Best Cabin Camping near Captiva, FL

We stayed in site # 98 which was very private, we had water & electric, picnic table & fire pit. Clean restrooms, a nature center, kayak launch & kayak rentals, a small lake you can swim in and some hiking trails. There are some really nice sites #19, 17 near the lake, in our loop #86 is the biggest but you have to have 2 water hoses to reach the hook up (they just updated some things in the park they may have corrected this but not sure). There is water behind the site you can fish back there. Sites #44, 45, 50, 75, and 73 are all good. 

We kayaked, swam in the lake, went to Nokomas Beach & Venice beach, Venice Rookery, it's a nice area to visit. 

We did have some interesting neighbors who got thrown out after 6 hours of honking their horn & yelling crazy stuff but they escorted them out & they are not allowed back in. 

Restrooms near us were small but very clean.We will go back it's a great campground.

This was our first visit to Oscar Scherer State Park, why I’m not sure as we only live a few miles away. I literally drive by it whenever I go to the grocery store or ride my bike on the Legacy Trail. I’ve boated past on the Intercoastal Waterway, paddled past on South Creek and flown over in an airplane countless times. 

I guess being Sarasota residents I felt I already knew everything about it. I WAS WAY WRONG. This is a fantastic Florida State Park. I can understand now why it is so popular. The facilities are very good considering how many people visit. And it’s not too polished that it doesn’t have that camping or state park vibe. No Disney here. 

The campground is very large even for State Park Standards, over 100 sites. Many are along South Creek with water views although they are no pet sites as maybe there are gator issues. 

We camped in site#69, the last pet site before the restricted sites along the creek#70- 90. The sites are quite large and private as the campground is mature with lots of native Florida foliage. We didn’t see any evidence of Raccoons or other campground mooches. 

Lots of hiking in this park, if you cycle the Legacy Trail built on an old railway doesn’t offer much contour as it is pretty much a strait shot but runs from Sarasota to Venice and from Venice you can take the Venetian Waterway even further. Soon the Legacy Trail will go all the way to downtown Sarasota. 

Finally the best part for visitors to the Sarasota area. You will probably not find a State Park as close to the US#1 Rated Beach Siesta Key, just a few miles or Sarasota and all her arts and culture(15 minutes) including The Ringling Museum, Van Wezel Performing Arts Center, St. Armands Circle, Lido Beach, award-winning restaurants, tiki bars, dinner cruises, and more. 

In fact as I write this the US Olympic Rowing Trials are going on at Benderson Park about 15 minutes away, next door to the Apple Store. This is no joke the premier rowing facility in the world. And did I mention if you forgot anything there is a Publix about 1/2 mile front the front gate of the park? 

OF NOTE: Of all the state parks we have visited, this had the most unfriendly group of campers we have ever encountered. Surly in fact. It was difficult to extract a return greeting of any type. 

Perhaps it’s because this isn’t your normal group of happy wanderers, and those who truly enjoy the outdoors. More like COVID refugees or visitors doing“Florida on the Cheep” who have the time and resources to escape those areas of lockdown. 

Our first clue was the amount of “resort wear” being donned in lieu of the normal camping duds and the overall lack of activity inside the park for the amount of campsites during the day. Well the park is smack in the middle of a major resort destination and it is high season. This all left the park less crowded for us. 

Whatever the reason I hope the park guests can find some joy after all in the blessings that nature gives us no matter what the situation. Life is short. As the late, great Warren Zevon once said“enjoy every sandwich”.

Oscar Scherer is full of wildlife, not far from lots of big cities.   The campground itself is small but nice.  Lost of sites back up to a small river but those sites right on the river are not kid or pet friendly so be careful when you make reservations.   There are a lot of trails throughout the park. Many are scrub oak communities and consequently there’s a fair population of scrub jays.   We also saw otters, bobcat, raccoon and gopher tortoise.   The park is also adjacent to the Legacy bike trail.  A linear trail that runs from Sarasota to Venice, FL.  So there’s some long bike rides opportunities.   Bathhouses are ok maybe a 7/10.

We were running close to the cut off for check in due to traffic. We called and the clerk waited for us to get there. We made it just under the wire. The sites were close together and a bit tight, but they are nice gravel for the rig and a concrete pad for your rug. Each site has a grill and picnic table. Fires are not permitted. The beach is a short bike ride away, but can be walked too. This place only takes cash or check and is kind of old school. But the prices are awesome for staying on Sanibel Island. There is a nice restaurant across the street from the park. There is an aviary in the campground. This place is also a trailer park with mobile homes super close to each other. Not many campsites available, so book early. The bath houses were nicely kept and no issues. The sites are all full hook up. We will be back again.

If you live on the Gulf Coast of Florida and don’t want to travel too far, or are just traveling through the area, this campground is a nice stopover. It’s quiet and offers some nice hiking and biking trails. But after spending 3 nights camping at Oscar Scherer State Park, we come away with a mixed opinion.

These campsites are small. In fact, they are the smallest we’ve encountered in a Florida state park so far. We had just enough room for our popup camper which is approximately 20 x 10 feet plus another 10 x 8 feet with the awning extended. Some are wider but the only sites that seem longer are the pull-in sites in Section 5 which is closed.

Keys to Choosing to your Campsite at Oscar Scherer

Given that only sections, 1 through 3 are available currently, you may see that the Reserve America reservations page will show a water icon on some campsites that appear to be along the creek. But you will not see the creek from your campsite. The vegetation in the park is quite dense and certainly so in the campsites in sections 1– 3. The shade is always important when camping in Florida, especially in the summer. The description on the Reserve America website regarding shade isn’t accurate. Our site,#2, was described as ‘full shade’. Not so, I’m afraid. From about 10 am to 4 pm we baked in the Florida sun. However, our friends had site#3 next door and had shade though out the day. Even though that site enters from the east, as do all sites along the creek, they had trees the canopied over the entrance and eastern side of the site. However, sites 22– 28 do have a lot of shade and are located on the opposite side of the campground from South Creek. If we were to go back, we would stay on that side of the Oscar Scherer Park.

Be Prepared for Bugs
Oscar Scherer State Park camping requires being prepared for bugs. Perhaps due to the amount of lush vegetation all over this park, and the proximity to the South Creek, there were more bugs than we experienced at other Florida state parks. Even though we take precautions including a very effective bug spray we came home with a lot of bug bites. So, bring your best bug spray and citronella candles. They are especially a problem in the morning until the sun comes up over the trees.

To read our full review visit https://lifestyleover50.com/oscar-scherer-state-park-camping-review/

Note: TT Encore does not mean a special upgraded park, 

Per TT, Encore parks are ones that agree to hold several sites for TT members. We've come to understand the worst sites are set aside for TT members 

Don't waste your money if TT and do research on what site you get if not This is the second worse Encore park we've visited 

Booked this site 60 days ago for longer BUT left early as it was so bad One lane roads with 2 way traffic. If you have a big rig, it will be tight. 

Our Site: Side and rear backs up to the park dump and supply site. 

Grass/dirt site. 

Our front has 6 foot diameter sewer drum which is leaking vapor, picnic table over some access panel. 

Some resolution could be had if a privacy fence was put up to shelter the view Surrounded by year round residents, some homes well kept, most not so much, some abandoned and trashed 

I reached out to park manager and was after 2 hours and we already set up in 85 degree heat, there was 1 other site but it was just as bad. 

We paid an additional$20 per night, I asked for a refund, response was Why? What did you expect? 

They said to contact TT I contacted TT and they said they couldn't do anything, but I could file a complaint. Our neighbor was here 3 months, they said on Google earth the area behind us was a field at time of booking. Also told if they wanted to rebook for next year, they would have to have the same site! They aren't coming back either

ALSO at 630 am a crew decided to install an electric both beside the septic tank, pic ax, sawing metal and cement.

So much for our vacation stay

Great Florida State park. We stayed in site #22. Sites have water and electric and are dirt. Most sites are on the smaller side being shallow and narrow. Our site was great. Shaded most of day and wider. Site #21 looked good too. There are a few pull through sites and some non pet sites on the creek. Most sites are surrounded by greenery so you are buffered from your neighbor. Park has nice screened in area for wifi. There is a small beach/swimming area which was great cause it's hot!! Park has mostly paved roads, a nice picnic area, trails, and some fishing spots. Park is located about half way on 10 mile paved multi use trail-Legacy trail. This was a great trail for biking. Multiple stops along the way but mostly in full sun. You can launch kayaks from park and kayak south creek. There are several hiking trails but we did not use due to weather being too hot.