This Florida Campground Just Ranked as the Top 'Hidden Gem' in North America

The Cove Resort & Pub in Inverness, Florida, ranked as the top “hidden” gem campground in the country in a recent study by Campspot, a booking platform.
The campground was once a fish camp and offers easy access to Lake Henderson—and it has a waterfront pub.
There are RV sites as well as cabins available to rent.

When you want to find peace and quiet in the great outdoors, a “hidden gem” campground is always a good thing.

Campspot, a campground booking platform, set out to find the best of these “hidden gem campgrounds” in its Best Campgrounds in North America list. To come up with the rankings, it reviewed over 3 million data points, factoring in things like guest ratings, reservation data, and park features.

In Campspot’s search for unique, but understated camping spots The Cove Resort & Pubin Inverness, Florida, rose to the top of the list. Very few campgrounds have a beloved waterfront pub on their premises—and perhaps even fewer are accessible by boat or boast a storied history as a fish camp, a place where people fished, stayed, and cooked their catch.

The campground has 10 landscaped RV sites set under a canopy of trees. Each site is large and outfitted with amenities—there are electric and water hookups, septic services, as well as WiFi. The Cove has other lodging types if you don’t have an RV. There are 400-square-foot cabins as well as a sprawling home with a shaded front porch that sleeps 11 people.

Best of all, the RV sites provide direct water access to Lake Henderson, and there are kayaks available for guests to use. The 47-mile-long Withlacoochee Bike Trail, one of the longest paved rail-trails in Florida, is less than three miles from The Cove. Downtown Inverness is just a six-minute drive away.

“The Campspot Awards aim to recognize those parks that are delivering outstanding guest experiences and embodying the spirit of modern camping,” Erin Stender, CMO of Campspot, said in a press release obtained by Travel + Leisure. “This year’s winners represent the variety and depth of camping in North America today. From peaceful retreats where you can disconnect to adrenaline-pumping destinations perfect for families, we’re thrilled to showcase parks that are truly exceptional.”

Following The Cove on the list of standout “hidden gems” was Byrd’s Branch Campground in Elkin, North Carolina; Doe River Landing in Roan Mountain, Tennessee; Foxfire of Murphy RV Park in Murphy, North Carolina; and Stone House Lodge in Los Ojos, New Mexico.

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