Best Glamping near Palmetto, FL

Recent Glamping Reviews near Palmetto, Florida

321 Reviews of 14 Palmetto Campgrounds

• 

  Rishi B.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 25, 2023

  Hillsborough River State Park Campground

  Yurt Glamping in FL

  We stayed here to glamp in their new glamping yurts. First time glamping in FL and it was a great experience. The yurt was chic and smelt really good like essential oils. Everything was very clean and they put in a lot of effort to customize the stay for you. Best way to “camp” while staying clean and comfy. The bathrooms were nearby and immaculate at well.

• B

  Britt H.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 4, 2017

  Fort De Soto Campground

  Sun and fun

  This is an awesome florida camp spot. Well cared for sites, clean bath houses. If there is a campsite that embodies "glamping" this might be it. Tons to do, from fishing and kayaking to miles of bike paths. And of course one of the most highly rated beaches in the country. Definitely worth a stay.

• B

  Brad P.

  Guide

  

  Feb. 7, 2025

  Peace River Oaks

  Fantastic

  This place is brand new and very clean. The owners/operators are extremely friendly and helpful. The have glamping tents that are very cool. This isn’t the ordinary crunched in resort camping. All of the sites are spacious with large cement pads. The overall feel is laid back and quiet. There are many activities and games if you choose to participate.

• K

  Ken K.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 4, 2024

  Palmetto Ridge Campground — Myakka River State Park

  Palmetto Ridge Campground is Great

  Great campground for any type of camping. All sites at Palmetto Ridge are full hookup and many sites are pull through. ATT WiFi is fast enough to stream YouTube and YouTube TV via my Apple TV box tethered to my iPhone.

• 

  Robert L.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 12, 2020

  Palmetto Ridge Campground — Myakka River State Park

  Beautiful Park

  We stayed here 6 nights in Palmetto Ridge Campground which had full hookups. It is an extremely well maintained park with large roomy sites in the campground we stayed in. There are two more campgrounds available in the park, but they were not sewer equipped and also too small for our 40' 5er. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay here and will definitely be going back in the future. It is about a half hour drive to either Siesta Key Beach or Turtle Beach from the park so it is very convenient for that.

• 

  Travyl Couple !.

  Ranger

  

  Dec. 7, 2019

  Palmetto Ridge Campground — Myakka River State Park

  Camping and Canopy Trees

  One of the largest state parks in Florida. This great Park has full and partial hook ups for all styles of camping to include hammock camping. There are 6 primitive campgrounds; group camping and Cabins too! We stayed at the Palmetto Ridge campground which were gravel and had the full hook ups. The old prairie and big flats were regular ground surface electric/water (no sewer) . These also had a little less privacy. You will have 39 miles of hiking trails and off road/mountain biking at your pleasure. We bike with hybrid specialized bikes and had no problems off road. We were here in July. Fortunately, there is lots of shade even while hiking due to the canopy trees and this kept things cooler during in the summer. We did not have a problem with biting bugs until nightfall. You will enjoy biking the 7 miles of paved (flat) roads in Park. There are Rivers and lakes for kayaking/canoe and we enjoyed the fishing and paddling. Great gift shop and cafe area near boat launch on lake. There is even a flat bottom boat tour on the Upper Myakka lake. The visitor center offers a lot of rentals too... from kayaks to tandem bikes. (For the die hard road bikers it is only 12.5 miles to Legacy Rail to trail). We had a blast and our video goes into more detail about the park. Be sure to visit the nearby Crowley Nature Center less than 5 miles away. (Crowley nature center is a separate video located on our YouTube channel and website)

• D

  Denise

  Ranger

  

  Mar. 3, 2021

  Palmetto Ridge Campground — Myakka River State Park

  Huge park with nice sites

  We stayed for one night in site 83 in the Palmetto Ridge loop. Absolutely loved this site. It’s HUGE - tons of space in this site with privacy from the neighboring sites. And there are full hookups - just note that the sewer is elevated (4-6 inch block) and all the way at the back of the site, so plan to park accordingly if you’re using the sewer or want to dump before you leave. There is also a dump station if you’re at one of the other loops or prefer that over the sewer hookup. As one other review mentioned, you can’t access the trails or sites directly from the two front campground loops. And this park is very large, so plan to ride a bike or drive to the canopy walk (which we didn’t do - was crowded and we’re social distancing), the bird walk (which was a bit disappointing on wildlife, but pretty and most people wore masks and kept their distance), or the boat tours/gift shop (which we didn’t do - distancing). I’ll also mention that the highlight, and it seems others agreed considering it was always crowded with people, was a bridge where there were always alligators and birds. Not sure if the bridge has a name, but you’ll know it by the people standing in the road. The site was nice and quiet and dark enough to see stars. There were armadillos foraging behind the site though, so we had to keep our dog inside after dark. We would absolutely stay here again. Good cell coverage as well for remote work.

• 

  Joe R.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 15, 2019

  Fort De Soto Campground

  Tropical Oasis for the Family

  I find myself torn between four and five stars on this campground. It turned out being everything we expected and more. As an camper with northern roots, I have found it hard to camp in Florida. This campground helped me relieve those worries. 

  I will start by saying that this campground is south of St. Pete and north of Ana Maria Island. We drove down from Orlando and it took us under two hours. We hit some traffic on 275 and the Parkway, but it is expected. There are two tolls (1.00 and .75) before you hit the park. One thing we learned and a good pointer is that if you intend on going into the park (which you probably will), you should go in and register BEFORE you go to the beach, even if before check in time. By paying for your site, they provide you a beach pass for two vehicles, which saves $5 each on parking. 

  The check in process was very simple. We arrived about an hour early and got everything set up. We were told to stop back between 12:30 and 1 (Advise that check in is at 1pm, so getting in early is not a guaranteed or expected result). The parking lot is a bit awkward, as the camper/trailer line blocks views and actual spots for cars..but it is trivial. 

  We had rented site 28 (mostly because it was one of the only ones available and best of the litter). There are three loops, and we were in the 1-86 loop. There are no pets and no RV's allowed, which was perfect for us. Most of the outer side of the loop has some sort of water. Water does not mean access. It seemed that the higher numbers (40+) had less access to water and more of a mangrove area. Depths of sites also varied widely. We must have done the camping gods some good, because we hit the site karma. Our site was nice and deep, with a weird little island (former tree/stump) in the middle. This actually made us divide the tent area up into two sides, which worked out well. The site has plenty of options for both clothes lines and hammocks. We opted to put the "kitchen" towards the back of the site with the water view, and fire bin (rented for $3 from the campground office). We had neighbors on both sides and across (this places always sells out) and it was still fairly secluded. They did a great job at keeping a lot of natural growth to maintain privacy and a true tropical feel. There was plenty of shade, but also plenty of sunshine when you wanted it. This site also gets direct sunlight after about 9am (based on mid october), so plan accordingly. It gets toasty :) We have an inflatable raft that we took out in the water. We were greeted by dolphins, sting rays and manatees. 

  The bath house is pretty central and literally across the road from our site. We had expected a much further walk based on the map, but it was just a 1 minute walk. They were ample, but nothing to write home about. They clean them daily, so they are not bad. The showers leave a lot to be desired with water pressure and privacy. They share a common area with stalls and cheap liners that offer little privacy. Again, it is camping so this isn't a complaint, but a warning. Also, bring your own toilet paper. 

  There is a playground with good swings and also a sturdy playground that offered plenty of opportunity for my four year old to blow off some steam. The ground is all recycled rubber, which I love as a parent. 

  The campground store is nice and good for essentials if you don't want to take the 15/20 minute drive to publix or 7 minute drive to 7-11. Firewood is a bit overpriced at $9 per bundle and the fire buckets are cheap at $3 per night. They also have basic food and camping supplies. Note that there is no alcohol allowed in the park, including the campground. All I can say is that you should use common sense. This is a family friendly place. They also rent bikes and kayaks. 

  The site was just a 10 minute drive to north beach, which is our favorite. There is plenty to do in the area. Overall, I love this place and look forward to coming back many times in the future. Note that they do start booking 6 months out and open up 10% of the sites for the weekend each friday at 7am if you want to try and get lucky.

• 

  Fitz Edward O.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 13, 2019

  Palmetto Ridge Campground — Myakka River State Park

  One of Florida's finest attractions

     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.

• 

  Malaney H.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 1, 2018

  Palmetto Ridge Campground — Myakka River State Park

  Beautiful, Large Park

  What isn't there to do at Myakka River SP. First of all, this place is huge. I think it took me about 10 minutes to drive from one end to the other, but it is full of wonderful things to do along the way. There are two entrances to the park because it is so large, but one entrance is not always open, so its important to check that online before heading over. The main entrance has a nice Welcome Center right at the front with a small store shop. There are three different loops to camp in, one is specific to tent camping and is not open year round called Big Flats Campground. Its further back in the park and surrounded by beautiful trees. The other two are tent/RV, one being very shady called Old Prairie and the other having drive through sites called Palmetto Ridge which does not have many trees for shade. There are also cabins and these are remodeled versions of the original cabins that were built back when the park first opened in the 30s.

  The activities on site vary. because the park is so large, its great for long morning jogs and bike rides. The view is beautiful only the Myakka river and your bound to run into wildlife (i saw deer, gators, hogs and so many different birds)! There are also 39 miles worth of hiking trails, which all vary in distance. Some even have primitive campsites for those that enjoy backpacking. Along one of the hiking trails, is an observation desk with a canopy walkway. The tower soars 76 feet high so you have a great view of the park! There is also a pretty bird watching area for those that enjoying this activity. Even if you don't the view is amazing and a great place to sit and watch for wildlife.

  The last part of the park I want to touch on is the Pink Gator restaurant/gift shop. I think it is one of the largest shops I have ever been in. The food at the cafe was wonderful! I had the chicken salad (way too good!). And they have a small Edys IceCream Parlor. This part of the park also allows access to the river, where you can canoe/kayak or what ever water sport you are into. The one thing that stood out to me is the Airboat ride. This boat hold about 30 people and takes you out on the the lake for a tour. I don't think I have ever seen an air boat that large.

  The facilities were all very well taken care of as well and I cannot think of one complaint! I definitely recommend visiting this park.

• T

  Toni S.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 30, 2018

  Fort De Soto Campground

  Beautiful Wild Florida

  Ft. Desoto Park is a must see when you visit Florida. Its one of the most well preserved areas that feature Florida as it used to be, wild and beautiful. The camp ground is nice and has all of the amenities. Keep your food locked up though as the raccoons are brazen!

• 

  Frank E.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 11, 2018

  Fort De Soto Campground

  Great camping and kayaking spot

  Some sights are waterfront. Beaches nearby. West coast of Florida.

• 

  A T.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 10, 2023

  Fort De Soto Campground

  Beautiful camp spot

  Very beautiful and short drive to a great Florida beach. Bugs suck though.

• 

  Ellen S.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 23, 2018

  Fort De Soto Campground

  Beachin’ it!

  Not waterfront but close enough! Hike to the beach, or stay at your spacious site and enjoy the Florida nature! Roads are tight, but spots are clean and easily accessible

  dog friendly too! Dog beach closer than the people beach!!

• N

  Nicole D.

  Guide

  

  May. 22, 2018

  Palmetto Ridge Campground — Myakka River State Park

  Great hiking trails

  Big campground in a beautiful park that really shows you natural Florida. Not enough privacy on each campsite, personally, but still nice. The hiking trails & the boardwalk are awesome, love the long views over the prairie and canopy.

• 

  Eric H.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 4, 2019

  Palmetto Ridge Campground — Myakka River State Park

  My first love.

  I’m pretty sure this was the first campground I ever went to as a kid, and then every spring break following. Only recently stopped going with my family. As far as Florida camping goes though, this is probably my favorite.

• 

  Suzy R.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 11, 2021

  Hillsborough River State Park Campground

  Nice, went with friends

  Loved the hiking, huge pool (closed due to cover though) will go back.  Hiking along the river almost forgot we were even in Florida :-)

• j

  janet H.

  Legend

  

  Mar. 23, 2019

  Fort De Soto Campground

  Palm tree paradise

  March escape to Florida. Great camp ground! Includes parking at Fort Desoto beaches. Seven miles of beach, great bike trails. Bikes and kayaks to rent. Nice bathhouses. Large lush mostly level gravel sites. Trees and shrubs provide shade and privacy from neighboring sites. No fire ring. Favorite sites 200-230 3-30 all waterfront. Lots of other great waterfront sites available. Interior sites hard to back into.

• 

  Katie K.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 17, 2016

  Palmetto Ridge Campground — Myakka River State Park

  Myakka from my Childhood

  Unfortunately, I went as a little kid so I don't have any amazing pictures to share. But I have FOND memories of this experience, and I couldn't get over the canopy walkway. This place is unlike any other, and teeming with interesting, diverse wildlife. If you're in Florida, you have to make your way out here.

• 

  Steve S.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 6, 2016

  Palmetto Ridge Campground — Myakka River State Park

  Classic Florida

  If you want to see 'Old Florida', you can't get much better than this - we spent the weekend kayaking along the myakka river and saw more wildlife than we could of imagined. Campgrounds are quiet with lush overgrowth between sites, clean restrooms and plenty to see and do within the park.

  Only callout is the need to be mindful making reservations and staying at the park during the rainy season as some roads are awash and difficult to drive.

• 

  Perry J.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 12, 2019

  Fort De Soto Campground

  Simply a great campground!

  Fort De Soto Park is amazing. It offers something for everyone whether you are there camping or simply for the day. The beaches are amazing with TONS and TONS of parking. Great cycling, paddling, walking, exploring, fishing, kiting, or anything you want to do. It can get busy in season but the area is designed to accommodate the crowds except for the one lane road to and from so plan your visit according to your threshold for traffic and crowds. 

  I'm a Florida local from Sarasota and have visited many times but never to camp. We came with a small travel trailer and were lucky enough to get a site right on the water as many are which by itself is rare. Great weekend and honestly one of the nicest parks I have ever been to. 

  Its great that possibly the most valuable real estate in all of Florida's Gulf Coast was reserved for a county park in lieu of private condos and resorts. The park has a no alcohol policy which honestly is fine. Being such an urban destination I could imagine things getting way out of hand there to the detriment of more chill folks without the ban. Even though I like a cocktail as much as the next guy, i'll take the pleasant environment over the beer any day. 

  Thanks Pinellas Parks for such a great place for locals and guests to visit.

• 

  Christina L.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 19, 2021

  Palmetto Ridge Campground — Myakka River State Park

  Florida untouched

  We arrived at the gate! After hearing of the wilderness preserve we decided to go ahead and get the permit. You drive about a mile down the road from the main state park entrance to find the wilderness preserve entrance which is code protected. 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! A great piece of raw Florida!

• 

  Elizabeth G.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 28, 2017

  Hillsborough River State Park Campground

  Beautiful views

  This was my first time at a campground in Florida! I was surrounded by beautiful wildlife (alligators, birds, and even a wild boar). The hiking trails were perfect for a beginner or a regular hiker. The little shop/restaurant sells a nice, quick meal for when you're done hiking as well! I will definitely be going back.

• 

  Robin M.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 11, 2018

  Hillsborough River State Park Campground

  best state park

  I love this park, this section of the Hillsborough River has some of the only class 2 rapids in Florida! This park has every amenity you can imagine for camping from a giant swimming pool, kayak/canoe rental, bike rentals, fishing, hiking, so much to do. Its honestly a kind of hidden gem so close to Tampa!

• J

  Jackie T.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 19, 2020

  Hillsborough River State Park Campground

  Great campground 25 min. from Florida RV Supershow.

  We stayed here to attend the Florida RV Supershow and it was perfect. Less than a half hour to the fairgrounds. Peaceful campground with nice size sites. We were in site 51A (pull through) for 2 nights and site 42 for 2 nights. Both were level and shaded. Bathhouse was nice. We really enjoyed the trails.

• J

  Justin S.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 29, 2016

  Palmetto Ridge Campground — Myakka River State Park

  Huge state park, lots of wildlife

  Excellent for wildlife viewing in the surprisingly beautiful prairie and tropical Florida area. You can rent bikes or kayaks nearby and make sure to take a tour on the famous fan boats. Pros: wildlife, cabin option, close to towns, clean, pretty large sites, modern amenities like laundry, restaurant, gift/grocery shop on site, very shady campsites, great trails (many boardwalks), huge park, easy to get to from 75. Good mix of locals and tourists to give you more ideas of what to do while visiting. Cons: just the bugs and heat...

• 

  Laura D.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 13, 2018

  Peace River Campground

  Wilderness or Glamping

  ThisThis is a great Campground just outside of Arcadia Florida. It has ATV trails and fossilized shark tooth hunting. it has a Wilderness Area as well as developed the campground area. There is laundry facilities, showers, a pool, canoeing and kayaking, ATV riding trails. A snack bar/ restaurant, ice cream place is available on the weekends. The office / store is very well-stocked. I love this place!