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Tent campers visiting Annapolis, Maryland can choose from several established campgrounds within a short drive of the city. Sandy Point State Park offers a youth group camping area with beach access on the Chesapeake Bay, while Military Park at the United States Naval Academy provides tent sites for military personnel. Both locations feature drinking water, picnic tables, and access to toilet facilities specifically configured for tent camping.
Most tent campsites in the Annapolis region provide fire rings and basic amenities like picnic tables and toilets. Sandy Point State Park prohibits alcohol but allows fires, making it suitable for family tent camping. Sites are typically set on packed dirt or gravel surfaces. During summer months, many locations experience significant crowding, particularly at waterfront areas. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, "Sandy Point State Park is extremely overcrowded in the summer. The park closes daily very early as it hits capacity. The best times to go are winter, spring, and fall."
Patapsco Valley State Park's Hilton Area, located about 30 minutes from Annapolis, offers dedicated tent campsites in a forested setting. The crushed stone tent pads require campers to bring additional padding for comfort. A visitor noted that "the bathhouse is nothing special, but it's well maintained and clean." The park features hiking trails, playgrounds, and natural areas that make it popular with families seeking tent camping experiences. Some tent sites are positioned on slopes, so selecting sites on higher ground is recommended, especially during rainy periods when water can flow through the lower campsites. Most tent areas remain shaded throughout the day, providing natural cooling during summer months. Walk-in tent sites are available at several locations, allowing for more secluded camping experiences away from vehicle traffic and noise.
"There are two main beaches and there are picnic tables all over the park. There’s a popular boat launch amd small marina/bait store.
Get there early on weekends and holidays.""There are wonderful views of the water and swimming at the beach, pavilions for social gatherings, showers and bathrooms that are kept pretty very clean, and room for backpacking, hiking, picnicking,"
"Very spartan but great location. Not much to do in the campground and some long timers there. Dirt cheap"
"We had a site on the lower end of the loop and our site was hard to set up as we arrived during a storm and it was very wet even after the rain died down."
"There is a massive playground, nature play space, sensory trail, and a small nature center. There are a lot of easy, but beautiful hikes. The campground is on the smaller side."
from $20 - $51 / night
Check Availability"Based on my stay 3 nights and what I read of Greenbelt Park (the other closeby to Washington campground) I would say this has to be much better and I will stay here again on a future visit."
from $12 - $45 / night
Check Availability"Whether you are an adult or a child, this place will have a positive effect on you. The owners are involved and designed this space with the visitors pleasure in mind."
from $90 - $190 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $6 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $55 - $95 / night
Check Availability"Private campground with cabins and tent sites. Tent sites are first come, first service so call ahead to ensure the space is available."
"They have a few tent camping spots as well as cabins. Just call ahead. I just showed up and got a perfect camp spot with a view of the sunrise and access to the private beach."
from $150 - $200 / night
Check Availability"Nice and quiet, no hookups, but nice surroundings!"
"It is a very nice walk about 2 miles to the beach where you can hunt for fossils. The beach has gotten smaller over the years however the trail has gotten much better."
TravelerClose to washington as we could get. Could also park our skoolie bus which was nice and had plenty of close by shower with bathrooms. Keep in mind only one shower per restroom house. We stayed at a pretty slow season so it wasn’t bad. Would recommend if visiting DC! They also have a dump station and water fill up.
ScoutSimple and friendly check in process. Clean and well-maintained site.
GuideSpent two nights while we saw the Avett Brothers play at Wolf Trap. Nice flat site with power. Campground was quiet and clean. The only negative is communication and signage. It took us a couple wrong turns to find our site and when we came back, after the concert around 11, the entrance gate was closed and we had to sneak in through the exit gate. Asked the next day and they said that is what campers do to access the park after 11pm.
RangerWe stayed at Little Bennett starting on Labor Day Monday and left before the weekend, so it is hard to say how this looks when the campground is full of life. They had quite a few activities for families and a pavilion capable of concerts and such, but there was minimal activity during our stay. My biggest complaint is that the gate code changed and we didn't get any notice--so after a long day and a dinner out near Baltimore (nearly an hour away), I had to call the police to get back to my camper. Otherwise, the campsite was relatively spacious and quiet. The bugs were a little rough. Lots of whitetail running around.
GuideIf you want to be near Annapolis, right on the Severn River...this is it. About 15 RV spots nestled in the woods...with full hook ups. A couple of primitive spots as well. Just a quick 5 min walk to the river...right across from the Academy. NEX, gas within 10 min walk, and 15 min drive to downtown Annapolis. Staff is always great here, and the park is clean....for a park on the woods.
TravelerBased on my stay 3 nights and what I read of Greenbelt Park (the other closeby to Washington campground) I would say this has to be much better and I will stay here again on a future visit. Campground sits inside of a much larger park with great trails, amenities and well maintained. Campground is quiet, lots of trees, forest and yet each space is very large with good spacing and privacy to adjacent sites. High tree canopy at your site so lots of room to spread out. Sites themselves are a little rustic - a mix of grass, gravel and dirt, but not muddy (it rained a good bit prior to my stay) - but in good condition. Shower/toilet block is clean and good hot water and good water pressure. Most sites are flat or near flat and the ones that aren't need minimal levelling blocks. Campground apparently is never full and there was only 1 other when I was there - really hard to believe. There is a neighborhood road up by the sites near the shower block but it is low speed and lightly travelled and I had no disturbance from it. Nice surrounding neighborhood. No signs of vagrants. Park police patrolled multiple times per day and report very little non-camper entry to ther facilities. I felt very safe.Easy access to Eashington - bus stop outside the campground to metro or just drive to the metro (free parking weekend, $6 midweek) and then train (about 8 per hour) into the sites - an hour or less total to get there. For more local people, this seems like a good escape "to the woods" without travelling forever.
GuideWhat a gem! We found this place as an alternative to staying in DC during 4th of July festivities. Nice spacious sites, cabins were super clean and smelled great! Did I mention they were air conditioned during the hotest week of the summer!
Bathrooms and showers were spotless.
Many things to see and do there. Historic property, big lake (no swimming), boating, fishing, hiking. There is an Art Center with juried displays for sale.
ScoutThe park is very well maintained, and the campsites have clean fire pits and cooking grills. The restrooms are clean, spacious, and well maintained, and my campsite was large enough to comfortably fit a 6-person tent and a canopy.
However, there were a few concerns during our stay. Despite the campground’s quiet hours policy starting at 10:00 PM, many campers continued to make noise well past that time. I did not notice any campground staff or maintenance personnel making rounds to enforce the quiet hours.
I also felt concerned about security. One of my neighboring campers, who was visiting from South Carolina, told me that his generator had been stolen during the night. He reported the theft to the police, and an official report was filed. Incidents like this made me feel unsafe while camping.
I recommend increasing staff or security patrols, especially during the evening and overnight hours, to enforce quiet hours and improve the safety and security of campers and their belongings. With better enforcement and security, Burke Lake Campground would provide an even better camping experience.
TravelerOne of our favorite places. Very well kept. No bathhouse so bring your own. A lot of shady sites. Great views of Chesapeake bay. Flat roads in the area for cycling.
Tent camping options near Annapolis, Maryland extend beyond the immediate city area to include several locations within a 30-40 minute drive. The Chesapeake Bay region features a humid subtropical climate with hot, humid summers and mild winters, making spring and fall the most comfortable camping seasons. Most campgrounds in the area sit at low elevations (under 300 feet) with terrain ranging from waterfront beaches to forested inland settings.
Fossil hunting at Calvert Cliffs: The beach at Calvert Cliffs State Park offers unique fossil hunting opportunities about an hour from Annapolis. "I was a TA on an optional field trip to Calvert Cliffs for an intro level class. I was a rainy day but we were able to go down to the shore and find fossils. What a great experience for (hopefully) future geologist," notes visitor Nick P.
Fishing and crabbing: Endeavor Point provides excellent waterfront access for fishing enthusiasts with designated areas for both activities. A reviewer reports, "The pier was perfect to fish or crab off of and the beach had great views of the sunrise. Definitely would recommend!"
Hiking with children: Family-friendly trails at Patapsco Valley State Park include a sensory trail designed specifically for younger visitors. According to Angel G., "Patapsco Valley offers 6 different entrances. Each one provides several different trail heads and experiences. For camping or just spending a day out on the trail with the kids we prefer the Hilton entrance."
Private tent sites with water views: Matoaka Beach Cottages offers secluded tent camping spots with Chesapeake Bay views. Courtney K. shares, "We tent camped at Matoka Cabins and it was a beautiful peaceful camping trip! Our spot was very private and you could see the bay and hear the waves."
Natural playgrounds: The Adventure Park at Sandy Spring combines camping with adventure activities. Elizabeth R. explains it's "Very convenient for before or after your time in the largest aerial challenge course in North America. Groups only - no individual campsites."
Campground community activities: Lacy Oasis Campground provides a communal camping environment with organized activities. Terrance D. mentions, "Whether you are an adult or a child, this place will have a positive effect on you. The owners are involved and designed this space with the visitors pleasure in mind."
Seasonal crowds and closures: Several Annapolis-area campgrounds have limited operating seasons, typically April through October. Many waterfront locations experience significant capacity limitations during peak summer months.
Tent pad surfaces: Most tent sites at Patapsco Valley State Park feature crushed stone pads rather than dirt. According to Sean M., "The crushed stone at the sites isn't comfortable for tents, and they won't let you pitch it on the ground, so bring extra pads and alternative ways to secure the tent to the ground."
Military camping option: Military Park United States Naval Academy provides a budget option exclusively for military personnel. Ginny L. describes it as "Military campground. Very spartan but great location. Not much to do in the campground and some long timers there. Dirt cheap."
Playground access: Multiple campgrounds near Annapolis feature dedicated children's play areas. At Patapsco Valley, Alexandra T. notes, "One positive was that when it rains it really flushes through the grounds. Nice small campsite in MD not too far from DC. There is a huge park for kids - it's not within walking distance for little kids but it's a very short drive by the entrance to the park."
Beach safety considerations: Endeavor Point offers water access, but campers should note safety concerns. "The pier is still in need of repair, many loose boards, massive damaged pylons and still no security rails," warns Patricia S. Families with young children should supervise closely.
Nature education opportunities: Several parks offer educational programming specifically designed for children. Calvert Cliffs State Park provides fossil identification resources, with one visitor noting, "Such an amazing experience and brings right into the eyes of child with both adult and children searching for shark teeth."
Limited hookup availability: Most tent camping areas near Annapolis offer minimal or no RV hookups. Where available, they're typically restricted to electric only without sewer connections.
Size restrictions: Large RVs face significant limitations at most Annapolis-area campgrounds. The narrow access roads and small camping pads make maneuvering difficult for vehicles over 25 feet.
Weather considerations: The area's clay soils can create challenging conditions after rain. A camper at Patapsco Valley State Park warns, "When it rains it really flushes through the grounds. We had a site on the lower end of the loop and our site was hard to set up as we arrived during a storm and it was very wet even after the rain died down."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Annapolis, MD?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Annapolis, MD is Sandy Point State Park Youth Group Camping with a 3.3-star rating from 8 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Annapolis, MD?
TheDyrt.com has all 20 tent camping locations near Annapolis, MD, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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