The Hideaway Retreat

A lovely small RV park right on the ocean with a private beach.
There have been done a lot of renovations already(after hurricane damaged the area) including the laundry facility.
Dogs can run on the private beach at certain times of the day.
It is well treed.
There is some road noise but closer to the ocean you can only hear the waves.
Would definitely come back!

I read a review that said it was a hidden gem, wow was that ever a mis-statement. Without a doubt the worst campground we've ever stayed at. Old dilapidated bath house, dirty muddy sites with no paving or gravel. Other than an old laundry room and a community fire pit there are no other amenities to speak of. The sites are very small, dirt leaves and sand. I paid a premium for what I was told was one of the best sites, it was right next to the office so they said it was very private but it felt like I was squeezed into someone's side yard instead looking right at the back door of the office. They charge me $35 dollars to guarantee the site I booked which I thought would already be guaranteed with payment. The dumpsters were overflowing with garbage, the road was very noisy, the smell of waste was evident when the septic truck was pumping out the tank which was right near the so called "premium" sites. The site was not blown of leaves and debris when we arrived so I blew it out myself. Access to the sites are very tight and the tree branches are very low. I have 40+ years tractor trailer driving experienced so backing in my 30' trailer was no issue but most drivers will struggle to get in the sites. I would never go back there again if it was free never mind over $700 for a week. It's not on the beach it's on the bay so no swimming. Other than nearby Navarre Beach it really leaves nothing to offer. There are other campgrounds nearby that in my opinion are far better.

This is the best campground we have stayed at since touring the Florida Atlantic Coast to the keys then the Gulf of Mexico. Its like a boutique hotel with caring staff, updated landscape with grass islands between sites and in common areas. The RV pad and roadways are covered with white large gravel. It helped keep the sand from getting into the RV and helped provide a solid base to maintain a level site. The hookups particularly the sewer were at the right height and the water flow was strong. The cable was excellent and we had few issues with the internet. We were there during a heavy storm with possible tornadoes. There was shelter in a house basement and the laundry room. I felt completely safe in the basement. There was no damage to the canopy of live oaks or to the RVs. The next morning there were no significant puddles of water on my site nor on the roadways. The beach has been described as being small. In my opinion, it accommodated a full park with many families having children and dogs without seeming crowded. The water is shallow for quite a long distance making it perfect for children and others who like water warmed by the sun. It was worth spending 35.00 to lock in the site. We got just what was advertised plus more! This is the best review I have ever written and I am so glad to be submitting it.

We reserved the month of Feb. several months in advance in order to stay in the same place with friends. The campground is older, and the new owners are trying to make improvements....that's a good thing. Sites are incredibly tight and the trees, while they are lovely and provide nice shade are WAY overgrown and I would not advise anyone with a taller rig to stay here. We saw several come and go (both 5th wheels and class A's) that rubbed on the roof and sides. We had a monthly rate and were quoted one thing on the phone, but check the link you get by email confirming, because it was quite different. I called back and it was adjusted. A word to the wise, the book keeping seems a little creative to me, so if you reserve, screen shot it because it changes (sadly I hadn't done that so had no hard proof)--we spoke to other campers with the same issue. Some sites that are billed as premium water view have what I'd call a glimpse of the water, and the one our friends stayed in had a small triangle of ground on the camp side with no room for picnic table, but not sure I'd like that because the sewer, water and power pedestal were all right there outside the camper door.

The campground is on the sound and there is a little beach which dogs are allowed on, so if you travel with pets, this may be a good choice for you. They have brought in pretty white sand on the bank leading down to the beach which looks really nice and they've put down some sod in many sites, but they request you not put anything on the grass. The sunsets can be spectacular so you can carry your chairs down to enjoy them....would be nice if they placed some permanent chairs in this area for the guests to use.

They do overbook and use any open space for "overflow" and run long electric extension cords. They have some tent sites but they are wedged between the road and a board fence. I felt very bad for the tent campers here. Many of the RV sites don't have enough room to park you tow vehicle.

No campfires allowed at your site, only the "communal pit" by the corn hole boards and laundry room. Bring your own wood. We inquired about using our propane fire pit and they said absolutely no. Not sure why a communal smoky fire pit is safer than my little propane one, but that's the rules.

We didn't use the shower house but peeked in. It's an older one refurbished in a "rustic shabby chic" decor which was cute.

Read the other reviews, both good a bad because there's both here.

Not a safe campground, no security, large gatherings at sites, lots of coming and going. Trash and ants everywhere. When we made reservation we asked for private, looked good, but then they parked a camper in driveway (not a site) next to us and his door opened to ours and our picnic tables were 3 ft apart (during Covid). They had already moved guy twice. They apparently overbook and then try and find a hole to put you, anything for the dollar. Lots of tenters piled up against fence, no space between them. Someone had sewer problems, said they would have to park at Walmart till they got it fixed. Nasty bathrooms. Kept trying to speak with Management, but she never called us back. Since they had overbooked we told them we would leave if they would give a refund. They said they didn’t give refunds. I wouldn’t stay here again if it was free.

There is nothing relaxing or peaceful about this place. We booked for a month and left early because we were tired of the noise and issues. We stayed at 30+ RV parks all across the US in 2021, and this one is the worst of them all! Aside from the crammed sites, and the extension chords running to makeshift campsites; when we arrived, the who parked us was demanding and disrespectful, and made inaccurate assumptions about my partners driving abilities.
We experienced leaf blowers as 7:30 AM on multiple mornings before the office staff was even present, covering everything in dust and waking us up, along with other campers that we spoke with.
There were dump trucks and bulldozers on a daily basis, for hours on end. The Sprinklers damaged our RV because they were shooting everywhere except the grass. While actively damaging our RV, the staff told us we were being dramatic. The view from our site was scrap wood piles on one side, and gravel piles and a dumpster on the other side; accompanied by the constant tossing and banging of lumber, and machinery. They sprayed pesticides without notifying us. When we let our dog out in the morning, he was in the wet chemicals until we saw the tiny sign in the grass, placed where it could not be seen without walking through the wet chemicals. Out stairs were on the grass with the chemicals because the site was so narrow.
The inexperienced management was not sympathetic to the issues they were causing and threatened to kick us out because we were unhappy. They did not for a single moment stop to ask why we were unhappy. In addition, they were not transparent about fees, so it ended up being about $1,300 for a month of stress, zero privacy, and damaged belongings.
Weird policy, they do not allow for outdoor candles, torches, or smal propane fire pits; which we have been able to use in even the most sever burn bans in the west.

This our third time here. Every time we come it keeps getting nicer. The work they have put into this campground is amazing and they continue to make improvements. All of this and they have kept the trees and more random layout that is nice not asphalt and rv's stacked on each other. Dog friendly beach which is hard to find. We ended up staying for more than a month.

We spent 4 nights at The Hideaway Retreat and we had a blast. It is a little crazy to drive a larger rig in there but they offer a long check in period (12pm-6pm) in which they have staff to help you park, Mark was great. Do yourself a favor and get there during that time as a night park could be confusing. Once parked you’ll love the trees and their canopy. We had a Premium Waterview site and it did not disappoint. To make the most of the view some of the sites can see each other but we found we still had enough privacy to hang out outside; if you like to meet people this place also has a great community area with a fire pit and games. The best thing about HR is the private beach on the beautiful Santa Rosa Sound. It was better than the actual beach! It’s calm and shallow perfect for kids and pets (who can be unleashed on the beach!). The girls in the office are sweet and helpful and Carly was awesome, even remembering my dogs names and asking after them. I’ll definitely return (already trying to plan that trip!!) and stay here again, hopefully getting one of the prime waterfront spots.