Best RV Parks & Resorts near Longboat Key, FL

The RV park is in a great location, however it’s amenities fall short of what I’d consider a RV Resort. The pool is small but the beach is close, lacks activities but located in an area with lots going on. I’d avoid this park during the rainy season.

There is absolutely no communication from the office...saw him cleaning the outside of the campground, while the site I was in had an old taco and peach that were there the whole time we were there. The site next to ours smelt like a sewer...this is a long term rv park...NO camping

Allow me to begin by saying I have never been to a large RV campground… ever! This place is so huge that you won’t be surprised if you get lost in this place at least a couple of times before you find your slotted RV destination for the night. Also, I was amazed by how close to the concrete jungle you are at this place, but once you turn on the winding little lane that will bring you to this megalopolis RV circus – fitting given your proximity to all of themed amusement parks! – after crossing through the entry gates, you immediately lose sight of all the traffic, noise and business as you are swallowed up by the lush verdant trees of pines, palms and Ancient oaks. 

As for the campground itself, you’ll enter off the very busy 192 and head south on Scott Boulevard, where you’ll pass 3 intersecting lanes before arriving to Sherwood Forest RV Resort. There will be plenty of signage, so you shouldn’t get lost arriving here – it's another story once inside this massive compound. To navigate yourself to the proper location you have been assigned of the 514 potential overnight possibilities that exist, you’ll first want to stop off at the administration building, where they should give you a map – and if they don’t, be sure to ask for you, because you’re going to need it! Basically, this entire place is back-to-back RV’s parked at a diagonal with very little to no privacy whatsoever and given that Sherwood Forest is so heavily populated, you are going to encounter both a decent amount of traffic (the golf cart kind) and noise. And while I would normally encourage folks to get as close to the pool area as possible, I found this main congregating place to be quite jam packed and noisy. 

Amenities: Clubhouse / lounge, mini-golf, basketball, dog park, RV storage, restroom / shower facilities, horseshoe pit, WiFi (at a cost away from the main building), shuffleboard, darts, fitness center, in-ground heated swimming pool, nearby Tiki bar, LP gas refill station, laundr-O-mat, ballroom, mail room, library, banquet hall, catch-and-release lake fishing, marketplace store, playground, game room, billiards, whirlpool / spa / hot tub, picnic tables, pavilion areas, fire pits, BBQ grill, designated trash receptacles, trash compactor, cable TV / satellite and back-in / pull-through sites with full hook-ups (30/ 50 amp electric, water and sewage). In addition to all of the amenities, there’s also a ton of activities, including live music concerts, potluck dinners, BBQ cookouts, dance lessons, ice cream socials, craft-making classes, outdoor chess, mini-golf tournaments, church services, aerobic dancing, exercise classes, line dancing (yeehaw!), board game nights, Bingo, card playing as well as formal holiday dinners around Thanksgiving and Christmas. 

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) The best sites, in general, are all of the ones that are completely on the perimeter of Sherwood Forest RV Resort, specifically sites #1– 137 (you will note that there are a handful of cottages and cabins for rent in these slots as well); (2) When you get done staring down the inside of your cooler or mini-fridge and are looking for a place to sit down and eat for a change, then there are no shortage of food joints to have a look at, including: Krispy Kreme (my personal favorite), Cracker Barrel (my personal least favorite restaurant in the universe), Longhorn Steakhouse, Ichiban Buffet, Martin’s BBQ, Olive Garden and 192 Crab & Lobster Juicy Seafood & Bar;(3) If by chance you have forgotten anything, avoid paying double or triple the price at the on-site market by going to either Walmart or Publix, which are both about a mile and half away; and (4) If you would actually like to enjoy a bit of the outdoors while staying at this RV amusement park, go for a day trip to Lake Tohopekaliga, which has some pretty amazing bass fishing as well as a few choice places to drop your boat into, like Twin Oaks or Cherokee Point Conservation Areas (and if you don’t have your own kayak, canoe or boat, contact Wild Willys Airboat Tours and they’ll show you around). 

Happy Camping!

This is my first time camping in my RV anywhere. I should have suspected that an RV resort in FL in the winter would be full of retirees, but I didn't expect the number of mobile homes permanently here. At my site, when looking outside, I had a great view of the lake, am surrounded by mobile homes, and can see only one RV. Great laundry facilities and front office staff are wonderful. Flexible pricing with many discounts. Club house and swimming pool is like being in a retirement resort. There are some nice sites, and all are full hookups, but in my case, I have a small lot with a mobile home, literally about 8 feet along side of me. They have a dog park, and it is shady, which is needed in the FL heat, but not very kept up and clean. Location is nice because you are right off I-75 and can be anywhere in the Greater Tampa Bay area with easy access. However, the noise of the interstate is non-stop, and traffic in this area is really congested.

A small but great RV resort with beach access. Well kept, clean and with access to the beach just a few yards from any site.

It’s one of our favorite places to stay and we will be back many more times.

Best weekend ever for me. We were less than an hour away from home at Lazydays RV Resort and it felt like we were on the other side of the planet. Got to spend uninterrupted time with my bride and it was awesome. Cooking every meal outside, drunken golf cart cruises and a mediocre live band at the campground made it even better. Can’t wait until our next trip thanksgiving week up in the mountains.

Showers arent amazing but thats not why we are here is it? Lots of loud kids today. Ability to stay long term allows squatters. Most folks very nice and respectful.

We stayed here for a week and overall it’s a solid, no frills place to stay. Level & compact sites with concrete patio pads. Our site backed right up to the marsh, which had a lot of birds & wildlife. There’s a pool, laundry, fenced dog area, and WiFi (for an extra fee). Verizon cell service was solid & always had connection. Mostly long term residents here but they are really friendly & helpful.

Ramblers Rest - Venice, FL: Nice facility. Mostly full time or longer term seasonal rentals. More of a mobile home community where they squeeze RVs into the spaces between mobile homes. Clean and well kept, but not the typical campground we would choose. Very tight quarters. Fulls hook-ups which was nice.

We had a wedding to attend in Clearwater and this was the closest park. Mostly long term and residential campers. Very friendly and very helpful to us during our short stay. Kids loved the pool, but playground needs updating. It is a place to stay, but not a destination in itself.

We stayed at Sun N Fun for 3 weeks while visiting family in the Sarasota area. Despite Covid-19, there was still plenty to do. 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 (which is not always the case). On hookup the post blew my surge protector. They sent over maintenance immediately who did a thorough check of the post and made sure it was safe to use. Cable in the park had lots of channels if you're looking for that. Wifi was spotty, but what do you expect?

Fiesta Grove is a smaller 55+ park. Pros: Laid back atmosphere Super friendly residents Plenty of activities Almost no traffic noise Alot of permanent or long term residents Clean and well kept Heated pool

Cons: Lacking some amenities - no exercise room or spa Terrible signal if you have T-Mobile - dropped calls, very little data. Not enough doggie stations

It was very clean, with a very nice staff. Quiet, even though it was close ro a highway. Wifi was good. Full hook ups, cable tv. Sites were a little small but that was our only complaint.

No surprise on a military base but felt like a campground equivalent of base housing. Tight spots with full hook ups. Lots of snow birds, so getting in was a challenge. We had to show up without a reservation and take advantage of first come, first serve spots.

Full hook up (electric/water/sewer) and cable. No wifi (so weak it didn't work) and cell coverage almost non-existent (AT&T).

Close to a small beach and marina with a restaurant walking distance. Several dog parks but muddy/dirt. Laundry available for fee. Bath houses clean and large.

Good amenities on base. Gym not too far and massive.

Make sure you arrive at the base through the gate at the end of Dale Mabry, as it's the only gate campers can come thru. And be sure to go to the far right lane, even if it's got a red X showing the lane is closed. They will open the wider lane for you. You don't want to know why I know that or how close our Airstream was to the guard shacks if you don't go in the far lane!

The winter season is October-April and the campground gets extremely full, going over capacity from December to February or March. Overall, an extremely large campground in two parts: main side and the annex. The annex has more space between spots, but no amenities (laundry, etc.); you have to drive to the main side for those. Not a big deal.

For long-terming, you're responsible for your yard. The FamCamp officer loans them out from the office. A pain for the annex, but still free. 

Very conveniently located to the golf course and the various headquarters/units on MacDill AFB. Not as conveniently located to the rest of Tampa as it takes 12-15 minutes just to get off post from the campground. 

The staff is nice when treated with respect. Have heard stories of the staff being mean or finicky, but the blame usually sounded on both parties.

If you like awesome sunsets and wake up to the sounds of crashing waves, this is the place to stay. Small and quaint little county campground with seashell sites and full hook-ups. A little tight to maneuver big rigs or a toad, but site is worth staying if you can get a reservation.

It should not be called an rv park. It is a run down trailer court from the 70’s. The bathrooms and showers have not been cleaned in years. If you walk around you are likely to be a victim of a crime. Nasty Place.

This is a residential RV parking lot. There are no standards for living. We felt like we were trespassing. Each site was run down, moldy, dirty. Our neighbor screamed “shut up” often. Which made sitting outside worse than the view. I wish I could provide pictures to help campers understand. This was NOT a relaxing getaway. 1 star for sewer hookup at site. 1 star for fenced in dog area. Should be less 1 star because even with a water filter the water was yellow and cloudy.