South Florida End of December & beginning of January

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zakarya

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Joined
Sep 3, 2013
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11
Hi,

I'm Planning to go to southern Florida between 27 December - 10 January. I wanted to reserve a campsite at one of the Key stone state park Islands but they were all booked. I'm looking for a full hook up campsite. Is there any place you suggest I should look at? not necessarily the southern part of Florida, I just hope I can find a warm place by the ocean. (coming from the freezing Pennsylvania).

Thank you,

Zak
 
Some day you will understand just how funny it is to be looking for a place in the keys in December. Pretty much all the ocean spots are locked down for this winter by now. Try booking for next year instead.
 
Full hookup in state and federal parks is HARD to find, most just offer electric and water, plus a dump station.

Privately owned camp grounds often do have full hookups.

Seriously search all over Florida now to reserve a spot. If you want warm, then look between daytona and miami on the east or west coast. Getting on or near the ocean is going to be hard, but if you search NOW you might find something. Soon as you do, prepay your accommodations as fast as possible before they are all gone.

You may have to settle for something inland then day trip to the beaches.

Brevard County on east coast owns 3 campgrounds that are close to the coast but not on beaches. Some have full hookups, but check right away for availability. You've picked a super popular time to come down, nothing wrong with that, but you better get it sorted out quickly.

Anytime you plan to spend the holidays at a popular destination, it's best to plan a year ahead though government parks only let you plan 11 months ahead. 

But if you seriously get on the internet and phone now, you might find something somewhere for those dates. Don't hesitate, get cracking now.
 
zakarya said:
Hi,

I'm Planning to go to southern Florida between 27 December - 10 January. I wanted to reserve a campsite at one of the Key stone state park Islands but they were all booked. I'm looking for a full hook up campsite. Is there any place you suggest I should look at? not necessarily the southern part of Florida, I just hope I can find a warm place by the ocean. (coming from the freezing Pennsylvania).

Thank you,

Zak
Click to expand...

We go to FL every year. Is this the east or west or you don't care. Fort de Soto is amazing in Pinellas county (east coast)  will be packed but you might be able to squeeze a couple of nights there. We just booked 4 nights.

We have stayed in several campgrounds as close to dog beaches as possible in Fort Pierce, and in the Tampa/St. Pete area. Let me know if you are interested in those areas and I will find out where we stayed and where we will probably stay again this year.

fixed quote
 
zakarya said:
Hi,

I'm Planning to go to southern Florida between 27 December - 10 January. I wanted to reserve a campsite at one of the Key stone state park Islands but they were all booked. I'm looking for a full hook up campsite. Is there any place you suggest I should look at? not necessarily the southern part of Florida, I just hope I can find a warm place by the ocean. (coming from the freezing Pennsylvania).

Thank you,

Zak
Click to expand...

BTW, we too once upon a time tried to get into the keys sort of last minute. We ended up in a very expensive campground within driving distance. At the time (years ago) it was $75 a night. If you have an old rig that might be an issue!


fixed quote
 
    One of the main problems with trying to get into State Parks is that they allow Florida Resident Seniors to stay for a dollar or 2 per night, and they allow them to book 6 months in advance.  So, if they are thinking that they might like to stay, they book and blow the minimal deposit fee.  We have shown up at parks that were supposedly full, but had half their sites empty.  As a result, most of these State Parks retain a few sites that they won't reserve and they will allow a maximum stay, I think it's 1 week.  But I would not suggest you try to get into one of these sites which are on the keys as there are a lot of people trying to get them, the private sites on the Keys run $100+
    However, if you are looking for warmth anything south of ! 4 will give it to you, and the Gulf coast is probably where you should be looking, as the Atlantic side get very congested.  BTW Joanne, although I support your comments on Fort DeSoto, it is on the West or Gulf Coast.  We RV'd and then bought in St Petes for many years, and there are many Framily nearby.
  Ed
 
We have spent the past 9 winters in So FL. We have stayed in the Central part of the state. There are many sites available in the Okeechobee or Sebring area.. The advantage of this area is that you are about an hr or so drive from either coast,Orlando area or the Everglades. Great for day trips or overnight to the Keys.  Prices are reasonable ($300 to $600 per Mo.for blue collar parks)  Our first trip we spent a week each in Ocala, Okeechobee, Key Largo and Ft Meyers areas. Made reservations only in Okeechobee. The rest we called ahead a day or two in advance. Only had trouble once.
 
The state parks in the Keys have some sites set aside for first come, first served. Maybe not with hook-ups, though. You will probably have to go with a commercial park, and they are pricey during the winter. The winter season is south Florida is like a long holiday weekend - everybody wants to be there.
 
Try calling Jolly Roger in Marathon, or Fiesta Key MM 77 I think.  There is always Blue Water better have your AMEX CARD..

 
DearMissMermaid said:
Full hookup in state and federal parks is HARD to find, most just offer electric and water, plus a dump station.

Privately owned camp grounds often do have full hookups.
Click to expand...

I'm new to this. I thought Full hookup meant electric and water. I am learning something new  :)
 
JoanneL said:
We go to FL every year. Is this the east or west or you don't care. Fort de Soto is amazing in Pinellas county (east coast)  will be packed but you might be able to squeeze a couple of nights there. We just booked 4 nights.

We have stayed in several campgrounds as close to dog beaches as possible in Fort Pierce, and in the Tampa/St. Pete area. Let me know if you are interested in those areas and I will find out where we stayed and where we will probably stay again this year.

fixed quote
Click to expand...

I don't care if it's east or west as long as it's warm. I am interested in Fort Pierce, and in the Tampa/St. Pete area. I'm happy to hear your suggestion.

Thanks
 
tswms said:
We have spent the past 9 winters in So FL. We have stayed in the Central part of the state. There are many sites available in the Okeechobee or Sebring area.. The advantage of this area is that you are about an hr or so drive from either coast,Orlando area or the Everglades. Great for day trips or overnight to the Keys.  Prices are reasonable ($300 to $600 per Mo.for blue collar parks)  Our first trip we spent a week each in Ocala, Okeechobee, Key Largo and Ft Meyers areas. Made reservations only in Okeechobee. The rest we called ahead a day or two in advance. Only had trouble once.
Click to expand...

Do you happen to know the name of the park you suggest staying at in the Okeechobee area?
 
zakarya said:
I don't care if it's east or west as long as it's warm. I am interested in Fort Pierce, and in the Tampa/St. Pete area. I'm happy to hear your suggestion.
Click to expand...
It depends on the year.  We live 90 miles south of Tampa/St Pete and sometimes freeze our butts off with mid 30's low temperatures.  Other winters we see mid 50's for lows and that's still cold for us Floridians.  This year we are going to the South Pacific for the winter.
 
zakarya said:
I don't care if it's east or west as long as it's warm. I am interested in Fort Pierce, and in the Tampa/St. Pete area. I'm happy to hear your suggestion.

Thanks
Click to expand...

In Fort Pierce, the name is http://www.roadrunnertravelresort.com/  Road Runner.

Bay Bayou RV Resort at 126222 Memorial Highway in Tampa.

Clearwater Travel Resort located at 2946 Gulf To Bay Boulevard in Clearwater..

I have an itinerary. If you want I can send you the link, send you the article...whatever you want. Don't miss the Dali museum. I heard they built a new one even if you aren't a museum lover.
 
zakarya said:
I don't care if it's east or west as long as it's warm. I am interested in Fort Pierce, and in the Tampa/St. Pete area. I'm happy to hear your suggestion.

Thanks
Click to expand...

PS My parents living in FL for many years. I stopped taking my kids down in December and February because of the weather. As was said of San Francisco...the coldest winters I've spent have been in FL. No joke, I hear it is warn now but we have had to wear winter coats, hats, scarves so be prepared. You never know - even in southern FL.
 
The coasts are more reliably warm than the interior, due the moderating effect of the adjacent ocean. That generally keeps the nights warmer, so the day warms up earlier as well. If you never want to see a single night with temps near freezing, I suggest staying south of a line roughly from Fort Pierce to Sarasota. You can range another 60-90 miles north of that with little risk, but the interior region might get an occasional overnight cold snap.

If you can deal with an occasional cold night, you can stay even further north. People still play golf during the day and northerners are often seen in shorts & tee shorts, even though Floridians maybe wearing jeans and sweatshirts. Those of us who live here think anything below 70 is chilly!
 
Hfx_Cdn said:
    One of the main problems with trying to get into State Parks is that they allow Florida Resident Seniors to stay for a dollar or 2 per night, and they allow them to book 6 months in advance.  So, if they are thinking that they might like to stay, they book and blow the minimal deposit fee.  We have shown up at parks that were supposedly full, but had half their sites empty. 
Click to expand...

Where do I find out about these Florida Seniors staying for a dollar or 2 per night?
 
    I just checked the Florida State Park website, and that policy now reads " A 50 percent discount on base campsite fees is available to Florida citizens who are 65 years of age or older or Florida citizens who are 100 percent disabled"  So, now it is only a 50% discount.  Sorry that I misspoke, so rates start at $8 per night and work their way up for the more expensive parks.

Ed
 
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