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Car camping Lake Mills Park

Car Camping

Explore the best places to tent camp in Florida without being far from your car

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Camping at Moss Park

Car camping can be an enjoyable and affordable way to get the family outdoors, or to travel around the state spending a minimal amount on campsites. Our optimal tent camping season in Florida is November through March. Other times of year, insects, stormy weather, and heat can make your tent camping experience uncomfortable. If you choose a campsite in a breezy spot, like near a lake or coastal area, the wind may keep camping bearable in the off-season.

Some of these selections are within developed campgrounds that permit tent camping. Sometimes you’ll find a separate section of the campground devoted to tents, which is often ideal. Some parks have you park outside the campground and walk in with your gear, which makes for less noise in the camping area.

Favorite Tent Camping Campgrounds

Our favorite destinations for car camping in Florida with your tent. These campgrounds are generally very quiet and some are quite remote. A few that are in busier parts of Florida are chosen for their beautifully canopied campsites.

Blackwater River State Park

Blackwater River State Park

Blackwater River State Park
Treehouse at Camp Chowenwaw

Camp Chowenwaw Park

Camp Chowenwaw Park
Coldwater Creek

Coldwater Gardens

Coldwater Gardens
Rocky Bayou State Park

Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park

Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park
Clear spring water between palm trees

Gemini Springs Park

Gemini Springs Park
Kissimmee Prairie Preserve

Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park
Lake Ashby Park

Lake Ashby Park

Lake Ashby Park
View from the observation tower at Lake Kissimmee State Park

Lake Kissimmee State Park

Lake Kissimmee State Park
Forested area at Lake Mills Park

Lake Mills Park

Lake Mills Park
Little Talbot Island State Park

Little Talbot Island State Park

Little Talbot Island State Park
Manatee Springs

Manatee Springs State Park

Manatee Springs State Park
Fern grotto inside the Gold Head ravine

Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park

Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park
Myakka Canopy Walk Tower

Myakka River State Park

Myakka River State Park
River sink at O'Leno State Park

O’Leno State Park

O’Leno State Park
Expanse of blue water and pines

Ochlockonee River State Park

Ochlockonee River State Park
Along South Creek at Oscar Scherer State Park

Oscar Scherer State Park

Oscar Scherer State Park
Stephen Foster Carillion

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
Tomoka State Park statue

Tomoka State Park

Tomoka State Park
Withlacoochee River Park

Withlacoochee River Park

Withlacoochee River Park
Citrus Trail at Lizzie Hart Sink

Withlacoochee State Forest

Withlacoochee State Forest

Car Camping in Florida State Parks

While Florida State Parks have plenty of car camping opportunities, you may find yourself surrounded by RVs unless you select spaces that aren’t near the ones optimized for RVs. Also be aware that gravel pads are common, and as we learned, some campground hosts will not permit you to tent anywhere but ON the gravel pad, which can lead to punctured air mattresses. Click on each park page for details and reservation links.

All Florida State Park reservations are handled by Reserve America, 1-800-326-3521.

Alafia River State Park

Alafia River State Park
Beach at Anastasia State Park

Anastasia State Park

Anastasia State Park
Palms along iconic beachfront at Bahia Honda Key

Bahia Honda State Park

Bahia Honda State Park
Big Lagoon boardwalk

Big Lagoon State Park

Big Lagoon State Park
Blackwater River State Park

Blackwater River State Park

Blackwater River State Park
Manatees in clear spring water

Blue Spring State Park

Blue Spring State Park
Collier Memorial at Collier-Seminole State Park

Collier-Seminole State Park

Collier-Seminole State Park
Fishing pier on lake

Colt Creek State Park

Colt Creek State Park
Curry Hammock State Park

Curry Hammock State Park

Curry Hammock State Park
Bluff forest with cascading creek

Falling Waters State Park

Falling Waters State Park
Faver-Dykes State Park

Faver-Dykes State Park

Faver-Dykes State Park
Florida Caverns State Park

Florida Caverns State Park

Florida Caverns State Park
Beach with historic fort behind

Fort Clinch State Park

Fort Clinch State Park
Rocky Bayou State Park

Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park

Fred Gannon Rocky Bayou State Park
Gamble Rogers Memorial State Park

Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area

Gamble Rogers Memorial State Recreation Area
Turquoise waterway flowing through forest in fall colors

Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park

Gilchrist Blue Springs State Park
Grayton Beach Western Lake view

Grayton Beach State Park

Grayton Beach State Park
Emerald waves at Henderson Beach

Henderson Beach State Park

Henderson Beach State Park
Narrow boardwalk through swamp forest

Highlands Hammock State Park

Highlands Hammock State Park
Hillsborough River State Park

Hillsborough River State Park

Hillsborough River State Park
Molasses Reef

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park

John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park
Along the Loxahatchee River

Jonathan Dickinson State Park

Jonathan Dickinson State Park
Kissimmee Prairie Preserve

Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park

Kissimmee Prairie Preserve State Park
Koreshan State Park

Koreshan State Park

Koreshan State Park
Lafayette Blue Springs

Lafayette Blue Springs State Park

Lafayette Blue Springs State Park
Canoeing to Lake Griffin

Lake Griffin State Park

Lake Griffin State Park
View from the observation tower at Lake Kissimmee State Park

Lake Kissimmee State Park

Lake Kissimmee State Park
Lake Louisa State Park

Lake Louisa State Park

Lake Louisa State Park
Lake Manatee

Lake Manatee State Park

Lake Manatee State Park
River with forested bluffs

Little Manatee River State Park

Little Manatee River State Park
Little Talbot Island State Park

Little Talbot Island State Park

Little Talbot Island State Park
Manatee Springs

Manatee Springs State Park

Manatee Springs State Park
Fern grotto inside the Gold Head ravine

Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park

Mike Roess Gold Head Branch State Park
Myakka Canopy Walk Tower

Myakka River State Park

Myakka River State Park
River sink at O'Leno State Park

O’Leno State Park

O’Leno State Park
Expanse of blue water and pines

Ochlockonee River State Park

Ochlockonee River State Park
Along South Creek at Oscar Scherer State Park

Oscar Scherer State Park

Oscar Scherer State Park
Rainbow Springs

Rainbow Springs State Park

Rainbow Springs State Park
Beach at Sebastian Inlet

Sebastian Inlet State Park

Sebastian Inlet State Park
Glass-bottomed boats at Silver Springs

Silver Springs State Park

Silver Springs State Park
St. Andrews State Park

St. Andrews State Park

St. Andrews State Park
St George Island State Park

St. George Island State Park

St. George Island State Park

St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park

St. Sebastian River Preserve State Park
Stephen Foster Carillion

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park

Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park
Limestone formation along the Suwannee River

Suwannee River State Park

Suwannee River State Park
Lake Seminole from the day use area

Three Rivers State Park

Three Rivers State Park
Tomoka State Park statue

Tomoka State Park

Tomoka State Park
Topsail Hill Beach Preserve State Park

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park

Topsail Hill Preserve State Park
Floodplain forest at Torreya

Torreya State Park

Torreya State Park
Wekiwa Springs State Park

Wekiwa Springs State Park

Wekiwa Springs State Park

Camping Articles Camping Gear Reviews ALL Car Camping Destinations

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