 

Koa Starke

Nice lots. Friendly staff. Located in town environment.

Clean Park

Alright, it’s KOA, so if a fabricated outdoor ‘camping moment’ is what you are after and don’t mind the concocted grounds you are on and want an easy-breezy no frills outing underneath the stars you will encounter, then the KOA pitstop located in Starke (NE of Gainesville) has you covered. You’ll find this commercially-produced camping outpost right off the worn pavement of highway 301, which runs right through north central Florida is easy to find, conveniently sandwiched between the Murray Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram dealership to the south and the Tractor Supply Co due north (but don’t worry, there’s also an IHOP right across the street, completing this concrete jungle campground adventure). 

  

This camping depot is too well organized for my taste and has over 100 slots perfect for the RV and trailer parking crowd, 5 spots for tent campers (unfortunately, nearest the highway – so bring your earplugs!) along with 2 cabins and 2 studio lodges. The standard RV slots are on Elm, Oak, Pine, Maple and Hickory, while the more premium sites are located on Walnut, Chestnut, Magnolia and Spruce. Big Birch lane separates coach class camping from first class – but hey, we’re all out in nature, so is there really a divide? 

  

Amenities? And while this KOA is older and battle-worn more than most of the other properties I have driven by, this also has a ton of amenities, including: a heated pool, complete with lounge chairs and sun umbrellas, community fire pit, game room, dog parks(one for bigger breed and one for small pups), horse shoe pit, shuffleboard, playground and swings, sandbox, propane filling station, picnic tables, bocce ball, designated trash and recycling bins, nature trails, WiFi, Cable / TV as well as full RV hook-ups including water, sewage and electric (30 / 50 amp). For anyone that is in need of anything they may have forgotten or run out of (like all KOA’s) there’s a mini-mart on-premise that has ice, wood, sodas and just about anything else you could think of (and for anything they don’t have, there’s a Walmart and Ace Hardware so close you could just walk to either). And don’t worry if by chance you forgot your RV, trailer or tent – if you are in need of somewhere to call home for the night, this KOA has you covered as they rent a few studio lodges and rustic cabins. 

  

Insider’s Tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you are on the look-out for a REAL camping experience and don’t want to settle for this KOA manufactured experience … then don’t. There are options! Within a 30 minute drive of here, I would recommend Mike Roess Gold Head Brand State Park, which is simply FANTASTIC and provides more than 5 different campgrounds from primitive to RV-heavy and everything in-between; (2) When you get tired of foraging for the next meal from your onboard RV cooler, then head into the town of Starke for some local grub, wherein I highly recommend anything from the ‘Swamp Things’ portion of the menu at Cedar River Seafood, where afterwards you can finish the meal off with a scoop of the cold stuff at nearby Strickland’s; and (3) If you are looking to experience some of the best nature in the area, be sure to check out either Camp Chowenwaw Park and Black Creek Park and Trail, both conveniently located just due northeast of KOA Starke/ NE Gainesville. 

  

Happy Camping!

Roadside Fabricated Camping

Nice sites. Staff is great. Good stopover when in the area. Second time here. This is not a remote campground, you can walk to a few stores if you desire. Pool looks very clean and maintained. Camp store was well stocked. Nice KOA.

Nice stopover 

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

Better than average KOA

This was our favorite campground to spend the winter months until new owner and managers took over in 2023. Jon has anger issues and no respectful communication skills. If he doesn’t like you, he trumps up an excuse to evict you. We have seen this many times. It’s like walking on egg shells all winter. Jon and Vickie are not consistent on their new rules, which change all the time. And, they don’t follow through with new improvements. They advertise a heated pool. However, it was inoperable one whole winter season with them saying,“it will be fixed in a few days”. The following winter season it worked but was not warm when it was getting nice to swim. The workers have no respect for campers and their personal property when they are mowing or blowing leaves. Snowbirds can no longer secure a reservation on their preferred site for the following season upon departure. Now we are put on a waiting list until November with the hopes we’ll get a phone call saying our preferred site is available. November is too late in the season to try to secure a site at another campground in the event a space isn’t available. How is this a respectable way to treat loyal, recurring snowbirds?!?! This new policy has caused them to lose multiple recurring guests. Sadly, a former beautifully maintained and friendly campground in a nice town is going downhill fast. Too bad there isn’t an option for negative star ratings.

Photos of Starke-Gainesville NE KOA

Real photos from real campers