14th Annual South Florida Gathering 2025 (December 2025)

[dougmays]

So it sounds like Lake Loiusa isnt a good alternative.

Doing some Map Searches for similar areas i came up with this short list
Alafia River State Park
Little Manatee State Park
Kississimee Prairie State Park
Weeke Wachee State Park
Colt River State Park

Anyone have any knowledge of these?

 

[JckDanls 07]

Lil Manatee is out as sites there are spread out through the trees... Would have been nice though I'm only 20 minutes away... LOL ... As well as Lake Manatee SP

Alafia is close too... Never been though... I'll do some recon ...

 

[dougmays]

JckDanls 07 let me know about Alafia if you're gonna check into it. I was gonna call and ask about a gathering set up there.

 

[Fueling Around]

One of the rangers at Lake Louisa suggested Colt Creek (River?) SP
I won't have a chance to check it out until later this week.

I don't think Kissimmee Prairie has camping.
I was using the reservation system to search for parks and that one didn't show up

 

[JckDanls 07]

Alafia is spread out... Colt Creek is spread out... Oscar Shearer as well....

Find the Park on Google Maps... Switch to Satallite veiw and zoom in... You'll see the site layouts...

 

[Fueling Around]

Smart way to tour a park Keith.
You jarred my memory. A ranger at Lake Louisa said the older parks are more open with campsites packed in close quarters.

Are we down to waiting a bit and trying a January or February gathering at Highland?

 

[dougmays]

Smart way to tour a park Keith.
You jarred my memory. A ranger at Lake Louisa said the older parks are more open with campsites packed in close quarters.

Are we down to waiting a bit and trying a January or February gathering at Highland?

I'd like to keep the December mojo going personally but looks like we need time to find an alternative. I'd like to hear what the group thinks....if everyone wants to push it off to jan/feb i'm good with that as well.

 

[JckDanls 07]

Was just cruising around Fish Eating Creeks site... Punched in Dec. 12th weekend and NOTHING available... Put in Dec 6th weekend and all sites were open... Wondering if they just aren't accepting that far out yet...

 

[fxsales1959]

The sites are spaced out and it would take a couple of years to figure out the better sites to book so we are together. Lake Louisa is a newer campground and laid out nice for RVs and those wanting privacy from the neighbors.
One of the Rangers knew HH and she didn't offer any alternatives when I mentioned we wanted close and easy cross site access.

Bottom line, I would love to camp there solo, but it wouldn't work for our communal system.


I talked with a couple that are camping there. They are familiar with HH and also didn't have an alternative.
They heard the HH campground renovation is for electrical upgrade AND adding sewage hookups. Hold your ... uh ... breath John. You may get your wish.

like I said. we made it thru the winter weather last year. I'm in as long as it doesn't get north like Borlando far.

 

[dougmays]

JckDanls 07 I would have said i'd call FEC tomorrow to find out about booking dates but if they are using the florida booking site, they might not know. Woof that's an even longer drive for me then HH LOL

 

[Fueling Around]

Not sure where Fish Eaters Creek is located.

I'd like to keep the December mojo going personally but looks like we need time to find an alternative. I'd like to hear what the group thinks....if everyone wants to push it off to jan/feb i'm good with that as well.

We haven't heard from the regulars.
orlandosmoking carol506 Discus39 jarjarchef bobcats110

 

[JckDanls 07]

dougmays ... Looking at their (FEC) web site and seeing the screened room reminded me of the whole campground coming in and using "The Kitchen" during our dinners (lunch too since we did a chicken comp for lunch)....

 

[JckDanls 07]

Not sure where Fish Eaters Creek is located.

Fish Eating Creek is further south of Sebring on HWY 27... It's called Palmdale ....

Actually a pretty nice campground... They even had (don't kow about current) live music on the weekends...

 

[Fueling Around]

Fish Eating Creek is further south of Sebring on HWY 27... It's called Palmdale ....

Actually a pretty nice campground... They even had (don't kow about current) live music on the weekends...

Sounds good to me if we get the communal sites.

JckDanls 07 I would have said i'd call FEC tomorrow to find out about booking dates but if they are using the florida booking site, they might not know. Woof that's an even longer drive for me then HH LOL

South Florida Gathering?

 

[fxsales1959]

would save me a few miles

 

[JckDanls 07]

would save me a few miles

and add more to most others... But.. Not a whole lot of choices if HH doesn't open back up...

But then again... it is the SOUTH Fl. Gathering ...

 

[Fueling Around]

Did the Google virtual tour and it looks to be a pretty decent place.
Do we rent the screened room for the big feed?

and add more to most others... But.. Not a whole lot of choices if HH doesn't open back up...

But then again... it is the SOUTH Fl. Gathering ...

Adds around 40 miles for those coming from the north

not to be a whiny little B@#$ch but a park with actual sewer hookups would be cool.

And full hookups

 

[dougmays]

dougmays ... Looking at their (FEC) web site and seeing the screened room reminded me of the whole campground coming in and using "The Kitchen" during our dinners (lunch too since we did a chicken comp for lunch)....

haha...the screened room, a blessing and a curse all the same time.

So i just looked at FEC and we cannot book for the weekend yet, but you can book for this time in Dec. So i bet if we check back next week it'll show availability for the 2nd weekend in Dec.

I dont think the screened room is there anymore and that group area i used to book is now for RV's. Looks like this area in my screenshot would be most ideal to combine tent and RV camping.

 

[Fueling Around]

I was looking at the reservation system and got suspicious.
I called Fisheating Creek
The entire place is booked on December 12, 13, & 14.

1st and 3rd weekends in December are available.
The last weekend of November is Thanksgiving.
November 20-23 is wide open.

 

[dougmays]

That sucks about the 2nd weekend of Dec being booked for an event :/ That would mean bill and darcy cannot go because she has to work the first weekend. We are going on a big family cruise the week of Thanksgiving and since i just started a new job, i'm the low man on the totem pole, so requesting 2 vacations times back to back might be difficult :/

Have we exhausted other locations?