Tuckahoe State Park Campground's pet-friendly campsites accommodate tent, RV, cabin, and glamping setups throughout their wooded electric loop sites. The spacious, level sites include picnic tables, lantern poles, and fire rings with proper separation between camping units. All sites maintain a pet-friendly policy requiring dogs to be leashed when outside vehicles or campers. The campground features clean bathrooms, drinking water stations, and well-maintained hiking trails accessible directly from many campsites. Sites vary in size, with some visitors noting challenges backing larger trailers into certain spots. The park maintains quiet atmosphere even when fully booked, creating a peaceful experience for campers and their pets.
Bay Shore Campground and Elk Neck State Park both offer water access for dogs with proper supervision. Trails surrounding both campgrounds provide excellent dog walking opportunities with several miles of pet-friendly paths. Campers report the Eastern Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, located 7 minutes from Bay Shore, offers additional pet-friendly walking trails with bird watching opportunities. Most campgrounds in the area enforce standard pet policies including waste cleanup, leash requirements, and quiet hours that apply to barking dogs. Temperature considerations are important when camping with pets in this region, as summer humidity can be challenging for dogs. The Eastern Shore location provides cooling bay breezes at waterfront campgrounds, creating comfortable conditions for pets during warmer months. Nearby Rock Hall and Annapolis offer veterinary services and pet supply stores for campers needing essentials during their stay.
$21 - $70 / night
"Tuckahoe State Park is tucked away onto the Eastern Shore of Maryland, close to the Chesapeake Bay. It features every kind of camping you can imagine."
"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."
$42 - $82 / night
"Because we went in the middle of the week, we had a lot of space to our self and open areas for our dog to play."
"We spent one morning walking the various trails at the Eastern Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, which is only 7 minutes away. Campground also close to the restaurants in Rock Hall for seafood. "
"We did not take our dog this time with us but would seriously consider it next time."
"We had a site near the pool, outdoor chess set, jumping pillow and gaga ball pit. Our kids (9, 10 and 14) all had fun and made friends. The staff is exceptionally friendly and helpful."
$18 - $77 / night
"The park is pet friendly. The ranger was very vigilant and friendly. We met new friends and even attended a concert at their pavilion 🥰"
"Though I live in Texas now, Maryland will always be home for me. Whenever I get the chance to head back, I almost make sure to check out some of the local fishing spots."
$12 / night
"I would LOVE this area to be opened for public primitive camping, but I do not see this occurring in the near future."
"Very spartan but great location. Not much to do in the campground and some long timers there. Dirt cheap"
$21 - $55 / night
"Accessible and pet friendly. Great trails and great staff"
"Our go to State Park for camping as it is pretty close to home. Standard State Park with all the amenities you need. We are tent campers/ non electric (no pets/ no kids)."
$999 / night
"Great location with access to all forms of transportation. Store fully stocked to include groceries. Two pools. Hot tub. Play areas to include a game room and miniature golf. "
"As we looked around we found that all of the sites, regardless of amenities, were spaced about the same."
$20 / night
"The park is located away from the camping grounds. It has two play grounds, several picnic tables and a bathroom."
"If you are really looking for somewhere to feel far away from civilization and see some beautiful scenery, this probably isn't it."
TravelerCampground sites are nice and spacious, bathrooms are good, and there’s plenty to do for everyone. We hiked the 7.5mile lake trail with our two pups. It was beautiful and along the way there were opportunities to kayak/sup, beach it, or even play on a ropes course. We always travel with our dogs and this place has the BEST dog park. Big open space with access to lots of water play. We definitely recommend this spot!
GuideI was able to book my site the day before the trip. 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. Firewood was $5 a bundle, but the register wasn't working and they could only take cash.
The hiking in the immediate area was beautiful, lots of fun trails and wildlife. Fishing, kayaking, zip lining, tons of great activities.
The firepits have grates over one half, so campfire cooking is a breeze. Cook up and use the provided picnic table for an easy dinner set up.
The park itself is very dog friendly and most sites had dogs. There is also an off leash dog park at Lum's pond and dog water dishes outside the camp store.
The showers and bathrooms were incredibly well kept with hot water and stocked supplies. If you didn't feel like walking so far, the tents had a spiget with running water near the parking areas.
Reception for Verizon was spotty, t mobile was pretty great. Wish there was an ATM on site though I don't think the cash only situation is a normal one for this campground.
All in all an amazing trip, and I'll be back as soon as possible.
TravelerThe staff and seasonal campers are all very friendly. The bathrooms are incredibly clean. We love all the games there are to play and the dog park is our favorite spot. Overall, it's peaceful and quiet in a nice, wooded setting.
TravelerOur first visit (March 2018) was just prior to peak season (lower rates) and we had a site literally 10 ft. from the water! Full hook ups and sites were a little close, but nice. There seemed to be a lot of long term/permanent residents, but most sites along the waterfront remained open. The campground seemed to stress pet restrictions both in the rules section of their registration packet and signage around the grounds. There was a pet exercise/walking area, but could use some sprucing up. However, no one really made an issue of walking your dog around the campground and as the weekend came around, more and more dogs were around.
You have to drive through a residential neighborhood to reach Bar Harbor, so big rigs take care/caution. Would like to try Bar Harbor again sometime.
RangerThis is a campers dream site. Everything you can think of is offered here. You have to check their website to see all. This is the closest site to Washington DC. Great location with access to all forms of transportation. Store fully stocked to include groceries. Two pools. Hot tub. Play areas to include a game room and miniature golf. Pets are pampered here. Even dog walking service available.
GuideWe 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!
LegendCherry Hill Park was easy to find and get to basically right off I-95. This was our first time RVing into the WA DC area and we were concerned about traffic getting to the campground(CG). As we arrived, traffic was heavy on I-95 but manageable. Cherry Hill’s and our RV GPS directions were spot on getting us to the park. We were very impressed with this CG from the moment we entered. We picked up our package outside the office(no contact check-in) and went to premium site 93 with FHUs. Back-in was easy. The wifi was very good but the CG was only about a 1/4 full. Cherry Hill has many different ways to stay; cottages, cabins, yurts, glamping pods, premium and regular tent sites in addition to the RV sites. As we looked around we found that all of the sites, regardless of amenities, were spaced about the same. There are a few sites in the CG on the end that will give you a little more yard space like 97(need to be a competent backer), 402, and 1723. We got 2 bars each on Verizon and AT&T. The CG’s cable provided a large selection of channels and worked well. We were impressed with the main laundry facility due to the amount of large washers and dryers, very fair pricing and very clean. The two off leash dog parks(in the same area) were nice plus there’s a well maintained walking trail that goes around this very large CG’s perimeter. We really liked how there are trash receptacles and dog poopy bag dispensers nicely placed all over the CG. Though we didn’t use it, they even have a dog walker service so you can spend a lot of time exploring the DC area without worrying about your pups. About the only draw back was the road noise from the interstate and highway pretty much 24/7, but considering the area that is to be expected. Sites 13-38 and 1500 sites near the premium tent area are the farthest away from the road noise. We would definitely stay here again.
LegendOur GPS wanted to take us to the main park entrance on Howell School Rd versus Red Lion Rd to the campground entrance on the other side of the pond. The gate and store were not open so we went directly to back-in site 26 with FHUs. Our reservation sheet and vehicle pass were on the post when we arrived. Back-in was okay with having to swing our F-450 and 39’ 5th wheel into the grass between sites across the street. Utilities were smartly placed at the middle of the pad. We had 2 to 3 bars on Verizon and 2 bars on AT&T. However, we had trouble with AT&T maintaining internet on our Weingard Connect. The CG is in two loops. Sites 1-30 make up the first loop and that is where most of the larger rigs camped. A rough estimate(double check site size online) is that sites 12- 18 will take larger rigs up to around 45’ but you’ll need to park your tow vehicle or toad angled in front of your rig. Our site was long enough for our 39’ fifth wheel but we had to park our truck at an angle as well. The second loop does have larger sites but is mainly suited for small rigs to include a tent area. Both loops have a large grass field in the middle that the sites back up to, which is great for playing outside games and without many trees so you could use satellite from almost all the sites. From a spaciousness point of view, the best site in the CG is 17, but it is near the walking trail. The shower house also contains a small laundry with 3 washers and 4 dryers that are reasonably priced, although one washer was out of service at the time. However, there was not a change machine. You could purchase firewood from one of the on duty camp hosts. A short drive from the campground to another Lum’s Pond State Park area there’s a really cool dog park where you can walk the dogs off leash down trails and with open play areas along the pond. One of the best features of this off-leash area is how secluded it is away from the main road. Supposedly this is known as a haunted campground, although we didn't see or hear anything out of the ordinary. If in the area, we would stay here again.
GuideThis campground is perfect for a quiet visit to the Eastern shore town of Rock Hall as It sits conveniently between the village of Rock Hall and Eastern Neck sanctuary. The area reserved for RV campsites overlooks a bluff on the Chesapeake Bay….gorgeous. Because we went in the middle of the week, we had a lot of space to our self and open areas for our dog to play. Admittedly there isn’t a lot to do in the campground itself, even the bathrooms were closed down for Covid and only self contained RVs could camp.There is a small playground and a dog park, and a small pond for fishing. Sewer hook ups are not yet available but they are coming. Purchasing the WiFi access was a waste of money and our Verizon signal was very weak. The biggest attraction is the view over the Bay. So if you are looking for beautiful scenery and a cooling breeze this is a lovely and relaxing place. We met the owner who was very attentive to our needs and also helped us use the dump station as this was the maiden voyage with our new RV. The campground is clean and nicely landscaped. Be sure to go into the town of rock Hall for a seafood dinner at Waterman’s.
Camping options near Chester, Maryland provide access to Chesapeake Bay waterways and tidal marshlands situated on the Eastern Shore peninsula. Sites range from 15-40 feet above sea level, creating minimal elevation changes for campers while offering consistent water views. Summer temperatures frequently reach into the 90s with high humidity, making spring and fall the most comfortable camping seasons for visitors and their pets.
Kayaking and river access: At Martinak State Park Campground, paddlers can explore Tuckahoe Creek and connect to larger waterways. "There is a kayak launch between sites 46 and 48. The walk to Tuckahoe Creek from the parking area is very short, and the creek leads to Tuckahoe Lake with more of the creek on the other side of the lake," notes Mary S.
Historical exploration: Visit the working grist mill at Susquehanna State Park Campground. "There is a historic area in the park, with a working grist mill, mansion and other little buildings to view. The views of the river are really nice from here," shares Jen V. The park has both camping and day-use areas for visitors.
Wildlife viewing: Eastern Neck Wildlife Sanctuary offers excellent bird watching opportunities. "We spent one morning walking the various trails at the Eastern Neck Wildlife Sanctuary, which is only 7 minutes away from Bay Shore Campground," reports Helen O. The sanctuary features multiple trails ranging from 0.25-1.5 miles in length.
Secluded camping experience: Tuckahoe State Park Campground offers a quieter atmosphere than some larger parks. "It's super close to home and I love the small feel to it. People keep to themselves and you feel kinda like your by yourself even though the park is usually full," says Dean G. The electric loop features well-spaced sites under mature tree cover.
Water views: Bay Shore Campground provides exceptional Chesapeake Bay vistas. "If you enjoy beautiful sunsets, seeing bald eagles every day, having a nice breeze, not too buggy, well kept campground this is the place to go," reports Lisa V. The campground overlooks a bluff directly on the bay with constant water views.
Clean facilities: Multiple campgrounds maintain well-kept bathhouses. "The bathroom/showers are the cleanest I've ever seen, especially since we stayed in the hottest time of the year," notes Bill G. about Tuckahoe State Park. Another camper, Jen V., stated Susquehanna's bathhouse was "immaculate; by far the cleanest I have ever seen in a campground."
Site selection matters: Many campgrounds have varied site quality. "The web site does not say site 21 is extremely small. We have a 25' camper, and it barely fit, length and width were an issue. The firepit was about 3-4 feet from our door," warns Buck P. about Tuckahoe State Park. Call ahead to verify site dimensions.
Seasonal considerations: Summer heat impacts camping comfort. "August is the worst month to visit if you like the water. Jellyfish take over with a vengeance!" explains Angel G. about Sandy Point State Park. Late spring and early fall provide more comfortable temperatures.
Connectivity limitations: Cell service varies widely between parks. "WiFi access was a waste of money and our Verizon signal was very weak," reports Cindy about Bay Shore Campground. Some parks like Elk Neck have virtually no signal, with one camper noting, "No cell signal in the campground so the family is forced to disconnect."
Playground access: Select sites with convenient play area access. At Elk Neck State Park Campground, "This campground is very family friendly. We saw so many children running around having a great time!" reports Jalissa Y. However, location matters as "the playground was fantastic, though, it was not shaded" at Susquehanna.
Kid-friendly activities: Look for parks with diverse recreation options. "Nice pads, even with rain none were flooded. The wooded area makes you feel a little more secluded from any neighbors. The state park has two playgrounds that are both open and trails to hike," notes Kasey M. about Tuckahoe State Park.
Pet-friendly trails: When camping with dogs, select parks with suitable hiking options. "We really liked the park, but beware, the sites can be small!" warns Buck P. Many parks offer both short and long trails appropriate for dogs, though all require leashes on marked paths.
Hookup considerations: Most state parks offer limited services. "Finished the season at this state park in MD with full hook up (20, 30, and 50 amp, water and sewer) and the water was still on in November. Bathhouses were open with hot water," shares Laure D. about Elk Neck State Park.
Site leveling challenges: RV campers should prepare for uneven terrain. "The road on the FHU loop is narrow and hilly. Our site was uphill and at a difficult angle. Plenty of bigger TTs and 5th wheels were camping," notes Adam and Suzanne B. Bring leveling blocks and wheel chocks.
Dumping facilities: Most campgrounds offer dump stations rather than full sewer hookups. "The pump out station was very nice," says Sean R. about Tuckahoe State Park, while Bay Shore Campground offers a solution: "Sewer is not there yet, but they have portables just in case you need to remove some instead of moving the entire camper."
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Chester, MD is Tuckahoe State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 31 reviews.
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