Glamping near Douglasville, Georgia offers several elevated outdoor experiences within a short drive of the city. Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains with elevations ranging from 700-1,100 feet, the area maintains moderate temperatures even during summer months. Most luxury camping options are situated along lakes or creeks, creating natural cooling effects during Georgia's humid summer season.
What to Do
Hiking historic trails: Chattahoochee Bend State Park features numerous hiking paths through diverse terrain. "Lots of great hiking. The dogs loved the hiking and the river is beautiful with the fall colors. There are so many small trails that are shortcuts around this park. After 2 days, you will feel like a local getting around," shares one visitor.
Water recreation: Mckinney Campground offers excellent fishing opportunities on Lake Allatoona. "We always stop here on our trips down to florida and we always stay a couple days as we love to get a waterfront site and they are nice, clean sites with lots of shade and pet friendly. We love to fish and we always catch several kinds but the crappie are so delicious," notes a regular camper.
Historical exploration: Visit the Manchester Mill Ruins at Sweetwater Creek State Park Campground for a glimpse into Georgia's industrial past. "This is a great state park with good fishing on three lakes. Make sure you go see Manchester Mill Ruins," recommends one visitor who appreciated the historical aspects alongside natural amenities.
What Campers Like
Waterfront sites: Many campsites in the area feature direct lake access. At Clark Creek South Campground, "Perfect views of the lake, some spots lead directly down to the water. Huge spots, well-spaced and friendly hosts!" according to a recent visitor.
Privacy between sites: Red Top Mountain State Park Campground offers secluded camping spots. "This isn't for backpackers but for camping with your family, it's good. They have water and outlets and very very clean bathrooms. Like cleaner than a Publix bathroom. Kid friendly," notes one camper, highlighting the well-maintained facilities.
Quality facilities: Bathhouses in the region tend to be well-maintained. A camper at COE Allatoona Lake Old Highway 41 remarked, "This is a great campground, close to town and the lake view is amazing. There's enough space and privacy between camp sites. Clean comfortable picnic area with table and fire pit."
What You Should Know
Reservation timing: Popular sites book quickly, especially waterfront locations. For Banning Mills Treehouses, a camper noted, "It took us about 6 months to get in here. Long waiting list."
Noise considerations: Some campgrounds are affected by nearby highways. At COE Allatoona Lake Old Highway 41, "We really liked the campground. One section of the campground was too close to the highway, which made you hear cars passing all night, but sites 32 and up were very peaceful and quiet."
Terrain challenges: Several campgrounds feature uneven terrain requiring additional equipment. A camper at Red Top Mountain State Park observed, "The tent pad was large but extremely hard to drive tent stakes into... smaller stakes worked better."
Tips for Camping with Families
Beach access: Clark Creek South Campground offers family-friendly swimming areas. "Beautiful lakeside camping. One of my favorites! Only 40 sites. Most sites on the lake with a ton of space between sites and lake access. Beach and boat ramp on site."
Playground availability: Chattahoochee Bend State Park Campground features recently updated play areas. "2 playgrounds were open. Playgrounds are brand new or at least they look brand new. I am 225 lbs and I played on all the equipment with my daughter."
Educational opportunities: Junior Ranger programs operate at several parks despite pandemic restrictions. At Red Top Mountain, one camper reported, "Friendly staff, with the Jr ranger program still going with the help of adult campers during covid. Still so much fun and so clean and beautiful!!"
Tips from RVers
Site selection guidance: For larger rigs at Stone Mountain Park, a camper advised, "We camped with my parents in the RV section of the campground, it was beautifully wooded and offered plenty of space/privacy from other campsites and was still a short walk from the bathhouse."
Level site considerations: Several campgrounds require additional equipment for leveling. At Clark Creek North Campground, an experienced RVer noted, "We got the rig into the levelist position possible to get our rig's steps down to an assessable position and fairly level, but we did need to add levelers to our steps and the passenger-side tires."
Road conditions: Some campground roads present challenges for larger vehicles. A visitor to Chattahoochee Bend shared, "We loved our spot especially #103 in Campground 1, lots of privacy for our 21ft Lance TT. Backing in was not difficult even though we had to raise the right tire 3" to be level."
