Best Dog-Friendly Camping near St. Petersburg, FL

Stayed here for a week in May - quiet, pretty campground with friendly staff, a petting zoo and vegetable farm on property. We enjoyed the produce market, but you could also go in the fields and pick your own. Camper sites had enough room between them, the electric/water sites had good tree cover for shade. There were cabins, a silo, and covered wagons you could also stay in. There's a big dog park, but not much shade there. There's a winery just 1 mile away. The Sarasota beaches and mangrove kayaking are an easy 45 minute drive away. The only thing I wished they had was a pool... Overall, we had a nice time here.

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.

One of my favorite places to camp in Florida, hands-down. You can only get to this camping spot by water. Must reserve, no pets & no alcohol.

We saw sting rays, a baby turtle, many different birds & other wildlife within 5 minutes of parking the boat.

Amazing views.

Campfires not permitted in summer months due to sea turtle nesting.

The campsite was clean. Plenty of bike paths everywhere and easy to get around on a bicycle, even if you want to go to St. Petersburg.

No streaming allowed over their Wi-Fi. To watch Netflix or use Roku, you’ll need your own hotspot.

Friendly staff and quite a few amenities. This campground is located in the very cramped area of Largo/St. Petersburg. Heavy traffic on the roads 24/7.

This park is full of great adventures. If you like to hike, there are a bunch of different trails to walk and they run alongside the river. You may even have the opportunity to catch site of some alligators as this river is very populated with them. There is also a cute shop and cafe so if your not feeling up to cooking, you can head there. At the shop you have the opportunity to swim in the pool, rent kayaks, canoes, and bikes. I also love that they are pet friendly. I take my dog everywhere (and sometimes my cat) and they enjoyed the trails just as much as I did!

This campground is in a good location near all the the things in the St. Petersburg area however it’s super crowded with most people staying long term. It was our first time staying at a campground like this and although it might be great for some people, this was not our vibe. Sites are smashed together and no privacy. Some sites back up to the mangroves which is nice but that’s about it. It was so busy and active it was somewhat stressful.

We enjoyed our one night stay here outside of St. Petersburg! Secluded from town but not too far! The waterfront sites looked beautiful, especially if you have a kayak or paddle board to use! We stayed on the other side where the trail wraps all the way around for biking or walking. I do have to mention there seems to be a big critter problem here, raccoons kept us up for a good part of the night. I usually don’t mind wildlife but they seemed a bit rabid and aggressive, I was afraid to use the community garbages they had placed every 30 feet!

Shell Key is one of the larger uninhabited islands off of the west coast of Florida near St. Petersburg. It is managed by the county, and all campers wishing to stay must get a (free) camping permit from Pinellas county. The key itself can only be accessed by water and you must carry in/out everything as there are no bathroom facilities available and all campers must bring a port-a-potty.

Once you decide to stay, you will be amazed by the white sands, abundant wildlife, crazy beautiful sunsets all while pitching your tent among the seagrass in one of the designated camping spots. On the west coast of the island is the blue waters of the Gulf of Mexico, while only footsteps away is the lush waters of the Intercoastal waterway. You can enjoy most water activities as well as what nature has to offer from bird and dolphin watching to fishing and hiking the almost 2 mile long island.

The park is pretty nice and well kept, it’s surrounding area is not very nice and the road noise and machinery next to the park is pretty load at times. Spots are pretty tight but they parked our 36’ 5th wheel for us with a fork lift. This does limit our ability to come and go as we please for weekend trips though. Office staff has been really nice though and the neighbors are all nice too. Dog friendly with a small dog park up front so our pups like it.

Loved it, stayed a week. Our site was right by the water so we could walk out the door and fish. The store had everything possible, Ft Desoto Park and beach is beautiful and includes shops, beaches, fishing pier, snack bar, tourist attractions. There is a dog park. We have finally gotten another RV and Ft Desoto is the first place we are going to use it. You will not be disappointed.

Family owned and operated and everyone is so fantastic and accommodating! Beautiful scenery and trails. Canoe and kayak outpost. The Outpost peacock named Elvis hung around with us! Dog park for my pup was fantastic and well maintained. We decided to extend our stay after our first day bc it was so wonderful! Hot showers, clean bathrooms, Wi-Fi, and you can also rent cabins, RV’s, buses etc. We will def be back.

Nice place to stay in Palmetto. I just moved into my RV and this was my very first camping stop so I had TONS of questions and needed quite a bit of help. The staff were super friendly and the neighbors were extremely helpful in showing me how to get everything set up. They have a nice pool and laundry facilities - would recommend coming with a separate vehicle as there's not much within walking distance, but it's only a short drive to Tampa, St. Pete, and the Sarasota/Bradenton area. They also have a nice size, fenced-in dog park with a dog walking path, so bring your furry friends!