Fort De Soto Campground near Apollo Beach provides waterfront camping with private sites separated by natural vegetation. The park features three camping loops including a designated area for campers with pets. Primitive tent sites at Cypress Creek Preserve offer a more remote experience with only basic amenities. The Apollo Beach area's camping season extends year-round with winter temperatures averaging 70°F during the day, making it popular during northern states' colder months.
What to do
Wildlife viewing from kayaks: Launch directly from waterfront sites at Fort De Soto Campground to observe marine life. "We had neighbors on both sides and across (this places always sells out) and it was still fairly secluded. They did a great job at keeping a lot of natural growth to maintain privacy and a true tropical feel. We have an inflatable raft that we took out in the water. We were greeted by dolphins, sting rays and manatees."
Fossil hunting: Peace River is known for prehistoric shark teeth and fossils. "This park is clean, it's the midsized Thousand Trails Park in Florida. The highlight of this park was collecting shark and sting ray teeth along the river. You can get wire mesh baskets in the office to aid in your search."
Canopy trail hiking: Explore the elevated walkways at Myakka River State Park. "We visited this park about two years ago while visiting my grand mother. The park was a very interesting place. The lookout tower was beautiful because you could see far across the park."
What campers like
Spacious waterfront sites: E.G. Simmons Regional Park offers direct water access. "Nearly every campsite is right on the water - easy in and out for kayaks, large boat ramp and many picnic pavilions. Great trails for bike riding and wonderful for saltwater fishing among the mangroves."
Clean facilities: Restrooms and shower buildings are well-maintained at most parks. "The bath house's are nice & kept very clean. There are 2 loops we like the East campground the best sites in this loop are #72 then #70. All the sites along the water on this side are nice."
Nature immersion with urban proximity: Glamping close to Apollo Beach, Florida provides quick access to Tampa while maintaining wilderness feel. "The campground is also not far from some big cities, such as Tampa and st pete, which is convenient."
What you should know
Bug preparation essential: No-see-ums and mosquitoes can be intense, especially at dusk. "Okay so maybe the title isn't very nice but that is what stands out to me when I think of this campground. You really cannot stay outside at dusk. Citronella torches, spray, fans, Avon skin so soft...none of these work for the no-see-ums."
Weekend crowds at nature parks: Jay B. Starkey Wilderness Park becomes busy Friday through Sunday. "I went on a Friday night, and the entire campground was PACKED. Very loud, too many tents packed into each site (2 maximum per site, saw almost 8 tents at campsite 12)."
Flooding concerns: Some campgrounds experience seasonal flooding. "Although we enjoyed our time here there were some serious concerns with flooding. Many large rigs were parked in the flood plane which encompasses a large section of the park."
Tips for camping with families
Pool facilities for hot days: Some parks offer swimming pools as alternatives to natural water. "Ammenities: Laundry, Pool, Sewer pump out (one free per stay), Shower House, A River, Mini Golf (Needing updating), Camp Store, Dump Station."
Educational wildlife experiences: Terry Tomalin Campground provides natural learning opportunities. "This place was newly renovated for guest to stay. The campsites are nicely spaced out so you aren't to close to other campers. The trails are amazing but be careful or you might get lost."
Alligator awareness: Keep children and pets supervised near water. "Went to drain the tanks yesterday morning and a large sounding gator started to growl territorially at me. So heads up with your pets please."
Tips from RVers
Site selection challenges: Some parks have unusual allocation systems. "There is a strange lottery system. Every day about 1pm you go sign up for the lottery system to shuffle your RV to a sewer site if you're lucky enough to get it. They failed to tell us you have to show up daily."
Power management: Monitor electrical systems during peak usage times. "Watch the electricity during high usage the voltage drop, ours dropped to 108v for a couple hours, i choose to run the gen during that time."
Leveling considerations: Many sites require careful setup. "We are in the pull thru sites which are a little tight and can be challenging to park on in big rigs. Roads are narrow with lots of turns. If you have a big rig with a toad I suggest dropping the toad by the office to park rig."
