Best Glamping near Merritt Island, FL

Why contemplate leaving the creature comforts of home when you can just haul everything that you love most to a place that provides all of the concrete paved, easy-to-access amenities that you likely have at home in the first place? If you find yourself in this dilemma, no worries, Orlando/ Kissimmee KOA has all of your manufactured outdoor camping needs covered … and what’s perhaps most interesting is that you won’t even have to drive out of the concrete jungle to encounter this experience, in fact, it’s right off a major 4-lane highway (HWY 192).

So, if you are dreaming of escaping your domesticated life for the thrills of an outdoor camping adventure that will have you appreciating the best of what nature has to offer, then just be forewarned, this is not that place. But if you are simply looking for a change of scenery and want to be near all of the action and attractions here in Central Florida’s ‘Magic City’ and want a different experience than paying overpriced rates at Tiki-hut themed entertainment hotels and relish the idea of dusting off your RV or unpacking your tent in a pseudo nature environment complete with all the astro turf your dog can poop on within a confined, fenced-in setting, then this KOA (and let’s be frank, ANY KOA) has you covered.

As far as amenities go, it’s a KOA, so there’s going to be more amenities here than you can shake a stick at. These include: heated in-ground medium-sized pool complete with tiled patio, lounge chaise chairs, tables with umbrellas and regular chairs, water-rinsing station, as well as a jacuzzi / spa, propane refilling station, bike rentals, 134’ max length slots, WiFi, pavilion, Kamp K9, firewood for sale, 24 hour laundr-O-mat, picnic tables, community fire pits, on-site market, recreation office, life-size Jenga, designated trash areas, fitness center, playground, dog wash, public bus service, basketball court, EV chargers, jump pad, taxi service back-in and pull-through perfectly paved, level concrete RV sites with full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage). There’s even RV sites that are dubbed ‘Deluxe,’ which are larger and come with a paved connected patio.

No RV? And REALLY don’t want to have an experience that is different than living at home? Even here at this KOA, that’s not a problem, where the proprietors will easily rent you a deluxe cabin, if there is one available. These 1BR or 2BR A/C cooled Deluxe Cabins sleep 4, 6 or 8 people and come with bunk bed set, futon / sofa sleeper and a queen-sized bed along with a private bath and shower, TV with cable offering over 20 channels, some with EV chargers, patio w/ charcoal or gas BBQ grill and fire pit, front porch with patio furniture and chairs, refrigerator, fresh linens, paw pen for the pups and a partial or full kitchen. They even have rustic cabins that are cheaper and don’t come with all the thrills for those that want some degree of ‘roughing’ it, so this means no kitchen and no bathroom or showers, although there is full bed, bunk bed, TV, mini-refrigerator, A/C patio furniture, brick fire pit with cooking grate.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) To continue with the simple, easy-to-access, manufactured experience theme here, for those that grow tired of trying to conjure up that next meal for the kiddos, who are grumbling about making every meal, head on over to any one of these nearby drive-thru windows or curb-side meal offerings: McDonald’s, Panda Express, Applebee’s, Steak ‘n Shake and Wendy’s; (2) If you want to heighten that suburban culinary experience you all have been craving though, I really do rate the silverware-free dining experience that is Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament, which is literally just down the road and is actually a lot of fun for the kiddos and adults alike; (3) Should you find yourself in need of anything that you either forgot or may have run out of, then fear not, there’s a Sam’s Club that is in walking distance from this KOA and further south that definitely requires a drive, there’s a Walmart Supercenter; (4) I’ve noticed that this place has SIGNIFICANT discounts if you simply plan in advance – so for example, during the months of March OR April (it’s January now), they’re offering a whopping 25% discount; and (5) If you are looking for a slice of nature’s paradise, then I highly recommend driving a bit north to Wekiwa Springs, where you’ll be able to enjoy one of the most amazing springs in all of Florida where the water is 72 degrees year round.

Happy Camping!

This was the perfect location for our touristy vacation! The Orlando Kissimmee KOA Holiday is great park to visit when staying in the Orlando area. Most shopping and restaurants are within a 5-10 minute drive. And all the tourist attractions are within 30 minutes: 

• Walt Disney World 15 minutes
• Universal Studios 23 minutes
• SeaWorld 17 minutes
• Gatorland  minutes
• Midevil Times  minutes

We made our reservations on the app, you could also choose to book online at Koa.com or over the phone. It’s an easy process and you’ll have multiple site options to choose from. Sign up for the Value Kard rewards program if you think you’ll stay more than 3 nights a year, it’ll pay for itself. KOA will not assign a specific site until you arrive to checkin, however they will accept requests if you have an area in mind or friends you want to be close to. 

This park has 3 types of Motorhome/Camper sites; back-in, pull-through and deluxe patios. They are all full hook-ups(50Amp, water, sewer and cable). They also have deluxe cabins and tent sites available. We were extremely impressed of the amenities the tent sites had. Large tables, chairs around the fire pit and covered kitchen area with sinks and electrical outlets. These are located next to the shower and bath rooms, this makes it very convenient for those quick trips in the middle of the night. They’re also diagonal to the heated pool, sauna, workout room, bike rental area and laundry area. 

On the other side of the park is a great playground and jump pad. They even have a fenced in dog run and dog wash area. This is a beautiful KOA location and well maintained. We like that the campground is just lit enough at night to walk the dogs after sunset. The lamps look like little Mickey Mouse heads! The staff is friendly and helpful. The camp store is well stocked and kept clean. There is minimal noise from the major road nearby. 

If you can’t stay at Fort Wilderness on Disney property this is the next best location!!!

Arrived here for a three-night tent stay at spot 153. The campground is easily accessible from the highway, and a breeze to check in. Friendly staff. Dumpsters behind the main office. All roads are one-way counterclockwise. The bathroom and laundry room are about 100 meters from spot 153. Both are clean. There's a nice pavilion overlooking the water inside the eastern loop. There's a good size, fenced-in, leash-free dog park next to the water. The water views are beautiful at sunrise. There's a pier for fishing and just serene eastern observation toward Cape Canaveral. There's a kayak launch ramp as well.

Spot 153 was perfectly partially shaded, with a mix of sand and grass, and it was level. The only critters seen here are playful squirrels. RV spots can be quite close to each other, but not many of their inhabitants were seen outside during these chilly, mid-December days when the temperature dipped to 40F at night, and high 50's in the day. All spots have electric and picnic table. The water spigot at 153 was about two inches from the ground. Why?

The only downside of the campground is its proximity to railroad tracks and airport. The noise seemed to be constant on weekdays.

We got into this site with a last minute cancellation over Labor Day weekend. It was a beautiful location! We had site 43 which was secluded from neighbors and in full shade. The back of the site opened to an open field and we constantly saw deer walking through the grounds. We also saw many armadillos and turkey! Site had water and electric as well as a fire pit and picnic bench. Each loop has a bathhouse and laundry unit. Sewage dump was clean and easy. Campground also has a general store with some essentials, snacks, WiFi and live bait. There’s water for fishing and a cleaning station, although we didn’t catch anything you could see the fish jumping constantly. There’s plenty of trails and an observation tower. We will be back!

If you’re looking for a spot to park your 5th wheel or mobile RV campsite for the night and don’t mind being shoulder to shoulder with likeminded RV campers, then the flatly paved surfaces of Kissimmee RV Park, complete with 193 campsites, might just be for you. While just off the I-4 corridor taking you into Orlando (only 30 or so minutes due north of this location), pet-friendly Kissimmee RV Park offers close proximity to and affordable overnight accommodations near all of the amusement parks (just 6.5 miles away) the Magical City has to offer. 

As far as amenities go, there’s a handful: recreation hall, full-service kitchen, heated pool, shuffle board court, bingo, horseshoe pits, scattered BBQ grills, spartan restrooms and bath house (although in need of refurbishment), laundry-O-mat, ice machine, free WiFi (but only at rec hall and pool – many people complained that they couldn’t access WiFi while at their sites, but if you read the fine print, that’s not what this place promises), RV storage, dog parks & walking paths, a few scattered gazebos and a propane tank refilling station. Each site comes with its own flat concrete slab that you can call home for the night, accompanied by a lone picnic table and all the typical hook-ups you would expect (30 / 50 electric amp, water, sewage, etc.) along with designated dump sites and an electric charging station as well as small pond. 

Insider’s tips? Sure, here’s a few: (1) if you are tent camping, apparently Kissimmee RV Park has some sites, but as we were passing through with an RV, I didn’t bother to look, so check this out; (2) Tired of foraging through your cooler or on-board mini-fridge for your next meal? Then there’s no shortage of options being this close to Disney, so while there’s the chain restaurants nearby (Chili’s, Perkin’s, BJ’s, etc.), I recommend a few off-the-beaten places like Fat Boy’s BBQ, Savion’s Place or Capone’s Dinner & Show Theater;(3) Fan of comic books? My family and I stumbled across Coliseum of Comics Kissimmee and it was a nice diversion for a few hours; and (4) Want to go back in time for a nice meal and theater?! Then look no further than Medieval Times, which is literally just down the road! 

Happy Camping!

You can get a RV site through Westgate which is more of a field or through River Ranch RV Resort which has full hook-ups. We stayed on a waterfront site at River Ranch RV Resort and it was perfect! We were able to fish right off the dock at our site, there was a fit pit and grill, as well as seating outside (each site could be configured differently). At Westgate River Ranch (walking distance from our site but still got a golf cart) we went to the rodeo on Saturday night, did a swamp buggy ride, skeet shooting, petting zoo and rode a mechanical bull... and there was still more we could have done but ran out of time since we still wanted to relax some 🙃 If you're looking for a great site with tons of activities available River Ranch RV Resort is the place for you!

We were here for 6 days. Watched Space X Crew 2 launch today. Good view across the water. Campground is nice. Stayed in Site 125. Plenty of room for our 2 golden retriever dogs. Some sites larger than others and some more close than we like. Full hookups. Checking was easy. Have some street lights. Nice bathroom facilities and showers. Very clean. Laundry 🧺 on site as well. Have a fenced dog area for off leash. Nice pier too. Dogs swam in the water too. Most sites had shade. Good central location for sites around to see. Saw a few manatees, crabs, fish and house shoe crabs too around the pier. Definitely would come again.

Desperate for a place to pitch our tent rather than spending $$$ for a hotel, we lucked up when we found VBK on The Dyrt. This quiet campground lined with moss covered oaks, palm trees and long leaf pines was a dream. They are set up mostly for RVs but have a few campsites. Our primitive campsite was at the far back. Large, Quiet, shady and near a water source. We ended up sharing the site with another very pleasant family. Heated pool, nice restroom and laundry facilities. I didn’t have a chance to check out the activities room with bocce ball, shuttle board and horseshoes. It was great being able to camp on our way to Bahia Honda State Park. No hotel for us!