The Oldest Privately Held Campground In Florida And Is Run By Michael And Dawn Ho-Lung, A Warm Couple With A Remarkable Story
Michael and Dawn Ho-Lung never planned on managing a campground in South Florida. On February 3, 2004, they took possession of Nova Campground in Port Orange, Florida, with no prior camping experience.
“We had never been camping, so it was a whole new game for us. We had no idea about anything,” Dawn recalls.
One of fourteen children, and originally from Jamaica, Dawn moved to Miami when she was sixteen years old. She married her husband, Michael, when she was twenty-two. They lived in Delray Beach until Michael received a job offer in Texas. They moved their family to the Dallas area, and Michael worked for Texas Instruments. Dawn worked as an office manager for a doctor.
After eight years in Texas, Michael and Dawn weren’t necessarily looking for a major life change. However, circumstances put them in need of a new source of income. They both found themselves out of work; they had two mortgages, two children in college, and two children living at home.
Dawn explains, “My parents were looking for a business they could invest some money in, and lo and behold, my brother, who is a realtor, found Nova Campground and it was for sale. So they asked me if I would come down with my husband and run the campground. That’s how we ended up down here. We moved down here December 28, 2003.”
Dawn moved her family from a 3,300 square foot home in Dallas to a 600 square foot, double-wide trailer three miles from the ocean. The transition was difficult for the whole family: their living situation had changed drastically, the two younger children were adjusting to leaving behind friends and starting at a new school, and Michael and Dawn were learning how to manage a campground.
“It was a real shock to the system. My husband took it all in stride I think. He was very strong for me and the kids… My husband learned very quickly. He’s very hands on, so he figured out all the electrical stuff.... And then he learned about the sewer system. He’s also a computer guy… He’s a jack of all trades. When the computers go down, he’s the one that we call.”
Adding to the challenge of being brand new managers, Michael and Dawn took ownership during the busiest weeks of the year, Bike Week and Race Week.
“Bike Week [the campground was] so full that we had people sleeping in our front yard. They pitched two tents and were living in front of the house that we eventually moved into. We survived--it was a real challenge.”
Having managed Nova Campground now for thirteen years, the Ho-Lungs are well-versed in all the details of maintaining a campground. Michael continues to oversee the grounds--the electrical, sewer, water--while Dawn handles the day-to-day tasks in the office, scheduling the campers’ stays, keeping the books, and addressing emails. They have a few year-round employees, and always bring on more part-time help during the busy season. Their part-timers focus on keeping the facilities clean and functional for the visitors who come for Bike Week, Race Week, and other annual events. The Ho-Lungs take pride in the camping experience they can provide their visitors. They’re upholding a long history at Nova Campground.
“The campground, as we understand it, is the oldest privately held campground in the state of Florida. It’s been here since 1963,” Dawn says. “It’s needs constant work. There’s always something that will break, or it needs painting, or repaving. It’s just like a house, it needs tons of work.”
The towering trees throughout the camp are a lovely testament to the history and maturity of the campground. They provide not only shade, but solace for campers.
As Dawn explains, “We have very mature oak trees, and that’s the beauty of our park. Some people don’t like them, but some people absolutely love the trees. We have one gentleman who [said], ‘You know, no matter how my day goes, I drive in, I see the trees, and all the stress leaves me.’”
The trees, though beautiful, have proven to be troublesome when inclement weather hits Nova Campground. Dawn can recount with detail the times they have come face to face with Mother Nature at the campground. Though Nova has never been in the direct path of a hurricane, they have felt the effects of being on the periphery of them.
“We’ve had several hurricanes actually. The last one we had was Matthew, back in October. It actually hit on October 8th, the day my husband and I were in Ohio watching our son get married…. Two days later we left and came home. Back to a huge mess of broken trees, damaged trees….”
This wasn’t the Ho-Lung’s first experience with a hurricane. One year, three hurricanes passed nearby back to back to back.
“We got hit really badly,” Dawn remembers. “We happened to be at my parent’s condo and the storm came from the west side of Florida, we were on the east side, so we thought nothing happened. By the time we drove over and came [into the park] we were shocked…. The entrance was blocked, but the residents got up and they had started doing what they could.”
Much like becoming campground managers, the hurricanes were a factor the Ho-Lungs did not expect. In fact, they were assured that hurricanes were nothing to worry about when they moved into the campground in 2003.
“The funny thing is, when we moved down here, I’ll always remember where I was standing, in the door of that 600 square foot [trailer] we were moving into, and I said to my younger brother, ‘So tell me, where do I go when there’s a hurricane?’ And he looked at me and he says, ‘There has not been a hurricane in this area in a hundred years!’”
Despite the risk of hurricanes, Dawn is very grateful for the lifestyle of campground manager. She can work at her own pace, on her own schedule. As a night owl, she is most productive when everyone else is asleep.
“I tell people my name is Dawn, but I don’t do mornings very well. I tend to sleep in late, and my husband’s very okay with it.... So I start my day late, but I end late.”
Another perk is that the campground is both work and home, which makes the daily commute a breeze.
“We live at the campground, so I don’t have to drive to work. No matter the weather…. We walk across a little street to the office. We go back and forth all day. That’s our exercise and that’s going to work!”
Perhaps the greatest joy for the Ho-Lungs is in getting to know their campers.
“I do love meeting people from all over the country and the world. The job is very interesting in that way. Most people...have so much they can tell you about different places.”
The year-round warmth of both the weather and the Ho-Lungs keeps campers coming back from season to season. Those seeking a family friendly place to spend relaxing vacation days soaking up the sunshine can find it at Nova Campground.
Kailyn Clay
A graduate of Trinity Christian College with degrees in English and Political Science, Kailyn has written for GEMS Girls’ Clubs, Spark Hire, The Grand Haven Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, and other sources. She enjoys reading, writing, and camping.
Make Sure To Stay At:
Nova Campground, a 20 acre lushly tree lined oasis tucked away right next to the Port Orange City Center. Offering a relaxing place to stay that is still close to everything that Central Florida has to offer.