The first campground on our #whereverimayroll extended vacation was Camelot RV Park in Malabar, Florida. I’ve driven by this attractive property countless times from Vero Beach (my old home) to Melbourne or one of the other East coast cities I like to frequent. Camelot has exceptional views of the Indian River Lagoon (the Intracoastal) across the road. The campground is near bustling Palm Bay and world-famous Melbourne.
Campsites
Camelot RV Park is a 55+ snowbird destination with dozens of campsites and 30 and 50-amp electric service. It has been family-owned for almost 50 years and sits directly on US-1. We chose a waterfront site on Bay Circle, with exceptional views toward the front, but you do have the traffic noise from busy US-1. River Circle is to the north of the campground, and Camelot Circle is to the south. Each campsite has a concrete pad and picnic table.
The water, sewage, and electricity were easy to hook up, and the park was well maintained. We saw the grounds crew working on projects daily, including caring for the plants and pruning palm trees.
We really enjoyed camping here and would come back again. Our dog enjoyed the many places to walk around; my husband said the showers were clean and had decent water pressure, and for me, I liked the scenery and location, but the pool was my #1.
Amenities
This campground offers full hook-ups, cable TV, and complimentary Wifi in most areas. It is $12 per day to have an extra person at your site, which I gladly paid when our daughter drove up to spend the night with us.
The park has two separate private shower houses and a laundry facility. A large recreation hall is attached to the shower facility nearest us but was still closed due to COVID. Shuffleboard courts and a bocce ball area are in the shaded parts of the property. COVID may curtail winter activities, including bingo, potluck dinners, cookouts, Zumba, quilting groups, motorcycle rides, and card nights.
My favorite feature at Camelot RV Park was the 20×50 outdoor heated pool, which is relaxing and a great way to cool off and get some exercise. Being a 55 and older community, we saw many couples walking dogs but no children.
This campground is pet-friendly (Priscilla, thanks you) and has a separate Swift Paws Park for your dog to enjoy some off-leash time. A bonus feature is the 200′ pier across US-1 that you can fish from or just take in the scenery. If you are a birder, note that I saw many great birds during my stay and even an adorable armadillo foraging.
Daily rates from April to November are under $50. Weekly and monthly rates are available, too. Camelot also has some designated multi-vehicle sites.
My Experience at Camelot
This was our very first RV experience and towing our RV. We chose Camelot because it was close to our house and a good place to practice driving and hooking up—and because the park is clean and well maintained.
I appreciated the personal escort to our campsite and help to park our truck since we were newbies.
Due to circumstances beyond our control, we ended up staying two extra nights at Camelot, and there were no problems in doing so. The staff was friendly and helpful, including the incident when I left my purse in a friend’s car (I told you I was a newbie) and was locked out of my RV for part of the evening.
Things to Do in the Area
The location of Camelot RV Park is awesome. Palm Bay is about four and a half miles away to the west and Melbourne six miles to the north. Palm Bay has all of your box stores and chain restaurants. You could easily spend hours seeing everything there and shopping for camping essentials.
Fun Fact: Orlando and Kennedy Space Center are only an hour away.
Melbourne is one of my favorite Florida towns. It has a historic downtown (East New Haven Street) that is a do-not-miss area. You’ll find shopping boutiques, vibrant murals, thrift and antique shops, and amazing restaurants here. A few of my favorites are Meg O’Malley’s, Mustard’s Last Stand (best hotdogs in the world!) Crush XI, and Hell ‘N Blazes Brewing Company. You can read more about Melbourne in this post.
If you are a gambler, check out Melbourne Greyhound Park, where you can play poker and Vegas-style games, and bet on simulcast horse and dog racing around the country.
Explore the arts in Melbourne’s Eau Gallie District, bursting with eclectic shops, art galleries, and more wonderful murals. Melbourne Beach is minutes away and one of the most cherished surfing beaches on the coast. Many national and regional surfing championships are held here.
