Best Glamping near Hampstead, MD

We love this campground!! The area is absolutely beautiful. The lake is large and gorgeous. There are a lot of lake side campsites which are amazing. The hosts are all very friendly. We had a problem with our site and our weekend was saved thanks to the wonderful rangers. We are so thankful. My one and only reason for 4 out of 5 stars are the bathhouses. I wish they would update like Cowan's Gap. I have health issues and am always afraid I'll fall because the floors are so wet. Otherwise, they are kept cleaned up. Honestly, one of my favorite places to visit and we camp at as lot of parks. I hope they'll add more cottages too! There are lots of nice basic (non-electric) sites that are wooded, well shaded and private. There are nice, shaded electric sites. However, if you request electric and water you automatically get sewer too. This raises the price per site, per night by$13 and gives you a site with very little shade. We will return but we will choose an electric only site and fill our A-frame's water tank in order to get a wooded site. This campground is 100% reservable which means that you must select a site when you make your reservation. If you do not live in the area, that is difficult

What a wonderful place! The resort is spacious, scattered throughout the woods. The RV sites are comfortable with all the amenities. And the customer service is impeccable.

We stayed during a few weekdays in October and we almost had the whole place to ourselves. We stayed in one of the cabins, which had 2 beds and a bunk bed, sink and toilet, refrigerator, microwave, dining table and sofa. There was also a front porch with picnic table and fire pit.

Honestly, the beds were not very comfortable and way too small for a couple to sleep in one. It was a VERY dark walk to get to the bathhouse for showers. And the fire pit had no grill, so we ended up having to use the stoves of some RV camping friends for meals. Otherwise the stay was great.

I would strongly recommend camping there in the summer months or during weekends in the shoulder season if you have social kids like mine. There were tons of things to do there for adults and kids alike. The activities — such as putt-putt, jump zone and the playground ended up being kinda boring for them without others to share it with. Obviously that would change with crowds. And advance reservations are a must — this place books up fast!

I would highly recommend staying at Merry Meadows, especially if you have an RV and a group of friends to join you!

This campground has a little something for everyone, from full hook up sites neatly stacked next to each other, to quiet patches of grass next to the river. After spending two nights up in the electrical hook-up area closest to the train tracks, we decided that we needed a better night’s sleep. Yes, the trains run all night long, and no, we don’t have air conditioning so couldn't just close the windows. So, we moved down to one of the primitive sites next to the river and enjoyed ourselves much more, plus all the solar we needed. 

With all the options within this resort, I can understand why it is so popular. Plus, there’s the whole Hershey Park with shuttles running to and from the campground all day long. So, it’s got that going for it. As a campground resort this park aims to serve everyone. If you need your trash picked up, just leave the garbage bag in front of your site, and someone will be along soon enough to collect it. The bathrooms are immaculate, air conditioned, but many of the showers had wonky temperature controls so check it out before you commit.  Each bathroom building also offers laundry machines to take care of those necessities as well. The campground has a large playground, game room, gift shop and a large outdoor pool. 

Nearby, closer than you might even want, you can find food, groceries, gas, booze and traffic (at least during convention center event weekends). But there are also some really cool mom and pop restaurants, some craft beverage drinkeries, and places to walk, bike and get into some disc golf. This is close enough to be a bedroom community of Harrisburg, so the park is basically located in a tucked away corner of suburbia. If you have the time, go to the Grandview Winery nearby they have a lovely selection of vintages which really hold up to this wine snob’s approval. 

The campsites are well spaces apart, unless within the central loop, and give the allure of being tucked away in the forest. Water is well spaced and is close by. The walk to the bathroom however, can be a stretch depending on where you park so plan according to your needs. But the woods provide an easy way to answer the call! : )

We had another great stay at Cherry Hill Park in College Park, MD. 

We stayed in a level pull-thru site(#1715) with picnic table on a paver patio, iron table and chairs, clean gravel surface, grill, and fire pit. The site was just big enough for our motor home and Jeep. Full hook-ups with 50-amp service all worked fine. 

If you’re visiting Washington, this is the place to stay. They offer a daily charter bus plus the Metro bus stops at the campground entrance. And if you have a car, it’s about 35-minutes drive time(maybe a bit longer with traffic). 

To be honest, it’s a great place to stay even if you’re not visiting D.C. They have two swimming pools, a cafe, playgrounds, well-stocked camp store, delivery of firewood, ice, and cafe orders, and a concierge to help with travel and tourist sites. 

The entire park is clean and well-maintained. 

THINGS I ESPECIALLY LIKED: 

1. Proximity to Washington, D.C. 

2. Excellent condition and clean 

3. Great staff to help with making the most of your stay

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 in July on site 235. When we arrived, our first thought was “Wow, these sites are narrow!” Fortunately, backing in was fairly easy. Some sites would’ve been more difficult. Site pads are 25’-55’. Most sites had room for just one vehicle. Overflow parking was in the front of the campground. We had an electric site. The entire campground has non-electric, electric, and full hookup mixed throughout the campground. There are ADA sites in B loop that were a bit close to neighbors and directly across from bathhouse but in direct sunshine. There are designated dog sites in B loop/area. Some sites do have a lake view and possible access, it was hard to tell. The non electric sites had a parking pad and then for many you walked into the woods to the tent and fire pit area. There were cabins and yurts available too. The dump station had 2 dumps and was wide open when we left on a Sunday at 12:00. Surprisingly! Check out time is 3:00pm. Bathhouses had 3-4 shower stalls and 2-3 stalls. Good water pressure and temperature and clean. There are several spread around the loops. There was a Sunday service that was packed full. Check in was easy, there was none. Just drive to your site. Swimming was prohibited due to low water level but kayaks and canoes were allowed. No fishing also due to low water level in the lake. The beach area was very nice with a concession building and large bathhouse. It wasn’t open due to no swimming right now. There was another beach area at a boat launch in one of the loops. There are a lot of boat launches around the lake, which is large. There are several hiking trails; Lakeside, Oak, and Old Farm Trails go through the camp area. They are multi-use (ski, hike, & bike). There is a playground and volleyball pit area. You can also find group camping areas. This campground is open mid-April to late October. We had a great short trip here but are planning to return in the fall months.

I don’t know if the Amish camp, but regardless, if you’d like to experience what it’s like to go camping in Amish country then Thousand Trails PA Dutch Country RV Resort has you covered. First of all, whenever I see that word ‘resort’ I always wonder – is it really a resort? And, well, while we're on that particular question, what makes a place a resort in the first place? In my estimation, a resort has to have a pool and likely some of those splash pools, probably gated or requires some sort of secure admittance, full of recreation options, is a restful respite and (very probably) features a Tiki Hut or some version of an outdoor bar that is serving up delicious libations. Apart from that very last amenity, this particular RV campground destination ticks most of the boxes.

So, should you be looking for an authentic Quaker environ to enjoy some of the best of what the great Keystone State has to offer, then you might want to give PA Dutch Country RV Resort some consideration, but before you do, you’ll need to secure a membership with Thousand Trails in order to access this, and indeed the other 250 or so other campgrounds this camping conglomerate has throughout the US. The biggest downside to this particular campground is its very close proximity to the PA Turnpike, which while convenient, might detract a bit from the peace & quiet you might be expecting when here at your new-found camping ‘resort.’ That said, as the PA Dutch Country RV Resort rests at a slightly higher elevation than the turnpike, I have to admit, we really didn’t notice much of any noise coming from the highway and what’s more, this campground is completely surrounded by a fairly dense forest, which likely is what blocks any irritable sound and most certainly blocks any highway or traffic visibility.

Should you decide to leave ‘the reservation’ for any reason, you’ll be engulfed by the incredibly rich, verdant countryside populated by incredibly rural residents who’s ancestors settled this vast rich farmland a few hundred years ago. Today, the Pennsylvania Dutch countryside (of which my Irish ancestors intermingled with a long time ago) is a combination of rolling hills in a plush countryside punctuated by massive rolled bays of hay in the surrounding fields, covered wooden bridges and the occasional quaint New England well-preserved charming towns that you will be sure to encounter. So, if you have camping on your mind, discovering a spot like PA Dutch Country RV Resort places you in the heart of one of the most picturesque natural landscapes anywhere in the Keystone State.

Should you need directions to this campground, it’s just off Exit 44 of PA Turnpike or Exit 60 & 60A off of I78. Here at PA Dutch Country RV Resort you’ll encounter a destination offering up 267 back-in and pull-through slots with full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage) for RVs in the midst of a fairly decent wooded surrounding with about 6 tent sites offering 15 amp electric and running water. You will discover that no matter where you look on this property, you will have to contend with sloping land as this campground appears to be situated right on the side of a heavily wooded hill. That said, we didn’t have any problems laying out our campsite that came with the standard-issued picnic table and in-ground fold-up fire ring. Don’t have an RV, 5th Wheeler or Tent? Not a problem, as the good folks here at PA Dutch Country RV Resort will rent you one of their 3 cottages for the night.

As previously mentioned, with the term ‘resort’ there should be a ton of amenities that one conjures up and PA Dutch Country RV Resort does not disappoint with plenty of amenities, inclusive of: 3 fairly massive restroom & shower facilities, Wi-Fi service (at a cost), trading post / camp store, swimming pool, walking paths, clubhouse/ office, playing card room, church service, crafts & arts, family bingo, community library, mini golf course, basketball court, horseshoe pits, kids playgrounds, fire pit, designated picnic & BBQ areas, ranger station, recreation hall, cornhole, basketball court, designated dump stations, water stations, ice for sale, propane refueling station, RV storage, Laundry-O-Mat and pet friendly.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you are an RVer or 5th Wheeler, the best sites IMHO are those that back up to the periphery and are northernmost up the slight embankment as you’ll have greater privacy and less noise being furthest away from all of the action in the center of this campground resort – these sites include: #C1– C5, #D9– D17 and #E44– E49; (2) Should you grow weary of trying to conjure up that next meal from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler or from the confines of your onboard mini-fridge, while there’s not a ton of restaurants around these parts, there are a few and they are pretty amazing, including favorites Brick Tavern Inn and The West End, McCoole’s @ The Historic Red Lion Inn and Sage Alley Brewery; (3) In the event that you need to replenish any of your supplies, rest assured as in nearby Quakertown, there’s a Giant & Aldi’s grocery store as well as a local Target, Walmart, TJMaxx, Kohl’s and Link Beverages to stock up on the 21+ liquid refreshment; (4) Should you be towing your canoe or kayak with you and are eager to get the beak of your waterbird wet, then head on over due east of Quakertown Campground to Nockamixon SP where there’s a sizeable, yet skinny lake just begging for you to navigate it and get some good, hard oaring in; and (5) As a tent camper, while there are only 6 or so spots to choose from, you’ll be happy to know that these are also located on the periphery, with #L1& L2 being southernmost, which I would avoid altogether as this places you too close to the highway) and #T9– T12, which are located northernmost and are the best tent campsites to book.

Happy Camping!