Best RV Parks & Resorts near Island Heights, NJ

Not Much of a ‘Resort’

We stayed at Shady Pines MH& RV Resort for a one-night getaway just for the camping experience. 

The park was easy to find and located just under 3-miles from the Garden State Parkway. 

The front office staff person was polite and prepared for our arrival. 

I reserved this site using Campspot. The rate was$65 plus$23 in fees for a total of$88 for one night. 

Even though I provided accurate dimensions for our motorhome, the site was inadequately sized to accommodate the full length. The much bigger problem was that it sloped so much it was impossible to level. I didn’t have enough blocks to prop up the leveling jacks enough to level the RV. I called the front office and was given another site to try. That didn’t work any better. I called back and was given a third site which was the worst so far. Then, at the fourth attempt we could get level. The site was still on a decline, but not as bad as the other three. 

Our site (#71) was too short for our 37’ motorhome. I made it fit, but measured just 3-inches of air between the back of my RV and the back of our neighbor’s RV. Three inches! The site had not been checked since its last guests left because there was refuse(used bandages, a used propane canister, etc.) that should have been cleaned prior to check-in by new guests. The water, 50-amp electric, and sewer hookups worked fine.

Other than a small swimming pool and a small fenced area for dogs, there were no amenities.

In speaking with our neighbor, it became apparent that there are several people working on assignment for a nearby decommissioned nuclear power plant who live at this campground. Shady Pines caters to long-term and year-round guests as well as manufactured homes/trailers that are permanent. We were the only motorhome in the entire park. This is ok, but a sign that while this place suits their needs, it doesn’t do much to attract couples and families on overnight trips and vacations.

Due to the sloped and not-so-clean sites, lack of amenities, and full-price rate charged, we won’t be back.

We weren't sure about this campground. We booked through Thousand Trails and you can't reserve sites. Our trailer is 37 feet long, so there is always the concern we won't find any sites will fit in (we actually cancelled the membership for this reason). While we didn't have a problem finding sites, the first night we stayed our neighbors were partying late into the night- not good when we have two young children with us. We moved the next morning and our next site was wonderful- much larger and quieter. The girls loved swimming in the lake and the pool. We were only a short drive from the beach, as well. It was a very nice campground.

I scored this a 4 because you can’t beat the price for area. However my biggest issue is the sand for all pull-throughs. They do offer full hookups that include cable if you have the outdoor wire. Plenty of activities for kids with park area and pool. They do also offer golf cart rental for those wanting explore the park. The park consists of permanent trailers, many tents for places to camp. There is lake in the middle and spots available along the water with their own dock.

Two things I loved:

1. Cost
2. Shade

One thing didn’t love:

1. Sand… so hard even with rugs to pull out of trailer.

Great if you love to kayak but super tight sites for rvs

Campground is nice, wooded, level, hard-packed sand lots. The roads are narrow getting to the ground and very tight inside especially for larger rigs. We have a 36ft, 5th wheel and it was tight getting into the spot. The roads are also uneven. Otherwise the full hookup site was good with a picnic table and fire-ring. Staff were very friendly and helpful at check-in. Cell service, (Verizon), was weak and the local wi-fi ok when it worked. It went down during the second night and never came back on. Location is convenient for central Jersey shore. Lots of full time rigs and seems to be very kid friendly. Overall very happy with the campground and will be back when in the area.

I enjoyed my visit. Level site, good for tents. Close to amenities.

We spent an extended weekend at Hospitality Creek. And we’re really glad we did! 

Like more and more campgrounds, they offered virtual check-in and payment online. This meant that we were handed a welcome packet at the front gate and sent on our way without delays for paperwork or payments. The folks were friendly and welcomed us warmly. 

Our site(#57— Lakefront Premium Waterfront) had full hookups and everything worked fine. The site was a good size, covered in heavy mulch, and is level. The photos of the lake were taken from our site to show this really is waterfront. Also, this site is a short walk to the front office, camp store, pools, and lake beach. 

The pools are nice and have on-duty lifeguards all day. We rode our bikes around, enjoyed time on the lake in a rented paddleboat, and had a blast at the 70s-themed live concert at the pavilion on Saturday night. They’ll deliver firewood, ice, and food from the camp store to your site— that’s classy. 

We really like this place and can’t wait to book a trip for next season! 

There’s just one complaint. It’s 2022, people. We need(not want) working wifi. The park’s wifi didn’t work most of the time and was too slow when it did work to allow streaming or working on the computer. We had a rainy day and would’ve loved to watch movies on TV, but couldn’t. Also, we had to leave the campground to find wifi at a local library about 15-minutes away so my daughter could attend her virtual class for school. The days of campgrounds not having to provide decent wifi are over(in my opinion). Lots of communications from the new owners of this campground describe the upgrades being planned to convert to a Jellystone franchise. This may be great fun, but I’d ask for working wifi to be a priority of these enhancements. I’m sure it’s costly, but well worth it. 

THINGS I LIKED: 

• Great waterfront site, level, and the hookups worked 

• Campground is clean and well-maintained 

• Great activities and live concert was fun 

THINGS I’D CHANGE: 

• Horrible wifi

Place was ok for a quick trip to start the camping season. Many full time run down RV's. Had a issue with the electric hookup, thank God my husband and friends we travel with are electricians and carry their tools.

The sites were good sized, but the place is a little run down and could defiantly use some work.

4½ Stars Quick Weekend Getaway 

We stayed at Butterfly Camping Resort in Jackson, New Jersey, for a 2-night weekend in late-August. We’re so glad we did! 

Our site(#90) was a level pull-thru with 50-amp electric, water, sewer, and cable. It was roomy, shady, and easy to pull in and out. The hook-ups were all well-maintained and worked fine. We had plenty of room to fit our car too. The site included a picnic table, charcoal grill, and fire ring. 

The gated campground was clean and well-maintained. The swimming pool was large and the water crystal clear. The store was stocked with typical essentials like supplies, fire wood, and snacks. Most of the neighboring RVs were nice and in good shape. The park has bath facilities, a dump station on the way out, and lots of play areas. 

The front office staff were all friendly and we love that, especially when checking in at a new campground. When I called for a last-minute reservation, they seemed glad to have us. 

This park is close to Great Adventure and not far from the Jersey shore if that’s in your plans. 

There were two observations I’d categorize as ‘no park is perfect.’ The site was sandy. The whole place is sandy. This is messy, especially after a bit of rain(which we had), and makes it a constant challenge to keep the sand out of the RV. If the site had gravel, grass, or some other surface, this would be a 5-star review. They offer wifi which is nice to have, but it didn’t work very well. I realize this is a common complaint at many campgrounds, but we’ve come to want to stay connected(at least, a little). 

This is a really nice campground with inviting pool and facilities. We can’t wait to go back!

We stayed at Baker’s Acres Campground in Little Egg Harbor, New Jersey, for a weekend in mid-August. So did the rains of Hurricane Henri! 

Our site(#Zoo-1) was a level back-in with 50-amp electric, water, sewer, and cable. It was easy to pull in and accommodates larger rigs. The hook-ups were all well-maintained and worked fine. We had plenty of room to fit our car too. The site included a picnic table and fire ring. My favorite thing about this campground is that most of the sites have plenty of trees and shrubs for semi-privacy, shade, and a rustic feel. 

This campground has been family run for over 50-years and has an interesting history that’s worth reading more about. Our site is located across from the pickle ball court which used to be a petting zoo(now the site# should make sense, right?). We came because we wanted to experience one of New Jersey’s oldest campgrounds. We liked the interesting vignettes they created around the campground as well as the goldfish pond near the office and store. 

Baker’s Acres is well-maintained. The amenities include a swimming pool, lots of sports courts/fields, and a bunch of family-friendly scheduled activities. There is a camp store with all the usual items as well as bath and laundry facilities. The wifi service was ok, but costs$1 per day per device. Our Verizon cell service worked fine. 

The front office staff were all friendly and we love that, especially when checking in at a new campground. 

Drive time to Tuckerton Seaport is about 10-minutes and Long Beach Island is about 35-minutes depending on traffic. There are plenty of stores within a 5-mile drive if you should need anything including Walmart, super markets, convenience stores, and several restaurants. 

Our only minor negative was that our site was sandy dirt which created a bit of a mess, especially after the rain. It is the Jersey shore, after all. This would have been 5 stars if the site had gravel, grass, or was finished with concrete. It’s a pet peeve, but I hate having to constantly clean up to keep the sand out of our RV. 

This is a great old-fashioned campground close to LBI. We’ll can’t wait to go back!

This was part two of our shakedown cruise for our new RV. We stayed just for one night, but wish we could have stayed longer. 

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. I was impressed at how prepared they were for our arrival. 

We navigated the park to our lakefront site using the map with pre-marked route in our welcome packet. The roads and turns were tight for our 36’ motorhome, but manageable. 

Our lakefront site(#57) was superb! It was between a small, paved boat ramp and a row of arborvitae trees on the other side separating us from the neighboring site. The entire site was level and covered in mulch. The water, electric, and sewer hookups looked practically brand new(or at least really well maintained). Oh, and we were on the edge of Cranes Lake! 

We ordered food from their website which was promptly delivered to our site. That was cool. We had great wifi connectivity. And the firewood they sold burned for several hours. 

If I had to make a negative remark, I’d say the place is a bit pricey(we paid$105), but I’m ok with it because it’s so well maintained and clean. 

The nature trails accessible from the campground make for great wooded walking. And if you forgot anything, there’s a Walmart about 3.5 miles away. 

In summary, this place is a camping gem and we can’t wait to go back.

We stayed at Sea Pirate Campground in West Creek, New Jersey, for a week in mid-August We’re so glad we did! 

Our site (#201) was a level pull-thru with 50-amp electric, water, sewer, and cable. It was easy to pull in and can accommodate larger rigs. The hook-ups were all well-maintained and worked fine. We had plenty of room to fit our car too. The site included a picnic table and fire ring. 

The gated campground was clean and well-maintained. The heated swimming pool was large and the water crystal clear. The store was stocked with typical essentials like supplies, fire wood, and snacks. Daily trash collection was a nice convenience. Wifi service was strong and our Verizon cell service worked fine. 

The front office staff were all friendly and we love that, especially when checking in at a new campground. 

Drive time to Long Beach Island ranged between 3-40 minutes each trip we took depending on traffic. There are plenty of stores within a 5-mile drive if you should need anything including Walmart, super markets, convenience stores, and several restaurants. 

Our only minor negatives were that the firewood sold in the store was so wet it wouldn’t light and they charge an additional$5 if you want it delivered to your site. And our site was really sandy and dirty which created a bit of a mess, especially after some rain, but it is the Jersey shore. 

This is a great campground with a nice pool and good proximity to LBI. We’ll can’t wait to go back!

We just returned from a 4 night trip to Baker's Acres.  The staff was friendly, our site was large, clean, and the most level site we have ever camped on!  We loved the nature trail.  We saw deer every time we walked on it.  My husband and daughter enjoyed the pool.  The playground was nice.  We enjoyed the scavenger hunt and Saturday night entertainment.   There were very few golf carts and all the cars drove cautiously.  We felt our daughter was safe to ride her bike.

Some people might complain about the condition of the roads.  We didn't mind them - it kept people from driving too fast.  The bathhouse at the pool could use an update but it was clean and the toilets flushed and the spigots worked!  The red bathhouse was nice with separate shower/toilet rooms.  Our campsite was a good 7 minute walk from the nearest bathroom which was a bit far so a small bathhouse near the nature trail would have been appreciated.

The trip into LBI was an easy one.  We borrowed beach tags from the camp store for a fee and headed to the Brant Beach section of LBI.

We usually do all of our own cooking at our camper but we did decide to treat ourselves to a meal at Calloways (about 5 minutes away).  They have outdoor dining and mini golf.  In non-Covid times they have some amusement rides.

I just drove through the campground. Was looking for a place to take my girls. Their website is very deceiving. This place is PACKED with large RVs. I’m guessing mostly seasonal campers and very few transients. Every site was booked only saw two sites with tents. It was so congested I couldn’t find a place to park and walk around. So many golf carts and many sites had multiple personal vehicles. I honestly don’t know how anyone could find this relaxing. Resembled a trailer park, but one without any rules governing the appearance or cleanliness. Apparently they had an issue with many seasonal campers flying political flags and now the campground has signage everywhere discouraging the practice. I’m going to keep looking. I would seriously avoid this place.