126 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Campgrounds near Elmer, New Jersey provide a mix of family-friendly facilities and outdoor recreation opportunities within easy reach of Philadelphia. Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park in Elmer offers tent sites, RV hookups, cabins, and glamping options with seasonal operation from April through October. Old Cedar Campground in nearby Monroeville features similar accommodation types with full hookups for RVs. The region includes several established campgrounds rather than dispersed camping, with most facilities concentrated within a 20-mile radius of Elmer in southern New Jersey's rural landscape.
Access to most campgrounds requires reservations, particularly during summer months when families frequent the area. "This campground is well-designed with spots that can make most campers happy. There are wooded tent sites, field sites, full plug-in RV sites, and RVs and cabins for rent," noted one visitor about Jellystone Park. Many campgrounds in the region operate seasonally, typically closing during winter months, with peak season running from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The terrain is generally flat with sandy soil typical of southern New Jersey, making for easy site access but sometimes creating challenges with sand tracking into tents and RVs. Weather conditions are moderate with humid summers and mild winters, though occasional storms can impact camping plans.
Families with children frequently mention water features and recreational activities as highlights of camping in the Elmer area. Several campgrounds feature swimming pools, splash parks, and organized activities that appeal to younger campers. One camper shared that Jellystone Park is "an excellent campground for kids. Large splash park keeps kids busy all day. They also have activities throughout the day." For those seeking a quieter experience, Parvin State Park Campground and Wharton State Forest's camping areas offer more natural settings with lake access for fishing and paddling. Proximity to Philadelphia (about 30-40 minutes away) makes these campgrounds popular weekend destinations for urban residents looking for outdoor recreation without traveling far from the city. Most established campgrounds provide standard amenities including water, electric hookups, shower facilities, and camp stores, though amenities vary by location.
"There are grocery stores close by like Walmart about 20 minutes away. The beach is nice and clean. We rented canoes near the beach."
"Outside, to the back of the cabin, was a small deck with picnic table, a grill, and a fire ring. Beyond that you will find a path to the lake with beautiful swans."
from $20 - $65 / night
Check Availability"Quiet Getaway Weekend
We went to Old Cedar Campground in Monroeville, New Jersey, for a quiet getaway weekend. This is a small and basic campground, not a resort. No fancy amenities."
"Not close off the highway, but wooden sites. Seems as though people spend their summers there. Pool was beautiful and looked new. Mini golf was decrepit and looked abandoned. Store was nice."
from $31 - $50 / night
Check Availability"We did Chinatown and walked part of the Schuylkill River trail which we accessed by parking near Fairmount Park."
"In addition to the peaceful vibe, the people are friendly, the little office store has everything you forgot to pack, and if you look around the campground edges or follow the walking trail into the woods"
"we went to Jellystone in Elmer last year. this is an excellent campground for kids. large splash park keeps kids busy all day. they also have activities thorough out the day. great campground."
"They are new-ish Shasta campers, queen bed, 1 slide, rear bunks, 2 entrances. Very clean. Water area is great, splash pad is very fun so is the large blow up slide and pool area."
"They have many amenities form a lake to swim or fish, to playgrounds,theres a convenient store and even an arcade, and the best part is all the farms around."
from $50 - $150 / night
Check Availability"The park was easy to find and located a short distance from the highway. We were met at the entry gate with a personalized folder containing lots of helpful information for our stay."
"We love the lake side campsites."
"Near an Ape Adventure park, hike around lake, and any shopping or restaurants you might want are close by. It rained heavy so we didn’t get out much but walk around camp loop is nice and flat."
"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."
from $27 - $45 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $48 - $60 / night
Check Availability"Atsion Family Campground Off US 206 and about 1/2 a mile up Atsion Road in New Jersey’s Wharton State Forest, you’ll find the Atsion Family Campground."
"It was a great location, closest site to the water with beautiful views. Super convenient if you're a Kayaker, you can launch right off that spot. Its a huge site, away from other sites."
TravelerMany long term seasonal sites. Good community. Large shower house good and clean . Pool. Game room. Off leash dog park. Wooded/shady sites or no shade sunny sites. Lots of area to walk or play. Large field, basketball couture, frisky golf, play area and laundry room. We were here all summer (June-october). Lots to do in the area. Good food nearby. Ocean city 10 minutes away.
ScoutThis is one of the largest, if not the largest, campgrounds in Southern New Jersey. While on the pricier side, everything is top-notch. The roads are all paved, and not gravel (I hate trying to sleep and listening to the sound of stones grating together). The sites are more spacious than most campgrounds, so it doesn't seem so crowded. The bathrooms are all modern and spotless. There are numerous bathrooms which means most sites have one nearby. They do charge a quarter for showers to encourage water conservation and donate the money to conservation causes. The pool is large, as is the lake. Both are well-maintained. The camp store is enormous and is really nice and well-stocked with everything one might need from food to pool and beach stuff to camping supplies and equipment. There is a nice cafe with indoor and outdoor seating. The camp store has a lending library of books and DVDs. There are numerous activities that appear to be well-run, The grounds are shaded with many trees for a great wooded campground feel. The campground is so large that it has an internal shuttle with stations scattered about to help people go between the various important sites such as at the pool, the lake and the store. I found other campers, particularly the seasonals, to be more friendly than other campgrounds at the shore. This requires constant tree care including removing dead trees and branches which they do regularly. The staff is friendly and well-trained. I was in a tent, and when a rare October nor'easter came through, I was offered the opportunity to use a cabin free-of-charge. Fortunately my tent and equipment made it through days of rain and high winds just fine . On my first stay in May, I had to run my dog back to Baltimore towards the end of my trip where he was sadly diagnosed with incurable metastatic cancer. When I returned, I was late and unable to check out by 11, but they allowed me to take as much time as needed to clear the site, as nobody was staying there the next day, which was deeply appreciated - I was an emotional wreck. Oh, and I found the complimentary Wi-Fi to be a great service, and sufficiently fast to allow me to stream ultra-high-definition movies at my site - Most campgrounds charge extra for less-than-good service - a lot more. I find that a big bonus. Overall, I LOVE this campground and highly recommend it.
GuideThis campground is part of the Wharton State Forest and has several campgrounds in the area. Great wooded sites right on a lake. Pretty good separation between sites with good tree separation between sites. Some road noise not overly affecting site.
ScoutRestrooms are filthy with mold and mildew.
Water puddled on the restroom floor.really gross.
Cabin was mostly clean. The windows were full of dirt and bugs on the tracks.mattresses were terrible.The fireplace was nice. Kitchen was clean.
Can t wait to move on to a cleaner park.
ScoutI’ve stayed here multiple times over the past 15 years and I have enjoyed each trip.
Depot Travel Park is a well-maintained family-owned campground. It is also reasonably priced, especially given the location that is within a bicycle ride to the beach, the ocean, and lots of shops and restaurants in Cape May. It is the only campground on the Cape May side of the canal.
Please note that this is not a resort campground and it doesn’t have a pool. There is so much to do in Cape May that is doesn’t need to be a resort.
Since it’s not a resort campground, there are not many golf carts, so most people use their bicycles or cars to get around. That also makes the campground pretty quiet, even during the peak of summer.
The campground sells firewood and propane, but there is no camp store. Again, it doesn’t really need one, since there is a farmers market at the end of the driveway, and a CVS and an ACME supermarket within bicycle riding distance.
If your site doesn’t have a sewer hookup, the dump station is a little awkward to access, but they have a daily honey wagon for a reasonable fee, which is great. If you notify the office the day before you need it and they are usually there in the morning.
They close for the season n October, but they reopen briefly during the Cape May Christmas Parade weekend in December. That’s one thing that I’d like to do soon.
I really like this campground and I am always recommending it to friends.
ScoutMy check in was for 8-6-2026, and bc I’m a new driver and wanted to beat traffic I got there early (7am) so I sit there waiting till check in time. When suddenly the park police show up. He’s accusing me of camping over night there. I told him simply I wasn’t and where I was night prior (would never sleep somewhere without permission). So we go to the store to kill time before we check in. Come back for Check in and the whole staff in just the office alone were so arrogant and cold to my mom and I, leaving rude comments to us and not only where they like that but the staff outside the office was acting like that alongside the rangers and park police. They would watch us the whole visit in the distance parking there cars a little ways watching everything we did,even driving by slowly a bunch of times in just an hour alone. My mom and I couldn’t do anything with out them showing up 2 mins later. Example we were walking our dog enjoying our time(trying to) and all of a sudden one of the office ladies pulls up right in front of us speeding, parks their car, gets out and walks a distance from us standing there and taking pictures of us…. For walking our dog who’s on a leash and didn’t even do anything. The whole trip we felt uncomfortable and unwanted and to find out they police when we were going on walks where coming up to campers near us bribing them with free firewood to get any information on use (told to us by other camper). I paid a lot of money to be harassed and followed the whole time. We never did anything we abide by every rule and keep to ourselves everywhere we go. They even made my mother cry…
GuideBeautiful campground but made the mistake of going on a holiday weekend, the campgrounds next to us were screaming and blasting music all day and throughout the night so we ended up leaving early. A beautiful campground when there aren’t noisy capers ruining it.
ScoutFirst time at this campground really like it a lot will be returning. The bathrooms are always clean. The grounds are always kept up. Just a really nice place to stay. Most of the sites have some kind of shade.
GuideMary & her crew run a great campground. Full hookup. Slow schedule during the week-camp store & pool mainly. Saturdays always have activities planned from bingo to quarter auctions, picnics & music. Each Saturday is different. Clean grounds. Nice playgrounds. Kiddie pool & nice size pool from 3-5’ deep. 2 cabins also available.
Camping sites near Elmer, New Jersey feature predominantly sandy soil with flat terrain typical of southern New Jersey's Pine Barrens region. Most campgrounds operate between April and October, with Lums Pond State Park in nearby Delaware offering year-round access. Water is a central feature at many campgrounds, with several offering lake access or constructed water attractions for recreation during humid summer months.
Fishing opportunities: At Hospitality Creek Campground, waterfront sites provide direct lake access. "Staff was great. Plenty of things to do for the kids. We love the lake side campsites," notes one camper. The campground features Cranes Lake where guests can fish from shore or rent paddleboats.
Hiking trails: Lums Pond State Park Campground offers a 7-mile hiking trail and 8-mile multi-purpose trail around the pond. A visitor mentions, "We took a hike, we ended up on the equestrian trail that runs all the way around the pond. It was a long, but easy hike." The flat terrain makes these trails accessible for most skill levels.
Mini-golf and activities: Several campgrounds offer structured activities beyond swimming. At Old Cedar Campground, "Mini golf was fun for all. There was also activities for the younger kids - making slime," reports one guest. Weekly organized activities often run throughout summer months, particularly on weekends.
Clean facilities: Bathroom cleanliness varies significantly between campgrounds. At Parvin State Park Campground, recent updates have improved conditions. "Bathrooms were clean but most of the faucets on the sinks were broken. The water has a very high iron content. I couldn't even use it for tooth brushing," notes one camper from late 2024, highlighting the orange staining from high iron content in water.
Spacious sites: Many campers appreciate the room to spread out. "This campground was so well maintained. There was so much to do there a pool, lake, horseshoes, cornhole, playground, big pillow and even more," reports a visitor to Hospitality Creek Campground. Site sizes vary considerably between campgrounds, with some offering large wooded sites and others more open layouts.
Nature experiences: At Wharton State Forest Atsion Recreation Area, campers can experience more natural settings. "Our site was right on Wading River and we launched our kayaks right at the site! Our tent has a full view of the sky and at night it was like a planetarium as we admired the sky from our cots," writes one visitor to the Bodine campground area, highlighting the stargazing opportunities in this less developed setting.
Water quality issues: Several campgrounds in the region have water with high mineral content. At Parvin State Park, one camper noted, "The water has a very high iron content. I couldn't even use it for tooth brushing." Consider bringing drinking water for consumption and cooking.
Seasonal population: Most campgrounds feature a mix of transient and seasonal campers. At Adventure Bound Campground (formerly Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park), a visitor observed, "The campground has def changed in the last 10 yrs. Cabin rentals are everywhere and have replaced a lot of transient camper sites and it seems like many more seasonals than before."
Sandy soil challenges: The region's sandy soil affects campsite conditions. "The entire campground is sand and gets very dusty and messy. This was the dirtiest campground we've stayed at, meaning the trailer and truck needed a full bath once we got home," reports a camper at Adventure Bound, highlighting how the sandy conditions can track into tents, vehicles and RVs.
Water attractions: Most family-oriented campgrounds feature water attractions beyond natural lakes. At Adventure Bound Campground, "Water area is great, splash pad is very fun so is the large blow up slide and pool area," notes a visitor, making it suitable for families with children of various ages.
Halloween events: For fall camping, several campgrounds host special Halloween activities. A camper at Adventure Bound mentioned, "I booked another trip for Halloween," highlighting the popularity of themed weekends that typically run from late September through October with decorating contests and trick-or-treating.
Activities scheduling: Family campgrounds often run structured activities, particularly on weekends. At Hospitality Creek, a visitor appreciated how "They offer so many activities during the day and text you so you don't forget." Activity schedules are typically available at check-in or through campground apps during peak season.
Hookup positioning: At some campgrounds, utility hookups may require creative parking. A visitor to Old Cedar Campground noted, "The water hookups are shared every other site (at least in the Fence Loop). I was lucky my 75' hose barely reached the distance needed. Be sure to bring extra hoses."
Site selection: Many RV campers recommend requesting specific sites based on rig size and shade preferences. At Lums Pond State Park, a visitor observed, "Very few trees, not much shade at all! The site offered electric and water but they were on 2 different sides. This made it difficult to set up. Had to park the camper crooked to use both."
Winter options: Most campgrounds in the immediate Elmer area close for winter, but Philadelphia South/Clarksboro KOA remains open year-round, providing an option for cold-weather camping. "It was cold so we asked to be put close to bathrooms so we could leave camper winterized. They accommodated us nicely," reports a winter camper.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Elmer, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, Elmer, NJ offers a wide range of camping options, with 126 campgrounds and RV parks near Elmer, NJ and 1 free dispersed camping spot.
Which is the most popular campground near Elmer, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Elmer, NJ is Parvin State Park Campground with a 3.9-star rating from 15 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Elmer, NJ?
According to TheDyrt.com, there is 1 free dispersed camping spot near Elmer, NJ.
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