Well, here goes. This is our first review, of what Lord willing will be many more reviews of parks that we are able spend a few nights at on vacation. Our first stay away was at Little Talbot Island State Park just north of Jacksonville, FL. It is surrounded by beautiful white sand beaches. It offers beach access and lots of places to kayak. I would say it is a kayakers paradise. Right away I also noticed it is a very bike friendly city. Lots of bike lanes on the roads, in addition to a lot of paved trails as well. The campground itself has a small .7 mile trail that I was able to do a few laps around. It was fun, offering a little bit of elevation with some small downhill slopes and the trail was well maintained. Being new to this pop-up camping game and until we find a better way to review our stays we will use three categories: first impressions, settled in, and lasting impressions.
First Impressions:
- Beautiful place, white sand beaches everywhere
- Rangers at station were very nice and helpful
- Roads inside park seemed narrow
- Our site was very shaded but very unlevel and somewhat small
- Restrooms were clean and had spacious showers.
- Grocery store was 10 miles away, had great beer selection, but expensive overall
- Lots of paved bike trails in immediate area
- Kayakers paradise
Settled In:
- Most of the sites are indeed level and very shaded. Just not site 24.
- Kids park is nice, not over the top but nice. More shade would be a welcomed addition.
- Campground has a nice little .7 mile MTB trail. A little elevation and a small sugar sand pit
- Be sure to check out the fallen trees on the shore at Big Talbot Island State Park
- The 4 mile MTB loop on the park side of Little Talbot Island is nice. It has a couple of very challenging sand pits, and some nice downhill opportunities to get some speed. At the half way point it dumps you out onto the beach in a very secluded area with a 2 mile ride back to complete the loop. Super nice ride. Make sure to ride the beach portion during low tide!
Lasting Impressions:
- We will surely return Lord willing
- Site 7 and 8 seem to be perfect sites
- Get watches for older kids (check-in times)
- Bring kayaks next time and cast net
- Take advantage of good weather and do everything while you can. Summer storms can turn severe very quickly
- Take a trip into Amelia Island, about 15 miles north
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