Anastasia State Park
RV Guide

Introduction

Between Jacksonville and Orlando, on the eastern coast of Florida, lies a hidden seaside gem that will be the perfect destination for your next RV getaway: Anastasia State Park. You can explore more than 1,600 acres of pristine beaches with ancient sand dunes. You can park your motorhome and wander amongst scenic tidal salt marsh and maritime hammock. This beautiful coastal state park is also located just minutes from downtown St. Augustine, which is a vibrant town rich in history and unique architecture from Spanish settlement dating back to the 1500s.
Anastasia State Park provides the perfect chance to tackle the great outdoors during your RV trip to Florida. In the summer, you’ll love sunny days on the beach in the 80s and 90s. In the winter, you can still enjoy any outdoor activity with warm days in the 60s and 70s. You can bring your four-legged friends to the park, plus the kids will love the two playgrounds on-site. You can also enjoy a bite to eat or grab a souvenir at the park’s restaurant and gift shop.
You’ll love spotting the native birds that soar across the shores such as osprey and eagles. Loads of aquatic adventure awaits you in the sunny waters on the shores of Florida, like canoeing and kayaking. There are plenty of opportunities for the whole family to enjoy during your trip to Anastasia State Park, from hiking and biking to shelling and fishing. If you’re keen to explore our nation’s past during your RV visit to Anastasia State Park, you’ll get a chance to see the Old Spanish Coquina Quarries, which is an archaeological site where coquina stone was mined to build the Castillo de San Marcos in St. Augustine.
You’ll have no trouble finding a spot to settle with a total of 139 campsites at Anastasia State Park that are open year-round. Campsites may be reserved by phone or online.

RV Rentals in Anastasia State Park

Transportation

Driving

On the east coast of Florida, the park is only about 31 miles from Jacksonville Beach, 54 miles from Daytona Beach, and just over 100 miles to Orlando’s Disney parks. Anastasia State Park is easy to get to whether you’re driving a motorhome or passenger vehicle since it is located off of Interstate 95, US-1, and Route A1A. In fact, you can take A1A all along the coastline from the Florida state line to pass through (or stop at) about a dozen popular beaches such as Neptune and Ponte Vedra Beach. This route is known as one of the Scenic and Historic Coastal Byways in the area.
Navigating inside the park in your RV should be a breeze as you can drive past views of Salt Run to all the major attractions and amenities, from boat rentals and picnic areas to the nature trails and campsites. However, some of the roads can be a bit narrow, and it may take some time to maneuver the tight curves.
There are plenty of places to park your RV at Anastasia State Park. Parking is located near the front gate, windsurfing pavilion, Hilltop Picnic area, the nature trail entrance, and at the campsites. There is a parking lot specifically for RVs located near the Hilltop Picnic Area.

Parking

Public Transportation

Campgrounds and parking in Anastasia State Park

Campsites in Anastasia State Park

Reservations camping

St. Augustine Beach KOA

Enjoy island life at the St. Augustine Beach KOA, located on Anastasia Island and conveniently close to historic St. Augustine and the famous Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park, where Ponce de Leon landed in 1513. Cast a line for fish like snapper, grouper, and amberjack, right from the pier only a mile away or charter a deep-sea fishing trip. At the campground, enjoy the year-round swimming pool, fishing pond, and rental paddle boats. There’s even an off-leash playground for the pups! Pull-through sites accommodate up to 75-foot rigs, and the campground provides a clean laundry room and bathroom facilities with hot, refreshing showers to offer the comforts of home. Wi-Fi, cable TV, and tour shuttles are also available.

Coquina Loop

Coquina Loop is the largest in the park, offering 30 sites that are available for tents or RVs ranging from 20 to 40 feet in length. This is a great location since you’re closest to all the activities including the nature trail, picnic areas, and aquatic activities. There is a playground, restrooms, and laundry facilities on-site. All sites are equipped with water and electric, and a dump station is nearby.

Angel Wing Loop

Angel Wing Loop offers three tent-only sites and nine water and electric sites that are available to RVs from 20 to 32 feet long, depending on the site. This campground is the farthest out of the loops, although you’ll be close to rich history like the Old Spanish Coquina Quarries. The restroom and laundry facilities are located nearby.

Sea Urchin Loop

The Sea Urchin Loop has three tent-only sites and 14 sites that are available for RVs and trailers from 10 to 40 feet long, depending on the site. The Sea Urchin Loop is further up the road, which will provide some peace and quiet in a serene location. You’ll have water and electric hookups here, and will still be close to the dump station, restrooms and laundry facilities as well.

Sand Dollar Loop

Sand Dollar Loop has 14 sites that are available for tents or RVs from 30 to 40 feet in length. This scenic campground offers a quiet location near the St. Augustine Amphitheatre. You’ll be close to laundry facilities, dump station, restrooms, and a playground. There is also water and electric available on-site. Plus, it’s an easy walk or drive to go hiking, fishing, swimming, and boating.

Shark Eye Loop

This loop offers four tent-only sites and 13 sites that can accommodate RVs and trailers from 10 to 40 feet in length, depending on the site. All sites offer hookups to electricity and water and a dump station is located near the entrance. Located in the middle of the park, the Shark Eye Loop is close to all the amenities including laundry facilities and playgrounds. Restrooms are located nearby as well. You’ll be within walking distance to fun activities like hiking and fishing.

First-come first-served

First-Come, First Served

The RV spaces at St. Augustine State Park are popular year-round. Not everyone has the option to reserve sites ahead of time, and thankfully, all of the campsites not reserved will be available for visitors on a first-come, first-served basis.

Alternate camping

Sea Bean and Queen Conch Loops

The Sea Bean and Queen Conch loops are both tent-only areas, so you are welcome to park your RV off-site and pitch a tent to stay. These sites offer easy access to the nature trail, Hilltop Picnic Area, and the fishing and boating areas. A playground is nearby, and there are bathrooms and laundry facilities on-site.

Seasonal activities in Anastasia State Park

Off-Season

Birding and Wildlife Viewing

Anastasia State Park is home to a diverse ecosystem where you can see a multitude of marine wildlife from dolphins and manatees to sea turtles and crabs. You can also spot a wide variety of shore and water birds, including laughing gulls, black skimmers, and blue herons. The beach boardwalk and overlook are the ideal spots for wildlife viewing in the park. Be sure to pack the binoculars and camera in the motorhome before heading to the park.

Biking

If you are bringing your bike, you’ll get a chance to ride on more than four miles of sandy beaches. You can coast along on your bicycle and soak in some majestic views of the Atlantic Ocean. Several miles of park roads are open for cycling, some of which feature bike lanes. If you don’t want to pack your bike, you can rent one at the concession area in the park.

Hiking

If you want to get out into the great outdoors, Anastasia State Park is a perfect destination for hiking. You’ll love hiking through shaded maritime hammock and spotting ancient dunes along the 0.7-mile Ancient Dunes Nature Trail. The 0.5-mile Spanish Quarry Hike is a nice easy trail that is good for all skill levels. If you want a longer hike, try the 7.3-mile Cape Francis Beach Walk. You can also meander through four miles of sandy beaches with tremendous views of the ocean.

Geocaching

If you want to go on a modern-day treasure hunt, geocaching is just the ticket. Geocaching is a fun activity for the whole family during your trip to this coastal state park. You can use GPS coordinates found on geocaching websites to find caches hidden in the park, which will contain trinkets —or maybe even hidden treasure! However, if you plan on taking a trinket, make sure you bring one of your own to replace it with and put the cache back where you found it so others can enjoy finding a treasure too.

Shelling

If you are looking for a fun way to explore the 1,600 acres of pristine beaches, looking for seashells is a great activity the whole family can enjoy! Once you park your rig and head out to the beach, you can collect all kinds of shells from clam and scallop shells to oysters and olive shells. Low tide is the best time to go sea shelling. Don’t forget to bring along a shovel and bucket to collect your treasures.

Surfing

Are you a surfer? If you are bringing your surfboard in the RV, you can tackle some of the beach waves on Florida’s east coast. Where else can you surf in the winter? Anastasia State Park has some of the best surfing in the area with four miles of beach break so you can spread out. Bring along your wetsuit. In the spring, winter, and fall, the water is too cold for most people. If you’d like to rent ocean or beach equipment, you can do so at the shop right off the beach.

In-Season

Ranger-Led Hikes and Tours

If you want to learn about the rich history and natural ecosystem of Anastasia State Park, park your motorhome and head off on a ranger-led hike or tour. The regularly scheduled ranger hikes will take you through the Ancient Dunes Trail, where you’ll learn about the majestic ancient dunes. You can also attend a ranger-led tour of the Old Spanish Quarries to learn about the area’s Spanish roots. Make sure you don’t forget to pack your camera in the RV before heading out so you can create memories that will last a lifetime.

Picnicking

If you want to enjoy a tranquil afternoon with a picnic on the sunny shores of Florida’s beaches, you definitely can during your RV getaway to Anastasia State Park. This beautiful state park offers three scenic picnic areas to choose from. The Hilltop Picnic area offers covered picnic tables with serene views of the Atlantic Ocean. The Watersports Picnic Pavilion near the marsh and Sea Turtle Picnic Pavilion by the ocean are perfect areas to enjoy a picnic during a fun outing at the beach or on the water.

Swimming

You can enjoy loads of fun in the sun at the designated swimming area at the beach, near the Island Beach Shop and Grill. There is a lifeguard there for your protection from Memorial Day weekend until Labor Day, but you should always be cautious in the water. Even on seemingly calm days, swimming in the ocean can still be dangerous because of the rip currents. Although you can swim at other times of the year and in other areas of the park, the park recommends you only swim in the designated area when the lifeguard is present.

Boating and Paddling

There are so many opportunities for aquatic adventure during an RV trip to Anastasia State Park. You can sail the beautiful serene waters of Salt Run on a sailboat, or cruise along with the tide in a canoe or kayak. Canoes and kayaks are available for rent at the concession area inside the park. To avoid running into manatees and other aquatic creatures, make sure you wear polarized sunglasses and look for flippers, tails, or fins breaking the water.

Fishing

Make sure you pack your fishing gear in your travel trailer since Anastasia State Park is a haven for anglers of all levels. Not only is there a world-class fishing area right on-site at Salt Run, but there are many amenities to make it easy for fishing, like a fish identification kiosk and fish-cleaning station. The waters at the north end of the park are the most popular spots, but you can catch a variety of fish no matter where you toss in your line.

Waterskiing and Jetskiing

It is hard to imagine going to Florida without getting into the ocean at least once. If you would rather do something more exciting than swimming, pack your waterskis because the waterskiing in eastern Florida is some of the finest around. If you are not great at waterskiing, how about a jet ski? Jet skiing is a much easier activity that does not take as much agility and expertise as waterskiing does. Even the kids can join you jet skiing. No matter what you choose to do on the water, everyone needs to wear a life jacket at all times. If you don’t have skis or a jet ski, you can rent them at the concession area.