Best Tent Camping near Holly Ridge, NC

Recent Tent Reviews near Holly Ridge, NC

292 Reviews of 8 Holly Ridge Campgrounds

• 

  Kevin M.

  Guide

  

  Mar. 18, 2017

  Carolina Beach State Park Campground

  Love Carolina Beach State Park!

  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.

• T

  Tamara B.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 15, 2021

  Oyster Point Campground

  Best out of season

  We tent camped at this small (16 sites) campground in late May. The location is pretty and on the water. Not a swimming place, but there is a launch for canoes and kayaks. The location is a perfect staring point for hiking in Croatan National Forest. Fierce biting bugs and ticks during certain seasons, so bug spray is a must! Campsites are large and clean with some shade and old (need repair) picnic tables and fire pits. Some sites have electric hook ups. Toilet facilities are there but I do not recommend. Sites feel relatively private, but you do sometimes hear your neighbors. Most sites had RV campers when we stayed there. Also small youth groups frequent this location. Good for tent camping and not far to Carteret County beaches.

• F

  Frank E.

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 7, 2021

  Carolina Beach State Park Campground

  Such a Perfect Place to Camp

  Went 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 The bathrooms and showers are a bit outdated, but definitely well-maintained and clean.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.

• 

  Myron C.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 1, 2020

  Cabin Lake County Park

  Peaceful Family Campground with Beautiful Sunrises

  The great thing about this campground is that it offers a peaceful setting no matter whether you are camping in your travel trailer, a tent, or as a group. As a leader of the Boy Scouts and the Royal Rangers, I have camped here many times in large groups. We even had a campout here with about 300 boys. As a group campout, there was lots of room for activities planned by our leaders—paintball, scavenger hunts, and evening campfire services. With that said, one of my latest campouts was just with a group of friends. I think the best fun was fishing, although I really like kayaking on the lake. At this campground, you don’t have to worry about driving in tent stakes if you are camping in a tent. The soil is sandy, and the ground is usually covered with pine straw. When I wanted to build a campfire, there were plenty of sticks and limbs to start and build a campfire. There is a swimming beach, but I would be careful about where I step since there is sometimes goose poop on the sand. You can also rent canoes and pedal boats. There is a hiking trail as well, but make sure you have waterproof shoes if it has recently rained. The trail beside the lake gets really muddy. The price is reasonable, and the staff is friendly. This is a laidback campground in a rural area, so if you are in need of supplies, you’d better bring them with you. The bath house has a concrete floor, but it is well-maintained. I have camped at this campground over a dozen times, and it never gets old. That’s why it’s one of my favorites.

• L

  Lacey B.

  Traveler

  

  May. 20, 2019

  Cedar Point Campground

  Clean + easy access

  We stayed here while visiting friends in Swansboro. We had to pay full hook up prices even though we were just tent camping but that wasn’t a huge deal. The area was kept really clean (bathrooms could use a little TLC) loved the views on the hiking trail which was close to the camping sites. Dog friendly! Our kids loved it. Beaches in driving distance.

• B

  Bonnie F.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 11, 2018

  Fort Fisher Air Force Recreation Area

  Our Favorite Place

  Plentiful 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).

• 

  Sam M.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 24, 2018

  Carolina Beach State Park Campground

  beach + camping = awesome

  Carolina 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.

• 

  Mathew G.

  Traveler

  

  Feb. 28, 2021

  White Oak River Campground

  Small but Adventurous

  Great for a weekend tent trip, most RV spots are used by permanent users. Small camping area not a whole lot of acres, how ever a lot of outdoor exploring area adjacent to the camp ground. Multiple ponds and frisbee golf course. MY PERSONAL OPINION, may not affect others but I like to camp under trees or close to. Most of the tent sites are out in the open. We got lucky and got one. Great prices though as well.

• 

  Carina F.

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 28, 2022

  Great Lake Dispersed Site - Croatan National Forest

  Primitive

  Dispersed camping deep in the national forest. A native long leaf pine forest in a swampy alligator habitat with some nice lakes. Lots of roads closed from hurricane damage, so don't trust Google maps. The dirt roads were not maintained and ridiculously bumpy and unmanageable for smaller cars. There are alligators, bears, way too many ticks, mosquitos and a ridiculous amount of shotgun shells. It definitely felt dangerous. Would not recommend tent camping, but great for an RV if you can figure out where to park.

• J

  JoAnne M.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 10, 2018

  Wilmington KOA

  Well organized and clean and surprisingly quiet

  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.

• 

  Beth M.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 8, 2018

  Fort Fisher Air Force Recreation Area

  Close the beach and the fun

  This 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.

• 

  Marvin D.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 11, 2021

  Carolina Beach State Park Campground

  Nice primitive type campground

  This 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.

• M

  Meredith B.

  Scout

  

  Apr. 1, 2019

  Carolina Beach State Park Campground

  Great Family Spot

  The 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.

• 

  Kathryn W.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 8, 2018

  Carolina Beach State Park Campground

  Beautiful coastal forest on the banks of the Cape Fear River

  The 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.

• 

  Myron C.

  Legend

  

  May. 1, 2021

  Wilmington KOA

  campground Close to the Beach and other Historic Places

  I 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.

• 

  Kirsten J.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 14, 2019

  Carolina Beach State Park Campground

  Ranger Review: Morsel Spork XL at Carolina Beach State Park

  Campground 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!

• T

  Tracy K.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 1, 2024

  Campsite at Wallace Meadows Farm / RV site at Wallace Meadows Farm

  Lovely place to camp!

  We recently stayed overnight at Wallace Meadows and it was one of the most lovely places we've ever been to! Rich was very friendly and welcoming and the hookup & amenities they offered for a fee were excellent. The bath house was spotless and we each enjoyed a nice hot shower! The property is surrounded by trees and it was very tranquil. There's even a guesthouse which could possibly accommodate fellow travelers who may not have an RV. There's also a laundry room but we didn't use it. They have a background in hospitality and it really shows. Before we left, we purchased some fresh eggs from their farm, beautifully packaged and delicious! We will return to North Carolina. There's so much to see here and we'll definitely return to Wallace Meadows Farm.

• 

  Ronica H.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 2, 2018

  Croatan National Forest Oyster Point Campground

  Nice and Quiet

  Camp sites are clean and cared for. They have nice tent pads done up. would be nice if some of them had two tent pads for a second tent but ground was nice and level for a second tent. Some campsites have water access some don’t. the Camp host were also very friendly and accommodating.

• 

  Laura F.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 15, 2020

  Oyster Point Campground

  Clean and Small Campground

  We really enjoyed our night at Oyster Point.  The host was friendly and helped me find another campsite when my was taken by an unregistered guest.  We were able to launch kayaks almost directly from campsite #11.  Tent pads are big enough for 1 large tent or 2 small tents.  The campground is small so fairly quiet.

  **Pro's: **

  Metal Fire Ring/Grill 

  Picnic tables 

  Lots of lantern hooks

   Port a Johns were very clean

  Some cons:

  The bugs are bad in June and bug spray didn't really help.

  The sites aren't in order by number. 

  The gravel road had a lot of ruts in it so getting my trailer with kayaks in and out was a lot of trouble.

  No showers

  Port a johns were noticeably tilted down hill

• W

  Wanderer

  Guide

  

  Nov. 8, 2021

  Freeman Park

  Amazing (Bucket list item) :)

  Very nice to fall asleep to the sound of the crashing ocean waves and to wake up to the same. The sites were actually a bit larger than they sound online. Plenty of room for a couple vehicles and tents as well as a canopy. I camped “off season” in a converted 4x4 and it was perfect. Others in tents had a bit more of an adventure. Bear in mind that we come here for nature and Mother Nature can make herself known on the oceanfront!! Winds can be high and tents are a challenge to secure in loose sand. Also CRITICAL to be educated about beach weather and TIDES!!!! Super high tides were present during my visit. A high Queen tide came near the camp spots at night while a super high king tide COMPLETELY COVERED the camp sites in the morning!! I had an absolutely wonderful time and generated some lifelong memories, (watched the rising king tide from safety)! Highly recommended camp spot! Highly recommend one becomes educated about beach weather and TIDES! :)

• 

  Chris B.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 18, 2016

  Hammocks Beach State Park Campground

  Beach camping!

  Sand in your pants and tent, but worth it! Ferry out, and hike down the a mile or so, and sleep on the beach. A truly unique experience!

• 

  Marie P.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 12, 2021

  Cabin Lake County Park

  Beautiful and friendly place

  It was a great place we stayed in tents and we had 2 wheelchair bound people and it was great and friendly staff

• 

  David W.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 13, 2018

  Carolina Beach State Park Campground

  Beach on the cheap

  Great great camping ground at the beach as showers and places for tents can't get hot cuz you're camping at the beach

• 

  Myron C.

  Legend

  

  May. 1, 2021

  Cedar Point Campground

  Campground near Estuaries and the Beach--a Photographer's Dream

  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.

• j

  janet P.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 30, 2024

  Surf City Family Campground

  Right on the Beach!

  A gem of a place! Call to reserve a spot. The staff is super helpful and friendly. We loved being right by the beach. There are spots for RVs and tents. You could still hear the waves even with RVs running air conditioners.

• 

  Marie P.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 12, 2021

  Cabin Lake County Park

  Great place

  It was a great place and friendly staff we were in tents with 2 handicap people we all had fun fishing ,swimming ,paddle boating ,and family time

• 

  Christie F.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 1, 2018

  Croatan National Forest Oyster Point Campground

  Natural

  Real camping, no frills. Beautiful campground, great camp host, back to basics camping. The way it should be , in a tent.