Ocean side campgrounds on the gulf

[LabMan]

Hello, looking for some help selecting a destination along the gulf coast. We will be celebrating our 45th anniversary in Feb. and I'm want to surprise the wife with a trip. See loves to spend tine on the beach so I'm looking for somewhere either on the water or within walking distance. One place I have looked at is Buccaneer State Park in Mississippi. Anyone familiar with it? We do travel with 2 Labradors, so it will have to be pet friendly. Our rig is a Jayco Octane 29t, so we should fit most normal size sites. I'd like to be anywhere along the coast from Mississippi to the panhandle area, want to keep it under 1,000 miles from mid Illinois. Any and all ideas will be considered. Thanks for the help.

[RedHorse1]

Doc's RV in Gulf Shores AL is a quiet park not on the beach but close. It's a bit further but On the Beach in Port Aransas TX is nice and is one sand dune away from the beach.

[Frankp877]

This is where we've gone for many years. Very nice and on the beach.

Destin Florida RV Park Camp Gulf

[gs750t]

We camp at the Ho Hum Campground in Carrabelle, Florida in October.

[Camper_bob]

Watch the weather, February can be a bit "dicey" on the Gulf Coast. One day you might have sunny and mild paradise, and the next, it's a wet and wintry wonderland. Ask me how I know.

Don't Florida beaches have a strict "no dogs on the beach" policy? Perhaps it's only in the state parks, but I was looking a while back at places to go in Florida, and the feel I got was that Florida IS NOT a dog friendly place. At least insofar as beaches are concerned?

Just thought I'd mention it since OP has two Labs in tow. Dogs are welcome on TX beaches (clean up after them please), and RedHorse is absolutely right, Port Aransas is great for beach bums, especially if you can catch some nice weather that time of year.

Last weekend would have been BEAUTIFUL to be on the beach. Sunny and mild. This weekend, cool and rainy... At least it's not supposed to be COLD.

[RACarvalho]

TopsailHill State Park in Florida... Have being there 4 weeks in the last year...

[Bookemdanno]

Originally Posted by RACarvalho

TopsailHill State Park in Florida... Have being there 4 weeks in the last year...

By far my favorite campground that we've visited. We've been twice in the past and will be there this August. We bring our dog. He stays at the TT, while we ride bikes to the beach.

[RACarvalho]

Bookemdanno,
We will be there in March and October....
We just love it.

[frog]

Hi, Check out Henderson St Park, Destin,Fl. Be there end of March, Also some pricier RV parks(Destin West RV Park).

[KYCAMPER]

Henderson Beach State Park near Destin FL is our beach favorite. Been there last the 2 years mid October.

[rsday75]

Originally Posted by RACarvalho

TopsailHill State Park in Florida... Have being there 4 weeks in the last year...

Yup, the best. Will be there in July!!

[mothernaturesson]

Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores Alabama, gonna be a cold Gulf in February though.

[lhpelton]

X2 on Camp Gulf we have stayed there the last 3 years.
And Destin has lot's to do.

[snowbird47]

Originally Posted by Camper_bob

Don't Florida beaches have a strict "no dogs on the beach" policy? Perhaps it's only in the state parks, but I was looking a while back at places to go in Florida, and the feel I got was that Florida IS NOT a dog friendly place. At least insofar as beaches are concerned?

I believe it is not a general no dogs on beach policy, but certainly is at State parks. We camp yearly at Gamble-Rogers SRA at Flagler Beach on the east coast (right on the beach), and the park beach is no dogs, but on either side for miles dogs are OK.

On the main point, Saint George Island SP near Apalichicola FL is a fabulous camping park.

[Bassdogs]

Originally Posted by snowbird47

I believe it is not a general no dogs on beach policy, but certainly is at State parks. We camp yearly at Gamble-Rogers SRA at Flagler Beach on the east coast (right on the beach), and the park beach is no dogs, but on either side for miles dogs are OK.

On the main point, Saint George Island SP near Apalichicola FL is a fabulous camping park.

Dogs on the beach is pretty much a county thing in Fla. Gulf county advertises as having pet friendly beaches, that is except the state park beaches. Fla state parks are a carry over of the enviro movement and their explaination is saving this beach bird or that beach mouse. Somehow pets on leashes are a menace to wildlife while screaming rug rats chasing soccer balls and what-not are fine.

Our favorite Fla beach CG is St Joesph P state park [st joe fla]. CG's are right on the beach [back side of the berm] and there is something like 10 miles of white sand beach with condos to the south and a park wildlife preserve to the north. Very private and very quiet. BUT no pets on the beach to save the St Augustein beach mouse. The condos to the south and a couple county beach parks must not like the mouse as they welcome pets and even have poop bags available. The CG at St Joe is small with W/E hookups and an easy wedge shot to the beach.

We went to St Joe for 4 years in Feb but moved to Tx this year because we got bored with Fla. Also St Joe pretty much ran out those of us who wanted to stay beyond the 2 week limit even though the CG was less than 50% full except for Pres weekend. As out of state'ers we were paying "good" money for extended stays but they held firm to making you leave the park for 24 hours before doing a 2nd 2 weeks, even though they had plenty of empty unreserved sites. By my count they have lost 8 - 10 extended stay campers to the tune of about $10k each month. Most left the previous year and moved to Gulf Shores in Ala.

Other than the beloved beach mouse and the 2 week limit, St Joe is an amazing park.

[Flapper]

Originally Posted by mothernaturesson

Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores Alabama, gonna be a cold Gulf in February though.

A great park - AND they even have a dog park in the park, situated on a fresh water lake! Yet you can walk to the beach!