Florida State Parks & Camping Info Guide

Rough it for a week or two (if you can even call it that) in "nature's playground."

We never knew how beautiful the state parks of Florida were until we saw them firsthand.

We always focused on the best Florida beaches, but know camping is an excellent way to be one with nature, get away from the real world, and stay out of the way of other travelers heading to some of the more crowded areas of Florida.

In our Florida camping section we have covered the tips and such for going camping,so here we will provide you with information about some of the Florida StateParks and where to get more information for your trip.

From the moment you enter a Florida State Park, you will leave the stresses of your lives behind.

Click here to give your review of the Florida state parks

Just a portion of what the Florida State Parks include are:

• World class beaches
• Underwater parks
• Recreational areas & Fun
• Breathtaking rivers & crystal clear springs
• Hiking trails
• Museums, forts, & lots of history
• Plus, plenty of information and visitor centers to work your way around and understand the various landmarks and natural monuments

You can also enjoy a number of activities and nature at one of the many Florida Parks.

Take in the beaches, lakes, canoeing, hiking, cooking out, bicycling, boating (check out our Florida charters boat trip), relaxing, fishing, horseback riding, each others company, and so many other things to do while camping.

Just be sure you know the dangers of being in a wildlife area. Enjoy the beautiful state parks, but be sure everyone is aware of the rules, regulations, and precautions.

The Florida State Parks can be broken down by region- The Northwest, Northeast, Central, Southwest, & Southeast.

Be sure that when you pick a location for your trip you find out all you can about the area and what each park includes.

A list of FAQ's you should ask include:

Are pets allowed and what are the rules on that?
What fees are there?
Do I need to make reservations?
What is the best time of the year to visit the Florida State Parks?
What discounts are available?
What activities are there to do?
What are the regulations, dangers, safety issues, help, etc.?
What other information is provided? Visitor centers, maps, and so forth?

Be sure to tell us all about your Florida camping trip here

I am sure you have been camping before and maybe even enjoyed one of the Florida State Parks. However, we feel it important to remind you to find out all that you can to ensure your vacation is stress free and enjoyable.

Now that we have covered all that let's look at some of the more popular state parks you could visit...

We listed a few in our Florida campgrounds section, but here are more favorites straight from the director of the Florida State Parks system.

**John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, Key Largo
# 1 in the Florida state park system in attendance (a million visitors a year). First undersea park in the U.S., includes coral reefs, seagrass beds and mangrove swamps. Famous for scuba diving in Florida and snorkeling to view the coral reefs, which are among the most beautiful and diverse of all living communities.

**St. Joseph Peninsula State Park, Port St. Joe (NW Florida)
A wonderful location for observing hawks during fall migration, there is a recorded 209 bird species in the park. The shallow waters of St. Joseph Bay are alive with a variety of marine life. Visitors can observe bay scallop, hermit fiddler, horseshoe crab, and octopi. A marina is available for those wishing to do some boating. If you love the water, St. Joseph is the state park to visit. So much for roughin it huh?

**Paynes Prairie State Preserve, Micanopy (Gainesville)
Paynes Prairie is among the most significant natural and historical areas in Florida. Ranger-led walks and backpacking trips offer exceptional opportunities for viewing the Preserves diverse wildlife from an observation tower near the visitor center. Enjoy bicycle trails, hiking trails and Florida camping at its best.

**Wekiwa Springs State Park, Apopka (near Orlando)
Offers 7800 acres of wild scenery that show how central Florida looked when the Indians speared fish in the spring-fed creeks and stalked deer in the uplands. Wekiwa Springs is the headwaters for the beautiful Wekiva River. Popular activities include swimming in the cool clear waters of Wekiwa Springs and canoeing on the Wekiva River. A group camp with cabins, meeting hall and dining facility, a family campground, and primitive youth camping area are available for your Florida State Parks experience.

A couple other fabulous State Parks that have been labeled favorites include:

St. George Island (Apalachicola, Florida). Many have reviewed this park as one of the best in the nation, let alone Florida.

Another area and state park to consider are The Florida Everglades and National Park. You'll get a truly unique vacation experience here.

Also, we have to mention Anastasia Island again near St Augustine Florida offers an array of wildlife to admire and the best times to visit are late winter into early spring.

Bottom line is that the Florida State Parks listed always came back as the best in the state and some as the best in the nation. You can be sure that you will have a wonderful vacation at any of the Florida State Parks above.

Be sure if you choose another one of the State Parks you research the area as best you can. The two sites we highly recommend you visit to learn about any of the Florida State Parks are:

1. FloridaStateParks.org: They arethe foremost expert on the entire Florida Park System. Get all your questions answered and find info about any of the parks.

2. TripAdvisor.com: This is our favorite travel website. They offer reviews, deals, information, and other travel needs. This link will take you to the Florida home page where you can search a location from there.

Have you been to a Florida state park or RV park and want to submit a review? Please do so here so others can either benefit or stay away from specific parks.

Hope our Florida parks section was helpful. If you need to find anything in particular, try our search feature...