Best Campgrounds near Ivanhoe, NC

Beautiful landscape reasonable pricing

General: Small campground (20 Sites) around a circle with the bathhouse in the center. Although you can walk to the lake (about a half mile away), the sites are not lakefront. There is also a group campground.

Site Quality: Camper driveways are very generous in size and level. Sites are spaced far enough apart to provide reasonable privacy/separation. Sites vary. Two ADA-accessible sites have a concrete pad; most others have gravel pads, but two are just open grassy sites. Some are FHU, while some have no hookups. Some are pull-thru, and some are back-in. Each site has a fire ring, picnic table, and lantern hook. Most have a raised tent platform. 

Bath/Shower house: Very clean. Three showers, including one ADA-accessible one. The spray was not very strong, but the water was warm. 

Activities: In season, there is boating, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, and fishing, but we were there at the beginning of April, and the weather was in the 50s. We did the four-mile Bay Trail, which was really more of a walk and not a hike. The signage was good, and the trail weaved back and forth from the gravel road. We were disappointed that there were not many views of the lake (there are three overlooks, but access to them was restricted due to flooding). Due possibly to recent rains, the last mile of the trail (we went in a clockwise direction from the campground) was flooded in several places, making passage challenging. There is also a short one-mile Cedar Loop trail as well as a spur leading from the Bay Trail to Salters Lake. 

We chose this campground primarily because of its location - it was a good stopping point for us. In early April, even during spring break, only a handful of sites were occupied. I imagine it would be a much different story in the summer months.

we had a short trip to jones lake campground in our car/tent. the campsites are not very private, we went in February so there was not many people around us, which was nice. keep in mind during busy months you will definitely be able to see fellow campers around you. amenities were great including bathhouses and plenty of trash receptacles around the park. great spot for a short stay on your longer journey, or a weekend getaway.

I've been here at different times of the year. I really enjoy camping here in December and January. Less people and the park is so nice.

Shooting up or down I-95 (exit 44) to make it to your ultimate destination and simply need a spot to layover for a night … but tired of all those nondescript roadside concrete RV parking lots and still want to enjoy a bit of nature? Well then, look no further than Spacious Skies Sandy Run Campground (formerly Lazy Acres) surrounded by an endless amount of native longleaf pines located in the heart of Cumberland County. Here, you’ll almost feel like you’ve exited the concrete jungle for a slice of nature just a smidge off of I-95. Of course, the additional upside here is that you don't have to drive clear out in the wilderness in order to enjoy a small slice of heaven with a good helping of nature.

With 2-3 dozen or so elongated long-leaf pine shaded drive-through parking lanes with packed white sand parking pads (some were concrete) for your parking pleasure, all of the pull-thru sites come equipped with the typical 30 / 50 amp electrical hook-ups, waste disposal and water connections. While the campground’s website attempts to fool you with generic stock photography that is not representative of their actual site (why don’t sites simply invest in some really great photography when they actually have a fantastic site to showcase is beyond me), this campground really is quite attractive for being a highway roadside RV campground.

That said, while their imagery suggests cabins and tents, there were none while we visited, so do take note. That said, the restroom / shower / laundry facilities are exceptional (albeit a bit on the small side - this campground should definitely invest in a second or even third bathroom / shower facility) and, of course, there’s the standard picnic table, fire ring / grill, garbage receptacles, dog park, basic kid’s playground, WiFi, cable and even a community BBQ that are interspersed throughout the property. I was surprised to discover a pretty amazing pool (opened in the Summer between Memorial and Labor Day weekends) that the kids enjoyed during the day – nothing too over-the-top, but a cool spot to drop into during the midday NC heat is definitely an advantage! Oh, and the laundry facilities, camp store and other amenities like fresh cut wood for fires and s’more roasting was a huge bonus. Cathy at the front desk was very warm and inviting.

The hosts are incredibly nice and offer pricing by the night, week and month. Overall, I found the community to be quite inviting and as nearly everyone there is in-transit, there’s a really nice sojourner vibe to be had, where everyone is welcoming and also curious as to where you’re coming from and where you’re headed to, but in a non-invasive manner. Near this RV parking lot, you do have access to Fayetteville Motor Speedway, Cape Fear Botanical Gardens, Clark Park Nature Center and a good number of state and county parks bursting with outdoors adventures for the family.

Insider’s tips? Here's a few: (1) There’s a great little pathway on this property that encircles a small pond that is perfect for a short meandering through the area that you’re in called Sandy Run. Here, we discovered squirrels, all sorts of endemic birds, a few stray turtles, a couple deer and a group of industrious beavers who had built quite the dam. The pond itself isn’t too well-stocked and so you will note the ‘catch & release’ warning signs around this watering hole; (2) There's a hint of 'Coming Soon' and 'Under Development' signs on both the website as well as on-property that would suggest that the campground is in the midst of some upcoming enhancements. Apparently, from the owners, there’s plans for a dog park and even a camp store, which will add substantially to the bolstering amenities already being provided; (3) If you'd like to get off property and head somewhere nearby to stretch your legs and get a decent hike in, then I would recommend checking out nearby Clark Park & Nature Center, which has some pretty great trailheads and other wonderful nature trails to explore; (4) If you are into outdoor adventure and looking to zip amongst the treelines, then check out Zipquest Waterfall and Treetop Adventure; (5) When you grow tired of roasting franks & beans fireside and are looking for some local fare, then head outside camp, cross I95 and make your way over to Go Chew Grill, which is one part morning cafe with jumbo cinnamon roll and perfectly poured Americano as well as afternoon continental eatery, where this spot serves up some pretty amazing freshly made gourmet sandwiches, which I would recommend the turkey, bacon, creamy brie and orange chutney wrap.

Happy Camping!

Really clean place. Quiet neighbors, but gentle roar of highway in the background.

Good location in proximity to Jacksonville and Wilmington

From checking in until packing up to leave, my three night stay was very pleasant and restful. I disperse camp usually, but having the advantage of a very well maintained bathhouse was super nice. I have friends in Wilmington and frequent this area. This Campground will be my go to location when I'm in town!

Beautiful campsite and so peaceful.

It is a long way from our home, but we will strive to return!

The owner and management were super nice and friendly.

They accommodated our needs with a smile!

Can't wait to return!

Nice pool and walking path around the edge of the sound.

Pickleball! And there's the bar/lounge, swimming pool, gym, laundry but most of all, space. You're in the south, so friendly folks who give you all the time in the world is a given. Yes, southern hospitality is palpable here. We're just a few miles from the beach, walking distance to a restaurant and or convenience store; crawling distance to Dales Pub across the road. It's like a KOA here, without the big trikes, lake and boats- but there are a couple ponds where the turtles come and go. Highlights for us; 1.) The laundry will run off an app on your phone. 2.) The pool and patio is truly awesome; we hang there almost every afternoon(weather permitting). 3.) Did I mention pickleball?! Downsides? Well, there is the price, but that's relative. We're getting a$1200.00 monthly rate which makes it do-able. Sometimes, when the winds blow out of the east, every camper smells the sewage treatment plant across the back fence- Check Google maps satellite view. Truth be told, it is rare, only a few days out of the month. The large majority of the time we get the cool coastal breeze. We camped at Oceans RV Resort in a Fifth Wheel.

Not everyone's idea of a great camping experience involves being completely surrounded by farm animals on an actual working ranch - so if the thought of this bothers you, then stop reading this review and mosey on to another campground. For my entire family, we absolutely loved the cows, horses, donkeys, chickens, guinea hens, ducks, turkey, cats, dogs and other animals we came across during our stay. In fact, our daughters thought the farm animals were the best part of our camping trip!

As for Double L Farms Campground itself, this place is located outside of Lumberton and just a 20 minute or so drive from the heavy trafficked I95 highway corridor, but here at Double L, you'll feel a million miles away from the hectic realities of urban life. The campground is fairly modest in size and has only enough space for a couple dozen RVers / tent campers, but I don't really get the feeling that you'll ever have a problem finding a spot here, so it's up to you whether you want to make a reservation by calling ahead or just 'wing it.' The hosts, Brian & Lisa, were easily some of the best campground hosts we've ever had and they definitely make this experience a 5 star encounter as the duo went out of their way to ensure we had everything we needed and even provided recommendations on local spots in the surrounding areas.

From an amenities standpoint, there's a quaint, well-maintained bathhouse with showers and toilets. Inside you'll also discover that the bathhouse is actually multi-purpose and equipped with A/C, washing machine, has WiFi and even a microwave. Of course, there's full RV hook-ups with 30 / 50 electrical amp, sewage and water lines. The best amenity though? The free rooster alarm clock you'll hear around 5:30am every morning! All this for $25 a night? Yeah, it's a very good price for what you get.

Insider's tips? Here's a few: (1) I think the best sites are those located furthest back on the property near the field, where you can gaze up at the stars at night with an unobstructed view, but really, all of the sites are pretty good, so you can't really go wrong with any of the sites; (2) There does appear to be some more permanent residents living in trailers here, but it wasn't that big of a deal and we didn't mind; (3) With 46 acres of farmland, there's plenty to explore and we really enjoyed hiking around the place, but if you want to venture out and try some different locations for hiking, I highly recommend Luther Britt Park where there's some pretty good lakeside hiking trails; (4) For the kiddos, if you need to get away and see something a bit more educational then try out Exploration Station in downtown Lumberton; (5) Should you run out of any supplies or find yourself in need of anything, the closest store is Family Dollar which is just due west of Double L and while no frills, they should have just about everything you need to tied you over in a fix- and if not, head on into Lumberton for many more options; and (6) When you grow tired of trying to conjure up that next meal from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler or on-board mini-fridge and want to explore some great local fare, then check out The Governor Place for brisket burger and duck fries with alioli or Tony B's Chicken & BBQ for superb brisket where Tuesday is chicken & pastry day (which is pretty much like chicken dumplings).

Happy Camping!