Nature itself rules over Florida’s gotta-go-there tourist kingdom. Certainly visitors flock to the Sunshine State to experience the magic of Orlando’s amusement dynasties, but winter guests who return year after year do so for the outdoor opportunities that the state affords. Birding, boating, fishing, golf and just plain beach-basking ensure that every snowbird feels regal.
The Great Florida Birding Trail, when completed in 2005, will allow friends of the feathered to traverse its 2,000-mile route in four geographic regions. The presently open East Florida section runs from Jacksonville to St. Lucie County and features 136 separate sites, grouped into 23 related clusters, which make for easily driven loops. You can download a commemorative guide at www.floridabirdingtrail.com.
If water makes you soar, you can launch a canoe, bass boat or yacht in so many places that your spirits should never sink. Should you paddle your canoe in Blackwater River State Park in northern Florida or in central Florida’s Juniper Springs? Should you prove your skill at landing largemouth bass by entering the eight-week Big Fish Open in the Kissimmee Chain of Lakes, beginning in late October, or ply Lake Okeechobee’s waters? And anglers attempting to settle on the best saltwater option will have as tough a time as sailors trying to decide between setting a course in the Atlantic Ocean or in the Gulf of Mexico.
Of course, the golf set must wrestle with where to tee it up. From Palm Beach to Pensacola, from St. Augustine to St. Petersburg, scratch golfers and duffers alike can find courses to suit their games.
If bathing suits are more your style, you can sample
a range of beaches so fantastic that six swaths of sand in Florida’s state park system recently attained a top-20 ranking nationwide. Short of mountain climbing, Florida will guarantee that whatever your outdoor preferences are, you’ll get the royal treatment.
Call (888) 7-FLAUSA.
ARCADIA
Arcadia Peace River Campground
Facilities: Fair gravel/dirt interior roads. Restrooms and showers; dump station; public phone; laundry; groceries; RV supplies; LP-gas; firewood. Sites: 182 total, hookups (30/50 amps), grass, patios, mostly shaded; 85 pull-through (30×55); back-in (30×50); some side-by-side hookups; 25 tent sites; 2 rental units. Modem hookup in office. Recreation: Peace River: freshwater fishing and tackle. Heated pool; shuffleboard; horseshoes; recreation hall; recreation field; game room; planned activities; playground. Contact: 2998 N.W. Highway 70, Arcadia, Florida 34266; (800) 559-4011; www.peacerivercampground.com.
BONITA SPRINGS
Bonita Lake Resort
Facilities: Good paved interior roads, pet restrictions. Restrooms and showers; dump station; security; public phone; laundry. Sites: 166 total, 117 available, full hookups (20/30 amps), grass, patios, some shaded; back-in (30×45). Modem hookup in office. Recreation: Bonita Lake: freshwater fishing, heated pool, spa, shuffleboard, horseshoes, recreation hall, planned activities. Contact: 26325 Old 41 Road, Bonita Springs, Florida 34135; (239) 992-2481; www.suncommunities.com. A Good Sam Park.
CLERMONT
Citrus Highlands
Facilities: Florida’s finest all-RV home community. Good paved interior roads. Sites: Two-, three- and four-bedroom RV-port houses. 11 home designs. Living areas from 1,200 square feet to 2,224 square feet; total square-footage (including RV port) from 2,102 square feet to 3,470 square feet. Recreation: Pool; play area. Located 8 miles from Walt Disney World Resort; minutes from Sea World. Contact: 2509 Arran Court, Clermont, Florida 34711; (866) 248-7879; www.citrushighlands.com.
CRYSTAL RIVER
Rock Crusher Canyon RV Resort
Facilities: Good paved interior roads. Restrooms and showers; dump station; security; public phone; laundry; groceries; limited RV supplies; food service. Sites: 398 total, full hookups (30/50 amps), grass, mostly shaded; back-in (25×50); big-rig sites. Handicap access; modem hookup at site. Recreation: Lake; pool; horseshoes; recreation hall; game room; planned activities; playground. Contact: 275 S. Rock Crusher Road, Crystal River, Florida 34429; (352) 795-3870; www.rccrvpark.com. A Good Sam Park.
DE FUNIAK SPRINGS
Sunset King Lake Resort
Facilities: Good paved interior roads. Restrooms and showers; dump station; security; public phone; laundry; limited groceries; limited RV supplies; LP-gas; firewood; food service. Sites: 98 total, full hookups (30/50 amps), grass, some shaded; 24 pull-through (30×70); back-in (30×70); big-rig sites; 9 rental units. Handicap access; modem hookup in office. Recreation: King Lake: freshwater fishing and tackle, boating: ramp, dock, rental. Pool; horseshoes. Contact: 366 Paradise Island Drive, De Funiak Springs, Florida 32433; (800) 774-5454; www.sunsetking.com. A Good Sam Park.
FORT MEYERS
Woodsmoke Camping Resort
Facilities: Good paved interior roads, pet restrictions, no tents. Restrooms and showers; dump station; security; public phone; laundry. Sites: 320 total, 120 available, full hookups (30/50 amps), grass, patios, mostly shaded; 15 pull-through (35×65); back-in (35×55). Modem hookup in office. Recreation: Cypress Head Lake: freshwater fishing, heated pool, spa, adults room, shuffleboard. Contact: 19551 U.S. Highway 41 South, Fort Myers, Florida 33908; (800) 231-5053; members.aol.com/woodsmok. A Good Sam Park.
FORT LAUDERDALE
Yacht Haven Park & Marina
Facilities: Good paved interior roads, pet restrictions, no tents. Restrooms and showers; dump station; security; public phone; laundry. Sites: 250 total, full hookups, 238 paved, 12 gravel, patios; back-in (20×52). Modem hookup in office. Recreation: New River: saltwater fishing, boating: ramp, dock. Heated pool; spa; shuffleboard; recreation hall; planned activities. Contact: 2323 State Road 84, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312; (954) 583-2322; [email protected]. A Good Sam Park.
JACKSONVILLE
Flamingo Lake RV Resort
Facilities: Good paved interior roads, no tents. Restrooms and showers; dump station; security; public phone; laundry; groceries; limited RV supplies; LP-gas. Sites: 153 total, full hookups (30/50 amps), 58 paved, 95 gravel, patios, mostly shaded; back-in (40×60); big-rig sites; 9 rental units. Modem hookup in office, cable TV. Recreation: Flamingo Lake: freshwater fishing and tackle, swimming, pool, horseshoes, recreation hall, recreation field game room, planned activities. Contact: 3640 Newcomb Road, Jacksonville, Florida 32218; (800) 782-4323. A Good Sam Park.
LAKE BUENA VISTA
Fort Wilderness
Facilities: Good paved interior roads, pet restrictions. Restrooms and showers; dump station; security; public phone; laundry; groceries; RV supplies; LP-gas bottles only; food service. Sites: 1,193 total , full hookups (30/50 amps), 784 paved, patios, mostly shaded; back-in (22×60); big-rig sites; 90 tent sites; 403 rental units. Handicap access; modem hookup in office; cable TV. Recreation: Bay Lake: freshwater fishing, tackle and boat rental. Contact: 4510 Fort Wilderness Trail, Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830; (407) 939-2267; www.disneyworld.com.
Fort Summit KOA
Facilities: Good paved interior roads, pet restrictions. Restrooms and showers; dump station; security; public phone; laundry; limited groceries; limited RV supplies; LP-gas, food service. Sites: 251 total, full hookups (30/50 amps), patios, some shaded; 100 pull-through (25×60); back-in (25×60); big-rig sites; 38 tents sites; 10 rental units. Cable TV. Recreation: Heated pool; adults room; horseshoes; recreation hall; game room; playground. Contact: P.O. Box 22182, Lake Buena Vista, Florida 32830; (800) 424-1880; www.koa.com.
LEESBURG
Holiday Travel Resort
Facilities: Good paved interior roads, no tents. Restrooms and showers; dump station; security; public phone; laundry; limited groceries; limited RV supplies; LP-gas; food service. Sites: 935 total, 185 available, full hookups (30 amps), gravel, some shaded; 185 pull-through (50×70). Handicap access; cable TV. Recreation: Big Lake Harris: freshwater fishing and tackle, boating: ramp, dock, marina. Heated pool; spa; adults room; shuffleboard; horseshoes; recreation hall; recreation field; planned activities; playground. Contact: 28229 C.R. 33, Leesburg, Florida 34748; (800) 428-5334. A Good Sam Park.
OKEECHOBEE
Okeechobee KOA Kampground & Golf Course
Facilities: Good paved interior roads. Restrooms and showers; public phone; laundry; groceries; RV supplies; LP-gas food service. Sites: 756 total; 450 available, full hookups (30/50 amps), paved, patios; 9 pull-through (24×48); back-in (28×56); big-rig sites; 2 tent sites; 18 rental units. Pay-modem; cable TV. Recreation: Golf; heated pool; spa; shuffleboard; horseshoes; recreation hall; recreation field; game room; playground; planned activities. Contact: 4276 Highway 441 South, Okeechobee, Florida 34974; (800) 562-7748; www.koa.com.
ORANGE LAKE
Grand Lake RV & Golf Resort
Facilities: Good paved interior roads, no tents. Restrooms and showers; dump station; security; public phone; laundry; groceries; RV supplies. Sites: 213 total, full hookups (30/50 amps), paved, patios; 197 pull-through (50×60); big-rig sites; 10 rental units. Handicap access; central modem hookup; cable TV. Recreation: Orange Lake: freshwater fishing, boating, ramp, dock, rental. Heated pool; spa; adults room; shuffleboard; horseshoes; recreation hall; recreation field; game room; playground; planned activities. Contact: 4555 West Highway 318, Orange Lake, Florida 32681; (800) 435-2291; www.grandlakeresort.com. A Good Sam Park.
ST. PETERSBURG
Roberts MH & RV Resort
Facilities: Good paved interior roads. Restrooms and showers; dump station; security; public phone; laundry. Sites: 449 total; 230 available, full hookups (30/50 amps), grass, patios, some shaded; back-in (25×50); big-rig sites. Recreation: Heated pool; spa; shuffleboard; horseshoes; recreation hall; planned activities. Contact: 3390 Gandy Boulevard North, St. Petersburg, Florida 33702; (727) 577-6820.
TAVARES
Fisherman’s Cove RV Park
Facilities: Good paved interior roads, pet restrictions, no tents. Restrooms and showers; dump station; public phone; laundry; LP-gas. Sites: 330 total; 150 available, full hookups (30/50 amps), grass; 150 back-in (40×60). Central modem hook up. Recreation: Lake Harris: freshwater fishing, boating, ramp, dock. Heated pool; shuffleboard; horseshoes; recreation hall; planned activities. Contact: 29115 Eichelberger Road, Tavares, Florida 32778; (800) 254-9993; www.fishermanscoverv.com.
TITUSVILLE
The Great Outdoors
Facilities: Good paved interior roads, pet restrictions. Restrooms and showers; dump station; security; public phone; laundry; groceries; RV supplies; LP-gas; food service. Sites: 1,300 total; 150 available, full hookups (30/50 amps), 150 paved, patios, some shaded; back-in (40×100); big-rig sites. Modem hookup in office; cable TV. Recreation: Camp Lake: freshwater fishing and tackle, heated pool, spa, adults room, shuffleboard, horseshoes, recreation hall, planned activities. Contact: 125 Plantation Drive, Titusville, Florida 32780; (800) 621-2267; www.tgoresort.com.
For more campgrounds in Florida, visit the Good Sam RV campground directory.
