Gulf Coast Florida - RV-Dreams Community Forum

igotjam · RV-Dreams Family Member

Gulf Coast Florida

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

February is the highest usage of any month in the area, so I am not surprised the campgrounds are full. Try Cypress Trails, we were able to book three months including February last year since they are still selling lots. Electricity is included even for monthly and they have cable internet, but you have to supply your own wireless router that accepts Ethernet. (There are $20 to $40 Travel routers that do this, are small and are powered via USB.)

Edit: Cypress Trail website, http://www.cypresstrailrv.com/. On travel routers I own both of these, https://www.amazon.com/GL-iNet-GL-MT300N-V2-Repeater-Performance-Compatible/dp/B073TSK26W ($20 and works with my AT&T Mobley) and https://www.amazon.com/HooToo-Wireless-10400mAh-External-Performance/dp/B074LHG47K/ ($40, recommended by Geeks on tour and includes an external battery pack).

Edit: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073TT7KB2/ is the right $20ish travel router, since it has an Ethernet port.

-- Edited by bjoyce on Wednesday 20th of June 2018 09:34:14 AM

-- Edited by bjoyce on Wednesday 20th of June 2018 10:49:38 AM

igotjam · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanx...exactly what I was looking for but totally booked.

Neil and Connie · RV-Dreams Family Member

Try Seminole Campground in North Fort Myers…they usually keep a few sites open for monthly stays…although you'll probably need to stay a month rather than up to 3 weeks. Upriver Campground nearby also usually has a few month long folks.

There's also a place on the south side of the river…Cypress Trail RV…I know that Bill Napier stayed there for just a couple of weeks last winter.

You might also try up in the Arcadia area…they typically have better availability and are cheaper…but it's inland and miles from anything you want to do.

igotjam · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanx.....Cypress Trail is one I tried...feb totally booked. Seminole looks a bit treed to me but maybe. Looks like close to the water might be difficult. I’m thinking of trying for a last minute cancelation or just rushing up to north FL or AL and forgetting central and south Florida altogether. I like shorter stays not multiple months which seems to be what park owners want. I understand, but its not what we want. I had tried in Jan but was told I was too early by multiple parks but its too late now I guess. Like always...it will work out......

Howard · Host

Consider E.G. Simmons Conservation Park on Tampa Bay near Ruskin, FL. It's a county park with 98 sites. All first come, first served, with water and electric hook-ups and two dump stations. Rate is $24/night or $18/night for seniors. You may have to arrive early and wait in line, but there are almost always a few sites opening up every day.

Fishing is good, and you'll have a good chance of seeing manatees and dolphins.

All back-in sites many of which back up to canals. Just a thought and might be worth a call. (813) 671-7655

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

igotjam wrote:
Thanx.....Cypress Trail is one I tried...feb totally booked. Seminole looks a bit treed to me but maybe. Looks like close to the water might be difficult. I’m thinking of trying for a last minute cancelation or just rushing up to north FL or AL and forgetting central and south Florida altogether. I like shorter stays not multiple months which seems to be what park owners want. I understand, but its not what we want. I had tried in Jan but was told I was too early by multiple parks but its too late now I guess. Like always...it will work out......

Doesn't surprise most who frequent south FL that Cypress Trail is booked for Feb. by now. Many, like us, book a year in advance for south FL as we did for Cypress Trail. They run inventory control really well.

You might try Cedar Key RV Resort much further up the coast. We like it very much but it's becoming "booked" now as well. That is many places on the coast and certainly south FL are booked for Jan / Feb many months / years in advance. We have friends joining us in late January at Cedar Key and James said they just got the last site and he booked last week; over 6 months out.

Just say all this to advise you many well have to "wing it" and don't expect a site on your schedule in FL during the winter without planning ahead. Might work, probably won't if your picky. Have Plan "B". :)

BTW, Seminole is a very nice park, but yea, pretty heavy with trees for most sites. Neil & Connie have a great site there with a good balance of trees and sun. But they've had it for years.

igotjam · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanx to all for your suggestions. Tried booking a year in advance but most parks would not take bookings more than a year ahead. At the one year point bookings were only taken for stays longer than 3 months ......if you want a shorter stay they would not look at those till after all the long stays were booked....most said try june or july for short stays. If I owned a park I too would also want longer bookings and fill in the short stays later. I’ m not surprised that its getting harder and harder to find a short stay spot in Florida.......too bad but supply and demand. Had the same problem ( but not as bad) in the west last winter........a function of high rv sales and popularity of rving I guess. Thanks again for all responses.