Best Glamping near Venice, FL

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.

Want to avoid the crowds and have a heavenly beach camping experience? Cayo Costa is absolutely the best place for getting away from everything civilized!. They offer primitive camping only, bring your tent and good stakes as the wind is steady there) or rent a cabin (there are 12 of them - no a/c - no sleeps 6 - single stacked wooden bunks - no padding) and reachable only by ferry (must reserve ahead) or private boat. There are showers and restrooms but no sinks for washing dishes and you are asked to take everything you bring on the island off with you.

Can you say dark... make sure you bring flashlights and headlamps because this place is DARK at night!

No phone signals and no electricity so leave your cell phones at home unless you have a charging block and want to use to take photos. Easiest way to get there is by ferry, they will haul your camping gear and even your kayak if you reserve in advance.There are carts available to load your gear in to get it off the dock from the ferry (but you may have to wait in line to use), and a golf cart/tram or truck will take you back to the camping area.During the day the beach is busy during summer break, but many folks come out for the day only. The island is fun to explore - "At one time approximately 20 fishing families lived on Cayo Costa in the early 1900s, where they established a school, a post office and a grocery store." per the state park website

The 9 miles of beach is great! Nice and shallow for a bit (on parts of the beach) but the shelling is awesome. Lots of different shells and sharks teeth from many varieties of sharks . Usually you are able to purchase wood for fires at the ranger station. Bring all of your food and WATER. Also pack lots of bug spray for no-see-ums and mosquitos, Sunblock, Sunglasses and a hat - you will be glad you did as the reflection off the water can be brutal..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.

One of our top 5 favorite camps in Florida!

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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...

Myakka River State Park is a not to miss Florida State Park. Don't let the proximity to Sarasota Fool You! It is very close to Sarasota which makes it a good stop if you are visiting the area or an outstanding stop if you are from out of town as you can enjoy a little bit of Surf and Turf. 

As a Sarasota local who loves the outdoors, I've visited most of Florida's State Parks and this is one of my favorites for sure. We tend to neglect what we can do and see everyday and this is no exception. I'm always amazed. 

This time we camped out for the weekend even though we live about 10 miles away and we have never felt so far from home while being so close. Probably my first"staycation". 

You can paddle, hike, ride or just chill in this really large state park. Super clean and well run. All the staff are really nice and you can tell they enjoy being there. 

This park is the real deal and you will feel you are in another world. Get out and explore! 

Sidebar: A lot of people ask me why I share my favorite"secret" places with total strangers and the answer is that the very best places everywhere are under tremendous pressure from growth, development and environmental pressure. Once you see a place like this you will forever be changed and hopefully become an advocate for preserving them wherever you may be.

Though Cayo Costa State Park is located in SW Florida...a bustling madhouse of northerners from Oct through May...you can still find peace and quiet.

Most folks prefer to pay the $45 to take the ferry across the waterway between Pine Island and Cayo Costa...but I say save a few bucks...brave the power boaters, stuff your gear in dry bags, cram them into the kayak and paddle to/from the island. (The only downside is you have to leave your kayaks up on storage racks at the Cayo Costa Ranger Station).

Take the time to plan your paddle around, between and through the barrier islands to Cayo Costa. There is some big water, that might put your panties in a bunch if you aren't use to it. With all the skirting, figure about 5 water miles...give or take. We left Pineland Marina (overnight parking was $8 for your vehicle)...paddled across to Black Key, down through Orange Pass, around Coon Key, pass between the southern point of Useppa island and Terrassee Island and stop for lunch on Cabbage Key...at none other than Cabbage Key Restaurant (where Jimmy Buffet wrote/sang of "cheeseburger in paradise"...for real!). We are talking Old Florida here. Then weave your way north a couple mles to the Cayo Costa State Park Ranger Station/Camp Store. You'll get a rickshaw type hauler to pull all your gear the nearly one mile to the other west side of the island where the tent sites and primitive cabins are.

Remember, if you do take the ferry...know the times of arrival and departure...or you'll be staying another day.

If you paddle...know the upcoming forecast. If weather turns poorly...you'll be nervously paddling back singing the Gilligan's Island theme song.

Caveat: This is SW Florida...we are talking below the tropics line folks. It's hot. If you rent one of the primitive cabins (do so long in advance...) there is no electricity, so there is no AC, fans or what-have-you. If you are in a tent...its hot...suck it up and love it! Being SW Florida...on the Gulf...sand and all...you get skeeters and no-see-ums or chiggers. If there is no wind off the Gulf, sometimes you'll get small biting flies. I only add this, so you come prepared. Sawyer Permithrin Clothing spray works great...I spray it on my clothes and tent.

Also know, that from June through October, it'll ordinarily rain for a short duration in the afternoon. Nothing to worry about and it cools things down (just kidding...it cranks up the humidity). You'll be in your swimsuit anyways...

It seems as though you are marooned on your own little island. You'll enjoy a myriad of water birds (herons, egrets, diver ducks, anhinga, spoonbills, pelicans, sea gulls) along with osprey, bald eagles, kingfisher and kites. The beach is awesome...and sunsets like you've never enjoyed before! Stargazing is to die for...no ambient light to wash out the blackness of the night sky.

Swim, shell, explore, fish (get a free shoreline fishing license first..ya, I know...if its free why bother...but it is the law)...it doesn't get much better than this.

close to the breweries in art district of St Pete Florida, Fort Desoto Campground has everything you could want for a long weekend or quick getaway. There's a general store if you want to stock up on snacks, fishing tackle, pool floats, or ice cream, or just catch a little air conditioning and Wi-Fi. The General Store also has a nice balcony overlooking the water and some oyster beds.

The campsites are suitable for car camping, hammock camping, tent camping, or RVs. Be sure to bring your rain gear and rain flies, as Florida thunderstorms are brief but no joke. You can rent bicycles down closer to the actual Old Fort where there's also a huge fishing pier and plenty of old military installations to explore. However don't rely on using the bikes to get back to the campground as there's no drop-off on the other side.

It can be a bit of a long walk from the campground itself to the Old Fort, which shouldn't be a problem unless you didn't pack the right clothes or shoes. If, like me, you find yourself a little under-prepared, there is Lyft and Uber in the area and in a pinch you can use that to get back and forth between the campground and the fort.

Our neighbors at the next campsite over we're, unfortunately, a bit of a party crowd, which made for a loud night and very little sleep. That said the restrooms were nice and easy to reach and all of the amenities or what you would expect at a bigger busy or campground.

Not far from the mainland, this island has a wonderful state park on its northern tip. You can get there by ferry, private boat(there are slips) or kayak(about 8 miles 1 way). A trolley takes you the 1/2 from the docks to the gulf side of the island where the campground is. The sites are very spacious with fire pits, picnic table and at some sites a place to hang a hammock. There are also cabins to rent. There is a bathroom with outdoor showers. Once there you can go to the beach, collect shells, hike, fish, kayak, geocache and watch the stars at night. We were there during a meteor shower and had a fantastic show on the beach that night. I highly recommend this little spot of paradise off the Florida coast.

If you want to see Florida Wildlife this is the place to go! From birds to gators, wild hogs and lots of raccoons! wildlife is everywhere. Protect your cooler in the campground and DO NOT LEAVE FOOD IN THE TENTS! The trails are full of amazing sights and there is so many opportunities to see wild things everywhere - you can see turkey and deer form the road (drive slow) and watch for people pulled over - that usually means they are looking at something (and bikes share the road to so be safe!) Air boat tours will get you out on the river where a ranger will tell you all about the local plants, animals and history. Great shops and Cantina! Everything from a hot lunch to beer and ice cream! Rent bicycles and canoes, hike the 36+ miles of trails and bird watch all day! The tower Canopy Bridge is something to see! The campground is almost always sold out in advance on weekends and they pack you in tight! Reserve early and prepare to have a wild time!

We had an excellent mini camping vacation down in florida with a hole bunch of friends celebrating a 30th birthday. Fort desoto is perfect for hammocking and the weather is ideal. There trees everywhere, picnic tables and fire pits.

Do watch out for those sneaky raccoons. They literally went into our cooler and drank a bunch of out beers. I get it when every one is wasted beers are fair game..but seriously the crushed some beers. People were friendly at the campground and it seemed like there were a bunch of other people partying.

This is also a great place to camp if you looking to do water activities. There are jet skis, boat tours, fishing tours, all kinds of things near by. Have fun and don't drink to much.

Cheers!

The wife and I are using this as our first test run for full time RVing. Packed up a small class c rental and got a waterfront site. It’s hot. Very hot. But it’s Florida in the summer. Camping is great here. Raccoons are very smart and arent scared of people. Keep your stuff locked up. The att service is terrible but T-Mobile is very good. Wi-Fi available but only at the office and camp store. Might be better if you have a Wi-Fi booster? We don’t have that. The park is quiet and clean. Plenty of non gross garbage cans. Electricity and water no problems. The park is beautiful. Side note: watched a guy empty his black tank into the sewage area without a hose so that’s pretty gross

If you want to camp by the water, then Fort De Soto may be the best spot on the west coast of Florida south of the Panhandle. Having said that, if you want the best experience at Fort De Soto there are a few things you should know before booking your site.

Fort De Soto Campground is extremely popular making it difficult to get reservations. Plan way ahead to get a decent selection of sites. Weekends, as you might imagine, are packed. So, if you can camp during the week it will increase your chances of getting reservations within a month or two.

Be prepared for rain especially in the summer months, and know that the rain will drain toward the water. 

There are 3 distinct areas for camping at Fort De Soto. All 3 are beautiful and have great campsite but #1 (sites 1-85) is the least desirable. Area #2 is pet friendly. If you're bringing your dog this is where you'll need to camp. However, if you don't have a dog you may want to avoid this area as the barking is non-stop. Area #3 is the most beautiful and most quiet of the 3 areas. 

There is no alcohol allowed so prepare accordingly.

Spend time at Fort De Soto Park a few miles down the road. Bring your bikes or rent them at the campground and take the paved bike path along the highway into the Park. There are 2 fishing piers, a dog beach, a long humans-only beach, the Historic Fort De Soto, kayaking, beautiful views, and more.  

You can also take a ferry to Shell Key Island or Egmont Key State Park. If you bring your tent and gear onto the ferry, you can camp at Shell Key with a permit. Egmont has a large population of Gopher Tortoise. You can't touch them as they are endangered, but you can get great photos. 

See our more detailed review at https://lifestyleover50.com/fort-de-soto-campground-review-and-tips/. You'll also be able to see articles on other Florida Road Trips and more! Happy road trippin' and camping!