Great park.Terrific staff and volunteers. Park is crowded with day folks when Manatee here but well worth it. Really nice and quiet at night after the crowds leave. Plan on an extra day to see everything. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
One of the best parks for water wildlife. I would rate this park a 10 if there was not a train track beside the park. Every time the train goes by it blows it's horn. There is a paved bike trail beside the park. Great place to take a canoe ride in the St Johns River: many gators, birds and manatee eating in the river. The spring had over 200 manatee in it so it is closed to swimmers and canoes. We will stay here again. We camped here in a Motorhome.
This was our first visit to Blue Spring S.P. This is a typical state park offering the normal facility with limited campground amenities. Sites are private and the park was quiet day and night, except for the train that comes past, and it really is not that noisy. Bicycles are recommended since the swimming and boat cruise area a bit of a walk from the campground. We did have the opportunity to see the manatees, but they were on the other side of the viewing area and hard to see. The springs were actually close, and you could not rent a boat to get any closer. Bath houses are unheated and open on the top, so if the weather is cool then you are cold, if hot you will sweat. The funny part of the bath house is that it was closed for cleaning at 7 am on Saturday morning…. But none of the campers paid any attention, and the cleaning guy had to work around about 12 guys taking showers and shaving. The sites are not full hookup so almost everyone uses the bath house. Except to see the Manatees I see no reason to return to this park. The town of Orange City does not have anything to offer, and TV receptions is really bad. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Blue Spring State Park is a beautiful spot but needs renovation. The sites were not very clean and really tight. The bathhouse was dirty and smelly! The train will keep you up at night! We did have the opportunity to see the manatees so that was a big plus. I am not sure that we will camp here again. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This was our first visit to Blue Spring S.P. This was a typical state park facility with limited campground amenities. Sites range from very small to just large enough for a 30-35' camper to fit in, and have adequate room outside. Though we saw one large rig jammed in a spot, I would not recommend anything larger than 30'. Sites were very private and the park was quiet day and night. Bicycles are recommended since the swimming and boat cruise area are a little bit of a walk from the campground. There is a nice paved bike trail just outside the gates, too. The spring was absolutely beautiful and a mask and snorkel will allow you to look at all of the fish swimming below. The park gets crowded quickly with day use visitors on hot days, so weekday camping may be best. Overall, it was a pleasant stay. If you will need the bath /restroom facilities, then I would suggest choosing a site near one of the two in the park. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Manatees! Where else can you wake up, take a short stroll and watch Manatees in shallow clear water? Yes, many sites are unlevel. Yes, the Bath houses are unheated with open ends so when it is 26DegF outside a shower is not in the picture. The new Bike Path is paved and very nice as it goes out through the Woods. The passing Trains are no louder than passing Diesel pickups are in the CG and the Locomotive Whistles are in the distance. We will definitely stay here again. Did I mention Manatees? We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This park has a lot going for it. There is now, just outside the park entrance, a paved bike trail that goes to a lake. Take your bicycles. Of course there are the manatees and the opportunity to canoe and kayak. The less than desirable qualities: the habitat is scrub oak, there is little to no shade. Most of the sites are not level, be sure to take plenty of boards. The main problem we and 3 other camping units had was the noise from the trains. They run during the night and blow their whistles next to the camp. Each night we were disturbed at least 7 times, the latest at 2:20 AM. Try to camp on the West side of the campground. I don't know if this is just a seasonal problem but it is a discouraging factor for what is otherwise a nice camping experience. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Park was clean, and staff was very friendly. The down side was restrooms and showers could be updated. Also they were not heated, and with open ends when the weather is cold it can be a little nippy taking a shower. Some camp sights are tight to get a big rig in and are uneven ground side to side, which a few 2x8`s will fix. Also dump station is on a hill so depending on how your tanks are built that is good or bad. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
The main draw of this park is the natural springs which you can swim in, scuba dive, go tubing. Our family had a wonderful time here. Our site was very private with huge trees and a lot of shade. We also had a large tent pad which we put the picnic table on. At the time we went, there was a drought, so no ground fires were allowed. The Blue Springs was a short bike ride or walk away from the campground. There is a snack bar and rental store that sells or rents tubes, inflatable boats, snorkles, kayaks. The Springs were very busy with people who come to the park to spend the day, but the springs is so large and spread out, you did not feel crowded. The ranger told us that during the summer, they close it off to the public around 10:00 am because it gets so busy! While we were there we were lucky enough to see two manatees that were swimming around in the springs. The ranger follows them from the boardwalk to make sure people do not touch them or get within 10 feet of them. What an experience to swim with such docile creatures! Overall this campground was very clean and offered many activities for people of all ages. Our 3 young children loved it here. We would definitely stay here again. We camped here in a Motorhome.
We stayed at this campground for one night the first weekend in May on our way to the Keys. It was hot and crowded. The campsite was full and the day area was packed on the Saturday. We definitely were the only ones speaking English. The day area has hiking areas and boardwalks that go to the spring. At the spring you can tube, snorkel, boat down the river to the swimming area bring your own equipment or rent it there. It is beautiful and I enjoyed snorkeling in the springs but it was over crowded. During the winter months the Manatees swim here and it is off limits for swimming, it must be very nice to see them and being cooler much more enjoyable. I believe this river runs north and the current is deceiving when you are trying to go up stream – very strong. The spring per day releases over 110 million gallons of water. The water stays at 72 degrees and being from New England the water felt warm to me but the Floridians were all complaining about how cold it is. It is not as cold as Alexander Springs where we have camped quite a few times because when you swim there you stay cold all day and it takes some time to get into the springs. One local swimmer was telling us that the springs at Blue Springs State Park are being destroyed because they don’t have showers for people to rinse off before they go in and the chemicals on the bodies are causing pollution and they let too many people use the park everyday. One girl on a raft was even smoking and you know where that butt was going to go when she finished it- could not believe it. Glad we camped here for one night but don’t know if I would return on a weekend during the hot months. I don’t think the State of Florida had enough help to manage this state park the way it needs to be done. This was our first camping in a Florida State Park in over ten years so maybe things have changed and they are directing their funds out of the parks. We camped here in a Motorhome.
We loved Blue Springs. Clean park, friendly staff and wildlife everywhere. Only two manatees left (Rocket & Anna) in the spring, but we were glad of that. Restrooms could use a little work. We will go back soon. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Sites are usual type Florida sites, scrub jay for trees and some shade. The entrance is a little right for larger rigs, ours was okay to get into. We were in site #13. Our rig was 25 ft in length. Springs are great. We also canoed here, they have rentals. Grocery store in park is minimal in size but has some necessities. Other grocery shopping is probably 2 miles down the road. We would stay here again to go in the springs. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
The park was very well maintained and the perfect place to "get away" yet still be near grocery stores and shopping. We stayed in site #3 which had partial shade and was just far enough into the loop to be away from the dumpster yet not too far in to be affected by family noise coming from the larger sites. The staff was professional and very friendly. The walk to the springs was fun, and the kids loved swimming in the springs. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This was our second time here. The campground is lush and natural....the entry to each site is a little tight because of the vegetation. The park is gorgeous, and interesting. We recommend the boat tour up the St. John's River as well. Will definitely be back! We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Nice park. When I went, the fireflies were in abundance at dusk. They even seemed to flicker in unison! I just missed the manatees, but plenty of other life to see in the crystal clear water. Note to tenters: Railroad nearby was pretty noisy all night long. We camped here in a Tent.
This was a beautiful park. The sites are very private. Each site had a picnic table and a fixed fire ring. The trees and palms were all around giving it a very wild feel. We were there when the Manatees were there so it was very exciting to see them. There are raised boardwalks that take you along the Blue Springs. You are walking through the forest and the water is so clear that you can see the fish swimming in it. Very peaceful and relaxing. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
We camped here during Daytona Speedweeks, which happens to be in the middle of manatee season. The park is very nice and we saw plenty of manatees. We camped in site #15 and I think it was the largest site in the campground. Some of the sites seem very small and un-level. None of the sites are paved. Access to the St. John's River is available outside the park utilizing a sand boat ramp. While fishing on the St. John's we saw tons of wildlife, manatees included. We will definitely camp here again. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This was a nice, clean, "no frills" campground. Typical of a State Park. The price is great for what you get. We stayed in site #13 which was a little sloped, but easy enough to work around. The sites are 100% sand so if you are a neat freak - be prepared for the sand. The restroom/showers are a short walk away. They are not air conditioned or heated and they have a screened opening at the top. So in the winter they can be very chilly... too chilly to actually use! They benefits are great though. There is a beautiful spring that was loaded with manatees when we came. This is their winter home, so the spring is closed to all swimming activities from the end of October to March. There is a nice concession stand to get an ice cream and a souvenir at the park, as well as canoe rentals which were very affordable at $10 for the first hour and $5 for every 1/2 hour there after for a maximum charge of $25.00. I found this to be very reasonable, especially since you get to see tons of manatee, gators, turtles and fish. There is a huge playground, a beautiful grassy area, the Thursby House - a historical site and a few covered picnic areas here. Plenty for the kids to do. The only reason I gave this place an 8 is because the bath house was too cold to use and there is a train track running right outside of the park where trains do come by all through the night. It isn't super loud, but I did wake up every time they came by. I would camp here again though. We camped here in a Tent Trailer.
We had sites 49 & 50 in tents. All sites have picnic tables, fire ring/grill and water/elec. Centralized trash bins and 1 dump station in front of bathhouse. 2 old bathhouses in loops. Sites are very sandy and when we were there very dirty. I took my GS troop camping and we collected in our 2 sites 10 grocery bags of trash and my girls were still pulling stuff off the ground. We walked to the spring area and we collected 3 more bags on the trail to get there. I also own a motorhome that is 35 feet and there is NO WAY this is suitable for big rigs. In fact the website says 30 or less. I would say 25 ft or less or you won't have anyplace to park your vehicle. There is lots of underbrush between sites and the picnic area is very nice with a cold spring that the manatees come to in the winter. We were there for the manatee festival which is held in Valentine Park down the road. They have shuttle buses that transport you back and forth. The park has canoe rentals and a boat tour, cabins and a park store. There are trains that run right outside of the park about every 45 minutes all night long and the farms and houses nearby have enough poultry and dogs to keep you awake if the trains won't. I live in the area so luckily I can visit for the day but I would not ever camp here again. We camped here in a Tent.
This is a really nice place. The sites are separated with thick vegetation. The park is also gated to keep the local traffic out. We enjoyed a moonlighht hike to the spring. This is a great destination! We camped here in a Motorhome.
Nice back-in sites spaced far apart. Bath houses were clean and well maintained. The day use area is along the spring and stream that connects to the St. Johns River. We spent hours on the boardwalk watching the manatees, who come up the stream when the river water gets too cold. There is also a swimming area, and you can swim up to the spring. Nice picnic areas among the trees in the day use area. Lots of stores, restaurants, fast food, and a WalMart nearby. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This is the third year we have stayed here for the race and they are trying to grade the roads, but they are still very sandy and uneven. Nice friendly people that are trying very hard to make the campground as nice as they can. We will keep coming back. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Stayed here last year for the race. Roads are currently being filled with old ground up asphault, which they were in desperate need of repair. Cement slabs are getting very old and many need to be replaced. Very friendly staff and they had lot's of activities during the stay (BBQ, scavenger hunt, ice cream social, etc.). I think they are trying to do what they can to freshen up the campground but they still have a lot to do. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
We stayed here for the Daytona Pepsi 400. Didn't expect all the sandy roads and sites on a hill. The roads are not packed down, so your wheels do sink into the sand. They have a few sites behind the office for big rigs that are on flat terrain. Everything is fairly old but clean and they leave some toys by the pool for the kids, which is nice. A note in our welcome package informed us that they are no longer going to be a KOA. Not sure if that was their choice or KOA's. I did not see any security and there is no security gate, although we felt safe. We will probably be coming back next year. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
The campground has easy access for big rigs and pull through sites. It is wooded with sandy dirt roads. The trees are cut back and do not pose problems for larger rigs. We had a concrete patio, which was nice, but we had to use the mobile satellite receiver because of trees. There is no cable t.v., and there is a small charge ($10 per week) for WI-FI. The campground is adequate for our purposes, which were to use it as a home base while we visited the many state parks in the area. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Staff was friendly but like the doctor, they want thier money upfront. Sites are closer than I prefer but acceptable. During our week long stay only had one RV next to us and only for one night. Most sites had adequate shade even in the winter months. I could only pull in one satelite on the dish due to the trees in this CG. The sites with the most shade are all occupied by full time "renters/snow birds" and most were new or in good condition. My biggest pet peeves were the cost and Sand. I mean SAND-SAND-SAND. The sites were sand, the roads were sand. I almost got stuck going to my site. There are also tree roots running across some of the roads. They grade the roads with a tractor about every 2 days or so. They have to after it rains as the water washes out troughs in the road beds. If you do get stuck the tractor will pull you out. For now it is the best park in the area. It is close to Deland, Deltona and Daytona Beach. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
Stayed here one night en route to Naples. Large facility with convenient pull through sites. Would stay here again. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
This is a great park to stay in! The people are very friendly and will work with you if you need extra time. The spaces are wide for pull throughs and the permanent mobiles are kept up very nicely! Had a wonderful time here, will always come back. They have a lot of activities too! We camped here in a Motorhome.
Review Rating
[ 9 / 10 ]
August 2009
$33
We are loving this park. Alot of residents, but there are still some open sites. The staff is friendly. The pool is 12 foot-deep with a hot tub and a kiddy pool. The put-put course could use some work. They also have two nice pool tables and shuffle board. There are multipule restrooms. Also they have a nice pavillion with a dock and a little pond with a swan and some ducks. Sad to say, there is no fishing in the pond, because there are some big catfish in it that like to be fed. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
This is a large park with lots of trees. Our site was level with a nice large cement patio. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable and we were escorted to our site. It is located about 30 minutes from the beach areas. We would definitely stay here again. We camped here in a Motorhome.
A lot of full time residents. Some of their places are trashy. I was parked by one where the conduct and language left a lot to be desired. The site was fair but the community people who live there would ruin any site. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Check-in staff was excellent. They first took us to a sandy, unlevel site, but when I told them it was unacceptable, they took us to a concrete site that was level. Lots of permanent/seasonal residents who were not very sociable to “outsiders.” Not unfriendly, but not friendly. Miniature golf and shuffleboard both needed some heavy work. We stayed at a special intro rate: $149 plus electric for a month. Regular price for the site would be $590 plus electric. Definitely not worth the high price. We camped here in a Motorhome.
Good stop while visiting relatives, safe and clean, we had a big site but some are small, they have a lot of permanent residents. Night time is dead quiet. Will stay again. We camped here in a Fifth Wheel.
As first time campers at this resort we qualified for the $189 a month internet special. We wondered what to expect for that $. Arrived to find a neat, well landscaped CG with friendly staff that checked us in. Another staff member led us to our requested "pull-through" site & offered assistance. Our site was at the end of a row in the front of the CG. Electric, water, phone, cable tv, & sewer hookup were within 5' of the rear of our trailer. Wi-Fi internet $30 for a month. Electric used is paid monthly. Although we heard traffic outside the park, it was not intolerable. This is a family facility with many permanent sites. Some older units. Residents, snow birds, & returning RV'ers commented that "the new management company has made improvements" & "they are trying to make this a better place." Bath & shower buildings clean, although spartan. Pool & jacuzzi clean & regularly checked. Laundry is small & busy, but all machines were operational. Propane on site. Super Wal-Mart (NO OVERNIGHTS), grocery, shopping, restaurants within 3-4 miles. Daytona Beach & Speedway 30 minutes, Cape Canaveral 45 minutes, Disney 1 hr. We camped here in a Travel Trailer.
Good 50 amp, water and sewer connection. Remainder of park was run down with no sign of improvement. Most sites were permanent residents. Price jacked up for race week, yet no improvements jacked up for race week. We camped here in a Motorhome.