Camping and RV Adventures in the Bradenton Area

Sun, Sand, and Sleeping Bags: Bradenton Area Camping

With a range of parks and preserves featuring the rich biodiversity of Florida’s Gulf Coast, the Bradenton Area beckons campers with its distinctive blend of nature and outdoor adventure. Whether you crave lounging lakeside in your RV or sleeping under the stars in remarkable landscapes, you’ll find a variety of campsites that offer something for everyone.

Farmstead Fun

Set amongst the acres of growing fields and the produce-filled farmstand, the KOA Holiday at Hunsader Farms offers a unique camping experience that highlights the agricultural allure of this locally-owned ranch. Not only will you find RV sites with full, 50-amp hookups, but also covered Conestoga wagons, glamping tents, and even an air-conditioned silo. This family-friendly campground immerses guests in many farm activities, including hayrides, a petting zoo, gem mining, and even self-pick fruits and veggies. The KOA Holiday presents a distinctive camping experience, where leisure meets the charm of an actual working farm.


Rustic Riverside Retreat

On the banks of the Braden River, Linger Lodge RV Park stands as a rustic retreat that captures the essence of vintage Florida. Offering RV sites with full hookups and tent-camping options, this campground envelops visitors with its peaceful river views and gigantic, moss-draped oak trees. Campers will find a newly-renovated clubhouse and plenty of riverside activities, like kayaking and fishing. Guests are encouraged to visit the Linger Lodge, an on-site restaurant that Forbes.com named “One of the most unusual restaurants in the world.” Taxidermized animals cover nearly every square inch of the walls in the dining room. Besides the amusing interior, the food is what makes this place famous: frog legs, alligator, fried green tomatoes, incredible Bloody Mary’s, and fork-tender beef brisket that has smoked for hours.


Lakeside Leisure

Lake Manatee State Park extends nearly three miles along the south shore of its namesake, a 2,400-acre freshwater reservoir for the Bradenton Area. Visitors will find 60 full-facility campsites, all within walking distance of the lake beaches and fishing areas. Both RV and tent sites feature 30-amp electrical service, making this the perfect place for a comfortable stay. If you’re looking for more time in nature, this serene site offers 4.5 miles of paths weaving through 550 acres of pine flatwoods, scrub, marshes, and hardwood forests. Whether from a boat or the shore, anglers are known to catch largemouth bass, speckled perch, bluegill, shell crackers, and catfish from the shallow waters.


Contemporary Coastal Comfort

With a chic coastal feel and more amenities than you can imagine, The Surf and The Tides RV Resorts offers generous RV sites with full hookups, ensuring a comfortably posh stay. Featuring swimming pools, a tiki bar, recreational facilities, and organized activities like yoga and pickleball, this RV resort is perfect for booking a long-term stay. If you’re traveling with your beloved pooch, you’ll also find multiple dog parks, a dog-wash station, and a pet-dedicated laundry machine. Whether you’re looking for some R&R or are attracted to endless events and activities, these luxurious RV resorts provide the perfect combination of conveniences.


Pair of Primitive Preserves

For those seeking a more rustic adventure, Duette Preserve and Rye Preserve entice campers with their expansive, untouched wilderness. At just over 38 square miles and featuring truly primitive campsites, Duette Preserve is the largest and most remote in the Bradenton Area. Here you’ll find a variety of habitats that are home to many threatened species, including the Florida scrub jay, gopher tortoise, and Florida panther. Located northwest of the Lake Manatee dam and closer to town than many think, Rye Preserve is a diversity of ecosystems to discover, including their inhabitants, like white-tailed deer, bobcat, and grey fox. Though you won’t find electricity or running water at either of these campsites, you will have access to some of the most untouched land in Florida. With miles of hiking trails and plenty of open space, both preserves offer unique camping experiences in the heart of the Bradenton Area wilderness.