Guides · Port St. Joe, Florida
Bringing an RV to Port St. Joe, FL: What to Know
The town that wrote Florida’s first constitution was erased by fever and storm within three years of doing so. Port St. Joe is what rose in its place, and it carries the dead town’s name with a prefix that admits the rebuild.
The Town That Died and the One That Stayed
St. Joseph, the original settlement, hosted Florida’s territorial delegates from 3 December 1838 to 11 January 1839. They wrote the state’s first constitution there. Then yellow fever emptied the town in 1841, and a hurricane storm surge in 1844 destroyed what remained. The modern town, Port St. Joe, took the saint’s name of the settlement that died here—with “Port” added to mark the harbor that replaced it.
Everything in this town has been rebuilt at least once. That is not a metaphor; it is the local history. The town’s motto is still “Birthplace of the Florida Constitution,” and the state park that commemorates it sits on 14 acres outside town. Constitution Convention Museum State Park at 200 Allen Memorial Way holds a reproduction convention hall and audio-animated recreations of the 1838 delegates. It is a quiet, specific place—not a monument to glory, but to the act of writing a document in a town that would not survive the decade.
Where to Park an RV
If you are bringing an RV, you are part of the town’s second act. The housing stock tells the story: of 2,037 total housing units, 473 are vacant, and 270 are held for seasonal or recreational use. The median age here is 52.9 years. This is not a town of newcomers; it is a town of people who come back, or come to stay.
The campgrounds are spread along the cape and the bay. Presnell's Bayside Marina & RV Resort sits at 2115 County Rd 30A, rated 4.6 from 699 reviews. St. Joe Bay RV Park at 2764 Victoria Ave rates 4.8 from 189 reviews. Old Salt RV Park at 340 Co Rd 386 rates 4.8 from 133 reviews. Port Saint Joe RV Resort at 153 Redfish St rates 4.4 from 141 reviews. Water's Edge RV Park at 8300 County Rd 30A rates 4.4 from 131 reviews. Indian Pass Campground at 2817 Indian Pass Rd rates 4.5 from 679 reviews.
The Parks That Mark the Edge
The state park that bears the peninsula’s name—T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park at 8899 Cape San Blas Rd—rates 4.8 from 1,872 reviews. It is the largest and most visited of the natural areas here. Cape San Blas and its lighthouse, west of town, are the reason most people come.
The smaller parks are worth the stop. William J "Billy Joe" Rish Recreation Area at 6773 Cape San Blas Rd rates 4.9 from 204 reviews—the highest rating on this list. Gulf County Veterans Memorial Park at Beacon Hill at 8750 W Hwy 98 rates 4.8 from 324 reviews. Salinas Park at 380 Cape San Blas Rd rates 4.7 from 462 reviews. St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve Visitor Center at 3915 County Rd 30A rates 4.7 from 419 reviews. Cape Palms Park at 6081 Cape San Blas Rd rates 4.6 from 387 reviews. George Core Park (Lighthouse Park) rates 4.7 from 178 reviews. Frank Pate Park rates 4.5 from 283 reviews. St Joe Rent-All Nursery Supply at 706 First St rates 4.3 from 127 reviews—a supply stop, not a scenic one.
The Numbers Behind the Town
The census figures are unremarkable until you read them together. Population: 3,499. Median household income: $60,347. Median home value: $280,600. Median gross rent: $1,342. Unemployment: 6 percent. Bachelor’s degree or higher: 33 percent.
That is a working town with a retirement-age median, a housing stock that is nearly a quarter vacant, and a seasonal slice of just over 13 percent. It is not a resort town pretending to be a fishing village. It is a fishing village that lost its first incarnation and decided to stay anyway.
The One Weekend That Matters
Labor Day weekend, the Florida Scallop, Music & Arts Festival closes out the scallop season at Gulf County Veterans Memorial Park on Beacon Hill. It is run by the Gulf County Chamber of Commerce. The coast is named for the scallop, and the festival marks the end of the season the town’s identity is built on.
If you are bringing an RV, plan around that weekend if you want company, or avoid it if you do not. The campgrounds fill early.
What to Take From This
Port St. Joe is not a hidden gem. It is a town that was wiped out once and rebuilt with the same name, and it does not pretend otherwise. The parks are well-kept, the ratings are high, and the history is specific. Bring your RV, park it, walk the beach, and read the marker at the Constitution Convention Museum. That is the whole visit.
The town that wrote Florida’s first constitution is gone. The town that replaced it is still here, and it is worth the drive.
Common questions
- Where can I park my RV in Port St. Joe?
- Several campgrounds serve Port St. Joe. Presnell's Bayside Marina & RV Resort, Indian Pass Campground, St. Joe Bay RV Park, Port Saint Joe RV Resort, Old Salt RV Park, and Water's Edge RV Park all offer RV sites. Check each one directly for availability and amenities.
- What is there to do near my RV in Port St. Joe?
- T.H. Stone Memorial St. Joseph Peninsula State Park offers nature and beach access. Salinas Park, Cape Palms Park, and William J "Billy Joe" Rish Recreation Area are also nearby. The St. Joseph Bay State Buffer Preserve Visitor Center provides educational exhibits.
- Is Port St. Joe a good place to visit for history?
- Yes. Florida's first constitution was written here in 1838-1839. Visit Constitution Convention Museum State Park, which has a reproduction convention hall and audio-animated recreations of the delegates. The town's motto is Birthplace of the Florida Constitution.
- What happened to the original town of St. Joseph?
- The original town was mostly abandoned in 1841 after a yellow fever epidemic, and a hurricane storm surge in 1844 destroyed what remained. The modern town, Port St. Joe, carries the saint's name of the settlement that died here.
- Are there any festivals in Port St. Joe during the year?
- Yes, the Florida Scallop, Music & Arts Festival takes place Labor Day weekend at Gulf County Veterans Memorial Park at Beacon Hill. It closes out the scallop season. It is run by the Gulf County Chamber of Commerce.
- How crowded is Port St. Joe for RV camping?
- The town has 2,037 total housing units, with 270 held for seasonal or recreational use. The median age is 52.9 years, and the population is 3,499. It is not a large town, so campgrounds may fill up during peak seasons like scallop season.
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