Get outdoors with this Peace River glamping getaway

Get a taste of Old Florida while glamping

FOX 13 photojournalist Jason Wright shows us a hidden gem in Hardee County, where you can experience the great outdoors at the Peace River Oaks campground.

BOWLING GREEN, Fla - South of Fort Meade off of U.S. 17, the Peace River Oaks campground can be found at 1568 West County Line Road.

While the address says Bowling Green, the true location is Old Florida. Campers can find an escape from city life, old-growth oak trees for shade, and access to the Peace River.

What they're saying:

On a two-lane road with no streetlights, drivers will pass pastureland and oak trees before they get to the turn off to Peace River Oaks Campground, and that is part of the plan.

Nestled into that oak hammock, owner Jonathan Solin developed this escape for those wishing to get away from city life and out into the country, away from alarm clocks and the busyness of the 9-to-5 workday.

"We really wanted to create a place where families can come and create memories that they talk about for years," said Solin. 

He purchased the land because it was remote, and the oak trees and nearby Peace River helped to seal the deal.

"Having the riverfront access was definitely part of the plan," he said. "We built everything around what was here." 

Peace River 

The campground doesn’t have straight lanes; in fact, it curves with the natural path of the trees, so each camp site can be underneath the shade of the oak canopy. He described it, "Every site is unique."

The venue offers 43 recreation vehicle sites will all the connections an experienced RV person would expect. On top of that, there are 10 "Glamping" sites.

"Every tent’s got enough bedding to sleep 5, TV, ice-cold air conditioning, a kitchenette with a mini-fridge and microwave," he shared. "Every site’s got a propane grill on the outside, hot tub on the outside, firepit, picnic table… everything you need to enjoy yourself outside even in the summer."

Glamp-site at Peace River Oaks

It’s the luxury of camping with the comforts of home all wrapped up in one place.

And all of that is just the beginning of the adventures the Peace River Oaks site has to offer.

Visitors can get outside on hiking trails or biking trails. They can enjoy campground games and cookouts by the firepit. There’s a movie screen on the bed of an old pickup where the hosts put family-friendly movies on for their guests.

For the more adventurous, Solin said, "We have our own private two-and-a-half-mile ATV course. Go out there; get muddy, explore the trails. It’s all through the old Florida wilderness."

Peace River Oaks ATV rental

And then there’s the namesake, the Peace River. Solin’s crew has canoe rentals on site for the camper who wants to go with the flow of something different from a hectic work schedule. 

"The Peace River is one of the few rivers in Florida with a natural flow to it, so it’s really easy paddling," he said. Canoers are likely to see nesting birds, river otters, turtles, alligators and other river wildlife.

Canoe on the Peace River

"When you go down this river, what you’re experiencing is old Florida at its finest!" he said.

What's next:

You can learn more about Peace River Oaks and their amenities by visiting their website here.