Per-state camping guide · cited .gov sources

Camping in Florida — Everglades, Keys, Springs Country

Florida camping spans Everglades wilderness, the Keys' Bahia Honda + Long Key, the springs country (Crystal River, Ichetucknee, Wakulla), and the Gulf Coast / panhandle beaches. Hurricane season (June-November) and alligator awareness frame every trip.

Best season

November through April (dry season, mild temps, no hurricanes); May-October hot, humid, hurricane risk.

Primary hazard

Hurricane (June-November) + extreme heat/humidity (May-October) + wildlife (alligators, snakes)

Permit complexity · 3/5

Moderate — plan key sites ahead

Florida has 6% state sales tax + 0.5-2.5% county discretionary surtax on lodging/camping.

Camping Florida in something you'd rent? See which RVs in Florida are listed →

Per-state regulations

Rules that shape your trip

Real rules with .gov source citations. Verify current status within 48 hours of departure.

Everglades NP wilderness camping requires advance permit (recreation.gov for some, walk-up for others).
nps.gov — official source
Florida State Parks reservations 11 months ahead via FloridaStateParks.org.
floridastateparks.org — official source
Bahia Honda State Park (Keys) is the most-coveted reservation in FL — books 11 months exact.
floridastateparks.org — official source
Alligator distance rule: maintain 15+ feet; never feed; report nuisance alligators to FWC.
myfwc.com — official source

Where to camp

Top 5 camping destinations in Florida

Mix of NPS, state park, USFS, and BLM — with the insider angle per site.

State park

Bahia Honda SP (Keys)

Iconic Keys campground; books 11 months exact.

NPS developed

Everglades NP (Long Pine Key, Flamingo)

Sawgrass + mangrove ecosystems; mosquito season Dec-Mar only.

State park

Anastasia SP (St. Augustine)

Atlantic beach + historic city; reservations 11 months.

State park

St. George Island SP (Panhandle)

Gulf Coast white-sand beaches; less crowded than Destin.

State park

Manatee Springs SP

Springs country; winter manatee viewing.

On the trail

Wildlife callouts

Real species, behaviors, and distance rules for Florida.

1Alligators in every fresh-water body in Florida — 15+ ft distance rule; never feed; never approach a nest.
2Cottonmouth (water moccasin), eastern diamondback, coral snake statewide.
3Manatees in springs country November-March; no touching, no swimming-toward.
4No-see-ums (biting midges) brutal at dawn and dusk in coastal + everglades areas June-October.

Editorial edge

What the state agency doesn't tell you

Hand-curated insider context for Florida — the kind that comes from real trip experience, not press releases.

1Florida State Parks reservations open 11 months exact at 8am EST — Bahia Honda is the single hardest reservation in the state.
2Hurricane-window cancellation: PickRV honors NHC tropical-storm watch issuance for full-refund cancellation.
3Everglades dry season (December-April) has minimal mosquitoes; wet season (May-November) is unbearable without a screen tent + DEET 30%+.
4Springs country water temp is a constant 72°F year-round — refreshing in summer, warmer than ocean in winter.
5Florida Keys Overseas Heritage Trail allows bike-camping along US-1 corridor with overnight options.

Official state authority

Florida State Parks — camping

Questions

Florida camping FAQ

When is hurricane season?

June 1 through November 30. Peak: August-October. PickRV's camping reservations honor NHC tropical-storm watch for full-refund cancellation; the listing surfaces the policy at checkout.

How dangerous are Florida alligators?

Alligators are present in every fresh-water body in Florida. Attacks are rare with respectful distance. The rules: 15+ ft minimum distance, never feed (federal/state law), never swim in posted alligator areas, leash dogs near water (small dogs are at risk).

Florida rules · last verified 2026-05-10

State rental tax: 7% · not collected by PickRV
Min driver age: 21+ std · 25+ Class A
Gravel roads: Allowed — disclosure required
Generator quiet: 22:00-07:00

Your next step

Everything above assumes a rig.

Permits, season windows and pad lengths on this page all resolve to the same practical question — what you are driving. Florida owners list theirs on PickRV, and this is what that side of the trip currently looks like.

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Tell us when you want to drive Florida.

Nothing in Florida is bookable today — PickRV opens for bookings on October 25. Dated requests are what we take to owners, so give us the window you actually want — you get one email the day a rig covers it, and nothing else.

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Nearby & related

Keep planning Florida

Sourced costs, campground directories, and the places worth a detour — the next layer of Florida trip planning.

Keep exploring

Continue planning Florida

Florida state landing

Browse every state camping guide