Best Glamping near Smyrna, DE

Fun for the whole family. Lots to do and the beautiful beaches of Cape May, New Jersey are a short 10 minute drive. The different types of camping/glamping experiences exceeded my expectations. We enjoyed the Deer Crossing Teepee which had far more luxuries than any other glamping I have done. Highly recommend this campground resort.

My husband and I stayed for a week in one of the glamping tents. The staff was very friendly and the tents were more glamorous than we had tried before, but definitely had a good combination of woodsy and comfort. The only thing we didn't really like was that there are A LOT of RV sites, and it's kind of a bummer to just stare at a bunch of RVs lol also next time we will look for somewhere with opportunities for hiking and various activities. This campground has a playground, so good for kids, but not so much an all adults stay.

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

Convenient to MD, PA, and DE side trips. Campground has 2 yurts right by the lake. There is no swimming, but your yurt rental gets you a double sit on top kayak, paddles, and PFDs. A/C has been added to the yurts. There is one bunk bed with a full size bottom bunk and a single top. A futon is also in each yurt. Across the lake is Going Ape Zip Line. An 8 mile loop trail circumnavigates the lake and can be used my bikers, walkers, or runners.

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.

What a great little campground. Shaded well spaced sites with full hookups and yurts to stay in.

This State park campground is very well maintained. The staff is friendly. Quiet, clean area and had no problem navigating in our 40’ 5th wheel. Great place to stay and check out “Lower, slower Delaware.”

Had a great weekend trip here, close to DC and Delaware. Wonderful hiking trails with river views. Only caveat- got pretty muddy since it rained the day before and our site didn’t have a tent pad. Firewood and minimal supplies available at the check in.

We spent the last three nights camping and hiking at Cape Henlopen State Park in Lewes Delaware. They have a very nice campground with clean bath houses and a nice camp store. There are excellent bike trails and great places to hike and enjoy the area

This is a very nice KOA, just over the Delaware River from Philly. The park is clean, quiet, full of families. The staff are friendly and welcoming. It’s easy to navigate to the park from the interstate, and big rigs fit easily. I would definitely plan to stay here to visit Philly!

Facilities (camp store, restrooms, showers etc.) were clean and well-maintained. Great bike paths all over the state park to explore the army bunkers, Ft. Miles, and the beach. We rented stand-up paddleboards and explored the calmer waters in Delaware Bay (pro-tip, don't wear your wedding ring out there, or it may end up at the bottom of Delaware Bay...oops). We were out there in the afternoon, but the guy at Quest kayak rentals (right in the state park, at the fishing pier) if you go out in the morning, you can sometimes see dolphins!

This campground was pretty busy. You need reservations well in advance if you want to have a choice of sites in the summer. We got a site at the last minute, just for one night. It wasn't the best site and a little expensive for us (we tent camp and were in an RV site), but there was shade, free showers, and lots to see and do. We had a great time here!

Cape henlopen is one of five or six Delaware state parks that offer RV camping. Sites vary in size so make sure you check the details before you book. Using their online campground map along with google earth will give you a pretty good idea. Water and electric hookups only. There are 3 dump stations as you exit the park which is really nice. I have never had to wait. Most sites offer good shade by the local pine trees. Nice bike trails and hiking through the dunes. They even offer free bike rentals. Clean bath houses as well. If they had Full hookups I would give 5 stars (I am spoiled I know).

  The 5th & last state on our East Coast trek is Delaware! 

 We took the ferry from Cape May & it was a novelty for us. We enjoyed it so much! 

  The state park is just a half mile on the left when you pull out.

   For Delaware I had my heart set on Cape Henlopen State Park. The sites go fast & I felt lucky to get the site I ended up with. When we got there we found out a water main broke& there was no water. Fortunately, we only went a day without. 

 There are cabins  & primitive sites with their own bath house. The water/electric sites are in rows A-F. We were in B 14.The sites are laid out at an angle, but some were a straight backin. The even A sites- you park your rig or car on the road in a straight line & you get a big wooded site. Not sure if these sites have electricity.

There's 2 dump stations on the way out. 

There's shower houses for E/F/T, the G loop& on the B loop road. They were clean. There's an asphalt trail leading through the main sites for bathroom access. It's clearly marked on the map, so keep it in mind when you pick a site.

 There are some pullthroughs that can take big rigs. The sites are not uniform, some larger, some smaller. Watch the site dimensions or you might not be able to fit your vehicle AND camper on the site. It HAS to all be on the asphalt behind the white line.

  There are combo toilet/showers which I'm not fond of. You're a tenter & want to go for your morning BM& all the doors are locked with people showering. :(  They're clean.

The camp store/ laundry is the building next to that. The playground is also right there.

 This was my husbands favorite campground on our trip. It was a very enjoyable place!

   This park has a LOT of activities: the beach, a nice nature center. Fort Miles for WW 2 history. Biking is hugely popular & they have bike rentals at the nature center if you forgot yours. You can climb a WW 2 watchtower. There's hiking trails, a fishing pier. So much to do.

Lots of good restaurants in the area also.

We had a great time there. Sorry we had to leave...

My wife's family has been coming here for YEARS and I've been fortunate to join them the last 2 years and this place is fun!

There are great camping options and a lot to do in the park aside from camping. There's a fun little store with some natural interpretive exhibits and staff to answer questions you might have. Also within the park is a cool old observation tower from WWII and a military bunker. There are cool historical exhibits to explore while you're there if you get bored of the beach or biking.

Speaking of biking, this area of Delaware has amazing biking. There is a connector that you can take from the park all the way to the beach in Rehoboth. We really enjoy the Gordon's Pond bike trail as well as the Junction and Breakwater trail. The biking options are truly endless! Catch awesome views of coastal maritime forests and salt marshes teeming with birds.

There are also several hiking trails within the park to explore if you want to give your bum a break from the bike saddle.

You're close enough to the city of Rehoboth if you want to spend a day or night away from the more secluded campground. This is a LARGE campground in a popular destination so reservations go quickly.

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!

General: Large park with both hookups and non, plus cabins, located right on the Atlantic Ocean. 

Site Quality: Paved pads but many were covered with pine needles when we were there. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. Sites in the B Loop have the advantage of the camp store (which was only open on weekends when we were there in early November) and the bathhouse. Some of the sites have good separation between them but not all. 

Bathhouse: Separate “pods” with toilet, sink, and shower. The floor in the one I used upon arrival was completely wet, either by design flaw or a messy user but the one I used the next morning had a dry floor. Did not use the shower. There were detailed instructions with photos on how to lock the doors but even though I thought I followed the photos, the door still wasn’t locked (as I discovered when someone opened the door!). This led me to believe others have struggled with this too! 

Activities: If you bring a bike, there are a plethora of bike trails throughout the park that are good for walking as well. Biking will give you the opportunity to get to more areas of the park such as the giant sand dune, the lookout towers, Herring Point, and the Delaware Breakwater East End Lighthouse. If you are interested in World War II history, this is a good park to explore. You are also conveniently located near the Lewes-Cape May ferry terminal. 

Conclusion: We only spent one night here and did not have bicycles so I feel like we could not take full advantage of all the park had to offer (but I did get a good photo of the lighthouse during the golden hour)!

Great RV amenities. large spots. nice pond with a nice trail for mtb or hiking. very easy trail for both. boat ramp onsite. zip line. overall very nice place

A small state park surrounding a large pond. The campground is located on the backside of the park, with its own entrance, so follow directions carefully. Because of this, it’s slightly removed from the beach and other service areas of the park, but is connected by multi use trails. Great for biking, as the recently finished Mike Castle trail along the C&D Canal is right across the street.

Perfect place to hike, bike and picnic!!

We stayed at the tent only site 1, which was a decent distance from the other sites.

The restrooms were really clean and it was nice that each was separate.

The camp store/ office section was closed during most of our visit, but the rest of the campground, including the nature center, was open.

The sites are big and spaced far apart. Lots of privacy. Bathhouse new condition. Nice trails.

We do Lums Pond at least twice a year if we can get reservations.

Sites are big and all were redone in the last few years with concrete pads, 30 amp service and full sewer. There are some equestrian and tent sites as well.

Lots of boating (electric motors only) and kayaking on the pond and a decent amount of hiking. There’s an off leash dog park, equestrian center and boat ramp. Book early because it fills up fast!

Very spacious and the state park has many things to do like zip lining, hiking, bike riding, fishing, and you can even rent kayaks. It is a nice place also to relax if that’s what your into.

This was our first time here and it’s only an hour from home. I was hopeful for another nice DE state park and I wasn’t disappointed. All DE parks are nicely laid out. There were shaded spots and sunny spots. Bathhouse was clean. The camp loop is a nice walk but there are also trails. They were pretty muddy when we were there. Site 35 was quite spacious as were many of them. Sites do sit close to the road but are spacious side to side. There is a large field in the center and woods surrounding the loop. Site 33 was close to our back side but site 37 was far from us. There is one cross road with sites and those were closer together. Sites on pond side were more spread apart than the opposite side. The one tent area was behind and slightly surrounding an RV site which was weird. The other tent areas were separate from RV sites. I would recommend this campground.