Best Campgrounds near Avon-by-the-Sea, NJ
Camping options near Avon-by-the-Sea, New Jersey include several developed campgrounds within a 30-minute drive. Allaire State Park, though temporarily closed for renovations, normally offers tent sites, RV spots, and rustic cabins approximately 9 miles west of the shoreline. Turkey Swamp Park in Freehold Township provides electric hookups and accommodates tents, RVs, cabins and glamping setups. Sandy Hook at Gateway National Recreation Area offers primitive tent and RV camping with beach access just 15 miles north of Avon. Most campgrounds in the region feature designated sites with picnic tables, fire rings, and access to basic amenities like drinking water and restrooms.
Seasonal availability varies significantly across the region's campgrounds. Turkey Swamp Park operates from April 1 to November 15, while the military campgrounds like Sea Girt National Guard Training Center restrict camping to the summer season between Memorial Day and Labor Day. Cheesequake State Park Campground maintains a similar operating season from April through October. Reservations are strongly recommended, particularly for weekend camping during summer months when shore-bound visitors seek overnight accommodations. Many campgrounds offer mixed-use sites supporting both tent and RV camping, though hookup availability differs by location. As one visitor noted about Allaire State Park, "Sites are spacious, but bathrooms are filthy. They say they clean them daily, but the showers never looked remotely clean."
Proximity to ocean beaches represents a key attraction for campers in this area. Sandy Hook offers the closest beach access with campground visitors enjoying direct walking paths to shorelines. A camper mentioned, "You have an unobstructed view of Stockton Lake and the horizon over the ocean" at the Military Park RV Sites in Sea Girt. Allaire State Park provides inland forest camping with bicycle connections to coastal communities. According to one review, it offers "a really nice bike ride to Ocean Grove and other beach towns." Most developed campgrounds in the area maintain shower facilities, though cleanliness and maintenance quality vary considerably between locations. Family-friendly amenities like playgrounds and recreation fields are common at the larger campgrounds, while military campgrounds typically offer the most reliable full-hookup services for RV campers.