52 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
State parks and private campgrounds within an hour of Corapeake, North Carolina provide a range of camping experiences from waterfront sites to forested retreats. Merchants Millpond State Park, located about 15 miles southwest in Gatesville, offers a unique ecosystem with cypress swamps and eastern woodlands. The park features multiple camping options including family campgrounds with standard amenities, canoe-in primitive sites on islands, and backpack camping areas. Davis Lakes Resort in Suffolk, Virginia, approximately 25 miles northeast, provides year-round camping with lakefront sites and various accommodation types from tent camping to cabins. First Landing State Park in Virginia Beach, though farther at about 45 miles northeast, remains popular for its beach access and diverse camping options under canopies of live oaks and pines.
Reservations are essential for most established campgrounds in the region, particularly during summer months when waterfront sites fill quickly. Merchants Millpond State Park requires advance planning, especially for its specialized canoe-in sites. As one camper noted, "If you stay at Merchants Millpond, make sure you take and use insect repellent and lots of it. I had the biggest problem with mosquitoes and ticks." The humid coastal climate creates ideal conditions for insects, particularly in the warmer months. Most campgrounds in the area provide basic amenities including bathhouses with hot showers, though facilities vary in quality and maintenance. Cell service is generally reliable near established campgrounds but may be limited in more remote areas of the parks. Weather conditions remain mild enough for year-round camping, with summer temperatures typically reaching the 80s during the day and 60s at night.
Many campers highlight water access as a primary attraction in the region. The swampy millpond at Merchants Millpond State Park offers distinctive paddling opportunities and wildlife viewing. According to one visitor, "The heart of the park lies in its swamps filled with cypress trees and cypress stumps." Wildlife sightings commonly include deer, turtles, and various bird species, with bears and alligators also native to the area though less frequently encountered. Noise levels vary significantly between campgrounds, with some sites near highways experiencing traffic sounds throughout the night. Proximity to Virginia Beach provides additional recreational opportunities for those willing to drive, with several campgrounds serving as convenient basecamps for exploring both inland swamps and coastal attractions.
"I still think it's the best one, it's the largest, right next to the main trail head, & bath house trail right ahead of the site. The bath house was real nice."
"The campsites are great with ample room for privacy, and easily accessible to the restrooms and trails around the pond."
from $27 / night
Check Availability"The lakes are fun and we always have a great time. Some sites are amazing. Only 4 stars because of proximity to highway."
"We had a personal guide to show us the location of our campsite. Campsites had wood decks which would be nice in warmer weather. Close to highway but reasonably quiet at night"
from $72 - $105 / night
Check Availability"We were looking for a reasonably quick (one overnight) camping trip that was different, but within a 2ish hour drive."
"We did the canoe-in camping and brought out Hobie kayaks (beware if you bring them our mirage drive seemed to find every downed tree or cypress knob under the water 😜) Buoys marked the different routes"
from $17 - $57 / night
Check Availability"Very clean facilities and close by. Easy access to water. Close proximity to beach and hiking. 120 - was able to get two RTT on one site. Bad: close proximity to other sites."
"There are also about 20 cabins on the Trail side. The only sewer hookups are for the three Camp Host sites located throughout the Park. There are nice clean showers located around the campground."
from $32 - $163 / night
Check Availability"The only complaint is the houses near the sites had a dog that barked all night. Super annoying."
"Absolutely beautiful in the lake which is not well marked due to limited visibility in the swampy environment. Lots of underwater obstructions so use caution. U DO NOT want to end up in that water."
from $17 / night
Check Availability"Around 7pm because we had a late start. Unfortunately we didn't stay because our site was hike in and I thought I did drive in. So we ended up getting a hotel instead."
from $17 / night
Check Availability"Some sites close to main road but not a lot of traffic."
"The only thing I have a problem with here, is that there are no garbage cans or dumpsters near the campsites."
from $21 - $36 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $154 / night
Check Availability"We enjoyed biking all over the place (including a family-friendly bike trail to the VB boardwalk), playing on the many small playgrounds, swimming in the dome-covered pool (there are three more of them"
"Finding my campsite in the Sherwood Forest section was a little confusing but my site ended up being ideal--close to the main road to walk out for an Uber to the show and a little farther from the other"
from $25 - $92 / night
Check Availability
GuideSo we had just gone in on a day pass to go to the beach and ended up staying two nights. It was that nice. The sites varied greatly in size, but both the sites we stayed in had plenty of room and shade. The bathrooms were clean and well maintained. The beaches were filled with crabs, so if you don’t like crabs it might not be the place for you, but we really loved it there.
TravelerI loved staying at this campground. It’s definitely geared towards locals and quiet stays, no campground events and things of that nature, but it’s perfect for someone not looking for the fluff. They do have two pools, basketball courts, kayak rentals, and I believe pony rides! They have a really nice climate controlled game room too. They are extremely fairly priced. They also have THE best campground bathrooms I have ever seen. Seems like they host a lot of events, club and troop weekends, things of that sort. I really enjoyed staying there and I will be back. Nice low key local spot for someone in the full time RV life or needing an affordable quiet place to stay while in the area.
ScoutVery, very glad we found this location. Medium to larger campground. Quite spacious. You're not packed in like Oreos in a wrapper. Nice layout, and site sizes. Nice level pads. Very clean & well maintained, everything is. Plenty of amenities and weekly activities.On site pizza & ice cream shop, highly recommended. Great water access paddle boards & kayaks. Nice boat launch too. An absolute bargain for the price point. Killer sunsets too. Have paid more and gotten less, and disappointed. Repeating, very pleased staying here, soo much room. Thank you
GuideWe had an amazing four-night stay here! Every morning started with the sound of the gong reminding everyone not to sleep the day away and to make the most of the beautiful surroundings. The weather was hot and perfect for enjoying the beach. We loved spending time by the water, watching the crabs, and soaking up the atmosphere. Everything about our stay was wonderful, relaxing, and fun. We would also love to come back and try one of the igloos- they looked very unique and interesting. Overall, it was a fantastic experience, and we made some great memories here
ScoutWidower, I have been here for over a year now. Best of the best, country site on the beautiful Chowan River that accesses the Atlantic Ocean. Boat ramp, Large T-Dock, farmet type living with some livestock and ckickens that makes me feel like my chilhood days. So peaceful here! Family envirement. Free laundry facilities. Children safe activies on site. I plane to spent the rest of my days here.
GuideMostly wooded and private sites. Many of the sites are quite beautiful and spacious. Clean bathrooms and showers. Nice variety of both tent and RV sites.
TravelerLively Lively campground with plenty of activities, dog friendly community and up to date amenities. Great customer service
ScoutIt was nice and kid friendly just didn’t have any room. you are packed in here.
Scout4 OUT OF 5 STARS! Sandy Point Resort Campgrounds is a great place to bring your kids/grandkids for camping, fishing and swimming but stay to the front of the campgrounds, the back area by the shower house where the permanent residents live is sketchy balls. I am a retired military Veteran and we have been bringing our family and friends here for 15+ years. My daughters are in their mid-20s now and they still love camping here. They have so many fun memories whether it was catching frogs, catfishing at night, playing cornhole or swimming off the pier. To this day we still laugh about our fun times.
Unfortunately our time at Sandy Point has ended, I have been banned. Yes banned. My wife and I went fishing there one weekend afternoon and did not buy the day pass,$7.50 per person. We have been fishing like this over the years and had never been charged or told we needed a day pass. In all honesty we did not know. We always bought our bait at the onsite store and from the store you can see the fishing area we always went to so it wasn’t like we were sneaking on. On this particular day we had just started setting up to fish when Liz, an employee that works in the store and lives in the back area of the campground(sketchy balls) pulled up to where we were at. Accompanying Liz was her husband who my wife and I thought was also an employee of the campground. He is not. When Liz asked if we had a day pass I said no and did not know we needed one because we had been coming here for so long. I said no problem I’ll go get one. I never stopped smiling and never raised my voice. It was not an issue to get the pass. Liz’s husband(remember, not an employee) started in on us, he was rude, he looked like he was ready to fight and as I’m walking toward the store to get the day pass he was following and harassing me. Earlier when I was in the store buying bait Liz came in and told the employee working that they(Liz and husband) needed more beer. So Liz and husband had been drinking before coming over to ask if we had gotten the day pass. No issue with Liz talking to us, she’s an employee but husband…no, he should not have said a word. He was downright harassing us. Forward ahead about 4 or 5 weeks, my wife and I go back for another weekend afternoon to fish. I went in the store to buy bait and the day pass, Liz is working. She asked if I was Kevin and then told me I have been banned from the park. When I asked why she said that I had come back to fish and did not buy the pass. I told her I had not been back since the last time when she told us about the pass. She then said well you were confrontational that day. I told her I never stopped smiling or was not even close to confrontational. She then said well your wife ran up on me. Now folks, this is one of the funniest things I’ve ever heard about my wife. She does not run….anywhere….hahaha. I told Liz my wife does not run and Liz said well she jogged up on me. Again folks…this did not happen. The reason for being banned changed four times while I stood there. Liz has been working at Sandy Point for a few years and I always…repeat always tried to make her laugh or smile when I saw her. I have never done anything to make her or any employee feel threatened or uncomfortable. I am always smiling and always in a great mood. Liz on the other hand will remind you of a disgruntle Eeyore, never happy or smiling. Always seeming as if she hates being there and has no joy in life. I never understood this because she gets to live on the campground. But because of not buying a day pass to fish(didn’t know), being accused of doing it again after being told(didn’t do it), being confrontational(nope), my wife running/ jogging toward Liz(hahahaha), I have been banned. So unfortunate.
I have reached out to Janice, the owner, by phone and email. No return calls back and no response to my email. All my wife and I are asking for is a sit down with Janice and Liz so we can tell our side of what happened. I assure you Janice what you are being told by Liz is not what the truth really is. I am a 24 year Veteran, family man and good person. I guarantee my character references will blow the doors off of Liz’s.
So I would give the campground 5 stars but because the shower house needs a little cleaning up and sometimes it gets rowdy after quiet hours on the weekend from other guest I can only give it 4 stars. Still a fun place to camp and enjoy time with family and friends as long as you don’t run up on Liz.
Within an hour of Corapeake, North Carolina, camping options range from water-based adventures to woodland retreats. The region sits in the coastal plain where elevations rarely exceed 20 feet above sea level, creating ideal conditions for swampland ecosystems. Summer temperatures typically reach mid-90s during July and August, making spring and fall the preferred seasons for most campers.
Paddle the swamps: At Merchants Millpond State Park, rent canoes from the visitor center to explore the cypress-filled waters. "We used our ebikes on the bike trail. The bath house was real nice. They had heaters running and they were so toasty, also very clean," reports Charli R.
Wildlife viewing: Bring binoculars for spotting native species. "Taking a canoe or kayak out to explore the pond and swamps is a must and total unique experience. Turtles, birds, cypress trees, and alligators," notes Boone from Merchants Millpond.
Fishing opportunities: Davis Lakes Resort offers multiple fishing ponds with good catches. "Fishing in the ponds was good. Store is very limited on what it has," mentions Scott S., who stayed in one of their cabins.
Privacy between sites: Campers appreciate the spacing at Family Campground — Merchants Millpond State Park. "The sites have good separation between them and don't feel crowded at all. Very well maintained. Very helpful rangers that stopped by daily to welcome us and to collect trash," states Alisa K.
Multiple swimming options: Holiday Trav-L-Park features several pools, reducing crowding. "Several pools to choose from so you don't have to be packed in at one main pool with all the campground guests," explains Da'Paul F., who added it's "best campground in the Va Beach area."
Clean facilities: Northwest River Park maintains excellent bathrooms. "Overall amazed at the cleanliness of the campground. The staff is very friendly. The park was very quiet going into the night," reports Joseph H.
Insect preparation: Swampy areas demand serious bug protection. "If you canoe long enough, you'll come across two alligators who live in the pond," notes Kaylee G. at Merchants Millpond, highlighting the need for caution.
Waterway navigation challenges: Bennetts Creek Canoe In Campground requires paddling skills. "It was a 4.5 mile paddle to the site, then roughly 1.5 down to the dock with a staged vehicle," explains todd B., who stayed at the primitive camp sites.
Water safety: Not all waters are suitable for swimming or filtering. "This park was great but do recognize that is a true swamp. Alligators included. The water there does not move therefore is not recommended for filtering for consumption," warns Mark N. about Bennetts Creek.
Visit during shoulder seasons: Spring and fall provide better camping conditions. "I would recommend visiting in the cooler months of spring or fall. In April, the site was probably only 25% occupied and it's still cool enough not to be bothered by mosquitoes," advises Boone from Merchants Millpond.
Consider alternative accommodations: Northwest River Park & Campground offers cabins for those not ready for tent camping. "Plenty of room..showers/bathrooms huge..water NOT at all sites but easy to fill tanks," mentions Gary D.
Check site conditions: Some campgrounds have terrain challenges. "Downside were the large gravel throughout the site - tough for small dogs and crawlers," notes Kaylee G. about Merchants Millpond, an important consideration for families with small children or pets.
Limited hookups: RV campers should note the availability of services. "This is our go-to campground since it's only a few miles from our house. Great park and nice campground with plenty to do. The only downside is that they don't have any hook ups and it gets pretty hot in the summer months," cautions Jim M. about Merchants Millpond.
Storm water management: Low-lying areas can flood during rain. "A storm hit right after I got here and now I'm sitting in about 8 inches of water!" reports kelly W. from Chesapeake Campground, emphasizing the importance of site selection.
Seasonal availability: The best places to camp near Corapeake, North Carolina have different operating calendars. Some, like Davis Lakes Resort, remain open year-round while others have limited seasons. Northwest River Park operates April through November, requiring advance planning for off-season camping trips.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Corapeake, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Corapeake, NC is Family Campground — Merchants Millpond State Park with a 4.5-star rating from 16 reviews.
Keep Exploring
