Are you planning a tent camping trip to Carolina Beach? We've got you covered. The Dyrt helps you find campsites with tent camping near Carolina Beach. From remote to easy-to-reach, these Carolina Beach campsites are perfect for tent campers.
Fort Fisher Air Force Recreation Area (FFAFRA) is Federal land owned and managed by the United States Air Force, the Army National Guard, and MOTSU (Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point). FFAFRA's primary purpose is to offer recreational activities and lodging as well as training events for DOD eligible groups. There are cottages and lodge rooms along with RV and tent sites for rent by authorized persons with proper DOD identification. There are also meeting rooms, a Military Museum, and facilities available for special events, team building, and official exercises. Come and see why “Ft. Fisher is One of the Military’s Best Kept Secrets.”
Residents and visitors have long enjoyed the beach area now known as Freeman Park. In fact, the area has become one of Carolina Beach's major attractions as it is one of the only beaches in NC that you can drive your 4X4 vehicle on.
Whether coming to the area to swim, camp, fish, or go boating, crabbing or casting for minnows, people love Freeman Park. Visitors are drawn to the beautiful beach with its variety of wildlife, dunes and majestic sea grasses indigenous to the region.
Overnight camping is only allowed in designated, reserved camp sites Labor Day through the Thursday before Memorial Day each year. Reservations are on a first come/first service basis. During this period, there is a $50.00 per night fee for a campsite permit.
NO OVERNIGHT CAMPING is allowed the Friday before Memorial day through the Sunday before Labor Day.
Visitors and campers driving 4-wheel drive vehicles must have a valid Freeman Park access pass at all times to enter the park (can be purchased online or in person at entrance to park). Camping permits can only be purchased on-line.
$20 - $90 / night
$45 / night
Guide
Our family has tent camped here twice and recently reserved a camp cabin for a week this summer. This is a quiet and spacious campground mere miles from Carolina Beach at a price that's hard to beat. We tent camp here around $30 a night for a tent site. Each site is very large and spacious. It could could comfortably fit 2 tents and a car.
This Campground offers bathhouses, picnic tables, and fire rings. Dogs allowed, but not in the cabins. Plenty of walking trails.
Campground is flat and shaded, although there are some primative group sites away from the main campground but they don't have as much shade. Grocery store is maybe 6 miles away.
Legend
We visited this area last summer, but didn't camp there. However we did spend a lot of time in area. This campground is directly across the street from the beach. The beach is beautiful and the landscaping has rock formations scattered through it. It's a somewhat remote feel to this area even though it's not far from Carolina Beach. There is also a aquarium, and museum down the road if you need a history or education fix. Down South of it is bald island a access to a ferry that will take you to Southport. Next time we come back to this area we will definitely camp here.
Ranger
Little to no amenities. Expensive and setup to accommodate RV camping. If your looking for a beach camping experience, travel further north to either Carolina Beach or Jockeys Ridge. These both offer a better tent camping experience with the beach close by. Don't get me wrong, Oak Island is GORGEOUS! Just not when trying to tent camp.
LegendCarolina beach state park is one of my favorite places to go in North Carolina. Not only does it have an awesome campground, but it's right near one of the best beaches I've ever been to. The sites are nice and secluded, just how I like them. Most of the sites are tent sites, but they have a few full hookup sites for RVs and some cabins to rent too. All of the sites have picnic tables, fire rings, and drinking water.
Within the park, there are tons of hiking trails through a really beautiful area. I hear the fishing is also really good within the park, but I've never done it myself. The only downside is you can't swim within the park, because the currents can get dangerous. The beach is only like 5 minutes away though, so not really a big deal.
As for the beach, it's my favorite one to go to in the states. I like it because it's not really touristy like the outer banks or myrtle beach. Not a whole lot of people come to it, so it's always pretty secluded and clean. In July, the water temperature is perfect, the waves are nice, and it's great all around.
Awesome spot in NC.
LegendCampground Review:
Carolina Beach State Park is located just over the bridge in Carolina Beach NC. It is close to many restaurants and grocery stores, but offers a bit of seclusion with the large trees and overgrown shrubbery between sites.
We enjoy the short hikes at Carolina Beach State Park, and the visitor center! The visitor center has fantastic exhibits of venus fly traps with hands-on activities for the kids, explaining about the different kinds of carnivorous plants that live in the park. We found both pitcher plants and venus fly traps on one of our hikes!
This campground has 2 large loops - with affordable cabins scattered throughout. It is a fairly large campground - almost 100 sites, with bathhouses, showers, spigots and trash through the park. Camping costs around $26 a night for a tent site, or you could reserve one of their cabins (double bed and desk in the front room and bunks, or 2 bunk beds) for $58 - what a steal!!
One of our favorite sites is number 45 - it backs right up to the river - and is slightly elevated, allowing beautiful views (while it isn't raining!). This campground also has a marina - where boats can be rented as well as put in. There are hiking trails, both short and long - the shortest being the venus fly trap trail - where you can see both venus fly traps and pitcher plants. We hiked Sugarloaf - down to the private beach - and hung out for several hours. It was wonderful!
Product review:
As a ranger for The Dyrt, I get to review items. I reviewed the morsel spork XL while at Carolina Beach with my family. https://morselspork.com/products/morsel-spork
I have had several sporks while hiking the Appalachian Trail, yet this spork exceeds expectations.
First of all, the spork itself is sturdy, but pliable. Secondly, the spatula feature on the side makes it easy to scrape every last bit of food out of your container or food pouch - and on a long hike - we don't want to leave one bite behind! I have used this spork both with standard tupperware containers and also in dehydrated food pouches - and the XL is perfect! Lastly, I dislike getting food on my hand when reaching in a pouch and the length of the spork is perfect! I can get a bite (with either the fork end, or the spoon end) and remove the utensil without getting slimy/sticky food on my hands. I would highly recommend this spork for hiking/camping and my family is planning to use these in our lunches for the upcoming school year!
TravelerWent tent camping and absolutely loved the spaciousness and privacy of the sites. Has excellent proximity to the boardwalk and beach which is a plus. The bathrooms and showers are a bit outdated, but definitely well-maintained and clean. We’re going to come back to this place with the camper next.
TravelerPlentiful bathrooms and showers. Nice tent sites. Very close to the beach. Great view of the river. Has shop, rental center, and fishing pier within walking distance of the camping area. Also has a nice pool and rec center, as well as ongoing outdoor classes (kayaking, ghost turtle hunting, etc).
Traveler
We loved it here, it was right off a main road but quiet. The deluxe tent sites were very nice with a covered sitting area and soft pads for our tent. The sites were well spaced as well. Bathrooms were very clean and a short walk and the facilities here were useful. We did a day trip to the beach which was a short ride and into downtown Wilmingon which was also a short ride. Restaurants across the street were fun with pool tables and darts. Would stay again.
GuideThis campground is great if you just want close beach access. The bathrooms are not always working or clean. The cabins are cute. The RV sites do not have hook ups in the right places but they are fixing it. The tent sites are shaded. The entertainment is great but it’s invasive and loud if you don’t want to hear it you have no choice. If yo love live bands it’s a great time! Beautiful area, close to so many local attractions! Just don’t expect too much.
GuideThis campground is located between the Cape Fear River and Atlantic Ocean. Nice primitive type of feel to this place. There is tent camping, RV sites, and even about 4 cabins (with more under construction) available at this site. Electrical hookups available for most of the RV sites. There are water pumps throughout the grounds and the bathroom facilities are new and clean with private showers. There are plenty of trash/recycling containers which the staff empty a few times a day, and a dump site for RV's.
There is a supermarket just a few miles away, and a brewery right outside of the campsite.
The staff is excellent and always available, and do a great job.
ScoutThe camp ground was really easy to get around with kids, plenty of trails that preschool kids can enjoy as well as adults. Lots of beautiful views just a short hike away. We camped in a primitive tent site, plenty of shade with nice picnic table and fire ring with grill grate. The bathrooms were so clean, we were really impressed. The rangers are super helpful and very nice. One of our best camping trips ever. Fort Fisher Historic site and Aquarium are less than 15 minutes away. Beach accesses are less than 5 minutes away by car. I would highly recommend visiting in early Spring or late Fall. I live a short distance away and the mosquitoes are unbearable in the warmer months.
GuideThe group campground is isolated from the rest of the camping areas and is quiet at night. There are a lot of park visitors who walk through the area, but the trail through goes around he main campsites. The pit toilets are in need of some attention, but have always been well stocked. It’s about 400 yards to hike in, so we used a wagon to bring in gear. No water on site, but a really nice fire pit with grill top and 2 picnic tables. Shady tent sites available, but really hot and buggy in summer. Group camp site is about .5 mile hike from the river which is great for wading, but swimming is not allowed.
Many species of carnivorous plants grow here and abundant wildlife.
in the summer months there is a place to rent kayaks and paddle boards at the marina.
Legend
Wishing Well campground is located off Sunset Beach in NC. It is a smaller campground, and much of the shared ground is a storage facility for boats and RV's that are not in use. There are about 10 or 15 RV sites in the loop and the bathhouse is at the back of the loop. Behind the bathhouse are about 10 tent sites, with electricity at most. It was nice that the picnic tables were covered in the back of the property - yet the approach from the road, and the initial entraceway would turn some people away from this campground.
The people (and owners) were very friendly and I did like the privacy that this campground held. It was close enough to easily drive to the beach, without being in the middle of craziness.
The bathhouse - very clean - but dated. The showers were small - changing areas were provided, which was nice. This is a nice campground - and very affordable!
ScoutCarolina Beach State Park is an amazing campground that has awesome hiking trails, very nice, affordable camp sites, a marina, fishing and swimming in the ocean and tons of fun. I loved it so much I rented a house nearby and actually lived there two years and got married at Carolina Beach Town Hall. I want to tell the whole world what a great campground Carolina Beach State Park is.
Ranger
Freeman Park is a beach area located in Carolina Beach. It's the place to take your 4x4 vehicle, your friends, kids, and dogs, and have some fun in the sand, wind, and waves.
First and foremost, make sure you know how to drive in the sand and what to do when your car gets stuck. It happened to us, as well as to many vehicles on the beach.
Also, be aware of the tides, it's dangerous to be driving near the water when the high tide comes in.
The camping is allowed on the beach Labor Day through memorial Day, but might require a permit, check the rules before you go. In the past, the permit was required only after April 1, so we always tried to come in February or March, when the weather is nice but not too hot.
The camping is allowed in the designated spaces. There's enough room for one tent. Remember, when camping on sand, you don't need stakes. Instead you bring 4 plastic bags, fill them with sand, tie the tent corners to the bags and bury them in the sand. This will prevent your tent from flying away,
There are several pit toilets on the beach, some trash cans are provided too. There's a store next to the fishing pier a short distance from the beach where we usually go to brush our teeth in the morning.
I love Freeman park and give it 4 stars only because it's a primitive camping spot and people should be aware what to expect. It doesn't have fancy amenities, but the proximity to the ocean is priceless.
Our favorite dining spot: The Shuckin' Shack Oyster Bar in Carolina Beach.
TravelerCarolina Beach is a beautiful and peaceful campground, with spacious and private campsites. Sites are easy to locate, easy to access. Plenty of shade and nice fire pits.
Bathrooms haven't been updated in decades. Showers don't offer much privacy, but do offer decent pressure and hot water.
Grocery store is half a mile away.
Loved the small town of Carolina Beach.
Highly recommend, and will return in the future.
Legend
Brunswick Beach Camping Resort is easily found - just off highway 17 in Sunset Beach NC. This campground has RV sites, tent sites and even little cabins.
As you pull off the road, it is set far from the road - which we liked! This made for quieter nights without being able to hear passing traffic on the road. You pass by the tobacco field on the right and pull into the campground. This road is very skinny and I had to pull off several times to let a car pass. As I pulled in there was a store immediately to my right where i went in to register.
I could see the swimming pool, volleyball court and horseshoes from just outside the store. As I walked around the store, i noticed the laundry room and a bathroom attached to the back.
I like some of the scenery out back - a bit of water - some trees. Yet there were many RV's and the sites were so close together. Many activities for our kids - yet not one where we would be able to spread out and let them be free without worrying we were disturbing someone.
We had great cell phone service and free wifi while here - so if that is something you are looking for - look no further! The little store sells a bit of everything you might need - and grocery stores are located within a few minutes down the road.
TravelerI love staying at Carolina Beach State Park! Very close to the beach, you can drive it ride a bike there.
The hiking trails are well maintained and way to follow.
GuideThis campground is well worth the visit! Nicely wooded campsites that are very large and private! The park has numerous hiking trails, a marina and a beach nearby! Carolina Beach area has many things to offer; they have a boardwalk that in the summertime has bands playing free of charge, amazing restaurants, fun carnival type activities for the kids, and fireworks every Friday! Weather you want to relax in seclusion in the forest atmosphere of the park or go to the beach and party the night away, Carolina Beach has it all! From the state park the beach is only a 5 min drive, less than 7 miles! You could almost walk there if you didn't have all that beach gear! But you could certainly ride your bike!
TravelerGreat location close to Wilmington and Carolina Beach. The recent addition of air-conditioned cabins are a welcome alternative during the hot summer months even though they book up quickly. We enjoyed fishing and exploring the campground.
LegendCarolina Beach State park has an awesome location if you’re looking for an inexpensive place to stay at the beach. It’s a short drive to Carolina Beach, Kure Beach, and Fort Fisher. There is no swimming area at this park. There is a marina and some great hiking though! We took a day trip to Bald Head Island as well! The campsites are large and well secluded from each other. The restroom and showers are centrally located, and clean enough. One thing I will mention is the pack of gigantic raccoons that kept us up all night while we were there. We accidentally left some food out one night and they were bothering us all weekend, even during the day! Some of the biggest raccoons I’ve ever seen. Don’t be like us and leave food out, lol!
GuideCarolina Beach State Park is a great place to visit! You can drive out on the beach for the day and it is never crowded. The weather is usually nice and the beach is clean. It is great for those who own 4wd vehicles.
GuideI've been to the campgrounds at Carolina Beach State Park a lot over the years and nothing has really changed since the first time. Rich native wildlife and plants in a shaded setting.The sites themselves are easily accessible and closely located to restrooms. Rarely have there been rambunctious clientele and you're centrally located to a number of recreational opportunities. Definitely worth checking out if you're in the area.
LegendI hesitate to give it five stars because of my particular campsite. It was difficult to get into because of the trees, especially since I had a full sized truck. I had to back up, pull forward, back up, pull forward, etc., the first time I pulled in. I love trees, but taking one out would be a lot better for the campsite where I was.
With that said, the campsite did have many good things going for it. It had a sheltered picnic table with a light, a charging station, and power outlets. However, if you are planning to run a cord between the power outlet and your tent on the tent pad, you need something long than twenty-five feet. I didn’t realize how far away the power was going to be, so I had to go to a store in town to get another extension cord. The site is sandy and level. The tent pad was also sandy and fairly level. If you are going to set up a tent on the tent pad, I suggest making sure it is not too big of a tent. My 8’ x 7’ tent fit, but larger tents may have a problem if there are tie-outs.
Another problem with my tent site is that it was so close to the bath house, which may not seem to be a problem to most. However, the lights on the bath house are on all night, and they light up the area as if it were a ball field. The bath house itself is really nice—one of the cleanest and well-kept bath houses I have used in my camping experiences. They are individual toilet/shower combos and can only be accessed via a code. However, the water pressure in the shower is so weak it would barely wet a frog’s back(slight exaggeration, but it was still VERY disappointingly weak). The bath house is handicap accessible and has a ramp.
Another problem I experienced was the noise. If it wasn’t the barking dog, it was what sounded like a garbage truck at 4:00 in the morning. There was also road noise from Market Street.
The reason most people come here is because of its proximity to Wrightsville Beach and other attractions, but there are things to do at the campground. There is a swimming pool, a playground, a beach volleyball court, and more. It also provides information about tours, and I believe it also has kayak rentals.
Overall, I would recommend this campground, but I believe it is better suited for RV campers rather than tent campers.
RangerI stayed at the Carolina Beach State Park Campground a few times and enjoyed every moment. First of all, it provides an affordable option for those who want to be close to the beach but also enjoy camping, woods, and hiking trails. It's also a nice campground with clean nice bathrooms and showers with hot water.
Sites 71 and 73 are connected and provide plenty of space for a larger group with several cars. The site doesn't have tent pads, it's basically just some gravel, pretty level and with a lot of space for tents.
The park has about 5 miles worth of trails. My favorite is the Flytrap trail, which leads to swampy areas with Venus flytraps and other carnivorous plants. They are small and easy to find if you know where to look. Ask a ranger for specifics.
BTW, if you're in Wilmington area, check out https://www.wilmingtonandbeaches.com/listing/stanley-rehder-carnivorous-plant-garden/901/ - this is a cure little destination for kids and adults.
The weather can be hot and humid during the summer months. Bring a lot of bug spray!!!
TravelerWe camped here Wed through Sat for my son's fall break. We arrived on Wed afternoon around 4pm. I was wearing leggings and the mosquitos literally landed on my leggings and bit me through them. I didn't even know that could happen. I should have left the campsite then and gone to Walmart, 17 min away, and bought enough bug spray and candles for the weekend but we set up the campsite instead. We just got back so camped the first week in October, site 17. For the four days, I had two citronella candles, one on the picnic table and one near our camping chairs, a thermocell fogger in the tent (ran for about an hour before we went in to go to sleep) and then two bottles of 40% deet spray...one for our car when we came back to the campsite and one on the picnic table. We brought our kayaks and launched from both the Carolina Beach State Park marina and also Trails End public access (intercoastal waterway). Both were great with plenty of parking while we were there. There are VERY large yachts in the trails end area which are cool to see, just be careful when paddling that area. We fished at both places and also at Carolina beach from the surf. I caught a HUGE drum there. Lots of dogs off of leashes (rules change Oct 1st) so that was cool to see. We mostly cooked at the campsite but ate dinner at Sea Witch Cafe one night. The place is dog friendly, which we needed, and the food was reasonably priced and so good. The park rangers lock the gates at 9pm and they don't open until 7am so you have to plan accordingly. This wasn't an issue for us, we just watched the clock and made sure we were back. Beach is about 6 min away, Walmart is about 17 min or so, several grocery stores nearby (Food Lion, Publix). Overall, it was a great trip, I just wasn't prepared initially for the mosquitos. I got 90 bites that first day. I even had to constantly spray down my dog to keep the mosquitos off of her. It was a bit much. Definitely put all of your food in your car or at a minimum in your tent. Raccoons come nightly. :) We lost a quesadilla, some dog food, etc.
TravelerGreat campground, excellent marina and paddling opportunities on the Cape Fear River with paddle access to many small white sand beaches. Marine store nearby, Bath houses very clean and newish. Sites relatively private and well shaded for the most part. Be careful in site selection though a few would be very tight for even the smallest pop ups with someone with a PhD. in backing up. I would avoid #60 & 61 in particular. While in the town of Carolina Beach, campground in not on the beach. Beaches are a brief drive away. Nice hiking opportunities too. Shopping and dining options only minutes away.
Carolina Beach, North Carolina, offers a fantastic backdrop for tent camping enthusiasts, with a variety of well-reviewed spots that cater to different preferences and needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Carolina Beach, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Carolina Beach, NC is Fort Fisher Air Force Recreation Area with a 4.1-star rating from 11 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Carolina Beach, NC?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 tent camping locations near Carolina Beach, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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