The state of Virginia is blessed with a splendid selection of landscapes to explore, from the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Dismal Swamp to Virginia Beach.
Nothing makes me feel immersed in the natural beauty of these beautiful Virginia attractions quite like camping.
I love watching the light change throughout the day, the sensation of cool morning air as breakfast sizzles on the camp stove, the sound of native birds singing among the trees.
Whether you prefer staying in a tent or RV, camping in VA is always a memorable experience. The state has a slew of national parks and forests, not to mention 41 award-winning state parks.
It also amazing scenic routes for road trips, like the Blue Ridge Parkway and Skyline Drive in Shenandoah National Park, as well as the Appalachian Trail.
Whether it’s the famously scenic vistas of the Shenandoah Valley or the Virginia coast, with its historic sites and beautiful beaches, your choice of great Virginia campgrounds abounds.
Read on for our in-depth guide to the best campgrounds in Virginia, including camping in the Virginia Mountains, Virginia Beach, and lots of locations in between.
It includes everything from the number of campsites and campground amenities to our suggestions for the best things to do in each area.
READ MORE: The 13 Best Blue Ridge Parkway Campgrounds to Visit
Best Campgrounds in Virginia Guide
- Big Meadows Campground
- Bolar Mountain Recreation Area
- Crabtree Falls Campground
- Jellystone Park Luray
- KOA Natural Bridge
- Peaks of Otter Campground
- Holiday Trav-L-Park
- North Landing Beach Campground
- Pocahontas State Park
- Sun Outdoors Cape Charles
READ MORE:The 10 Best Things to Do in Staunton VA
Virginia Mountain Campgrounds
1. Big Meadows Campground
Skyline Drive, Stanley VA • (540) 999-3500 • Official Website
Big Meadows is a huge campground in Shenandoah National Park. It has over 200 campsites, as well as the Byrd Visitor Center and Big Meadows Lodge.
This campground is right on Skyline Drive, which cuts through the heart of the 196,000-acre park. The iconic drive will provide magnificent views, both in and around the popular VA campground.
Shenandoah has over 500 miles of hiking trails, including 101 miles of the Appalachian Trail in VA.
Near Big Meadows, hikers can visit three waterfalls and look for lots of wildlife, including black bears, white-tail deer, and wild turkeys.
The Virginia wildflowers you’ll find at Big Meadows are always crowd-pleasing. And the shade of the campground keeps it very comfortable, even in the heat of summer.
All campsites here are non-electric, though there are spaces suitable for RVs. This VA campground does offer conveniences such as flush toilets, showers, and dump stations.
READ MORE: 10 Great Places to Celebrate Christmas in Virginia
2. Bolar Mountain Recreation Area
756 Twin Ridge Dr, Warm Springs VA • (540) 279-4144 • Official Website
The Bolar Mountain Recreation Area has four campgrounds, each with top-choice campsites right on the 2530-acre Lake Moomaw (the second largest impoundment in western Virginia).
Campground 1 is the best equipped for RVs, with the most electric hookups and a dump station for waste tanks. Sugar Ridge only has non-electric sites.
Bolar Mountain is a small, but special part of the 1.8-million acre George Washington and Jefferson National Forests.
This recreation area mostly centers around water-based activities, including swimming, fishing, kayaking, boating, and water skiing. There’s even a marina and modern boat dock.
Bolar Mountain Recreation Area also has 11 miles of trails for hiking to two spectacular lookout points, Islands Overlook Spur and Grouse Point Overlook.
Campground amenities include electric/water/sewer hookups, flush toilets, potable water, and showers. All campsites also have picnic tables, drinking water, fire pits, and lantern posts.
READ MORE: The 15 Best Lakes in the Virginia Mountains to Visit
3. Crabtree Falls Campground
11039 Crabtree Falls Hwy, Tyro VA • (540) 377-2066 • Official Website
Crabtree Falls is close enough to be considered a campground near Waynesboro VA, and it’s one of the tallest waterfalls east of the Mississippi. Long story short, it’s a can’t-miss spot for your Virginia vacation.
The falls consist of five large cascades stitched together by numerous smaller ones. All together, they total a 1200-foot drop in elevation.
Naturally, Crabtree Falls Campground is very close to the waterfalls, as well as Spy Rock. The latter offers an amazing 360º view of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Blue Ridge Parkway.
The small campground has options for walk-in tent camping, including waterfront sites. There are also a handful of RV and pop-up sites with water and electric hookups, plus four cabins to rent.
Campers have access to a playground, a bathhouse, and a store. This is a great place to stop when cruising the Parkway, looking for a quiet spot to camp, and wanting to see some crazy cool waterfalls.
READ MORE: Apple Picking in Virginia: The 15 Best VA Apple Orchards to Visit
4. Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Luray
2250 US 211 East, Luray VA • (540) 300-1697 • Official Website
The award-winning Jellystone Park Luray may not be the ideal place for peace-loving campers.
But for families seeking excitement for the kids, Jellystone takes camping into full-on vacation resort mode.
This campground has a full-sized waterpark, swimming pools, mini golf, jumping pillows, a playground, an arcade, an outdoor movie theater, and more. In short, it’s a wild family campground near Luray VA.
Tent sites, RV sites, and cabins are all available for rent, as well as large lodges for bigger groups. All the extras and added amenities are possible at Jellystone.
Fun things to do nearby include visiting Shenandoah National Park, Luray Caverns, the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum, and more (including some great Virginia Wineries for the grown-ups).
But the kids will undoubtedly be keen just to hang around the campground, which offers limitless fun.
READ MORE: The 10 Best Things to Do in Luray VA
5. KOA Natural Bridge-Lexington
214 Killdeer Ln, Natural Bridge VA • (540) 291-2770 • Official Website
KOA Natural Bridge-Lexington is one of only a couple of campgrounds near Natural Bridge VA. It sits right in the Shenandoah Valley, between the Blue Ridge and Allegheny Mountain ranges.
KOA Natural Bridge is close enough to be considered a campground near Roanoke VA (just 45 minutes away), and it’s 10 miles south of historic Lexington VA.
So it’s perfect for those who are interested in exploring all the fun things to do in Lexington and Natural Bridge.
This popular Virginia campground is really set up for family entertainment with a game room, playground, activities pavilion, swimming pool, and other recreational opportunities.
It also offers some of the convenient comforts that families need, such as laundry rooms, cable TV, and quick access to restaurants, movie theaters, and more. It’s a great option for keeping everyone content.
READ MORE: Camping and Hiking in Natural Bridge State Park, VA
6. Peaks of Otter Campground
Blue Ridge Parkway Milepost 85.9, Bedford VA • (540) 586-7321 • Official Website
One of the most beloved stops on the Virginia stretch of the Blue Ridge Parkway, Peaks of Otter is surrounded by three stunning mountains and a 24-acre lake.
Top activities around Peaks of Otter include hiking to the summits of Sharp Top, Flat Top, and Harkening Hill, fishing, and looking for wildlife (including black bears and the beautiful birds of Virginia).
Despite having 139 campsites, the amenities at this VA campground are very basic. There are flush toilets, drinking water, and dump stations, but no showers or hot water.
Each campsite has a picnic table, lantern post, and fire ring with a grill, but no electric sites are available.
This is the perfect campground for those who want to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life, and don’t mind “roughing it” a bit.
But it’s close enough for people looking for camping near Roanoke VA. It’s right on the Blue Ridge Parkway, within walking distance of the historic Johnson Farm and the Peaks of Otter Lodge and Restaurant.
READ MORE: The 15 Best Things to Do in Roanoke VA
Campgrounds near Virginia Beach & the Coast
7. Holiday Trav-L-Park
1075 General Booth Boulevard, Virginia Beach VA • (866) 849-8860 • Official Website
Set up to please every member of the family, the Holiday Trav-L-Park in Virginia Beach has a little something for any camper to enjoy.
One of the most popular campgrounds near Virginia Beach, the park has a café, convenience store, and WiFi available throughout the property.
There is also a beach trolley and a bike path visitors can take to the beach, as well as a parking lot reserved exclusively for Trav-L-Park guests.
The amenities here are first class, including a large laundromat, 8 comfort stations (toilets, showers, sinks), and four swimming pools for days when the beach seems too far away.
Holiday Trav-L-Park has campsites ranging from RV spots with electric, water, sewer, and cable hookups to basic well-shaded tent sites.
Cabins with or without AC and heating are also available for rent.
READ MORE: The 15 Best Places To See Christmas Lights in Virginia
8. North Landing Beach Campground
161 Princess Anne Road, Virginia Beach VA • (757) 426-6241 • Official Website
One of the best Virginia Beach campgrounds, North Landing Beach Campground has all the extras required to be a full-service vacation destination for families and couples.
North Landing has 150 RV sites and 63 cottages for rent, and all campers get to use their 1200 feet of private beach for easy access to sun and surf.
The resort campground also offers a spa, mini golf, outdoor games, two playgrounds, and watercraft rentals. There’s also a boat ramp, swimming pool, and fishing.
Their campground amenities cover all the basics—dump station, launderettes, private bath suites with showers. Plus extras like an ice cream/pizza parlor, adults-only pool hall and fitness center, and free WiFi and cable for all.
It’s certainly not the rustic camping of our Boy/Girl Scout memories, but it is a special way to do vacation camping!
READ MORE: 10 Great Romantic Getaways in Virginia for Couples
9. Pocahontas State Park
10301 State Park Rd, Chesterfield VA • (804) 796-4255 • Official Website
Virginia State Parks camping is phenomenal all over the state, but Pocahontas State Park is arguably one of the very best Virginia campgrounds.
This park has over 90 miles of hiking trails, most of which are multi-use, including 33 miles open to horseback riders and 44 miles open to mountain bikers.
Pocahontas State Park also has an Aquatic Recreation Center with swimming, slides, and leisure pools. Swift Creek and Beaver lakes are there for fishing and boating.
Accommodation options include cabins and lodges for luxurious stays, as well as yurts and camping cabins for roughing it without tents. All campsites have water and electric hookups, grills, picnic tables, and lantern posts.
This is a great spot for camping near Richmond VA, and provides quick access to Petersburg, Brandywine Farms, and Ironbridge Sports Complex as well.
READ MORE: 10 Best Virginia Mountain Towns to Visit
10. Sun Outdoors Cape Charles
1511 Townfield Dr, Cape Charles VA • (757) 331-3063 • Official Website
Formerly known as Cherrystone Campground VA, Sun Outdoors Cape Charles is one of the plushest campgrounds in VA, offering Virginia camping with all the creature comforts.
The property has 5 swimming pools, 4 fishing piers, boat rentals, and charter fishing.
Kids have access to a wet zone and jumping pillows, as well as 18 holes of mini golf. A general store and the Little Neck Café make staying refreshed a breeze.
One of the primo RV parks in Virginia, Sun Outdoors offers full hookup sites, with 30AMP and 50AMP options as well as premium upgrades available.
In addition to all the family entertainment, Sun Outdoors also has 300 acres of natural waterfront for taking time to enjoy magical sunsets and an array of wildlife. –by Jonathon Engels; featured image via Canva
