Where to Camp in Naples, Marco Island and The Everglades
Florida’s Paradise Coast is prized for its luxury resorts, but this corner of the Sunshine State also offers plenty of options for campers. From hooking up an RV and relaxing to tent-camping under the stars, here’s an overview of camping adventures available on the Paradise Coast.
Select Campsites:
Big, Small, Comfortable & Primitive
Big Cypress National Preserve
A vast wild area in the western section of the world-famous Everglades, Big Cypress offers an array of rustic camping choices.
The preserve features eight designated campgrounds, the largest being Bear Island, with 40 sites for RVs or tents (but no electric hookups). Midway (26 RV, 10 tent sites) is the only campground in Big Cypress with electric hookups, and is also the only one open year-round. The rest are seasonal.
If you really want to walk on the wild side, Big Cypress offers backcountry camping, where you can explore its 729,000 acres with whatever you can carry on your back or pack into an off-road vehicle. Those who go for backcountry camping will need a permit.
Whatever mode of camping you choose in Big Cypress, you’ll be right in the midst of one of the most fascinating wetlands on the planet.
Collier-Seminole State Park
This outdoor wonderland is just 17 miles southeast of downtown Naples on the western edge of the Everglades. Carved out of a vast expanse of mangroves, the 7,200-acre Collier-Seminole State Park offers RV and tent camping, as well as basic cabins for those seeking a bit more comfort. The 120 campsites include electricity, water, a grill and a picnic table.
You’ll be minutes away from hiking, cycling, kayaking and boating. The park includes several trails and provides showers, a laundry facility and a dumping station for RVers.
From December to March, park rangers present programs on native plants, animals and history. Amid the mangroves, you’ll see majestic stands of royal palms, an unusual sight in the Everglades. One of the bonuses of staying here is that it’s less than a half-hour ride to the restaurants and shops in downtown Naples.
Grocery Place Campground
Here’s a spot for those who want to do some truly primitive camping. How primitive? Grocery Place is only accessible via the water! It’s best reached by launching from the small town of Goodland and paddling or boating northeast into Palm Bay. A State Park sign will let you know you’ve arrived. There’s not much here but a landing area and a clearing on high ground surrounded by mangroves and scrub.
Fun fact: Grocery Place was actually once a small settlement inhabited by Florida pioneers. (A.T. Stephens, his wife Annie and their five children moved their wood house here by barge in 1902.) The cisterns that held fresh water are still situated on the site, but are not operational.
Nearby is an old Native American campground. From your site at Grocery Place, you can embark on paddling or boating adventures though the western part of Ten Thousand Islands. Campers must register at the Ranger Station. Call (239) 394-3397. Accommodates up to eight people.
Everglades Adventure Tours
You and your family can arrive at Trail Lakes Campground, 40 miles southeast of downtown Naples, with no camping gear at all, and Everglades Adventure Tours will set you up with a memorable “glamping” experience. Roomy tents include beds (and bedding), patterned rugs (a nice touch) and other necessities. You can also stay in a rustic Chickee Hut — a small wooden structure with a thatched roof that’s modeled after the ones used by Native Americans centuries ago.
You’ll have your very own base camp from which you can explore the area. Everglades Adventure Tours offers an array of eco-tours that take you deep into these famous wetlands. The most unique is a guided tour on a wooden pole boat, an updated version of the transportation used by the original natives. (You’re all but guaranteed to see gators.) The outfitter also offers kayak, canoe and hiking tours that take you through the renowned swamp’s different ecosystems.
RV Parks & Resorts:
Pelican Lake Motorcoach Resort
NORTHTIDE NAPLES
Just a couple of miles east of downtown Naples, this 55+ RV resort offers comfortable RV stays with lots of diversions, including a swimming pool, sprawling clubhouse, tiki hut and more. At Northtide Naples, you can rent by the day, week or month. And if you get the urge to splurge at one of the fine-dining restaurants on 5th Avenue South, you’re just a 10-minute drive way.
SUN RETREATS
While most of Sun Retreats is made up of fixed housing, it does have five back-in RV sites with full hookups, grassy pads and picnic tables. You’ll have access to the pool, pickleball courts, laundry and more.
Crystal Lake RV Resort
RV sites form a rim around lovely Crystal Lake. The community has a screen-covered pool, exercise center, shuffleboard, bocce ball and tennis/pickleball courts; full hookups and wifi, too. Crystal Lake is 15 miles northeast of downtown Naples.
Everglades Isle
Located in Everglades City, Everglades Isle bills itself as “a Luxury Motorcoach Retreat.” It’s a Class A RV park with a plethora of amenities: clubhouse, boat rentals, boat and kayak launches, pool, a dog run and more. Every 38x60-foot site is topped with brick pavers. And they have full hookups, of course.
You’ll be within walking distance of several waterfront restaurants and the Museum of the Everglades. During your stay, we highly recommend you take a hair-raising, ultra-fun airboat ride — there are several operators close by. It’s just one of the many water adventures you can experience in Naples, Marco Island and The Everglades .
The Paradise Coast features several more RV parks, among them The Waves RV Resort, Endless Summer RV Park, Neapolitan Cove RV Resort and Naples/Marco Island KOA Holiday.
Of course, if you get tired of “roughing it,” you’ll find some of Florida’s finest hotels and resorts ready to surround you in luxury. See more places to stay in Naples, Marco Island and the Everglades.