Anastasia vs Topsail Hill state parks FL

[Smokyroo]

Wow! That place..Topsail Hill, is quite nice. We usually go to Cape San Blas and stay at St. Joe Peninsula State Park either at the campground or the cabins. This place gives us some place new to visit. I am glad I saw this thread. Anastasia is nice, but all the loop roads in the park are limestone/coquina base and not paved like Topsail and there aint no cement pond at Anastasia either...

I think I will add this as a summer destination for the family for sure...

Both parks are beautiful and after going to DEP's website and looking at the pictures...I can assure you guys cant go wrong there at Topsail or Anastasia...the Gulf beaches are a bit prettier in this native Floridian's opinion....

[alohanole]

Hello everyone! Topsail used to be a private campground until the state bought it. It is nicer than any other state park in Florida (well-manicured) and you pay a premium for it. The rates are a bit higher than any other state park campground. It's not the best bargain in the panhandle, especially when you compound the cost for a long stay, but it's a beautiful place. I am from Panama City and we love Topsail. Another jewel is St. Andrews State Park in Panama City. Many sites on the bay with sugar white beaches on the gulf a short walk away. Check it out too!

[KyDan]

Follow-up.
Just returned to cold, cloudy, damp, Kentucky after a
wonderful week in Sunny Florida at
Topsail Hill Preserve state park.

It is a wonderful park.
As mentioned B4 this park used to be a private resort.
The state bought it to save it from development after
the owners wanted out of the business.
A state park would never be built with this much landscaping
and paving and laundry and CLEAN shiny restrooms but
this is one they own.

It's a 10 out of 10.
Shade and some privacy on almost every site.
Great hiking in the pine scrub and on the dunes and
of course along the beautiful white beach.
Also a few miles of paved bike/walking paths as well
as easy access to the 30A bike path into the beach communities
and shopping just a few miles east.

Don't miss a visit/stroll/picnic at Eden Gardens state park
while in the area. There is a visitor center with tons of
info on what to see and do at the intersection of
US 331 and US 98

My wife is an avid camper but she usually says she
wants to "see new stuff".
This is one of the very few she immediately said
"we need to come back here".
She said it several times.
Nuff said!

FYI- we drove this 630 miles from the park to
Louisville KY in 11 hours. It was raining the entire
return trip with over half the time in hard rain.
Wipers on high speed, knuckles on white!!
Very long drive due to weather but we made it safely.
We miss Topsail already!

[bend302]

KyDan, I am glad you enjoyed Topsail. We are planning to spend most Feb 2012 there so maybe we can get togetrher again.

We stopped at Bowling Green on the way home and ended up in the same rainstorm that you drove thru.

Bill

61 days camped in 2011