Camping in Florida

For most campers, the gear list is not complicated. It’s the extras that elevate the camping experience. Here are our choices for the best gifts for campers.

County park campgrounds are increasingly on our radar as campers get shut out of crowded state parks or face skyrocketing rates at private campgrounds.

Encompassing more than 600 square miles in North Central Florida, Ocala National Forest is your playground for adventure.

What could be better than this? Camping within earshot of the surf, soft breezes and soaring seagulls. Beach camping in Florida is living the dream.

Windswept beaches, pristine back country waterways, a mile-long fishing bridge, scenic campgrounds, and a lot of hands-on history.

Kayaking the Chaz on the central Gulf Coast takes you over turquoise springs, down twisty creeks, and you might just see a manatee, otter or bald eagle. This is one of Florida’s premier kayaking rivers.

This northeast Florida state park is on the map but far enough away to be ignored. It’s also far enough away to provide a tranquil camping experience. It’s quiet here.

A prime campground on the north rim of Ocala National Forest, Rodman Campground is a well-groomed state park adjacent to the bass-filled Rodman Reservoir and gateway to the Cross-Florida Greenway.

Florida’s northernmost state park campground will be the first to shed humidity and cool off in Fall. Book it now before anybody else reads this story.

Old-growth live oaks draped in air plants and Spanish moss dominate 9,000-acre Highlands Hammock State Park, one of Florida’s original state parks.

Myakka is one of the oldest and biggest state parks, a great place for seeing wildlife, from huge gators to flocks of birds in winter. Go here for its log cabins, appealing camp sites, excellent kayaking, extensive hiking and good bike trails. It’s also a good spot for nature neophytes, who enjoy the airboat ride and canopy walk.

The mistake most people make when planning a Florida camping experience in popular public campgrounds is starting too late.

One of the best places to enjoy nature is in a cabin in a Florida state park. But the cabins book up fast, so you have to plan ahead. Our guide explains which parks have cabins, what they offer and what they cost.

Grayton Beach is consistently ranked among the Top 10 beaches in America, making it a prime candidate for your bucket list. This park and the whole region is worth make great fall and spring trips, but you have to plan early.

Kelly Park is best known as a summer destination for swimming its cool springs and for paddling scenic Rock Springs Run. We loved camping there.

Cool springs, scenic trails and things to do while exploring Ocala National Forest from 15 campgrounds.