Florida Beaches RV Vacation Itinerary

We’ll focus on a few of the local natural highlights of the area you won’t want to miss:

Attractions at the Destination:

• Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Parks - Honeymoon Island boasts several nature trails and bird observation areas as well as plenty of beachfront with ample parking.
• Caladesi Island State Park is only a short  boat or ferry ride from Honeymoon Island. This park is more remote and has a three-mile interior nature trail as well as a three-mile kayak or canoe trail you can follow through the mangroves and bay.
• For a taste of international flavor, visit the Greek-American center in Tarpon Springs, home to many Greeks who came here over a century ago as sponge divers.
• You can also hitch a ride on a dolphin-watching boat cruise or go to one of the many County Parks found in the area. Stop at Wall Springs Park and visit one of the oldest natural springs in the area, or go out to the Gulf of Mexico beach at Fred Howard Park, just five minutes from downtown Tarpon Springs.
• Go for a great canoe escape on the Hillsborough River or enjoy a swim in their very cool pool, a few miles east of Tampa. See 16,000 acres of wilderness, just an hour or so from your campground.
• You can also visit Busch Gardens, the Lowry Park Zoo, The Florida Aquarium or MOSI (Tampa’s Museum of Science and Industry), all right in the Tampa area.
• On the less-traveled side, you can visit a remarkable sanctuary for large cats, like bobcats, ocelots, lions and tigers (Oh my!) at Big Cat Rescue.
• Head over to the beautiful and very popular Clearwater Beach (named as “Florida’s Best Beach Town”) and dine at one of any of the award-winning Frenchy’s Restaurants.  After about 7 p.m. to sunset, go to Pier 60 located directly on the beach and watch the buskers (live entertainers) or shop the many crafts that are displayed for sale there.
• Don’t miss the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, official home of Winter and now Hope, stars of the movies, Dolphin Tale and Dolphin Tale 2.

Nearby RV Campgrounds:

• Relaxing, Accessible to Everything Location for Seniors and Families: About 4 miles north of the small quaint downtown of Dunedin, you will come to the charming Dunedin RV Resort, right behind the Blue Moon Inn.
• Horseback Lover’s and Adventurers’ Retreat: You can camp in one of the 34 fully-equipped RV sites at the Little Manatee River State Park in Wimauma. Here you will find 2 equestrian friendly sites as well as plenty of trails for horseback riding and canoeing along the Little Manatee River.
• Golf-Lovers’ Paradise: You can camp on the shores of Lake Tarpon very reasonably too, only 1/8 mile away from the prestigious Innisbrook Golf Resort. Enjoy golfing daily or go boating on the Lake while you camp at the Lake and Bay RV Resort.

Attractions Along the Way:

• Kayaking or Paddle Boarding on Anna Maria Island - located on your way south, and just a tad further west Anna Maria Island is home to Bradenton Beach, Coquina Beach and Holmes Beach on. It’s worth the trip! Powdered sugar soft and immaculately clean sand beaches, amazing sunsets and great places to play on the beach.
• De Soto National Memorial - Learn the story of the Spanish Conquistador Hernando De Soto and his mercenaries from 1539 who made landfall in Tampa Bay. Gory history lesson, nice nature trail and small beach in Bradenton.

Attractions at the Destination:

• Sarasota Jungle Gardens - Fun and entertaining plus live flamingos, tropical gardens and canopied walkways. A tropical adventure since 1939.
• Marie Selby Botanical Gardens - elaborate and natural feeling gardens with lots of artistic touches. A lovely walk on a nice afternoon.
• Siesta Key Beaches - A spectacular white, soft sand beach and playground with tons of free parking, loads of concessions, free showers and plenty of gorgeous white, sandy beachfront.  An award-winning Florida beach!
• Jim Nevelle Marine Preserve - A spectacularly fun place to kayak or canoe around in Little Sarasota Bay. The route wanders through this 35-acre preserve between Siesta and Casey Keys. Easy for beginning kayakers.
• Historic Spanish Point - Accessed from US 41 just south of Sarasota, this is a 30-acre National Historic Register site with shell middens dating back to 1250 BC.
• The Oasis Café - Sarasota on Osprey Ave at Siesta Drive – Great Saturday and Sunday Brunch – amazing baked goods and great service. A don’t-miss, locals’ favorite spot.
• Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall - in Sarasota is host to a number of very well known performers. This is a landmark, Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation performing arts hall, right on Sarasota Bay.

Nearby RV Campgrounds:

• Camp Right on the Beach: On Siesta Key, there is actually only one RV Campground, Turtle Beach Campground. Run by Sarasota County, this unique campground is located on Midnight Pass Road on the beach at the southern end of Siesta Key. Call early to reserve a space if you want the only choice here for on-beach camping. It has only 40 spaces.They fill up very quickly, but can accommodate large RVs.
• Rustic, Remote Camping Still Close to Everything: For more remote, rustic camping, Camp Venice is on the Myakka River, just inland a few miles from the coast on the way to Venice, a few miles south of Sarasota. It is a huge park with lots of old oak trees, yet it has plenty of modern amenities and can accommodate up to 46-foot coaches comfortably.
• For Nature Lovers: Another naturally beautiful campsite is located at the Oscar Scherer State Park, run by Florida State Parks. This is truly old Florida, scenic area designed to allow hiking, bicycling, canoeing and kayaking and plenty of wildlife viewing. Motorized boats are forbidden within the park boundaries, which are along South Creek, a tidal black water stream. This park offers fully equipped campsites for tent or RVs up to 36 feet long.
• Family-Friendly River Paradise: The Myakka River State Park is another river paradise run by Florida State Parks that offers many activities for the whole family.  You can get up close with all kinds of wildlife and birds here.  This is one of the largest and oldest of Florida’s state parks, where you can park along the Myakka River or near the park’s two large lakes.  The park is just nine miles east of Sarasota so it is within easy driving distance of the beaches as well.  It has 75 RV or tent sites and 2 that are for RVs or trailers only - up to 40-feet long.  The park offers trails, tours, bird walks, a visitor center, playground, canoes, bicycles and fishing as well.
• Senior Favorites: Two other good choices of private RV parks are Royal Coachman RV Resort, in Nokomis, near Venice and Sun-N-Fun RV Resort on Fruitville Road in Sarasota. Both can accommodate large RVs and are popular with seniors in particular.

Attractions Along the Way:

• The Thomas Edison/Ford Museum and Home: These were the winter estates of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford back in the late 1920’s and early 1930’s. Visit Edison Botanical Laboratory, as well as the adjacent Ford Estate. Wander around the gardens, making sure to notice the huge Banyan trees. See more at: www.edisonfordwinterestates.org.  On your way further south on McGregor Blvd, State Road 867, you will see the lush landscaping and gardens that are largely the result of Mr. Edison’s botanical research.
• Ft. Myers Beach – A spectacle of clam shells ready for collectors and sugary soft sand await at this delightful beach on the southwest coast. Visit the dolphins or go out on a waverunner to enjoy the Gulf there. This is a little south of where 867 goes west to Sanibel, but worth a short detour to take in a true Florida classic beach.
• A Real Environmentalist’s Haven!  See more of the “Old Florida” environment brought to you by the State of Florida Parks Department at Estero Bay Preserve State Park. See the Estero Bay Aquatic Preserve, first of its kind in Florida and one of the most productive estuaries in the state. It is home to plentiful wildlife, including the bald eagle. The preserve protects the water, inlets and islands along 10 miles of Estero Bay. Worth a short detour to hike or go canoeing or kayaking and see unusual wildlife.
• Continue to Sanibel Island, home of the J.N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge. Walk or drive through nature trails and see more than 200 species of birds in this 6,300-acre natural preserve. After your tour of the refuge, you can cruise around Sanibel Island and its fantastic beaches.
• Captiva Island - This place has an almost mystical-magical atmosphere. It feels slightly off the time continuum of the rest of the world and altogether different from the mainland. Explore and have fun here!

Attractions at the Destination:

• Naples Botanical Garden - this hidden gem is  great spot where nature lovers can explore butterflies ,beautiful orchids, and plants.

• Lowdermilk Beach – A lovely white sand beach.

• Explore the Everglades – Take a Swamp Buggy excursion or  jet ski tour!

• The Naples Pier – The Naples Pier is a a perfect spot to practice your fishing skills or catch a world class Naples sunset.

Nearby RV Campgrounds:

• Family Favorite Camping at Naples/Marco Island KOA: Camping at a KOA campground is predictably fun for the entire family and the Naples/Marco Island KOA is no exception. Located right in Naples and on Rookery Bay Research Reserve, this campground is a real haven on the west coast of Florida. It is only a few minutes from downtown Naples and convenient for boaters and RV’ers alike.
• Fine Club atmosphere camping at Club Naples RV Resort: This is like a nice country club which also happens to accommodate RVs. They have 50-amp electric and cable TV but apparently no WiFi. This a well-maintained park with lots of amenities and activities. It is located conveniently just off I-75, Alligator Alley near the Toll Booth near the western edge of the Everglades.
• Economical Camping Alternative for the Nature Lover: Collier-Seminole State Park: This campground is considered a tropical outpost on the edge of the Everglades, just 20 minutes south of Naples on US 41. Campsites have water, electricity, restrooms with showers and a screened-in activity building. There are 120 campsites to accommodate all campers, from tents to large motor homes up to 60-feet long. All are nestled among majestic royal palms and colorful gumbo-limbo trees. Pets are welcome in the campground. Park is located a 25-minute drive from Marco Island.

Attractions Along the Way:

• You will drive through Big Cypress National Preserve, also a choice for overnight camping and eventually through Everglades National Park.  
• You can make a short stop at the Shark Valley part of the Everglades which is just off US 41, 70 miles east of Naples and only 25 miles west of Miami. This is near the Miccosukee Cultural Center.  Here you can take a two hour, naturalist-led tram tour of the "River of Grass" and it's inhabitants.
• You might also find a brief lunch stop at an authentic Indian Village (which really are authentic, by the way) a nice break. Or take a ride on an airboat and experience the Everglades up close and loud!

Attractions at the Destination:

• The Miami Dade County Zoo – Just off SW 152 Street, and about 15 miles south of the city itself, this zoo has everything you’d want in a world-class zoo.
• One mile south of downtown Miami is the Miami Museum of Science and the Space Transit Planetarium. This is a not-to-be-missed planetarium with star shows for the whole family.
• Another great spot is Vizcaya Museum and Gardens just around the corner from the Miami Museum of Science. On the edge of downtown, this historic mansion and gardens offer a gorgeous natural and opulent retreat.
• You will enjoy visiting the Venetian Pool near the historic old Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables. Take a swim in its always cool and refreshing 72-degree spring-fed water that has been delighting swimmers since 1923.
• Drive across the Venetian Causeway to Miami Beach to take in South Beach – the Art Deco District and its wonderful art deco style hotels and restaurants. For a quick bite, drive along Ocean Drive and stop at any of the delis you will find there.
• Not just another beach:  Check out Key Biscayne and the public beaches there – Crandon Park offers lots of gorgeous views of the water and plenty of places to enjoy windsurfing as well.
• Don’t miss the iconic Cape Florida Lighthouse or Miami Seaquarium nearby. While visiting Crandon Park be sure to visit the very educational Marjory Stoneman Douglas Biscayne Nature Center.

Nearby RV Campgrounds:

• For the nature lover - As mentioned above, Big Cypress National Preserve offers RV camping in five of its campgrounds. Contact them for specifics.
• For an out of the way, ideal family campground - Miami Everglades Resort offers 34 acres of tropical camping paradise only 30 miles south of Miami and about 20 miles north of Key Largo in the rural Redlands District of south Dade County.
• Southern hospitality at its best - The Southern Comfort RV Resort in Florida City is conveniently located near Homestead and Florida City and not far from the Upper Florida Keys.
• Out of town while in town - Larry and Penny Thompson Park in Dade County, FL This is a relatively new County Park close to everything, offering numerous activities and 240 campsites for RV’s with full electrical and water.

Attractions at the Destination:

• A Real Wild Ride -  Just 15 miles inland (west) from West Palm Beach, Lion Country Safari offers a unique Safari Adventure that combines a unique drive-through wildlife preserve and the fun of an entertainment park with wildlife exhibits, restaurants, gift shops and more. Be prepared to spend four or five hours here at least! You can camp right next to this 320-acre wild animal preserve on Lion Country Boulevard at the Lion Country Safari KOA campground. (See below).
• Worth Avenue -  Shopping at its finest, Worth Avenue is an extreme upscale shopping district in Palm Beach. Voted one of the top three "Most Iconic" streets in America in 2013, the Avenue stretches four blocks from Lake Worth to the Atlantic Ocean.
• The Breakers Hotel and Resort – truly a Palm Beach landmark, The Breakers Palm Beach has lured generations of travelers to its idyllic, Italian-Renaissance, Atlantic beachfront setting. Stop by for a beverage or lunch and enjoy panoramic views of the Atlantic.
• Drive along the beach on A1A to see amazing beachfront homes and do not miss the Flagler Museum.  Built by Henry Flagler for his third wife, this 55-room mansion, also known as Whitehall, is in the National Register of Historic Places.  This is truly one of the most sumptuous houses ever built in America!
• PGA National Resort & Spa in Palm Beach Gardens offers daily golfing if that is your pleasure. This luxurious resort and spa has five championship golf courses that challenge even the pros.

Nearby RV Campgrounds:

• Lion Country Safari KOA - Camp adjacent to the Lion Country Safari animal park, where you can sleep to sounds of night-time Africa and awaken to the roar of nearby lions.
• An up-market place to park - Located right in West Palm Beach, off I – 95, Vacation Inn RV Resort is a very upscale, ownership resort that rents or sells space to RVers. Visit the nearby Rapids Water Park or Lone Pine Golf Course.
• Family Camping Loaded with Activities - The West Jupiter Camping Resort is a tropical resort that offers lots of activities in a rustic setting and nearby. Just north of West Palm Beach.

Attractions Along the Way:

• Hutchinson Island, near Stuart, visit the Atlantic Ridge Preserve State Park for its lovely long nature and equine trails.  At Fredrick Douglass Memorial Park on the Island, you can even ride horses on the beach.
• At the Florida Oceanographic Society’s Coastal Center, visit an aquatic center and learn all about the treasures of Florida, above and under water.
• Visit McKee Botanical Garden for a truly unique tropical garden, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, an historic Florida landmark.
• See the Indian River Citrus Museum in Vero Beach, where you will learn all about the superiority of Florida-grown, Indian River grapefruit, undoubtedly the best in the world!

Attractions at the Destination:

• Archie Carr National Wildlife Refuge - See this unique refuge designed to protect the future of the loggerhead sea turtle.
• Sebastian Inlet State Park - Adjacent to the Archie Carr refuge, this is a favorite fishing spot for anglers from the entire country. It also has lovely beaches and areas for scuba diving, snorkeling, shelling, canoeing and kayaking.
• Drive around exclusive Orchid Island, over 600 tropical acres bordered by the Indian River, Intracoastal waterway and the Atlantic Ocean.
• See Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, a United States National Wildlife Refuge located just off the western coast of Orchid Island.

Nearby RV Campgrounds:

• Family Friendly, with Great Fishing: Long Point Park Campground - This delightful spot features shoreline campsites, a swimming lake, and more, located across Highway A1A from the ocean beaches.
• Whispering Palms RV Resort in Sebastian - This park is located 5 miles from the beach and 12 miles from Sebastian Inlet and Pelican Island National Wildlife Refuge, has 571 total sites with 15 pull-throughs, accommodating up to 60’ long RVs.
• Fort Pierce/Port St. Lucie KOA - Close to the Navy Seal Museum and the Fort Pierce State Park and newly redone Fort Pierce Marina, this KOA campground is right in the middle of everything on the Treasure Coast.
• Savannas Recreation Area - A St. Lucie County park, this is a very reasonably priced alternative offering many activities, including canoe and kayak rentals, boating and fishing all within a 550-acre unique geological pristine wilderness reserve.

Attractions Along the Way:

• AIS Trail Park - Visit this 17-acre park for a walk through uplands on a short boardwalk, fishing, canoeing, and kayaking.
• Titusville - Don’t miss the Valiant Air Command Warbird Museum. Dedicated to finding and preserving historic aircraft, this is an attractive museum fun for its unusual artifacts.

Attractions at the Destination:

• You can dine on the River Queen, authentic paddle wheel boat on Friday nights or Sunday afternoons right on the Indian River in Cocoa Beach.
• At Cocoa Beach, see the beach, take a walk along the pier, and don’t miss Ron Jon’s Surf shop! This is a definite landmark!
• Historic Cocoa Village is due west of Cocoa Beach and has great shops, cafes and antique stores.

Nearby RV Campgrounds:

• Fun for the whole Family - Jetty Park Campground: has everything to entertain you and your family.  Watch dolphins leading giant cruise ships into port here.
• Back to Nature: Manatee Hammock Campground - Located in Titusville, this is a great place not far from Jetty Park, and run by Brevard County Parks.
• Space Coast RV Resort offers many activities, just inland from Cocoa Beach in Rockledge. With heated swimming pools and shuffleboard courts, this is a popular spot from which to tour the Space Coast.
• Enjoy the great outdoors at Great Outdoors RV Resort, Nature & Golf Resort in Titusville. Great Outdoors limits rigs to self-contained, 18' or longer RVs (no truck campers, popups, or tents). All of their RV sites have level concrete pads with 30/50 amp electrical hookups, cable TV, water and sewer for your RV needs.

Attractions Along the Way:

• You will love the beach at New Smyrna Beach, a lot less famous than Daytona but beautiful nonetheless. You can even pamper yourself at the Spa at Riverview if you wish or lunch at the Grille there.
• Visit Port Orange and its awesome Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens for a unique stroll through ten acres of dense botanical garden, surrounding the remains of a 19^th century English-period sugar mill. It was also the former home of “Bongoland” -- a 1940’s theme park --with grounds dotted with quirky dinosaur statues remaining from that era.
• The Ponce Inlet and its historic brick and granite lighthouse is the home to the Ponce Inlet Lighthouse Museum.  Called Florida’s Premier nautical museum, it is also the largest lighthouse in Florida.

Attractions at the Destination:

• The famous beach at Daytona Beach is one of the few in the world where you can actually drive on the beach. You do now have to pay $5.00 for the privilege but it is well worth it! Hard, clay-like sand and big Atlantic surf make this beach very different. Daytona Beach literally has 23 miles of beachfront and dunes up to 25-feet high.
• While in Daytona Beach, enjoy a free factory tour of the Angell & Phelps Chocolate Factory. Open Monday through Saturday, located in the historic Riverfront Shops.

Nearby RV Campgrounds:

• KOA Daytona Speedway - A KOA campground just minutes from the Daytona International Speedway, you will enjoy the large spaces - up to 80 feet, clean bathrooms and great customer service here.
• Daytona RV Park & Tropical Gardens is also located conveniently close to the Daytona Speedway and the beaches.
•  A nature preserve and natural wetlands area, with two large fishing ponds, the International RV Park and Campground offers plenty of amenities.
• Nova Family Campground offers 20 acres of tree-lined spaces with the beach and the speedway nearby. It is next to Port Orange City Center and offers full RV hookups.  

Attractions at the Destination:

• Legoland - This newly opened (in 2011) Legoland Florida Resort features a Legoland water park and a 150-acre interactive theme park with more than 50 rides, shows and attractions. It includes a beautiful botanical garden that used to be part of Cypress Gardens, an old Florida landmark attraction that closed in 2009.
• Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales is a short hop east from Legoland and gives visitors a complete change of pace. It offers guided tours through the gardens, self-guided nature trails and several special events each year. A special treat is the 205-foot neo-Gothic and art deco Singing Tower, 60-bell carillon.
•  A unique photogenic natural thrill park, Forever Florida captures the natural side of Florida on 4,700 acres that includes nine distinct ecosystems. Located about an hour southeast of Orlando in St. Cloud, this attraction allows visitors to explore via horseback, coach, or above it all on a new zip-line safari.
• The 50-acre Harry P. Leu Gardens are a collection of gorgeous botanical gardens set in a true oasis, just minutes from downtown Orlando. Each garden is uniquely designed to inspire visitors to appreciate and understand plants. Plus events such as Story Time, Date Night movies and Jazz and Blues Strolls are held often in the gardens.
• For even more of the natural side of Florida, you may want to enjoy the peace and quiet of kayaking on Shingle Creek on a two-hour guided or self-led tour through Kayak Eco-Tour. Shingle Creek is the headwaters of the Everglades so beware, you may find real alligators (not animatronics), bald eagles and more Florida wildlife there.
• If you crave a boat ride on a natural Florida lake but don’t care to kayak or paddle, take an hour-long  cruise on a delightful lake tour boat, that departs from Winter Park’s Park Avenue on Lake Osceola. Replete with Florida history and nature, tropical birds and plants, this is a chance for a relaxing, scenic tour through three lakes and two canals.

Nearby RV Campgrounds:

• A bit of Disney World in the wilds, you cannot beat the convenience of Disney’s own campground, Fort Wilderness, right in the heart of the Disney World Resort. Here you will get complimentary transportation to all the Disney parks plus you benefit from all the amenities and free guest services just like Disney Hotel guests.
• Out in the wilds but close to everything, Boggy Creek Resort and RV Park - Right in Kissimmee/St. Cloud, and located at the northern edge of East Lake Tohopekaliga (locals call it Lake Toho), this park is close to all the Disney hotels and other attractions yet has the feel of being in the wilds of Florida.
• Seniors might like Canoe Creek Campground, in St. Cloud, just south on US 192 from Orlando, is close to everything yet away from it all. Catering especially to seniors, this park has extensive facilities including a huge Olympic-size heated and screened-in pool, over 200 sites with full hookup, a recreation hall and full laundromat.
• Fun for the whole Family, Orlando S.E. / Lake Whippoorwill KOA - Just off Florida 417, this huge KOA park will not disappoint you or your family. This large park is right on the 350-acre Lake Whippoorwill and boasts 112 sites, plus a private boat ramp. It is only 20 minutes to all the theme parks and is close to other attractions. It can accommodate up to 85–foot rigs and has all the amenities, including a spa/hot tub and a sauna. You can fish or go canoeing in the lake, or take a relaxing soak in the hot tub. If you cannot stay here, there are three other KOA parks in the immediate Orlando area.