Red Oaks Campgrounds

This is a 55+ resort for either the early or soon-to-be-retired community who happen to be toting around in an RV. Red Oaks, which is owned by the large RV conglomerate Sun Outdoors, is pet-friendly and offers up 200+ pull-through and back-in RV slots with FHUs offering 30 / 50 amp electric and well-apportioned grassy or, for slightly more $’s, concrete or paved asphalt pads for regular-sized and XL RVs alike. Most sites come with the prerequisite picnic table and cable as well as offering enough space for slide outs with some of the spots offering more shade than most. Net-net, if you are looking for a mini-RV village to live in with a tight-knit community of retirees looking to kick back, enjoy the simple life and grab some Florida sunshine while doing it, you’ve just hit the RV park lottery!

With a population that actually rivals that of nearby Bushnell itself, Red Oaks RV Resort is organized pretty much like a little town in its own right with a grid-like paved street complex where the primary residential set-up is an oversized RV – but trust me, this place isn’t like many are simply housing long-term residents, although this location will definitely conjure up some residential vibes. What I like most about Red Oaks RV Resort is its central location to a ton of natural spaces to stretch your legs or get some oaring in like Flying Eagle Wildlife Management Area to the north, Weeki Wachee Springs State Park to the west, Lake Apopka to the east as well as artificial playgrounds like Disney World, Legoland and Universal Studies in Orlando to the south.

From an amenities standpoint, this place packs a decent punch offering the following: incredibly clean and well-maintained restroom and shower facilities, WiFi / Cable TV, Mail Center, laundr-O-mat, on-site storage, doggie park, clubhouse, covered pavilions with picnic tables and benches, swimming pool w/ deck patio and lounge chairs, jacuzzi, fitness center, shuffleboard, horseshoes, hiking trails & biking paths, game room, pickleball, volleyball, billiards, fishing, library, car wash, dumpster and dump station, on-site catering, scattered community halls and open air pavilion with picnic tables and seating, comfort station, woodshop as well as planned activities like (you guessed it) Bingo, live music, karaoke nights, line and square dancing, ice cream socials, water aerobics and quilting contests (yes, this review actually mentions 'quilting contests').

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) IMHO the best sites at this place are either the ones on the eastern perimeter as they place you as far away from the roaring traffic shooting up and down I75, plus this area is heavy-laden with good ground cover and a decent thick treeline granting both shade and a healthy bit of privacy, versus many of the other spots here; (2) In the event that you wanna get off the reservation here and try some local fare there’s Big Bass Grill Lakefront Restaurant & Marina, Beef ‘O’ Brady’s, Wood Shed, Coney Island, Odd Cuples (misspelt on purpose) Café and a smattering of fast food joints closer to I75; and (3) If you are looking to catch up on some local history, head on over to Dade Battlefield Historic State Park.

Happy Camping!