Best Glamping near Arcadia, FL

This campground was easy to get to and has lots to do near by. There is the town of Arcadia nearby with local history and restaurants if you feel like a hot meal on a rainy night. Orif you forgot something there is a grocery store near by as well. It is conveniently located next to the canoe rental place as well. You can spend the day paddeling down the river, fishing or sifting through the sediment looking for fossils from all different time periods. The campground is located right off of the river so you can bring your own canoe or kayak. Pets are welcome but beware of alligators especially during mating season there are plenty to be seen at any time. We camped twice in the primitive area. This area is all sand dunes first come first serve perfect for atvs and golf carts with lots of trails. If you are camping in this area I’d suggest wet wipes, toilet paper and sanitizer, there are outhouses but they haven’t been upkept well the two times we visited. There are bathrooms in the rv area by the office as well. These are the best I’ve seen yet, each toilet has its own door that locks behind it, the showers have their own separate lockable rooms as well, these get cleaned every morning. There are laundry facilities, a pool, a petting zoo, and a restaurant that opens on the weekends. You can buy simple camping equipment, snacks, firewood and ice at the office, they are very helpful. Overall this is a fun campground, plenty to do for all ages.

   Let me start by saying that I live very close to Myakka River Sate Park and it has been a place that four generations of my family have been enjoying for over 40 years. It is very large for a state park. You can spends days hiking the trails and paddling the river and lakes. The wildlife is everywhere! What would you like to see? Deer, wild hogs, alligators, birds of all kinds? You will probably see these and more at just about any time of year.

   There is a nice interpretive center, picnic grounds, boat tours, canoe and kayak rentals, and a tram tour through the park. Don't miss the canopy walk. It's a great way to see a part of the park's ecosystem that we normally only see from below. You also get a great view of the park in all directions from the top of the tower. Florida is flat and views like these are hard to come by. There is also a restaurant and store where you can get pretty good food with a view of the lake. My wife wants to make sure you know you can also get ice cream at the restaurant. 

    There are three camping areas for tents and RVs. The two older areas are called Big Flats and Old Prairie. The sites in these areas are close to each other and there is little or no under story between them. There is water and electric at each site with clean but older bathroom facilities. Both of the campgrounds are also close to the main road with some sites backing up to the road. There is a convenient dump station inside the park but no sewer hookups in these two campgrounds.

  The third and newest campground is called Palmetto Ridge. This one was obviously built primarily for large RVs with water, electric and sewer connections at every site. The bathroom facilities are more up to date and very nice. They are also not used as much by the campers because this area is mostly filled with huge motor coaches and fifth wheels that all have their own facilities and do not need to worry about their holding tanks because they have full hookups. The sites are pretty roomy and there is plenty of under story in between to keep you from feeling like you are right on top of your neighbors. There are quite a few pull trough sites in this area. They are improved gravel sites and most are very level. The sewer hookups are a little higher than you would expect. It will take some supports to keep a positive flow. If you know how much it rains here in the Summertime you will know why these must be kept above the flood stage level.

   A note about rain: Florida gets a lot of rain in the Summertime. It is not uncommon to get multiple inches of rain in a very short time and this can happen almost any day between June and the end of September. The river and lake do flood and large parts of the park are in their flood plain. the Big Flats campground can be shut down because it is the closest to the lake. This is not a reason to avoid Myakka in the Summertime. We have camped there in June and August and if you find someplace cool to hangout during the day you will be rewarded with very pleasant walks and paddles with lots of wildlife to see in the mornings and evenings. Pro tip: If you are staying in the park, get up really early to see the sunrise from the top of the canopy walk.

    There are two other ways to spend the night in Myakka River State Park. There are cabins available to rent and primitive camp sites in the hiking areas. The cabins have recently been rebuilt and I must admit I have not seen the new ones. We did stay in the original cabins before we got our RV and they were very nice for a family getaway. With a kitchen, bathroom and air conditioning they are a very comfortable way to spend some time in the park. The original cabins were built with palm logs by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps). The CCC was a program to create jobs and improve public facilities during and after the Great Depression. Some of that construction can still be seen at one of the picnic areas in the park. There is also a monument to the CCC inside the park. Backpackers can spend a few days hiking the trails and camping at the primitive sites. Haven't done that myself since I was a kid back in the 70s but they were great trips. No noise or light pollution. On a cool, clear night the star gazing in fantastic. My wife wants me to make sure you know that she won't be at the primitive campsites but hopes you enjoy yourself and not to forget about the ice cream.

   For native Sarasotans, Myakka River State Park is a beloved point of pride. Most people never leave the beach when they come here for a visit and miss what the rest of Florida looks like. It is well worth your time to spend a few nights away from the beach and see what else makes this such a special place. This is a very popular spot and the campsites and cabins book up early especially for the Winter months. Reservations can be made 11 months in advance on the reserve America website.

This place is special.  Best beach oriented camping in Florida.  The shelling is amazing and you truly feel like you have traveled back in time.  We have camped there in a tent site three times in the last year.  The campground closed for several months in summer 2021 to eradicated the rodents.  It worked!  We did not see or hear one rodent when we stayed for three nights in November 2021.  If campers / visitors will keep a clean camp site and not leave food and garbage out, the rodents should stay under control.

  No problem with bugs in the dry season, but you still need some bug spray at dawn and dusk.

This was our second Thousand Trails stay. Unlike The Oaks at Point South you have to find your own spot. It's a little unnerving. Fortunately, we had a few to choose from as soon as we arrived. There are a few paved roads but others are not. It had just rained a lot due to Hurricane Eta and there are huge potholes. So go slow!!!! We chose D14, back in. All of their sites are back in and they stress that over and over. FHU, no shade at our site, picnic table, fire ring with flip grill, grass pad. Fire rings are close to your neighbors camper b/c of mowing. Just move it. No cable or WiFi. Great Verizon. Pool was suppose to be open but they had to redo the pool deck. It was open the last day we were there and it's very nice. There is road noise, with air on not a problem. The back part of part is closed b/c of drainage issues. The site next to us the electricy didn't work which was great for us. Extra room! The sites are very spacious. In the winter when it's crowded they have a system of getting sites. Our water hookup didn't have a handle. Notified the office and it was fixed. You don't see staff out much at all. In a week, I saw 2 employees drive by.

A group of us went down for the weekend in September. There were very few people camping and we had the tent section all to ourselves. We were 1 min from the beach with easy access to bathrooms and running water. Some of us also slept on the beach which was quite a treat. Great fishing as well. There were miles of trails and it was easy to get to and from the island. Even when we took a wrong turn getting back to the ferry, the ferry man waited for us and picked us up on a golf cart. The only thing was that the sea was a little "dirty" that time of year, but it was after a big storm.

Though Cayo Costa State Park is located in SW Florida...a bustling madhouse of northerners from Oct through May...you can still find peace and quiet.

Most folks prefer to pay the $45 to take the ferry across the waterway between Pine Island and Cayo Costa...but I say save a few bucks...brave the power boaters, stuff your gear in dry bags, cram them into the kayak and paddle to/from the island. (The only downside is you have to leave your kayaks up on storage racks at the Cayo Costa Ranger Station).

Take the time to plan your paddle around, between and through the barrier islands to Cayo Costa. There is some big water, that might put your panties in a bunch if you aren't use to it. With all the skirting, figure about 5 water miles...give or take. We left Pineland Marina (overnight parking was $8 for your vehicle)...paddled across to Black Key, down through Orange Pass, around Coon Key, pass between the southern point of Useppa island and Terrassee Island and stop for lunch on Cabbage Key...at none other than Cabbage Key Restaurant (where Jimmy Buffet wrote/sang of "cheeseburger in paradise"...for real!). We are talking Old Florida here. Then weave your way north a couple mles to the Cayo Costa State Park Ranger Station/Camp Store. You'll get a rickshaw type hauler to pull all your gear the nearly one mile to the other west side of the island where the tent sites and primitive cabins are.

Remember, if you do take the ferry...know the times of arrival and departure...or you'll be staying another day.

If you paddle...know the upcoming forecast. If weather turns poorly...you'll be nervously paddling back singing the Gilligan's Island theme song.

Caveat: This is SW Florida...we are talking below the tropics line folks. It's hot. If you rent one of the primitive cabins (do so long in advance...) there is no electricity, so there is no AC, fans or what-have-you. If you are in a tent...its hot...suck it up and love it! Being SW Florida...on the Gulf...sand and all...you get skeeters and no-see-ums or chiggers. If there is no wind off the Gulf, sometimes you'll get small biting flies. I only add this, so you come prepared. Sawyer Permithrin Clothing spray works great...I spray it on my clothes and tent.

Also know, that from June through October, it'll ordinarily rain for a short duration in the afternoon. Nothing to worry about and it cools things down (just kidding...it cranks up the humidity). You'll be in your swimsuit anyways...

It seems as though you are marooned on your own little island. You'll enjoy a myriad of water birds (herons, egrets, diver ducks, anhinga, spoonbills, pelicans, sea gulls) along with osprey, bald eagles, kingfisher and kites. The beach is awesome...and sunsets like you've never enjoyed before! Stargazing is to die for...no ambient light to wash out the blackness of the night sky.

Swim, shell, explore, fish (get a free shoreline fishing license first..ya, I know...if its free why bother...but it is the law)...it doesn't get much better than this.