Best RV Parks & Resorts near Harkers Island, NC

We absolutely loved our stay at this rv park. Steps to the beach. Could watch dolphins from the overlook. Super clean and staff were always so friendly. Pool was super nice. I always recommend that friends stay here when traveling.

38 paved, level sites with 20/30/50A electric. Water and dump station available. Some sites are really huge! A fair amount of military activity in the area - the sounds of freedom!

I think this is only the third time I have stayed at a cabin at a campground, and it was all right but I like tent camping better. Because of the intense heat and health concerns, we chose to stay in a cabin here. I wish I had taken more pictures of the campground, but my buddy(seen in the photos) and I are photographers who look for scenes of beauty. It’s not that the campground was not“pretty,” but when you are this close to New Bern, there are better things to photograph. There’s Tryon Palace, Union Point Park, the historic Confederate cemetery, the fireman’s museum, the Pepsi Cola museum(New Bern is where Pepsi was born), etc. The New Bern KOA is perfect in every way. The sites are large with full hookups, Wi-Fi, cable TV, etc. It has all the amenities of a top notch campground that you would expect from KOA. I have stayed at several KOA campgrounds, and they all seem to have the oversized chess; and I have never seen anyone playing it with seriousness. They have two pools, a pavilion, a bouncer… and I could go on and on. IF you want to spend your time at the campground, there is so much to do that you don’t need to go anywhere else… HOWEVER… Did I mention New Bern and Tryon Palace? You can’t come this close to New Bern and not go to Tryon Palace. The campground is located on the shores of the confluence of the Trent and Neuse Rivers. Since they join here, you seem as if you are closer to the ocean. It looks more like a bay. There is a really nice pier at the campground beach for fishing, and the KOA here has outdoor boat rentals. There is also horseshoes, pedal bike rentals… Did I mention there is also New Bern and Tryon Palace? Seriously, the New Bern KOA is about the best campground at which I have stayed, but my buddy had never been to New Bern. There was more to see. If you go, make sure to make reservations. New Bern is a historic town with lots of vacationers during the summer. Looking for something to eat? My favorite place to eat in New Bern was Captain Ratty’s, which has great clam chowder. However, New Bern has lots of other great places to eat as well. The downtown area is also a great area for shopping. Back to the campground… the first time I stayed at the New Bern KOA was over thirty years ago, but it has grown in size and amenities. Now, it is more like a resort than a simple campground.

Paved, level parking pad on sandy grass sites tucked between the dunes and vegetation in Cape Hatteras National Seashore in the outer banks by of North Carolina. No hookups, but water and dump are across the street, and generators are allowed.

My wife and I stayed at this campground many years ago, and when I came this time, the changes were mind blowing. The first time, it was rustic with high grass, a dirt entry road, and most campers were in tents. This time, the landscaping was well manicured, there were paved roads throughout, and most campers were in RVs. Wow!!!! What an upgrade! However, I had a tent and I felt out of place. I guess I was expecting a campground more like federal campgrounds I have been to in the past where there is more privacy and space between the campsites. With that said, the tent was on grass and there were no hookups. Essentially, it was a grassy, level place to pitch a tent. 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. Inside, there are individual showers separate from the toilets. Both are modern and something I am not used to seeing except at privately owned campgrounds. The main attraction here is the Cedar Point Tideland Trail which takes you through the estuaries close to the ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway. This area is a photographer’s dream, especially if you like photographing the native habitat and creatures. I was able to get photos of birds, soft shell crabs, and closeup photos of dragonflies. The estuary itself is worth taking pictures of, especially at sunset. Another attraction is its proximity to Emerald Isle and the ocean, which is about two to three miles away. If you are a kayaker like I am, or a boater, there is access to the White Oak River by way of a boat launch. Personally, I had rather be in a more remote wilderness type area, but I understand that some people love this type of closeness to their neighbors and the modern facilities. Don’t get me wrong. All you have to do is drive a few hundred yards, and you will be in a wilderness type area(the Tideland Trail). Overall, this is a great little campground for RVs(and tents if you spend most of your time exploring the Tideland Trail and surrounding areas), and I highly recommend it… IF you can get a spot. All of the sites are by reservation only except for five first come/first serve spots.

We found Dixon Landing in their initial opening phase and it is lightly booked at this point (they even have openings for the upcoming summer holidays). This is a very secluded campground right on the wide Goose Creek/Neuse River, with access to the ocean varying from 25-50 miles. 

Every RV site is pull-through with both “waterfront” and “water view” (more of a view of the marsh along the river) sites. Site layout is long, very wide(you have to actually walk over to talk to neighbors) and mostly level side-to-side. Front-to-back was easily compensated with blocks. The road in and the sites are a combination of compacted sand and grass that drained well after a storm. Many sites have shade or afternoon shade. The electric pedestal was new and tall, making it easy to connect the surge protector, and topped with a solar light. 

Hosts Steve and Joan were themselves RV’rs and park details reflect their experience. Since they are in their opening season they currently offer basic services with electric/water, a dump site(no water) and free on-site pump-out service, picnic tables, firepits, a dog park, kayaks, and a fishing pond for kids(C&R). More services are in the planning or permitting stage. Today they offer a bathroom and just got permits for the full bathhouse. Fiber-optic cable should be run to their area this year. We were amazed at how many TV channels we picked up just on antennae. Verizon, ATT and Sprint service are known to be good. They will have an ice machine, laundry, and a pier eventually. 

Today you will go to enjoy the absolute quiet, waking up to sunrise glinting off the wide river in every window, fishing from the banks, land and sea wildlife, gorgeous sunsets over the river, and hearing whip-or-wills serenade after sunset. 

It was about 90 minutes (including 2 ferry rides) to reach the Cape Lookout National Park and lighthouse.  The ferry dropped us off for 2 hours to walk the beach, hike and view the wild horses on Harker’s Island. Gary’s, the local seafood restaurant, was a find! So good we ate there twice. I’m already looking at the calendar to go back.

Ocracoke - National Park campground in Ocracoke, NC: We stayed here in November a couple years ago. This time we drove through only for this review. We remembered how our previous November visit was so delightful. Crowds were absent at the campground, on the beach and in town. Lovely.
(Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good

(70 yr olds in 17’ trailer with a desire for a campsite that has at least some visual privacy offered - after the trailer is in the spot.)

Overall Rating: 3 Price 2023: $ 14 w interagency pass Usage during visit: Light Site Privacy: Mostly a very open park like campground surrounded by low growing shrubbery. Site Spacing: Moderate Site surface: Blacktop Reservations: Required Campground Noise: Quiet.
Road Noise: Not located near a highway.
Through Traffic in campground: No reason for a drive through. Best sites are on the outer loop, but there will be more traffic as campers come and go. Electric Hookup: No Sewer Hookup: No Dump Station: Yes Potable Water Available: Yes Generators: Allowed Bathroom: Flush toilets Showers: Yes Cell Service (AT&T): Yes Setting: Very open park like bordered by sand dunes Weather: High in Themis 60s when we drove through Bugs: Not this time of year. Solar: Very good solar Host: On duty. Their sites are near the entry Rig size: Large rigs can find a spot Sites: Most sites do not offer much if any visual privacy. Among our favorites, that offer some visual privacy after the trailer is backed in the site are B1, D1, D3, D5, D23, D25, D37. Other better sites: A1,7, B3,5,12, C1,3,5,7, D7,9,13,15,17,19,27,30. Some of these sites are pictured below.

Nice campground. Sites are small but manageable. The staff is great. $60 for peak season. Hook ups are well maintained. Walking distance to the waterfront. Very quiet environment.

Jernimans- Ocracoke , NC: Looks to be a place for seasonal access to the cute town of Ocracoke.
(Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good

(71 yr olds in 17’ trailer with a desire for a campsite that has at least some visual privacy offered - after the trailer is in the spot.)

Usage during visit: Pretty empty this time of year. Site Privacy: None Site Spacing: Close Site surface: Gravel Road Noise: Some sites are adjacent to gravel parking area which separates the campground from the highway. Through Traffic in campground: None Electricity : Yes Potable Water Available: Yes Bathroom: Yes Showers: Yes Cell Service (AT&T): Good Setting: Outskirts of town. Weather: Upper 60s for highs Bugs: None this time of year Solar: Yes Rig size: Looks like a big rig would be fine, but best to double check. I saw an about 30’ rig. Sites: Nothing special about the sites except just on the edge of Ocracoke. Note pictures.

At only $10 per night, the price is unbeatable for the area. Spot #15 puts you right by the water’s edge, which makes for a beautiful morning view. No showers, or electricity hookups, and toilets are pretty primitive so it’s not luxury but it is beautiful! Tanya, the host, is wonderful as well. Definitely worth a stay!

It was gated due to local issues, which made me feel safe. Quiet, despite RV traffick. Mine was the only tent on site, but people were kind in RVs.

This is one of the closest campgrounds for civilians to visit the Camp Lejeune and Jacksonville, NC areas. The facilities are nice with numerous things to do, primarily focused towards the fact that the majority of this campground is permanent residents. The campground extends to the water with good fishing available. We stayed here in a motorhome.