Where to go?

HuntinJake_23

Senior Member
Ok now that we have a camper we are trying to plan a beach trip with some friends, who also have a camper, sometime towards the end of May early June. We usually vacation to St. George island and rent a house, so I looked up Dr Julian Bruce state park and it shows on the website they are booked until December. I checked several other state parks along the pan handle and it seems to be the same. Are the state park websites usually pretty accurate or should I call to make a reservation? I also checked the Coastal RV resort website in east point and they are pretty much booked up too. Any other ideas?
 

Mackie889

Senior Member
Just camped at Northbeach camping resort a little North of St Augustine, FL. Great place ... ocean on east side of campground, inter coastal waterway on the west side. Great restaurant as well (Aunt Kate’s). If that ones not too far, give it a try
 

normaldave

GON Weatherman
St. Andrews State Park near Panama City Beach. Need to reserve maybe up to a year in advance.

One trip that was surprisingly good for a beach trip was Huntington Beach State Park, South Carolina. None of the touristy Myrtle Beach stuff, more natural. Lots of folks from Canada when we went, must be popular.
Huntington Beach State Park, SC

Closer to home, our best kept secret favorite is DeSoto State Park, Ft. Payne, AL.
DeSoto State Park, Ft. Payne, AL
 

jeardley

Senior Member
You'll definitely need to plan ahead for any of the state parks on the panhandle/Beach. You can make your reservations 11 months in advance. I make a couple trips down there every year and book my trips the day it becomes available now. I've had a particular site in mind several times and had someone snag it minutes before me. Seems like it's gotten a little harder since St Joseph Peninsula state park campground got destroyed by the Hurricane a few years ago.

I'd suggest finding a state park on a lake or maybe the GA/SC coast and go enjoy your camper (Should be able to pick something up). Pick a date for next year on the panhandle (2022), mark the day you need to make the reservation on your calendar and book it that morning (I think 8AM is when they become available). I've only gone to SGI or SJP and they are well worth the trip if you enjoy some peace & quiet. Hopefully they get SJP back up and running be next year.
 
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Yankee in GA

Senior Member
Last year, I took my family to Fort Desoto park which is near St. Pete beach. Great campground with a lot of sites on the water and nice beaches just a 5 minute drive from the campground. As mentioned previously, It's best to reserve as early as possible. Towing our popup, it ended up being a 9 hour drive from Atlanta.

https://www.pinellascounty.org/park/camping.htm
 

vahurst

Member
It is tough to get a spot at St. George in advance. However, since you have to reserve it so far in advance and things happen, its not too hard to pick up a site a day or two before when people cancel. (We've had to cancel 2 4+ day trips there in the last year).

If you want a great site on a lake that is usually easy to reserve, go check out the corps of engineer campgrounds. We stay at Cotton Hill on Lake Eufaula pretty regularly. Every site has a sewer hookup, most are waterfront, and some are right on a pretty nice beach for the kids to play on.
 

Artfuldodger

Senior Member
Got lucky and found two slots (one for my family and one for my friends) at Carrabelle Beach RV Resort for 7 nights for Memorial Day week!!
Good news you got one this close to the summer, especially two sites. I used to think about camping at that one on the way to Port St. Joe which was our favorite. The one thing we didn't like about that one was the beach being on the other side of 98 but not a deal breaker. The park looks really nice and has a pool. That's a plus.
Close enough to Apalachicola, St. George and restaurants.
 

vahurst

Member
Just found a spot for 4 nights at St. George for the week after Memorial Day! Spots will open up, you just have to check back often to see when cancellations happen.
 

Greene728

Senior Member
Get used to difficulty making reservations almost anywhere my friend! Camping has become more and more popular, and Covid lock downs last year made it absolutely explode! Pretty much any beach spot on the GOM or panhandle area require 11 months in advance. And lake parks such as West Point, Lanier, Alltoona aren't much better. They can be booked 6mo in advance and if it's a holiday weekend, you'd better be sitting on the computer with your mouse on the make reservation button within minutes/seconds of the booking window opening. Myself and my family are currently looking at the possibility of purchasing a lake lot to set up for camping until we can someday build due to the frustration and lack of reservation abilities. It's insane as you will soon see.
 

saltysenior

Senior Member
the computer made making and canceling reservations very easy.....people now can easily make 2 , 3 or more reservations at different parks or campgrounds and then pick one to go to when the weather or other factors are known.....what's the loss of a few cancelation fees to someone with a $100,000 motorhome ???
 

KDarsey

Senior Member
Look back toward Panacea. Hoi day CG had some openings last week for later in that time frame.
 

dwhee87

GON Political Forum Scientific Studies Poster
St. Joseph Peninsula state park has a really nice campground.
 

dwhee87

GON Political Forum Scientific Studies Poster
That park has been closed since Michael hit. The hurricane cut the Peninsula in half, leaving the campground on its own island. I don't know if they have built a road or filled it in yet.
Didn't realize that. It's been a long while since I've been down there. Thanks for the info.
 

huntersluck

Senior Member
The wife and I stayed at Lakewood campground in SC right after Memorial Day usually not many people there and ocean temp is still cool. We like going to the Gulf in the winter. We both detest hot weather though No beach trips between late June and mid October for us
 
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