One of the attractions of camping in Florida is enjoying the tropical landscapes it offers. If this is important to you, then Tomoka State Park is certainly a park you should consider as you plan your future camping trips.
In this article, I will summarize our camping experience in this park, including what to expect when camping in this park, as well as a summary of things to do.
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5 Reasons you Should Camp at Tomoka State Park
1. The Tropical Trails
While hiking is not a major activity in this park, there are a few nature walks on the north end of the park.
One of the walking trails will take you toward the water, and you will get to see gorgeous views of the Halifax River and Tomoka Basin as well as some wildlife. The other walk is a short trail through a wooded area. It is a nice mix of live oaks, slash pine, and palm trees. These are short walks and will take you anywhere between 10 and 20 minutes to complete, depending on how many times you stop for pictures or to relax.
There is also the Tomoka State Park Trail. Roughly half of this trail is outside the park, paralleling Beach St. Once you go into the park, the trail continues on the main park road itself. Because the road inside the park is packed sand, it can be challenging if you are biking without the right bike.
Once you make it to the end of the road, you will arrive at the area with the statue of the legendary Timucuan leader, Chief Tomokie. You can learn more about this legend here.
Related: Little Talbot Island State Park Campground Review
2. Water Activities
There is a boat ramp by the Tomoka Outpost. If you prefer kayaking or canoeing, there are kayaks and canoes for sale at the Outpost as well. You can launch kayaks/canoes from the boat ramp and head to the paddling trail. There is a portion where you will be paddling in an open area, so be aware of windy and wavy conditions.
You can also launch from the beach area near the statue of Chief Tomokie. Doing so would get you closer to the Eastern tip of the park and get around to paddle in a more sheltered area.
Related: Payne’s Prairie Preserve State Park Campground Review
3. Fishing
Surrounded by the Halifax River and the Tomoka River, there is no shortage of fishing opportunities in this park. In the Tomoka Outpost there are a few dock areas where you could spend a nice afternoon fishing. The eastern side of the park facing the inlet also offers several spots for fishing.
Related: Collier Seminole State Park Campground Review
4. The Tomoka Outpost
One thing that is fairly unique about this state park is the Tomoka Outpost, as not many state parks in Florida have their own stores. The store is roughly a mile away from the campground, so it is best to bike or drive to it.
The Outpost offers firewood and other necessities, but there is no refrigerated section. Staples like milk and deli meats are not available. In the Outpost you can also hang out, eat a simple meal and buy craft beer, and watch the sunset over the Halifax River.
Related: 5 reasons to Visit Anastasia State Park
5. The Gorgeous Vistas
If you are looking for a unique Florida coast experience, then Tomoka State Park is the place to go. The calm waters of the Halifax and Tomoka Rivers offer the opportunity to enjoy a serene morning sipping your coffee and looking into the horizon.
Tomoka State Park Campground Guide
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<p><strong>Please include attribution to https://apragmaticlens.com/ with this graphic.</strong><br /><br /><a href='https://apragmaticlens.com/tomoka-state-park/'><img src='https://ml0cur3zhy5j.i.optimole.com/w:auto/h:auto/q:mauto/ig:avif/f:best/https://apragmaticlens.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Tomoka-State-Park-Info.jpg' alt='Camping information summary for Tomoka State Park' width='600px' border='0' /></a></p>General Information
Tomoka State Park’s campground is located at the intersection of the Tomoka and the Halifax rivers. The Timucuan Indian village of Nocoroco used to use these rivers for fishing.
Arrival was easy enough in the park was easy to find with the Google directions, and we were able to check-in directly from the ranger station.
Here is the address:
2099 NORTH BEACH STREET. ORMOND BEACH FL 32174. (386)676-4050
The Campground Roads
Once you get past the ranger station the road becomes packed sand. As you get into the campground you will see that the road becomes narrow and windy. There are lots of tall trees leaning into the road, so be mindful of that if you have a tall RV.
This also means that, at least for some sites, there is little room to maneuver to park your RV.
The Campsites
There are a total of 88 sites, all of which can be used for RV or tents. A handful of sites can accommodate rigs up to 34ft, but most hover around 20ft – 25ft. Most sites only offer 30amp hook-ups, and three sites out of the 88 are wheelchair accessible.
Most sites offer adequate privacy and shade in most sites. A campfire ring and picnic table are provided, as well as water with adequate pressure. None of the sites have sewer hookups, but there is a single-lane dump station.
There is a fair amount of variation among sites, with some being nice and spacious. Yet, I noticed that most are rather narrow and a bit tricky to get into. The sites are also packed sand and not level, so be ready to put some elbow grease to make sure your camper is nice and level.
Best and Worst Sites
With so many sites, it is certainly challenging to pick the best and worst. Still, a few sites stood out due to different reasons. Site 34 is quite nice and seemingly easy to level. If you like having more space, then take a look at site 35. It is one of the more spacious ones and, as far as I could tell, easy to level. Sites 37 and 66 were also very pretty. It is not obvious when making a reservation, but site 91 is a pull-through site that can accommodate large motorhomes. However, it is not very shady.
There are a number of site “pairs” that are close together and lack privacy between them. These are 22 and 24, 27 and 29, and 31 and 32. These might work if you are camping with friends or family. Sites 60, 62, and 63 are spacious but not very level or shady. Site 64 is not private, and site 68 lacks some privacy but it is spacious.
Other Considerations
The Bathhouses
I was surprised to see that there were three bathhouses, as a campground of this size usually only has two at most. The three bathhouses were kept neat and clean during our stay. Outside of the bathhouses there is a washer and drier, each costing $2 per load. Lastly, the bathhouses also have large dish sinks.
Cell Signal
Our connection with Verizon, AT&T, and Spring networks was all fairly strong. Verizon was the top performer, and I was able to work without issues or interruptions in service.
Noise Level
Sites 53 and up are on the side of the loop that parallels the road. There is a bit more road noise in those sites than on the other side of the loop paralleling the Halifax River.
About pets
Leashed, well-behaved pets are allowed in RV and tent sites.
Final Thoughts
While we enjoyed our stay in Tomoka State Park, it did not make it near the top of our list as far as parks to visit. In terms of the activities we prefer doing such as hiking and biking, it does not offer much. There is also not much offered as far as kid’s activities.
This is all personal preference, though. If you enjoy fishing, boating, or simply hanging out, then this park will check your boxes and it is worth adding to your bucket list of Florida State Parks to visit.
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