Best Tent Camping near Polk City, FL

Recent Tent Reviews near Polk City, FL

960 Reviews of 28 Polk City Campgrounds

• 

  Rhedonda L.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 7, 2023

  Colt Creek State Park Campground

  Mediocre at best

  So I will say this site has super clean bathrooms, nice tent campsites and freshly paved roads. The tent sites have hookups and very close to the bathrooms. The only downfall is there isn't a ton to do here so don't expect anything spectacular.

• 

  Jeanene A.

  Legend

  

  May. 9, 2018

  Colt Creek State Park Campground

  A Brand New Place For Adventure

  Colt Creek State Park is one of the newest parks in the Florida State Park System. Their RV/Tent Campground just recently opened in early 2018. RV spots are spacious. There is not a lot of privacy between spots but cover will grow in in time. Most sites are in full sun most of the day. Tent camping areas are on grass not gravel. very nice dump and wash area at gate to campground. They also offer equestrian, group, and primitive camping at this location. The equestrian camp is well used and quite large with standard amenities for horses and campers. There are 2 primitive sites along a 10 mile loop trail. Group site does not have a pavilion but does have port o lets ( no water or electric). There are 4 lakes ( no swimming) on the property kayak/canoe rentals, nice fishing ares and a dock. Lots of wildlife. Great for biking as well.

• 

  Rusty R.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 24, 2019

  Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake

  Close to attractions

  We stayed here a lot when we first moved to Florida and loved it. We stayed in the tent ⛺️ area because it was the most cost effective. What you should know about the tent area is that it is not drive up, you have to walk a short distance to your site.

  One thing that we loved about the location is that it is close to all of the attractions. We actually walked home from Universal Studios to our campsite one night.

  Some other things to know you can only stay for 14 days at a time and only 14 days in a month. This was an issue for us as we were working in the area and camping full time. This seemed to be the case with all of the county parks in the area, so we had to move every two weeks.

  Apparently you can stay longer in the RV Park, but they wouldn’t let us with our roof top tent. They went as far as to say that it is illegal. We looked into it latter and found that not to be true. Apparently it is illegal in Orlando to camp in a tent within city limits. This does not apply to roof top tents though as they are not on the ground. They were a bit rude about the whole thing and after being lied to, it left a bad taste in our mouths.

  Remember that the tent sites are not drive up? Yea, we couldn’t use our roof top tent there either, fortunately we carried a ground tent too.

  Some other things to know, the tent sites are close to the highway/ turnpike so there is always traffic noise. Some weekends and during breaks it is a training ground for high school rowing teams (you are not allowed to use a canoe in the lake either, but somehow rowing is ok) and there are competitions. So it can be busy then and noisy in the morning when they are training and competing.

  Don’t look too closely at the girls in their tight athletic outfits either. Our neighbor got tossed out for that and complaining about their littering (which was a legitimate complaint there were water bottles littered everywhere when they were there).

  So those are the pros and cons. In spite of the negative stuff we would and have gone there again as it is a nice spot.

• 

  Jeanene A.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 25, 2019

  Withlacoochee River Park

  A Hidden Gem

  Wow... a few miles from home and one I will visit often! This lovely county run park you will find at the end of a 15 min drive down a back country road. There is so much to see and do here. The campsites are well shaded. (unless grounds were full when you reserved and you took option to camp in adjoining astronomy field). I would have rated a 5+ except that there is only 1 small bathhouse in campground. There are other bathrooms on property though. Staff on phone are not overly friendly - but do not let that dissuade you from booking a spot here!

  There are multiple tent camping sites dispersed on property and 1 primitive site that you have to hike into. The group site is very popular with local scouts! The RV/Tent sites are roomy and not too close together - but not very private either. There is a dump station onsite

  Next to campground you will find a historic church, a large and small cabin available for rent, 2 playgrounds, shelters, large pavilion with grill/fire pit, fishing dock, canoe launch, paved bike trail hiking trails and an observation tower. On new moon nights the local astronomy club uses neighboring field to gaze at the stars. This place is quiet and dark at night!

  Wildlife did not seem to be a problem at camp (but we are very careful with trash). There are lots of birds, deer and fishing was good on the river.

  You might have to compete with us for a reservation here - we will be back!

• 

  Bruce D.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 9, 2020

  Withlacoochee River Park

  This is a great park

  This park has RV sites, regular tent sites, cabins and primitive camping. I like the regular tent sites, not much of a walk in but secluded. The park includes restrooms and showers and seem to be taken care of. There are several trails around, one paved, and I believe the Florida Trail is very close. Quiet at night and peaceful.

• B

  Bryce C.

  Scout

  

  Dec. 29, 2022

  Moss Park Campground

  Nice

  We tent camped a RV spot I really liked it

• 

  AJ G.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 18, 2017

  Starkey Wilderness Preserve — Serenova Tract

  Nice place for a quick getaway

  Nice place, relatively quiet. Little light pollution. Sites are very spacious. Close and clean facilities. Saw a good bit of wildlife: deer and wild boar. Hiking and biking trials. I regular tent sites (which are also hammock friendly). Also have cabins for rent. Prices are on the lower end, $17 a night for tent sites. Only reason for the 4 start is the reservation system has to be done through the county park and rec sites.

• 

  Paully B.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 19, 2017

  Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

  Exactly what one would expect from disney

  How could being at Disney be a bad thing? Even when tent camping it was amazing. Never a mosquito in sight. Geckos all around. GREAT for bike riding around the campsite.

• A

  Amber C.

  Scout

  

  Nov. 4, 2017

  Orlando Southwest KOA Holiday

  First Camp

  Our first camping trip we stayed in Koa for the Cotopaxi Questival. The tent site was well laid out. I was very pleased.

• M

  Margaret M.

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 9, 2019

  Wekiva Falls RV Resort

  Has everthing, year round enjoyment. Reservations recommended.

  Blike trails, from rv. to tent camping, year round enjoyment. Was there with 4 children 2 adults during a freezing cold snap. Didn't lower our enjoyment, the challenging cold 20°F, made it all the more fun!

• 

  Aila R.

  Traveler

  

  Feb. 9, 2021

  Hillsborough River State Park Campground

  Well maintained sites, nice walking trails.

  Tent camped at a site in loop one. Weather was nice, though we were warned it can get a bit muddy when it rains. Crowds were a bit higher on the trails during Saturday afternoon but Sunday morning was much more quiet and we saw lots of wildlife.

• 

  Jeanene A.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 2, 2019

  Hillsborough River State Park Campground

  Ranger Review INNO INH540 bike rack at Hillsborough River State Park

  I typically avoid tent camping here in the summer months– early summer the trails are heavy with mosquitoes and summer rains bring a large amount of flooding. Though in the fall winter and spring this park is AMAZING. We were very lucky on this trip to have snagged spot at the high part of the riverside loop. Sites 20 and 21 typically stay dry enough for tents. Sites along the river side of loops are prone to flooding some holding as much as 4-6 inches of water.

   This trip was a short overnight to get rid of some pent up cabin fever. We loaded up a tent and the bikes, praying for dry weather. The mosquitoes were not bad, almost none, the the river was near flood stage and inches from overflowing its bank near the campground. 

  The 2.5 mile loop from main entrance is perfect for biking, be careful near the pool area that is VERY crowded in the summer as many locals visit and it will reach capacity early in the day. You can rent bikes and canoes at the concession area near the stand if you did not bring your own. The grounds are beautifully kept, campground hosts are helpful, bathrooms clean and playground areas are plentiful. There are very nice pavilions and one air conditioned building available for rent for special events. If you are visiting in the summer call to make sure the site you booked is dry. 

  We did see where one person got his travel trailer stuck on the mud trying to get into his site. There are very few tent campers in the summer so be prepared if you are tent camping to hear neighbors a/c running all night. 

  I get products to test from time to time- today I am testing the INNO INH540 Bike Rack On first impression upon receiving– this is a heavy duty rack! Shipping weight is nearly 50lbs. and came fully assembled. This bike rack will fit both 1.25 and 2 inch receivers. We first tried to mount on my Jeep Liberty but we need to get a receiver extension as our spare tire prevented installation. So we mounted on our Dodge 1500 truck. I had to have my husband help me slip it into the receiver(was a bit awkward for me to do on my own).

   I was very pleased to find the unit came with a hitch lock that was keyed the same as the cable lock for the bikes. Rack came with 2 keys so we each have a key on our ring and can access without looking for it. 

  The bars are adjustable and the rotating upper and lower cradles are well designed. The support bars also fold down when not in use. Another nice feature is locking pivot at base that will allow you to tilt the rack out of the way of tailgate to enable access without removing the entire rack. 

  The rack will hold 4 bikes up to 35 lbs each or a total of 140 lbs. We have mountain bikes with less space on crossbars of frame so was a bit tight to get loaded. Loading was much easier once we did it a couple times and got used to where we needed to place the cradles. Street bikes load with no issues,(we borrowed the neighbors bikes to test and to show off our new INNO bike rack– they were jealous)! 

  Order yours today from https://www.innoracks.com/ You will not be disappointed!

• 

  Billy A.

  Ranger

  

  Jun. 30, 2015

  Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake

  Nice enough spots, but no campfires

  At the tent sites you are not allowed to have campfires which is kind of a bummer. The sites are on a slight slope that goes down to the lake. The sites are nice with a good view of the lake

• 

  Ramdas S.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 2, 2022

  Colt Creek State Park Campground

  Serene Ease

  What a lovely campground!

  Everything is quiet and even though the sites are close to each other, there's lots of privacy (at least among the tent sites).

  There appears to be a lot of people actives on water and on foot.

  Staff has been very friendly.

• D

  Doug H.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 20, 2019

  Cypress Cove Nudist Resort

  Huge, and gorgeous

  Really something for everyone. Tent sites are lakefront underneath cypress trees with hanging Spanish Moss. Lots of RV sites with clean bathrooms. 2 pools, 2 hot tubs, on site restaurants, a lakefront beach with free SUP’s. Very family-friendly atmosphere, but not a ton of kids.

• 

  ReBeCcA F.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 22, 2021

  Kelly Rock Springs Campground

  Loved going to the spring and tent camping

  Such a great place for families to camp!! The campground is nice and has bathrooms and showers, plus being able to go to the springs is so much fun and beautiful!! Saw deer at night in our campsite #3 we had a double tent site .. beautiful weather.. Springs of course were cold

• 

  Jenny K.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 12, 2018

  Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

  Very EXPENSIVE

  SO where to start.. This camp ground is very expensive to stay. For a pop up tent campsite it's going to put you back about $200.. That does NOT include passes to Disney. You DO however have access to the other resorts. The campground itself is very nice.

• L

  Lori E.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 4, 2018

  Moss Park Campground

  Quiet and peaceful midweek camping.

  First timer car/tent camping and our stay was perfect. Deer roam happily around and your wake up call in the morning is courtesy of feisty Sandhill Cranes calling back and forth. Park and facilities were super clean. Nearby trash facilities checked and cleaned multiple times a day during our stay. I can't say how crazy it is during the summer time, but in the early fall it's a beautiful campsite to just hang out in and chill.

• 

  Vanessa A.

  Traveler

  

  May. 15, 2024

  Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

  Tourist-friendly with Activities galore

  Had a 2 night tent camp stay here during January. Great option for family reunions, we had my girlfriend’s 30th here, and with our rented golf cart, had no problems escorting our guests to our campsite to enjoy a camp cookout with us at our campsite. Was definitely an authentic Disney experience, with a never ending list of activities with plenty to keep kids and kids at heart busy, which we didn’t partake in since we were enjoying our campsite.

• 

  Inanna

  Scout

  

  Oct. 29, 2024

  Hideout at The Green Swamp!

  Hideout and swamp are about the only truths

  Horrible for tent camping. Didn't own an RV. I'm just traveling through, and I went off of what information was listed. This place is pathetic. Not as advertised. Trash is not taken out regularly. One table on the ground, and it's not a picnic camping table. Tent campers have no showers or restroom. Freeway is very close and noisy. Campground is not really for campers. I'd stay away. This place is appearing fraudulent. Owner does not run this property accordingly. Seems like just a place to store RVs. Not for camping in tents or RVs. Stay away. There's much better camping across the state, regulated and maintained.

• 

  Vanessa A.

  Traveler

  

  May. 15, 2024

  Lake Kissimmee State Park Campground

  Quiet and serene Central FL Camping

  We loved our tent camping experience at Lake Kissimmee. Our site was 22 in Loop 1 and we were pleasantly surprised to discover that we had our own direct path to the bathroom, which wasn’t something featured on the FL State Park booking site. On-site store was only open on specific days of the week and did not carry ice, but they did have small bundles of firewood. We look forward to booking the same spot when we come back to visit during the colder months.

• 

  Dorianne P.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 11, 2018

  Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground

  Best way to see Disney

  We go a couple of times a year and it is the best. We have tent camp, used a pop and driven an RV. They also have cabins for those that do not want to “rough” it. It is a great place to start the camping lifestyle. My kids love it. Best time to go is Halloween and Christmas. Visitors will decorate their sites and it’s a lot of fun to visit. Every night there is a campfire and movie. There is a complete calendar of events that are free and some that require an extra cost.

• M

  Michelle J.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 17, 2018

  Orlando/Kissimmee KOA

  Cheaper than Disney

  This KOA is definitely one of the nicer KOA sites I’ve visited. It’s a bit cramped, but has all the amenities you need. Bathrooms are super clean! Not many tent sites, but they’re located right next to the bathrooms and the pool. This location is very convenient if you’re planning to go to Disney but don’t want to spend a lot on a campsite. They also have cabins to rent (I didn’t rent one on this visit but would like to check them out).

• 

  Shelly R.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 10, 2021

  Kelly Park Campground

  Very Nice!

  We had a tent site near the bathhouse. The bath house is very nice and clean. The sites are all pretty much shaded. There are some swings and a cleared area the kids ran around/played chase right in front of the bath house. A short walk leads to a very nice playground with typical park equipment. My kiddos loved that playground. My favorite part was the springs that also had a little "beach"where my youngest played in the sand after tubing. To reserve it you will need to go to the Orange County Park and Recreation website.

• 

  Malaney H.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 14, 2018

  Silver Lake Recreation Area

  Good for a quick overnight stop or day river trip

  I rated this park a four, only because it's not really meant for a long stay for tent campers or for a lot of activities. There is a beautiful lake that you can canoe/kayak/boat on, and a great trail that runs along side of it, but it is super close to I75. I am a heavy sleeper, and actually appreciate "white noise" but for others tent camping, it may be inconvenient. I would recommend this as for a one night stop for travelers or for RV's only. There isn't a visitors center and check-in is by honor code. Dogs are allowed so this is always nice for me! There is also dirt biking trails, which is something you don't always see and nice to have. Other that water activities there wasn't much to do on site. Locally and near by is the Dade City Battlefield, which was really interesting and historic information about Florida. There is also an ancient oak tree in the middle of the park which was beautiful! I'd recommend visiting if you stay at this park.

• 

  Jeanene A.

  Legend

  

  May. 29, 2019

  Colt Creek State Park Campground

  Handi-capable Camping

  Colt Creek State Park is one of the newer parks in the Florida State Park System. We had the opportunity to camp at one of the handicap accessible sites recently and found it to be very convenient. Path and pad on site were roomy and fire pit was higher than usual for safety. These tent sites had water and electric as well. There are 2 of these sites available and both are easily accessed from handicap parking close by. Because this is a new er park the trees have not grown in well enough yet to provide adequate shade so be prepared for that. There is a lovely fishing doc with easy access and bathrooms are just wonderful. There is a paved trail as well as wide dirt trails to explore. This is a great place to visit. Camp hosts were wonderful as well.

• 

  Ellen E.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 5, 2016

  Lake Louisa State Park Campground

  Lake Louisa State Park

  Cabin "camped" at Lake Louisa for a long weekend. The cabin was absolutely amazing, clean, spacious, and stocked with everyone we needed. Just had to bring food. Sitting on the porch at night in the glider rocker was so relaxing, there was hardly anyone at the park and it was very quiet. Paddled one of the lakes and did some productive bass fishing. There are kayaks to rent, or you can bring your own. BBQ'd in a pavilion one eve and it was super clean too. Biked the paved roads and hiked miles and miles of wooded trails. The public bathrooms were immaculate and the rangers we ran into were so very kind and helpful. Just bring plenty of bug spray! We can't wait to go back to tent camp next time!