Best Cabin Camping near Sarasota, FL

I’m staying in the Palmetto Ridge loop which is the only paved loop & I think the only one w/sewer. The Big Flats & Old Prairie loops are gravel road, tight, no privacy & very small sites like for popups, vans or small campers. The Palmetto Ridge pull thrus are gigantic. I would say the vegetation gives semi privacy but they aren’t on top of each other so it’s not like you’re looking right at your neighbor. There is a picnic table & a fire ring. Gravel sites but pretty level. My site was 50 amp. Not sure how many are. Bath house & laundry facility appears clean. Pet friendly. The outpost is literally like 3 miles into the park down from the entrance & Palmetto loop. The store was nice & there was a food truck. It was a little spendy but good food. The river was low so the kayak rental & boat tours were shut down. Tons of great hiking & even some elevated bridges for site seeing. Tons of gators, birds, deer etc. There is also a scenic drive in the park, a “fisherman’s loop” & a few picnic areas. There are cabins to rent but I didn’t see them. Also never saw a playground if you have kids. Very dark & quiet at night.

So I grew up camping a lot and like to be more primitive/ private. The campsites are close together, with little privacy. It’s also located right off the highway, so you get all the noise. All day and all night.

Now, for canoe and kayak trips, I guess it’s a good spot. There’s a lot of folk that come just for that. The staff is very friendly. They drive around maybe once a couple of hours. They are pet friendly. A long as your pup isn’t running around the whole property. I’m pretty sure every site has water and electricity.

• firer ring -picnic table
• BBQ pit

Oscar Scherer is full of wildlife, not far from lots of big cities.   The campground itself is small but nice.  Lost of sites back up to a small river but those sites right on the river are not kid or pet friendly so be careful when you make reservations.   There are a lot of trails throughout the park. Many are scrub oak communities and consequently there’s a fair population of scrub jays.   We also saw otters, bobcat, raccoon and gopher tortoise.   The park is also adjacent to the Legacy bike trail.  A linear trail that runs from Sarasota to Venice, FL.  So there’s some long bike rides opportunities.   Bathhouses are ok maybe a 7/10.

This was our first visit to Oscar Scherer State Park, why I’m not sure as we only live a few miles away. I literally drive by it whenever I go to the grocery store or ride my bike on the Legacy Trail. I’ve boated past on the Intercoastal Waterway, paddled past on South Creek and flown over in an airplane countless times. 

I guess being Sarasota residents I felt I already knew everything about it. I WAS WAY WRONG. This is a fantastic Florida State Park. I can understand now why it is so popular. The facilities are very good considering how many people visit. And it’s not too polished that it doesn’t have that camping or state park vibe. No Disney here. 

The campground is very large even for State Park Standards, over 100 sites. Many are along South Creek with water views although they are no pet sites as maybe there are gator issues. 

We camped in site#69, the last pet site before the restricted sites along the creek#70- 90. The sites are quite large and private as the campground is mature with lots of native Florida foliage. We didn’t see any evidence of Raccoons or other campground mooches. 

Lots of hiking in this park, if you cycle the Legacy Trail built on an old railway doesn’t offer much contour as it is pretty much a strait shot but runs from Sarasota to Venice and from Venice you can take the Venetian Waterway even further. Soon the Legacy Trail will go all the way to downtown Sarasota. 

Finally the best part for visitors to the Sarasota area. You will probably not find a State Park as close to the US#1 Rated Beach Siesta Key, just a few miles or Sarasota and all her arts and culture(15 minutes) including The Ringling Museum, Van Wezel Performing Arts Center, St. Armands Circle, Lido Beach, award-winning restaurants, tiki bars, dinner cruises, and more. 

In fact as I write this the US Olympic Rowing Trials are going on at Benderson Park about 15 minutes away, next door to the Apple Store. This is no joke the premier rowing facility in the world. And did I mention if you forgot anything there is a Publix about 1/2 mile front the front gate of the park? 

OF NOTE: Of all the state parks we have visited, this had the most unfriendly group of campers we have ever encountered. Surly in fact. It was difficult to extract a return greeting of any type. 

Perhaps it’s because this isn’t your normal group of happy wanderers, and those who truly enjoy the outdoors. More like COVID refugees or visitors doing“Florida on the Cheep” who have the time and resources to escape those areas of lockdown. 

Our first clue was the amount of “resort wear” being donned in lieu of the normal camping duds and the overall lack of activity inside the park for the amount of campsites during the day. Well the park is smack in the middle of a major resort destination and it is high season. This all left the park less crowded for us. 

Whatever the reason I hope the park guests can find some joy after all in the blessings that nature gives us no matter what the situation. Life is short. As the late, great Warren Zevon once said“enjoy every sandwich”.

I recently had a wonderful experience at the St. Petersburg/Madeira Beach KOA Holiday, and I’m excited to share my positive review! I’ve hosted friends in their Deluxe Cabins before, and they were thoroughly impressed. The cabins were equipped with everything needed for a comfortable stay—fresh linens, a full kitchen, and even a private patio with a grill and fire ring. And they had a great view of the lush mangrove lined Long Bayou.

They loved the blend of cozy and convenient, making their getaway truly enjoyable. At the end of the road driving out of this campground is a great restaurant called Doe Doe's that makes a delicious homestyle breakfast if you don't want to cook it yourself.

Wanting to be close to them I opted for one of the small tent sites at the end of the park where I car camped in my Subaru Outback. It was a peaceful and charming spot, perfect for a relaxing camping experience - and away from more of the centrally located activities that people camping with children enjoy. 

Overall, the amenities were top-notch, including the heated outdoor pool, bike and kayak rentals, and clean and large facilities. They have something called KampK9 which is a fenced in dog park area. Less than a mile away is Bay Pines Park which is nice to jog or ride your bike through and there is also a super Walmart nearby so you can stock up for your drive to the next campground. You also have easy access to the Gulf Coast's stunning beaches and the scenic Pinellas Trail.

Driving on the main road, and seeing the somewhat industrial area you pass through on your way down the small side street to this campground, you wouldn't expect much - but this KOA has been there for decades and is one of the nicest family campgrounds in the middle of a city I have experienced.

We stayed in site # 98 which was very private, we had water & electric, picnic table & fire pit. Clean restrooms, a nature center, kayak launch & kayak rentals, a small lake you can swim in and some hiking trails. There are some really nice sites #19, 17 near the lake, in our loop #86 is the biggest but you have to have 2 water hoses to reach the hook up (they just updated some things in the park they may have corrected this but not sure). There is water behind the site you can fish back there. Sites #44, 45, 50, 75, and 73 are all good. 

We kayaked, swam in the lake, went to Nokomas Beach & Venice beach, Venice Rookery, it's a nice area to visit. 

We did have some interesting neighbors who got thrown out after 6 hours of honking their horn & yelling crazy stuff but they escorted them out & they are not allowed back in. 

Restrooms near us were small but very clean.We will go back it's a great campground.