We’ve been cruising through Florida for three weeks and loved every minute of it!! Why? Because Florida has lots to offer: aside from the well-known parks such as Disney World and Kennedy Space Center (which are greatly appreciated by our kids), Florida has vibrant cities, the most beautiful white beaches, lovely islands and impressive nature. As far as we’re concerned a visit to Florida with kids in a camper is certainly something you must do. To save you the trouble of lots of searching, I’ve put our top 10 child friendly campgrounds in Florida on a list for you:
Top 10 child friendly campgrounds in Florida
1# Key West KOA, Sugarloaf Key *
When you enter this campsite you’re greeted by a pirate. We had a terrific spot just opposite a playground (a pirate ship). As soon as the camper came to a halt the kids jumped out and blew off steam there. We stayed here for a couple of days and enjoyed our time very much! We relaxed at the beach, Kev went fishing (with fishing gear rented on the campsite), we went swimming in the pool and we rented go-karts for Floris and Lotte to race around in. The campsite is about a 30 minute drive from the center of Key West. You can take the camper of course (be aware you’re not allowed to park everywhere) or you can take the bus. The bus stop is just a 5 minute walk from the campsite. Read here what else you can do with kids on the Florida Keys.
*Dec 2018, Sugarloaf KOA is struck badly by hurricane Irma and is being rebuilt.
2# Kennedy Space Center KOA, Mims
This campsite was our first stop after we picked up the camper and we got really lucky. The place is very green and we had a lovely spot under a large tree. During the day we paid a visit to Kennedy Space Center and at the end of the day the kids got to play in the playground next to the camper and we took a refreshing dip in the pool.
3# Disney’s Fort Wilderness Campground
When you talk about child friendly campsites in Florida this campsite is real treat! You can book a hotel when you visit Disney World with kids of course but when you’re travelling by camper it’s far more fun and more practical booking a stay on this Disney campsite. It may be quite expensive but you certainly get a lot in return. First thing I noticed when we arrived on the campsite is how unbelievably large it was! It’s really too big to walk everywhere so they have two solutions: busses that take you across the whole campsite and golf karts you can rent and race about in.
After a long day of driving in the camper Lotte went to bed early on our first evening. Flo was in for a treat! There was a campfire singalong with a guest appearance of the one and only Chip and Dale. After singing multiple songs and shaking hands with the two friendly squirrels there was a movie for Floris to watch on a big screen while having roasted marshmallows and popcorn under the starry sky. This may have been Floris’s best night ever.
You stay at this campsite to visit the Disney Parks of course but if you want to stay at the campsite itself for a day there is enough to do. There is a magnificent pool with a fun secluded paddling pool, you can go horseback riding, dine with entertainment and there is a lovely playground. And oh that’s right, the boat taxi to Magic Kingdom comes in rather handy too. You get off just in front of the entrance and the view is spectacular at night! You can read all about our Disney World adventure here.
4# Orlando KOA, Kissimmee
When you want to save a few bucks but do want to stay near Disney World, this camping is recommended! It’s only a 15 minute drive from the parks and it offers lots of facilities for the kids! They have a playground, an inflatable bouncer and a lovely pool. We had a luxurious camp spot with a wooden swing, table, chairs and even a BBQ. The Mickey Mouse shaped lamps created just the right (Disney) atmosphere. Looking for another day trip rather than the parks? It’s also close to Makinson Island Park which is one of the most beautiful state parks in Florida. Read all about our stay at Orlando KOA here.
5# Periwinkle Campground, Sanibel Island
Sanibel Island was a big surprise on our trip, what a wonderful island! The vibe is very different to Key West. It’s smaller, quieter and less crowded with tourists. Periwinkle Campground is located centrally on the island. The campsite has lots of green and has a little zoo too. You can spot all types of water birds in the large pond, parrots in their cages and even some little monkeys. The campsite is set up rather spacious so Floris was able to ride around on his rented bike. A good recommendation when you are looking for child friendly campgrounds in Florida !
6# Miami Everglades RV Resort, Miami
This campsite is really close to Miami for American standards, at just a 45 minute drive, and it has lots to offer kids too! There’s all kinds of sports fields, a large pool and a playground. The campsite is spacious and very clean, which is rather nice for a change. Read here about fun stuff to do in Miami with kids.
7# West Palm Beach KOA, Loxahatchee
Fancy waking up to roaring lions and screaming monkeys in Florida? Doesn’t that sound like fun?! This campsite lies next to a zoo which you can visit with a discount when you stay there of course. We skipped the zoo but the camping is a lot of fun! Here they have multiple sports fields too, a playground and a pool to take a refreshing dip in.
8# Larry and Penny Thompson Memorial Park & Campground, Miami
We were only just checked onto this campsite when we heard the pool, which contained slides made out of rocks, was closed. With 35+ degrees on the thermometer we decided to cancel our stay and drive a little further to the Miami Everglades RV Resort. A shame really because this campsite is well known for its special slides that end up in a refreshing pool.
9# Madeira Beach KOA, St. Petersburg
This campsite was on our list but we had to alter our trip last minute so we never made it there. It seems to be a lovely place for the kids because of the pool (including bubble bath), you can play mini golf, rent bikes, go fishing or visit the playground. There are all kinds of fun activities in the summer and in the winter, including live music.
10# Clearwater Lake Tarpon KOA, Palm Harbor
Last on the list of child friendly campsites in Florida is Clearwater Lake Tarpon KOA. We had to skip this campsite last minute too because we were having so much fun on Sanibel Island, but if you are driving towards Clearwater this campsite looks really good. Its located near a couple of beautiful beaches, it has a lovely pool and you can rent bikes to explore your surroundings.
Are you looking for more inspiration on Florida campgrounds and RV parks? Check out this list.
Family friendly hotels in Florida
More a hotel instead of a campground kind of person? This is our Top 5 Child friendly hotels in Florida:
1# Magic Moment Resort & Kids Club – Orlando
2# The Capri at Siesta – Siesta Key Beach
3# Sta ’n Pla Motel – Clearwater Beach
4# Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham – Naples
5# Beach Rooms Inn – Hollywood Beach
Check out this article “Top 5 Family friendly hotels in Florida“, if you want to know more about these hotels.
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Top 10 things to do on the Florida Keys with kids
Top 20 Things to do in Florida with kids
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This article ” Top 10 child friendly campgrounds in Florida ” is sponsored by KOA.
