Closed Florida State Parks

[Tall frog]

Hi all, we are staying at John Pennycamp st park and got a knock on our door this morning , 2 rangers were outside, uh oh, yes they were there to tell us we had to leave the park by Friday 11am😭 they told us ALL FLORIDA STATE PARKS WERE CLOSING. No new reservation and all existing were being canceled for the near future. We had planned to stay till the 26th then to a KOA in Orlando which was closing april 26 but are closing early. So we are home site-less. Did find a park near Orlando for the next week but then??

[formerFR]

It's a shame that rv parks or campgrounds have any real concern - this is where people 'live', and they are not doing much anything different than anyone living at home... a little ridiculous in my opinion.

I think you'll have to resort to private RV Parks, which probably aren't going to react the same way - and are more numerous than campgrounds, and have folks living in the their RVs all year round.
Otherwise, off-gridding for a while might be what the other option is - whether a large parking lot, a private site, or something similar, if private rv parks start to fill up or start to have their own 'restrictions'...

[DougW]

We are in a private RV park which has restrictions such as closing the clubhouse, telephone only contact with the the office, and requests to limit gatherings but they are still open. There have been several people who have headed back north so there are some spots that might be available. Majestic Oaks in Zephyrhills. 813 602-0629

[Stank Bait]

From DEP email this morning

Currently Florida State Parks remain open for day use, however, effective immediately, all Florida State Parks are changing day-use visitation hours to 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Additionally, DEP is cancelling all events, activities, special event reservations, pavilion rentals and camping reservations at Florida State Parks for the next 60 days.

Existing overnight camping reservations that begin Wednesday, March 18, will be honored. Visitors must arrive prior to 5 p.m. on March 18, to secure their reservation. After Wednesday, all reservations moving forward will be cancelled and refunded. Beginning Friday, March 20, campgrounds and all overnight accommodations will be fully closed.

ReserveAmerica, the Florida State Parks partner in camping reservations, will reach out to all affected parties to refund camping reservations. ReserveAmerica can also be reached directly at 1-800-326-3521 or TDD 888-433-0287 if visitors have questions or need to modify existing reservations.

DEP's Office of Resilience and Coastal Protection facilities will also be closing the following centers until further notice:

• Apalachicola National Estuarine Research Reserve
• Guana Tolomato Matanzas (GTM) National Estuarine Research Reserve
• Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

[A32Deuce]

Someone on RVillage just posted a vidio on FB about the La State park they were in had to vacate NOW! Thats pretty tough!

[BigRockr]

So no campers, who tend to keep to themselves. We could go have a family reunion in the Day Use area, tho. Make perfect sense. We full-timers are screwed until warmer weather.

[dahagen]

Why close rv parks? RV'ers are usually in enclosed units and are 6 feet away from other campers.

[Tbates]

Last I heard, Texas State Parks were staying open, for now.
Might be an option, obviously contact to verify.

Hope this helps

[mcmartinez]

you can try in Homestead is an Encore private campground with much to do in close vicinity. We stayed there a couple of weeks ago and it was pretty nice.

Here is their website

https://www.rvonthego.com/florida/mi...des-rv-resort/

[formerFR]

so, they're going to 'honor' existing reservations that arrive prior to the closing, no matter how LONG they have reservations for? Crazy. Let's let 'some' come in, but keep out all the others? WHO makes these decisions???? Wacko.

[A32Deuce]

Here's a good one for all. Pennsylvania just closed all 35 of its rest areas. No parking! Sad!

[UGACamper]

Has anyone come across private campground/resorts closing?

[dalford]

Originally Posted by dahagen

Why close rv parks? RV'ers are usually in enclosed units and are 6 feet away from other campers.

Probably trying to protect their employees who have to deal with everyone who comes thru the door,...

[bedubya]

Originally Posted by dahagen

Why close rv parks? RV'ers are usually in enclosed units and are 6 feet away from other campers.

A lot of RVers still use the public bathrooms

[frank4711]

Just got call Florida State Parks Closed till May 15th .... that's 2 trips cancelled for us ....

[BigRockr]

Lock the restrooms. Most folks are self contained. There are a lot of snowbirds gonna need to head north. We fulltime so we are counting on Texas currently. We've been doing Walmart pickup for 18 months so little has changed for us. The US craft brewery tour is on hold however. Argh!

[dalford]

Camp Gulf in Miramar Beach open for business but better take both wallets and be ready to be packed in like a drug store parking lot...

[kenandterry]

Originally Posted by formerFR

so, they're going to 'honor' existing reservations that arrive prior to the closing, no matter how LONG they have reservations for? Crazy. Let's let 'some' come in, but keep out all the others? WHO makes these decisions???? Wacko.

I believe they’re accepting existing reservation arrivals up to Wednesday by 5pm, however, EVERYONE must leave by Friday March 20. This allows for a place to stay for those who are on the move homeward who booked already, but their operation is scheduling the shutdown by week’s end.
I agree the wording is a little vague. You could call to confirm.

[wmtire]

Originally Posted by A32Deuce

Someone on RVillage just posted a vidio on FB about the La State park they were in had to vacate NOW! Thats pretty tough!

If it was Bayou Segnette SP, they are using it as a overflow quarantine place.

[bedubya]

It sucks, but I think a lot of parks will be closed, temporarily. Most of us have seen a Robin Williams (see the movie "RV") type. Imagine being the Park Ranger or Campground Host that has to clean up during this pandemic.


It's just bad luck, for all of us. We have 2 20+ day trips planned and enough long weekends to camp at least 90 days this year.


I hope this blows over by mid-April. But it's 50:50 at best.