Tomoka State Park
Tomoka State Park
4.5
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
8:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Full view
Top ways to experience nearby attractions
The area
Address
Reach out directly
Best nearby
Restaurants
34 within 3 miles
Attractions
78 within 6 miles
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
440 reviews
Excellent
227
Very good
143
Average
47
Poor
14
Terrible
9
OConnor13
kannemartin41 contributions
My friend and I set out for Tomoka State Park in record April heat, fearing that camping would prove to be a really bad idea. What a pleasant surprise the park was. Of the nearly one hundred sites, maybe a third were filled. Our site was very large and tucked away under the thick shade of the Florida hammock. It got up to 93 degrees during our trip and, while it was definitely warm, we never felt the high temperature because our site was so shady. We were lucky not to have any immediate neighbors because, like most state parks here, the sites are very close to each other.
The nicest thing Tomoka has going for it is that it’s nestled among one of the most scenic parts of Florida I think I’ve seen. The 20 minute drive to Ormond Beach is a scenic loop that takes you through a dense canopy of trees and shrubs, interspersed with gorgeous marshland. The beach is largely for surf fishers and the crabs have claimed most of the sand. Still, you can spread a blanket and enjoy the view.
Because there’s so much foliage at Tomoka, there are also plenty of spiders, mosquites and other insects. If this bothers you, pack the deet and stay out of the scrub. Don’t be surprised if you wake up to find a web or two has been spun along your tent.
The wildlife is diverse, from squirrels, deer, bobcat and numerous birds during the day to raccoons, bats and armadillos at night. We were concerned that we’d get plenty of nighttime visitors, especially because the park wasn’t near capacity, but aside from an occasional visit the night was quiet.
The facilities were immaculate. Some of the reviews noted that the park wasn’t kept up, but during our visit the bathrooms were cleaned every day and the sites were groomed for the next campers.
Tomoka is a truly beautiful camping and recreation area only minutes from civilization, but you’ll feel like you’re in another time. We highly recommend it.
The nicest thing Tomoka has going for it is that it’s nestled among one of the most scenic parts of Florida I think I’ve seen. The 20 minute drive to Ormond Beach is a scenic loop that takes you through a dense canopy of trees and shrubs, interspersed with gorgeous marshland. The beach is largely for surf fishers and the crabs have claimed most of the sand. Still, you can spread a blanket and enjoy the view.
Because there’s so much foliage at Tomoka, there are also plenty of spiders, mosquites and other insects. If this bothers you, pack the deet and stay out of the scrub. Don’t be surprised if you wake up to find a web or two has been spun along your tent.
The wildlife is diverse, from squirrels, deer, bobcat and numerous birds during the day to raccoons, bats and armadillos at night. We were concerned that we’d get plenty of nighttime visitors, especially because the park wasn’t near capacity, but aside from an occasional visit the night was quiet.
The facilities were immaculate. Some of the reviews noted that the park wasn’t kept up, but during our visit the bathrooms were cleaned every day and the sites were groomed for the next campers.
Tomoka is a truly beautiful camping and recreation area only minutes from civilization, but you’ll feel like you’re in another time. We highly recommend it.
Written April 24, 2006
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
James M
Ormond Beach129 contributions
Dec 2010 • Friends
On our annual winter trip from London to Ormond we live quite near Tomoka State Park and pass through 3 or 4 times a week - its just beautiful and we always see something very special each time.
Nothing to Dislike - its heaven
Yours very sincerely and 'In God We Trust'
Slán agus beannacht De leat (Good Health and God's blessing on you)
James & Janice Monaghan
Bay Tree House Bed & Breakfast
Nothing to Dislike - its heaven
Yours very sincerely and 'In God We Trust'
Slán agus beannacht De leat (Good Health and God's blessing on you)
James & Janice Monaghan
Bay Tree House Bed & Breakfast
Written November 21, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lacy G
Ormond Beach, FL5 contributions
Nov 2014
Tomoka State Park is a nice place to visit and certainly has a lot to offer. However, this review is for the purposes of warning any visitors who intend to take their dog along. The park has a horrible tick infestation!
I am a 3rd generation native to Volusia County and pretty much grew up going to this park for boating and family gatherings. We are seasoned campers and usually head out to Ocala when we camp. Last November, we decided to camp Tomoka State Park for the first time, simply because it is 5 minutes from our house. We did not know how sorry we'd end up being. We set up our camp and had our little dog with us. It had been raining off and on, and the typically sandy site was rather wet. So we put down tarps on most of the walkway areas to keep the dirt out of the tents and to keep the dog out of the dirt.
From the onset we began to notice ticks on our dog. He is a long haired breed, weighing 8 lbs and is a "lap" dog. That is to say, we don't just toss him on the ground and let him roam around the site and through the brush. To the contrary, he was either with us inside the screen room, a tent, on a tarp, or in his bed most of the trip. Every time we would walk him off the tarps and into the sand to handle his business, even for just 5 minutes, he would come back crawling with ticks! Then I would have to get down on the ground with him and spend 30 minutes going completely over him to make certain I had removed them all. It was absolutely disgusting, unsanitary and just plain maddening! The fewest number of ticks I removed after each potty trip was 6, and the most was 15.
This went on for the first two days of our 5 day trip, until finally my poor pooch had had enough. My husband ended up packing it in and took himself and our dog home. Even though my dog was on flea and tick prevention through that horrible attack, he still had deep bites covering his head, neck and ears which took weeks to heal completely.
I and the rest of my family remained at the campgrounds, still in disbelief, but relieved that the dog was now safe. During the remainder of our time there, we not only spoke with other campers who had the same problem with their dog, but in just moving around the park we would actually see dog owners holding their dogs on picnic tables and tailgates so as to pick the ticks off, and we'd hear them fussing in frustration!
On our way out of the park, I stopped at the front office to inquire with the ranger about the problem. I asked him if there was an "off season" for these ticks, in hopes that we might have just come at a bad time of year. Sadly, he said it was the off season and the ticks had been much worse during the summer. We couldn't believe it being any worse than it was, that's for certain!
We have camped in many places through out central Florida and have always had a dog with us. We have never had a problem with ticks. This experience was absolutely horrific, especially for our dog. We were lucky because we were able to remove him from the situation by simply taking him home. I feel sorry for any out of the area pet owners visiting this park. If you don't have pets along, please do visit this park. It is a beautiful place to spend time and get back to nature. If you have pets...don't take them here!
I am a 3rd generation native to Volusia County and pretty much grew up going to this park for boating and family gatherings. We are seasoned campers and usually head out to Ocala when we camp. Last November, we decided to camp Tomoka State Park for the first time, simply because it is 5 minutes from our house. We did not know how sorry we'd end up being. We set up our camp and had our little dog with us. It had been raining off and on, and the typically sandy site was rather wet. So we put down tarps on most of the walkway areas to keep the dirt out of the tents and to keep the dog out of the dirt.
From the onset we began to notice ticks on our dog. He is a long haired breed, weighing 8 lbs and is a "lap" dog. That is to say, we don't just toss him on the ground and let him roam around the site and through the brush. To the contrary, he was either with us inside the screen room, a tent, on a tarp, or in his bed most of the trip. Every time we would walk him off the tarps and into the sand to handle his business, even for just 5 minutes, he would come back crawling with ticks! Then I would have to get down on the ground with him and spend 30 minutes going completely over him to make certain I had removed them all. It was absolutely disgusting, unsanitary and just plain maddening! The fewest number of ticks I removed after each potty trip was 6, and the most was 15.
This went on for the first two days of our 5 day trip, until finally my poor pooch had had enough. My husband ended up packing it in and took himself and our dog home. Even though my dog was on flea and tick prevention through that horrible attack, he still had deep bites covering his head, neck and ears which took weeks to heal completely.
I and the rest of my family remained at the campgrounds, still in disbelief, but relieved that the dog was now safe. During the remainder of our time there, we not only spoke with other campers who had the same problem with their dog, but in just moving around the park we would actually see dog owners holding their dogs on picnic tables and tailgates so as to pick the ticks off, and we'd hear them fussing in frustration!
On our way out of the park, I stopped at the front office to inquire with the ranger about the problem. I asked him if there was an "off season" for these ticks, in hopes that we might have just come at a bad time of year. Sadly, he said it was the off season and the ticks had been much worse during the summer. We couldn't believe it being any worse than it was, that's for certain!
We have camped in many places through out central Florida and have always had a dog with us. We have never had a problem with ticks. This experience was absolutely horrific, especially for our dog. We were lucky because we were able to remove him from the situation by simply taking him home. I feel sorry for any out of the area pet owners visiting this park. If you don't have pets along, please do visit this park. It is a beautiful place to spend time and get back to nature. If you have pets...don't take them here!
Written October 30, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
James M
Ormond Beach129 contributions
Feb 2012 • Friends
We visit here at least 2 or 3 times a year in the winter every year whilst escaping the cold wet London weather.
You can't beat the location in Ormond Beach.
Yours very sincerely and 'In God We Trust'
Slán agus beannacht De leat (Good Health and God's blessing on you)
James & Janice Monaghan
Bay Tree House Bed & Breakfast
You can't beat the location in Ormond Beach.
Yours very sincerely and 'In God We Trust'
Slán agus beannacht De leat (Good Health and God's blessing on you)
James & Janice Monaghan
Bay Tree House Bed & Breakfast
Written June 9, 2012
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
jfrd30
Jacksonville, FL17 contributions
This is the first park that my wife and I went to after purchasing our new 26' travel trailer. This park is off the beaten path a bit and was rather quiet during our stay. The bathrooms/showers are immaculate and relatively new. Most of the camp sites are in good shape, but a few of the sites on the west side of the camp ground need a little care. The park has a great camp store and boat ramp, but the north east section of the park is rather messy. They were storing all the mulch and fallen limbs and palms over in that area. The park doesn't offer a lot of amenities, but if you just want to be in the woods and relax, this place is perfect. One word of warning, if you decide to visit the park during mosquito season, you may get carried off into the woods and eaten. Bring lots of bug spray and citronella candles. If you call the park, they will let you know how bad the bugs are. During the late fall, winter and early spring, most of the mosquitos are on vacation, but if you get one or two warm days in a row, they may show up again. There are a lot of attractions nearby if you get bored, including Daytona Beach, Daytona Raceway, Shopping, etc. My wife and I will be returning to Tomoka State Park sometine soon!
Written November 26, 2007
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
David R
Sylva, NC197 contributions
Oct 2010 • Solo
A few miles north of Tomoka SP, on the right side, there is a small sign for Fairchild Oak. Its worth a drive to see it and walk the nature trail (in good weather only). The tree is centuries old and branches reach out in many directions, dipping onto the ground and spreading like tentacles of an octopus. A little farther north and to the right is another drive...a short trek through a typical Florida swamp and it opens into a marsh area. I have recommended this drive to lots of people and no one has been disappointed.
Written September 8, 2011
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
biolovin
melbourne, fl12 contributions
My husband and I went tent camping while we had a cool spell in Florida. The sites are private, but because most are for campers or rvs the trees are trimmed above so the sun is pretty bright. All sites have fire rings and for 5.00 you can get 8 pieces of wood. Bring a hatchet to cut them smaller. The rangers are the nicest ones I have meet at any of the Florida state parks, and I have been to many. The store inside the park is nice. In the morning they have a very cheap breakfast. 1.99 for biscuits and sausage gravy. If you luck out like we did, you can go to free entertainment offered on certain nights by the couple who run the store. The singers sang a lot of Scottish ballads that were very amusing. They sell a piece of pie and a cup of coffee for a total of 2.00 dollars. You can have dessert while listening to the music and watching the sun set. You can rent canoes there too. Beautiful river to paddle. You can not beat the prices or friendliness of this place.
Written October 10, 2010
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
TheUniversalOne
Orlando10 contributions
Pros: Hot showers, nice fishing spots, canoe & boat rentals, camp store (not open on Mondays), plenty of picnic space, cool little nature trail (Bring bug spray on trail, they are vicious little suckers!), nice staff, close to beaches, firewood, woodsy.
Cons: Sites are too close together, we felt uncomfortable on the second night, when our neighbors arrived and watched TV until 10 pm. Forget the fact of why on earth someone would bring a TV camping, they kept the volume pretty moderate, but the sites are so close together that any neighbors, even quiet ones, are too close for comfort.
The road runs just behind the campsites making them noisy and taking away any feeling that you may be "away from it all".
If you are doing tent camping, be prepared for an uncomfortable sleepless night. This is because the ground for the tentspace is the farthest thing from being leveled, thus, the mattress will adjust to the ground below providing for an achy back the next morning.
I give it a four out of five simply because if you look for the right site(with level ground), bring bugspray on the trail (and citronella candles for the campsite), and find a spot away from the road and not too close to neighbors, you will have a fantastic time.
My personal experience, however, was a 3 out of 5. Hope this helps!
Cons: Sites are too close together, we felt uncomfortable on the second night, when our neighbors arrived and watched TV until 10 pm. Forget the fact of why on earth someone would bring a TV camping, they kept the volume pretty moderate, but the sites are so close together that any neighbors, even quiet ones, are too close for comfort.
The road runs just behind the campsites making them noisy and taking away any feeling that you may be "away from it all".
If you are doing tent camping, be prepared for an uncomfortable sleepless night. This is because the ground for the tentspace is the farthest thing from being leveled, thus, the mattress will adjust to the ground below providing for an achy back the next morning.
I give it a four out of five simply because if you look for the right site(with level ground), bring bugspray on the trail (and citronella candles for the campsite), and find a spot away from the road and not too close to neighbors, you will have a fantastic time.
My personal experience, however, was a 3 out of 5. Hope this helps!
Written December 25, 2007
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
lnurse383
Titusville,fl.33 contributions
Apr 2017
This is a very busy campground on the weekend. The restrooms are ok. The sites are nice, but the road has LOTS of bumps (would be nice if the roads were smoothed out. It is a long walk to the camp store, so you should drive or ride bikes. If you kayak, there are lot of places to go out.
Written April 23, 2017
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kafue007
Orlando, FL156 contributions
Jan 2015 • Family
Stayed here the end of Jan for two nights. Ranger was friendly and check in was fast.
The road tot he campsites is dirt and yes there's a few 'dips' but thats part of the adventure (was towing a boat trailer).
Campsite was clean, with bench, fire pit, electric and water. We booked site 47 and it was easy to get the trailer in.
It was a busy weekend, rest rooms were cleaned regularly. However the second night it seemed some girls in a group went around and trashed them (flowers and notes, dye) for some game or something. I think the same group created quite a bit of noise but it was all quiet by quiet time.
Days were gorgeous but the night were pretty cold (for us Fl people).
We put the boat in at the ramp and went up the river to the river grill for lunch. Ramp was good. The camp store had quite a few provisions.
We drove around the roads and the park is very well maintained and the staff were all very friendly.
Bathrooms in the center of the campsites seemed newer and nicer then the ones at the bottom end.
"Publix" is only 1.6 miles away but beware cause thats as the crow flies. You have to head into Ormond or up towards the interstate.
Park is really nice, we are already looking to book again.. if we can find a reservation while its still cool!
The road tot he campsites is dirt and yes there's a few 'dips' but thats part of the adventure (was towing a boat trailer).
Campsite was clean, with bench, fire pit, electric and water. We booked site 47 and it was easy to get the trailer in.
It was a busy weekend, rest rooms were cleaned regularly. However the second night it seemed some girls in a group went around and trashed them (flowers and notes, dye) for some game or something. I think the same group created quite a bit of noise but it was all quiet by quiet time.
Days were gorgeous but the night were pretty cold (for us Fl people).
We put the boat in at the ramp and went up the river to the river grill for lunch. Ramp was good. The camp store had quite a few provisions.
We drove around the roads and the park is very well maintained and the staff were all very friendly.
Bathrooms in the center of the campsites seemed newer and nicer then the ones at the bottom end.
"Publix" is only 1.6 miles away but beware cause thats as the crow flies. You have to head into Ormond or up towards the interstate.
Park is really nice, we are already looking to book again.. if we can find a reservation while its still cool!
Written February 7, 2015
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
kara c
Ormond Beach, FL2 contributions
I know most parks do not allow you to take your dog on a canoes. Do they let your here? I have not seen any dogs when I have gone before.
Thom L
Scranton, PA16 contributions
I'm not sure. I've seen dogs in personal boats on the river but the boats were a bit larger then a canoe. I suggest calling the park office. It's a great park to walk dogs however there may be an abundance of TICKS. If you take your dog to the park be careful and check him (for ticks). Have fun.
pmellen3465
Savannah, GA
Are there snakes to be concerned about in December?
kara c
Ormond Beach, FL2 contributions
I have never seen any snakes there but there are snakes it's FL.I would not worry about snakes.
Camp site fees
Thomas M
Ormond Beach, FL14 contributions
I'm not sure, just call park directly and they'll give you their fee schedule.
mylilcupcake821
Tampa, FL4 contributions
Does anyone know if there is a dishwashing station in the campground? We are tent camping there soon and I wanted to know if I should pack my dishwashing bins.
Nanette132
Brisbane, Australia202 contributions
At Tomoka they have a dishwashing station outside the bathhouse in the middle of the campground. Hope that helps, have fun camping, and one at the newer bathroom to the right plus washers and dryers. Happy camping.
Dnisse82
Palm Beach Gardens, FL86 contributions
Will I be able to go bike riding? Did you anyone on their bike?
Nanette132
Brisbane, Australia202 contributions
We always have our bikes there in the park but use the lovely paved bike and walkway opposite the entrance to the park. It's a pretty shaded ride. Also ride into the library to use the wifi and over the bridge to Ormond Beach. North Beach Rd can be very busy so we use the sidewalk part of the way after the bikeway ends. Have fun at Tomoka.
Zumbagirl4u2014
Newnan, GA1 contribution
how much are kyack rentals
vawgrc
Portsmouth, NH38 contributions
I don't know, never went. call there store
Zumbagirl4u2014
Newnan, GA1 contribution
are dogs allowed?
lnurse383
Titusville,fl.33 contributions
Yes, there were lots of dogs at this campground.
What are the most private and spacious campsite numbers? I'm booking for fall.
carole c
Groton, CT217 contributions
I never camped at Tomoka. Whatever campsite you choose, have a wonderful time.
How far to the ocean? Is the river fresh water or salt water?
Don B
Ormond Beach, FL19 contributions
Leaving the park one needs to go South on Beach St. approximately five miles to Hwy. 40 (Granada Ave.), turn East at the light and over the bridge. About four blocks and you are at the ocean.
Is this your Tripadvisor listing?
Own or manage this property? Claim your listing for free to respond to reviews, update your profile and much more.
Claim your listingTomoka State Park - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)
Tomoka State Park Information
Excellent Reviews | 227 |
|---|---|
Very Good Reviews | 143 |
Tomoka State Park Photos | 221 |