There are many benefits to camping in Florida. In general we have year-round good weather, parks and reserves galore, and beaches all the way around. Mountain biking, canoing, kayaking, hiking, can all be done while camping.
My love for camping started many, many, years ago when I was a kid in the Boy Scouts. This wasn't in Florida but back in New Hampshire. We went camping quite often and it was so much fun. It was my chance to just get away and hang out with my friends -- I guess kids do that at the mall these days. We would do everything from simple weekend camping trips, to longer summer camps and outdoor excursions.
Camping can build lifetime memories...
I'll never forget this one adventure we had. We spent, to the best of my memory, three days canoing and three days rock climbing, and it was the most fun i've ever had. The really fun thing was that the time we spent canoing we kept moving around. It was on the same lake that was used in the movie "On Golden Pond". We packed up our campsite in the morning and loaded it into the canoes, then we would spend the day on the lake. At the end of the day we were in a new campsite, so we set it all back up. This form of camping was just so much fun! Then after all that was the rock climbing. I wasn't so good at it but I still enjoyed it immensely.
Camping in New Hampshire has many benefits of course, not the least of which is the stunning beauty of the land around you. But it has its drawbacks as well. It can be downright cold at times. Camping in the winter totally sucks in my opinion, and fall isn't much fun either. Camping in Florida doesn't have those concerns. Its a comfortable temperature year round here.
Do you really know what you're doing as a camper?
When I grew up and eventually moved to Florida I knew I had to take up camping again, but have you ever tried to pick something up again that you did as a kid? The experience is really quite different. Not necessarily worse, just different. Your perceptions of things and the way you view the world is completely different. This gave my new foray into camping a completely virgin feel to it which was wonderful.
Unfortunately though I found that I really didn't know anything about camping! Sure I had done tons of camping as a kid, but it was all in the Boy Scouts. Now while the Boy Scouts certainly teach you things, there is also a lot your sheltered from. What I thought I knew about camping just wasn't enough to actually do it right. My first camping trip was a disaster to put it mildly. There is a lot that goes into just planning a trip, and I totally botched that. I ended up missing tons of things I should have taken with me, not to mention how badly I screwed up the food situation. On the bright side my tent didn't leak, and my sleeping bag was comfy -- for the most part. I did forget the sleeping pad :( At least while camping in Florida you don't have to worry about rocks under your back! One thing that I found immensely helpful for getting me back into the swing of things was this book on beginner camping tips. If you need a good refresher, or are a true beginner than this is a great book. It is simple things, but its the simple things we tend to forget and screw up. If you are an experienced camper then this probably isn't for you.
Don't worry about the 'gators...
One of my chief fears when I first looked into camping in Florida was alligators. Oh my! They're pretty much everywhere here you know, and they scared me to death. I found though that as with most things in life, you really fear what you don't understand. I decided to learn more about alligators and as I did my fear of them diminished. Sure they're powerful, deadly creatures, but truth be known they don't go out looking to hunt people :) As the old saying goes, they're more scared of you then you of them. When out camping I ran into several alligators, and they all were scared of me -- they would rush off away as soon as I was in the area. As long as you respect them, and don't try to get close to them, you will be fine. Just be aware. Oh and don't try to feed them. You see alligators, like most animals, have a natural fear of people. But start feeding them and that changes. If you are ever camping and see an alligator that doesn't appear scared of you, it is one that was probably fed by other campers. You should immediately report this to the park rangers.
Some ideas for camping in Florida...
Many tourists that come down here like to set up camp along the rivers and beaches near Kennedy Space Center so they can watch a shuttle launch. I've never gotten around to doing this, probably because I just watch them from my backyard while sitting on the porch, but I bet its a fun thing to do. I hope to do it someday. If you want to do this, there are various state parks along the Banana River and the beaches. One popular place is to camp at Jetty Park.
In fact most camping in Florida is done in state parks, or wildlife reserves. Check with the specific park or reserve to see if you need a permit. If you do they are usually very cheap, about $5, and in many cases free. You just have to fill out the paperwork. Please remember when you are camping to keep our wildlife the way you found it. Take out everything you take in. Nature trips can be a lot of fun, and many people enjoy camping along the Econ (Econlockhatchee) river. Kayak and Canoe trips along the Econ and Suwanee rivers can be a great deal of fun.
