Florida & Alabama Campgrounds Recognized with Awards – RVBusiness – Breaking RV Industry News
The Florida and Alabama RV Park and Campground Association (FRVCA) presented awards on May 8 during the association’s annual Outdoor Hospitality Conference & Expo in Orlando.
Awards were presented for Best Park and Best Supplier categories.
Criteria for Best Park Awards
Best Park Award recipients must have standards for their business, their staff and the way they treat their customers, all of which should be reflected in the park’s reviews and ratings. Award-winning parks must also be well maintained, feature quality facilities, amenities, and guest services, and demonstrate a track record of guest satisfaction and increased occupancy.
These parks must also show the implementation and use of new technology or innovations, or recently completed updates or improvements that enhance the park and the guest experience.
This year’s Best Park Award recipients include the following:
Twin Lakes Camp Resort in DeFuniak Springs: This resort won a Best Park Award in the small size category for parks with 50 to 150 sites. This exceptionally clean campground features 550 acres of water and 3,500 linear feet of waterfront on King Lake and Holley Lakes with 12 docks. The park currently has 65 full-hookup RV sites, 3 of which are Buddy Sites.
For travelers without an RV, the resort offers five luxury cabin suites, nine fully furnished glamping tents, three tiny homes, and two lake houses for larger groups. Park amenities include pontoon and kayak rentals, a solar-heated swimming pool, an activity center, and an onsite boutique store.
Southern Sands RV Resort in Arcadia: This campground won a Best Park Award in the medium size category for parks with 151 to 300 sites. This resort features 184 spacious RV sites with full hookups. Amenities will include a state-of-the-art clubhouse with a fitness center, game room, five pickleball courts, a beach-entry swimming pool, and a dog park area with a wash station.
Guests also participate in themed events, arts and crafts workshops, and poolside parties. In addition, the resort offers fishing as well as access to a variety of excursions and tours to nearby attractions.
Camp Margaritaville RV and Cabana Resort in Auburndale:
This 350-site resort won a Best Park Award in the large park category for parks with more than 301 sites. Resort amenities include a zero-entry, heated main pool with a thrilling 147-foot water slide providing a slice of paradise for every age. A splash pad with interactive water features and sprayers is also available for children.
The resort’s “License to Chill Pool” features a bar and dock overlooking Lake Myrtle. Other amenities include a nine-hole mini golf course, a Pirate Ship Treasure Mining experience, a gaga ball bit, playgrounds, a sand volleyball pit and a cornhole area.
Upriver RV Resort in North Fort Myers: This 400-site resort won a Best Park Award in the large park category for parks with more than 301 sites. The resort offers fishing, kayaking and boating along the Caloosahatchee River, organized outings for golf and Broadway shows, talent shows, potlucks and barbecues, as well as visiting food trucks that bring everything from lobster rolls to ice cream.
The park also has a weekly vegetable market. Other onsite activities include aerobics, water aerobics, water volleyball, and motorcycle trips.
Best Supplier Award Criteria
Award recipients must be a member of the Florida and Alabama RV Park & Campground Association in good standing; have supported the industry and the association by participating in events for four years or more; have demonstrated a consistent history of providing quality products and or services that help to enhance RV parks and the camping/guest experience; bring efficiency and innovation to the RV park owner and operator; and be good stewards to the RV park and campground/outdoor hospitality industry.
This year’s Best Supplier Award was presented to Campspot, a Grand Rapids, Mich.-based provider of online reservations as well as cloud-based front desk management systems for campgrounds and RV parks and resorts.
Information about the latest trends involving campgrounds, RV parks, and resorts is available from the Florida RV Park and Campground Association, which markets privately owned and operated parks in Florida through CampFlorida.com, the travel planning website.
The association also publishes a free printed camping guide, which can be ordered through CampFlorida.com.
