Topsail Hill State Preserve: A Must-Visit for RVers in Florida

RV Life

Florida is an eternally popular destination for RVers. Its tropical temperatures, beautiful beaches, and sprawling cities have attracted crowds for years. But sometimes, you might want a Florida getaway with a little distance from the hustle and bustle. Topsail Hill State Preserve is the perfect place to connect with nature, while still camping comfortably.

In addition to its excellent location, this RV park also has amazing reviews from campers who have stayed here. Hundreds have left feedback, and negative reviews are hard to find.

Florida is packed with resorts and campgrounds, so it can be difficult to find one that stands out. But Topsail Hill State Preserve clearly has something special going on to help it achieve the ranking it has. Read on to learn what makes this RV park so special (and why you might want to add it to your upcoming travel plans).

Overview

Topsail Hill State Preserve is located in Santa Rosa Beach. It’s quite easy to get there, because this RV park is right off of U.S Route 98, which runs along the edge of the Gulf of Mexico. So if you’re taking a trip along Florida’s western coast, this is the perfect place to stop for a night or two.

You’ll never be far from the water at this campground. Choctawatchee Bay is on one side, while the Gulf of Mexico is on the other. And there are also plenty of smaller lakes and ponds nearby that keep everything green and lush.

Topsail Hill State Preserve is surrounded by beautiful beaches and charming cities. If you want to explore the area a bit, Miramar Beach, Fort Walton Beach, and Alys Beach are all in the same vicinity. And even if you decide not to camp there, the state preserve itself is also well worth a visit. It’s only $6 per vehicle to visit, so why not check it out?

Now, let’s look at the RV park. Like many Floridian RV parks, this one is open all year long. The eternally sunny beaches are particularly popular popular during the winter months, but you can stay here anytime you feel like it.

It’s also a decent size, with 160 RV sites overall. Space can sometimes be a limiting factor when you’re camping near the beach, but this campground is well-designed to give everyone plenty of elbow room. Full hookups are also offered at each site, which can be rare when you’re camping in state or national parks.

A dog looking at RV sites at Topsail Hill State Preserve. — Photos courtesy RV LIFE Campgrounds.

Rates

If you’ve ever camped in Florida (or near any beach for that matter) you’re probably bracing yourself for the price tag. But surprisingly, it’s not too expensive to spend a night at Topsail Hill State Preserve.

The campground is arranged in a series of loops. This layout offers more space and privacy to every camper. RV sites, tent camping, and rentable cabins are all available for booking. And although this RV park offers full hookups, lots of great amenities, and a location that’s close to the ocean, you still won’t have to break the bank to stay here.

There are four different loops for RV sites, one for tent campers, and one for cabins. The RV sites start at just $42 per night, while tent camping is $24. As is usually the case, cabins are going to be more expensive. These buildings start at $120 per night, but there is a wide selection to choose from.

The main thing to watch out for here is overbooking. This campground is incredibly popular, so it stays quite full throughout the year. Sites are often booked months in advance, so you’ll need to make a plan if you want to stay here.

If you want to check current site availability or book a reservation, visit the campground website at floridastateparks.org.

Amenities

Many state parks are utilitarian by design. The main focus is on the outdoors, so there aren’t a lot of options for comfort or entertainment within the park itself. However, Topsail Hill State Preserve takes things up a notch by offering a wide selection of amenities to its guests. You can still enjoy the beautiful scenery, while still camping in style.

For starters, all the essentials are covered here. Restroom facilities, showers, and laundry machines are available to every guest. Many of these are also accessible to those with disabilities, providing a great experience for every guest.

Internet connection and phone service are both vitally important in modern society. Fortunately, this campground has excellent service speed. Multiple cell-phone carriers have reported great coverage at this location, including AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, and more.

The whole park is pet-friendly as well, with multiple places to walk along the trails and socialize with others. Kids will love the on-site playground as well as the wide open beaches that are perfect for having fun in the sun!

Additional amenities at this campground include:

Year-round pool
Canoe and kayak launch point
On-site restaurant
Concession stand
Visitor center
Interpretive exhibit
Outdoor amphitheater
Picnic pavilion
Scenic ocean lookouts
Walking trails

Nearby Activities/Attractions

If you’re looking for a campground where you’ll never run out of things to do, this is the place! Topsail Hill State Preserve offers countless recreation opportunities. No matter what you like to do, there’s bound to be an activity here for everyone.

Visitors can enjoy hiking, biking, birdwatching, fishing, geoseeking, kayaking, swimming, paddleboarding, canoeing, and much more! There are also tours around scenic areas of the park and rental businesses where you can find top-notch equipment for your adventures.

And of course, there’s always the beach! The titular Topsail Hill is a 3-mile stretch of white quartz sand and sparkling water. You can see all kinds of marine life here, from seabirds to baby sea turtles.

Many people travel to this location just for the beach, but there’s plenty to enjoy in the surrounding area as well. There are museums, breweries, escape rooms, bookstores, record stores, parks, gyms, and much more!

The arts are also alive and well in this community. Visitors can take a glassblowing class, watch sandcastle sculptors at work, or visit galleries like The Underwater Museum of Art. Fans of live performances will also love The REP (repertory theater) or The Block (three clubs under one roof!)

And don’t forget about the food. The Florida coast is packed with restaurants because they need to feed the locals and the visitors alike. Everyone gets hungry after a day of fun in the sun, so why not treat yourself to a few of these local favorites?

Reviews

When it comes to reviews, this park is nearly unbeatable! It’s easy to get a high score if you only have a handful of reviews. But Topsail Hill State Preserve has a whopping 500+ reviews on RV LIFE Campgrounds. And nearly all of them have the same message: This campground is incredible!

On this review platform, it has earned an impressive score of 9.4/10. And it’s not just bias from a single platform either. This RV park also earned 4.8/5 stars from Google Reviews (and this comes from more than 2,000 reviews on this platform)

Many people expressed their surprise at how nice this park was, especially for a state preserve. They complimented the paved roads, concrete pads, full hookups, and amenities like the pool. Others celebrated outdoor elements like the mature shade trees and convenient beach access.

To read more firsthand accounts from visitors, check out the landing page for Topsail Hill State Preserve on RV LIFE Campgrounds. You’ll be able to peruse a gallery of campground photos, find tips for local attractions, and view individual ratings for the park’s value, service, and cleanliness. It’s your one-stop-shop for all things camping!

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