Florida Campgrounds??

[Bill in Pittsburgh]

Originally Posted by Ray N

Average temperatures for April in Pensacola, (north Florida), are 76 daytime and 57 night. Why do you want warmer than that? Of course, some days can still be a bit chilly.

I took this picture in my back yard yesterday:

Much better than Pittsburgh.

[honda03842]

Jim.

We've been testing the Escapee Park in central FL as a future home, 3 months this year, one of our longest stays ever in one place since we started RVing.

For the first time Ginny said, just before we left, "it feels like home, I don't want to leave". It looks like we have a FL place to stay when we can no longer travel....hoping that's never, love the travel.

[Alf S.]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Everything in Florida is bigger, including the bugs. There is such a variety of tropical insects and reptiles that you will surely have encounters. Watch out for the fire ants, they bite. Stay on concrete pads and you should be fine.

Hi: cpaharley2008... "Everything in Florida is bigger" except Ghost Ants. I've heard about them...but never seen 'em!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[honda03842]

Bill, This year we stayed in the FL Escapee park in Wauchula, FL, about 45 miles inland from Sarasota. It's a beautiful park with large sites, also heated swimming pool. The Peace River runs thru the area, rather famous for fossil collecting. It's not as hot as southern FL which Ginny finds too hot.

North to South, FL is about 400 miles long not counting the Keys. It really covers a significant temperature range, most of it is always snow free though it occasionally snows in the panhandle.

We like the Central FL because it's agricultural, oranges and cattle, and also away from the traditional tourist areas. If you want it, it's not too far from high activity zones or even beaches if occasionally desired.

Bugs except for fire ants are not present. I've yet to see a snake in the campground but have seen them in our exploration of more wild areas.

As to pythons, FL put a bounty on them encouragaing teams to hunt them with out much apparant success. They would not keep me away from any area.

It's interesting watching the natives. We saw a young lad of 10 paddling a boat and yelled to his brother "Snake". It was on the front of the boat and the boy just knocked it off into the water. The parents on shore barely lifted their heads. Partially it's your experience that guides your behavior. FL kids have grown up with snakes and gators.

FL has so many parks you should be able to find one easily, I know one town with 172 RV parks. Parks in the swamp areas seem to have more insects, not surprisingly.

FL state and county parks tend to be very nice. We have stayed in many and use them as we travel thru the state.

[Bill in Pittsburgh]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Jim.

We've been testing the Escapee Park in central FL as a future home, 3 months this year, one of our longest stays ever in one place since we started RVing.

For the first time Ginny said, just before we left, "it feels like home, I don't want to leave". It looks like we have a FL place to stay when we can no longer travel....hoping that's never, love the travel.

I searched on-line for ESCAPEE PARK CAMPGROUND, Central Florida. I was
unable to track it down.
What is the official name and the town where located? Thanks

[cpaharley2008]

Norm, sounds like you Ginny have found the "fountain of youth" down there, I'm happy for you two!!

[honda03842]

Bill, I sorry for misleading you. The SKP Resort is a wonderful park but it is for Escapee members only - $70 per year. Anyone can join, they have over 100,000 members.

There are about 20 Escapee parks and they are handy at about $15 a night as we cross the country. On our last loop of the USA we stayed in everyone except one.

The following is a link to the SKP Resort in Wauchula. flskpresort.org - Image Gallery

There are many parks in FL. I did look up the one you were asking about and it is a nudist park which may be fine for you.

FL's reality is that there are numerous parks. One town may have more than all of Maine. Anywhere from the center of the state down is plenty warm in the winter. Costs are highest at the coasts or near tourist centers.

Generally if you find a region you like you will be able to find a number of parks to choose from. When we were nubies, we would pull into a town where we wanted t spend a few days. Picak a park for a day or two and drive around looking for a park for the longer term. After 12 years we have a log of parks all over that we can use for short and long stays. In FL for the last few years we have limited our selves to Escapee parks (and state parks) because we like the parks and people plus plan to have a spot in Wauchula.

When looking for a park in a specific town I'll often just type the name of the town and campgrounds in google and look at the parks that come up. Often they'll have reviews.

FL has tons of parks. I do not believe it's generally necessary to make reservations unless you are going to a popular state park or a resort areas. Most parks have monthly rates. In our area of FL they range from $250 to $500 a month.

Following is a county campground in the area you asked about with a review of one of the county parks following. Hope this helps a little. You"ll have to contact them about prices and further info.

Campground Features
Campground Review - South Bay RV Campground, South Bay, Florida
Hope this helps.

[Ray N]

And, once you become a resident of Florida the state parks and forests are half price (for us geezers). That's about $10-$12 a night for the parks! I've noticed that more and more of the parks are getting campsite sewer connections, in addition to the standard electricity and water. One of our favorite places to camp is in the Blackwater State Forest - there, a beautiful lakefront site with electricity and water is only about $7 for us resident geezers.

[Bill in Pittsburgh]

Originally Posted by honda03842

Bill, I sorry for misleading you. The SKP Resort is a wonderful park but it is for Escapee members only - $70 per year. Anyone can join, they have over 100,000 members.

There are about 20 Escapee parks and they are handy at about $15 a night as we cross the country. On our last loop of the USA we stayed in everyone except one.

The following is a link to the SKP Resort in Wauchula. flskpresort.org - Image Gallery

There are many parks in FL. I did look up the one you were asking about and it is a nudist park which may be fine for you.

FL's reality is that there are numerous parks. One town may have more than all of Maine. Anywhere from the center of the state down is plenty warm in the winter. Costs are highest at the coasts or near tourist centers.

Generally if you find a region you like you will be able to find a number of parks to choose from. When we were nubies, we would pull into a town where we wanted t spend a few days. Picak a park for a day or two and drive around looking for a park for the longer term. After 12 years we have a log of parks all over that we can use for short and long stays. In FL for the last few years we have limited our selves to Escapee parks (and state parks) because we like the parks and people plus plan to have a spot in Wauchula.

When looking for a park in a specific town I'll often just type the name of the town and campgrounds in google and look at the parks that come up. Often they'll have reviews.

FL has tons of parks. I do not believe it's generally necessary to make reservations unless you are going to a popular state park or a resort areas. Most parks have monthly rates. In our area of FL they range from $250 to $500 a month.

Following is a county campground in the area you asked about with a review of one of the county parks following. Hope this helps a little. You"ll have to contact them about prices and further info.

Campground Features
Campground Review - South Bay RV Campground, South Bay, Florida
Hope this helps.

T Y V M for the useful information. I will do the research.
My goals are warm weather (the warmer the better) and reasonable costs.
I have no special interest in a "Naturist" camp, though for long term living it does make a campers life simpler and reduces the amount of textiles you need to pack and carry back a fords between the shower house or pool.
I also find camps that offer no privacy not to my liking. When I can, I park as far away from other campers and activity as I can get.

[Bill in Pittsburgh]

Norm & Ginny, I checked out the 10 day weather forecast in Wauchula and didn't find it much different than Loxahatche. I also looked up general information and found Wauchula to be out of the Florida mainstream and likely to have a slower pace than coastal areas. Sounds like it is habitable for our kind of wintering. If the costs are competitive, we don't mind packing a few more textiles.
After paying $70.00 for an ESCAPEE membership, what do you find the camping fees to average at SKP or other ESCAPEE parks? Thank you and I always appreciate the useful information you post on this site.

[honda03842]

Bill,

I'll send you a private email about the park and Escapees tonight. Next year we plan to stop for a week on oue way around he USA.

With relatives for this week in SC.

[MCDenny]

Bill, we are doing this year pretty much exactly what you are proposing for next year. Left home Dec 18, going back to Michigan mid-April (but maybe not if it doesn't warm up soon)

My 0.02:

it's much warmer in S Fl than up in the panhandle, sometime ten or fifteen degrees warmer. Often in the 40s or low 50s at night, we have run an electric heater probably half the nights.

We have stayed in a couple of private parks but mostly Fl state parks. The state parks are MUCH nicer. Hard to book, though, because they are much cheaper too. Our favorites have been Oscar Scherer near Venice and Anastatia in St Augustine. Grayton Beach is excellent too but up in the panhandle where it's often chilly. We like to be close to the beach, Anastatia and Grayton are right on the ocean.

We are blogging about our travels in the Snoozy at www.wordpress.wanderingourway.com.

We have learned one thing for sure - we are never spending another winter up north!

Denny Wolfe

[Bill in Pittsburgh]

Thank you for the information Denny. I am aware of the temperature differential between Northern Florida and Southern Florida in the winter and I opt for the 10 to 15 degree difference. I will have to catch up on your blog. Happy Travels!

[MCDenny]

Bill, if you want to stay in southern state parks anywhere near the coast I'd be booking now. You have to pay when you book but you can cancel a reservation for $17 if you change your mind.

[Bill in Pittsburgh]

Originally Posted by MCDenny

Bill, if you want to stay in southern state parks anywhere near the coast I'd be booking now. You have to pay when you book but you can cancel a reservation for $17 if you change your mind.

I think we have decided upon Sun Sport Gardens in Loxahatchee, about 20 miles West of West Palm. We will get a membership at insure a space.
We are also looking into a few other options for our travel months.
Thanks

[MCDenny]

Speaking of warmer, we are in the panhandle this morning, woke up to 40 degrees, supposed to hit 38 tonight!

[Lorelei L]

We've lived & camped in FL for 30 yrs.

Make ressies as early as possible. Oct to May packs the parks.
Gators and snakes are everywhere down here. You might not see them, but they are there. We have a legion of gator and snake stories in the family, including a python under our camper one morning. Enjoy the sunshine but be aware.

[honda03842]

McDenny,

It,s not the minimum night time temp that makes FL special but rather the daytime temps. In most of FL the max temp is hardly ever less than 60F and usually in the 70s and 80s.

FL is a pleasure. Heck we still have ice on the pond is southern NH/ME. This is the coldest spring in many a year.

For weather buffs March was the second coldest in the UK in recorded weather history.