Best Glamping near Blowing Rock, NC

My husband and I have camped at Julian Price three times, most recently in July. Obviously we like it. We’ve always been in the RV section in our camper van so I can’t comment on the tent section other than to say it’s well away from the RVs and looks quite nice. The campground is right on the Blue Ridge Parkway just five miles from Blowing Rock. Lots of hikes nearby including a loop from the campground. Bathrooms are fine. Showers are located in the tent section—private, nice. Sites are nice sized and most are private. One negative is all the moss growth on picnic tables. Most RV sites are heavily shaded plus the campground just reopened so I realize lack of humans resulted in the moss flourishing. ;)

This campground is minutes from Blowing Rock NC, which makes it super popular. There are restaurants and grocery stores nearby. There are two sides: the A-side is next to the lake but has no showers, just flush toilets, water spigots, and a food storage area. The other side has newer bathhouses.

RV spots have electric hookups, tent spots do not. Many on lakeside have to be reserved in advance and are not as isolated as they may appear on the recreation.gov website. If you are thinking the “first come first served campsites” that are lakeside will be up for grabs at any given time you will be disappointed. I would recommend reserving one if possible. Tent pads are decent and will have some small gravel in them, they will for a standard six persons tent but that’s about it. Fire rings are standard size and sites have a lantern post, along with a cement top picnic table.

Note that if you are towing a trailer and tenting you may have issues finding a place to park. Solid campground with friendly staff.

 So this is the most unusual place we’ve ever camped. I would call it a‘community where there are campsites’ more than a campground. The majority of the sites are populated by beautifully-kept tiny houses with RVs sprinkled in. The grounds are beautifully planted and tended, evoking a feeling of being in a park. The bathhouse rooms are clean, individual rooms and decorated. The swimming pool is large and clubhouse lodge well provisioned. This is what a camping resort should be(but minus the huge fees)! WiFi is standard; we opted for the Pay version and had great connectivity. You will lose cell service~ 20 minutes from the campground. 

Starlite is a long-term community that evolved into providing a safe and welcoming environment for LGBTQ+ folks looking for a serene mountain experience and this is an exceptional place. If you come with open mind and heart you will feel entirely welcome. My husband and I enjoyed all the people, dogs and kitties we met. We felt so safe and in this setting that we never even locked the RV when we left. Our site(79) was one of two transient camping sites feet away from the creek and a short walk to the lake filled with water lilies. The gravel site has FHU but currently is not level; the hosts have plans to revamp the site and extend the pad.

Follow the websites directions! You do NOT want to venture onto just any road up here, some of the roads are rough. Print directions before leaving home. The shortcut back dirt road between here and Blowing Rock is an adventure for a truck (only); just plan on driving it slow and it’s fine. Shockingly, as we returned from Blowing Rock the long way on Rt 321 our RV GPS program (in RV mode) kept trying to get us to take these mountainous dirt road shortcuts back to the camp. We might well have been stranded if we hadn’t known better.

Main Street Blowing Rock is a boutique shop haven. Great for strolling. Kilwins ice cream and candy shop in Blowing Rock is awesome, as is the spice shop beside it.

From downtown Blowing Rock you can hop on the Blue Ridge Parkway in minutes. South on the BRP you’ll quickly reach Moses Cone and Julian Price parks, both are great places to hike and picnic.

I camped here with a friend and our dogs. Our campsite was in the A loop. 

I'm not really sure how to rate the campground. It was on my list for a while but I think my expectations were too high. 

The area is very very pretty. It is right off of the Blue Ridge Parkway. The campground has several loops. The A loop is right by the lake but not all sites have a view or access to it. Some of the sites are also very close together and share one parking spot, which can be a problem if you either have a bigger vehicle or more than one car per campsite. You find a big tent pad, a lantern pole, firepit, and a picnic table in each site. The restroom is older and has no showers. It also seemed to be used by a lot of people that weren't campers. 

The area was very crowded. When we drove back from Blowing Rock around lunch time we saw a really long line of cars try to get into the town. There are also a lot of very nice trails and waterfalls nearby. We walked around the lake (the trail starts in the campground) and it was absolutely beautiful. 

 I don't think I would camp here again. Like I said the area is very pretty and so was the campground, but it is just a little bit too crowded for our taste.

This is a National Park with fishing, boating, hiking, and wildlife. It is near the Moses Cone home which offers handmade items and a tour of the mansion. Within 5 miles of shopping at Blowing Rock. Tweetsie Railroad is a nearby attraction.

Love this campground. My family has been going here for years. There is a beautiful stream running through the campground that doubles as an amazing playground for the kids. Bathrooms are nice. The office area is nice and stocked with games. It’s in a great location very close to Boone and Blowing Rock. The sites often get booked quickly, so reserve spots well in advance!

Quiet campground despite the number of sites. We enjoyed our stay, and even had deer wander near our site a few times. Our tent site was in Loop B but near the bathroom/showers in Loop D. Really liked how the toilet and shower were together in the same individual bathrooms.

Campground is conveniently located near Blowing Rock and other sights on the Parkway, like Cone Manor and Linn Cove Viaduct. Nice area.

There are a LOT of sites at this campground. First come first served sites are available on the lake and thought the campground. Many sites are reservible as well. There is hiking and fishing within the campground. Additionally, it is convenient to the towns of Blowing Rock and Boon as well as Moses H. Cone Memorial Park. The sites on the lake are small but fairly private. Many of the sites a cross the street from the lake are larger and some are fairly private as well. Showers and restrooms can be a bit dirty at times, but showers are hot

This campground is located right on the Blue Ridge Parkway with a nice lake for fishing, boating, and SUP. No swimming.

The campground has a wide variety of sites some are great, some leave a lot to be desired. Research your site carefully. It is a National Park and alcohol and dogs are allowed so things can get loud at night. Pack your earplugs.

Lots of good hikes nearby, right off the Parkway. They are often busy on the weekends especially during Fall Leaf color season. Boone and Blowing Rock very close making it easy to get provisions.

Located directly off Blue Ridge Parkway milepost 324.8 Spruce Pine N.C. Site are level well shaded with a little separation from neighboring sites. Full hookups including sewer, which was a first for us, and clean bathhouse. The only real knocks I would give it are the gas powered golf carts they rent to those that want them. Noisy and smelly with kids behind the wheel just joyriding not really going anywhere but back and forth by our campsite. Proximity to all the Parkway has to offer is it’s greatest asset. Within minutes of a u-pick apple orchard, Linville Falls, Grandfather Mtn., The towns of Banner Elk, Boone, and Blowing Rock. Our site overlooked a heavily wooded valley that lit up every night with fireflies. It was hard for me to find any negatives.

We stayed at Site E14 during a weekend in July. The campground is in an excellent location, just 5-10 minutes away from downtown Blowing Rock and of course it’s right on the beautiful Blue Ridge Parkway! Our site was peaceful and shaded, easily fit our 14 foot teardrop with screen room and our truck. After walking through the other loops, I preferred ours as it was not as crowded and quieter. Great access to trails, Price Lake trail and Boone Fork trail access is within minutes. Our site was very shaded. The picnic table seating is extremely low to the ground so if you have mobility issues that could be an issue. The bathrooms were old but clean and served the purpose. Overall, I recommend this campground it is so peaceful and perfect location. We can’t wait to come back!!

Julian Price Campground is managed by the U.S. National Park Service at milepost 297. This 197-site campground has a brand new bathroom/shower building with electricity and dish washing station next to site D24 (this may be the only one with electricity). There are several sites on the D loop that are somewhat private being surrounded by rhododendron.

The moderately difficult 5 mile Boone Fork Trail goes between sites B29 & B30 and makes for a wonderful 3 hour hike next to many creeks. This trail shares the Mountain To Sea trail part of the way.

There are other loops to camp on including the A loop next to Price Lake where you can rent canoes and kayaks and purchase firewood. There is also an easy 2.5 mile trail around the lake.

The roads are a bit worse for wear, having pot holes, etc. They could use either a new repaving or just make it all dirt roads.

The Campground host/park ranger was really great and helped us change sites (to be closer to the new bathhouse).

Just down the road is the Moses Cone mansion, aka Flat Top Manor with signage on the Blue Ridge Parkway as the Craft Center. Blowing Rock is nearby and Boone is a short distance away.

This is a very private, no cell reception! I love it here! They have a beautiful lake that offers a paddle boat, a canoe (first come,first serve). Most of the sites are tiny homes now because the people that have come have loved it so much they stay! They have a handle full of tent sites but all have electric and water. They offer a gourmet kitchen with two refrigerators to store your foods if need be and to cook on. When we stayed we had three days of monsoon rain so the kitchen came in handy for us. They offer a club house and a pool to hang where they often have events during the summer months and holidays. It honestly is so relaxing there. We plan on going back again to camp.

Since cell reception is minimal up there you may want to call way in advance get a reservation. Their main phone is located in the kitchen and is checked once a day. I recommend emailing and calling. It’s a tough place to reach but the pay off of camping there is worth it in the end.

Blowing Rock is located about ten to fifteen minutes from the campground. And everything else is about twenty minutes or more. If you need food pack what you need and bring it all in with you.

We will returning hopefully come the fall sometime!

I first camped at this campground over forty-five years ago, so I expected this family-owned campground to be run down. I was pleasantly surprised because it is a very well maintained campground with mostly level sites and lots of shade. I was further impressed by the staff friendliness. When I checked in, the host was very nice, and when I returned later to look at the camp store, another host was behind the desk, and he was friendly. 

This campground has sites for tents, popups, travel trailers, and RVs. Even though mine was a teardrop camper, I stayed in the popup section with water and electricity. I feel fortunate to have gotten site 23, which is at the end of the lane and next to the creek where it forks and joins back up to make a single creek close to my campsite. The only drawback was backing into the site since it was the end of the lane—not an easy chore. Needless to say, this campground is in a beautiful setting. As far as location, there was some noise from Hwy 105. However, that did not bother me that much since I was so close to the sounds of the creek, and since I was staying in a camper. 

The bath house is modern with tile floors and hot water, but on the men’s side, there was an odor just outside the door before you go in. Even though the showers were hot, it was a little cool inside since the autumn weather has begun. There is a thermostat, but I don’t think it had been adjusted for fall weather yet. These were the only complaints that I would have about the bath house, which I consider to be minor. 

Inside the office, there is a store with basic supplies and a recreation area with a pool table, pinball machine, and checkerboard table. Visitors feel welcome there because of the sitting area next to the fireplace. 

This is a campground just for a variety of ages. There were some retirees, but there were also many young people. As a matter of fact, several young people were playing basketball. There was also a playground area and a volleyball court. During the summer, you wouldn’t want to be spending all of your time at the campsite anyway. There are lots of things to do and see in the area such as: Tweetsie Railroad theme park, Grandfather Mountain State Park, Blowing Rock,“Horn in the West” outdoor drama, Mystery Hill, Mast General Store, and much more. 

Overall, I highly recommend this campground. It is one of my favorites.

We came here as our second ever camping trip and it wasn’t exactly what we were expecting but it was definitely an adventure. It was beautiful and quiet and relaxing. The only thing we were not happy about is the insane amount of bugs in the bathroom. But, ya know North Carolina summers.