Camp Margaritaville Resort Orange Lake is open for business in Citra, Florida, and the traveler decision is concrete. RV guests and cottage renters can book a waterfront camp resort with an on-site water park between Ocala and Gainesville instead of only hunting for a basic I-75 overnight stop.
The brand page for Camp Margaritaville Resort Orange Lake lists 430 RV sites, vacation cottages, and resort amenities across about 150 acres on Orange Lake. Local coverage earlier this year said online reservations opened for summer stays, and the live booking path is active now.
- What: Camp Margaritaville Resort Orange Lake is open in Citra, Florida.
- Stay types: About 430 RV sites plus vacation cottages.
- Big amenity: On-site Fins Up Falls Water Park with slides and a lazy river.
- Location: Off I-75 between Ocala and Gainesville on Orange Lake.
- Next step: Compare RV site versus cottage rates before peak weekends.
What the brand says is on the ground
Camp Margaritaville describes the property as a luxury camp resort on scenic Orange Lake. The inventory headline is 430 RV sites and vacation cottages, not a single high-rise hotel tower.
The amenity list is built for multi-day family stays. Fins Up Falls Water Park is the centerpiece, with pools, a water slide, a lazy river, and kid-friendly splash pads. Fins Bar and Chill covers island-style plates and boat drinks, and a separate Tiki Bar sits poolside.
Other named facilities include Barkaritaville Dog Park, the Fins Up fitness center, and golf-cart rentals for circulating the campus. That mix is the difference between a pure RV park and a branded resort camp with daylong activities on site.
Orange Lake itself is part of the pitch. The brand calls it one of Florida horse country’s celebrated bass fishing spots, which matters for guests who want angling time without driving back across Orlando traffic after a park day.
Where it sits on the Florida map
The resort address is 18365 NW 45th Avenue Road, Citra, FL 32113. Phone service is listed as 352-878-4855 on the brand page.
Driving directions from I-75 are simple enough for a first arrival. Use Exit 368, head east on Highway 318 for about three and a half miles, turn left on 45th Avenue Road, then watch for the resort about half a mile on the right. That I-75 access is the main reason overnight RVers and week-long cottage guests will shortlist it.
WCJB’s January 2026 report said reservations were being accepted through the resort site for the then-upcoming summer opening window. That independent local note supports the current live booking product without inventing a later ceremony date the brand does not post.
Citra sits in Marion County horse country rather than on the Orlando theme-park ring. That geography is a feature for bass fishing, springs day trips, and lower-density evenings, and a constraint for anyone who planned an early Magic Kingdom rope drop from the same bed.
Guests pairing the stay with North Florida days can use Deep Arrival’s Ocala things to do guide for nearby planning, then keep the water park and lake on campus for low-drive afternoons.
Who should book an RV site versus a cottage
Travelers towing their own unit should compare full-hookup site size, pull-through availability, and any seasonal rate windows before locking a long weekend. The brand markets spacious RV sites with full resort amenity access, which is the value proposition over a barebones overnight lot.
Travelers without an RV should price the vacation cottages against nearby hotels in Ocala or Gainesville. The cottage path only wins if the water park, dog park, and on-site dining replace separate paid attractions and restaurant drives.
Families with dogs should confirm Barkaritaville rules and pet fees before arrival. A fenced dog park is useful only when the stay rules match your pet size and leash requirements.
Long-stay snowbirds and remote workers should read the month-long package language carefully. The brand advertises multi-week savings, reduced resort fees on some long stays, and other packages, but those terms can change by season and should be confirmed in the booking cart.
Current packages and what is still unknown
The offers page currently lists seasonal packages such as fall savings with welcome drinks, multi-night free-night deals, military and first-responder discounts, and a 30-night savings plan. Treat each package as date-bound marketing, not a permanent rate card.
What remains open is exact nightly base rates by site type, blackout calendars for water-park access if any, and how busy peak Florida weekends will feel once word spreads. Those operational details only show in the live booking engine and on-property policies.
If you are building a wider Florida itinerary that includes Central Florida theme parks, keep this property in the North Central Florida band rather than on International Drive. For statewide RV planning context, pair the booking with Deep Arrival’s Florida RV parks and campgrounds guide before you lock a multi-night route.
How this compares with other Florida camp options
Central and North Florida already have plenty of independent RV parks and state campgrounds. The Margaritaville brand is selling a packaged experience: themed dining, a private water park, dog amenities, and cottage inventory for guests who do not own an RV.
That package costs more than a simple overnight site in most cases. It only makes sense when the water park and on-site restaurants replace separate paid attractions and when the I-75 location saves a night of harder routing.
Guests who mainly need a cheap sleep between Jacksonville and Tampa should still price plain full-hookup parks. Guests who want a destination weekend for kids, dogs, and lake time can justify the brand premium if cottage or site rates land in an acceptable range for the dates they need.
Development context also helps set expectations. Island Hospitality Management’s outdoor division announced the Citra project in late 2025 as a spring 2026 target, and local television later reported summer booking availability. The public product now is the live resort page and cart, not the original groundbreaking language.
| If you… | What to do |
|---|---|
| Travel with an RV and want amenities beyond a basic overnight lot | Price full-hookup sites and confirm pull-through size before arrival. |
| Want a cottage with a water park on site | Compare cottage rates plus package fees against Ocala hotel plus day tickets. |
| Need dog-friendly space | Confirm Barkaritaville rules and pet fees in the booking terms. |
| Plan a 7-day or longer stay | Check multi-night and monthly packages before locking rack rates. |
- Book the stay type first: RV site and cottage inventories are separate products.
- Use I-75 Exit 368: Follow Highway 318 east, then 45th Avenue Road.
- Budget on-site days: Water park, dining, and lake access can replace off-property drives.
- Recheck package rules: Seasonal offers can change eligibility and blackout dates.
For travelers who want Florida water and resort amenities without committing to a theme-park corridor hotel, Orange Lake is now a real bookable option rather than a future rendering.
Is Camp Margaritaville Orange Lake open now?
Yes. The brand is marketing the Citra, Florida resort as open with live reservations for RV sites and vacation cottages.
How many RV sites does Camp Margaritaville Orange Lake have?
The brand lists about 430 RV sites plus vacation cottages across roughly 150 acres on Orange Lake.
Does the resort have a water park?
Yes. Fins Up Falls Water Park is on site with pools, a water slide, a lazy river, and splash pads for kids.
Where is Camp Margaritaville Orange Lake relative to I-75?
It is off I-75 Exit 368 between Ocala and Gainesville, east on Highway 318, then on 45th Avenue Road in Citra.
