Kenneth P.recommendsMay 7, 2024
Creekside "B"
We very much enjoyed our visit! The bathroom was very clean and nice. The outside shower had ample hot water. John, the host, was very helpful and friendly and his two dogs were very friendly and well behaved. There is a lot of vegetation, trees, gooseneck palmettos and small Cuban lizards running around the area! Almost jungle like! There are beautiful flowers and landscaping with pave stone walkways going to the bathroom and shower which is attached to the outside of his house There are one to two pound Oscars (aquarium fish) in the river to catch, no limit as they are invasive fish, along with bream and large mouth bass. There are a lot of different birds around, including Swallowtail kites, majestic Sandhill cranes and their chicks! There is also the occasional alligator, lol, after all this is Florida! I was pulling a 20 foot long camper behind a Ford 150 pickup and it was cramped and tight on a very narrow dirt road with trees and tight turns getting to my camp site, but it is doable! Just do not arrive after dark. John provides you with power with extension cords ran from his house. We enjoyed our visit, very reasonable fees.
Shady Oak
Great Host Big Heart.
We stayed for three weeks at the shady oaks campsite. The site was extra large and John was a incredible host who cleared a nice area at the site to keep our extra large tent in the shade full time. However John is so nice that he will let you stay somewhere on the property until one of his 4 official sites is available. I understand he just trying to accommodate people but there are people in their trucks and vans, some people living in the woods for who knows how long not in any assigned site. Group of construction workers had 5 tents on a site don't know how many of them there were. So my point is that 4 campsites is what is here but alot more people camping. So when it was time to use the only flush toilet or outdoor shower there was usually a line. My wife hated that when she showered there was always somebody waiting right outside the slatted fence sitting on the couch. So John is a good guy with a great idea but it's starting to get out of control.
Just keep it small and cozy.
Emma K.recommendsApril 28, 2024
Creekside "B"
We loved the John’s little campsite. We passed through on our roadtrip and sadly could only stay one night but definitely would come back for a longer stay!
Jodi S.recommendsApril 20, 2024
Creekside "A"
Just a man and his dog!
This was our second visit & so enjoyable. We were getting a new roof & knew that our dog would go crazy with all the strangers & noise so my husband & dog ran away to John’s for 2 nights - long walks on his beautiful property, reading (and napping) in the hammock, & just sitting & watching the river go by. Can’t wait to go back & kayak Shell Creek.
James B.recommendsApril 19, 2024
Creekside "A"
Excellent very friendly and comfortable staying there
Karl P.recommendsApril 16, 2024
Creekside "B"
Wow! What a well-equipped camp!
What an idyllic place! The camp site we chose (Creekside B) sits on a bluff and overlooks through a narrow stand of trees a wide, deep creek (I'd call it a river) in a healthy forest full of birdsong. (The birdsong was present day and night and struck us as very unique in its density and was a high point of our visit. The barred owl calls were particularly close and very cool.) Host John and his family have artfully enhanced the property with colorful signs that give excellent directions around the grounds or remind the reader to pause to celebrate nature and the camping lifestyle. It's all very peaceful - but also playful. Beyond humorous signage, there's also a trampoline, a tire swing, Connect 4, a tree house, an outdoor covered bar, bench swings hanging everywhere, a deck over the creek and a rope swing to help carry you for a jump into the water. My kid and I loved every minute there. The practical amenities were also excellent: the outdoor shower was heated; the bathroom was well-stocked and clean; the grounds were well-maintained with rakes available for tidying up the site before we laid down our tarps; the firewood was available at a fair price and easily accessible; and the rental kayaks and stand-up paddle board were in excellent shape and easy to get into the water via the wide steps that our hosts had built down the high banks to the water's edge. John and his family were also kind and welcoming hosts that we had the pleasure of speaking with a number of times.