The Home Depot — Palatka

If you’ve come across this north central Floridian town of Palatka, it likely is because you are onto somewhere more compelling like Orlando to the south, Jacksonville and St. Augustine to the east or perhaps Gainesville to the West. Whatever the reason, welcome to what has been affectionately dubbed the ‘Farmer’s Market of Florida,’ where there is no shortage of fresh produce to be found on the side of the roads for very cheap prices. 

Amidst the backdrop of gorgeous blue lakes and the winding St. Johns River that flows through this area, if you are looking for a flat surface to anchor your RV or 5th Wheel for the night, the Home Depot here in Palatka might just be a good spot for you to consider. This parking lot, as compared to other Home Depots I have frequented, is definitely on the smaller side and, further to this, is very crowded with lots of bigger ticket items (e.g. trailers, machine rentals, fabricated sheds) taking up good chunks of the parking lot on the outer perimeter, which might be a bit challenging then to find a good spot. 

After you enter from Highway 19, just due south of Highway 100 / Reid Street, if you are looking to park here for the night, I would stay as far away from the storefront and look either to the west or south of the store’s parking area. If you are looking for decent distractions and / or retail offerings while in this area, here’s what you’ll find as far as nearby dining options are concerned: J&J Seafood, Salsas Cocina, Krystal, Caribbean 450, Sonic, Longhorn Steakhouse and Zaxby’s. 

In close proximity, you’ll also find a Wawa gas station, Vystar credit union, AYR cannabis dispensary as well as Dollar General and Home Depot. 

Towing watercraft and looking for a place to dip your kayak or canoe in ‘frackish’ waters? Then look either to Little Lake George due northwest or you can access the St. Johns River from a myriad of locations. 

If you are looking for a nice slice of nature while in Palatka, I highly recommend heading west from where you are at here to Rice Creek Conservation Area or Etoniah State Forest Campground, where you’ll find some pretty amazing paths to hike or some decent horseback riding trails to gallop on. 

While scoring criteria may vary from one person to the next, here are the 5 most important criteria that informed my rating of this overnight location: convenience (EZ on- and off-access), safety & security, quality (of facilities), peace & quiet and amenities (either on-site or nearby). Here’s how I ranked this particular overnight spot: 

Convenience: 2 

Safety & Security: 2 

Quality: 2 

Peace & Quiet: 3 

Amenities: 3 

Overall, I scored this location a 2.

Happy Overnighting!