Best RV Parks & Resorts near Newport, NC

Goose Creek State Park campground is one of the newer state parks in North Carolina. The RV part of the park has a great layout with large sites. The park is very flat with full hookups and a large patio/picnic area. They also have cabins.

We stayed at one of the full hook up RV sites with our Riverside Retro 199FKS and it actually looked small in the site. We had more than enough room.

You are far enough away from Washington, NC that you don't get great cell coverage so, it is almost like going off the grid. I think I had service if I sat outside with my left leg propped up (just kidding). 

Since this park is so new, there are not many trees or vegetation to provide privacy between sites. I think this park will be great once the plants grow in - don't skip for this reason - still go, just know that you won't have a lot of privacy.

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.

The RV park has full hook up which is wonderful. All the amenities are close together and accessible. We have stayed in some state parks where the water is literally 100' away! The bath house is heated which is really nice when going after dark. The shower water saver is ok but the water temperature from night to night is inconsistent; it ranges from tepid to really warm. The campsites are all setup on gravel and are fairly level. We got a good bit of rain while we were there but it didn't flood our site. The picnic tables are a heavy plastic so unlike the wooden at other campsites, should last a long time. The park grass is being allowed to grow to fill in the sandy area. The grass around the camping area is cleared. The camp roads are asphalt and great for walking and biking. The spacing between the RV sites is also good because they are spacious and setup in such a way you are not looking left at your neighbors window and he's looking at the neighbor beyond that! A short distance further into the campground are the'primitive' camps. Shortly after we stopped at the parking area, we were told by a park ranger to stay out of the rustic camp area. No explanation was given. The park has trails on the primitive side, a small dock for launching kayaks and canoes and a small beach area. None are allowable/accessible to the RV camper. From the water, later that day, we did see a small crowd gathered around a tent and being very boisterous. They were camped within feet of the water. Many RV campers were like ourselves, avid kayakers or canoers. Although a short drive(7 miles) to Dinah's Landing, it's still a drive. Go too late in the morning and parking will be an issue. We launched off of a sandy little beach area and had many options for exploration. Go far enough back and the real world will eventually disappear and it will be just you and nature. In the area surrounding the campground there are no local stores/gas stations available. We wanted to purchase some firewood but were unable to locate any closeby. There is a Food Lion and a Walmart located in Washington about 9-10 miles away as well as some food options if you don't want to cook. I think like any campground, there is room for improvement. Maybe, since the RV sites are so new, there will be new amenities coming in the next year. We sincerely hope for the RV side, access to the water is created. We have stayed there twice and appreciate the solitude just not having to drive to load/unload our kayaks just to get in paddle time.

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.

We drove up to check the park out to see if it would be worth a trip to camp. We will definitely be making a trip there. The camp ground was nice and very clean. The sights are all gravel with full hook ups. But loop around the sight is paved. There are some cabins as well with a bath house. The tent sights are completely secluded drive in with some on the water. All the roads are paved and nice. Except the road back to the tents is dirt but very well kept. If navigating the tent spot the road may be tight for larger trucks. I have a F-150 that was fine but anything larger than a half ton truck it may get tight.

Activities: There is a nature center at the entrance of the park. A ton of trails with trail heads everywhere. A swim beach (we didn’t walk to). A place to launch Kayaks as well.

Careful There is four foot tall vegetation between the sites and they are spread out. When I was there a random fire started where myself and another camper fought it for 30 mins and my wife drove around getting campers to evacuate until the fire department came. Just be mindful if your smoker and any fires you may have while camping. If you were camping there March 5th, 2023 and came back to your house unhooked from your trailer, I’m sorry but I used it to contain the fire instead of burning your 5th wheel down. I didn’t hook it up because I was dragging it through fire and didn’t know if you would want it hooked up.

Booked a tent site and later a cabin as well since we were unsure about the weather. The tent sites were nicely situated and far apart from each other. The vault toilet was very clean. The site is peaceful and since the weather was pretty bad, it was quiet and only a few sites were occupied. 

The cabins are new and clean, with AC/heat and electricity and a nice outdoor setup with a grill and fire pit aside each one. They are located in the cleared RV park, not the woods, so don't expect to feel like you are staying in nature if you book a cabin. The shower facilities are very nice too. Overall, cabins are a great option if the weather is bad or you don't want to stay in a tent. 

Plan for bugs - ticks and mosquitoes are a given in the summer. Also, the swimming beach is closed as of May 2020.

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.

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 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.

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.