It was the third week of November, in Kansas City, Missouri. The days were getting shorter and the temperature was dropping. As full time RVers, and very new ones at that, we have been told many times to head South before the weather turns cold if you aren’t prepared. After waking up to frozen water lines, we knew our time in the Midwest is over, warmer weather is beckoning us.
Work Camping?
Perhaps we should have begun planning our winter stays earlier than the week of Thanksgiving, but life got in the way! So, it really shouldn’t have come as a surprise that we weren’t able to find any campgrounds with longer term sites available along the coast of Louisiana, Alabama, or Florida for the winter months. At this point, I am basically resigned to the fact that we will be wintering in Missouri and start making a list of supplies to winterize the camper.
Then someone offhandedly suggested work camping (that’s a whole different story) and we figure it is worth a try! This might be our ticket to Florida for the winter. We started searching for camp hosting positions with Florida State Parks. Since most people are several steps ahead of us and planned their winter stays in advance, it looks like there are no opportunities available in December……except one. Sebastian Inlet State Park! We were rescued from winter and found ourselves in an incredible (and warm) spot!
Sebastian Inlet State Park Basics
Sebastian Inlet State Park is located on a barrier island off the East coast of Florida, about one hour south of Cape Canaveral. The park is open 24 hours and has 60 campsites with electric and water hookups. No sewer, but there is a dump station. The campsites are level gravel sites, fire rings, and picnic tables. There are a few well maintained restrooms throughout the park, but the campground has dedicated bathrooms, showers, and coin operated laundry. For those with internet service, their WiFi will work well but, as with most State Parks, they do not offer it.
The park includes picnic pavilions, boat docks, and a playground. Once a month, the park hosts Night Sounds, when a local band plays at the western end of the park, and concessions are available for purchase. Wear your dancing shoes and bring a chair as the people-watching is as fun as the music!
The Place for Fun
If you prefer fishing to dancing, it looks amazing here. Actually, I am no angler, so I would say it looks intense. There is a fishing catwalk, 2 fishing jetties, a fishing dock, and a few miles of rocky shoreline along the inlet from which you can fish. My son caught a gorgeous snook, which is delicious to eat, just 3 days out of season. So, (sadly) back to the water it went. Bluefish, flounder, red drum, black drum, and sheep’s head are a few of the varieties available. Be sure to be familiar with the Florida game laws around what is in season or not.
If you prefer your fish in the water, take a walk around the perimeter of the park, which is about 3 miles. You will almost always spot dolphins playing in the inlet and the sunsets are spectacular! And if you plan your trip just right, you may see a rocket/satellite launch from Cape Canaveral. They are perfectly visible from the campground and are an incredible sight!
Sebastian Inlet State Park is conveniently located in an area known as the Treasure Coast. The Treasure Coast appropriately got its name from gold coins and other treasures discovered from the 1715 Treasure Fleet, which was lost in a hurricane near the Sebastian Inlet. There are a few free museums which give great information on the history and have treasures on exhibit.
The barrier island itself stretches over 45 miles, from Cape Canaveral to Fort Pierce. The paved sidewalks along the entire island make it easy for biking. Several other state and county parks sprinkle the island, boasting gorgeous beaches and beautiful water.
Day Trips
You can visit several federally protected sanctuaries, such as the Pelican Island National Refuge which is filled with informative displays and several miles of maintained trails. A quick day trip to Fort Pierce, located at the southern end of the island, should include a visit to the oceanfront National Navy Seal Museum. There is also swimming and surfing at the beach of the very popular Ft. Pierce Inlet State Park.
If you want to get on the water, day trips and fishing charters can be found all along the coast. You can also find kayak and SUP rentals, which you can use on Indian River. This saltwater channel, between the mainland and the Barrier Island, is a phenomenal place for kayaking, paddle boarding, and boating. If you are lucky, you’ll get to see some of the manatees that lazily swim in this area.
And in case you exhaust the entertainment options along the Treasure Coast, many other hot spots of Florida are within driving distance. The beaches of Miami are just a 3 hour drive South, Tampa is about a 3 hour drive West and Orlando is less than 2 hours Northwest.
Just be sure to your planning better than we did, these camping and RV spots book for the winter well in advance! Of course, you can also try camp hosting and might just find a jewel like we did!
Morgan Hairfield is a full-time RVer who shares her fifth wheel with her husband, two children and dog. In their first year as full-timers, she has lots to learn but is excited to share the road and this experience with The Virtual Campground. Morgan is sharing her experience as a camp host and is now part of The Virtual Campground as one of our virtual camp hosts. We look forward to more blogs from her and her family.
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