Southwest Florida Beach Camping
In southwest Florida is the Naples Beach Hotel & Golf Club: Golf Course. It is a beautiful golf course within view of the water and it always has a temperate ocean breeze blowing through it. Just a few miles to the east is Collier Seminole State Park. Located at 20200 E. Tamiami Trail, this park offers camping right on the Fakahatchee and Gullivan Bay. The state park's website says that it features vegetation and wildlife that connects to the Everglades. There's even a forest a mile inland made up of tropical trees. Hiking and biking trails are readily available for adventure and a canoe rental station is ready to get you going on the nearby rivers and inlets. Call (239) 394-3397 to book a reservation.
Camping Near Ponte Vedra Beach
At the opposite end of the state is Ponte Vedra Beach. With such nationally renowned courses as Marsh Landing Country Club, TPC Sawgrass and Plantation Country Club, this northeastern Florida destination is perfect for a weeklong golf excursion. While there's no beach camping in the small city of Ponte Vedra Beach itself, there's plenty to the north in Jacksonville and to the south in St. Augustine. Just 20 miles south of Ponte Vedra Beach is St. Augustine's KOA Kampground. Located at 525 W. Pope Road, this campground sees families and tourists all year-round. At a cost of $27 a day for a single campground, KOA Kampground is one of the most affordable and readily available beach campgrounds near Ponte Vedra. Call them at (904) 471-3113.
Nearly 35 miles north of Ponte Vedra is Hanna Park Campground in Atlantic Beach. Located at 500 Wonderwood Drive, Hanna Park is on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean and is within hiking distance of several freshwater lakes and wooded campsites. There's nearly two miles of beaches for swimming, sailing, fishing or surfing in the Atlantic Ocean. Lifeguards supervise during the summer. Call (904) 249-4700 for more information.
Dunedin Beach Campground
Between Ponte Vedra and Naples is a wealth of central Florida golf courses. Along Interstate 4 there's nearly three dozen beautifully kept courses. But because most are a few hours inland, it wouldn't make much sense to pair beach camping with golfing. Two courses in West Florida, Clearwater Country Club and Magnolia Valley Golf Club, are right on the beach. Located at 2920 US-19-ALT South, Dunedin Beach Campground offers camping not just for those who want to pitch a tent. There's an expansive RV park in this Pinellas County campground. As far as the weather goes, there's a lot of rainfall in Dunedin Beach, especially in July and August. April, however, sees the least amount of precipitation, so reserving the campground and booking a few rounds of golf then wouldn't be such a bad idea. If you would rather go golfing and camping in the wintertime, know that you'll be dealing with temperatures in the 60s during the day and night lows in the 40s. Call (727) 784-3719.
About The Author
Ryan Day is a writer who hails from northeast Florida. He graduated from Flagler College in St. Augustine and has been published in The St. Augustine Record, The Florida Times-Union and Folio Weekly, among other publications. Ryan spends his free time traveling, volunteering with a local college ministry, reading too much about sports and playing kickball.
