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Oscar Scherer State Park Campground accommodates pets throughout its wooded sites, providing a natural Florida camping experience for travelers with dogs. The park's trails offer excellent walking opportunities with clearly marked pet-friendly paths. Pets must remain leashed at all sites, with many campers noting the private, well-separated camping spots provide enough space for dogs without disturbing neighbors. Sites backing up to South Creek are designated as no-pet sites, likely due to wildlife concerns. Encore Royal Coachman and Encore Ramblers Rest also welcome pets, with Encore Royal Coachman particularly noted for its dog-friendly environment combined with extensive recreational amenities. The vegetation between campsites creates natural privacy barriers, helpful for pet owners concerned about interactions with neighboring campers or wildlife.
Myakka River State Park's pet-friendly campgrounds offer both primitive and developed sites where dogs can accompany campers throughout the park's extensive trail system. Leashed dogs are permitted on most hiking paths, though some wildlife viewing areas may restrict pet access. The campgrounds maintain clean facilities with hot showers and adequate space between sites for pet comfort. Located within driving distance of Sarasota and Venice beaches, these pet-friendly parks provide convenient access to veterinary services in nearby towns. Pet owners should be aware of wildlife precautions, as the natural Florida environment includes alligators in water bodies, requiring pets to be kept away from pond edges and creek banks. Summer visitors should note the high heat and mosquito activity when planning activities with pets.
"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."
"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."
from $26 / night
Check Availability"So heads up with your pets please."
"Pet friendly. The outpost is literally like 3 miles into the park down from the entrance & Palmetto loop. The store was nice & there was a food truck. It was a little spendy but good food."
from $26 / night
Check Availability"The staff is awesome, everyone was super friendly, they had clean facilities, the nature trail was awesome to take our dog on walks down."
"Easy access to Vince and the great Legacy Bike trail. Beaches and parking are free."
"Giant pool with bar and food, lots of activities from lawn bowling, disc frisbee, constant happy hours, moderately dog friendly, 30min from siesta key."
"We didn’t utilize the amenities outside of the pool, but will be back to play! We wish the sites (ours was q03) were more shaded, but worth having a nice easy pull thru spot."
"This is kind of our go to Florida State Park as we live very close and really enjoy the hiking, biking and paddling the river and lake."
"Located just east of Sarasota you’ll find lots to do without having to leave the park."
from $26 - $70 / night
Check Availability"Surrounded by pines, palms and a beautiful lake that enters the Gulf of Mexico."
"It is also a dog friendly campground."
"Be advised that there is only one section thst allows pets and limited areas that pets are allowed but has a nice dog beach and off leash dog park."
"It’s not a National Park surrounding a national treasure but it might as well be. The park has three loops. All have waterfront sites and inner loop sites."
from $38 - $48 / night
Check Availability"First of all the location, if you like to kayak, this is the place for you. Right on the river. Very nice."
"Many times we had 2” plus of standing water outside of our RV (we were on “Raccoon Road”). Also, the electrical and water connections needed maintenance while we were there. They were very worn out."
"Was bordered by the camp road and the bike/walking path so often noisy with no sense of privacy. Bad mosquitoes, but to be expected."
"The sites are private and there’s playground and a beautiful lake for boating/ no swimming! Nice walking paths, dog friendly."
from $22 / night
Check Availability"We came back to this gem and met with friends from Florida, we had our RVs next to each other and it was so much fun. We had a great time."
"You are close to everything but you still feel like being far away. Everybody is very accommodating. Great Management, great Team! We will be back soon!"
from $60 - $130 / night
Check Availability
ScoutBeautiful park! Clean, quiet, large private spaces, and nice bath facilities. Be advised that there is only one section thst allows pets and limited areas that pets are allowed but has a nice dog beach and off leash dog park.
LegendOne of my favorite places to camp in Florida, hands-down. You can only get to this camping spot by water. Must reserve, no pets & no alcohol.
We saw sting rays, a baby turtle, many different birds & other wildlife within 5 minutes of parking the boat.
Amazing views.
Campfires not permitted in summer months due to sea turtle nesting.
GuideStayed here for a week in May - quiet, pretty campground with friendly staff, a petting zoo and vegetable farm on property. We enjoyed the produce market, but you could also go in the fields and pick your own. Camper sites had enough room between them, the electric/water sites had good tree cover for shade. There were cabins, a silo, and covered wagons you could also stay in. There's a big dog park, but not much shade there. There's a winery just 1 mile away. The Sarasota beaches and mangrove kayaking are an easy 45 minute drive away. The only thing I wished they had was a pool... Overall, we had a nice time here.
GuideThis is one of the best parks anywhere. It’s not a National Park surrounding a national treasure but it might as well be. The park has three loops. All have waterfront sites and inner loop sites. One is set up for tents, folding campers and small teardrop style trailers. One is conducive to big rigs but it’s a tight fit and one handles all, but allows pets. There’s lots of wildlife, particularly raccoons. A short drive or bike ride from the campground lands you at the old fort, or a ferry to Egmont Key for the day, or a beach with a view of Tampa Bay and the Skyway bridge, or the amazing north beach which has been listed several times as the best beach in America. It’s a truly gorgeous park. Kayaking, SUP, dog parks, dog beach as well as coyote, rattlesnakes, amazing shore birding, white pelicans, eagles, ospreys, roseates, manatees, dolphins... hard to get reservations but well worth it.
Our return to this park year after year resulted in us building a home in the area for our endless summer adventures.
TravelerThis is a beautiful Class A only resort. 100 sites on the Myakka River with Amazon
sunsets. Sites are typically 70’ x 50’ . Large roads easy access.
Extremely active community in season, a peaceful retreat in the off season.
Sites are individually owned, some with Casitas, some with outdoor kitchens etc. Great Wi-Fi, individual cat 5 cable to each site. Boardwalk along the river, fishing pier, kayak launch. They have 5 pickleball courts. Large heated resort pool with attached lap pool. Two large dog parks.
Water aerobics in season. Small gym. Yoga, on spite massages and facials in season. Extremely active social calendar, open to everyone. Beautifully remodeled clubhouse, with a large subset deck overlooking the river. Close to everything, multiple beaches 20 minutes away, great shopping and restaurants are close by. Extremely friendly owners, they treat renters like members of their family. We travel in a Newmar Ventana.
ScoutVery friendly staff, nice k9 Kamp dog park. Surrounded by water. Paradise
GuideNice place to stay in Palmetto. I just moved into my RV and this was my very first camping stop so I had TONS of questions and needed quite a bit of help. The staff were super friendly and the neighbors were extremely helpful in showing me how to get everything set up. They have a nice pool and laundry facilities - would recommend coming with a separate vehicle as there's not much within walking distance, but it's only a short drive to Tampa, St. Pete, and the Sarasota/Bradenton area. They also have a nice size, fenced-in dog park with a dog walking path, so bring your furry friends!
LegendIn Palmetto, easy access to Tampa, Sarasota, Gulf Beaches, and many other areas of Florida in a few hours driving distance.
Pet-friendly.
TravelerLong sites mostly waterfront. A dog friendly section and a no dog area. A nice little store. The park includes access to miles of beaches, a top 10 in the USA dog park, a dog beach, free fishing piers. Bicycle, hiking and exercise trails. A washer and dryer at every restroom. A playground. This park has it all. Every Friday they release 10% of their sites for the next week. It is a very popular park for good reason. There are low branches to watch for and some curbs that are a parking nuisance.
Camping near Laurel, Florida offers access to the Myakka River watershed, which covers 594 square miles from Manatee County through Sarasota County. Summer temperatures regularly exceed 90°F with high humidity, while winter months (November-February) provide milder camping conditions with daytime temperatures typically ranging 65-75°F. The region's low-lying terrain creates natural wetland environments with abundant wildlife viewing opportunities.
Kayaking the Myakka River: Launch directly from Camp Venice Retreat where sites back up to water access. "You can launch you kayak or canoe right from your spot. The campsite is clean and lots of trees and a beautiful river to explore," notes Joshua B.
Biking the Legacy Trail: Access this paved multi-use trail from Oscar Scherer State Park. "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," shares Rachel G.
Hiking the wilderness preserve: The backcountry trails at Myakka River State Park offer opportunities for wildlife viewing. "After hearing of the wilderness preserve we decided to go ahead and get the permit. After driving back to the parking area, we realized we had the 600 acres to ourselves. We then hiked to the deep hole. There we saw tons of alligators birds and wildlife!" explains Christina L.
Explore Fort De Soto: Just under an hour's drive from Laurel, visitors can access historic sites and beaches. "Great park with days worth of activities! The historic fort, scenic beaches, trails for hiking or biking, etc made for a great visit! Tons of wildlife - we saw raccoons, dolphin, manatee, tons of birds!" says Brennan H.
Natural privacy barriers: Encore Royal Coachman offers sites with good separation. "What I love about this property is the beautiful oak trees that shade most sites. Surrounded by pines, palms and a beautiful lake that enters the Gulf of Mexico," explains Marcia T.
Pool and recreation facilities: Sun N Fun RV Resort provides extensive amenities beyond camping. "We enjoyed the pool (the slide was only open 1 day we were there) most days. The property was great for biking. Seemed the long term folks didn't mind us temporary people hanging around," notes Molly F.
Waterfront wildlife viewing: Campers appreciate the natural setting at Camp Venice Retreat. "Right on the river. Boat ramp awesome roomy sites. Bathrooms were clean. Nice pool. Definitely will be back," says Melinda H.
Clean facilities: Myakka River State Park maintains well-kept bathhouses. "One washer and one dryer is available at the campground, as well as clean free hot showers. There's a garbage dumpster and a recycling bin," Laura M. reports.
Wildlife precautions: Alligators are common in waterways at Fort De Soto Campground. "We saw raccoons, dolphin, manatee, tons of birds!" reports Brennan H., but others warn about reptiles: "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," cautions Jenelle J. at Myakka River.
Seasonal weather challenges: Summer brings heat and insects. "It was in the 90s° the week we camped. We enjoyed it," says Jill K. about Lake Manatee State Park.
Flooding potential: Low-lying areas may experience water issues. "The only complaints I have is that when it rains frequently (summer months) the ground tends to become saturated with water. Many times we had 2" plus of standing water outside of our RV," notes Craig M. about Encore Ramblers Rest.
Campsite selection matters: Oscar Scherer State Park offers variable sites. "I camp alot, all over Florida. I have been hesitant about heading to Oscar Sherer. I took a last minute spot in #17... lots of dense vegetation between them...so you don't get that 'I am setting up in the middle of someone else's campfire' feeling," says Kim S.
Playground access: Some campgrounds have dedicated play areas. "There are play areas for the kids. Bathrooms were very clean! There were sinks for dish washing as well," notes Jennifer M. about Oscar Scherer State Park.
Swimming options: Several campgrounds offer swimming facilities. "The heated pool was a pleasant amenity," reports Annette S. about Camp Venice Retreat.
Wildlife education opportunities: Ranger programs provide learning experiences. "Ranger led programs take place nightly. We actually got to see a Florida panther on one of the trails as well as a friendly family of scrub Jay's!" Jennifer M. adds.
Bike-friendly environments: Fort De Soto provides safe cycling options. "Our 6 yo son loved that we felt safe enough that he could ride his bike around the camp ground to play with the other campers," shares Jennifer M.
Site surface considerations: Many campgrounds have variable surfaces. "Gravel sites but pretty level. My site was 50 amp," notes Amanda W. about Palmetto Ridge Campground at Myakka River State Park.
Hookup placement warning: Be prepared for unusual utility layouts. "The site was nice and private with a little leveling needed. The electric hookup is in its normal spot, but be aware that the water is in the woods on the opposite side. Make sure to bring a longer hose, or park closer to the water than electric," advises Denise about Oscar Scherer State Park.
Access challenges: Some campgrounds have tight navigation. "Note, gate closed at dusk, call ahead to get the gate code or there is a mile plus hike to find some one with the code. Don't ask me why I know that," warns Paul about Oscar Scherer State Park.
Dump station location: Plan for waste disposal. "Power and water, but no sewer connections at sites. There is a dump station and dumpsters near the entrance of the camping area," reports David S.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Laurel, FL?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Laurel, FL is Oscar Scherer State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 40 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Laurel, FL?
TheDyrt.com has all 99 dog-friendly camping locations near Laurel, FL, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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