Lazydays RV Resort
Beautiful clean campground with great warm pool and hot tub. Friendly staff.
6 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Several RV campgrounds accommodate motorhome travelers in Palm Harbor, Florida. Caladesi RV Park provides full hookup sites with 50-amp electric service, offering water, sewer, and waste facilities for guests. Sites are paved but spaced closely together. One camper shared, "It's a tiny RV park, with small sites, right off a busy road, BUT the bathrooms and laundry are clean," highlighting the tight spacing typical of the area. Sherwood Forest RV Resort features pull-through RV pads, picnic tables, and multiple hookup options, though reviews indicate the spaces are closely packed. Bay Aire 55+ RV Park maintains 170 sites with both 50-amp and 30-amp electrical options, offering full hookup capabilities for larger motorhomes.
Most Palm Harbor RV parks operate year-round, making advance reservations essential during winter months when snowbirds migrate south. While Sherwood Forest and Caladesi provide amenities like swimming pools and showers, not all parks permit campfires or outdoor cooking. A recent review noted, "The RV park is in a great location, however its amenities fall short of what I'd consider a RV Resort." Access to most parks requires navigating busy local roads, with some parks presenting tight turning radiuses that challenge larger rigs. Pet policies vary across properties, with most allowing dogs but enforcing strict leash requirements. Dump stations are available at most locations, though Bay Aire, Caladesi, and Hickory Point specifically advertise sanitary dump access for motorhome travelers.
"So a lot of snowbirds are packed up and gone. I can't say what it's like in January, but I've had no problems. The permanent residents are friendly. The amenities are plentiful."
"We were looking for a new place to spend the winter. This is an amazing park"
"The park is small, parking is crammed, and there’s a lot of older trailers but overall it’s a great location. This is our go to location when we have appointments at Bay Pines VA!"
"For now we had no internet, and used our phones for Hot Spot.
Staff are friendly and helpful.""Great location"
"There are many full time residents here. It was close enough to Tampa to use as a Homebase for the RV show."
"Nice quiet park. Spent 2 weeks here as part of our Thousand Oaks package."
"The beach is a 5 minute drive and pet friendly! The Pinellas bike trail is also located right behind the park and easy to get on. I will definitely come back to this campground."
"It is pet friendly and everyone seems to clean up after their pets. The pool is clean and clear and that works for me."
from $45 - $75 / night
"Very nice campground conveniently located right off of 589 ( Suncoast Parkway) 38 miles north of TPA. FRIENDLY neighbors, pet friendly. Nice amenities."
"We used this as a starting point to visit the local attractions Extremely quiet spot, mostly permanent sites. Very clean pool, baths."
"We have a 36 ft Class A with a Cherokee Trailhawk tow and stayed in site 132 for 3 days in mid April. The CG is very clean, well maintained, but relatively expensive."
"They’re all premium sites on the legend they have two cabins a few water sites. It’s Florida so it’s a tight fit in every spot. The staff we’ve met so far have been very friendly and helpful."
"Perfect location can walk...bike...launch a boat or even hop on the trolley to get anywhere....Restaurants and grocery store right outside the gate....Great pizza joint with live music...We loved it here"
from $65 - $160 / night
"In Palmetto, easy access to Tampa, Sarasota, Gulf Beaches, and many other areas of Florida in a few hours driving distance. Pet-friendly."
"It looks a bit rundown from the first sight, but the amenities and infrastructure are really up to date, everything is clean, staff is friendly. Long term residents are also seem to t be nice."
Beautiful clean campground with great warm pool and hot tub. Friendly staff.
Great accommodations. Clean. Some road noise but we are enjoying our stay
Beautiful pools and showers, washer and dryer on site are only like $2.50 each and very nice! They’ve done a lot of recent updates
The bayou site are excellent. Reasonably level, nice patios, and a bit of a view. The staff are nice and helpful. They seem to have a section for those of us who are not snowbirds.
On my never-ending pursuit of finding the most perfect campground on earth ... I may have just landed it! Fort DeSoto State Park Campground, which rests at the southernmost edge of Pinellas County, reached by crossing a series of causeways from St. Petersburg until the land simply runs out and the Gulf of Mexico (as my friend John Cougar Mellencamp recently point out - not Gulf of ‘Merika) takes over. First impressions are pure Florida magic with palm-lined roads, sweeping water views of translucent aqua blue shimmering in the sun all accompanied by a salty breeze that makes you feel like vacation has officially begun. The campground itself is spread across a low-lying coastal landscape with mangroves, dunes and open skies punctuated by cotton candy clouds, and despite its popularity, this tri-loop campground haven manages to feel relaxed and unhurried if you pick your timing right.
This archipelago is shaped like a boomerang with 3 distinct campground loops – each with its own vibe, layout, amenities and overall character (more on this later) – leaving one with the impression that Fort DeSoto is both incredibly spacious as well as incredibly well-organized, offering a mix of waterfront and interior sites with paved pads, picnic tables, stand-up grills and access to modern bathhouses that are generally clean and well maintained. Many sites offer electric and water hookups, with a dump station available for RV travelers. Navigation through the one-way loops is straightforward, pets are welcome and the overall layout feels intentionally designed to handle high traffic without feeling chaotic. While there’s but just a modest playground on-site, there are much more amenities for the kids on North Beach, but throughout the campground area, the sheer amount of open space, bike paths, beach side access to inlets that will allow you to make the most out of being this close to the Gulf more than compensates for families.
What truly sets Fort DeSoto apart is everything just outside your campsite. Miles of white sand beaches wrap around the park, including North Beach which is frequently ranked among the best beaches in the country (note: not county ... country). Kayaking trails wind through calm mangrove tunnels, fishing piers stretch into Tampa Bay, and biking loops circle the entire park. History lovers can explore the restored fort and military ruins, while birders will find plenty to admire along the shoreline. For supplies, you’re about 15 minutes from Tierra Verde Market, Publix and a Walmart Supercenter on Pinellas Bayway as well as a handful of casual eateries like Billy’s Stone Crab and Sea Hags if cooking feels optional.
Trying to find out which 1 of the 3 loops might be best for you? I’ll try to break this down. First, of all, my brother and I stayed in Area #1, so let me begin there, not only because numerically that’s where we should begin, but also because I’m the most familiar with this loop, which consists of sites numbered #1-85. If you’re looking not just for ocean views with Gulf access – because like me, you’ve brought a kayak / canoe – then Area #1 for this solo reason is why you want to book here. And while it’s true that you likely could access water in Area #2, you’ll have to go the long way around to access the Gulf. Back to Area #1, I found this simple, single loop offering sites excellent in size, with TONS of shade (no need to bring your shelter to blot out the sun, although not a bad idea to have it handy in case of rain) and decent length long ‘driveways’ with which to pull in and set up camp, whether you’re packing tents (like me) or pulling in with your RV or sprinter van. Seriously, the scenery alone here in Area #1(at least sites #1-34) cannot be beaten with direct views of the Gulf, which you can access in less than 20 paces from where you’ve pitched your tent or parked for the night.
Each site is equipped with electric and water and for RVs needing sewage, there’s a spot as you exit prior to arriving at the ranger station that will accommodate you. The restroom and shower facilities in Area#1 are the best that I’ve ever seen in the state of Florida (which is saying something as I’ve camped in more than 100 spots here in the Sunshine state) – and wonder if this is because CG Hosts (versus FL state employees) are charged with keeping the CG clean?! – with very hot water (sometimes TOO hot) and lots of pressure would be an accurate description. Area #2 IMHO is somewhat cramped, very RV populated, with sites that are fairly crowded, yet heavily shaded with amenities that are similar to Area #1, albeit slightly more outdated; however, if you come with pets in tow, this is the ONLY area that will welcome you here at Fort DeSoto CG. Lastly, Area #3 has AMAZING water views, but given the seawall that surrounds this portion of the island, you won’t be able to actually access the water unless you dock your boat somehow to the wall and don’t mind jumping up 4-6 feet down to access your vessel. I found the sites here to be fine, although like Area #2, somewhat crowded, but yet still offering very good shade with restroom and shower facilities to be on par with the rest of the park. The best sites over here would be those from #197– 233 that look northernly towards the Gulf offering nothing short of AMAZING sunsets on the water.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) Waterfront sites in Loop 2 and Loop 3 are the most coveted for sunset views and breezes, but they book fast; (2) Bring bikes as this park is tailor-made for cruising on two wheels with flat, scenic loops in and around the campground area, but the best biking will be had once heading out past the ranger station to explore the larger areas of the island, where East Beach is worth a glide by (especially to watch the kite surfers where wind is at its strongest), but it’s North Beach that will have you stopping for a longer spell; (3) Kayaking through the mangroves on a calm morning is a must, especially for wildlife sightings; however, our absolute favorite moment of the entire trip was crossing the strong currents of shipping lanes to make it all the way to Shell Key, which apart from a few pensioners getting sunburnt in their beach chairs and an errant fishing boat or two, we had the entire island to ourselves … EASTER EGG: I’m a fairly solid kayaker and love oaring and with these strong currents, it IS manageable to cross, but you’ll want to plan on at least 1 hour of non-stop, albeit scenic oaring to make it to Shell Key; (4) Afternoon storms roll through quickly in summer, so plan beach time early and camp dinners later; (5) North Beach on the northernmost edge tends to be quieter and more family-friendly than the busier east-facing beaches near the fort; (6) If you’re visiting during peak season, weekday stays are noticeably calmer than weekends; and (7) When heading to the restroom facilities you will come across what is likely the largest sign I have ever seen in any campground WARNING YOU OF RACCOONS and, trust me, you want to HEED THIS SIGN as these black-eyed bandits are EVERYWHERE and not afraid to come right up to your tent and look in or right up to you sitting next to your campfire while looking for something to eat or steal, so be incredibly careful and PACK UP EVERYTHING whenever it’s not being used EVEN IN DAYLIGHT HOURS.
In sum, I absolutely loved this campground and will now be comparing every single one I visit to Fort DeSoto Campground.
Happy Camping!
Quiet. Definitely skewed toward equestrian. Sites are well spaced. Outer loop is best. Restroom/showers are very well kept. Not much for kids. Short trails are ok. Cayaking is best option if you're in to that. Relax here, enjoy the peace and have your favorite beverage
Beautiful 😁
Great location
Great fishing docks, with lighting for nighttime fishing. Clean & great environment, kids had a blast. Will stay here again
Palm Harbor RV campgrounds sit along Florida's Gulf Coast, offering year-round camping in the subtropical climate where temperatures rarely drop below 50°F in winter. Most campgrounds in this area focus on RV accommodations rather than tent camping, with sites positioned to maximize occupancy in the limited coastal space. Campground density increases during winter months when seasonal visitors arrive from northern states.
Fishing access: Hickory Point RV Park offers waterfront sites along the Anclote River. "We had a waterfront site, great campground. Spendy but worth it. Has boat launch, waterfront community area, volleyball, small beach, dock, etc," notes Elgin S. who enjoyed the water activities.
Biking opportunities: Several parks provide direct access to the Pinellas Trail, a 45-mile paved trail running from Tarpon Springs to St. Petersburg. One camper at Caladesi RV Park mentioned, "The Pinellas bike trail is also located right behind the park and easy to get on," highlighting the convenient access for cyclists.
Greek culture exploration: Tarpon Springs features authentic Greek restaurants and shops just minutes from local RV parks. "Short drive from downtown Tarpon Springs and several beaches," reports a Hickory Point visitor, noting the proximity to cultural attractions and coastline access points.
Community events: Many Palm Harbor area RV parks organize regular activities for guests. "The clubhouse is pretty amazing. Clearly, they take pride in their facilities. Impressive library, pool tables, games, huge collection of jigsaw puzzles, social events and the pool is clean," shares a camper from Holiday Travel Park.
Clean facilities: Despite space constraints, parks maintain quality amenities. At Dunedin RV Resort, a visitor commented, "The community here was very nice. We didn't really explore the amenities as we were only in for a night but they looked nice from a distance."
Convenient location: The strategic positioning near beaches and shopping appeals to many. "Perfect location can walk...bike...launch a boat or even hop on the trolley to get anywhere....Restaurants and grocery store right outside the gate," writes a camper at Bay Aire 55+ RV Park, appreciating the accessibility to local services.
Site spacing variations: Most RV parks feature closely spaced sites, but some offer more room than others. A camper at Encore Winter Quarters Pasco shared, "Sites have cement slabs most have double cement slabs which keeps everything nice and clean," noting the paved site advantages.
Age restrictions: Several parks cater exclusively to older adults. Bay Aire operates as a 55+ community, limiting family camping options in certain locations. Other parks welcome all ages but maintain strict quiet hours.
Seasonal availability: Winter months see significantly higher occupancy rates. A Topic's RV Resort visitor noted its "Great location. Nice resort. Nice amenities," highlighting the year-round appeal despite seasonal crowds.
Water activities: Select parks with pool access for children. "The pool is nice and bathrooms are clean. The beach is a 5 minute drive and pet friendly!" shares a Caladesi RV Park visitor, identifying both on-site and nearby water options for families.
Park regulations: Many Palm Harbor area campgrounds have strict noise policies. "The rules are extremely strict, as this is mainly a retirement community. No fires, no noise, and no fun," cautions a visitor to Winter Quarters Pasco, suggesting families choose parks designated as family-friendly.
Local attractions: Plan day trips to nearby beaches and nature areas. "It's a very large park consisting of the usual pavement and concrete. It was close enough to Tampa to use as a Homebase for the RV show," notes a Barrington Hills RV camper, highlighting the strategic location for area exploration.
Navigation challenges: Some parks have tight entrance roads requiring careful maneuvering. "Be careful entering the park. Very sharp turns," warns a Vacation Village RV Resort visitor about access constraints.
Seasonal rates: Winter months bring significantly higher prices at most Palm Harbor RV campgrounds. "Spendy but worth it," notes one Hickory Point camper regarding the premium rates for waterfront access.
Booking lead time: Reservations should be made 6-12 months in advance for winter stays. "Very nice RV and semi permanent place. Easy access off of the Nature Coast Parkway," comments a Topics RV Resort guest, highlighting the mix of long-term and short-term visitors competing for available sites.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular RV campground near Palm Harbor, FL is Encore Holiday Travel Park with a 3.6-star rating from 5 reviews.
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