South Florida in Feb. suggestions?

[KyDan]

Greetings!
Last few winters we've towed down to Top Sail Hill preserve SP near
Destin. It's a GREAT park.
but.... weather in the FL panhandle is iffy in the winter.
One year we got lucky and rode bikes and hiked/walked in shorts in
the afternoons. One year we kept hearing "you should have been here
last week....."

THIS year 2013 we -might- be able to get away for 2 weeks in late Feb.
It's a maybe but it's got me dreaming! A buddy who lives in a condo in
Treasure Island said "if you want to be warm in FL in Feb you need to
be south of Orlando."

Now I'm asking-- what are your favorite places to RV for a couple weeks
south of Orlando? I'm thinking the Gulf side. Also- since this time is
iffy for us I can't make reservations more than a week or so ahead.
Maybe 2 weeks. Reason is we'll be going on un-used snow days assuming
there are any left by then

I'm dreaming of South Florida.
You can reminisce about your good trips there in the past and we'll both
enjoy the ride!

Thanks!!

[bend302]

Dan

Check out the KOA Pine Island near Ft Myers. No beach access and a bit remote but we enjoyed it for three weeks last year. The yr before, we stayed there for a while and made last minute reservations.

Bill

[rrountree]

Another option on Pine Island is Tropic Isle Park on the north end of the island in Bokeelia. It's off the radar and may have sites available on short notice. I've camped there a few times.

Further south, near Naples, there's a state park that also gets overlooked. Collier-Seminole State Park. Great bike trails and boat access to the 10,000 Islands. I recommend making a reservation here, which you can cancel later with a small penalty if your schedule doesn't work out.

I should add that a lot of people do that at state parks, which means there are always cancellations as snowbirds refine their itineraries. Keep checking the reservations site at ReserveAmerica for openings.

[bjesparza1988]

Have you thought of Jonathan Dickinson Park. It's a pretty historical place and has hook ups for an RV. You can go canoeing, hiking, geocaching, everything. It isn't on the gulf though unfortunately. Not sure how set you are on the gulf.

[sor126]

Our favorite places are Fort DeSoto Park (hard to get reservations on weekends. It is is on the water near St Petersburg and very close to your friend. We also love Lake Kissimmee State Park almost due south of the Orlando. Which is inland but it is so pretty, large wooded camp sites, deer wander through your site, the are miles of hiking and a really cool Bok Tower Gardens about 5 miles way, you can also rent canoes and boats there in the park

[rrountree]

Originally Posted by sor126

Our favorite places are Fort DeSoto Park (hard to get reservations on weekends. It is is on the water near St Petersburg and very close to your friend.

I love Fort DeSoto, as well. It's a county park with hundreds of campsites, almost all of them on the water.

My experience with the weather there in February is mixed. You are on a peninsula sticking out in the Gulf, and it can get quite uncomfortable when the weather is bad.

Nevertheless, it's a tough campsite to get in February, not so much locals but lots of snowbirds, and I'm talking 7 days a week.

If you are thinking about going there, get your reservation as soon as possible. They do have sites for drive-ins. You need to be at the office when it opens at 8 a.m. I've been able to extend my stay in February by waiting in line for an empty site.

When the weather is nice, Fort Desoto is hard to beat. You can put your kayak in the water from most sites, and the beaches are consistently ranked as among the best in the nation.

[KyDan]

Thank you all! We are checking these suggestions out.

Ft DeSoto county park sounds really good for a future time.
Unfortunately we can't commit to exact dates this winter.
Rita still works part time for the school system. We are hoping for
an extra week of un-used snow days. A real gamble.

In a year or 2 at the most she will retire and we can commit to places
like Ft DeSoto.

In the mean time I guess we'll either go back to Top Sail Hill Preserve SP
for a week (we know we'll have at least a week) or reserve further south in a state park and then cancel if
we have to. I really hate to play the system like that but it's a possibility.
We could stay a few more days at Top Sail if the weather is extra good AND she
gets those extra snow days to burn.

[frankm]

Dan if you are willing to travel a little farther south then you won't be disappointed going to Periwinkle Park & Campground in Sanibel Island, Periwinkle Park Campground. Our experience has been that the staff is very accommodating with last minute reservations.

[rrountree]

There are also some wonderful campgrounds in Everglades National Park in South Florida and Ocala National Forest in north/central Florida.

[rattleNsmoke]

Is there 50a service at Ft. Desoto, and can you get a Big Rig in no problem?

[AquaMan]

While the sites are small, cramped, and pricey, we travel to Ft Myers Beach every spring break and stay at The Red Coconut. It's on the beach, although we stay on park side, and walking distance to everything. It's great for teenagers.