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murreywalker · 12-12-2014, 03:45 PM

Okay, here's my dumb question of the week.

Are there any Florida RV parks with availabilities in January or February?

We prefer State Parks, but from what I've seen, everything's completely booked.

Unless you're willing to part with an arm or a leg. ;-)

AnnArborBob · 12-12-2014, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by murreywalker

Okay, here's my dumb question of the week.

Are there any Florida RV parks with availabilities in January or February?

We prefer State Parks, but from what I've seen, everything's completely booked.

Unless you're willing to part with an arm or a leg. ;-)

You might try this place near Venice, FL. I have no idea if they have availability this year, but we checked it out last winter and it looked like a very nice place and they had some open spots last January, February & March so perhaps they have space again this year?

You can forget about State Parks. You might be lucky and find a few open days here and there, but forget about stringing together a sensible itinerary consisting of State Parks at this late date.

lodging, camping, rving - Ramblers Rest RV Resort

Protagonist · 12-12-2014, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnnArborBob

You can forget about State Parks. You might be lucky and find a few open days here and there, but forget about stringing together a sensible itinerary consisting of State Parks at this late date.

Try Corps of Engineers parks. I can't guarantee you'll have better luck, but it can't hurt to check them out.

murreywalker · 12-12-2014, 05:29 PM

You guys are validating my dumb question with a resounding "you've got to be kidding"!

Thanks!

dkottum · 12-12-2014, 05:39 PM

Murrey, head Southwest, less rain, bugs, and people.

AnnArborBob · 12-12-2014, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by murreywalker

You guys are validating my dumb question with a resounding "you've got to be kidding"!

Thanks!

Not at all! Give Rambler's Rest a call. It's a pretty nice place and in a good location. I've never looked into COE locations in Florida so I cannot comment on that alternative.

Bk Yd Safari · 12-12-2014, 05:44 PM

Collier Seminole State Park in Naples has availability!!! They had plans to upgrade the park this year and did not accept reservations until recently. If your schedule is flexible you should have no problem getting a site.
ps at $22.00/night

Protagonist · 12-12-2014, 05:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by murreywalker

You guys are validating my dumb question with a resounding "you've got to be kidding"!

No, since there is no such thing as a dumb question (unless I'm the one asking them) it's not possible to validate a dumb question.

We appear to be validating your "You've got to be kidding!" assessment with a "Yes!" If you're dead set on Florida State Parks and don't already have reservations, all we can do is wish you luck and advise you to check ReserveAmerica twice daily to scarf up any cancellations as soon as they appear.

But hopefully you're not locked into the idea of a Florida State Park, and you'll consider other types of parks in Florida, or parks NOT in Florida but still in the general area. There are year-round parks in every Gulf Coast state, and probably all of the southern Atlantic Coast states as well, that each have their own appeal and are less likely to be booked solid months in advance.

n2916s · 12-12-2014, 06:53 PM

Flamingo in Everglades National Park usually has some spaces. Salt Springs in Ocala National Forest has dedicated spots that can't be reserved so you can usually get in on short notice. Jonathon Dickenson State Park in Hobe Sound is also a possibility.

Mike

karenjude · 12-12-2014, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bk Yd Safari

Collier Seminole State Park in Naples has availability!!! They had plans to upgrade the park this year and did not accept reservations until recently. If your schedule is flexible you should have no problem getting a site.
ps at $22.00/night

We visited Collier Seminole last year. There were so many sites packed in there without any foliage in between! Really packed and absolutely no privacy. I'm hoping the upgrades include decreasing the amount of sites by at least 50% but realize that's pretty unlikely.

Rollster · 12-12-2014, 08:17 PM

Try looking for regional parks by county.

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xrvr · 12-13-2014, 05:57 AM

Look into the northern third if the state. A little cold but few snow birds to deal with.

Jarrod White · 12-13-2014, 06:44 AM

Turkey Lake in Orlando is a great city park and usually has some availability. Larry and Penny Thompson is a good city park in Miami but is harder to find open. There are plenty of private parks that will have spots. Might look at Cypress Gardens Rv resort in winter haven or other parks in the lake placid/Sebring area. Plenty warm but not as crowded as along either coast. State parks will be open along panhandle.

Florida 55 · 12-13-2014, 06:59 AM

Don't despair yet. Even at this late date there is hope for Florida this winter.

Check Land Yacht Harbor in Melbourne. It is an Airstream Park with an age 55 and up restriction. Last year we made our reservations about this time. There were spaces available during our stay for last minute guests and it is my understanding they are rarely 100% full. Rates are reasonable for Florida in season - $29 per night, $175 weekly, $495 monthly. Location is good, south of Cape Canaveral, about midway down the east coast of Florida. People at the park are friendly. Downsides are the spaces are close together and there is little shade. They also insist on "helping" you park which is a little annoying. We would definitely stay there again. Last year we didn't have to put down a deposit with a reservation and there was no cancelation fee. Here is a link to the website:

Land Yacht Harbor Melbourne Website

You might also look into Traveler's Rest in Dade City, Florida and Paradise Park in Punta Gorda, Florida. Both are former Airstream only parks but still have a large number of Airstream owners staying there. I've never stayed at either park but I've heard both usually have a few sites during season. I've only heard good things about both locations. At Traveler's Rest you contact the park for reservations. At Paradise Park you rent directly from the site owner. There is a page on the Paradise Park website with sites for sale/rent and information to contact the owner directly. It appears nightly rental rates are about $25 and weekly about $150 at Paradise Park. The only negative thing I've heard about Paradise Park is its distance from the town of Punta Gorda.

Traveler's Rest RV Resort Website

Paradise Park - Punta Gorda Website

I know Airstreamers who go to Florida in the winter without reservations, tour the state for a couple of months, and always find a spot. State Parks hold back a few sites from the reservation system so it is possible to luck into one without a reservation. We once reserved a site in season at a popular park, found our rig wouldn't fit when we arrived, and were able to move to one of the unreserved sites which no one had taken. Some state parks have campgrounds for RV's as well.

Investigate county and local municipal parks as well. Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park is owned by the city of Jacksonville and had open sites when we stayed there in January two years ago. The campground is located an easy walk to the beach and is nicely shaded. Many of the county parks, like the state parks, hold back sites from the reservation system so it is possible to drop in and find a place to stay.

Hanna Park Website

With respect to the Corps of Engineers campgrounds, my experience is the Florida COE locations are extremely popular in season and book up months in advance. It is always worth checking in the event of a cancellation.

murreywalker · 12-13-2014, 07:23 AM

************TO ALL**************

Many thanks for all the encouraging comments, please keep them coming, and I just might convince the bride this voyage might be feasible!

BTW, we lived in Dallas 20 years, and have a pretty good feel for avails this time of the year.

mojo · 12-13-2014, 07:30 AM

Checkout the county parks in Broward, and Palm Beach as well as other counties.

polarlyse · 12-13-2014, 07:40 AM

Keep trying the state parks. Last year we "Got Lucky" and scored cancellations at 2 popular state parks so don't give up. BUT also don't count on it. Midway used to be first come first served so if you arrived early you had a better than average chance but they are now on a reservation system and book up early. If you don't mind dry camping there are a few places nearby. They also are on the reservations system but are much more available. You can pull in and if they have an available site it's yours for that one night. You must then go and make reservations for any subsequent nights you might want to stay. The dry camping sites are nice. We stayed for 3 or 4 nights last year at Monument Lake. You really don't need AC at this time of year so dry camping is not so bad. COE sites I've looked at are all booked months ahead. Nice if you can get one but need to plan early. Everglades NP has 2 campgrounds. Flamingo is pretty big and we've gotten in there without reservations. It has electric. The other one ( closer to the entrance) is pretty nice but dry camping only. We often travel the area without making reservations and have always found a site.

Bk Yd Safari · 12-13-2014, 07:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by karenjude

We visited Collier Seminole last year. There were so many sites packed in there without any foliage in between! Really packed and absolutely no privacy. I'm hoping the upgrades include decreasing the amount of sites by at least 50% but realize that's pretty unlikely.

agree way too many sites with tents between!!!
plan is to reduce # of sites (not sure how many), add sewer, and remodel bath houses...hope they get started soon...
tight but it is really far south!!!

Florida 55 · 12-13-2014, 08:00 AM

As others have indicated, some Florida state parks will have in season availability in the panhandle and in the northern part of the state. Northern Florida can be comfortable in January/February or downright cold, it depends on the weather patterns in a given year. There are great state parks along the panhandle coast.

Investigate the National Park Service campground at Fort Pickens near Pensacola in the Gulf Shores National Seashore. It has electric and water at the sites. If you visit Fort Pickens, I encourage you to visit the Naval Aviation Museum at the Pensacola Naval Air Station.

Fort Pickens Reservations

National Naval Aviation Museum

A wonderful private campground in Carrabelle, Florida is the Ho Hum RV Park located directly on Apalachicola Bay. Rates run $29 to $39 per night and $175 to $234 per week. It is probably still possible to get reservations at Ho Hum in January and February but a waterfront site reservation is unlikely this late date. Nearby Apalachicola is the oyster capital of Florida and has many good seafood restaurants. St. George Island State Park is nearby and has 60 campsites with water and sewer hookups.

Ho Hum RV Park

St. George Island State Park

You might also try Mystic Springs Cove, another Airstream Park north of Pensacola on the Escambia River. Full hookup sites are only $11 per night. It is owned by the Pensacola unit of the WBCCI. I'm not sure if WBCCI membership is required to stay there but you can check by calling the park.

Mystic Springs Cove Airstream Park

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park in Santa Rosa Beach is an excellent and popular state park with full hookup sites situated in the panhandle. It is the location of the annual Canopener Rally which this year has over 100 Airstreams signed up for the weekend of January 9-11. The campground is fully reserved for the rally weekend but there are open sites remaining at other times during January and February. It is a first class park with full hookups, paved sites, and two miles of pristine beach. The nearby resort town of Destin has a variety of restaurants and shopping venues.

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park

BoldAdventure · 12-13-2014, 09:03 AM

So most of the state parks here have a large volume of the park dedicated to first come first serve. We recently encountered this over Thanksgiving, I reserved the "last available" spot, supposedly online. At the park however, they had 30 campsites that where available for walk in's/first come first serve only and were not available for online/phone reservation.

The next place we are going had zlich online for reservation, but they list half the park for first come over the new years, so you becha we're going to get out butts there right after checkout on a Sunday to snag a spot for the whole week.