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BOONDOCKING AND BUDGET CAMPING IN FLORIDA
We all know that camping in Florida means tropical settings, gloriously warm ocean swimming and lots of sunshine. It also means paying a lot of money for campgrounds where everybody expects to be crammed together like sardines in a can and putting up with neighbors that you don't really care for.
However, that is only one side of the scale when deciding to make Florida your winter destination. For true boondockers, all is not lost. We have found ample places to camp, either for free or for not a lot of money. Remember, the buzz words are; primitive camping. That means, no water, no electricity and no attached sewage system. If your rig is able to stand up to the rigors of Primitive Camping / boondocking, then Florida is a definite must for the adventure minded campers. Here are some of the places we have visited:
However, that is only one side of the scale when deciding to make Florida your winter destination. For true boondockers, all is not lost. We have found ample places to camp, either for free or for not a lot of money. Remember, the buzz words are; primitive camping. That means, no water, no electricity and no attached sewage system. If your rig is able to stand up to the rigors of Primitive Camping / boondocking, then Florida is a definite must for the adventure minded campers. Here are some of the places we have visited:
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FLORIDA STATE PARKS: It is worth paying for any of the campsites provided by the Florida State Parks. They are mostly located in interesting, scenic locations and visitors are guaranteed an action packed visit. Whether your interests are hiking, biking or snorkeling, there are some parks that will accommodate all or most of these activities. We have been going to the John Pennekamp State Park for many years, either as tent campers, or in our current trailer that we have built ourselves. The reason we love coming to this park is that not only is it so far south, we are usually guaranteed a break from the cold weather that the rest of Florida might experience in the depths of the winter months, but if we do not have our boat out on the vast coral reef system a few short miles offshore, we can take a variety of walks through the park or we are on our bikes traversing the cycle track that hugs the side of Highway 1 in the direction of Key West. There are so many choices when on our bikes. We can either go to the local flea-markets in Key Largo, or the Publix and Winn Dixie are a short bike ride from John Pennekamp. Then there are the numerous bars with happy hours at certain times of the day where we can meet up with friends and sometimes even make new friends.
Back to the coral reefs though. There are numerous opportunities to head out through the vast mangrove swamps towards the marked out reefs that each have their own name, such as Christ of the Abyss, Elbow Reef, French Reef and Grecian Rocks. Most snorkelers enjoy visiting Christ of the Abyss because of the iconic Christ statue buried in the coral making for a great photo op. Don't forget your waterproof camera. Many visitors will take their entire winter vacation traveling from one State Park to the other, which is something I would highly recommend doing if your budget can withstand the nightly costs. Make sure you get the best discounts available to either your age or residence status. |
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NATIONAL PARKS IN FLORIDA
There are only two National Parks in Florida, but they are both worth spending time in. The Biscaynes National Park and the Everglades National Park are located an easy drive from the town of Homestead, which is the last town before the first bridge to the Florida Keys. In fact, whenever we stay for long periods at John Pennekamp, we like to take a days outing to the town of Homestead, where they have a free National Park Bus, geared mostly towards the local residents, but tourists are always welcome to hop on the bus and enjoy the ride. The nice thing about going on these buses is the interaction with the well-informed rangers who explain the parks and the area to the riders on the bus.
The Everglades is world renowned as a vital, yet fragile eco-system that has a wide variety of plant and animal life that would not normally be seen in such a small area.
RV and vehicle Camping in the Everglades is in a few designated campgrounds that have limited facilities. Great for those into solar powered boondocking. Seniors over 62 would pay $10.00 per night for no hookups, and $15.00 for an electric hookup. From December to April all reservations should be made online with Reserve America, however, there could be some walk-up sites that have been kept off the reservation system. Go to the National Park website for further information
There are only two National Parks in Florida, but they are both worth spending time in. The Biscaynes National Park and the Everglades National Park are located an easy drive from the town of Homestead, which is the last town before the first bridge to the Florida Keys. In fact, whenever we stay for long periods at John Pennekamp, we like to take a days outing to the town of Homestead, where they have a free National Park Bus, geared mostly towards the local residents, but tourists are always welcome to hop on the bus and enjoy the ride. The nice thing about going on these buses is the interaction with the well-informed rangers who explain the parks and the area to the riders on the bus.
The Everglades is world renowned as a vital, yet fragile eco-system that has a wide variety of plant and animal life that would not normally be seen in such a small area.
RV and vehicle Camping in the Everglades is in a few designated campgrounds that have limited facilities. Great for those into solar powered boondocking. Seniors over 62 would pay $10.00 per night for no hookups, and $15.00 for an electric hookup. From December to April all reservations should be made online with Reserve America, however, there could be some walk-up sites that have been kept off the reservation system. Go to the National Park website for further information
WMA (Water Management Area) - Public use
The rules for staying on these vast tracts of land can be complicated, so it is best to visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Management site to establish if the location you want to visit allows camping on the property and for how long you would be allowed to stay. Most of their properties are geared towards hunting and fishing, but campers are allowed to stay in designated campsites where they would be relatively safe from any gunfire in the surrounding area. We have stayed on some of these properties and enjoyed the quiet, natural surroundings, without interference from the hunting community.
In fact, the best place to start looking for possible camping options is the renowned Freecampsites.net website, where they will list possible camping options, which it is then up to you to investigate further if the information provided is accurate and current.
The rules for staying on these vast tracts of land can be complicated, so it is best to visit the Florida Fish and Wildlife Management site to establish if the location you want to visit allows camping on the property and for how long you would be allowed to stay. Most of their properties are geared towards hunting and fishing, but campers are allowed to stay in designated campsites where they would be relatively safe from any gunfire in the surrounding area. We have stayed on some of these properties and enjoyed the quiet, natural surroundings, without interference from the hunting community.
In fact, the best place to start looking for possible camping options is the renowned Freecampsites.net website, where they will list possible camping options, which it is then up to you to investigate further if the information provided is accurate and current.
CASINOS
There are not many casinos that allow camping in Florida, but one of our favorites is the Miccosukee Casino near Homestead. While it is not a typical Vegas razzle dazzle type of casino, we like coming here when entering and departing the Florida Keys because there is no problem with staying in their large parking lot. Usually, we try to get a spot near the marsh, where we feel comfortable putting our chairs outside and looking at the birds that frequent the area. We also usually leave the casino with a small win, if we choose to gamble and the buffet is not bad, especially the excellent oxtail stew. If you register with their rewards club, you will usually get a first time signup bonus that gives you free gambling money and a free or discounted buffet meal.
The casino does get packed on their regular Bingo nights, so be prepared to be surrounded by vehicles that are forced to park very close to your RV purely because the parking lot does get very full and there is no alternative for the paying customers to park. Also, expect the casino to get very smoky and overcrowded at these times.
Another casino we enjoy visiting is the Immokalee Casino in the town of Immokalee, which is a short drive from Highway 41 on Highway 29. The casino is quite clean and new, with a good variety of gambling machines. However, the best bonus of staying here is there are a few electric hookups allocated to RVs, so, if you arrive at the right time, you are free to connect to their power throughout your stay. We enjoyed running our heater in January when we last stayed here with our cats. We felt happy to take drives around the area, knowing that the cats were warm enough.
There are not many casinos that allow camping in Florida, but one of our favorites is the Miccosukee Casino near Homestead. While it is not a typical Vegas razzle dazzle type of casino, we like coming here when entering and departing the Florida Keys because there is no problem with staying in their large parking lot. Usually, we try to get a spot near the marsh, where we feel comfortable putting our chairs outside and looking at the birds that frequent the area. We also usually leave the casino with a small win, if we choose to gamble and the buffet is not bad, especially the excellent oxtail stew. If you register with their rewards club, you will usually get a first time signup bonus that gives you free gambling money and a free or discounted buffet meal.
The casino does get packed on their regular Bingo nights, so be prepared to be surrounded by vehicles that are forced to park very close to your RV purely because the parking lot does get very full and there is no alternative for the paying customers to park. Also, expect the casino to get very smoky and overcrowded at these times.
Another casino we enjoy visiting is the Immokalee Casino in the town of Immokalee, which is a short drive from Highway 41 on Highway 29. The casino is quite clean and new, with a good variety of gambling machines. However, the best bonus of staying here is there are a few electric hookups allocated to RVs, so, if you arrive at the right time, you are free to connect to their power throughout your stay. We enjoyed running our heater in January when we last stayed here with our cats. We felt happy to take drives around the area, knowing that the cats were warm enough.
WALMART, HOME DEPOT AND TRUCK STOPS
It seems that when you run out of options for free places to stay in Florida, these are your last vestiges of hope for staying overnight. Even Walmart stores that allow overnight amping are few and far between. It is best to refer to Allstays which is our favorite go-to App for information on Walmart stores that allow or do not allow overnight camping. If there is no Walmart option, there are quite a few Flying J Truck Stop options, which Allstays will also tell you about. We have seen quite a few RVs camped at the Walmart and Home Depot parking lots in Homestead.
It seems that when you run out of options for free places to stay in Florida, these are your last vestiges of hope for staying overnight. Even Walmart stores that allow overnight amping are few and far between. It is best to refer to Allstays which is our favorite go-to App for information on Walmart stores that allow or do not allow overnight camping. If there is no Walmart option, there are quite a few Flying J Truck Stop options, which Allstays will also tell you about. We have seen quite a few RVs camped at the Walmart and Home Depot parking lots in Homestead.
