Winter Trip Planning-FL-TX-AZ-PA

jgirlpa

We may be totally out of our minds, but we are planning a L-O-N-G trip in our T@B this winter (Feb-Apr).  We will be staying in homes part of Jan (FL), Feb (TX) and March (Sedona, AZ).  Places we plan to visit are Everglades (FL), Big Bend (TX) and points in between.  We are open to any advice and recommendations about routes, stops, tips, etc to ensure our trip, first, is possible/reasonable, and we avoid pitfalls along the way.  Thanks for any input!

Floridaloha

Hi, I think it's great that you are taking a trip like this! I am new to T@B and camping, just getting my camper this coming week. But I've lived in FL a very long time and I rent out vacation cottages near the SW coast. I understand from friends that the best FL campsites fill up very quickly, some even up to a year in advance. So I would get on it asap if you can. January is a better bet than Feb/March for Florida, though. If you travel north on I-75 after leaving the Everglades, there are a couple of nice parks just a few miles from the Interstate. Oscar Scherer State Park in Osprey, Myakka River State Park, Turtle Beach Park in Sarasota on Siesta Key (right on the beach!). Those campgrounds are maybe 3 hours max from the Everglades. In south St. Petersburg, about another hour north, Fort DeSoto also gets great reviews from campers.

I'm sure other more experienced folk will chime in here but these are the campgrounds near me that would likely be on your way from the Everglades to Texas. Good luck and let us know where you will be!

SweetlyHome

Hi,
We are FL residents and camp monthly during the camp-able season, Octoberish to March or April.  Other than private campgrounds (KOA etc.) sites are difficult to get  beginning in  November and by December for sure.

The state park system allows reservations 11 months in advance.  The further south you go and the closer to saltwater the faster the sites fill.  A reservation in January at John Pennekamp SP in the Keys basically being the first person to hit the enter key on Reserveamerica.com at 12:0001 am of the first day you hope to camp for example.  It may not be too late for a site in January in the Jacksonville or panhandle????? for 2016-17.

Everglades National park is unique.  They have a limited number of full service sites in the Flamingo campground, same situation as above although I don't recall the months out.  You can reserve a primitive site at Flamingo campground about anytime.  Primitive is a defined but open site in a field with fire ring(?) and picnic table, basically boon docking.  Restrooms with showers seem to be well kept but limited.

There are many county parks to be found.  Most are phone reservation based.  The nicer ones fill in a manner similar to the state parks.  

True boon-docking is hard to find here.

jgirlpa

We were clever enough to book early for FL SPs, and actually were lucky enough to get a site at Pennekamp for 2 weeks, though not sure we will stay that long.  We are also staying at Rainbow Springs and St. George Island.  We hope to get into Everglades by just showing up early as all the sights are not reservable.  Our big question is where to go in LA on our way to Austin TX

SweetlyHome

Congratulations, you should purchase a lottery ticket immediately! 

Floridaloha

Excellent that you booked in advance! I have not been to Pennekamp in years but I loved it when I went years ago.

bgualtieri

Ft DeSoto is a county park for pinellas county (Saint Pete). It offers reservations online and you might get something. I lived in Sarasota for 13 years and tent camped there often.

IrishCamper74

Anastasia State Park in St. Augustine Beach! 
& yes to Ft. DeSoto, also a beautiful spot.