2 campgrounds with availability next weekend
Lums Pond State Park Campground houses premium glamping accommodations in Bear, Delaware, just minutes from Newark. The park features yurts located directly adjacent to the pond, offering a perfect blend of nature and comfort. These glamping units come equipped with electricity, air conditioning, and comfortable sleeping arrangements including a bunk bed with full-size bottom bunk and single top bunk, plus a futon for additional guests. Each yurt rental includes a double sit-on-top kayak with paddles and PFDs, allowing immediate water access without additional fees. Nearby, French Creek State Park Campground and Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Quarryville also offer upscale glamping options with modern amenities. A visitor noted, "Cute, quiet camping very close to the GoApe ziplining course! The yurts right by the lake have A/C and a double sit-on top kayak included with your rental."
The 8-mile trail surrounding Lums Pond provides glamping guests with extensive hiking and biking opportunities while maintaining proximity to comfortable accommodations. The Go Ape zip line course runs through the treetops across the pond from the glamping area, creating a perfect adventure-comfort balance. Glamping visitors appreciate the spacious sites and abundance of recreational options without sacrificing modern conveniences. Many units offer climate control systems that make off-season stays comfortable regardless of weather conditions. For those searching for glamping campsites near Newark, the yurts here stand out for combining furnished sleeping quarters with direct access to paddling, fishing piers, and trails all in one location. According to one camper, "There is plenty to do: Trails for biking and hiking, rentals (canoes, kayaks, paddle boats), Go Ape zip lines, playgrounds, fishing piers, and more. Sites are huge and most are level." Reservations should be made well in advance, as these premium glamping campgrounds fill quickly, especially during peak season from April through October.
"The site itself was set back some, and felt secluded while still being near the parking area. Walk to bathrooms and camp store was on the longer side."
"The tent sites are nice in that they are tucked along the wood line slightly away from RVs with more privacy and shade."
Available next weekend
from $22 - $37 / night
"There is a nice, short nature trail which was nice to walk our dog and she enjoyed getting wet in the river. The campground is hilly which means that a fair number of sites are not level."
"I did have major trouble backing in because the road is too narrow for a 45’ motorhome to back in on a nearly 90-degree angle."
from $59 - $86 / night
"A beautiful, well maintained park with lots to do, great bathroom facilities and extremely nice people."
"I was a walk-up with no reservation and since it was a weekday the ranger gave me a great rundown of the best spots in the camp and let me drive through to check them out before going back with my decision"
from $21 - $50 / night
"It’s a clean, well kept space, completely surrounded by state forest, very close to shore access along the rivers/bay, hiking/biking trails right out of the campground."
"We stayed here in November with beautiful weather which meant the large farm behind the campground was spraying manure over their fields. We could smell it."
"Staff is always friendly and the store well stocked. Kids enjoy the water park and nigh time laser tag parties and hay rides. "
"No pets though. B and C loop felt like the spaces were very close to each other. A loop was closed at this point."
"Got there at 11pm and the D loop says no pets allowed."
Available next weekend
from $24 - $122 / night
"This is a nice KOA with full hook ups, tent sites,cabins, and even glamping cabins. There is a pool that is open Memorial Day- Labor Day."
"I arrived on a Tuesday a few days after they closed the pool, and by Wednesday I had the whole row of tent sites to myself."
"We loved the lake campground. My kids are age 3-12. There’s running water available, porta potties are very clean and don’t smell and are lit with a street lamp. Very quiet at night."
"Large campsites at the Lake Loop. Map is a little deceiving- the sites are farther from the lake than I expected and there are no running water bathrooms. Very clean and wooded sites."
from $15 - $50 / night
"They are new-ish Shasta campers, queen bed, 1 slide, rear bunks, 2 entrances. Very clean. Water area is great, splash pad is very fun so is the large blow up slide and pool area."
"We stayed fathers day weekend and they had a breakfast, games and crafts geared towards it."
"The store was stocked well with essentials, and the women running the store was very helpful and friendly. The campground is very well lit and can be navigated easily at night."
"The road for this row is narrow and there is a fence that makes backing in more difficult, especially for a 30+ ft travel trailer."
TravelerCountry Acres is a lovely, well maintained campground. Sites are level and bath house facilities clean and modern. Friendly staff in the office. Dog friendly. Local to all the Lancaster attractions. A complimentary farmland tour is offered by bus and it was great. They take you out into an area of Amish farms and shops and make a stop at 2 of these. The fresh Amish pretzels are amazing!
ScoutThe advertisements for Olde Mill Campground were disingenuous. The campsite was 20 yards from a roller coaster. The NOISE of the roller coaster and children on it screaming was as relentless and unnerving as any train we have ever slept near. There was no quiet until almost midnight. The “pull-through” site left my truck almost in the road and our 25’ Airstream slightly over the road on the backside. The site was not level. The sites were close enough to hear a neighbor’s snoring.
ScoutThe campground is in excellent condition. The facilities are top notch. The excellence and care of the campground is evident. The 4 stars is only due to the road noise and many of the sites are on top of each other. You feel like your neighbor is at your camp fire.
ScoutFirst time at this campground really like it a lot will be returning. The bathrooms are always clean. The grounds are always kept up. Just a really nice place to stay. Most of the sites have some kind of shade.
GuideA beautiful, well maintained park with lots to do, great bathroom facilities and extremely nice people. The electric sites aren't all together, so you don't have RV's lined up but maybe annoying for folks who are tent camping. Avoid the locations in the mid-30's by the dumpster, both staff and campers start shaking the lid around 6:30. Between 5 AM and noon staff were driving big trucks and ATV's around with loud reverse horns, and slamming the fire pit grills, which they store sideways. Overall I had a really wonderful time, but that's largely down to good sound reduction inside the van. Almost zero cell service. I was able to get a couple of text messages in and out, but seemed to be a fluke.
LegendWe spent a weekend at French Creek State Park as our home base for the Chester County Balloon Festival. We stayed for 2 nights at a full-hookup paved site, which ran us $55.25 per night.
WHAT I LIKED:
Peace& Quiet: The state park itself was lovely, serene, and felt nice and spacious.
Prime Location: At just 30 minutes away from the balloon festival, this is the closest campground.
WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE SO MUCH:
The"Leveling" Challenge: We were at site#C-241, which had a pretty significant slope. It took a few boards under the rear wheels and fully extended jacks just to get us anywhere near level.
Tight Fit for Big Rigs: Even though there was plenty of open space behind our site, the actual driveway pad was too short to comfortably fit our motorhome and Jeep together. Compared to other state parks we’ve visited, the interior roads and layouts felt a bit on the tight side.
WOULD WE COME BACK?
LegendOverall, this is a nice, small (about 65 sites) state park with plenty of recreational opportunities inside the park. There is nice separation between sites so you don’t feel like you are on top of your neighbor. Tall trees are scattered about which provide shade at some sites but overall, the park is pretty open. Roads getting to the park are easy to navigate with any size RV. Within the park, roads are paved and free of potholes and there are no low hanging branches. Since the roads are one-way they are not very wide so backing in big-rigs can be a little tight and you might have to run over the grass.
All RV sites are full hook-up and there is a separate area for tents and there is one canvas yurt for rent. The tent sites are nice in that they are tucked along the wood line slightly away from RVs with more privacy and shade. The only downside is that they are pretty far away from the centrally located bathroom and showers. The bathroom has separate rooms for showers which is nice and private. They were tended to daily and very clean. Also, located in the center of the campground is a playground, camp store and laundry. The dumpsters and recycle bins are located in a separate area on the way out of the campground and were frequently full and overflowing. Campsites are paved and some have wide enough that the patio is paved but others have a narrow pad for the RV and gravel patio. We discovered that most sites are level but a few are not (like 22 and 24). The campground is very clean and camp hosts were diligent about picking up trash and cleaning out fire pits every day.
Across the pond (north of the campground) is where most of the amenities are located such as concessions, ball fields, horseshoe pits, disk golf, and more. For those wanting to fish there is a pier in the campground and a self-serve vending machine with bait in it. There are additional fishing piers located in other parts of the park and there are boats, canoes, kayaks, and paddleboards for rent. We stopped in at the Nature Center but it was a bust– just a few taxidermy specimens and not much information. One of the most popular areas of the park is Go Ape which is a ropes/zip line course through the canopy (which does require admission fee). There are nice trails that leave right from the campground– some 17 miles in all. There is a boat launch about a quarter mile from the campground entrance which is suitable for trailerable boats and paddle craft but there are no docks so you can’t leave your boat tied up there. There is an off-leash dog area but it is located far from the campground so it’s best to drive.
ScoutBathrooms are clean and staff is nice
TravelerThe camp site was amazing. Everything is neat and clean and really beautiful place so quiet.
Lums Pond State Park offers tent, RV, and glamping accommodations just 12 miles southwest of Newark, Delaware. The region sits within the Piedmont Plateau with elevations typically below 400 feet. Glamping options near Newark have expanded beyond traditional tents, with several parks now featuring climate-controlled units that include electricity and modern furnishings.
Hiking through history: At French Creek State Park Campground, trails connect to Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site. "We took our daughter's older cousins to the fishing pier, and we didn't even get a nibble, but I think it was too cold for panfish that close to shore. The trails were well marked, and the day we took a hike, we ended up on the equestrian trail that runs all the way around the pond. It was a long, but easy hike," notes one visitor.
Fishing opportunities: Several parks offer ponds and waterways for fishing enthusiasts. "There is a very nice playground situated conveniently between the loops of the campground. It had some slides, a bridge, lots of monkey bars, ladders to climb on and the best feature was the zip line," reports a camper at French Creek State Park.
Equestrian trails: Horse riders can find suitable paths at Hibernia County Park. "The park itself is beautiful. There is a children's pond as well. Brandywine creek and Chambers Lake are there too," mentions one reviewer. Sites cost $15 per night with basic amenities.
Off-season activities: When temperatures drop, many parks remain open with reduced crowds. "Stayed over for one night in early December. Showers and bathrooms were great! If you're traveling through, there are many places to eat nearby," reports a winter visitor to French Creek State Park.
Spacious sites: Many campers appreciate the ample room between sites. At Philadelphia-West Chester KOA, one camper noted, "Fishing available!!! Big sell for me." Another reviewer mentioned, "We spent the Memorial Day weekend at Philadelphia/ West Chester KOA Holiday in Coatesville, PA and had a good time. Great site (once you're in it!) including patio furniture on a paver patio and seating around an upgraded fire pit."
Clean facilities: Well-maintained bathrooms and showers are consistently highlighted in reviews. At Susquehanna State Park Campground, a camper observed, "Bath house was immaculate; by far the cleanest I have ever seen in a campground. Must have been recently renovated."
Peaceful settings: Many campers value the quiet atmosphere. "The entire park is quiet and well-maintained," writes a reviewer about Philadelphia-West Chester KOA. Another camper at Susquehanna State Park noted, "Site was very shaded, and probably the most secluded feel of anywhere we've camped."
Amish country views: The Lancaster-New Holland KOA offers unique cultural experiences. "Has a great view of the valley and Amish farms. Everyone has been very friendly," notes one visitor. Another adds, "Beautiful valley views of Amish country."
Reservation challenges: Popular parks fill quickly, especially during peak season. "We do Lums Pond at least twice a year if we can get reservations. Book early because it fills up fast!" advises one regular visitor.
Limited hookups: Some parks have minimal or no utility connections. At Hibernia County Park, a reviewer points out: "There are NO HOOKUPS, and water is not easy to come by if you are in an RV. If you are coming in an RV, you should come with a full water tank."
Varying site quality: Not all sites are created equal. "Many of the sites surrounding ours were very rocky and left little option for a larger than normal sized tent so keep this in mind if you have a large family sized tent," warns a camper about French Creek State Park.
Weather considerations: The mid-Atlantic region can experience sudden weather changes. "We had rain one evening and it would have been nice to watch tv or stream a movie," notes a Lancaster-New Holland KOA visitor, highlighting the lack of WiFi and cable at some sites.
Kid-friendly amenities: Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Quarryville specializes in family entertainment. "Very family friendly park. Cabins, RV, Tent - full amenities. Lots of things to do. A little pricy, but worth it especially with kids," shares one visitor. The water features particularly impress families: "Water area is great, splash pad is very fun so is the large blow up slide and pool area."
Age-appropriate activities: Consider height restrictions when planning activities. One parent at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park noted, "The pool and splash park were great but you needed to be at least 42 inches to go on the slide or bounce house."
Playground access: When selecting a site, consider proximity to play areas. "The playground was fantastic, though, it was not shaded. It is also in the middle of the Acorn and Beechnut loop," mentions a Susquehanna State Park visitor.
Off-peak visits: For quieter family experiences, consider weekday stays. "In February, about 1/4 of the sites were occupied. It was very quiet," reports a Lums Pond visitor, highlighting the benefit of non-peak timing.
Site selection: Choose sites based on your specific rig requirements. At French Creek State Park, "All sites have a paved level area which made set up a breeze. Sites were not on top of each other. Bathrooms were very nice and clean with large showers," reports one RVer.
Backing challenges: Some parks have tight turns or obstacles. A Philadelphia-West Chester KOA visitor warned, "I did have major trouble backing in because the road is too narrow for a 45' motorhome to back in on a nearly 90-degree angle."
Seasonal considerations: Winter camping requires preparation. "The bathroom at the campground is very nice and new however it is a little on the dirty side," noted a French Creek State Park visitor during off-season camping.
Utility planning: Not all sites offer full hookups. "Sites are full hook up with about 5 tent sites. All are pretty much level. Close to shopping if needed," advises a camper about Lums Pond State Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Newark, DE?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Newark, DE is Lums Pond State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 53 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Newark, DE?
TheDyrt.com has all 28 glamping camping locations near Newark, DE, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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