Biggest tiki bar I’ve ever seen and amazing sunsets. Renegades on the River sits along the St. Johns River near Crescent City, Florida. A newer RV park with pavers and palm trees throughout, spacious sites and steps to a popular restaurant and tiki bar.
Key Takeaways:
Beautiful setting along the St. Johns River
Newer RV park with spacious sites
Dog friendly
Huge tiki bar/restaurant with sunset views
Marina and great fishing
Our Stay:
Renegades on the River RV Park is a great option if you are looking for a St. Johns River stay in north central Florida. With spacious sites, nice landscaping and pavers throughout, this was the perfect location to chill out and visit friends in the area. I can’t say enough about the tiki bar with at least 30 seats surrounding the bar and several tables (dog-friendly), all overlooking the marina and St. Johns River. The park has a nice pool for campers. The adjacent restaurant served awesome American fare.
Renegades On The River RV ParkRenegades MarinaRenegades RVParkPoolRenegades Tiki BarRenegades Pond
What to Do:
Fishing and boating on the beautiful St. Johns River, known for great bass fishing. Enjoy the tiki bar at Renegades with live music several nights a week. Watch amazing sunsets on the river from the dock or the tiki bar. In nearby Palatka, visit the Ravine Garden State Park with dog-friendly trails and beautiful blooming azaleas during Jan-Mar.
Sunset on the St. Johns River
Chili & Cedar’s Review: 4 PAWS (out of 5 PAWS)
We liked Renegades on the River RV park. There were dog stations throughout the park and the outside tables at the tiki bar were dog friendly! There were several green spaces for us to sniff and take care of business. They did not have walking trails, but we did enjoy our trip to the Ravine Gardens State Park.
Cedar Chilling at RenegadesSunset at Renegades RV ParkRenegades Pet AreaRelaxing on the St. Johns River
The Jetty Park Campground is located along the Atlantic Ocean and inside Port Canaveral. Well-maintained campground with beach access. Watch cruise ships arriving/departing and if you are lucky, a rocket launch from the Kennedy Space Center.
If you are looking for an RV park close to the attractions of the Kennedy Space Center, the Jetty Park Campground is a great place to stay. Our lot was spacious and dry, even after the heavy rains. We noticed some sites were prone to flooding. This park is well maintained and inexpensive. There were several oceanside sites and all sites were a short walk to Jetty Park Beach and Pier on the Atlantic Ocean. The beach area was not dog friendly-darn. But is was a nice walking beach. You’ll see cruise ships coming and going from the park and if your timing is right, a rocket launch from nearby Kennedy Space center. We enjoyed breakfast at the adjacent cafe.
Jetty Park CampgroundBeach timeJetty Park BeachMorning with the birds at Jetty Park Beach
What to do:
Enjoy ocean walks on the flat beaches. Fish from the Jetty Park Beaches or Fishing Pier. Spend a day at the Kennedy Space Center.
Kennedy Space Visitor’s CenterAtlantis
Chili & Cedars’ Review: 3.5 (out of 5) PAWS
We had some nice walks around this large park but it did not have an off-leash dog park. We were also disappointed to learn that dogs were not allowed on the Jetty Park Beach.
Grassy Key RV Park & Resort is a Gulfside, boutique RV resort on MM 58 just north of Marathon. Our three-day stay here did not disappoint. We met several long-term RVers who call this park home for several months in the winter. We enjoyed our ocean view, the pool and oceanside tiki hut. The community BBQ was a hit with live music and dancing.
Key Takeaways:
Small, boutique RV park near Marathon
Several oceanside lots
Nice, tropical landscaping
Salt-water pool
Community activities and friendly residents
Small dog park, dog friendly
Nearby biking trails
Our Stay:
Moving north on the Florida Overseas Highway to MM 58, we pulled into the boutique Grassy Key RV Park & Resort. This oceanside park was small but very welcoming. We did not have an oceanfront site but we had an awesome ocean view. The park was dog friendly with a small dog park and easy access to potty areas. At the time of our stay, the park was not connected to the nearby walking/biking path so it required a small walk along Highway 1. We understand the trail and the park will be connected in the future. That would make it a wonderful walking experience for pet owners. The nearby biking trails were a plus! Everyone in the park was very friendly and encouraged us to join the ongoing activities – water aerobics, bingo, and community BBQ. The long-term residents have created an RV family that keeps them coming back year after year.
Grassy Key RV Park EntranceGrassy Key RV Park & ResortOcean View at Grassy KeyTiki Bar at Grassy Key RV Park
What to do:
A short walk from the park we visited the S.S. Wreck & Galley Grill restaurant – recommend the Key Lime Pie! We also visited the Curry Hammock State Park, a couple miles away. This oceanside park had beautiful, spacious RV sites and nice beaches. Book at stay here months ahead of time. It would be a perfect park if they allowed dogs on the beach!
There were several beaches in Marathon and the surrounding area that allowed dogs on the beach. We visited the Coco Plum Dog Beach and park with the girls and enjoyed watching the kite surfing. The beach was not paw friendly with lots of rocks, shells and even glass. The dogs loved the stinky seaweed – me, not so much. Also check out the Marathon Dog Park and the dog friendly Sombrero Beach
Another nearby site within walking distance from the RV park is the Dolphin Research Center . This park rehabilitates dolphins in a saltwater environment and is dog friendly!
Chili & Mike at Coco Plum Beach
Chili & Cedar’s Review: 3.5 Paws
This park was okay. We appreciated the little dog park, but it was too small for bigger dogs. Mom had us on a short leash along the busy highway to get to the walking trail. The beaches in the area were okay but hard on our paws. The stinky seaweed was a bonus! Curry Hammock State Park would be a perfect place to camp if they allowed dogs on the beach. We’re ready to move on.
Following the Florida Overseas Highway to mile marker 20, we pulled into the Sugar Loaf Key/Key West KOA, a beachfront paradise with tropical pool, hot tub, tiki bar/café and beautifully landscaped sites.
Key Takeaways:
Lush, tropical landscaping throughout the park
Newly remodeled park
Resort amenities with tropical pool, hot tub, café and tiki bar
Full-service marina and fishing areas
Dog park, dog friendly
15 miles from Key West
Our Stay:
The Florida Overseas Highway or Highway 1 starts just south of Florida City at Mile Marker (MM) 126 and ends in Key West at MM 0. We’ve traveled this highway several years ago and know it can be very busy and sometimes slow going. Our trip down to the Sugar Loaf KOA to MM 20 was uneventful with moderate traffic on a Thursday. It was still spring break time in the Keys and many of the RV parks were full months ahead of time. Since we were meeting friends who needed a marina for their boat, we chose the Sugar Loaf Key/Key West KOA. This RV park was a pleasant surprise. Every site was professionally landscaped with tropical plants, bushes and trees. Each graveled site included a fire pit and picnic table. Some sites were a little tight but our back-in site had enough room to extend our awning. There were several oceanfront sites (not available for our stay) which bordered the beach area. The highlight of this park was the large tropical pool, hot tub and tike bar/café. It really had a resort feel.
Sugar Loaf Key/Key West KOAChili & Cedar at KOASugar Loaf KOA Dog Park
What to do:
Sugar Loaf KOA is a short 15-mile drive to the attractions of Key West. If you don’t want to drive, you can pick up a bus from the RV park. We drove to Key West and hopped on a train tour of the city. We found this to be a great way to see the sights and historic attractions of old Key West. It’s a perfect day trip to enjoy the many restaurants, bars and shopping too. Throughout the city, there were many dog-friendly restaurants and bars – it was just too hot for the girls while were there.
The weather was comfortably hot during our stay in the low 80’s and we were fortunate to spend a day on the water with our good friend, Captain Randy. We motored to a nearby island to find some great swimming and snorkeling. The dogs enjoyed the boat trip as well. Chili loved swimming in the ocean, Cedar, not so much. She did not like jumping off the boat and decided to just nap. Our trip back to the Sugar Loaf KOA was fun too thanks to Tow America. Reminded me of that wise saying, “Boating is always more fun when it’s someone else’s boat.”
Chili & Cedar’s Review: 4.8 Paws out of 5 Paws
The Sugar Loaf Key/Key West KOA is a very dog friendly RV resort. We enjoyed our walks around the park and the enclosed dog park. We really liked out boat ride and swimming with mom and dad.
We traveled down the west coast of Florida to Everglades City and the Everglades Isle Motorcoach Resort. Lush, luxurious, waterfront RV sites and a few miles from the entrance to the Everglades National Park.
Key Takeaways:
Lush, luxurious, expensive
Waterfront, paved and spacious RV sites
Resort amenities with pool, clubhouse, tiki bar
Fenced dog park and dog friendly
Perfect spot to explore the Everglades
Our Stay:
We traveled three hours down the west coast of Florida to Everglades City and the Everglades Isle Motorcoach Resort. This luxury motorcoach resort accommodates RV’s greater than 36’ – we barely made the cutoff. At the time of our stay, most of the 61 sites were privately owned so we were fortunate to snag one of the few transient sites. All sites were beautifully landscaped. Our waterfront site was spacious with mature palm trees and brick pavers. We enjoyed watching the airboats come and go at sunset until the bugs came out! From the old Florida clubhouse with bar and restaurant to the beautiful pool and tiki bar, everything about this resort spells luxury motorcoach living. Although most of the coaches were high-end class A motorhomes, everyone was friendly and made us feel very welcome. We walked through the park every morning and evening with the dogs and were thankful for the dog stations located throughout the park and the gated dog area.
Everglades Isle Motorcoach ResortRV Water siteSunset view from our site at Everglades Isle Motorcoach Resort
What to do:
Everglades City is a few miles from the west entrance of the Everglades National Park. We spent a day driving through the park with the dogs to Shark Valley and the Loop Road complete with several alligator sightings. The park is not dog friendly due to the danger to pets from alligators and snakes. We’re okay with that – don’t want our dogs to be alligator bait. Dogs can ride in cars but cannot be left unattended in vehicles due to the heat. We were able to get them out in parking lots near buildings and at rest stops.
The next day we left the dogs in the RV and took an hour and a half airboat tour. This was the highlight of our stay. Following recommendations from locals, we opted to take a private tour with Down South Airboat Tours. We drove about 45 minutes from Everglades City for the launch spot on the freshwater side of the Everglades. This grassland tour was spectacular! Our captain grew up in the area and was extremely knowledgeable about the eco-systems and wildlife. We had several alligator sightings as well as wood storks, egrets, herons and anhingas. We highly recommend this tour. The cost was just over $300 for two people but well worth it.
The town of Naples and Marco Island are a short drive from Everglades City. We found a dog-friendly restaurant and brew put – the Marco Island Brewery. Lunch was awesome and the girls hung out with us on their large outdoor patio. After lunch we explored the island a bit – you’ll need some bucks to live on this island. Beautiful gulf coast beaches and beautiful homes and condos. Spring break here too so lots of people and traffic. We’re off to the Keys next and Spring Break will follow us there as well.
Red Dog Review: 4Paws (out of 5 Paws)
4PAWS! Well, this was a very foofoo RV park and we fit in just fine. Not one dog called us mountain hicks or asked how we fit into our small RV. The dog park was nice. We really wanted to enjoy the pool but there was a “no dogs in the pool rule.” We had fun traveling in the Everglades and watching the alligators from the car was just fine with us. We took in one brewery – Marco Island Brewery and our waiter was very attentive and quickly provided us water and a shaded place to hang out with mom and dad. We’d go back there again. We give this stop 4PAWS because the dog park was a bit small, and they didn’t let us in the pool. The Everglades National Park was beautiful but there were too many alligators!
