Looking for an adventure where you can explore North Topsail Beach and then fall asleep in your tent? You can find tent campsites by type, including drive-in, walk-in, and even hike-in for a backpacking adventure. Each tent campsite offers quick access to one or more of North Topsail Beach's most popular destinations.
Primitive campsites are located near the beach and the inlet at Bear Island. Fourteen family campsites accommodate up to six people and two tents each. Campsites 1 to 11 are accessible via ferry, private boat or paddling only. Campsites 12 to 14 are accessible by private boat or paddling only and are not hikeable.
Sites 1 to 11 have a picnic table, while sites 12 to 14 do not. Fires are not permitted at Bear Island, but campers may bring propane or backpack camp stoves.
Water and a bathhouse with hot showers is located at Bear Island, but is available from only mid-March through mid-November. There is no water at Bear Island when the facilities are winterized.
Hike-In Distance Light and simple is the way to travel, as campers must carry all provisions to the campsites from the beach or ferry dock.
$12 - $52 / night
Residents and visitors have long enjoyed the beach area now known as Freeman Park. In fact, the area has become one of Carolina Beach's major attractions as it is one of the only beaches in NC that you can drive your 4X4 vehicle on.
Whether coming to the area to swim, camp, fish, or go boating, crabbing or casting for minnows, people love Freeman Park. Visitors are drawn to the beautiful beach with its variety of wildlife, dunes and majestic sea grasses indigenous to the region.
Overnight camping is only allowed in designated, reserved camp sites Labor Day through the Thursday before Memorial Day each year. Reservations are on a first come/first service basis. During this period, there is a $50.00 per night fee for a campsite permit.
NO OVERNIGHT CAMPING is allowed the Friday before Memorial day through the Sunday before Labor Day.
Visitors and campers driving 4-wheel drive vehicles must have a valid Freeman Park access pass at all times to enter the park (can be purchased online or in person at entrance to park). Camping permits can only be purchased on-line.
$20 - $90 / night
Fort Fisher Air Force Recreation Area (FFAFRA) is Federal land owned and managed by the United States Air Force, the Army National Guard, and MOTSU (Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point). FFAFRA's primary purpose is to offer recreational activities and lodging as well as training events for DOD eligible groups. There are cottages and lodge rooms along with RV and tent sites for rent by authorized persons with proper DOD identification. There are also meeting rooms, a Military Museum, and facilities available for special events, team building, and official exercises. Come and see why “Ft. Fisher is One of the Military’s Best Kept Secrets.”
$45 / night
Scout
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.
TravelerThe whole place is so very clean: the bathrooms, camping areas, swimming pool area, even the dumpsters area. The grass is very well kept, the roads and signage, well maintained.
Guide
The campground was fairly quiet. The few campers were very quiet and respectful to the other campers. I camped for 14 days at this location in January.
NOTE: There is no public Wi-Fi.
This location has a bathhouse. The bathrooms are separate from the showers. The bathrooms were slightly heated. The showers, on the other hand, were not heated. All the shower glass units were missing. The water was warm, but not hot. In other words, be prepared to take a warm shower in freezing weather. You’ll take a very short and quick shower under these conditions. But these conditions are better than no showers at all!
Overall, it is a good camping experience at this location. I will be back.
Scout
We were here in December, the place was quiet. These sites are on top of each other and I don’t know that I’d use this campground during high season … and the doggie area was right behind us.. full summer heat would probably be a bit smelly for me… but … we had a site with no neighbors, and nearly no dogs while here so it was quiet, the cg is clean and the bathrooms are exceptionally clean and heated. All the amenities were in nice condition so if don’t mind tight neighbors during high season… and you’re a dog lover this is a great value and camp ground. If you’re not so keen on tight neighbors or dogs … I’d recommend off season stays. All in all a great campground.
Scout
Really clean place. Quiet neighbors, but gentle roar of highway in the background.
Good location in proximity to Jacksonville and Wilmington
Guide
I had made a reservation. I showed up on the day and time I had planned. Nobody was there. I called and texted. I finally left after about 15 minutes of waiting. This campground is off a side road. When I pulled into the camp area, I had a funny feeling. I decided not to stay there between the no-show of the staff and the funny feeling my gut was telling me. I hope your experience would be better than mine.
Guide
The campground is in a nice area. The small lake is beautiful and full of fish. It is near a small bustling town with everything you need. The staff is friendly.
The only drawback is that the camp itself is outdated. The so-called bathhouses need a severe update. The bathhouse does not have HVAC in it. There’s one male toilet and one female toilet for the entire camp. There are two portable toilets on the back end of the property. There’s one shower of the two that works and it is a small shower. Do not weigh more than 175 pounds going in that shower.
All in all, it’s a good temporary campsite. This is not set up for long-term, even though there are multiple long-term campers here.
TravelerFrom 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!
Traveler
Fantastic experience. I am a seasoned back woods camper, and brought along two first timers. This was the perfect middle ground. Beautiful views with an isolated area. Rustic feel, but still had the comfort of bathrooms, running water, fire pits, and nearby cities.
GuideDo NOT stay here!! The hosts do not follow the published USFS/recreation.gov rules, oe even their own posted rules. FFS sites are in fact booked IN ADVANCE. You can book them for days at a time, anytime. The app is INACCURATE. The hosts simply do whatever they want, then argue when presented with published rules and policies. Additionally, no handicapped placard or other disability proof is required to rent the wheelchair accesssible sites across from the bath house and all were filled with able-bodied persons in huge RVs. Horrible experience and OUTRAGEOUS $8 reservation fee and $10-$18 cancellation fee. Furthermore, there are serious issues with the electric connections, which you have no choice but to pay for. We were only able to occasionally have reliable electricity, resulting in even small 5V items not charging. The biggest issue was inconsistent/incomplete charging of wheelchair batteries. We had to rely on vehicle power charging for most things. The campsites are also poorly arranged, forcing tents to be placed within 2-3’ of fire rings, which is ridiculously unsafe. The sites are also full of fire ant beds - including on the tent/table pad itself. One of the poorest managed campgrounds I have ever stayed in.
TravelerSmall quiet campground that has some adorable amenities. Pet and child friendly. Nick (the owner) is super helpful and they even have item you may have forgotten they will lend out. Firewood is provided. We stayed I. Their little cabin on a whim. Cozy but small. AC and heat both worked well. Their camp store has very affordable gifts and some supplies one might need. We came to this area to try some unique restaurants. The cabin allowed us to stay and try all of them. We went to the Mad Boar on Friday night for some amazing prime rib and unique appetizer. We went to The Country Squire and enjoyed a wine tasting before a dreamy colonial meal. The atmosphere here was so realistic. They even have an inn. And of course we had to go to the Duplin Winery. Next time we will bring the kids to enjoy the craft hour and playground.
GuideStayed 3 nights here. Nice quiet federal campground. Quiet and maintained. Definitely need water at sites. Can't adjust water temp in showers here. Fortunately not freezing water and one night had hot water. With these improvements, would give 5 stars. Can't beat price. Would definitely stay again. Close enough to beach and things we like to do. Had a great breakfast at Angie's Diner near by.
Guide
Such an awesome KOA, bathrooms were immaculate. Free coffee everyday and so many activities! Great communication, they text before every event, and if something is lost they send out alerts. Loved our stay!
Traveler
We stayed from Fri to Sun and we enjoyed every moment we stayed. Caught fish and enjoyed the pool. And the golf cart rental was awesome too
Guide
The spots are very close together. There is no shade, but a constant beach breeze.
You can not see ocean from the campground due to the dunes, but it is about 300 feet to the water.
The owners are very nice. He will even help park your rv with his tractor.
Same price for full hookups verses no sewer. You will have to go across the street to their other campground to dump and there is no water for rinsing, only a sewer drain.
The public bathroom stalls only go as high as shoulder level.
ScoutEverything Beth said, we had the same experience, unfortunately.
ScoutA 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.
Scout
Nice pool and walking path around the edge of the sound.
Guide
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.
Traveler
Great spot and host
RangerQuiet, beautiful, cheap, great cell service. Love this place!
ScoutCamping in the winter and a newbie, but this place was great. Showers and bathrooms were exceptionally clean. Dog friendly, electric and good clean drinking water on site. Can only stay 14 days at a time.
Scout
We have stayed at this campground many times since 2016 and always loved it. The location is awesome, the owner, and the staff were so nice and friendly. Its not that way anymore. There are no longer loyalty programs for repeat customers and they dont care if you stay there or not. When this new company bought this campground they decided $55 to $80 a night was not enough, they want to charge $155 and up depending on when you are staying. This is insane! There are other campgrounds we stay at that have a lot of stuff to offer and they are no where near this expensive, you hardly have anything to offer at this campground. You are giving the customer a place to park, water, sewer and electricity for $155 and up a night, and thats it! There is no security at this place anymore so you better change your storage locks on your camper because most are keyed alike, dont leave anything outside like bikes, grills, shoes, clothes, etc... because they will disappear. This never happened before, makes you wonder who is wondering around stealing. I won't be back until the prices come down and improvements are made. I wish everyone would find other places to go for the next few years and these owners would be forced to sell and maybe we could have our campground back.
LegendJake from the Dyrt here! This campground is new to the Dyrt and open for reservations through the Dyrt!
Traveler
My husband and I recently purchased a small RV and decided to do a short trip close to home. This campground is amazing. Beautiful views fishing is good and the hosts are very nice and informative. Will be returning to this gem of a campground!
LegendOyster Point: Great sites. Sites w water view are best.
(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: 4
Price 2023: $ 5 w interagency pass
Usage during visit: Light
Site Privacy: Underbrush has been trimmed it looks like. So, there is not as much privacy between sites.
Site Spacing: Very wide sites .
Site surface: Gravel
Reservations: Yes
Campground Noise: Quiet during our stay.
Road Noise: Secluded. No public roads nearby.
Through Traffic in campground: No
Electric Hookup: No
Sewer Hookup: No
Dump Station: No
Potable Water Available: Yes. One or two spigots.
Generators:Allowed
Bathroom: Pit toilet is clean and well stocked.
Showers: No
Pull Throughs: Site 13 is a pull through
Cell Service (AT&T): 2 - 4 bars
Setting: Pine forest with a more of Newport River
Weather: 72 fall day high.
Bugs: No mosquitoes. Must be gone for the year
Solar: Maybe too forested in some spots. In site # 5 at 9:00 AM we had some solar charge happening
Host: Tonia is a delightful host
Rig size: Our site would fit a large rig.
Sites: I took pictures of the sites on the shore side of the campground. They are the best, but all sites here I would be happy with. Sites #9 and #11 have pathways to a very small private beach. Site 1 is close to a pit toilet. Maybe a smell issue now and then.
Legend
Neuse River Flanners Beach Campground: Most sites have visual privacy (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: 4.5
Price 2023: $ $10 + $5 per night for electricity w interagency pass
Usage during visit: Pretty full. Unable to obtain a reservation for an extended period.
Site Privacy: Almost all sites has a nice degree of privacy with trailer in site.
Site Spacing: Very good
Site surface: Gravel
Reservations: Yes. You better.
Campground Noise: Quiet.
Road Noise: None
Through Traffic in campground: None
Electric Hookup: Available
Sewer Hookup: No
Dump Station: Yes. At entrance.
Potable Water Available: Scattered spigots
Generators:
Bathroom: Yes
Showers: Yes
Pull Throughs: Not that I saw.
Cell Service (AT&T): 2 bars
Setting: Deciduous forest.
Weather: 70 degrees today.
Bugs: Not noticeable.
Solar: Too much tree cover
Host: Yes
Rig size: Some sites will fit large rigs. A careful drive in Campground will surely be required.
Sites: Almost all sites are good. Some of the least private sites are: 13,20,27,29
Tent camping near North Topsail Beach, North Carolina, offers a unique blend of coastal beauty and outdoor adventure, perfect for nature lovers and families alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near North Topsail Beach, NC is Onslow Beach Campsites with a 4.4-star rating from 15 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 8 tent camping locations near North Topsail Beach, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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