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Best Tent Camping in Delaware

333 Reviews

With more than 150 miles of trails, great coastal and inland fishing, and 20 state parks and forests, there are plenty of choices for camping in Delaware. Whether you like the convenience of an RV or the simplicity of a tent, camping in Delaware has many of options for outdoorsy visitors.

The most popular campground is Delaware Seashore State Park, a beach park just a few minutes' drive from the summer hotspot of Dewey Beach. Tent campers and RVers alike love the closeness to the Atlantic beaches and the calm coastal bays – six miles of sand and sun just steps away from your chosen campsite, with plenty of full-hookup spots.

During the summer, Delaware Seashore has beach wheelchairs available first-come, first-serve, and mobility mats allow standard wheelchairs access at Towers Ocean and South Inlet locations. For family members or friends who want to have a beach experience but don’t like camping, the Cottages at Indian River Inlet are a great close-by relaxing destination.

Many also campers like to enjoy the restaurants, bars and nightlife in Dewey Beach, about a mile north of the park. Dewey Beach offers plenty of watersports, eateries, dancing and live music for a great change of pace from a day of sunning and swimming.

A few miles north along Delaware’s Route One is Cape Henlopen State Park, a dream spot for lovers of nature and history. Formerly a World War II fort – Delaware’s shoreline is dotted with old military fire control towers – Cape Henlopen offers access to both calm Delaware Bay waters and Atlantic surf, as well as miles of shady wooded trails for hiking and bicycling through coastal marshes. Camping in Delaware at Cape Henlopen means you’re tucked into sandy woodland sites with picnic tables, campfires and plenty of pine trees, with small cottages also available.

If you're looking to escape summer crowds but still enjoy the beach, campers can drive about 10 miles south to Fenwick Island State Park, featuring three miles of beaches on the barrier island. Known as the "Quiet Beach," the ocean and bayside park is sandwiched between Ocean City, Maryland, and the "Quiet Resorts" of Bethany Beach, South Bethany, and Fenwick Island.

If the beaches aren’t your speed, the state has plenty of inland parks and forests which offer a range of opportunities and fun for camping in Delaware - from Trap Pond’s primeval-looking water trails perfect for canoeing and kayaking to Lums Pond’s treetop daredevil ropes course and ziplines. Wherever your plans take you, The Dyrt is your guide to the best tips, tricks and insider advice for a great time camping in Delaware.

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Best Tent Sites in Delaware (2)

    1. Blackbird State Forest Campground - CLOSED TIL FURTHER NOTICE

    6 Reviews
    Townsend, DE
    Website
    +1 (302) 653-6505

    $25 / night

    "This is a good free state forest with maybe 10 (or less) designated tent-camping sites, and designated areas for deer hunting."

    "The only thing about this site specifically is the trail was close by so you’d occasionally see people walking by but not enough that it didn’t still feel secluded."

    2. Redden State Forest Campground

    6 Reviews
    Georgetown, DE
    Website
    +1 (302) 856-2893

    $28 / night

    "There is firewood, but it is not free. You pay for it on the “honors system”. Bring cash. There is no water, no electric, no bathroom. This is primitive camping/boondocking."

    "As noted in other reviews, turn right as you drive past the office/house and let yourself in through the closed (but unlocked) gate."

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Tent Camping Reviews in Delaware

333 Reviews of 2 Delaware Campgrounds

  • BA K.
    Apr. 3, 2023

    Redden State Forest Campground

    Beautiful, secluded, not free, nothing larger than 25 ft allowed

    This is no longer a first come, first served campground. Reservations must be made in advance at bookyoursite.com, only 3 days consecutive allowed. I stayed in March, paid $28 per night. Travel trailers, pull behinds, motorhomes are not allowed. Tents, cars, overlander SUVs, minivans and small Class B camper vans are allowed. Nothing over 25 ft allowed. There is firewood, but it is not free. You pay for it on the “honors system”. Bring cash. There is no water, no electric, no bathroom. This is primitive camping/boondocking. This is a “leave no trace, carry in/carry out” facility. The campsites are well maintained, clean and for the most part, it’s quiet, some highway noise and noise from other campers, but still very nice. There is a ranger on duty who stopped by to say hello, a quick visit. Drive to your site, no check in. Redden State Forest is very beautiful and although you’re in the woods, still very close to shopping and gas stations in Georgetown. Beaches are about 30-40 minutes away, leave early to avoid traffic. Verizon 2-3 bars, consistently.

  • Diane T.
    Jul. 13, 2020

    Cape Henlopen State Park Campground

    Plan early, one of the best places to camp near the beach!

    Cape Henlopen camp sites fill up so quickly, and for good reason! After missing out on reservations year after year, this year, we booked a weekend tent site for July back in January and immediately realized the spark of this place. The campground is large with various loops full of RV, popup, and tent sites. There is also a section of walk-in tent sites, each with 1 parking spot semi close by. (Bring a wagon if you stay at one of these). We stayed in site T021 (walk-in site) and had plenty of privacy and space to set up our screen room, tent, and firepit. All camp sites come with the standard picnic table, as well as fire pit and grill grate. There is a camp store in the center of the campground where you can purchase firewood, coffee, batteries, ice or other camping needs.  There are several bath houses strategically placed throughout the campground so that you can easily find one a few minute walk away no matter where you stay. Bath houses were clean, updated, well maintained and air conditioned. There are both public showers that are stall-like within some of the bath houses, as well as large private shower + bathroom stalls (perfect if you have young kids). I didn't find the bugs to be any worse than typical summer camping spots (I heard they maybe spray for bugs on the sites?) but definitely bring your spray and citronella candles. It also POURED from a small tropical storm the morning we arrived yet our site and the full campground was well and dry by the time we set up in the afternoon  - looked like most of the sites were set up on hills, which is great to avoid pooling in inclement weather.  Pets are allowed and there are water spigots near every site. Although our site (T021) was spacious and private, my brother's family was staying on T011 and there were about 4-5 sites all in an open space back to back with one another near his. The neighbors were friendly so no complaints but the lack of privacy there is worth nothing in case you wanted to feel more 'remote'. The sites are mostly tree lined and semi shaded by pines. The campground gets extremely dark at night and the stars are so beautiful from the lack of light pollution! The campground is in a large state park, full of many bike trails, hiking spots, historical WWII sites, fishing pier, and of course the beach. There is a separate entrance for campers so make sure to follow that when you drive in. The beach *is* walkable (maybe a mile away) but much easier /quicker to drive, and there is plenty of parking by the beach. The beach can get crowded but is clean and has lifeguards.  The best part is on a quiet night, if you listen really closely, you can hear the waves crashing in the distance. Due to the nature vibe, proximity to beach, and modern  bathhouses, I think this campground has become our new favorite one!

  • Sarah C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 8, 2017

    Cape Henlopen State Park Campground

    Nice Newly Renovated Sites

    We came back for another visit this September and the campground has undergone lots of renovations since I was here last so I wanted to provide an updated review.

    As always, the biking and walking trails in the park are top notch! The Gordon's Pond trail offers beautiful salt march views with lots of birds especially first thing in the morning. Beach access is quick and easy from the campground, too!

    We stayed in tent site 114 which was among a cluster of tent sites. Here you have to park in a parking lot and cart your stuff into your actual site. It's not a long haul but could be a pain in the neck if you tend to bring a lot of stuff with you when you camp. From our site there was a small path through the back of the site that provides quick and immediate access to the bike trails in the area.

    The sites have newly built picnic tables (very heavy and sturdy) as well as new concrete pad fire rings with grates. They sit a little high off the ground than a traditional fire pit but are nice and well maintained thus far. As I mentioned, the tent site we were in was among a cluster of sites spaced out relatively evenly. However, if all of the sites had been full it would have been a bit close together for my liking. One thing that is nice about these sites is the amount of shade, super helpful in the late summer heat.

    The bathroom facilities are also nice and well maintained. Be advised that many Delaware state parks require that you pack out all of your trash at most of their day use areas, the campground however DOES have a dumpster available for trash.

    If you can get a reservation here it's totally worth the stay!

  • Jessica D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 24, 2023

    Trap Pond State Park Campground

    Quiet, natural simplicity

    We had a great experience at Trap Pond. Price was reasonable. D Loop sites were a good size. Comes with a fire ring and picnic table. Site wasn't super level, so just bring enough leveling blocks if you're in a camper. D14 specifically is the last site on the row with an unobstructed view of the pond- we loved it. All sites in D loop had great tree coverage. It was also right near the showers, which were clean & warm, just what was needed. Tent sites are more secluded and are walk-in; our buddies tent camped the same weekend. There was a dock within walking distance of our site. Canoes were available for rent & I highly recommend canoeing water trails through the beautiful Cypress trees. No sewer connects, but there are 2 dump stations and we didn't wait long at the dump station heading out on a Sunday in July. Camp store has all the necessities, yet still simple. Free concerts at the nature center every Saturday in the summer. Nice walking/hiking trails around the grounds also. Dog friendly was a plus!! Lots of dogs were on leads at campsites including ours.

  • Marie L.
    Jul. 13, 2023

    Trap Pond State Park Campground

    Beautiful as always

    Just wow. We made an impromptu visit and camping trip. The walk-in tent sites are BEAUTIFUL!! It’s really great to be able to set up camp and be in nature without the sound of someone charging their phone or blowing up their mattress in the site next to you. All the wall in tent sites on loop E are HUGE!! You can easily fit two tents plus all the glamping extras! The bathrooms are short walk away and are lovely. Clean and big with free showers. The wheelbarrows provided are great for the drop off of equipment. The first night it rained (literal buckets). The site was under 3 inches of water within a half hour!! Once the rain stopped though the puddles were gone just as fast! The hiking is always beautiful and easy to access. The flat trails are wide and loop across to the national park side. The camp store is also a huge plus! They have everything you need for emergency’s and then some! The bikes, ice, and firewood are easy to access. The only complaint is that although there is boating a place to cool off was missed greatly. A pool or splash pad would make a great addition to an almost perfect campground! An added note, during the storm a branch from a tree became loose and we went to the check in to let them know. They gave us expedited care. The checked out the tree and decided for our safety we needed to change sites. They were able to give us a new site right away and even offered to help move us!! Customer camper care is definitely number 1!

  • Marc P.
    Mar. 24, 2024

    Killens Pond State Park Campground

    Quick quiet weekend.

    Camped weekend before Easter. Only 3 loops open and mostly full. Camp host never bothered us (there are currently 3 onsite). Really odd rules with campfires (must buy wood from park, can not burn anything laying on ground like sticks/dead branches). Nice walk around the lake.

  • Gayle B.
    Aug. 27, 2018

    Delaware Seashore State Park Campground

    We're already booked for next year!

    First, let me start by saying this campground is not what I usually like. I like trees, mountains, shade… this is a beach, plain and simple. That being said- we absolutely loved it and are already booked for next year! It was easy to find. Sites were very well marked. Friendly staff. Beautiful views. Ocean was a short 5 minute walk from our campsite- along with a playground and delicious restaurant (that even served vegan food!)! I didn't use the bathroom/bathhouse, but my husband said they were clean, well maintained and had excellent water pressure. Sites were a bit tight; I believe online it says they're 45x30 but I find that hard to believe. Our trailer is almost 38 feet and we only had a little room left over. Sites were level and paved along with some sand and grass. Also a picnic table- no fire rings at the sites, but there were a couple campfire areas scattered around the park. We spent most of our time at the beach anyway so the small site really didn't matter much. The campground is split into two sides of the river. The larger one that we stayed at had a life guarded beach. The beach on the other side had no lifeguard, but dogs were allowed on that beach and the water seemed a bit calmer and clearer over there. We stayed for 5 nights and every night was quiet except Friday- that's when our neighbors decided to get drunk and sing karaoke until 2am. People please, if alcohol tells you that you sound like Stevie Knicks, don't believe it. You don't. And no one wants to be woken up by your screeching. We complained the next morning (and from what I understand, several other people did too) and that night they came and spoke to them about quiet hours and we had no more problems after that. It's right next to a bridge- which is beautiful at night- but we didn't hear the traffic as much as I expected. Tent sites were closer to the bridge, though, so I'm not sure how noisy they were… Overall, it was a great location (only about 15 minutes from the Rehobeth Beach boardwalk) with excellent amenities. Highly recommended!

  • C
    Aug. 29, 2019

    Trap Pond State Park Campground

    First time

    My first time visiting TPSP. The site is gorgeous throughout. The camp store is small but has everything that you need. Personnel were warm and friendly, very helpful for a first timer... spent some time chatting with them. I stayed at a tent site. The tent sites are walk in only but parking is not very far. The site provided hand trucks and wheelbarrows for you to car your items into your site. I had brought my own wagon which was helpful in keeping some of my gear off the ground during a rain storm. The site I stayed at was clean, level and well appointed; a t bar for hanging trash or a shower pack. Fire pit with grill. The tent sites are far enough from each other that you are not disturbed by neighbors, lots of trees between sites. There are water pumps every few yards, some are a Bit tricky to get working but I did not have an issue. The campground has trash and recycling bins so you do not have to carry out. I checked out some of the drive in and RV sites. They are large and well maintained, good for camper or tent camping, although fewer trees separate you from adjacent spots, so if you’re interested in more privacy opt for a tent site. The weekend I stayed we had torrential rain for about six hours but my site did not flood. Be sure to bring a large enough footprint to account for rain however, as I needed to really clean my tent and fly when I got home due to splash back of mud and leaves. Thee bathhouse was clean and the playground looked pretty good as well. Hoping that for my return trip the new bathhouse bear the tent sites is completed. If you’re not keen on using port a Johns or hiking to the bathhouse near the camper sites I suggest bringing a travel composting toilet. I hiked the full Bob Trail which is breathtaking. Easy level hike that winds all around the park and connects to the campground. I also rented a kayak for about three hours and was able to travel the full pond and connecting Terrapin Trail and back. The recreation area(where you rent boats and kayaks) has a nice picnic area and playground. I have camped at Henlopen State Park in the past and can say that TPSP is my new favorite in delaware. I enjoyed my time so much that I am already booked to return in late September and again in early November.

  • Marie L.
    Jun. 9, 2022

    Trap Pond State Park Campground

    Excellent Time

    Stayed in Yurt 1 waterfront. It may be the most beautiful campsite I’ve had the pleasure of staying at. Stayed in early June. There was plenty of tree cover, and the breeze coming off the pond was wonderful. It was such a lovely surprise. The Yurt had electric and AC! Big cozy inside with a small table and two beds. There is water Spickets close by and the bathrooms are close as well. It’s nice that the cabin area is walk-in only so no worries about loud trucks all times of day. The bathrooms are shared individual and free clean showers!! There is a park and boat launches everywhere. DO NOT MISS OUT ON THE HIKING! Such beautiful trails all over. Could spend a whole weekend doing a separate trail each day. Long and short ones.

Guide to Delaware

Delaware offers a fantastic experience for tent camping enthusiasts, with beautiful natural settings and well-maintained sites that cater to various preferences.

Some prices for tent camping range from $28 to $30

  • At Redden State Forest Campground, you can enjoy a primitive camping experience for around $28 per night, with the added charm of being close to nature.

Tips for tent camping in Delaware

  • When visiting Blackbird State Forest Campground, be prepared for a peaceful stay with spacious sites and friendly fellow campers, making it a great spot for relaxation.

Local attractions near tent camping sites

  • The proximity of Redden State Forest Campground to Lewes and Cape Henlopen makes it an ideal base for exploring beautiful beaches and local attractions just a short drive away.

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