Because so little of Florida's beachfront remains undeveloped, the best bet for campers looking to pitch a tent on the beach is the state's park system. County parks, Everglades National Park, and the Dry Tortugas (also a national park) also offer spectacular beach camping opportunities. Some of these campsites, such as Pinellas County's Fort DeSoto, offer beachside camping for RV travelers, but most of the beachfront camping is exclusive to tent campers.
Beachside camping in Florida doesn't differ much from other types of camping in Florida, except that it's on the waterfront. Campers should plan to make campsite reservations in advance--in many cases, the sites book up to one year in advance. Beachside camping can be primitive, with no electricity, bathrooms, or running or fresh water. However, some sites offer most amenities found in non-beachside campsites.
It is crucial to set up camp well beyond the wrack line. The wrack line, also called a tidal wrack, is a line of seaweed, shells, and other beach debris. It's a pretty clear indication of how high the highest tides reach onto the beach, so campers should set up at least a foot or two away from it lest waterfront camping become waterlogged camping.
Florida beaches attract all sorts of birds--including seagulls of all shapes and sizes. Laughing gulls, herring gulls, and ring-beaked gulls won't hesitate to beg for food, but they don't stop with begging. Gulls, often called "rats with wings" by locals, won't hesitate to steal a hot dog out of the bun, or peck through plastic baggies to get to food. Once these birds know they can get food from a person, they declare open seasons and campers will not have a moment's rest. They will, however, have the undying irritation of the camper next door.
Likewise, crows will open zippers on a softside cooler. Raccoons, members of the bear family and common in all parts of Florida, will not hesitate to open any cooler, so storing coolers in vehicles, on boats, or closing the cooler with a bungee cord are all smart ideas.
Finally, pelicans, egrets, and herons may also come around looking for food. These birds love fish, shrimp, tuna fish, and chicken, and some have been know to beg for pasta. They aren't nuisances, but in 2008 the state of Florida made it illegal to feed any shorebirds.
The state park system offers many opportunities. Bahia Honda and Long Key are two popular beachside campgrounds, and the state park website allows campers to make reservations online.
Opportunities also abound in county parks. Many coastal counties have at least one park on the waterfront, and while not all those parks may offer camping, some of these campsites may be lesser-known and, thus, less crowded than the state parks.
Finally, Everglades National Park and the Dry Tortugas (the latter accessible by boat or seaplane only) offer great camping opportunities.
