Waterside camping near Gainesville

Gainesville sits on the edge of the Florida panhandle, about 45 minutes north of Ocala. Starke is about 30 minutes to the northeast, while state capital Tallahassee is two hours northwest. Traveling with kids? You'll want to schedule a stop at Paynes Prairie Preserve State Park, just 10 miles south of Gainesville. In addition to being pleasingly alliterative, this park features breathtaking wildlife. You'll see free-roaming herds of wild bison and horses here. Climb the park's 50-foot observation tower to get a bird's-eye view. This park also features water access via Lake Wauberg. RV parks are especially popular in the Florida area. Travelers Campground, located about 30 minutes northwest of Gainesville proper, makes a good spot to post up. You'll get free Wi-Fi access and full hookups here. Tent camping is also allowed. Note that this park is close to the University of Florida and can get pretty busy on Gators game days! Heat and humidity can make Gainesville summers stickily uncomfortable. High temperatures stay right around 90 degrees from May through September. The rest of the year is quite pleasant, though, with highs ranging from the high 60s to low 80s.