Looking for the best options for tent camping near Oak Island? With The Dyrt, it's easy to find Oak Island campgrounds for you and your tent. Would you prefer a quiet dispersed site or an established camgpround with amenities? Either way, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect place to pitch your tent.
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.”
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
We are the only adventure outfitter that has an outpost on the Waccamaw River that features 1 acre of fun yard games, tree swings, hammocks, large fire pit, clean bathroom, boat dock & ramp, river side picnic tables and access to a 48 acre private island in the middle of the river to explore and camp overnight!
We offer a variety of activities and adventures, including: Escape River Island, kayak and river boat tours to our private island, custom overnight river camping trips, birthday & group events.
$40 - $65 / night
$45 / night
Ranger
Little to no amenities. Expensive and setup to accommodate RV camping. If your looking for a beach camping experience, travel further north to either Carolina Beach or Jockeys Ridge. These both offer a better tent camping experience with the beach close by. Don't get me wrong, Oak Island is GORGEOUS! Just not when trying to tent camp.
Guide
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.
Legend
We had a tent site here for the weekend and were overrun with our neighbors children. No one was governing the curfews or the maximum allowed per campsite. There was literally a family of almost 50 people in two tent sites next to us. And they were there with the people on the other side of us. So we were just wedged in between them. We were woken up every morning to their children trying to unzip our tent. 
TravelerWent 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.
GuideThis is a pretty big campground. RV's rule the roost here. Most of the tent sites are on the rightmost section of the park (with the exeption of the tent only site on a separate far left section of the park). There are also cabins available at this park There was a good cross section of people. Many different age groups, and walks of life. Really friendly and chill park. Some very nice decorated tents and one really cool old 'skoolie' (actually a retired Air Force transport bus) which was my favorite of the lot. The beach is only 200 meters away, and there are some nature trails and a nature center as well. The camp store stays open till 9pm and they have plenty of wood and most of the things you will need. And they dont charge you up on items either!
The campsites are clean and feature a water spigot AND a power outlet, even for the tent sites! Tent sites usually do not get power outlets. There is also wifi included, which is another plus.
Now. This is a cool place, but the sites are really close to each other. You WILL get to know your neighbors. Also, you are on the approach/departure pattern for Myrtle Beach International, so planes will be 500 feet above you. Makes for nice photography, but just an fyi.
This is a great option for staying at Myrtle Beach, and if you are with a group and/or really social, you will enjoy this park.
Traveler
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).
LegendCarolina 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.
GuideMyrtle Beach has multiple options for RV campers, this is probably one of the best. Because it's the state park and not one of the private campgrounds it's less developed. So if amenities are what you are looking for, don't choose Myrtle Beach State Park. If being immersed in nature in a peaceful setting is what you seek, this is a great choice.
There are limited tent spots, so either snag one early or skip this if you prefer tent camping.
Traveler
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.
GuideThis 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.
TravelerWe love camping here, its clean, quiet except for days and weekends people coming in for birthday parties, reunions but its really not bad they don't come into the actual rv, tent, camping area..we've been there 3 times now and its our go to quick vacation spot..we did however make reservations highly recommended. Don't expect to just drive up and get a spot won't work..the sites are all relatively nice, we drive the park to see what spots are good for next time, they also show on the website. Anyway we like it there..
GuideThis 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.
GuideA refuge from the commercial feel of Myrtle Beach, but only minutes away from major attractions, shopping, and event venues. Very close to Myrtle Beach international airport- watch planes fly out over the beach! Excellent pier for fishing and crabbing (for a fee). Equestrian friendly (seasonally). Great place to bring a bike and explore. There is a park office near the entrance, store at the pier, and a campground store. If RV/ Tent camping is not your vibe, they also have cabin rentals available. Only a short walk from the campground to the Beach and pier with plenty of parking. Showers located in the parking lot right off the beach for easy clean up. ADA accessible beach accesses. Dog friendly. Watch out for Sea Turtles!
ScoutThe 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.
Guide
As we got closer to the KOA our expectations began to drop since we were driving through residential and commercial areas. But we were very pleasantly surprised at how quiet and relaxing the campground is! The campsites are nicely shaded, spacious and range from tent sites to deluxe pull-throughs to very nice cabins right on the water - some even have a deck that extends to the water’s edge. The staff is super friendly and helpful! You’re literally a block away from the beach and the campground runs a shuttle to the beach throughout the day, all the amenities you could need are just minutes away. An amazing place for families or if you’re looking to get away for a beach vacation.
GuideThe 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.
GuideWe stayed here for a Martial Arts training weekend on the beach. The camping area has access to the beach and is maintained by the state park rangers. The campgrounds have garbage disposal, bathrooms and showers. The facilities were nice and you could reserve spots with electricity and water. Most all of the camping spots were sand based and of different sizes and shapes as the camping is fit into a horseshoe shaped area. It was also Bike week so there was a lot of people using the campgrounds but it did not seem loud or overwhelmed. There is a camp store and everyone is very friendly. The only facility issue we ran into was a shower head that didnt have a lot of pressure but from others in our group, this seemed to be the only one. They had RVs, tent sites and cabins.
Legend
Wishing Well campground is located off Sunset Beach in NC. It is a smaller campground, and much of the shared ground is a storage facility for boats and RV's that are not in use. There are about 10 or 15 RV sites in the loop and the bathhouse is at the back of the loop. Behind the bathhouse are about 10 tent sites, with electricity at most. It was nice that the picnic tables were covered in the back of the property - yet the approach from the road, and the initial entraceway would turn some people away from this campground.
The people (and owners) were very friendly and I did like the privacy that this campground held. It was close enough to easily drive to the beach, without being in the middle of craziness.
The bathhouse - very clean - but dated. The showers were small - changing areas were provided, which was nice. This is a nice campground - and very affordable!
LegendBooked the spot for 4 nights in the tent, and extended for two more after rest stops in Savannah and Charleston during this fourth week in September. This park really has it all: trails, beaches, camp store, RV and tent sites, laundry, clean bathrooms, and WiFi. There's something magical about the trees that shelter the picnic areas beside the beach. You will see hares, turtles, birds, and lizards in the nature preserves, but you won't see raccoons, possums, or armadillos near the camp sites. There are just too many people and dogs for them to bear. Camped in spot #123a, pretty large and next to the bathrooms and trash/recycling bins, and a short walk to the camp store. The fire pits are shallow and don't have that ability to raise the rack to separate your food front the fire, so be watchful when cooking to prevent burning. Expect overhead air traffic related to the nearby airport and a helicopter tour company. There's a special path for bikes and carts that takes you out of the park and places you right in front of the supermarket Food Lion on Hwy 17. Cool. This is now a favorite park. It would have five stars if I couldn't hear my neighbors' low-volume conversations next door.
GuideI recently spent 3 days at this park and had a a great experience.
This location boasts 300+ campsites but are rather packed on top of one another. Once it hits about 10 pm you almost feel like whispering is loud as your neighbors are almost at arms length.
The camp store was stocked and had most of what I needed however, a quick trip out of the park and you will have all the stores you need, this is Myrtle beach after all.
The pier is a huge bonus as we fished for 3 days but it is $8 per person to use the pier. Tent sites ran about $40 per night, I would have hoped for a bit more privacy at that price point but overall it was not bad.
The bathrooms and showers were clean and the park was well kept. They offer hiking trials and a nature center.
If you have a camper or RV this is a great place for you. If you are looking for something more primitive... good luck
I still enjoyed myself and the views and beach were great.
Nice love and would camp there again but just expect it to be a bit cramped.
Legend
Brunswick Beach Camping Resort is easily found - just off highway 17 in Sunset Beach NC. This campground has RV sites, tent sites and even little cabins.
As you pull off the road, it is set far from the road - which we liked! This made for quieter nights without being able to hear passing traffic on the road. You pass by the tobacco field on the right and pull into the campground. This road is very skinny and I had to pull off several times to let a car pass. As I pulled in there was a store immediately to my right where i went in to register.
I could see the swimming pool, volleyball court and horseshoes from just outside the store. As I walked around the store, i noticed the laundry room and a bathroom attached to the back.
I like some of the scenery out back - a bit of water - some trees. Yet there were many RV's and the sites were so close together. Many activities for our kids - yet not one where we would be able to spread out and let them be free without worrying we were disturbing someone.
We had great cell phone service and free wifi while here - so if that is something you are looking for - look no further! The little store sells a bit of everything you might need - and grocery stores are located within a few minutes down the road.
LegendI 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.
LegendCampground 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!
RangerCampground Review:
Do you love people? Do you love the ocean? Do you love airplanes?
Then Myrtle Beach State Park is for you!
It's a great park--it's got lots of campsites, a beautiful beach, and amenities like a playground, a nature center with educational programs, and a fishing pier.
The campground is well-staffed with rangers, hosts, and volunteers. The bathrooms are large and clean. (Hand soap is provided but there are no paper towels, just blowers). The campgrounds are well-maintained and tidy. The trash and recycling stations are conveniently located.
The campground, particularly site 171, is directly under the flight path for planes departing from Myrtle Beach International Airport. The flights start around 6 am and go until 11 pm or so. The planes haven't gotten much altitude before they are roaring above your tent, hammock, or camper!
Sites are close together and there is little to no privacy. Site 171, however, seemed to be the best one for tents, with a deep and wide site and a few trees--enough to hang our 4 hammocks.
Quiet hours were not enforced and traffic noise is easily heard, especially fire truck and police car sirens well into the night and early morning. The park staff raced past our site frequently on tractors and golf carts once it was after 7 am.
Mosquitoes are in full force here. The county had sprayed for them the night before we arrived. Maybe they don't spray the tent sites, but the mosquitoes were insane. Bring plenty of spray, wipes, and one of those bug zapper tennis rackets. You will definitely need protection! The camp store sells mosquito spray for twice as much as it costs across the street at Walmart.
Also, the raccoons were at our site both nights. They are fearless and hungry. Lock up your food, your coolers, and your trash. They do know how to open up latches!!!
Bring a bike and/or a beach cart to get around and transport your stuff to the beach for the day. The campground is about 300 yards from the beach and it's so nice, you'll want to spend the whole day there, then go out at night to look for creatures and enjoy the ocean breeze.
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Product Review:
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time- today I am testing the Morsel Spork (mini and XL).
I was pleasantly surprised at the comfort of using the Sporks. I was worried they'd be awkward and unwieldy, but the creators put thought into how they are being held by the eater. My thumb rested nicely in a groove near the top of the utensil. The rubbery edge worked as intended to completely scrape the sides of the bowl, but an added bonus was that the rubber made the spoon edges soft where it met the skin of my mouth.
The spoon holds much more (cereal and beans, in our case) than it looks like it would. The fork works, but I'd like thinner tines to better stab food items. The serrated edge? Well, it crushes rather than cuts.
I love the different colors and unique shape of the Spork(s). They will be going on every camping trip with us. They are easy to tell which fork is whose, and won't be lost in the cutlery shuffle when we're camping with a group of friends. They're good for kids and adults!
GuideWe are directly at the waterfront with a tent. No mosquitoes and fresh wind. Perfect!
GuideSites for RVs and tents. Close to the water and has fishing options. Pretty humid in the tent area due to the fact it is surrounded by trees =not a lot of breeze. People are helpful. Close to outside attractions. Lots of trails and beach access. Playground and pier.
Guide
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! :)
Tent camping near Oak Island, North Carolina offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying the beautiful coastal scenery. With a variety of campgrounds to choose from, you can find the perfect spot for your outdoor adventure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Oak Island, NC?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Oak Island, NC is Fort Fisher Air Force Recreation Area with a 4.1-star rating from 11 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Oak Island, NC?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 tent camping locations near Oak Island, NC, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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