Swimming

Timberline Glamping at Sarasota

4 Glamping Sites

Within Oscar Scherer State Park in Osprey, Florida—on the Sarasota County coast where the scrub-oak landscape, the South Creek paddling corridor, and Lake Osprey's warm-water swimming create the specific habitat mosaic that scrub-jays, gopher tortoises, and the bird diversity of a Florida state park's managed natural environment support in one of the most ecologically significant preserves on the Suncoast—Timberline Glamping at Sarasota provides four luxury safari tent accommodations on 10 acres at the edge of Oscar Scherer's trail network, combining the immersive park experience of a state park stay with the interior comfort of a 320-square-foot furnished tent that includes a king or queen bed configuration, air conditioning, a Keurig coffee maker, and a mini-refrigerator. Rates starting at $152 per night reflect the specific combination of park access and furnished comfort that the property provides in a market where Sarasota hotel rooms at comparable rates offer less natural experience and considerably less square footage of outdoor living. Four safari tents—available in Deluxe configuration (king bed and two sets of bunk beds) and Double configuration (two queen beds)—accommodate single couples, families, and the range of group compositions that a 320-square-foot luxury tent can serve across the Sarasota glamping market. Interior furnishings include floor rugs, multiple lamps, high-quality bed linens, comfortable seating, heating and air conditioning units, electrical outlets for device charging, and the Keurig coffee setup with Timberline-branded mugs that makes morning coffee in a tent genuinely pleasant rather than an expedition logistics problem. Each tent's gravel-base exterior features two hammocks for tree-hung lounging, a charcoal grill with cooking grate, a wood fire pit, a picnic table, and string lights that create the warm evening ambiance that fire pit camping and glamping guests specifically seek. The pet-friendly policy—with an additional fee for furry companions—extends the welcome to the dogs and cats that Sarasota area travelers bring. Oscar Scherer State Park's ecology provides the glamping experience's natural programming. Lake Osprey—warm enough for swimming through the Florida season—provides open-water swimming and fishing access from the park's beach area, with largemouth bass and panfish in the lake's vegetation-lined shallows. South Creek, winding through the park's interior, offers kayak and canoe access (rentals available through the park) through a paddling corridor that the park's scrub-oak forest and freshwater marsh flank with the specific ecological transition that makes Oscar Scherer's natural character distinctive among Sarasota County's preserved areas. Fifteen-plus miles of multi-use trails through the park's pine flatwoods, scrub habitat, and marsh edges provide the hiking and biking access to Oscar Scherer's wildlife—Florida scrub-jays (a threatened species whose oak scrub habitat Oscar Scherer specifically protects), gopher tortoises, sandhill cranes, and the year-round diversity of the Sarasota County bird community. The park's scrub-jay population is accessible for wildlife photography along the scrub-edge trails with a consistency that serious bird photographers travel specifically for. Timberline Glamping at Sarasota operates year-round in Florida's mild Suncoast climate. The park's spring wildflower season, summer lake swimming, and fall bird migration create distinct natural seasons within a year-round operating environment. The Sarasota cultural infrastructure—the Ringling Museum, Sarasota Opera, Siesta Key Beach (routinely ranked among the finest beaches in the United States)—provides the day-trip programming from a glamping base that the park's natural setting complements rather than competes with. Reserve your safari tent, pack a paddling outfit for South Creek, and let Oscar Scherer State Park's scrub and creek ecology deliver what Florida glamping looks like when the nature experience is the point.

Sun Outdoors Sarasota

213 RV Sites, 93 Cottages

Sun Outdoors Sarasota offers 215 full-hookup RV sites and 94 cottages on Florida's Gulf Coast, with 30 and 50-amp service, cable TV, and rigs accepted to 60 feet behind a gated entrance. Cozy through elite categories join a mega water slide, splash pad, hot tub, fitness complex, and more than 150 scheduled activities, open all year. Two hundred fifteen sites span cozy, deluxe, deluxe pull-through, elite, and premium full hookup categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp with cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 60 feet, with picnic tables. The five-tier structure makes matching site to budget straightforward. Ninety-four cottages round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, propane fills, dump station, and restrooms handle the practical side. The property was formerly Sun N Fun RV Resort. The activity density is the claim and the amenity set backs it. Indoor and outdoor pools, a mega water slide, splash pad, hot tub, and sauna anchor the water side, with a fitness complex, art studio, craft room, mini-golf, disc golf course, and arcade besides. Pickleball, tennis, bocce ball, shuffleboard, volleyball, horseshoes, and billiards fill the courts, with a poolside bar and grill, on-site dining, live music, and a wedding venue. Pets are welcome. Sarasota's resort corridor, Gulf beaches, and wineries are all close, with a golf course nearby. Winter is decisively the season on the Gulf Coast. Book well ahead for January through March.

from $47/night

Myakka River RV Resort

23 RV Sites, 2 Tent Sites, 21 Park Models

Myakka River RV Resort in North Port, FL, offers 24 full-hookup RV sites, 21 park models, and 2 tent sites, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and room for rigs up to 66 feet. Sites come in three categories — 30/50-amp deluxe waterfront, 30/50-amp preserve, and 30/50-amp pull-thru preserve — all carrying water, sewer, electric, and cable TV with a picnic table. The resort is rated big rig friendly and the 66-foot maximum takes long coaches. Laundry, a bathhouse with showers, a clubhouse, a pavilion, propane fills and exchange, a dump station, and on-site recycling round it out. Pets are welcome, with a dog park. An outdoor pool, walking trails, horseshoes, live music, and boat rentals fill the calendar, with kayaking, fishing, biking, hiking, and birding along the river. Golf and the Gulf beaches are nearby. The resort sits directly on the Myakka River in Sarasota County, where the blackwater flow through flatwood prairie, cypress swamp, and tropical hammock makes this the most wildlife-rich river corridor in southwest Florida. Rates for sites and park models are on the booking page. Deluxe waterfront sites are limited and book earliest for the winter season.

from $50/night

Sun Resorts & Residences Horseshoe Cove

137 RV Sites, 7 Cottages, 1 Apartment

Horseshoe Cove in Bradenton, Florida, offers 138 full-hookup RV sites and eight apartment and cottage units in a waterfront community on the Gulf Coast, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 44 feet behind a gated entrance. Super, standard, value, and standard pull-through categories join a pool, hot tub, fitness center, boat docks, and library. One hundred thirty-eight sites run in value full hookup, standard full hookup, standard full hookup pull-through, and super full hookup categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp with site WiFi, sized to 44 feet, with picnic tables. The value tier keeps a lower-priced option on the table in a market where waterfront pricing runs high; note the 44-foot cap before booking a larger rig. Eight apartments and cottages round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, propane fills, restrooms, showers, and recycling handle the practical side. An outdoor pool and hot tub and sauna anchor daily recreation, with a fitness center, recreation center, clubhouse, game room, library, pavilion, and on-site dining besides. Boat docks open the water for boating, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing, with pickleball, sports courts, billiards, shuffleboard, horseshoes, walking trails, and picnicking filling the grounds. There is a large open pet area for long walks, and a state park is nearby. The waterfront setting gives the resort a natural quality uncommon among Florida's densely developed Gulf Coast communities. Winter is decisively the season. Book well ahead for January through March.

from $58/night

Arbor Terrace Sun RV Communities

91 RV Sites, 3 Cottages

Arbor Terrace in Bradenton, Florida, offers 91 full-hookup RV sites and three cottages six miles from the Gulf, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 45 feet, open all year. Super, premium, and cozy full-hookup categories join a pool, fitness center, clubhouse, and pickleball courts in this all-ages community. Ninety-one sites run in cozy, premium, and super full-hookup categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric on 30 and 50-amp with site WiFi, sized to 45 feet, with picnic tables. The three tiers are sized rather than dressed up — cozy for a smaller rig, super for a larger one — which makes matching site to budget straightforward. Three cottages round out the lodging. A laundry, restrooms, showers, and on-site dining handle the practical side. The resort address is 405 57th Avenue West. An outdoor pool anchors daily recreation, with a fitness center, clubhouse, game room, and pavilion besides. Pickleball, shuffleboard, horseshoes, biking, picnicking, a beach, and a dog park fill the grounds, with planned activities through the season and a state park nearby. Pets are welcome. The all-ages designation is worth noting — many Manatee County communities are 55-plus, and this one is not, which broadens who it suits. The Gulf beaches at Anna Maria Island and Longboat Key are six miles west, with Sarasota just south. Winter is decisively the season on Florida's Gulf Coast. January through March fills with snowbirds. Book well ahead for those months, with easier availability through the summer.

from $54/night

Cabana Bay RV Resort by Boca Grande

163 RV Sites

Cabana Bay RV Resort by Boca Grande in Placida, FL, offers 163 full-hookup back-in RV sites with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and room for rigs up to 75 feet. Sites come in two straightforward categories, water sites and non-water sites, both carrying water, sewer, and electric with site-delivered WiFi. At 75 feet the sites take long coaches. The grounds are gated, with laundry, a bathhouse with showers, a clubhouse, a library, golf cart rentals, and visiting food trucks. Pets are welcome, with a dog park. An outdoor pool, a hot tub, a spa, a fitness center, sport courts, pickleball, shuffleboard, billiards, a community fire pit, a lake, and walking trails fill the grounds, with access to the Cape Haze Pioneer Trail from the property. Fishing, swimming, and planned activities round it out, and the beach, golf, boating, a water park, and a state park are all nearby. Placida sits on the Charlotte Harbor coast between Cape Haze and the Boca Grande Causeway, in one of the least overdeveloped stretches of the southwest Florida coastline. Rates for water and non-water sites are on the booking page. Water sites are the premium spots and book first.

from $90/night

Ellenton Gardens Sun RV Communities

15 RV Sites

Ellenton Gardens in Ellenton, FL, offers 15 full-hookup back-in RV sites with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and room for rigs up to 45 feet. Every site is a standard full-hookup back-in carrying water, sewer, electric, and cable TV with site-delivered WiFi. The community is open all year, with laundry, a bathhouse with showers, a dump station, a library, and recycling. Pets are welcome, with a dog park. An outdoor pool, a clubhouse, a recreation center, a pavilion, shuffleboard, a lake, and a pond fill the grounds, with fishing, biking, and planned activities. Ellenton sits at 7310 US Highway 301 North in Manatee County along the Manatee River, between Bradenton and the southern edge of the Tampa Bay metro, with Myakka River State Park's wild interior and the Sarasota cultural district both within reach. Rates and availability are on the booking page. Fifteen sites on the Manatee River means the winter season books early.

from $62/night

Fishermans Cove RV Resort

72 RV Sites, 2 Cottages

Escape to Fisherman's Cove RV Resort in Palmetto, Florida, a tropical oasis nestled on the shores of Terra Ceia Bay. This RV resort is the ideal base for exploring the beauty of Terra Ceia Preserve State Park, with its diverse ecosystem. Enjoy a range of accommodations, from full-hook-up RV sites to cozy vacation villas. The resort offers an array of amenities for all ages, including a clubhouse, fitness center, bayside pool, hot jetted spa, tiki hut with a BBQ kitchen, and a private fishing pier. With easy access to Bradenton, Sarasota, Tampa, Clearwater, and Bradenton Beach, you can explore beaches, golf courses, dining, museums, and more. Whether you're seeking outdoor adventures or a tranquil escape by the bay, Fisherman's Cove RV Resort delivers a memorable Florida experience.

from $80/night

River Vista RV Park

57 RV Sites

River Vista RV Park in Ruskin, FL, offers 57 full-hookup back-in RV sites with 30 and 50-amp service and room for rigs up to 40 feet. Every site is a cove full-hookup site carrying water, sewer, electric, and cable TV with site-delivered WiFi and a picnic table. This is a 55+ age-qualified community. Laundry, a dump station, and a recreation center cover the practical side. Pets are welcome. An outdoor pool, sport courts, shuffleboard, horseshoes, a boat ramp, and a fishing pier fill the grounds, with boating, fishing, and planned activities on the water. Ruskin sits along the Little Manatee River between Tampa and Sarasota, and the secluded riverfront setting gives the property a natural character uncommon in age-qualified communities. Rates for monthly and seasonal stays are on the booking page. Confirm the 55+ requirement before reserving, and book early for the winter season.

from $23/night

Shell Creek Sun RV Communities

154 RV Sites, 1 Cottage

Shell Creek in Punta Gorda, Florida, is a 55-plus community offering 154 full-hookup RV sites and a cottage with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 50 feet, open all year. A 24-slip marina, outdoor pool, hot tub, and fitness center sit on the banks of Shell Creek in Charlotte County. One hundred fifty-four standard full-hookup back-in sites carry water, sewer, and electric on 20, 30, and 50-amp with site WiFi, sized to 50 feet, with picnic tables. The sites are spacious, and the 30- and 50-amp service covers most rigs comfortably. A cottage rounds out the lodging. A laundry, propane fills and exchange, dump station, restrooms, showers, and recycling handle the practical side. The marina is the distinguishing amenity — 24 slips giving direct waterway access to the Peace River and Charlotte Harbor beyond. An outdoor pool and hot tub and sauna anchor daily recreation, with a fitness center, recreation center, game room, and on-site dining besides. Pickleball, shuffleboard, billiards, horseshoes, a beach, and a dog park fill the grounds, with boating, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and water sports from the creek. Pets are welcome. Shell Creek's freshwater-to-brackish transition supports genuinely varied fishing, and Charlotte Harbor is among the most productive estuaries on the Gulf Coast. Winter is decisively the season for Florida's 55-plus communities. Book well ahead for January through March, when snowbird demand fills the Charlotte County corridor.

from $55/night

Cross Creek RV Resort

17 RV Sites

Cross Creek RV Resort in Arcadia, Florida, offers 17 RV sites on the Peace River, with cable TV and rigs accepted to 75 feet, open all year behind a gated entrance. An RV Super Site category joins a standard back-in tier, with an outdoor pool, hot tub, fitness center, clubhouse, craft room, library, and bar. Seventeen back-in sites run in RV Super Site and standard back-in categories, carrying cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 75 feet. Confirm hookups and amp service with the resort for your rig when you book. Seventy-five feet accommodates a long coach with a tow — generous for a property this size, and the Super Site category gives the longest rigs a proper home. A laundry handles the practical side. An outdoor pool and hot tub and sauna anchor daily recreation, with a fitness center, recreation center, clubhouse, craft room, library, and bar besides. Sports courts, tennis, pickleball, bocce ball, shuffleboard, billiards, horseshoes, a lake, pond, beach, dog park, and hiking fill the rest, with boating, canoeing, kayaking, water sports, fishing, live music, and planned activities through the season. A golf course is nearby. That amenity list at 17 sites is genuinely remarkable, and it shows in the resort's Good Sam 10/10/10 rating — a perfect score achieved by only six resorts in all of Florida. The property is owned by a small South Florida company rather than a national chain, and the attention shows. DeSoto County's ranch and citrus country puts the Peace River, Arcadia's antique district, and the Gulf beaches within reach. Winter is decisively the season. Book well ahead for January through March.

from $62/night

Hidden River Sun RV Communities

29 RV Sites, 3 Cottages

Hidden River in Riverview, FL, offers 29 full-hookup RV sites and 3 cottages, with 30 and 50-amp service and room for rigs up to 50 feet. Sites come in two premium riverside categories, back-in and pull-through, both carrying water, sewer, and electric with site-delivered WiFi, a fire pit, and a picnic table. Every site is riverside. This is a 55+ community, open all year, with laundry, a bathhouse with showers, propane fills and exchange, and a dump station. Pets are welcome, with a dog park. An outdoor pool, a fitness center, a clubhouse, a recreation center, a game room, a library, a pavilion, sport courts, pickleball, volleyball, horseshoes, and a lake fill the grounds, with swimming, fishing, picnicking, and planned activities. Riverview sits at 12500 McMullen Loop Road in Hillsborough County along the Alafia River, 20 minutes southeast of downtown Tampa, with the Gulf beaches of Clearwater and St. Pete an easy drive west. Rates for sites and cottages are on the booking page. Confirm the 55+ requirement, and reserve early for winter — 29 riverside sites go quickly.

from $74/night