There are, obviously, different types of campsites ranging from small and intimate in-land mini villages, where the RVs and caravans are filled with regulars who visit year upon year, to large, sprawling family sites where the turnover is constant, especially through the summer months.

As well as different campsites, the location can also vary significantly, from back-to-nature, quiet, and relaxing sites in the middle of a forest or national park to a bustling beachside site with the opportunity to get out on the ocean.

If you have never experienced beach camping, then this guide is definitely for you!

Designate an Area for Your Wet Gear

If you are planning on beach camping, even if you are on your own or there is just going to be you and your partner, it still makes sense to purchase a tent of the family-sized variety rather than a smaller one.

This way, any of your wet clothes and boots covered in sand can be stored in one corner of the tent, meaning your living quarters will remain both dry and clean. 

Pack a Windbreak

Next, no matter where you are staying on the coast, indeed, both here in the United States and on international trips, the closer you are to the ocean, the windier and cooler the air will be, especially at night.

This makes packing a windbreak absolutely essential, and if you can, a couple or more windbreaks positioned carefully on the angle where the wind is at its strongest will make an impressive difference to the chill factor. 

One of the fundamental things you have to know about camping on the beach in Florida is that you will need to peg your tent, windbreak, and any associated items of equipment solidly into the ground, as the last thing you want is your tent blowing away in the middle of the night. 

Learn How to Track the Tides

Safety is paramount wherever you choose to pitch your tent, but when you are planning on a beach camping trip, Mother Nature has another weapon against you, and that is unpredictable tides.

This is why you need to learn how to track the tides in and around the area in which you will be staying, ideally before you leave, as high tides can flood a beach campsite at alarming speed. Tracking the tides will also mean that you and your family can plan fishing and swimming excursions when the ocean is at its calmest and safest. 

Leave Nothing Behind

Obviously, human beings are responsible, through both direct and indirect actions, for the destruction of the natural environment and animals’ habitats, and as a beach camper, it is your legal and moral responsibility to leave no trace.

‘Leave No Trace’ is actually a set of clear and recognized principles that all campers and holidaymakers should be aware of, so make sure you remove every scrap of rubbish and that the sand appears as if you were never there in the first place.