Florida’s wealth of natural resources and man-made attractions have made the Sunshine State one of the most popular camping sites in the country.
From Gulf Islands National Seashore near Pensacola to the Everglades in South Florida, campers are pitching their tents and parking their RVs in big numbers. A survey by the Florida Campground Association estimated that 3.5 million tourists and half a million residents camped in private facilities last year. One million people used public facilities, such as state parks and national forests, according to the Florida Park Service.
Camping industry officials say the climate, availability of seaside campsites and proximity to attractions account for the numbers.
The camping boom isn’t happening just in Florida. “There is a camping revival going on,” said Karen Mason, a representative for the Go Camping America Committee in Reston, Va. The non-profit educational arm of the National Campground Owners Association represents private campgrounds and recreational vehicle dealers.
Today’s campers are doing everything from zipping up sleeping bags in tents to slipping in between the sheets inside various RVs-pop-up trailers, truck campers, van conversions, travel trailers and motor homes.
Eighteen percent of all travelers nationwide included camping in their vacations last year, according to a survey taken by the U.S. Travel Data Center. Vacationers cited adventure, togetherness and affordability as the top reasons for choosing a camping vacation.
Baby Boomers, who represent a growing portion of the camping population, are taking a step back from the complicated, hectic ’80s and looking for the more relaxed recreation that an outdoors vacation affords, said Mason.
That’s where private resorts such as Lake Okeechobee Resort KOA come in. On the northwest shore of Lake Okeechobee, the largest KOA in North America has a nine-hole golf course, swimming pools, tennis courts and other amenities. For those who want to camp out but sleep in, the resort also provides the option of renting an air-conditioned “camping cabin”-just bring sleeping gear, lantern and basic cooking utensils.
Industry officials see the popularity of resort-style camping continuing to rise throughout the 1990s.
“Campers seem to be demanding more amenities and more planned activities,” said Joe Striska, executive director of the Florida Campground Association.
Mason agrees. “People don’t look at campsites as just a place to stay overnight anymore. Many campgrounds are truly resorts that rival their counterparts in the hotel industry,” he said.
Campers pay more for the conveniences that resort campgrounds provide. For example, the average daily fee at KOA Kampgrounds is $17 for a site with electricity and water hookups and access to amenities such as swimming pools, playgrounds and hot tubs. A night in a camping cabin will cost $32.95, which is considerably higher than the $11.25 average daily fee for state campgrounds in Florida and comparable to a night at a budget hotel.
But the relaxation factor-being outdoors, building campfires, gazing at stars-and the campground camaraderie make the higher fees palatable to campers, said Mason.
For the camper looking for a no-frills outing, public parks offer wilderness settings in some of Florida’s most beautiful environs.
Most national and state parks, forests and other public lands offer a variety of camping facilities that range from primitive sites with pit toilets to developed campgrounds with showers, concession stands and sheltered eating areas.
Public park facilities emphasize natural resources and activities, such as fishing, hiking and boating.
When planning a camping vacation on public lands, travelers should choose the destination based on what they want to see and do, not on whether it’s designated a state park, national park or state recreation area, said George Apthorp of the Florida Park Service.
“Campers would never notice the difference in services between public lands,” Apthorp said.
An overnight stay at many county, state and national parks will cost less than $10. Because demand outstrips supply for sites in parks with coastal access, camping fees will be higher than at inland parks. Camping in a state park in the Keys, for example, costs $19 to $25 a night.
Despite the trend among the state’s private campgrounds to offer the comforts of home in the great outdoors, the mission of the Florida Park Service continues to emphasize natural resources over recreational amenities.
“We cater to people looking for a little bit more of a change from everyday city life,” said Apthorp. “We recognize how important it is for the other type of recreation to be provided, but we have chosen not to go that route.”
Options abound for those campers looking for the best of both of Florida’s worlds-natural and tourist. For example, campers can combine a nature-oriented camping trip at the coastal Anastasia State Recreation Area near St. Augustine with daytime trips to the historic city and nearby tourist attractions.
Costs for campsites at Anastasia vary seasonally between $15 and $17 a night. Facilities include water and electric hookups at individual sites plus public restrooms and shower facilities, access to nature trails and boat rentals and sailboard lessons.
“We do think Florida is special,” said Dade City resident Mary Helen Smith, who, along with her husband Shuford, is writing a camping guide for public parks in Florida and the Eastern United States. “There are so many different ecosystems-the seashore, the springs, the national forests and the Everglades.”
Among the Smiths’ favorite places to camp in Florida is Apalachicola National Forest, just south of Tallahassee.
“There are the beautiful open pine forests, lots of pine needles covering the ground and the slow-moving black waters,” said Shuford Smith.
He recommends all three of Florida’s National Forests-Ocala, Osceola and Apalachicola-for a variety of campground accommodations, outdoor activities such as boating and hiking and abundant wildlife.
Tent campers comprise only about 2 percent of the camping population, but the Smiths see more people leaving their RVs at home and pitching tents again.
“The more time you spend outdoors and away from the inside of a metal camper, the more relaxed you’re going to feel and the more you’ll enjoy being outdoors,” said Shuford Smith.
