Not sure where the summer is taking you? You can never go wrong with a
little camping trip. It’s fun with just two people, a group of people, a
family…you just can’t go wrong with a camping trip. And, there’s tons of
camping spots to choose from in the USA. Afterall, the USA invented camping.
But, let’s weed through all the camping sites in the country, and give you only
the very best. These are the 27 most amazing camping sites you’ll ever
experience, in America…
#1 Two Harbors Campground,
Catalina Island, California
Catalina Island is an island off the coast
of Southern California; it takes about an hour on the high-speed ferry to get
there. “And the campground on Catalina is absolutely gorgeous! It’s right on
the water, so you can hear the waves crash, and see all the stars — even
satellites — on a clear night. It’s so peaceful.”
#2 Chester Frost Park
Campground, Hixson, Tennessee
One of the best parts about this campground
is that you can camp on the water or in the forest — it’s your call. “There are
also clean bathrooms, friendly rangers, and friendly people. It’s a gem — just
ask the retired RV drivers who stay for months on end!”
#3 Red River Gorge
Campground, Stanton, Kentucky
“This campground has the best combination of
amazing rock features, beautiful forest, and some of the greatest natural
arches. There are hiking trails that run the gamut from easy to hard, and there
are even unmarked trails that you’re allowed to explore. There’s also plenty of
different kinds of spots to camp, ranging from the side of a gravel road to the
edge of a creek to more developed facilities and cabins.”
#4 Peanut Island
Campground, West Palm Beach, Florida
“It’s a tiny little island just a boat ride
away from West Palm Beach, with beautiful palm trees, beaches, and a historic
nuclear bunker that JFK stayed in!” There are about 20 campsites total, and the
facility even has hot showers in the restrooms — score.
#5 Gone Creek (Timothy
Lake) Campground, Sandy, Oregon
“For
starters, this campground has an ~amazing~ view of Mount Hood towering over the
lake — and who doesn’t want to sleep that close to a dormant volcano for a
week? Plus, the hiking trails are super nice and easy enough for beginners, the
fishing is great, the lake is clean and extremely peaceful, the campground is
small enough so you don’t feel crowded if you go over a busy weekend, and a lot
of the spots are right on the shore of the lake. Even the drive there is
breathtaking! When you see Mount Hood against a blue sky, surrounded by tall
Douglas firs and the canyons, you can’t help but feel even more small than you
already are.” —Katie Molnar, Facebook
#6 Jenny Lake Campground,
Moran, Wyoming
“It’s a quiet, cozy campground in Grand
Teton National Park with the most gorgeous views of the mountains. They are
just so close to your tent! Plus, it’s a perfect area for moose or bear
sightings.”
#7 Assateague State Park,
Assateague Island, Maryland
“To
camp here is to camp right on the beach, with wild horses everywhere. And it’s
affordable, too!”
#8 Big Sur Campground
& Cabins, Big Sur, California
“It’s
in a more wooded area than, say, Pfeiffer Beach (the one famous for its purple
sand), but it’s magical there. There is a creek that runs right through the
campground that you can camp next to if you’re in a tent or trailer. They also
have nice cabins, if that’s more your camping style. The bottom line is that
it’s just so relaxing to walk through the trees and take in all the nature,
while still being close to the beach.” Plus, you’ve got all of Big Sur right
there in your backyard!
#9 Ponderosa State Park,
McCall, Idaho
“This campground’s on the Payette Lake, and
it’s surrounded by huge, beautiful coniferous trees — I highly recommend it.”
In the summer, there are also beautiful wildflowers all around the campground,
plus stunning cliffs and lots of wildlife, like osprey, bald eagles, moose,
deer, and more.
#10 Sheep Pass Group
Campground, Joshua Tree National Park, California
Located in the middle of Joshua Tree
National Park, this campground is basically out-of-this-world by default — you
have the whole park at your fingertips. “This place is simply surreal, and the
bouldering is endless. You’re surrounded by rock climbing routes and hiking
trails. 10/10 would recommend to everyone.”
#11 Maumee Bay State Park,
Oregon, Ohio
“It’s right on Lake Erie, there are deer
everywhere, and the bike trails are great for exploring. They also have a
raised boardwalk through a forest for more opportunities to see and learn about
wildlife up close and personal.”
#12 Deception Pass State
Park, Oak Harbor, Washington
This campground really does have it all:
forest, mountains, islands, wildlife, dunes, birds, plus tons of coastal
shoreline, both saltwater AND freshwater.
#13 Lake George Island
Campgrounds, Bolton Landing, New York
The cool part about the Lake George
campgrounds, located in the Adirondacks, is that they’re actually a bunch of
little islands — 44, to be precise — meaning you have to take a boat to get to
them. “You can rent an entire island for yourself and your family and friends.
You will have to rent a boat so you can get in and out of the island, but it’s
entirely worth it. There’s so much you can do at Lake George, and you’ll be
addicted to this Heaven-on-Earth within seconds.”
#14 Rialto Beach, Olympic
National Park, Washington
Located right in Olympic National Park in
Washington, Rialto Beach is famous for its “seastacks,” which are basically
blocks of rock smack dab in the sea that are not attached to the land
whatsoever. “It’s a beautiful spot along the Pacific coast, complete with seastacks.”
#15 Moran State Park,
Orcas Island, Washington
“I
grew up going camping at Moran every summer, and it’s spoiled me for life — no
other campground can ever live up. This place has some of the most beautiful
views ever. It has the most gorgeous campsites, some of which are tucked back
in the woods, while others are down by the lake.”
#16 Many Glacier
Campground, Glacier National Park, Montana
One of the most popular campgrounds right
in Glacier National Park, Many Glacier is surrounded by mountains and great
hiking trails. There’s even a trail that leads to one of the best glaciers in
the entire park. Also, there’s tons of wildlife around, like sheep, moose, and,
yes, bears. “There’s even a hotel nearby, the Many Glacier Hotel, if you need
something to do for the day, or if it rains.”
#17 First Landing State
Park, Virginia Beach, Virginia
“The
actual beach feeds into Chesapeake Bay, which means it’s calm, shallow, and
full of cool wildlife to explore, which can be especially great if you have kids.
There’s great hiking, and the park even offers cool nature classes, so staying
in the park for the day is quite easy. However, you’re also only a five to ten
minute drive from the heart of Virginia Beach, where there’s a boardwalk with
shopping, dining, clubbing, and amusement parks — so take your pick!”
#18 Tuolumne Meadows
Campground, Yosemite National Park, California
This campground is right in Yosemite, which
means that you have one of the most beautiful parks in the world to explore.
“Tuolumne is a good place for campers with little, or only some, experience.
You can bring an RV, or pitch tents if you prefer to rough it, and there are
restrooms, showers, and food lockers. Each individual site also has a fire ring
already made. The campsite itself is well situated in the park, which makes day
hikes to landmarks possible — but still more than a stroll.”
#19 Boundary Waters Canoe
Area Wilderness, Gooseberry Falls, Minnesota
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness
(BWCAW) has more than 1,500 miles of canoe routes, about 2,200 designated
campsites, and tons of lake and streams and hiking trails — in other words,
it’s huge! “There are also ‘leave no trace’ rules in place to maintain the
rustic, unadulterated wilderness. And even though there are portages and
designated campsites, it’s still pretty remote. It’s a great place to just
enjoy the present and take a breather. Be away from it all.”
#20 Fall Creek Falls State
Park Campground, Spencer, Tennessee
“Everything in the park is beautiful, the
hiking goes from easy to very challenging, and the campground itself is
gorgeous, well-maintained, and perfect for families.” There are 222 campsites
total, and there’s even backcountry camping if that’s your thing.
#21 Lodgepole Campground,
Three Rivers, California
Located just 21 miles away from the
entrance of Sequoia National Park, Lodgepole is surrounded by sequoia trees,
making it one big green oasis. “And it’s close to all the best hiking trails!”
#22 Hither Hills State
Park, Montauk, New York
“You
are camping literally right on the beach, just behind the dunes. You spend your
days swimming in the Atlantic Ocean or relaxing on the beach, catching a tan,
barbecuing, playing volleyball, and going on nature walks and hikes where you
can see piping plovers and ospreys. You can also leave the campgrounds and, if
you drive just five minutes east, you will reach Montauk, which has shopping,
restaurants, and the gorgeous Gosman’s Dock, where you can buy local seafood to
cook on the BBQ later. At night, Hither Hills often has live music on the
grounds, or movie screenings for children and families. And my absolute
favorite part of camping there is the fact that you can see so many stars at
night. It looks and feels like pure, celestial magic.”
#23 Warren Dunes State
Park, Sawyer, Michigan
Lake Michigan is one of the most well-known
vacation spots in the country, and for good reason: It’s exactly what you
picture a relaxing lake vacation to be. This campground, located right on Lake
Michigan, fits right into that vision: “There’s a dune to hike up, a nice
beach, and a mud pit about miles down the beach. There are also amazing nature
programs and storytelling on the beach.”
#24 Governor Doge State
Park, Dodgeville, Wisconsin
“It
has two main areas to camp, two lakes, and tons of hiking and biking trails.
There are some amazing bluffs, and even a little waterfall.”
#25 Skidaway Island State
Park, Savannah, Georgia
When you think of Savannah, Georgia, you
probably think of all that beautiful spanish moss, right? Well, this campground
allows you to basically camp right under those trees. “It’s 20 minutes outside
of Savannah, and it’s simply beautiful. The spanish moss hanging in the trees
creates a beautiful canopy, and there are amazing walking and biking trails
where you can see a lot of historical artifacts and battlegrounds. There’s even
a prehistoric giant sloth skeleton in the camp museum that was found on that
island!”
#26 Big Bend Campground,
Smoke Hole Canyon, West Virginia
Big Bend is located along a ~bend~ on the
South Branch Potomac River — and because it’s on the river, it’s an ideal spot
for tubing, kayaking, fishing, and swimming. “The river is crystal clear, and
flows in a horseshoe around the campground. You jump in on one side, float in a
tube for an hour, jump out on the other side, and cross the street to do it
again!”
#27 Four Mile Creek State
Park Campground, Youngstown, New York
“This place has 275 camp sites with fire pits
and places to park your cars, as well as fully equipped bathrooms with showers.
It’s great for families and people looking to car camp. It’s also very close to
Niagara Falls, and a short drive away from a grocery store if you need
marshmallows for s’mores. There’s lots of nature, too — highly recommend.”
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