Best Cabin Camping near Smyrna, DE

My son absolutely loved this place. There’s anything and everything you could think of available to keep everyone busy. A water park, volley ball field, playgrounds, amphitheater, nature center, nature trails, and boat rentals at the lake.

It is a huge park, with secluded spots available for tent camping, cabins, and regular open spaces for camping rvs with electric hook up. Staff was friendly, campgrounds were well kept. It can get a little crowded but it’s worth it to stay. If you don’t like crowds, I suggest coming during the week days!

This campground isn’t bad, but some things could definitely be improved. The grounds and facilities are nice, but ever other water hookup leaks. The pool area was closed but looks very nice. Cabins look very nice, one of the best camping cabin options I’ve seen. Sites are spacious, but there is zero shade or privacy at all. I appreciate the grass pads, as I’m not a fan of stone dust in my camper. My site had a nice concrete patio area. There are a TON of mostly free activities for kids, which is awesome.

The issue here seems to be clientele. Golf carts are completely out of control with no enforcement by staff. Reckless driving by minors is common. I saw crashes and people falling from carts. Fast driving with a cart full of kids with a thumping stereo and no lights was also a thing. Quite hours start at 11 which is late. I’ve been to a lot of campgrounds with golf carts and it isn’t often an issue. If this was brought under control it would be a much better experience.

This is a solid, inclusive campground. Good hookups. Playground, pool area with 2 pools, a water park, and 2 hot tubs. Mini golf was free. Everything else has a fee. Water hours are limited to 11am to 7pm even in 90 degree weather. Store has good hours open until 10. It’s large and their website states there are day passes, so it it very crowded in the water park. People were nice. I’m gluten free so no food options, but a place delivered as we forgot a food bag at home. My grandson got stung by a wasp or bee during laser tag which was a downer at the end of our trip.

This park is all for the kids. This will be our second year going. So much to do for the kids. Our first year we did a birthday package where they brought a cake to the camp with Booboo for my daughter. They have the pools and playgrounds and fishing. Also the bonus of the hot tub being dropped off for two days. We do not rent a golf cart as it’s dam dam expensive. So we make sure to get close spots so we can walk. You can bring pets but we choose not to as we are not at the camp much. We do go fishing while we are here and my daughter loves this place

I get you need to have rules to keep order, but when I say the people at this campground were a little extra, I mean it. We stayed 2 nights at Land & Shore and the first night was Friday night and all 6 families that are members with our own sites were hanging out around a fire pit and at 1016pm someone security person drove by with one headlight and told us at 11pm we would have to pit our fire out. I think it was a little bit overkill and there was other campers that had a fire going, we were not being loud or anything and when she came by or anything so we didn't understand the urgency of telling us that, plus when did quiet time mean you couldnt sit by the campfire. The next day when I was in the hot tub my daughter walked up to me to ask if I could get her a drink and she was not about to get into the water but the over concerned lifeguard walked up to say ... you need to be 18 to be on the hot tub and we all looked at each other that were in, and the old man next to us says well we all are and he said we'll she's not and he replied for me l, that good thing she wasn't in then ... let a parent be a if you see someone not obeying the rules, okay, but we were, and we don't need your 2 cents because you're not even 18. I liked the area but wouldn't go back to this same campground, the sites are way too close for me and your practically on top of your neighbors, but we went with family so... the beach is within 10ish minutes and is beautiful but your suppose to have passes, we biked around the area and along the beach it was very nice. I did like the lake and waterpark. However, the water in the waterpark was ice cold.

We were sad to find out it’s no long a Yogi Bear Campground, only Adventure bound. Everything else is the same, just no friendly bears. We stay 3 weeks ago during covid and there were limited activities. Dj in the rally field was fun and the train rides were up and running.
The campground has def changed in the last 10 yrs. Cabin rentals are everywhere and have replaced a lot of transient camper sites and it seems like many more seasonals than before. I booked another trip for Halloween.

We had stayed in this canpground about 5 years ago and we loved it. We returned this year with my 12 and 14 year olds and a 12 year old friend. The kids were bored. The only improvements in the 5 years is they took out tent sites and replaced them with cabin rentals. The go carts are old. The air pillow was flat. They took out the pool table. Hardly any games in the game room. We were very disappointed. They really need to ass something new to make it.more teen-friendly.

West Chester KOA This is a really nice KOA not too far from downtown Philly. The campground is located in a beautiful part of the Pennsylvania countryside with rolling hills which meant the roads getting there are narrow and windy. A bridge nearby the campground was washed out earlier by a hurricane so we had to take an alternative route going about thirty minutes out of our way. (Make sure you check their website for directions!) There is a lot to do in the surrounding area like visiting the historical sites in downtown Philadelphia, Valley Forge, or exploring Amish country. 

This is a typical KOA with lots of amenities and activities for kids– swimming pool, jump pad, miniature golf, volleyball, butterfly garden, gem mining, playground, store, dog park, nature trail, etc. There is a large pool area with pavilion but it was closed during our stay since we were there early in the season. The campground is right on the Brandywine River which is a slow meandering pretty river that is great to get your feet wet or go for a paddle. Canoes and kayaks are available for rent if you have time and as there is very little current in the river you can paddle out and back without any trouble. 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. Our site (#27) was level for our RV but the patio sloped downhill and we could not use our picnic table or find a level spot for our chairs. Some sites are “premiums” with paved patios, Adirondack chairs, fancy firepits, BBQ grill, and tables and chairs with an umbrella. These sites are really nice, but you pay a lot more for them. Some sites are located adjacent to the river with nice waterfront views, but beware some might be muddy. There are lots of camping cabins and a couple of glamping tents. 

Overall, the campground is very clean with no trash lying around and the grass was mowed and trimmed. The 50-amp electric was good as was the water pressure. The sewer connection uphill from our site so it did not drain properly. There is basic cable but since you are so close to Philly there are plenty of over-the-air channels. The Wi-Fi at our site worked well. Garbage is picked up at your site. The surrounding area has plenty of restaurants, shopping, and interesting things to see and do.

Campground well maintained and relatively quiet given its peak season for Delaware beaches. Off the beaten path from beach noise but does require a 15-30 minute drive to popular beaches.

Pros: large area for back in campers. Water park free, cheap weekend getaway, has cabins and golf cart rentals. Beautiful pool and water slide and area, not a lot of mosquitoes. Small crowds. Accommodating staff during check in. Cons: not overly secure with gate of campground unsecured like that of other yogi bears. Not a ton for kids to do in weekly schedule. Only 1 bathroom and shower location near pool. Looks like an additional one will be installed soon but not yet built. Tons of ants. Seen kids driving golf carts through camping areas. No presence of security anywhere.

We stayed here for 3 nights while visiting family In Philadelphia. It is a 20 minute ride into Philly and Uber was was quick and responsive.

*note- this does close for winter and reopens in April but call park for exact closure dates because they do change.

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. They also have a catch and release pond and we found a pickleball court at a nearby city park.

We did Chinatown and walked part of the Schuylkill River trail which we accessed by parking near Fairmount Park. This is a great area to explore with gorgeous views and easy access to the River trail. (There are rentals for everything here- kayaks/bikes etc)

IF we had a car with us- we would have considered taking the ferry from Camden’s Ferry Terminal next to Wiggins Park to Philly. (This is also near the Adventure Aquarium and the battleship New Jersey) Here is a link to information about the ferry-

https://www.delawareriverwaterfront.com/places/riverlink-ferry

This is a great location for exploring Philadelphia.

Happy Camping! Pamela and Keith

Cape Henlopen is wonderful and really, really large. Bring the bicycles, helmets are required. We love it here, there is so much to do. There are miles upon miles of walking and biking trails. There are nice play facilities for kids, loads of water and beach access. Great fishing, with a large open pier complete with well stocked, well informed and reasonably priced tackle shop on the pier. Nice bathroom facilities available there as well.

There is a fantastic nature center (FREE) complete with touch tanks and knowledgeable park staff. Free bike rentals are available, some with baby seats and trailers. As a former military installation, there are lots of military historical items and sites. Underground bunkers and batteries and such. There's a wonderful observation tower built on top of one of these that affords beautiful 360 degree views and photo opportunities. There are also old observation towers, one of which you can climb to the top of.

Lots and lots of wildlife and nature photography to be had here.

Campsites can be a bit tight, and the measurements online are real. Fire rings and picnic tables are available on sites. There's a camp store as well. We've stayed both on sites and in one of the really nice cabins. The cabins are great for families, but do not allow pets.

The main thing to know is that the cabins and campsites are all on sandy ground.

For this visit we camped in the cabins with three other families each in their own cabins. The cabins are very spacious, have electric, air and heat. They also have a mini fridge and small microwave as well as tons of cube storage. There are two twin bunks in one room and a queen bed and sofa in the main room. The porch is screened in with a fan and a picnic table. Trash cans, garbage bags, a broom and dust pan are provided.

The cabins are all located near each other in a circle and are pretty close. They are great for group camping.

The nature center here is great for kids and includes several fish tanks, a stingray touch tank and a horseshoe crab touch tank. There are lots of kids friendly hiking trails around and historic military sites as well as some neat playgrounds.

The campground is maintained and there are activities for the kids always brewing. We stayed fathers day weekend and they had a breakfast, games and crafts geared towards it. The pool and splash park were great but you needed to be at least 42 inches to go on the slide or bounce house. The people there were friendly. I think the lale could use a little cleanup with the amount of bobbers, string and mess left behind by people. There have ao many cabins its crazy and alot of seasonal rentals. Our site was roomy and had gravel however it poured and hailed for 1 hr and it still made a swamp. I would come back again my 3 yr old lobed the playground and pool. The roads are dirt but well maintained.

We love this state park and campground. For this trip, we arrived with friends and staying in their cabins. The cabins were clean and spacious with AC, heat and electricity. In addition they had a mini fridge and microwave indoors. Each cabin included a screenshot in porch with picnic table, an outdoor picnic table and fire pot with grill.

The park has wooded trails, trails in the beach, historic sites and an amazing nature center with a touch tank that included sting rays and horseshoe crabs.

Highly recommend this site and can't wait to return with our tent.

We have been coming to Jellystone in Quarryville since our son was 1. My best friend has been coming there longer which is how we heard about it. Neither of us will be coming back. We rent the cabins and every year the quality and cleanliness of the cabins, as well as the facilities and grounds have declined. We stayed this past week and had a skunk living under our cabin. One of the managers, Cindie stated this was a problem weeks ago also. The skunks were fighting all night under the cabin and spraying. The smell came through the AC vents all night. We contacting the front desk. It took hours for someone to come out. They literally handed my husband an AC filter to change himself and the old one was disgusting. We were offered a choice of 2 cabins far from our friends. One had broken air conditioning and the other only one bed which wasn’t sufficient because we have a child. We decided to stay at our cabin but to sleep in our friends cabin because of the smell. We asked for some compensation due to the fact that we could not use our cabin other than to hold our luggage. We were offered a credit but we explained that that was not sufficient enough. That we should receive it back in cash and honestly, we should receive three nights stay because we only stayed in our cabin one night out of the four. We continue to get the runaround from the GM Jerren and Cindie. Nobody gets back to us and they make up stories. After being promised we’d speak to Jerren by check out, One story was that Jerren wasn’t there and had family issues then it was that he was in meetings all day then that Cindie was on the late shift and she would get back to us yet didn’t. Nobody gets back to us, which I pretty much knew would be the case. This is extremely unprofessional! It is unacceptable that we are being lied to by management and that no one gives us a straight answer. Management has lied to us saying they would resolve this numerous times and yet they have not. The water park was broken for 2 days. The pools are dirty. The bathrooms are dirty or gross. The jumping pillow had a hole that was patched and letting out air. It has really gone downhill these past few years. I would not recommend staying here for the money you pay.

We stayed one night in a small cabin. It was cosy and warm on a cold night for fall. The cabins are clean and tidy and the campground is well run. It’s small and the sites are quite close together. There is a good trail around the campground, not long because it’s a small park, but the views of and access to the river are lovely.

This is a small state park with two loops, one with and one without electric hookups. Sites have fire rings and picnic tables. There is a dump station available. Sites are level, in a loop around the bath house. There are also a few cabins available to rent. There's a small $1 surcharge for out of state campers.

For kids, there’s a simple swingset in the loop and a larger, newer playground. Firewood available.

Martinak and Tuckahoe are sister parks, about 20 minutes apart. Tuckahoe offers a number of additional activities, including disc golf, mountain biking, fishing, swimming, and boating(canoe/kayak rentals available). If you’re looking to learn and explore with your kids, there is an extensive junior ranger program.

August 1, 2021, the boat ramp will close for a year; that will likely diminish the appeal of this park for those who want to get out on the river for fishing or boating. When open, there is a network of river trails accessible from the park. There’s a boat launch in nearby West Denton or also at Tuckahoe and a few other nearby spots.

Denton is also your destination if you've forgotten anything.

Very family friendly park. Cabins, RV, Tent - full amenities. Lots of things to do. A little pricy, but worth it especially with kids.

Quiet family campground. Nice play area for kids. VERY clean! Overall, a nice place. Not much to do nearby, and not many food options without driving 15+ mins. Small pool and jacuzzi. Sites in the back section of the campground have a little more space but we had a lot of ants and mosquitos being close to drainage and the woods. We will stay here again.

A small koa but very nice, I stayed in a cabin for my MTB race weekend. Great! Pool is a tad small. Restrooms very clean and good looking tent sites.

The woods are full of nature and diverse. species. We counted over 17 different species of fungi in a 25 foot stretch! I loved staying in the beautiful cabins and enjoying the nature strolls. Would most definitely return.

We camped here in early spring and it makes for a peaceful mini break.Not too easy finding the inner camping loops, but the rangers were very helpful when we checked in. Electrical hook ups and mini cabins meant for lots of RVs and not as much privacy as I had hoped for, so pick your campsite wisely. Mini cabin D is pet friendly but one of the few. Bathrooms were pretty clean, although perpetually wet floors throughout. Nice washing station for doing dishes, which was a major plus. Not too buggy for the early warmth of the season, but watch out for those ticks. Nice hiking and fishing as well. Didn't see much wildlife, but the stargazing was lovely. One bundle of wood wasn't enough to make dinner, so be mindful of the 9pm cut off for firewood, if you're planning on a camp breakfast before 7am. Overall made for a memorable anniversary. Would definitely come again.

This was our first visit to this park and we really loved it. We stayed in a tent site which included a fire ring and picnic table, and we had two tents and plenty of space for everything. While we were there, I believe all of the cabins were full and some other tent sites reserved, but the grounds were still very quiet and peaceful. The bathrooms and showers were modern and very clean and looked to be only a brief, flat walk from most of the sites/cabins in the loop. The loops were smaller than I expected, but that wasn't a bad thing. There is also a large sink on one side of the bathhouse which was nice for cleaning up after cooking. AT&T phone service was slow but available. While in the area, we also visited WorkHorse Farm for a tour, First Fruits Orchard for PYO blueberries, and Denton Station antique mall.