The Florida RV Park and Campground Association is encouraging snowbirds to make their reservations now as RV sites and rental accommodations are booking up quickly for the winter months.
According to a press release, Tom and Mary Davee are busy making improvements to SoWal Palms RV Park in Santa Rosa Beach in preparation for the upcoming winter season.
The beautifully landscaped park is only 2.5 miles from the white sand beaches of Florida’s Emerald Coast. And while the park only has 36 RV spaces, it’s family-friendly and dog-friendly, and complements its RV sites with three tiny home rentals. And best of all, the park has vacancies for the upcoming winter season.
“We would love to fill the park with snowbirds this coming winter,” Mary Davee said.
While many Florida RV resorts are already sold out for January, February, and March, people who reach out to RV parks and resorts right now will find that there are still RV sites and even park model rentals available at many parks. But the window of opportunity to reserve a campsite or rental for the upcoming winter season is closing.
“Competition for winter RV sites and rental accommodations in Florida will intensify in the coming weeks, so it’s best to make your winter reservations now,” said Bobby Cornwell, executive director and CEO of the Florida RV Park and Campground Association, which hosts CampFlorida.com, the travel planning website.
Here’s a sampling of RV parks and resorts across Florida that still had vacancy during the late fall and winter months as of late August:
Bakers Acres RV Resort in Zephryhills: This Sun Outdoors 55-and-over park has a swimming pool and fitness center, a clubhouse and game room, shuffleboard and bocce ball courts, and planned activities.
Blueberry Hill RV Resort in Bushnell: This pet-friendly, all-ages Sun RV resort features a swimming pool, clubhouse and areas for playing bocce ball, pickleball, horseshoes and cornhole.
Breezy Oaks RV Park in Bushnell: All 217 sites in this park have been hard-wired with high-speed internet service. Park owner Mike Wood is also planning to expand park next year with another 181 sites available during the winter of 2023-2024.
Bulow RV Resort in Flagler Beach: This resort is set on the banks of Bulow Creek between Daytona Beach and St. Augustine. Guests enjoy the easy access to a number of outdoor recreational activities, including boating, fishing, hiking, and cycling.
The resort features more than 350 RV sites as well as cottage and cabin rentals, complete with full-size beds, bath, and full kitchens with all the cookware. The resort offers a small-town feeling within the property, complete with an on-site shop, bar, and activities center.
There is an onsite swimming pool, volleyball, mini-golf course and a dog park for the four-legged visitors. Of course, don’t forget the clubs this winter as Bulow RV is surrounded by six nearby golf courses.
Champions Run RV Resort in Ocala: Sunlight Resorts opened park in January with 407 sites but expects to expand up to 483 sites by winter. Amenities include a full-service tiki bar, a large swimming pool and hot tub, a full fitness center, and pickleball courts.
Citrus Hill RV Resort in Dade City: Amenities at this pet-friendly 55-and-over Sun RV park include a clubhouse and game room as well as areas to play shuffleboard and horseshoes. The park, which is owned by Sun also offers planned activities.
Clerbrook Golf & RV Resort in Clermont: This 287-acre Orlando area Encore RV resort features 1,250 RV sites as well as cabin, cottage and villa rentals. Currently under renovation, the pride of the resort is the challenging, on-site 18-hole golf course surrounded by lush vegetation, interconnecting ponds and canals, and majestic trees. The renovation includes a new course-wide irrigation system, reconstructed greens, an updated driving range, a makeover of the cart paths, and a brand new fleet of golf carts, with an anticipated reopening this fall.
Flamingo Lake RV Resort in Jacksonville: Activities at this all-ages RV resort include boating and fishing on 17-acre Flamingo Lake lake and relaxing on the beach. Amenities include a swimming pool, clubhouse, and fitness center, a playground with a jumping pillow, and a pet area. The park, which is part of the Sun Outdoors network, also has an onsite restaurant.
Florida Caverns RV Resort at Merritts Mill Pond in Marianna: This park has nearly 1,800 feet of frontage along spring-fed Merritts Mill Pond. Activities include fishing, diving, snorkeling, paddleboarding, kayaking, boating, and swimming.
Grove Ridge RV Resort in Dade City: Amenities at this Sun RV resort include a swimming pool and clubhouse, a billiards room, and shuffleboard and pickleball courts.
Island Oaks RV Resort in Glen St. Mary: This brand new, 385-site park features a heated swimming pool and poolside tiki bar; miniature golf; a fitness center; bocce ball; basketball; volleyball; and pickleball courts; a fishing lake with a dock, paddle boards and kayaks; a full restaurant and bar, and a children’s playground, among other amenities. Nature areas and ponds are also located throughout the park along with preserved wetlands.
Pecan Park RV Resort in Jacksonville: Activities at this all-ages Sun Outdoors RV resort include boating and catch-and-release fishing at the park’s lake. Amenities include a swimming pool, fitness center, and community fire pit.
Red Oaks RV Resort in Bushnell: This pet-friendly, 55-and-over Sun Outdoors resort features a swimming pool and hot tub, a clubhouse and fitness center, horseshoes, basketball and volleyball courts. Planned activities include ice cream socials and musical evenings with line dancing, Karaoke, and square dancing.
Resort at Canopy Oaks in Lake Wales: This is the largest new RV resort in Florida, having opened in December 2020 with 411 RV sites. Park amenities include several lakes; a tiki bar; a deli that serves sandwiches, pizza, and salads; a coffee shop and ice cream parlor; a country store; and a hair salon and spa.
Santa Fe Palms RV Resort in Gainesville: Amenities at this brand new 115-site, pet-friendly park include a swimming pool, a nature walk, pickleball courts, and cornhole. High-speed WiFi is also available throughout the park.
Southern Leisure RV Resort in Chiefland: This pet-friendly, 55-and-over Sun Outdoors resort has many amenities, including a 7,000 square-foot clubhouse, an outdoor kitchen, an Olympic-size swimming pool and spa as well as bocce ball, pickleball, and shuffleboard courts as well as a sewing and quilting studio.
Southern Palms RV Resort in Eustis: Located in Central Florida’s Lake Country, this Encore resort features many planned activities, including yoga, water aerobics, dances, painting classes, and group outings as well as onsite amenities such as billiards, bocce ball, a game room, library, a swimming pool, a whirlpool spa, and a dog park. With nearly 900 sites, the park also has park model rentals.
Stage Stop Campground in Winter Garden: This 248-site park features RV sites with full hookups, concrete patios, and picnic tables. The park’s roads have recently been surfaced and its WiFi system has been upgraded.
Sun Outdoors Orlando Champions Gate in Davenport: Amenities at this all-ages Sun RV resort include a heated swimming pool, horseshoes, shuffleboard, planned activities, and events.
The Surf RV Resort in Palmetto: This new luxury RV resort developed by Zeman Homes is expected to open December 1. Amenities include a resort-style swimming pool and tiki bar; a clubhouse and fitness center, pickleball courts, and dog parks. Organized activities and special events will also be scheduled throughout the winter months.
Travelers Campground in Alachua: All 158 sites in this park have been hard-wired with high-speed internet service. Park owner Mike Wood plans to eventually expand the park with another 50 to 200 sites.
Tropical Palms Resort in Kissimmee: This 69-acre Encore resort is located just a few miles from the Walt Disney World Resort and the Orange County Convention Center. The resort offers a mix of RV sites and colorful vacation cottages, which include a full kitchen, a full bath, flat-screen TV, a sleeper sofa, and a private deck.
With 343 total sites, including full hook-up RV sites, Tropical Palms is suitable for all types of camping guests who are looking to enjoy all that Central Florida offers at an affordable price.
Guests have complete access to all the onsite amenities as well, which include access to the swimming pool with splash fountain, café, shuffleboard, bocce ball, horseshoes, live entertainment, on-site laundry, and planned social events. Tropical Palms is also pet friendly and features an onsite dog park.
Twin Lakes Camp Resort in Defuniak Springs: This park features RV sites and a variety of rental accommodations, including glamping tents. Campground amenities include boat and kayak rentals, an activity center with kitchen facilities, a swimming pool, and a beautiful bathhouse with wine barrel sinks with copper basins.
Wildwood RV Village in Wildwood: This park added 159 new RV sites this year, all of which have been hired wired with high-speed Internet service. The park currently has 504 sites.
Yacht Haven Park & Marina in Fort Lauderdale: This 250-site park offers a renovated pool framed by a sleek wooden sundeck, a poolside Tiki Hut with hammocks, and a nautical-themed bar. Steps away is a sunny recreation area with cornhole, shuffleboard, and plenty of open space to unwind. The resort also has kayak and paddleboard rentals, pontoon boat rentals, and a sensational 35-foot center console motorboat that can be chartered for sightseeing and fun on the water.
Concierge services are onsite to help guests plan their days and nights, and upgraded laundry and restroom facilities, as well valet trash service, provide added comfort and convenience.
Information about the latest trends involving campgrounds, RV parks, and resorts is available from the Florida RV Park and Campground Association, which markets privately owned and operated parks in Florida through CampFlorida.com, the travel planning website.
The association also publishes a free printed camping guide, which can be ordered through CampFlorida.com.
Featured image from SoWal Palms RV Park.