Best Campgrounds near Cherry Point, NC

Cherry Point, North Carolina has several good campgrounds within easy reach. New Bern KOA works well for campers wanting full facilities, with plenty of room at each site. In Croatan National Forest, Oyster Point Campground sits by the Neuse River with spacious sites that don't feel cramped. Many campers also head to Hammocks Beach State Park Campground for its coastal location and trail system. The local wildlife includes deer and raccoons, so proper food storage is necessary at all these spots. During busy times, you should book ahead since these campgrounds fill up quickly. While camping here, you can take day trips to the Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains, or even check out sections of the Appalachian Trail. Weather varies throughout the year - summers can get hot and humid while winters cool down considerably. The Cherry Point area supports all kinds of outdoor activities from fishing to hiking, making it worth the trip regardless of which campground you choose.

Best Camping Sites Near Cherry Point, North Carolina (77)

    1. Oyster Point Campground

    24 Reviews
    Morehead City, NC
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (252) 638-5628

    $10 - $20 / night

    "Fun place to camp, water close by, picnic table and fire ring. Tent pads are pretty big. Host is very nice and cheap."

    "We found a few paths to the river but the river access was very small. There is a Mountain-to-Sea path nearby as well."

    2. Cedar Point Campground

    29 Reviews
    Swansboro, NC
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (252) 638-5628

    $27 - $54 / night

    "Plenty of hiking trails, boat access and woods all right here in this park. The boat access and pier are just a brief walk away from the campground."

    "The one redeeming factor was that it was close to the bath house. The facilities were fairly new. For example, the bath house looked as if it had been built recently, and the concrete looked fresh."

    3. Croatan National Forest Oyster Point Campground

    8 Reviews
    Morehead City, NC
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (252) 638-5628

    "The 24 hour campground park ranger stays on the first site of the right side entrance. There is a oyster fishery nearby."

    "Great location off the beaten path on a dirt road. Campsite 9 backs up to the marsh andhas a great area for watching the sunset. You can also kayak or canoe here."

    4. New Bern KOA Holiday

    13 Reviews
    Bridgeton, NC
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (252) 638-2556

    "Bathrooms: 5/5 Sites: 4/5 upgrades are nice but really expensive for just a concrete pad next to someone else

    Pools: 3/5 they have one but it's pretty meh. Like a 70s motel 8 pool."

    "Gets 4 stars primarily for the staff and the location. Standard sites are crammed together making privacy an issue."

    5. Dogwood Family Campground

    4 Reviews
    Newport, NC
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (252) 777-4343

    $66 - $80 / night

    "This spot is close to everything without being on top of it all! Kid friendly, pet friendly, and very clean! All of the lots are level making for an easy setup!"

    6. Great Lake Dispersed Site - Croatan National Forest

    6 Reviews
    Havelock, NC
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (828) 257-4200

    "This is about as close to nature as it gets! All primitive camping, no amenities at all. Beautiful natural surroundings. Watch out for snakes and alligators!"

    "The path is blocked at about halfway down by concrete barriers and downed trees. So I pulled my Ford Ranger in the pines beside the path and slept there."

    7. Military Park Cherry Point MCCS - Pelican Point RV Park

    1 Review
    Cherry Point, NC
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (252) 466-2762

    "There are several different camping locations available throughout the base, all of which are free but must be reserved ahead of time. Base access required! They are all on the water, very peaceful."

    9. Dixon Landing RV Resort

    2 Reviews
    Bridgeton, NC
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (252) 617-1010

    $60 - $90 / night

    "Just far enough away from the noise but close enough to be convenient to everything. Groceries and restaurants, gas and history all within a short drive."

    "This is a very secluded campground right on the wide Goose Creek/Neuse River, with access to the ocean varying from 25-50 miles. "

    10. Goose Creek Campground

    7 Reviews
    Emerald Isle, NC
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (888) 707-1477

    "Great location, can’t wait to come back!"

    "My wife and I spent a few days here while searching the area for potential retirement location. It's also a seasonal campground."

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Recent Reviews near Cherry Point, NC

285 Reviews of 77 Cherry Point Campgrounds


  • Katie B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 8, 2025

    South Core Banks -- Beach Camping — Cape Lookout National Seashore

    Very Special Place

    We spent 3 nights beach camping in our VW Vanagon, and highly recommend this destination if you have the means! The ferry is $135+ for vehicles, plus $20 per person roundtrip. The beach driving permit is $75 unless you buy it by March (I think). We lucked out with our dates just preceding a big fishing competition, and there was a LOT of open beach space. Almost everyone is there to fish. We took bikes and enjoyed cycling around at low tide. Be sure to camp above the high tide zone, which is black sand. There are narrow/impassable points on the beach at high tide, but there are ramps to the back road every mile. Some ramps are very deep sand, others flat and packed. We got by without 4wd, but we didn’t explore beyond finding a spot not too far from the ferry drop off. We befriended our neighbors who took us to the lighthouse at the southern end of the island, which was beautiful! Currently closed for renovations, and the lightkeeper’s house was closed due to the government shutdown. Overall, south core banks is absolutely worth the effort!

  • Richard P.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 6, 2025

    Cedar Point Campground

    Cedar Point Campground

    Love this campground. Clean bathrooms and showers. Very nice host.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 29, 2025

    Oyster Point Campground

    Primitive, Quite Campground

    Primitive campground with no frills. Dirt road in and gravel on site drives. Water spigots spread out between the campsites. Vaulted toilets were clean. Camp host was nice and liked to talk. We stayed 2 weeks. Others came in for a night or two and then would leave. All types of campers used the campground: 5th wheel, schoolie, tent campers, hammock campers, truck and car campers. 

    We had site 11 which was on the water side with a path to the water. It was shady for the later part of the day (which wasn't great for our solar panels). Most sites had shade for either the early or late part of the day. Site was fairly level. Foliage provided privacy between sites.

    The hiking path was not well maintained so we chose not to use it.

    Not a lot in the immediate area. Town was 25-30 minutes away, but had all the types of stores.

    Verizon service was good.

  • David B.
    Sep. 23, 2025

    Cedar Creek Campground & Marina

    Everyone was so friendly and welcoming.

    Loved this place. Great-sized RV site with plenty of additional parking. The boat launch went smoothly. Miles of pristine coast. Fish were hitting 2 Klicks north of the marina.

  • EThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 19, 2025

    New Bern KOA Holiday

    Everything was great!

    No complaints! Nice & quiet after dark, clean showers & laundry room, nice view of the Nuese River, with a peir for fishing & a fish cleaning station as well! Nice pool & playground with a bouncy blowup trampoline for kids.

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 16, 2025

    Turkey Quarter Campground

    Turkey Quarter

    Large gravel sites with full hookups in the North Carolina woods. 15 miles NW of New Bern NC. Fire wood included.

  • C
    Sep. 15, 2025

    Black Barn Farm

    A Perfect Getaway

    If you haven't camped at Black Barn Farm in Newport, you are missing out! One of our party needed lodging while we wanted to tent camp, they put us up in a perfect spot so we could be near her in one of their sweet little cabins right on the water. There were beautiful lights and trails throughout, animals, ziplines and playgrounds , plus the friendliest and most accommodating hosts I've ever camped with.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 12, 2025

    Hawkins Creek Campground

    Avoid the drama!

    The last reviews of this campground were in 2021. A lot has changed since that time. This is a cheap place to stay. There are no background checks. All sorts of characters stay at this location. I had trouble after six months of staying at this campground. To avoid any trouble, I left halfway through my month of prepaid time. This worked out to approximately $302 or 16 days. They refused to give me a refund or even a pro rate from the owner. Instead, they gave it to a guy staying in a tent on the property. They are thieves!

    In my vicinity that I was staying, there were four known listed Illegal sex act males. Two left the site. One of the remaining males was hired by the management for maintenance.

    The property manager didn’t seem to care about a lot of things around the property. The property appearance was not taken care of. Signs, mailboxes, and other related objects were covered in mold and never cleaned or in need of repair (see pictures). Residence were cutting their own grass. Drainage ditches, and culvert areas had extremely high grass (see pictures). Perfect for snakes.

    The bathhouse was not properly maintained. A male person who lived there only cleaned the floors once or twice a week. That seemed about it. The showers were brown, and the bathrooms were not cleaned properly. I personally cleaned the male bathroom several times during my six months. The sink continually leaked underneath. When I discovered mold, I asked for a mold killer from the bathroom guy. He was having a bad day apparently and flipped out on me. I told him I would clean the mold if he had any chemicals. He cursed at me and walked inside to his residence. Management did nothing about this incident (see pictures).

    There was always trouble with dogs at the campground. Management never did anything about the dog issues. I was told to “shoot the dog if it bites you “. Unbelievable !

    There were no standards for the campsites. Anything went! Make shift structures could be put up with no problem (see pictures). Also a lot of trash and debris around the campground.

    I would not recommend this campground to anyone. Pay the extra money for a better place!


Guide to Cherry Point

Camping near Cherry Point, North Carolina, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and outdoor fun. Whether you're looking for a quiet spot to relax or a place to enjoy some family activities, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.

What to do:

  • Fishing and Relaxing: Many campers enjoy casting a line. One visitor at Cedar Point Campground mentioned, "Great place to hangout and it’s near Emerald Isle and the Crystal Coast. Nice place to throw a line into the water and relax!"
  • Nature Trails: Hiking is popular, especially at Oyster Point Campground. A local shared, "The nature trail has nice walkways over the marsh. You can walk from the campground to the boat launch, picnic area, and nature trail."
  • Beach Access: If you love the beach, Onslow Beach Campsites is a great choice. One camper said, "Campground was within close walking proximity to the beach. Beach was clean and we had fun hunting for shark teeth."

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate cleanliness. A review for Cedar Point Campground noted, "Showers and bathrooms were exceptionally clean."
  • Friendly Hosts: Many visitors mention the helpful staff. At Oyster Point Campground, one guest said, "Tonia is a delightful host."
  • Spacious Sites: Campers enjoy the roomy sites at Oyster Point Campground. A reviewer mentioned, "Great sites. Sites with water view are best."

What you should know:

  • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds, like Hammocks Beach State Park Campground, have few amenities. A visitor shared, "You have to pack out all trash. There are no trash cans on the island."
  • Noise Levels: Expect some noise near military areas. A camper at Onslow Beach Campsites mentioned, "You will need to be able to tolerate the noise of a military base including low-flying aircraft and artillery fire."
  • Wildlife: Be prepared for wildlife encounters. A review for Croatan National Forest warned, "There are alligators, bears, way too many ticks, mosquitoes and a ridiculous amount of shotgun shells."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Choose Family-Friendly Campgrounds: Look for places like New Bern KOA, which has activities for kids. One parent said, "The bathrooms were very clean and each had a shower sink and toilet all to yourself."
  • Plan for Activities: Bring games and outdoor toys. A family at Holiday Trav-L-Park Resort enjoyed, "They do fun family activities, too (like outdoor movies and Christmas in July!)."
  • Pack Snacks: Keep everyone happy with snacks. A visitor at Goose Creek Campground mentioned, "The pool is awesome! Great location, can’t wait to come back!"

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Sizes: Make sure your RV fits the site. A reviewer at Cedar Point Campground noted, "Some sites are really huge!"
  • Electric Hookups: Look for campgrounds with electric hookups if needed. New Bern KOA offers these amenities, making it easier for RVers.
  • Be Mindful of Noise: Some RV parks can be noisy. A visitor at Goose Creek Campground said, "Some of the neighbors were loud, I know this is not management's fault, just be prepared."

Camping near Cherry Point, North Carolina, has something for everyone. Whether you're a family looking for fun or an RVer seeking comfort, you'll find a spot that suits your needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What camping is available near Cherry Point, NC?

According to TheDyrt.com, Cherry Point, NC offers a wide range of camping options, with 77 campgrounds and RV parks near Cherry Point, NC and 4 free dispersed camping spots.

Which is the most popular campground near Cherry Point, NC?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Cherry Point, NC is Oyster Point Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 24 reviews.

Where can I find free dispersed camping near Cherry Point, NC?

According to TheDyrt.com, there are 4 free dispersed camping spots near Cherry Point, NC.