Hi there!
So you want to go camping in the Southwest Florida!
The list below of Southwest Florida campgrounds includes campgrounds that are a part of state parks and a county campground.
It also includes campgrounds that are kind of near some of the best beaches in Southwest Florida.
There is tent camping and RV camping available.
This list will basically take you from north to south along the gulf coast of Southwest Florida.
You can make it a great Southwest Florida road trip from Tampa to Marco Island… and then continue your Florida camping trip onwards driving from Southwest Florida to the Florida Keys!
I have been to over 40 state parks in Florida and have stayed at state parks in Southwest Florida too!
Here are the campgrounds you should definitely know about! You can stay at these campgrounds and go to nearby places to see the best of Southwest Florida!
I stayed at Florida state park campgrounds and at a Sarasota County campground. There are links to these Southwest Florida campground reviews that you can also read. You might need to filter out for “campground” or “camping.” I did car camping, but you can do tent camping and RV camping at all of these campgrounds that you can drive to. (There is one campground that you take a boat to get to! Although that is currently closed, it’s one to save for later!)
These are the Southwest Florida campgrounds I stayed at.
1. Turtle Beach Campground (Siesta Key camping)
Explore the map: Turtle Beach campground
Proximity to the best of the Southwest Florida
Siesta Key is an island in Southwest Florida.
Siesta Key has one of the best beaches in Southwest Florida.
The main beach of Siesta Key is Siesta Beach, and it has been named one of the best beaches in America.
On the other end of Siesta Key is the quieter end, and it’s where you’ll find Turtle Beach campground!
And yes, there is Turtle Beach right near by!
There is a direct path from the campground to the beach, so your campsite will just be a few minutes walk from being able to see an amazing gulf coast beach in Southwest Florida.
I also saw dolphins swimming along the shoreline from Turtle Beach! It seemed like the dolphins were swimming so close to shore!
You do need to get lucky in order to find camping availability, as campsites get booked up pretty much as soon as they are available months in advance.
But people do cancel, as that’s how I was able to go camping on Siesta Key!
I had casually checked the Turtle Beach availability a few times before I had decided I was going to Southwest Florida and there was never any availability. So I just figured it was probably a campground I wouldn’t be able to stay at.
But then…
The Turtle Beach campground popped into my head a few days after I booked a Cayo Costa cabin. (Coming up later on the list, and the first Southwest Florida “campground” I booked a stay at!)
So I was like, well let’s check if there’s any availability on Siesta Key.
I wasn’t expecting anything at all.
I had some flexibility within a one week duration, so I started searching 1 night at a time each day.
First night I checked, no availability. No surprise.
Then I changed the date to search for availability for the next night. And OMG it showed availability! Then I searched the next night after that, OMG same campsite is also available!
Then I searched the next night after that. No availability at any campsite. That’s okay. I will take 2 nights!
I started freaking out a little since I wasn’t expecting this at all. 🤣
I was hoping it didn’t get booked up while I am trying to book it!
I registered for a Sarasota County account (which you need to make the Turtle Beach camping reservation) and then I successfully was able to make a 2 night camping reservation at Turtle Beach campground!
So a strategy of frequently checking for camping availability can work! You probably have a better chance in the weeks leading up to your travel date, as people may start to cancel then.
All it takes is for ONE person to cancel at the right time (aka right before you search) for you to get a coveted camping spot at Turtle Beach campground for camping on Siesta Key!!!
GOOD LUCK!
I booked on March 25 for an April 13 campground stay. It really is just all about luck and if someone just happened to cancel right before you look!
And yes, there are turtles on Turtle Beach! Sea turtle nesting season is said to be from May to October. In 2020, the first turtles of the year were seen in mid-April. During this time, there may be baby turtles crawling across the sand in search of the sea. It’s said that in the dark, lights can disorient them so you don’t want to walk on the beach at night with a flashlight during this time so they are able to make the safe journey from shore to sea.
There are tortoises at Turtle Beach too. I saw a tortoise crossing the beach path! (I think it was a tortoise, I don’t really know much the difference between a turtle and a tortoise, but there was a sign about tortoises nearby so I think that’s what it was. 😜)
So Turtle Beach campground is in an amazing location.
But on the flip side, the campground doesn’t really feel like you’re in nature. The campsites are very close together with a thin strip of tall shrubs between each campsite.
Aside from Turtle Beach, it will be a 10 minute drive to get to the famous Siesta Beach on the other end of Siesta Key. You can also try snorkeling on Siesta Key at Point of Rocks.
There is also the free Siesta Key trolley.
See more for planning your Southwest Florida camping trip: Best beaches in Southwest Florida
Read the Southwest Florida campground reviews: Turtle Beach Campground
🌞
2. Myakka River State Park campground
Explore the map: Myakka River State Park campground
Proximity to the best of Southwest Florida
Myakka River State Park is one of the best state parks in Southwest Florida.
This is a perfect place to go if you want to get into nature surrounded by green.
Myakka River State Park is known for the canopy walk.
You’ll walk across a bridge that’s suspended in air, and then continue climbing the stairs up the tower for views above the trees.
There is also a spot in Myakka River State Park that’s known for alligator sightings.
When you come across the bridge, make a stop to see if you can spot some alligators!
Plus you might make some bird sightings when you are in Myakka River State Park!
Depending on where you’re going within Myakka River State Park, it will be a 5-10 minute drive from your campground within the state park to get to other activities.
Myakka River State Park to Siesta Key is around a 30 minute drive.
See more for planning your Southwest Florida camping trip: Best state parks in Southwest Florida
Read the Southwest Florida campground reviews: Myakka River State Park campground
3. Oscar Scherer State Park campground
Explore the map: Oscar Scherer State Park campground
Proximity to the best of Southwest Florida
Oscar Scherer State Park is a perfect place to go if you want a quiet place to get into nature.
Oscar Scherer State Park to Nokomis Beach is around a 10 minute drive.
Oscar Scherer State Park to Siesta Key is around a 20 minute drive.
Read the Southwest Florida campground reviews: Oscar Scherer State Park campground
4. Koreshan State Park campground
Explore the map: Koreshan State Park campground
Proximity to the best of Southwest Florida
Sanibel Island and Captiva Island are where you will find some of the best beaches for shelling in Florida.
Koreshan State Park to Sanibel Island is around a 45 minute drive, and then you will drive through Sanibel Island to get to Captiva Island.
A 45 minute drive might seem far, but Koreshan State Park is the closest state park campground to Sanibel Island.
Koreshan State Park to Fort Myers Beach is around a 30 minute drive.
Koreshan State Park to the Cayo Costa ferry port on Pine Island is around a 1 hour drive.
See more for planning your Southwest Florida camping trip: Best Captiva Island beaches
Read the Southwest Florida campground reviews: Koreshan State Park
5. Collier Seminole State Park campground
Explore the map: Collier Seminole State Park campground
Proximity to the best of Southwest Florida
Marco Island has some of the best beaches in Southwest Florida.
You can also look for shells on Marco Island!
Collier Seminole State Park to Marco Island is around a 20 minute drive.
Everglades National Park is the most popular national park in Florida. There is the Atlantic side of the Everglades (Miami side) and the Gulf side.
The Gulf side of Everglades National Park is the less visited side, and the way to explore it is by BOAT from the Everglades National Park Gulf Coast Visitor Center.
Collier Seminole State Park to the Gulf Coast Visitor Center is around a 30 minute drive.
The Tamiami Trail between Marco Island and Miami can be one of the best places in Florida to see alligators.
For a chance to see alligators, you can go to places like Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park (10 minutes away) and the Big Cypress National Preserve Oasis Visitor Center (40 minutes away). The Midway Campground is a convenient campground in Big Cypress National Preserve.
One of the most popular areas of Everglades National Park on the Atlantic side is Shark Valley.
Collier Seminole State Park to the Shark Valley Visitor Center is around a 1 hour drive.
Collier Seminole State Park to Miami Beach is around a 2.5 hour drive! If you want to continue your Florida camping trip in South Florida, you can stay in a camping cabin in Oleta River State Park in North Miami… or the Long Pine Key campground or Flamingo campground in Everglades National Park… or drive further south to the Florida Keys and stay at the John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park campground!
See more for planning your Southwest Florida camping trip and beyond:
- Best Marco Island beaches
- Marco Island shelling
- Where to see Tamiami Trail alligators
- Things to do in Everglades National Park
- Marco Island to Miami
- 2 hours in Miami Beach
- Southwest Florida to the Florida Keys
Read the Southwest Florida campground reviews: Collier Seminole State Park campground
PLUS…
Cayo Costa State Park campground
Explore the map: Cayo Costa State Park campground
Proximity to the best of Southwest Florida
Cayo Costa State Park is on an island in Southwest Florida. This is one to save for later. As of early 2024, the Cayo Costa State Park campground is closed.
Cayo Costa was damaged during the destructive Hurricane Ian of September 2022, and it’s unknown when the campground (and state park as a whole) will be open again. You can check Florida State Parks for updates.
Camping at Cayo Costa State Park is an amazing experience. There are also camping cabins here, which is where I stayed. It’s a rustic cabin, and it’s basically bring your own everything.
Getting to Cayo Costa State Park requires extra time and effort!
That’s because the only way to get to Cayo Costa State Park is by BOAT!
And, this also means that the only regular camping on Cayo Costa State Park is tent camping.
Depending on your campsite, you will be a few minutes walk from the beach!
And, you can look for shells in Cayo Costa State Park!
See more for planning your Southwest Florida camping trip: Cayo Costa State Park shelling
Read the Southwest Florida campground reviews: Cayo Costa State Park campground
How to make Southwest Florida camping reservations
Southwest Florida campground availability
Some of the campgrounds in Southwest Florida can be difficult to find campground availability.
But don’t worry, all hope is not lost if you are not capable of planning so far in advance.
Most especially if you are looking for camping 1 or 2 nights at a time. (Which is what I did.)
People cancel their camping reservations. More cancellations will start to occur the closer you get to your date.
My Southwest Florida camping trip was by planning a few weeks in advance.
Friday nights and Saturday nights will generally be the hardest to find availability. But, all it takes is ONE person to make a cancellation shortly before you look! So, it really is about luck. 😜
Explore the map.
See more for your Southwest Florida camping trip and beyond:
- Things to do in Southwest Florida
- Best camping in the Florida Panhandle
- Best camping in the Florida Keys
- Things to do in Ocala National Forest (camping in Central Florida)
- Things to do in the Florida Panhandle
- Things to do in the Florida Keys
HAPPY CAMPING IN SOUTHWEST FLORIDA!
There are partner websites included in this post. I may earn a commission.