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Old 01-05-2014, 08:23 AM   #1
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Florida information

-50 this morning with the wind chill. It hasn't been much above -35 since November. Didn't make it last year, but we're headed for Florida within the week. I'm looking for good information sources for Florida camping. Don't have to be on the water, or even a coast. Dry camping just fine. It seems that there are a wide array of agencies that may have camping sites, right down to historic sites. I welcome any links, or location suggestions.
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Old 01-05-2014, 10:44 AM   #2
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Which part of Florida you're going to? Take a look at Ultimate Campgrounds - Home
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Old 01-05-2014, 11:26 AM   #3
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Thanks for that. We've got lots of time and no destination in particular. We'll probably acclimatize in the panhandle awhile, then work south.
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Old 01-05-2014, 02:25 PM   #4
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Florida

We are heading down to Florida this Thursday. It's bitterly cold here in the Twin Cities also and can't wait to get out of here.

We are camping at the Ocala National Forest where there seems to be plenty of available sites. No hook ups though. Water and toilets/showers are available with a dump site nearby. Very pretty campground in the north central part of Florida.

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Old 01-05-2014, 02:32 PM   #5
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Looks great, thanks for the suggestion.
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Old 01-05-2014, 02:38 PM   #6
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If you want nice warm weather, wilderness and no crowds, then check out SW Florida, area along I-75 from Punta Gorda to Naples.
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Old 01-05-2014, 02:58 PM   #7
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That sounds exactly what I'm looking for; thanks for the suggestion.
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Old 01-05-2014, 05:01 PM   #8
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Florida State Parks
Welcome to Florida State Parks

I have stayed in many.....would recommend all, although some may be totally booked. Also, if you get really far down south you might want to try Everglades National Park. We like Long Pine Key Campground there (no hook ups or showers at that campground, but further down you will find services at Flamingo Campground). 🐊🚣

Warning! We are expecting a cold front....weather tomorrow should start in the 80s and get down to the 40s during the night! 🙀

Have a safe trip!
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Old 01-05-2014, 05:11 PM   #9
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The 40s are 90 degrees warmer than here. Thanks for the info.
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Old 01-05-2014, 06:40 PM   #10
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Just left (darn it! not retired yet!) Marco Island/Naples KOA. Great place and not full when we were there! Wish we were still there and not in this deep freeze. Recommend Naples Zoo, shelling on Marco Island, and (very cool!) canoeing in mangrove swamp at Collier-Seminole State Park.


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Old 01-05-2014, 07:02 PM   #11
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all of the state parks in the panhandle are excellent...you can't go wrong at any of them. you are fairly early in the snowbird season so will probably not have much difficulty getting into most parks.


but i don't understand--you prefer the florida sun to staying home in winterpeg??
what's up with that?
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Old 01-05-2014, 07:06 PM   #12
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and check out the manatees at blue spring state park between orlando and daytona.
awesome!
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Old 01-06-2014, 05:07 AM   #13
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Without reservations this time of year, finding a camp site at the state and federal parks can be a problem. But, most of the state parks hold at least one site as a walk-in, which means that it cannot be reserved. But, you need to be lucky and be there when the gates open in the morning and the current camper has to be leaving. Once you occupy a walk-in you can stay for 14 days.

The campgrounds nearer the coasts are more difficult to get in. Inland is easier, but those are often more distant from grocery stores, etc.. We've camped at Gold Head SP in Keystone Heights (about 30 miles east of Gainesville) and there have always been open sites when we were there.

Salt Springs Recreation Area in the Ocala National Forest is a federal park with full hookups. They divide the trailer sites, with 1/2 reserveable and 1/2 non-reserveable. So, there's a chance that you can find an walk-in there, but if you don't, there's always dry camping in the forest nearby.

A note on the Florida weather. 40 - 50 degrees F can feel pretty chilly down here. The dampness reaches right to the bones. We try to get as far south in the state as possible during January, then gradually work our way back north as the weather warms up.

Good luck and safe travels
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Old 01-06-2014, 05:54 AM   #14
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Thanks, Ron, I appreciate your advice.
CindyL, canoeing in a mangrove swamp is now on the list.
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Old 01-06-2014, 09:17 AM   #15
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As CindyL said, you might want to try the camping too at Collier-Seminole State Park about 10 miles east of Marco Island. Be prepared for bugs, however! The canoes are $5 for an hour rental. We went out 2 hours and only went about halfway out to the estuary in the channel. Lots to do in the Naples/Marco Island area and it's very mild with temps in the 70s most days.
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Old 01-06-2014, 09:34 AM   #16
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What Ron said about the temperature is true. We came back from New Orleans recently and I was cold one night. checked the temp and it was 50 degrees, I thought it was much colder. We enjoyed our electric space heater that night.

Our north dry cold is just much different.

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Old 01-06-2014, 10:35 AM   #17
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Cold Snap

Am in South Georgia and the cold is just hitting here. The good news is it will last only a couple of days then warm up. Still not balmy tho! Plenty of camping in the state parks here on the way south. I'm headed for Venice and was lucky to get in at Oscar Scherer SP for a few days. Everyplace I tried further south was booked - you just have to keep checking.
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Old 01-06-2014, 10:47 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ron F View Post
Without reservations this time of year, finding a camp site at the state and federal parks can be a problem. But, most of the state parks hold at least one site as a walk-in, which means that it cannot be reserved. But, you need to be lucky and be there when the gates open in the morning and the current camper has to be leaving. Once you occupy a walk-in you can stay for 14 days.

The campgrounds nearer the coasts are more difficult to get in. Inland is easier, but those are often more distant from grocery stores, etc.. We've camped at Gold Head SP in Keystone Heights (about 30 miles east of Gainesville) and there have always been open sites when we were there.

Salt Springs Recreation Area in the Ocala National Forest is a federal park with full hookups. They divide the trailer sites, with 1/2 reserveable and 1/2 non-reserveable. So, there's a chance that you can find an walk-in there, but if you don't, there's always dry camping in the forest nearby.

A note on the Florida weather. 40 - 50 degrees F can feel pretty chilly down here. The dampness reaches right to the bones. We try to get as far south in the state as possible during January, then gradually work our way back north as the weather warms up.

Good luck and safe travels
We have been looking for a camping site in a Florida State park (South of Orlando) since early November . We have found sites but the sites were only available for one or two days during the week (NO weekends) . The SP sites in the Florida Keys are almost impossible to find . I called the State of Florida about the availability of sites in the Florida Keys and was told to forget about this Winter and try to reserve a site for 2015 . The parks in the Florida Panhandle had sites available as of two weeks ago but the weather is cooler there than in Southern Florida. We are looking at going to Southern Georgia , not as warm as Southern Florida but they have sites available for periods of a week or more.
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Old 01-06-2014, 01:54 PM   #19
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State campgrounds are usually nowhere near full in the winter here in the Florida Panhandle. Be warned, however, it can get quite cold here; we're expecting lows in the mid-teens tonight and tomorrow night. That's very unusual, but does happen. In a few days it could be near 70.
Here are some old reviews I did of some Panhandle campgrounds. Like said earlier, most of the state parks are very nice.

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...est-49132.html
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...dle-48444.html
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ama-60904.html
And if you're active or retired military or Dept. of Defense civilian, you can stay at the beautiful Blue Angel park: http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ida-61357.html
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Old 01-06-2014, 02:21 PM   #20
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Steve; we are wintering on Jekyll Island GA. There are others from Wisconsin here for the winter also. A couple Casitas and a Scamp were here for a while. We could use some fiberglass reinforcements here as most of the snowbirds have big motor homes and 5th wheel campers. All nice people here, maybe just a couple snooty ones. We spent a couple weeks in Florida in late November, Henderson, Ft. DeSoto, Gamble Rogers, and Sebastian Inlet. All nice, but the only one far enough south is Ft DeSoto. Like Ray says it has been unusually cold in this area and more rain than we experienced last year, but there have been many nice days too. We have debated looking for a campground farther south, but like it here and hope the crazy weather will settle down. Beats the snow and cold of upstate NY. We have our site reserved here through February.
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