If you have ever stretched out on a beach blanket watching the sunset and longed to still be there when the sun rose the next morning, then camping in Florida might be your dream come true. Florida's sugar-white sands and emerald coastline offer hundreds of beachfront campsites, ranging from primitive tent-camping to quality cabins and RV sites. Adopt the "take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints" motto when camping on the beach. Camp fees can range from $4 to $160.
Grayton Beach State Park on Santa Rosa Beach, about halfway between Panama City Beach and Destin, is famous for its sunsets. Coastal forests of twisted scrub oaks and magnolias are reminiscent of Middle Earth in J.R.R. Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings." People book this campground, called one of the best in the state, almost a year in advance. Modern cabins and a full-facility campground are available for overnight stays.
Grayton Beach State Park
357 Main Park Rd
Santa Rosa Beach, FL 32459
(850) 267-8300
www.floridastateparks.org/graytonbeach
T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park near Port St. Joe has one of the top-rated beaches in the United States and is recognized as one of Florida's most diverse state parks. It is known for its marvelous bird-watching opportunities. Campers can stay at primitive campsites in the wilderness preserve, in a full-facility campground or in eight cabins situated on the bay side.
T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park
8899 Cape San Blas Road
Port St. Joe, FL 32456
(850) 227-1327
www.floridastateparks.org/stjoseph/default.cfm
At Anastasia State Park, visitors can check out an archaeological site where coquina rock, a sedimentary rock similar to limestone, was mined to create Castillo de San Marcos National Monument in nearby St. Augustine. Island Joe's, a camp store, rental shop and grill, has been voted the second-best lunch restaurant by locals. The full-facility campground sits in a wooded area near the beach.
Anastasia State Park
1340-A A1A South
St. Augustine, FL 32080
(904) 461-2033
www.floridastateparks.org/anastasia/default.cfm
Cayo Costa State Park, west of north Ft. Myers, is accessible only by private boat or ferry. Visitors to the park may spot manatees and dolphins, as well as an impressive variety of birds. Especially good shelling is available on the south end of the island during the winter months. The park has primitive cabins and tent camping for overnight stays.
Cayo Costa State Park
P.O. Box 1150
Boca Grande, FL 33921
(941) 964-0375
www.floridastateparks.org/cayocosta/default.cfm
