RV travelers arriving at Anastasia State Park should plan a coastal stay without counting on swimming conditions to cooperate. The National Weather Service has extended the high rip-current risk along the St. Augustine and Flagler beaches through Tuesday evening, November 3, while a high surf advisory continues until 7 p.m. EST Monday. The forecast combines rough surf with persistent onshore wind and increasing rain chances, even though afternoon temperatures remain in the upper 70s.
Areas Affected
The Jacksonville office’s coastal hazard message, issued at 5:06 a.m. EST November 1, covers Southeast Coastal St. Johns and Coastal Flagler counties. It warns of breaking waves around 7 feet, dangerous swimming and surfing conditions, and localized beach erosion. The separate surf forecast explicitly includes Anastasia, Crescent Beach and St. Augustine; it calls for 5–7-foot surf Sunday and Monday, with east winds around 20 mph along those beaches.
For the city of St. Augustine, the NWS point forecast updated at 5:06 a.m. EST gives Sunday a 30% precipitation chance, a high near 78°F and east winds of 14–17 mph, gusting to 24 mph. That city forecast is not identical to the exposed beach forecast. Rain chances rise to 50% Sunday night, with a low around 68°F, then to 70% Monday, when showers and possible thunderstorms accompany a high near 76°F.
The ocean hazards last longer than a passing shower. NWS defines the high rip-current category as a likelihood of life-threatening currents in the surf zone. A break in rainfall does not cancel that risk, and the coastal advisory is not a report that the campground itself has closed. Check both the weather products and the park’s own notices before changing a reservation or deciding to enter the water.
What RV Travelers Need to Know
Anastasia’s official campground description lists 139 tent and RV sites in a maritime hammock, with electricity and water at each site and a shared dump station for campers. The stated maximum RV length is 38 feet. Confirm the selected site’s dimensions and a reservation through the Florida State Parks booking system rather than treating the total site count as evidence of availability.
The park’s designated swimming area has a published lifeguard season from Memorial Day through Labor Day. November visitors therefore should not plan around summer lifeguard coverage. For time away from the surf, the park describes the Ancient Dunes Nature Trail through the hammock and the Marsh Trail beside Salt Run. These offer different ways to visit, subject to local weather and posted restrictions; the protected dunes are not an alternate walking route.
Arrival timing also deserves attention as rain chances increase. The park asks campers arriving after sunset to call 904-461-2033 on the day of arrival for gate instructions, and requires everyone to be set up before 11 p.m. Day-use parking is not available for overnight stays. Recheck the current forecast, secure a campsite that fits the rig and arrange late-entry instructions before reaching the entrance.
Sources checked November 1, 2026: NWS St. Augustine point forecast; NWS coastal hazard message; NWS surf forecast; Anastasia facilities and beach guidance; Park hours and arrival rules; Current park notices; Official campsite reservations.
Photo: Ebyabe, Anastasia State Park beach, April 24, 2010. CC BY-SA 3.0. Wikimedia web-sized version; proportionally resized. The photograph remains available under the same license.
