Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Raleigh, NC

This resort is very community oriented with activities throughout the week and a free waffle breakfast every Saturday. There two beautiful green lawns, two pools, two shower houses, and two laundry facilities. Made for Trailers and RVs of all sizes with full hook-ups and utilities. Tent camping is not allowed. Management tries to accommodate all your needs; propane, firewood, quarters (for laundry), well equipped gym, and mail delivery are all available at the resort. Food trucks come in once or twice a week.  

The resort is a 15m drive from Fort Bragg, 20m from Fayetteville, and the Fayetteville Airport, and 1h away from Raleigh and the Raleigh Airport.

Popular Point campground is one of my favorite places to pitch a tent in the Jordan Lake area.  It's often not as crowded as the others at Jordan Lake are, esp., during the week and outside of holidays or summertime.  The views are nice, with sites next to the water.  Tents and RVs can camp in the same areas.  We normally camp in a tent here, but never in the hottest part of summer, which is most of the summer in the Piedmont area of the state.  You gotta go up to 3000 feet, as in the mountains of NC, for a cool weather experience in summertime, but for a night to get away from your regular routine or a weekend when the weather is nice, this is a suitable place.  Locals like it because the drive isn't far from Raleigh, Chapel Hill, Durham or Pittsboro.

Tucked away in the lush, verdant forests north of Raleigh, here at Bullocksville Park, you’ll discover camping and cabin grounds that are just a short hike from the nearby Lake Kerr, but far enough away from any roadside noisy traffic. 

This is a complete natural respite that is incredibly quiet(save the roar of noise from nature!). The grounds themselves are laid out superbly, from 3-4 independent campground sites(in fact, some are across the road from whence you arrived) with blended options for both RV’s and real campers who use tents. 

There are a number of amenities and diversions, such as boat ramps for motored-boats, kayaking, canoeing, as well as playgrounds for the kiddos, a big gathering hall that can be rented, several picnic areas and shelters along with countless hiking trails. For anyone visiting North Carolina or for nearby residents who just want to get away from the concrete jungle, then Bullocksville Park is definitely worth a look. 

I will end on this point - I have not come across any such amazing camping gem in all of North Carolina than this splendid campground at Bullocksville.  You'll be lucky (and hopefully very grateful) for getting a piece of land here in front of this gorgeous lake if you book well in advance.

Happy Camping!

Very clean and well maintained. Best bathrooms we’ve ever seen in a resort/campground. Staff is great, even though they are still no contact check in as of July 2021. We pulled up at 1 and our paper was waiting. Very easy in and out, large long spots, with great yard for each spot. Three dogs parks, two pools, and much more. Lots of long term sees but very very clean and welcoming. Would highly recommend. We stayed here visiting Raleigh, about a 30 Mind drive away. This campground is far enough away from interstate there is no road noise, yet close to outlets and city for dinning. A+!

You'll have to look hard to find Goodwin's RV Campground.  From Raleigh-Durham, you'll head west past Holly Springs then dip a bit north before getting off the main highway (Rt 1) near Moncure.  I have to admit, we drove up and down Moncure School Road looking for this place and had to actually pull off at another RV campground to enquire as to the actual location (which just happened to be a single block away).  The sign to Goodwin's is low on the ground and sets back a bit from the road, so not the easiest to find.  But when you do find it, you'll be kind of impressed by how low-key and seemingly hidden from civilization this place is.  

The proprietor who runs this small place has the area spilt basically into 2 areas (high and low), where you'll find space for about 15 RV's on the upper level, and perhaps 5-7 on the lower level.  There's the standard 30 / 50 electrical amp, water and sewage hook-ups.  Apart from just being completed surrounded by nature, there's not much more about this place - it pretty much feels like you're camping on someone's big 40 acre ranch (except there's no farm animals that I came across). 

Insider's tip?  I'll give you 4.  #1) Book early - everyone I met there had been coming to Goodwin's for years (for some reason that I did not quite discover).  #2)  There's not a lot around these parts, but there is a decent corner store called Ray's that has just about everything you might be looking for (but sadly did not have any kiwi Sauvignon Blanc!). #3) Best access to the nearby Lake Jordan is Poe's Ridge Boat Ramp.  #4) The nearest town that has restaurant options is Pittsboro - I recommend Copeland Springs Farm & Kitchen where you order your food and can hang out anywhere on their 17 acre property to enjoy the meal (I highly recommend the quiche and fresh baked bread).

All in all, the community that I found at Goodwin's was very welcoming, friendly and offered up beers and BBQ to everyone in the vicinity.  Nice and quiet - it's hard to believe that you can be so close to a city and find this level of solitude in the middle of nature. 

Happy Camping!

I’m not sure if this campground is correctly named Holly Point Campground, which after my experience, I would rename it HOLY Point Campground, as this outdoor nature preserve is truly a slice of heaven carved out in the middle of North Carolina’s finest camping paradise. If you find yourself in the hustle and bustle of nearby Raleigh and looking to get away from the crowds and pavement in exchange for some nice shaded nature, hiking trails and calm peace & quiet that only nature can offer, then make your way here to Holly Point Campground@ Falls Lake SRA, where you will not be disappointed. 

All of the basics are provided in spades – from picnic table, fold-up fire ring / BBQ grill, bear-proof garbage hanger and a nice small pebble-strewn flat patch of well-maintained nature that offers pristine shade from an unrelenting bit of summer North Carolina sunshine from the tall matchstick-like long leave needle pines. While there’s not a terrible amount of brush between the campsites, you will have semi-privacy unlike many other nearby campgrounds. 

The on-site facilities (bathrooms& showers) are just slightly north of passable and only a smidge better than you’d expect from a state-run campground, and so this campground gets its only mediocre marks on this front. But that said, there’s plenty of hiking trails to explore and the on-site rangers are incredibly helpful and positive folks that want to ensure you have a great time, but the best amenity on this property is the access to Falls Lake itself, where there is a perfectly sectioned off swimming area, as well as boat launching areas for those that want to fish or simply drop a kayak or canoe in the water and take enjoy a lakeside cruise. 

Insider's tips?  Here's a handful: (1) While IMHO there is no bad spot here in all of Holly Point Campground, there are obviously some that are better than others.  Given this, I would highly rank Loops 4 (#118-119, #121-123) & 5 (#141-147; #149, #150, #152-155) as well as the southern and eastern side of Loop 2 (#36-39; #55-71; #73, #75), given their proximity to and views of Falls Lake itself.  Of course, the sites that are located closer to the water are those more preferred; (2) If you're an angler, you'll be looking to catch some large-mouthed bass, yellow perch, blue gill, channel and flathead catfish and I recommend the areas that are heaviest shadowed around the lake edges; (3) When you grow weary of having to fix up that next campsite meal and simply want to error on the side of ease and comfort, then check out nearby Buffalo Bros who serve up some pretty might wings and amazing pies (there's also burgers, sandwiches, wraps, salads and other basic Americana foodstuffs) or Nantucket Grill for some pretty outstanding Jambalaya and seafood diablo pasta; and (4) If you love extreme outdoors adventures, then check out Xtreme Park Adventures for indoor and outdoor courses for paintball and laser tag.

Happy Camping!

Poplar Point Campground could quite possibly be the best campground in all of North Carolina! Yes, I know, that’s quite a statement to make, considering all of the amazing places in the great state of North Carolina. So let me explain why I reached this conclusion:

• Some of the most outstanding hiking trails

• Heavily wooded forest paradise that delivers privacy and solitude

• Perfectly maintained amenities such as picnic tables, fold-up fire ring and grills

• Bathroom facilities are some of the best I’ve experienced with state-run facilities

• Direct access to a fantastic lakeside experience, complete with boat launches

• Designated swimming area complete with life vests

• On-site park staff were nothing short of amazing, helpful and incredibly friendly

• Close access to purchase anything that might be needed 

Insider’s tip? Be sure to get down to the lake from wherever your campsite is just after sunset and bring a couple of folding chairs and a telescope (pre-planning here is needed!) to catch a glimpse of one of the most amazing star-studded night skies you’ve ever seen in your life! 

Happy Camping!