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Do you dream of spending a season RVing in Florida? If so, you’re not alone.
Its warmer weather and a tremendous amount of sunshine make it one of the most popular RVing destinations in the country. However, there’s a less-than-magical side of Florida that doesn’t often get discussed.
Grab your sunglasses and sunscreen; today, we’ll look at people’s true feelings regarding the Sunshine State!
Let’s get started!
RVer Questions People’s Desire to RV in Florida
A member of Full Time RV Living, an online Facebook group with more than 150,000 members, recently questioned the RV community’s love for Florida. He listed several valid reasons why he fled Florida as fast as possible when he sold his home in 2021.
Nearly 300 comments later, it was obvious he was onto something. Unfortunately, like many online debatable topics, there was no clear winner or loser once the dust from the discussion settled.
Many made valid points, and the forum helped challenge people’s views of RVing in Florida.
What Did the RV Community Have to Say?
There’s a bit of irony when you read through the comments. Many of the reasons why people love Florida are the exact reasons people hate it.
Some people love the seemingly infinite number of tourist attractions, and others can’t stand them. Just like pineapple on pizza, members of the RV community either love or hate RVing in Florida.
7 Reasons People Hate RVing in Florida
If you scroll through the discussion, it’s obvious that several things people hate about RVing in Florida were repeated. Let’s look at some of the most popular reasons to reconsider visiting in your RV.
1. Crowded Campgrounds
If you enjoy your space while camping, Florida might not be for you. Many commenters stated that almost every campground they stayed in was incredibly crowded. Many find it hard to enjoy spending time outside when it feels like they have to camp on top of their neighbors.
Additionally, snagging a campsite at any campground in Florida can seem impossible, especially during winter.
The most popular campgrounds can require you to book your site 6 to 12 months in advance. RVing in Florida can require you to sacrifice freedom and flexibility in your travel schedule.
Keep in Mind: If you’re going to camp in Florida, you need to book your campgrounds in advance! These are The Best Florida State Parks for RV Camping
2. Humidity and Heat
While most of the country operates on four seasons, Florida typically only has two — hot and hotter. All kidding aside, many love RVing in Florida during the cooler winter months.
Depending on where you visit, the highs can average between 60 and 80 for most of the winter. Seriously, it’s hard to beat the winter weather in Florida.
However, it’s important to know that this paradise-like weather lasts only a few months. Most of the year, the high temperatures don’t fall much below 90 degrees with extremely high humidity. The minute you step outside, it can feel like the humidity suffocates you.
The intense Florida heat can put an RV air conditioner and a campground’s electrical supply to the test. Even with multiple air conditioners running, they’ll likely struggle to keep your camper cool during the hottest parts of the day. You’ll have a good chance they’ll run nonstop even after the sun sets.
3. Swarms of Bugs and Mosquitoes
Another common reason people hate Florida is the tremendous amount of bugs and mosquitoes. The swarms can be intense in some areas, making it nearly impossible to enjoy time outside.
These pests will ignore your bug spray and bite through your clothes. When it comes to bugs and mosquitoes, they’re a breed of their own in Florida.
Aside from mosquitoes, Florida is also home to a pest called the Love Bug. You’d expect these if a lightning bug and ladybug had a baby. Like ladybugs, they come out seasonally in swarms but resemble lightning bugs.
They don’t bite and are harmless to humans, but they can be incredibly annoying, and their guts can ruin the paint on your vehicle.
Keep in Mind: Before you hit the road, make sure you’re Prepared for Florida Love Bug Season!
4. Chaotic Traffic
Everybody complains that where they live has the worst traffic. However, Florida takes the prize for having the most chaotic traffic. This is predominantly because roughly 65% of the population was born outside Florida.
Those terrible drivers from New York, Atlanta, and many other cities, bring their poor driving habits when they move to Florida.
Miami, Orlando, and Tampa have become some of Florida’s worst cities for chaotic traffic. However, one of the most dangerous highways in the country, Interstate 4, cuts across the entire state. It’s not uncommon for it to turn into the world’s largest parking lot due to the traffic.
5. Hurricane Season
While hurricanes are slow-moving storms and give plenty of notice that they’re coming, you can never take them lightly. Hurricane season in Florida runs from June 1 to November 30. However, it’s not uncommon for tropical storms and hurricanes to occur outside of this window.
Being in an RV allows you to pack your things and find a safer parking spot. However, these powerful storms can destroy not only your property but also your travel plans.
You may have to reschedule your trip to the most magical place on earth or your day of sitting in a chair with a drink in your hand.
6. It’s Not Cheap
It’s a simple game of supply and demand regarding RVing in Florida. Campgrounds know those who want to camp will pay practically whatever they charge. Many RV parks and campgrounds will cost $50 to $100 per night. However, during the peak season, prices can drastically increase.
You can even find some campgrounds that allow long-term or seasonal stays. These can cost over $1000 monthly and don’t usually include electricity. However, it can be worth every penny if you want to avoid shoveling snow or worrying about frostbite.
7. Alligators
Another common response we saw to hate RVing in Florida was the alligators. Florida has a substantial alligator presence throughout the state. If there’s a body of standing water, it’s safe to assume there’s an alligator in it.
While alligator attacks are rare, they do still happen. It can be unsettling for anyone who loves spending time in the water to know that massive beasts lurk in the water.
Activities like kayaking, fishing, and swimming can be challenging for some people.
Should You Avoid the Sunshine State While RVing?
While we would love to discourage you from RVing in Florida to make it easier for us to get campsites, we won’t do that. The Sunshine State is a fantastic place to RV, especially during the winter.
The warm weather and sunshine are hard to beat. Besides visiting your favorite large mouse or collection of superheroes, you’ll find many things to see and do while RVing in the great state of Florida. Visit the beach, the Everglades, and everything in between.
So get out and start exploring! And let us know how you feel about RVing in Florida. Was your trip worth it?
I lived in Florida for three years (’83-’86). It was less crowded then (and less politically polarized) but the heat/humidity combination was practically unbearable most of the year and the frequency of unpleasant bug incidents was mind-boggling.
FL is fun to visit for a short-term trip to see wildlife, a space vehicle launch or do the Disney thing but it’s even more fun to leave.
All those reasons for not RV’g in Florida are spot on. I will expand on the mosquitoes and bugs. We have these bugs that look like huge cockroaches. They are palmetto bugs, they get into your tow vehicle, and into your RV. They are disgusting looking. If you have type O blood, not much will stop mosquitoes from having you for dinner. Purchasing a product called After Bite has helped me. There are also fire ants. They are usually found in huge sandy piles. If you step on a fire ant “nest” you will be bitten and little blisters will appear for each bite. Again, roll After Bite on them to stop the itching.
As for traffic and I-4 being a death trap, I-95 isn’t much better when you are in Palm Beach County and south of there. Also watch out for those vehicles which are merging on the highway. Most don’t know what merge means. They enter the highway either at a high rate of speed or they crawl onto it. Either way, whether you are towing an RV or a “toad”, it’s important to really pay attention.
Note: if you are accustomed to staying in Florida State Parks, they charge an extra non-refundable $7 per night for electric in addition to the rate for nightly camping.
There’s much more but I think you get the idea. Oh, stay away from Florida in the months of July and August because no matter how many a/c units and fans you have going in your RV, it’ll still get way to hot for your 4 legged family members. Just ask how I know!
As a native Floridian, I agree with all those comments. Please don’t forget about the black bears in Central FL also.
It is truly horrible to camp in Florida at any time of the year and I would especially warn people about coming down in the winter.
It’s just way too crowded, buggy, and expensive.
It’s best to leave Florida to the Floridians