8 Florida Glamping Experiences for Nature Lovers

You don’t have to travel to Arizona or Colorado to live out your Wild West fantasies—Hotel Westgate River Ranch offers a home on the range just 90 minutes south of Orlando. Aspiring cowboys and cowgirls horseback ride through 1,700 acres of Florida wilderness, try their hand at skeet shooting and archery, and finish the day with a hayride and family-style cookout.

Kids whoop it up with horseshoes, a petting farm, and pony rides, while adults can line dance and shoot whiskey in the River Ranch Saloon. All ages get into the spirit at the Saturday-night rodeo, featuring trick riding and barrel racing.

After all the excitement, unwind in the screened-in porch of your comfy cottage, outfitted in leather, stone, and hardwood. Before you decamp, stock up on snacks, and souvenirs at the general store.

Just 25 minutes from Disney World, solitude seekers can stargaze and spy wildlife with Luxury Glamping @ Lake Louisa. Revel in an elegant bell tent furnished with a queen bed, coffee maker and chandelier, as well as AC and heat—and commune with nature in the surrounding Lake Louisa State Park.

Spanning 4,500 acres, this natural playground lures hikers and bikers with more than 20 miles of trails; water lovers can paddle, fish, or even swim in the lake. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, picnic under the shade of live oaks while keeping your eyes peeled for osprey, deer, squirrels, gopher tortoises, and raccoons.

At dusk, guests can pick up firewood and s’more fixings in the Camper Canteen, wash up in the bathhouse, and warm up by a campfire under the night sky.

Just 20 minutes north of Tampa, find Miss Ruby – Glamping in Style, nestled on five lakefront acres. This renovated 1965 “canned ham” camper packs a lot into 13 feet, from a queen bed and TV with Roku to a mini-fridge and French press.

Despite the camper’s proximity to a major city, it’s also convenient to outdoor attractions like Lake Park (hiking, archery); Brooker Creek Preserve (biking, picnicking); and the Golden Spirit Alpaca Ranch (tours, demonstrations, shopping).

Or don’t leave the property at all. Kayak, refresh in the private open-air shower, and sway the day away in a hammock.

Offbeat, easy-going and worlds away from Miami just 135 miles to the north, the Lower Florida Keys are a magnet for artists, swashbucklers, and water enthusiasts. Embodying that quirky Keys vibe is Sunshine Key RV Resort & Marina, marooned on 75-acre Ohio Key just a mile from Bahia Honda State Park.

If you find yourself RV-less, the resort offers an array of colorful tiny houses and one-and two-bedroom vacation trailers mere steps from fishing, swimming, and boating, plus campy activities like crafts and bingo. More intrepid travelers can dive into the wonders of Bahia Honda, from thriving reefs and sandy beaches to shorebirds and seashells.

Long before Everglades National Park was established in 1947, gladesmen settled the area and lived off the land. See this vast, unique ecosystem through their eyes at Everglades Chickee Cottages – Ochopee, part of Everglades Adventure Tours.

This family-run outfitter specializes in up-close Everglades encounters, offering poleboat excursions, birding safaris, and even seasonal night tours. The immersive experience continues in the company’s elevated chickee huts. Built by local Miccosukee Native Americans, each cabin sports a real bed, a dec,k and a traditional thatched roof. A great place to relax and enjoy the view—and get cozy, if you`re travelling in couple!

If you’re tiny house–curious, give it a try at The View – Waterfront Tiny Home, one of 34 tiny homes (10 for rent) that comprise the Orlando Lakefront Tiny Home & RV Community on Lake Fairview. Live simply in under 400 square feet of space, while still enjoying a full kitchen and bathroom, a queen-size bed, and a TV. Outside, guests get free access to kayaks, paddle boards, and fishing gear.

Get even closer to nature at the nearby Lake Apopka Wildlife Drive, where you can glimpse alligators, turtles, otters, snakes, coyotes, and more than 360 species of birds right from your car. Or wander the shaded paths of Harry P. Leu Gardens, featuring 40 different plant collections.

Immortalized in Florida’s state song—“Old Folks at Home,” written by Stephen Foster in 1851—the Suwannee River flows 246 miles from southern Georgia to the Gulf of Mexico. Soak in its natural beauty at Suwannee River Cabin Sanctuary The Birdhouse, set in rural north Florida about 50 minutes west of Gainesville.

Onsite, fish or dive in the river from the floating dock, rustle up dinner on a charcoal grill, or relax in a rocking chair as the breeze drifts through your snug, screened-in shelter. Nearby, swim, paddle, or tube down one of six natural springs; the clear, 72-degree waters have been invigorating bathers for thousands of years.

About 40 miles upriver from The Birdhouse, Safari Tent Camping along the Suwannee River offers riverfront glamping of a different flavor: Think canvas expedition tents with real beds, wooden platforms, and full electricity. After dark, the glow of market lights and a blazing bonfire give the glampsite an  enchanting vibe.

Some 10 natural freshwater springs in the surrounding area vie for your visit during the day. Cave dive in Peacock Springs, see Lafayette Blue Springs’ natural limestone bridge, or view the remains of a Civil War–era steamboat at Troy Spring.