Florida’s campgrounds range from beachfront views to a forest canopy, from the grounds of Everglades National Park to the center of Walt Disney World at Disney’s Fort Wilderness. Florida boasts some of the most beautiful back country campground spots too – though to get to them, you will need to canoe for hours through the Everglades or hike miles along Florida Trail. We offer in-depth camping tours of Florida – a 6 night canoe trip in Everglades National Park, for example – but Florida’s Top 5 Campgrounds are accessible to all by car, bike, or on foot. So next time you are planning a trip to Florida, consider packing a tent!

Florida’s Top 5 Campgrounds

5. Disney’s Fort Wilderness. Yes, yes… we realize that camping at Disney World is not the most outdoors’y way to get out into nature, but if you are going to be spending time at an Orlando theme park, we think camping at Fort Wilderness is the closest you can get to a balanced holiday. The campground is surrounded by beautiful forest, and never short on human sightings. With a huge swimming pool, lots of campfire activities (movie under the stars with popcorn and roasted marshmallows, anyone?), and a free shuttle to any Disney property… this is a must stay campground when visiting Orlando. 

4. St. Augustine – Anastasia State Park. Atlantic Ocean. Sand Dunes. Beaches as far as the eye can see. This picturesque state park has one of the best campgrounds in the North. After a full day visiting the oldest city in the United States, St. Augustine, take an early evening dip in the water before heading to sleep. When the alarm wakes you up in the wee hours of the morning, know that you are minutes away from witnessing the awe of the sun rising up over the ocean. If you are quick enough, drive over to Florida’s west coast to watch the sun dip below the Gulf of Mexico, all in one day.

3. Homosassa Springs. Located just under Florida’s panhanlde (northwest Florida), Homosassa Springs is the jumping off point for visiting with the elusive Florida Manatee (lovingly referred to as the “cow of the sea”). This area of Florida is home to spring-fed rivers, virgin forests, and a touch of souther hospitality. A number of local operators offer campground facilities in the area.

2. Florida Keys – Bahia Honda State Park. If waking up to a sandy beach and crystal blue water for a morning dip sounds nice, then book a campground at Bahia Honda State Park now (it books up especially quick in the winter). Just 37 miles from Key West, Bahia Honda boasts gorgeous views, great kayaking, and a little South Florida history – stop by the visitor’s center to learn about the Old Bahia Bridge.

1. Everglades National Park. Miles from any city, with sky views that reach to the heavens, camping anywhere in Everglades National Park will be a most memorable experience. After a day of Alligator tracking, bird watching, and canoeing through the Mangrove jungles, drive to the tip of the park (nearly 40 miles from the main entrance) for Florida Bay views of open water and set up camp for a night under the stars. And don’t worry about the Alligators (and crocodiles in this part of the park), they’ll be sleeping too!

Florida’s Top 5 Campgrounds is selected by Florida Adventure Treks – Florida’s ONLY small group adventure tour company in the state. Our seven (7) and fourteen (14) day tours take you to all of Florida’s best campgrounds, as well as tourist hot-spots and plenty of off-the-beaten-path destinations. Check out our itineraries at http://www.floridaadventuretreks.com/our-tours/adventure-tours.

Florida boasts so many great destinations – major cities, national and state parks, and quaint towns located off-the-beaten path. But getting to and from each destination isn’t that easy without your own car. And more importantly, knowing where to go except for only the most popular tourist destinations is not printed in any tour book. At Florida Adventure Treks, we combine local experience with budget-friendly travel tours. We are Florida’s ONLY small group tour company. With us, you can visit all the best of Florida, including many local destinations.

Our tours are budget tours. We believe, however, that a budget tour shouldn’t have to sacrifice quality for costs. For the past five years, we have been delivering the highest quality vacation holidays to travelers on a budget. Our accommodations have you staying right in the center of town (or within walking distance) or a stone’s throw from the beach every night. And, all of our adventure tours include local transportation, accommodations (camping on our Adventure Tours) and equipment, lots of included activities (airboat tour, snorkeling trip, Orlando theme park ticket), the services of a professional tour guide, and much much more.

Even food costs are reasonable – each group contributes $40 per week towards a food kitty. We then use this money to purchase groceries and make stops at farmer’s markets; and we have picnic lunches en route to our destinations, dinners over a campfire, and breakfasts at camp before heading to our next stop. We carry all of our camping and cooking equipment on the roof of the tour vehicle.

If you are looking for the best Florida tour, where you get to travel with like-minded people, and experience Florida like a local, visit our website for more information. And, oh yeah, we are Florida’s ONLY budget travel tour operator.

5. Sebastian Inlet – Surfing. Long home to international surf champion, Kelly Slater, Sebastian Inlet offers some of the best surfing breaks in all of Florida. Get an up-close view of the pros from the comforts of the beach, or rent your own surfboard to hang ten!

4. Sanibel Island – Parasailing. Florida’s west coast – the Gulf Coast – is protected by the Gulf of Mexico. The waters are warmer than the east coast’s Atlantic Ocean, and the seas usually much calmer. This combination makes for some of the best shelling beaches in all of the United States. The real magic happens from the sky… get lifted 500 feet into the air on a paraglide adventure (a parachute attached to a speedboat). See Sanibel and Captiva Islands along with the sweeping vistas of other islands, unending coastlines, and if lucky, a school of dolphins playing in the water.

3. St. Augustine – Camping. At Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine, set up your tent a short hike from the sand-dune covered beaches of this east coast gem. This beach is the launching point for some many adventurous activities – bird-watching (sort of adventurous!), sailing into the harbor just as Ponce De Leon did centuries ago in search of the Fountain of Youth, sports fishing, and waking before dawn to witness a most spectacular sunrise over the Atlantic Ocean.

2. Bahia Honda State Park – Kayaking. Consistently ranked one of the best beaches in Florida for its beauty, Bahia Honda also offers some of the most picturesque open-ocean kayaking in the state. From the beach it is a short 5-10 minute paddle to crystal clear waters, views of Old Bahia Honda Bridge, and landfall on your own private island!

1. Everglades National Park – Canoeing. Well yes, the Everglades is technically a river, but if you drive the entire 38 miles into the heart of Everglades National Park you will arrive at the Flamingo Visitor Center and some of the most awesome vistas of uninhabited islands. Those islands are home to secluded beaches and campgrounds, accessible only by canoe. If canoeing through the Everglades isn’t adventurous enough, consider that you will be “swimming” alongside Florida alligators andcrocodiles – the only place on Earth where these two creatures live together.

Honorable Mention: John Pennekamp State Park (Key Largo) – Snorkeling. Because the best snorkeling in Florida is off the coast (and not on the beach), John Pennekamp doesn’t make our list as one of Florida’s Top 5 Adventure Beaches. Its beaches are great, and the snorkeling is awesome.

Florida’s Top 5 Adventure Beaches is selected by Florida Adventure Treks – Florida’s ONLY small group adventure tour company in the state. Our seven (7) and fourteen (14) day tours take you to all of Florida’s most adventurous beaches, as well as tourist hot-spots and plenty of off-the-beaten-path destinations. Check out our itineraries at http://www.floridaadventuretreks.com/our-tours/adventure-tours.