Best Tent Camping near Ocean City, NJ

We stayed for a weekend and were very happy with our cabin - a pleasant surprise was how incredible the bathroom inside there was - we're talking spectacularly clean! There was a shower stall w/built-in shelves that seemed brand new (no mildew on the shower curtain, no stains, etc.). The small sink had a mirror above it that opens for a medicine cabinet. Plenty of toilet paper but you need to bring your own soap/shampoo/towels.

The cabin featured a separate kitchenette area with regular size fridge, sink, electric stove with oven and some counter space/cupboard and rack for a hand towel. A fire extinguisher was within easy reach. The main area had two Adirontack chairs, table with benches, electrical outlet and wide barn doors (designed to open fully but ours were nailed shut so only a regular door width opened). There was a wood stove which, in August, we did not utilize (and I'd recommend bringing a small fan or two if you come in the summer, it was hot). There was a chalkboard (no chalk).

While we did not think we'd be using the narrow screened in porch it did rain and we were glad to have it. Also inside were two little rooms with bunk beds. I felt claustrophobic in there, imagining spiders and all sorts of creepy things living in there and opted to sleep in the car. Which reminds me - warning - there are tiny deer ticks. Don't go out to the car in the dark when the dew is on the grass w/o covering your feet and ankles, you will get deer ticks. Not like it happened to me or anything, wink wink. That being said, the bunks were clean, if well-used. Bring your sheets/pillows/sleeping bag for them. 

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.

We walked the path around Thundergust lake after dinner and here is another warning: bring super-woodsman-strong-do-not-mess-with-me bug spray. While we all can get mosquito bites, these babies were like Rambo mosquitos on sterioids - one bite would leave a welt swollen a quarter inch above your skin and an inch and a half long. One bite. Now imaging a dozen of them and you can see why my friend was miserable the next day. We also found the "spotted lantern fly" a pest that is non-native and wrecking havock, which we promptly crushed with a hiking boot.

The swimming area of Parvin Lake was closed due to COVID, but we did a few hikes. There are maps available in the ranger's office - and some pretty cool tie-died t-shirts, too. (I got the turquoise). Anyway, the trails were pretty busy - lots of locals out getting a walk, run, or dog walk in. The hikes were easy, with level, sandy trails that were well-marked. There is a lot nearby the camping area, (like Misty Meadow Sheep Dairy where you can feed the animals and purchase some fantasic dairy products, yarn, and meats) or the Jersey Shore, or Amish markets.  So, while you can have the camping experience you will never feel "alone in the woods", which is why it's a great choice for new campers. Also  families who want the option of day trips close by. Some people had kayaks out on one of the lakes.

While a bit worn from the weather, it was nice to read about the foliage/native plants as we walked the trails. We also caught the end of the blueberry season and I was able to collect enough to make a small batch of jam when I got home.

My four-star rating comes from personal preference for more solitude when I camp. The other side of the same coin is the other negative impression I left with - there was a lot of trash/litter no matter where we were in this park. "Leave no trace" is not practiced here by the visitors, and while the park keeps the cabins COVID-spotless, the grounds are not maintained with the same stringency. In all fairness, the visitors should stop throwing bottles, wrappers, etc. on the ground. Signage and some volunteer days might help.

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

Cape Henlopen camp sites fill up so quickly, and for good reason! After missing out on reservations year after year, this year, we booked a weekend tent site for July back in January and immediately realized the spark of this place. The campground is large with various loops full of RV, popup, and tent sites. There is also a section of walk-in tent sites, each with 1 parking spot semi close by. (Bring a wagon if you stay at one of these). We stayed in site T021 (walk-in site) and had plenty of privacy and space to set up our screen room, tent, and firepit. All camp sites come with the standard picnic table, as well as fire pit and grill grate. There is a camp store in the center of the campground where you can purchase firewood, coffee, batteries, ice or other camping needs.  There are several bath houses strategically placed throughout the campground so that you can easily find one a few minute walk away no matter where you stay. Bath houses were clean, updated, well maintained and air conditioned. There are both public showers that are stall-like within some of the bath houses, as well as large private shower + bathroom stalls (perfect if you have young kids). I didn't find the bugs to be any worse than typical summer camping spots (I heard they maybe spray for bugs on the sites?) but definitely bring your spray and citronella candles. It also POURED from a small tropical storm the morning we arrived yet our site and the full campground was well and dry by the time we set up in the afternoon  - looked like most of the sites were set up on hills, which is great to avoid pooling in inclement weather.  Pets are allowed and there are water spigots near every site. Although our site (T021) was spacious and private, my brother's family was staying on T011 and there were about 4-5 sites all in an open space back to back with one another near his. The neighbors were friendly so no complaints but the lack of privacy there is worth nothing in case you wanted to feel more 'remote'. The sites are mostly tree lined and semi shaded by pines. The campground gets extremely dark at night and the stars are so beautiful from the lack of light pollution! The campground is in a large state park, full of many bike trails, hiking spots, historical WWII sites, fishing pier, and of course the beach. There is a separate entrance for campers so make sure to follow that when you drive in. The beach *is* walkable (maybe a mile away) but much easier /quicker to drive, and there is plenty of parking by the beach. The beach can get crowded but is clean and has lifeguards.  The best part is on a quiet night, if you listen really closely, you can hear the waves crashing in the distance. Due to the nature vibe, proximity to beach, and modern  bathhouses, I think this campground has become our new favorite one!

Great location minutes away from lowes beach dewey beach,bethany beach,and rehobth bech and about a 45 min drive from ocean city and assateague island with the wild horses

Pool is very nice store is a a little outdated the campsight we stayed on was quiet and large not sure of the sight number but when you come intorhe camground it was the 1st right and at the end of the row on the corner but we had friends with us anx they stayed to the left when you get into the park and was loud the bus goes though the campground every hour allday and night

If you want to go to the beaches at a great price stay here if your looking for a resort keep looking

We came back for another visit this September and the campground has undergone lots of renovations since I was here last so I wanted to provide an updated review.

As always, the biking and walking trails in the park are top notch! The Gordon's Pond trail offers beautiful salt march views with lots of birds especially first thing in the morning. Beach access is quick and easy from the campground, too!

We stayed in tent site 114 which was among a cluster of tent sites. Here you have to park in a parking lot and cart your stuff into your actual site. It's not a long haul but could be a pain in the neck if you tend to bring a lot of stuff with you when you camp. From our site there was a small path through the back of the site that provides quick and immediate access to the bike trails in the area.

The sites have newly built picnic tables (very heavy and sturdy) as well as new concrete pad fire rings with grates. They sit a little high off the ground than a traditional fire pit but are nice and well maintained thus far. As I mentioned, the tent site we were in was among a cluster of sites spaced out relatively evenly. However, if all of the sites had been full it would have been a bit close together for my liking. One thing that is nice about these sites is the amount of shade, super helpful in the late summer heat.

The bathroom facilities are also nice and well maintained. Be advised that many Delaware state parks require that you pack out all of your trash at most of their day use areas, the campground however DOES have a dumpster available for trash.

If you can get a reservation here it's totally worth the stay!

I have stayed here many times over the years, usually for a long weekend.  Longer trips were spent there with my parents when I was a kid.   I prefer the south shore campsites to the north shore.  The sites on the south shore offer a little more privacy and aren't as crammed.  I'm particularly fond of the dog friendly loop, its a newer loop and the bathrooms are more modern than the others scattered around. 

We have also stayed in the camping shelters a few times and a cabin once.    The shelters offer no frills sleeping quarters with two bunks beds, so four beds and closet/pantry on both sides in the rear for food and gear, a wooden table in and pot belly stove for warmth or a one pot meal in the front room.  Bathrooms are in a separate building across the road and are shared with the other shelters occupants.  The exterior includes a fire pit, picnic table and a fire ring for larger meal prep.

The cabins are a two steps above the shelter with a full kitchen and bathroom with shower, but otherwise rustic, with three sets of bunk beds, a wooden table and two Adirondack chairs in front of a fire place.  The screened in porch at the rear of the cabin overlooks the lake and has plenty of room for camp chairs.   There is also a picnic table and a charcoal grill outside.

The beach is home to the cleanest, most wonderful lake I have ever set foot  in.  There are picnic tables and grills scattered all around the beach near the parking lot and it does get crowded in the summer months.  There is also a concession stand open in the summer months, serving light fare -- burgers, dogs, ice cream, soda & chips.

★★★ Quiet Getaway Weekend 

We went to Spacious Skies Country Oaks in Dorothy, New Jersey, for a quiet getaway weekend. This is a small and basic campground, not a resort. No fancy amenities. We stayed in Site# 14- a pull-thru with 50-amp, water, and sewer. The hookups seemed to work just fine. There is a small concrete patio(which I like), fire ring(filled with trash from the previous camper), and picnic table. 

We went for a quiet weekend, so it didn’t bother us too much that there was no Wi-Fi and no cable TV. It would’ve been nice to have cable and/or Wi-Fi since it rained through most of our stay. I understand there is supposed to be Wi-Fi, but it wasn’t working. Our Verizon mobile service worked fine. And they plan to offer TV in the future. 

The pull-thru sites(# 12-15) are packed together so tightly that our sitting area was bordered by the hookups from the neighboring site. That’s a little unpleasant. And there are no trees for shade or privacy. Most of the rest of the sites in the campground are better spaced apart and wooded. I believe most of those sites are seasonal, but they seemed to be maintained. 

This was our second stay at SSCO, but first since a change of ownership to Spacious Skies a few months ago. I’m hoping the new owners make some upgrades to services and maintenance. If so, we’ll be back. 

THINGS I LIKED: The staff we met were all friendly and attentive- especially Kim, Eileen, and Jack Basic campground without resort-like amenities Quiet place to stay 

THINGS I’D CHANGE: Offer Wi-Fi Offer cable TV(this cost a star) The pull-thru sites are packed too close(this cost a star) 

NOTE: I try to review the places we stay based on what they’re trying to be. Resorts with water parks and lots of amenities should be reviewed differently than basic campgrounds in my opinion. Every place starts with 5-stars and loses stars for things I believe could and should be better.

We went to Ocean View Resort in New Jersey to kick off the 2022 season in our new Fleetwood Discovery LXE. And we’re glad we did! 

This campground is located less than two miles from Exit 17 off the Garden State Parkway. It’s located a short drive from popular shore towns including Avalon, Sea Isle City, Cape May, and Ocean City. We found the park easy to access and navigate. 

The check-in process was easy and the front office staff was friendly. I appreciate being expected when stepping up to the front desk. 

The most amazing part of our experience was our‘Deluxe 50 Amp Pull Thru’ site# E19. It was HUUUUUUGGGGGGE! See my photos. Our site had full hookups including 50-amp electricity, good water pressure, easily-accessed sewer connection, cable TV with limited channels(some were not clear), and Wi-Fi which was hopelessly slow. Tall trees provided some shade and privacy. The site was covered in gravel and stone, which is great because it didn’t get muddy after the rainstorm we experienced one night. I highly recommend sites E15-E27(E14 slopes too much for my preference). Most sites are seasonal trailers or-park models, but they appeared generally clean and maintained. 

The campground, our site, and facilities we visited were clean and well-maintained. Not all facilities were open as the full season begins in a few weeks. The campground store carries a variety of food and drinks, camping and RV supplies, clothing, pool toys, and souvenirs. This came in handy when I needed to replace a damaged sewer hose. 

It’s a good sign when it’s difficult to think of negative comments. If I’m being nit-picky, I’d share that the trash and recycling dumpsters were overflowing and unsightly. This could be because it was opening weekend. The firewood they sold was nice and dry, but they don’t deliver it to the sites. This meant I could only purchase what I could carry for my walk back to my site.(I believe offering delivery would be a major convenience for campers and result in increased sales for the campground.) 

This was their opening weekend for the 2022 season. While we expected inconveniences or less-than-ideal conditions, we found the place was prepared for the new season and we had no issues. The lake, swimming pool, and cafe hadn’t opened yet, but we’ll be sure to visit those amenities during our next visit later this summer. 

THINGS I LIKED: Site was huge and clean with well-maintained full hookups, gravel, and shade trees. Campground is clean and maintained. Store was well-stocked 

THINGS I’D CHANGE: No delivery for firewood Slow Wi-Fi Limited working cable TV channels