Explore Valdosta, Georgia

Valdosta is home to Valdosta State University and is the county seat of Lowndes County. Before the Civil War, Valdosta was one of the largest producers of cotton in the United States. This history as a cotton producer is woven throughout the town today, and there are many places to learn about this history as well as the consequences that the Civil War had on the cotton industry. In 1941, Moody Army Airfield opened in the area, reviving the town’s economy. Today, Valdosta is often listed on “Top U.S. Small Towns” lists and offers a variety of activities for campers and other visitors.

There are many museums located in Valdosta to visit and learn about the area’s history. The Copeland African American Museum is a great place to learn about the unique African culture and history that sprang up around the town’s plantations. Built in 1913, the Carnegie Library was repurposed and became the Lowndes County Historical Museum, where patrons can experience the Steps Through Time story and learn about the county’s historical roots. 

Valdosta features many architecturally significant houses that can be toured. The Crescent is one of the most popular. It was built in 1898 and is a Neoclassical house surrounded by gigantic live oaks and Spanish moss. The house is furnished with period-accurate furniture and provides a time capsule of what Valdosta was like during the late 19th century. 

Campers looking for a good place to grab a bite will find many delicious options within Valdosta. For seafood lovers, Bubba Jax Crab Shack is the perfect place to find a large selection of seafood at a great price. Offering traditional American cuisine within a beautiful and modern setting, the Bistro is a great place to grab dinner and a drink.

Campgrounds Near Valdosta, Georgia

Located in Fitzgerald, Georgia, Paulk Park RV Park is nestled against County Lake, providing a beautiful setting and tranquil atmosphere for RV campers. The park has 24 RV sites next to the lake. Each site features electrical pedestals and connections for sewer and water. There is a dump station within the park that can be used for a fee, as well as laundry and shower facilities. 

Sugar Mill RV Park sits on a former plantation just north of Thomasville, Georgia. The park features 121 full-service RV sites, many of which are located next to a large pond that is perfect for fishing. There are many activities to partake in within the park, such as horseshoes, shuffleboard, and fishing in any of the park’s three ponds. 

The Tifton KOA is a great place for RV campers looking to travel throughout the Southeast. The park offers many RV sites dotted throughout a grove of pecan trees. All sites are easy-in/easy-out and feature full hookups. The park offers many amenities, such as free Wi-Fi, LP Gas, a swimming pool, and golf car rental. 

National Parks Near Valdosta, Georgia

Located in central South Carolina, the 26,692-acre Congaree National Park preserves the largest area of old-growth bottomland hardwood forest in the United States. The forest features some of the tallest trees in the country and offers a tranquil place for visitors to experience these giants. There are many activities to take part in within the park, including hiking, bird-watching, and kayaking. There are several primitive campgrounds located inside the park that can be reserved, but no RV camping is allowed inside this national park. Campers who wish to visit the park and stay in their RVs can utilize one of the nearby RV campgrounds, such as the River Bottom Farms Family Campground. 

Everglades National Park is located on the southern tip of Florida and is the largest tropical wilderness within the United States. This park stretches 1,508,976 acres and protects a fragile ecosystem featuring many rare animals. The national park is a dark skies site with the remote southern and western areas being a great place for dark sky observations. The park is a popular spot for RV camping. The Flamingo campground offers 41 sites with full hookups. The Long Pine Key campground is the only other campground within the park for RV campers and features 108 sites but no hookups. 

Great Smoky Mountains National Park covers 522,419 acres of the Great Smoky Mountains and the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Southeastern United States. The park acts as an anchor for the tourism industry of the region, with many attractions located nearby, such as Dollywood and Gatlinburg. Cades Cove is a valley within the park and one of its main attractions. Cades Cove features many historic buildings, such as log cabins, churches, and barns. Camping is a popular activity within the park, and RV campers will find nine campgrounds to choose from.

State Parks Near Valdosta, Georgia

Located 5 miles east of Ellenton, Georgia, Reed Bingham State Park covers 1,613 acres of land consisting of many different ecosystems. The main attraction of the park is Reed Bingham Lake. Hiking is a popular activity within the park, and there are many trails that will take visitors through swamps, bogs, and forests. The state park is a great place for families and features special ponds and other activities specifically for children. Visitors who wish to RV camp within the park will find 46 sites that can accommodate RVs. None of the sites offer hookups. 

Suwannee River State Park is located near Live Oak, Florida. It’s a popular destination for canoeing and offers some of the best backcountry canoeing sites in Georgia and Florida. There are many historical features in the park to enjoy, including the Sawmill Wheel area, which has pieces of machinery from a sawmill that operated along the Suwannee River in the 1800s. Camping is a popular activity in the park. There is a beautiful campground nestled along the Suwannee River that offers 30 oak-shaded sites with full hookups. The campground can accommodate RVs up to 45 feet in length. 

Located in White Springs, Florida, Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center State Park houses the Stephen Foster Museum. The museum honors American composer Stephen Foster and features many exhibits dedicated to his popular songs. Visitors to the park can also view the carillon constructed for the spire of Florida’s exhibit in the 1939 World’s Fair. During the day, the carillon plays songs written by Foster. The park is a great location for RV campers to stay and features 45 sites with full hookups. There is also a dump station available within the campground. 

National Sites Near Valdosta, Georgia

Located in Plains, Georgia, the Jimmy Carter National Historic Site is dedicated to the 39th president of the United States. Carter grew up in Plains, and the site protects many places from his childhood. The high school Carter attended now serves as the park’s visitor center and museum. His childhood farm, the town railroad depot that served as his campaign headquarters during the 1976 election, and his residence are also housed within the site. There is no camping within this site, but RV campers can stay at a nearby park, such as the Country Vista Campground. 

The Andersonville National Historic Site is located at the former Andersonville Prison. This prison was a Confederate prisoner-of-war camp and now houses the National Prisoner of War Museum where visitors can tour exhibits depicting the horrors that POWs experience after capture. Campers wishing to visit the site can stay at the Andersonville RV Park located next to the historical site. 

Located in Arlington, Florida, the Fort Caroline National Memorial was built to memorialize the presence of a short-lived French settlement in Florida during the 16th century. The settlement lasted only a year and ended during an attack from a nearby Spanish settlement. Today, the memorial hosts many events celebrating the short-lived settlement. The Pop-up Ranger Talks are immensely popular and feature park rangers telling the story of the settlement and its sad fate. There is no camping at the memorial itself, but there are several camping locations available within the Timucuan Preserve. Little Talbot Island State Park located within the preserve is a campground that has many sites accessible to RVs. 

National Forests Near Valdosta, Georgia

Osceola National Forest is located in northeast Florida and covers approximately 200,000 acres. The forest is mostly made up of pine flat woods and cypress-hardwood swamps. Hiking is popular within the park, and the 28-mile section of the Florida National Scenic Trail cutting through the forest is a top attraction. There are many unique creatures that call this forest home, including alligators, eastern indigo snakes, and bobcats. Visitors who wish to RV camp within the forest can stay at the Ocean Pond Campground. The campground features a lake popular for its sandy beach.

Apalachicola National Forest covers 632,890 acres, making it the largest national forest in Florida. The forest is a popular destination for water activities and houses several different lakes and streams open for non-motorized boating, including Lost Creek and New River. Fishermen looking to spend some quiet time angling within the forest will find Porter Lake and Wright Lake to be great places to catch bass and catfish. There are five campgrounds within the national forest, and RV campers can take advantage of the amenities at Mack Landing.

Located just north of Orlando, Florida, Ocala National Forest covers 607 square miles. There are two main ecoregions within the forest. These ecoregions are the southeastern conifer forest and the Florida sand pine scrub. The forest contains more than 600 lakes and rivers, making it a popular swimming and fishing destination. There are more than 10 campgrounds within the forest. Most of the campgrounds have sites that can be used by RVs, such as the Lake Delaney West OHV Campground.