Best Glamping near Island Heights, NJ

We stayed at Adventure Bound Tall Pines in Elmer, New Jersey, for Memorial Day weekend for a quick getaway. Despite reserving and paying for a“Premium” site, it fell far short. But there were still a few things we liked… 

THINGS I LIKED: 

1. Super-friendly staff, especially Allie, who was courteous and seemed to try to make things right 

2. Lots of mature shade trees 

3. DJ at the pool Saturday and Sunday and live band Saturday evening 

4. Close proximity to Delsea Drive-in Theatre and Cohenzick Zoo 

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE SO MUCH: 

1. I reserved and paid-in-full for a premium site which listed 50-amp service and a concrete pad. Nope. Only 30-amp service and no concrete pad. When I called the office, assuming there must’ve been a mistake, I was told by two different staff members that their website is“wonky.” I wouldn’t mind as much, but this weekend was 90-degrees each day and humid, so it would’ve been good to have air conditioning. 

2. The entire park was dirty sand with weeds growing everywhere 

3. This place is not big-rig friendly, difficult to navigate some of the turns in our 45’ motorhome and taking scratches from tree branches that should be trimmed 

4. I paid$432 for 3-nights and feel like I was taken 

WOULD WE COME BACK? 

Nope. I’m sticking with campgrounds that give you what you paid for.

We just spent a full week at Sea Pirate Campground in West Creek, NJ, over July 4th, and had a(mostly) good time. This was our second visit to this campground since 2021. 

We stayed in a level pull-thru site(#516) with picnic table and grill/fire pit. The site was big enough for our motor home and toad. Full hook-ups with 50-amp service. Mature shade trees made the site more comfortable given the July heat. 

We had a problem with our site: extremely low water pressure, often below 20 PSI. It was so low at times, that we couldn’t take showers or flush the toilet. At some times, it was a bearable 40 PSI. I went to the office to ask for help. To their credit, someone came right away. My issue was that he told me “It gets low when other campers are using their water.” That’s a problem when you charge resort-level pricing and impose 5-night minimum stays. We paid$125/night including fees. This water issue was so bad, it may keep us from going back despite living just 90-minutes away. 

A less significant issue is that the sites are sandy dirt— no gravel or concrete. This makes things extremely dirty whether it’s dry or raining. Just my opinion, but a small investment in gravel would go a long way, especially for a site labeled ‘Premium Pull-Through.’ 

One major upgrade since our last visit is an entirely new swimming pool. It’s beautifully done and an obviously significant investment to this area of the campground. Based on how crowded it was each day, it was probably money well-spent. 

They have a great store and eatery near the pool. Purchases can be easily made using their wristbands(provided at check-in). No need to carry cash or credit cards around the campground. 

The location is great because it’s close to Long Beach Island (LBI) and even closer to the Tuckerton Seaport. Lots to see and do within a 30-minute drive (depending on traffic). The campground entrance/exit is gated(which we like). 

Bottom Line: This is a great campground in a great location. We may go back, but the poor water pressure will make us think about it.

THINGS I REALLY LIKED: 

• Great new pool area 
• Well maintained and clean campground 
• Close to LBI

I stayed at turkey swamp for just one night we had to pack it in early because a storm was rolling in but otherwise a great campground! we hiked one of the few trails in the morning and it was clean and well marked. we kayaked after that and the one thing that wasnt very great was that we brought our own kayaks so we had a decent walk from the parking lot to the lake. the lake itself wasnt huge and we paddled it in about an hour but it was still beautiful, fun and clean. the way the camp sites are set up is great because it give you some solid privacy. the roads are one way and each camp site is a horseshoe off the road. we stayed on site C4 and it was less then a 1 minute walk to the bathroom which was very clean! the only complaint we had was some of our neighbors didnt respect quiet hour. otherwise a fantastic campground for a small group or family!

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. The facility is run by the Dept of Environmental Protection and offers Tent, Trailer and Group Sites. There are also Cabins for rent as well, but only available during the summer months, After Memorial Day until October. AFC is one of several campgrounds in WSF and is the largest with 50 camping sites. Amenities include a handicapped accessible restroom/shower building, several drinking water spigots, and a waste dump for trailers. There are no electric hook ups and cell service is low, but manageable. Plenty of sun (shady too) so bring your solar powered generators and cell signal boosters if you need to stay connected. AFC is also pet friendly, so bring your 4 legged furry family members, after registering them with the camp site.

The individual sites are spacious with a pic-nick table and fire ring grill. Some sites have lake-side water access, so bring your canoes and kayaks and reserve these sites (4, 8, 10, 12, 20 and 22) early as they are popular. The ground is sandy and relatively level for easy camp set up. Some sites are close to a roadway, so you do get some car noise, and like all unmonitored camp sites, loud, unruly campers can be lurking among the pines. Be sure to get your fire wood from the guy that lives across the street from the campground entrance. 5 bucks, on the honor system, a good amount of wood, open 24/7.

Nearby is the Atsion Recreation Area, which offers fishing, walking, biking and horseback trails, a life guard monitored beach by the lake with restrooms and snacks (Summer Months). Only 15 minutes away, a quick drive, is Batso Village, an old iron and glass community from the late 1700s to early 1900s. NJ State Park Rangers are working hard keeping the area clean, rehabilitated, and educational center allowing you to walk through the old buildings and time as you image what life was like back then. Wharton SF is huge, over 122,000 acres of sandy terrain, towering pine trees, lakes/rivers and off roading trails!! Y’all should come and play in the Pine Barrens

Flat site, no tent bed, enough space to park two cars. Campsite decent size, but some don't have clear boundaries to neighbors, and sometimes not optimally configured (e.g., the site next door's fire pit was placed on the edge of its site/right next to my site). Could hear the traffic on Rte 72 at night despite being a half mile away.

Bathrooms were clean and stocked, warm/hot water available. No issues with firepit, water, plenty of tinder nearby. Bought firewood at the office for $7, but there is plenty of dead wood lying around outside the campsite. Picnic tables were somewhat hacked/battoned for kindling, but many sites had a log lying around for such purpose.

Went during the week and there were only 3 other campsites in use, ran into very few people on the trails. Ticks were definitely present but wasn't too crazy - found 2 on me in 3 days, no mosquito bites... thanks permethrin!

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 LOVE camping here in the fall!! They do their own haunted walk through that is just awesome! Everyone decorates. They have a dj every Saturday! Plenty of activities for the kids. They have cool raffles! Very close to Six Flags Great adventure. You can hear the lions in the morning. There is a road that goes between the campground and the Safari you can drive, walk, or bicycle down and see the animals! This campground has a pretty lake, a bridge and is very woodsy, not just a camper parking lot like some other campgrounds! The staff and seasonals friendly! The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because the bathrooms need a deep cleaning.

First time camping with my 10 yr old son during covid restrictions. Park rangers were nice. Check in was easy. $36 per night includes water and electricity on site. Didn't have anything to compare it to but the sites were kind of small and close together. If your neighbors have a barking dog or a crying baby you can kiss tranquility goodbye. Spiders in the bathroom, mold on the shower curtains. Because of covid-19 restrictions you couldn't rent a boat, (supposed) to wear masks in the bathroom, and the picnic grounds were supposed to be closed. The lake was nice. Plenty of trails to walk. Wouldn't exactly call it hiking though. You can fish the lake, bring your own kayak, and there's an archery range on site, and also some huge beautiful fields for whatever. The rangers come around and enforce quiet time and make you put fires out around 10 or 11 pm. All in all was a good time and we'll probably go back.