FL - State Park Recommendations

[ljt39]

I'm looking for other nice SP in Florida. I already have the following on my list, any others I'm missing? Thanks.

My list:

Ft. Desoto
Lake Kissimmee
St. Joseph Pennisula
Highland SP
Paynes Prairie Preserve
St. Andrews
Oscar Scherrer
Hillsborough River

If I'm missing some good ones let me know. Thanks.

 

[jjkach]

Not sure what area you are wanting to camp in. Looks like you have some really good state parks listed. We have camped in most of them and they are really good. We like Wekeiwa Springs and Silver River State Parks.

Edited by - jjkach on May 01 2009 22:34:31

 

[flakeyspam]

stephen f austin state park is very nice as well so is silver river and anastasia paynes prairie is our all time favorite and is very close to home

Pam
dh
ds
buddy the golden
dizzy the border collie

 

[rdsmith]

Anastasia SP in St Augustine is very nice as well.

 

[Mongo71]

You don't indicate from where you are located, but judging from the parks you list I'm guessing the Tampa Bay area. One of my all time favorites is Little Manatee S.P. in Wimauma, Just south of Sun City on 301. Privacy and nice trails. Another all time favorite is Tamoka S.P. in Ormond Beach. Both are great for kids as well. Of course the jewel of the State Parks is Bahia Honda in the keys. If you start now, you might get a reservation for next season. Enjoy.

 

[blw2]

we really like
Anastasia
Tomoka River
Suwannee River (really in the boonies though)
Paines Prarie, great tent site but i don't remember how the RV sites were....

 

[Frances]

We also liked Blue Springs SP -- altho depending on your site, you may have a weird, tiny creepy trail to the bathhouse (bathhouse is nice tho). But the sites are nice and private, and the spring itself is GORGEOUS.

And it is a short (10-12 mile) drive north to DeLeon Springs SP (no camping there) to eat at Old Spanish Mill Restaurant -- make your own pancakes right at the table with built-in griddles. Something I did as a child in the 1960s -- and it is still a wonderful experience today.

 

[Sharon]

Great post.

Im from Dover, Florida, between, Brandon/Valrico and Plant city. I was just asking of places to camp in florida around my area as well.

I have only Camped at EG Simmons park, its on the water if you like to salt water fish, and you can bring your boat. We have only camped there 2 times since Oct 08, our first trip and last month our second.

Im thinking about the Little manatees site. Its not that far from me.

Sharon

 

[mr. commerce]

I hate to give away secrets....but Manatee Springs State Park is lovely. Great sites, great trails, fantastic spring to refresh in, good wildlife, etc. Wally World not far away, either, in case of emergencies, ya know? We're in Lutz, so for us, it is an even 2 hours away. Shhhh...don't pass it on. Oleno is also very nice and a good home base for a day trip to Ichetucknee, a must see (and do) for Floridians. Silver River seems nice, but no swimming, which is a big downer for me, I have to get in the water somehow.

Just spent a week at Bahia Honda, site 64 in the Sandspur loop, right on the beach. Second to none.

p.s., Ft. D is a county park...and we are booked there in June in November, waterfront of course.

 

[chiefjefe]

Thanks everybody, we may look at Silver Spring in June, we are in NW Tampa. Already booked in Ft. Desoto in Aug.

 

[NatureGirl]

I've only been to one state park in Florida, Saint Andrews State Park, but I loved it. We're going back for Thanksgiving. The emerald water and white sand beaches are so beautiful!

 

[kmdegs]

I have never been disappointed with any SP in Florida. Note that Ft. DeSoto is a Pinellas County Park
(http://www.pinellascounty.org/park/05_Ft_DeSoto.htm)

Here are some other suggestions:

Koreshan SP (near Ft. Myers). Really cool historic site, private sites with shade, excellent for canoeing and kayaking.

Little Manatee River SP - Excellent for kayaking but relatively little to do there otherwise. Great primitive group camping site.

Blue Springs SP (near Orange City/Orlando area): Gorgeous spring, canoeing and kayak rentals available. Very private sites. Crowded in winter when manatees winter at the park. Excellent to visit in hot summer when swimming in the springs is fun.

O'Leno SP - Perhaps my favorite. Gorgeous sites, excellent walking trails. Close to Ichetucknee and Santa Fe Rivers. Caution: lots of ticks!

 

[kmdegs]

Forgot to mention that Ft. DeSoto's good waterfront sites book up about 6 mos in advance when the sites open up for sale. Try to book way in advance but don't be discouraged even if you're not on the water. It's still worth the trip!!

 

[habit21]

Henderson Beach State Park in Destin, the best campgound we have been in Florida. On the beach across from the dunes and in beautiful Destin.

 

[Elliemae]

Hi, we are new to PopUpPortal as we just bought a 1998 Coachman a couple weeks ago but we go to a lot of Florida State Parks and Wekiwa Springs close to Olando is our ffavorite..Silver River is next to Silver Springs and they have very nice large sites, Oleno is very woodsy and the deer walk thru the campground. Of course Anastasia
is at the beach and also a great park. Little Talbot Island, which may be too far from you is also very nice and shady and at the beach also.
We have not been to Ft Clinch but are going next month. We have driven thru there and they have two campgrounds..one right on the beach and the other close to the river which is shady. I hear that it is hard to get reservations there due to the popularity of the park.

Like someone said..all the State Parks are very nice but Wekiwa Springs is very large and has a beautiful spring swimming and picnic area and you might see a black bear in the campground but they won't hurt you.

Enjoy...

 

[FC]

Theres not a bad one in the bunch if you ask me. I have been to most of them. Anyone thats by the water is my choice. That would be Sebastian Inlet or Bahia Honda. Just remember if you go to the keys the road runs through the parks and the noise can be loud. But that is minor if you consider where you are at.

 

[jjkach]

We have a lot of campers here that camp at Florida State Parks! We really do have good state parks, we have always had a great time at every one that we have ever camped at.

 

[TigerCamper]

We will be camping in Silver River SP and St Joe next month. Really looking forward to it.

I have tried to get into St Andrews several times but they stay booked. I'll get in there soon.

 

[mr. commerce]

I can't get enough of the state parks, as was said, not a bad one in the bunch. So many good ones to choose from, sometimes it's hard to pick one. My list isn't too long, but it is growing, and I would love to see them all.

Anybody know when Rainbow Springs SP campground will open up?

 

[Frances]

The SP website still says "to be open soon" with no date estimate. I couldn't find a newspaper article online with anything more specific. Too bad, because what a great location -- the Rainbow River is one of the easiest & most beautiful rivers to paddle in Florida.