Best Glamping near Sanibel, FL

Periwinkle Park and Cayo Costa State Park Campground offer upscale glamping accommodations near Sanibel Island's pristine beaches. Periwinkle Park features glamping units with full hookups, concrete patios, and modern amenities including clean bathhouses and laundry facilities. "Sanibel Island is a great vacation spot full of vacation homes, white sand beaches, and world-class shell hunting. This is the only campsite available on the entire island, and as a result it is a bit pricier than most camp sites, but it is far and away the most economical way to see the island," notes one visitor. Cayo Costa State Park provides a more secluded glamping experience on a barrier island accessible only by boat or ferry, where guests enjoy comfortable accommodations amid natural surroundings with access to 9 miles of pristine beach for exceptional shelling and wildlife viewing.

Fort Myers-Pine Island KOA and Endless Summer RV Park expand the glamping options with distinctive accommodations featuring modern comforts. The Pine Island KOA offers glamping units with electricity, water, and sewer hookups in a waterfront setting where fishing opportunities abound. One guest mentioned, "This park has mostly permanent residents but the people are friendly. There is a nice dog park and playground." Activities near these eco-friendly glamping sites include kayaking the Estero River, exploring the historic Koreshan Settlement buildings, collecting shells on Sanibel's beaches, and wildlife viewing. San Carlos RV Resort & Marina provides glamping accommodations with picnic tables, full hookups, and clean shower facilities, all within easy reach of Fort Myers Beach attractions and waterfront dining options.

Best Glamping Sites Near Sanibel, Florida (8)

    1. Periwinkle Park

    10 Reviews
    Sanibel, FL
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (239) 472-1433

    $50 - $62 / night

    "Sanibel Island is a great vacation spot full of vacation homes, white sand beaches, and world-class shell hunting."

    "We were running close to the cut off for check in due to traffic. We called and the clerk waited for us to get there. We made it just under the wire."

    2. Fort Myers-Pine Island KOA

    11 Reviews
    St. James City, FL
    5 miles
    Website
    +1 (239) 283-2415

    "The map may show that it's close to Sanibel and Ft Meyers but it is not really by car. This place grows on you. Pine island has no beaches but does have a lot of fishing spots and great restaurants."

    "Located in Jasper, TN. This is a place to visit! Fair rates ($35/night) and great views. Friendly staff. Upkeep on bathrooms and showers. Very pleased with my stay here!"

    3. Koreshan State Park Campground

    30 Reviews
    Estero, FL
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (239) 992-0311

    $26 / night

    "We can set up camp and stay throughput the week even if the kids have school. It’s hard to book a weekend at any Florida campground in season so plan ahead if you want a Florida State park."

    "The campground located inside the historical state park has a total of 54 sites, 39 are RV or tent, 3 only RV, and 12 Tent only."

    4. Cayo Costa State Park Campground

    21 Reviews
    Boca Grande, FL
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (941) 964-0375

    $22 / night

    "Best beach oriented camping in Florida.  The shelling is amazing and you truly feel like you have traveled back in time.  We have camped there in a tent site three times in the last year.  "

    "We were 1 min from the beach with easy access to bathrooms and running water. Some of us also slept on the beach which was quite a treat. Great fishing as well."

    5. San Carlos RV Resort & Marina

    3 Reviews
    Fort Myers Beach, FL
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (239) 466-3133

    "Campground staff very nice campsites are great concrete slab with table. Some campsites are tricky to get into we have a 34 foot fifth wheel. Could use a little more shade"

    "It's proximity to the beaches and location on the water makes it a great place to stay. Location has all the amenities you need to make for a fun time"

    6. Endless Summer RV Park

    3 Reviews
    Naples, FL
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (239) 643-1511

    "Beautiful area all around but nothing fancy. Its a short drive to downtown Naples and Naples Pier/Beach which I highly recommend. Great friendly staff and campers."

    "Nice folks and staff."

    7. Horseshoe Primitive Campground in Picayune Strand State Forest

    8 Reviews
    Naples, FL
    40 miles
    Website
    +1 (239) 348-7557

    "Not many states can offer year-round camping along lakes, rivers, oceans, swamps, undulating terrain to pancake flat, grasslands, sugar sand to elevated chickee huts."

    "We stayed in a campervan and upon arrival saw 4 campsites packed together a d the entire field was open which had many other campsites. We drove into camp site 20 instead of our reserved site 2."

    8. Camp Venice Retreat

    12 Reviews
    Venice, FL
    47 miles
    Website
    +1 (941) 488-0850

    "friendly staff on site. very nice sites on river inlet with perfectly placed utilities. bet clean restrooms and showers within a brief walk from every site. didn’t use pool but looked very clean and well"

    "Easy access to Vince and the great Legacy Bike trail. Beaches and parking are free."

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Recent Glamping Photos near Sanibel, FL

5 Photos of 8 Sanibel Campgrounds


Glamping Reviews near Sanibel, FL

95 Reviews of 8 Sanibel Campgrounds


  • Stacey M.
    Sep. 30, 2017

    Koreshan State Park Campground

    Our favorite place close to home

    We camp Koreshan because it is literally less than 10 minutes from our house. We can set up camp and stay throughput the week even if the kids have school. It’s hard to book a weekend at any Florida campground in season so plan ahead if you want a Florida State park. This campground has short trails to hike through beautiful bamboo forests. A ramp for putting in your kayaks or SUPs as well as kayak rental. Locations to fish the river. You are a 20 minute drive to the beach from here. Very centrally located to shopping and farmers markets. Koreshan has a farmers market there at the park I believe on Sundays. The campsites have a fire pit and wood is sold at the entrance. It is a historic site of the early settlers of the area from the late 1800’s so there are historical buildings on site to tour. It is a pet friendly campground. The only reason I give this campground 4* rather than 5 is because of the road noise from Hwy 41 that it is off. It’s quite peaceful until you get a motorcycle racing up and down the highway at 2am. They do have specific sites if you wish to camp in hammocks. If you google the campground you should be able to find out which sites those are.

  • Michael L.
    Jun. 7, 2021

    Camp Venice Retreat

    maiden voyage

    friendly staff on site. very nice sites on river inlet with perfectly placed utilities. bet clean restrooms and showers within a brief walk from every site. didn’t use pool but looked very clean and well maintained. look forward to visiting again when county wide recreational burn ban is lifted. a friendly baby gator was a frequent visitor to the water by our site which was cool too. walking distance to Snook Haven Restaurant which has great bbq and beer selection with frequent entertainment. i’m a chef in the area so i can attest to the quality. i will be visiting this campground soon for sure.

  • Megan K.
    Sep. 16, 2018

    Periwinkle Park

    Sanibel Island on a Budget

    Sanibel Island is a great vacation spot full of vacation homes, white sand beaches, and world-class shell hunting. This is the only campsite available on the entire island, and as a result it is a bit pricier than most camp sites, but it is far and away the most economical way to see the island. It is driving f distance from most of the local tourist sites we stayed for a week and never ran out of things to do.

    The campground is less than a mile from the beach, easily walkable and even easier to bike. The campsite is designed to acomódate RV camping and long term mobile home set ups, however there are some lots available for tents as well. Due to the RV and location in city limits there are no campfires allowed, but grills are allowed and the site has very well kept and clean shower/bathroom facilities.

  • Michelle S.
    Jan. 1, 2021

    Periwinkle Park

    Lovely Quaint Place

    We were running close to the cut off for check in due to traffic. We called and the clerk waited for us to get there. We made it just under the wire. The sites were close together and a bit tight, but they are nice gravel for the rig and a concrete pad for your rug. Each site has a grill and picnic table. Fires are not permitted. The beach is a short bike ride away, but can be walked too. This place only takes cash or check and is kind of old school. But the prices are awesome for staying on Sanibel Island. There is a nice restaurant across the street from the park. There is an aviary in the campground. This place is also a trailer park with mobile homes super close to each other. Not many campsites available, so book early. The bath houses were nicely kept and no issues. The sites are all full hook up. We will be back again.

  • R
    Apr. 2, 2022

    Camp Venice Retreat

    Great for Paddling

    Easy river access. Paddle the Myakka River in both directions. Plenty of wildlife - and gaters!. No worries, they'll leave you alone if you don't bother them. Easy access to Vince and the great Legacy Bike trail. Beaches and parking are free. Snook Haven is within walking distance (walk through the park to avoid the cars), has good music, river view seating and pretty good food. But, the camp changed hands and the regulars are unhappy with price increases. Office hours are very limited and not much staff around. And bathrooms, while clean, are dated and showers are small, thus the 4-star rating.

  • Hannah V.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 17, 2018

    Koreshan State Park Campground

    Nice Camping for the Area

    The campground located inside the historical state park has a total of 54 sites, 39 are RV or tent, 3 only RV, and 12 Tent only. There is a bath house on the inside loop of the sites, it has hot showers and flush toilets. Each site has electrical hookup, with picnic tables, fire pit, and utility pole. Each site has good foliage and privacy from other sites. The park has water fountains and water faucets for portable water. Each site has a gravel drive and sandy/grassy area for tents, no tent pads. It is also pet friendly. Two sites I have stayed at are 020 and 009, both are large sites with lots of privacy from neighbors. From October-April it is fairly busy, and availability is scarce, so planning a head is usually necessary to get the site you want. It is $26 a night with a $6.70 nonrefundable reservation fee, reservation is on the park website.

    This state park is part of a Historical Settlement of a religious group that built this particular settlement in 1893, there are lots of buildings still preserved and available for you to walk through. A couple short and nice trails, some along the Estero river. Kayaking and fishing are also permitted.

  • J
    Jan. 28, 2022

    Cayo Costa State Park Campground

    Beach camping paradise

    This place is special.  Best beach oriented camping in Florida.  The shelling is amazing and you truly feel like you have traveled back in time.  We have camped there in a tent site three times in the last year.  The campground closed for several months in summer 2021 to eradicated the rodents.  It worked!  We did not see or hear one rodent when we stayed for three nights in November 2021.  If campers / visitors will keep a clean camp site and not leave food and garbage out, the rodents should stay under control.

      No problem with bugs in the dry season, but you still need some bug spray at dawn and dusk.

  • D
    Mar. 3, 2021

    Koreshan State Park Campground

    We are spoiled by other Fl state parks

    We stayed at Koreshan in site 38 for one night. It is definitely not as nice as other FL state parks we’ve been spoiled by... Sites are ok, a little smaller than we’ve had at other campgrounds and there’s some vegetation between sites. The trails aren’t very exciting at the park, although we did walk through the settlement later in the day (when no one else was around) and we got to see a gopher tortoise nesting. Our neighbors were the loudest we’d had at any park (watching an action movie outside), but the campground was quiet after quiet hours. Again - we have been spoiled by other FL state park campgrounds. Ok place to stay, but if you have a choice for another state park, I’d probably recommend staying elsewhere.

  • Nora  M.
    Jan. 24, 2017

    Cayo Costa State Park Campground

    Trip to Paradise

    A group of us went down for the weekend in September. There were very few people camping and we had the tent section all to ourselves. We were 1 min from the beach with easy access to bathrooms and running water. Some of us also slept on the beach which was quite a treat. Great fishing as well. There were miles of trails and it was easy to get to and from the island. Even when we took a wrong turn getting back to the ferry, the ferry man waited for us and picked us up on a golf cart. The only thing was that the sea was a little "dirty" that time of year, but it was after a big storm.


Guide to Sanibel

Sanibel Island offers unique camping opportunities with several seasonal considerations. Located on Florida's Gulf Coast, the island sits at about 3 feet above sea level with average winter temperatures between 65-75°F and summer ranges from 75-90°F. Humidity peaks from June through October when afternoon rain showers are common, creating challenging conditions for tent campers without proper rain gear.

What to do

Kayak the Estero River: Rent equipment at Koreshan State Park Campground and paddle through jungle-like sections of the river. "The park offers hiking trails and close by access for launching kayaks. This park also has a walking tour of the Korshean Settlement which was interesting," notes a camper. Watch for alligators that inhabit the waterway.

Explore historic buildings: Koreshan State Park contains structures from the early 1900s with unusual architectural elements. "The buildings are pretty interesting, as is the beliefs these unusual folks held. History is, well…history…sometimes fact is stranger than fiction," remarks one visitor.

Bird watching opportunities: Wake up early at Periwinkle Park to observe the diverse bird population. "Have camped here twice this year. This is a bird watcher paradise. Lots of parrots as well as native birds. Love all the squawking when they wake up in morning!" One camper adds, "If you are around at feeding time, you can often see parrots riding around in a gold cart!"

What campers like

Beach accessibility without beachfront prices: Camping provides more economical accommodations compared to island hotels. "Nice campground with very flat campsites made setting up our small trailer a breeze. Very cost effective way to enjoy the island," reports one Periwinkle Park visitor. Another adds, "The prices are awesome for staying on Sanibel Island."

Swimming options beyond beaches: Camp Venice Retreat offers a heated pool for when gulf waters are too cold or rough. "Right on the river. Boat ramp awesome roomy sites. Bathrooms were clean. Nice pool," says one camper. The proximity to multiple water recreation options appeals to many glampers seeking variety.

Local wildlife encounters: Observe diverse animals from designated viewing areas. "Surrounded by water. Paradise," notes one camper at Fort Myers-Pine Island KOA. For a more secluded experience, try Horseshoe Primitive Campground where "we saw 4 campsites packed together and the entire field was open which had many other campsites... It was a great stay for 4 days with deer roaming the campground."

What you should know

Insect preparation is essential: No-see-ums and mosquitoes can be intense, especially at dusk. "Bugs were at their peak. No complaints, easy contact less check in and check out!" reports a camper at Fort Myers-Pine Island KOA. Another warns, "Good spot very clean with clean amenities. Wifi and cable access good too. Bring your bug spray. Lots of mosquitos."

Limited campfire options: Many Sanibel area glamping locations restrict fires due to regulations. At Cayo Costa State Park Campground, "you are pretty much on your own out there after the last ferry leaves for the day, enjoy a moonlit walk on the beach or an amazing sunset." Check specific campground rules before planning evening activities around a fire.

Transportation considerations: Island access often requires planning. "This is an out of the way park. The map may show that it's close to Sanibel and Ft Meyers but it is not really by car," explains a Fort Myers-Pine Island KOA visitor. Ferry schedules to Cayo Costa must be coordinated, as "remember, if you do take the ferry...know the times of arrival and departure...or you'll be staying another day."

Tips for camping with families

Wildlife education opportunities: Turn animal sightings into learning experiences. "The campsite is beautiful and well maintained. Lots of landscape and birds to see," shares a Periwinkle Park visitor. Children particularly enjoy the exotic bird sanctuary where they can observe various species up close.

Beach equipment logistics: Plan for transporting beach gear from campsite to shoreline. At San Carlos RV Resort & Marina, "we had a paved site on the river. We took the paddle boards over to the restaurant on the opposite side, short walk over the bridge to town and the beach." Many campgrounds offer wagon rentals or provide shuttle services.

Entertainment backup options: Have indoor alternatives ready for rainy afternoons. "Nice pool, laundry and bathrooms. Very quiet. Snook Haven restaurant next door is flat out awesome with twice daily entertainment at noon and 5pm most days," notes a Camp Venice Retreat visitor, providing options beyond outdoor activities.

Tips from RVers

Site selection strategy: Request specific sites based on your needs. At Camp Venice Retreat, "The sites along the river are super nice and should be on everyone's list to try to snag." Another RVer warns about Horseshoe Primitive Campground: "I'd suggest avoiding site 37 until it's renovated. Big tree in the middle, and soft sugar sand is hard to level."

Access challenges: Some roads leading to glamping sites near Sanibel have physical limitations. "The road going in has some potholes and lots of low hanging tree branches. Drive slow and stay in the middle if you can," advises a Camp Venice Retreat visitor. Measuring your RV height before booking prevents unexpected issues.

Seasonal booking timeline: Reserve 4-6 months ahead for winter stays. "Cayo Costa can book out as much as 6 months in advance. Plan your trip accordingly," warns an experienced camper. Summer offers more availability but requires preparation for heat and insects.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Sanibel, FL?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Sanibel, FL is Periwinkle Park with a 4.7-star rating from 10 reviews.

What is the best site to find glamping camping near Sanibel, FL?

TheDyrt.com has all 8 glamping camping locations near Sanibel, FL, with real photos and reviews from campers.