Florida’s sub-tropical climate is glorious most of the year, but tent camping in summer is challenging because of overwhelming humidity.
Even in winter, our endless summer can test the limits of Florida tent camping.
Here are a few suggestions to help make your next outing bearable.
Double tent capacity
The cardinal rule for Florida tent camping is a tent at least double the capacity you need, especially in summer. The reason is circulation. More space, more air.
If there are two of you camping, get a four-person tent. Four of you? You want a tent that sleeps eight.
Be sure you have cross-ventilation. Your tent should a screened door or window on all sides with extra-fine screens to keep out those pesky no-seeums and mosquitoes.
Bring raised cots
If you’ve got room, camping cots allow air to circulate under your body and deliver a significant cooling effect while sleeping.
Not only are they cooler, a cot also keeps you off the ground and above flooding in storms.
Sometimes I don’t follow my own advice. On one camping trip, we were sleeping on air mattresses when a severe storm popped up in the middle of the night. The tent flooded, and we got soaked.
Find (or create) shade
Keeping your tent out of the sun is important, so select a campsite with natural shade. Shade tones down the heat and may even create a light breeze.
A shady campsite near water provides the best protection, but if natural shade isn’t available, create your own, using a tarp or a pop-up canopy.
A pop-up canopy provides great protection. Not only does the canopy deflect the sun’s rays, it also disperses rainwater. Use tie-downs so it doesn’t blow away in a sudden storm.
During the day, move the canopy away from the tent for use as a day shelter over a picnic table or camping chairs.
A tarp packs small and flat, and comes in handy for multiple purposes. I remember a camping expedition on the Peace River one year when a storm popped up out of nowhere, but we had not yet reached a riverbank where we could pitch a tent.
We paddled up to the riverbank. One of our party had a tarp, which we used effectively for a temporary shelter until the storm passed.
Bring plenty of water
Staying hydrated is a critical need for summer camping, so bring plenty of water.
Instead of freezer packs, freeze gallon jugs of water for your cooler before you go. Not only are they good for keeping your food and drinks cold, they serve as a bonus water supply as the ice melts.
Bring one or more BPA-free 6-gallon water containers to refill water bottles, wash dishes and bathing.
Add electrolyte powder to your drinking water bottles for additional hydration benefits. Make it sugar-free and avoid carbs that heat up the body.
Sunscreen
When you are outside in the Florida sun, those UV rays sneak up fast, even on a cloudy day. Pack SPF 50 for the best protection, certainly no less than SPF 30.
If you are camping in the Florida Keys or anywhere in coastal Florida where you plan to swim, use a reef-safe, climate-friendly sunscreen such as Blue Lizard, which does not contain the chemicals oxybenzone and octinoxate.
Bug repellent
When the sun starts setting, swarms of mosquitoes and no-see-ums can be frightful.
Legions of campers swear by Avon Skin-So-Soft, but I recommend you also consider a Thermacell Portable Mosquito Repeller, which produces a non-toxic cloud that repels mosquitos for a 15-foot radius.
The Thermacell model I like best is portable. You can put it down anywhere and even carry it in a holster while hiking. I have found my portable Thermacell to be extremely effective and own several that I use on my home patio and for camping.
Do you have a hot tip?
If you have a suggestion for summer camping, we welcome your input in the comments below.
Bob Rountree is a beach bum and camper who has explored Florida for decades. Bob and his wife Kathy live in South Florida and roam the Sunshine State in their RV with kayaks and bicycles on board. A retired news editor for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Bob co-founded FloridaRambler.com with fellow journalist Bonnie Gross in 2010.