Best Tent Camping near Southport, NC
Coastal areas surrounding Southport, North Carolina offer several tent camping options with beach and water access. Freeman Park in Carolina Beach provides primitive tent-only camping directly on the beach, with designated sites available from Labor Day through Memorial Day. Lake Waccamaw State Park Campground, located about 45 miles northwest of Southport, features walk-in tent sites with greater privacy and natural surroundings. Black River Camping Ventures offers riverside primitive tent camping with basic amenities in a secluded setting approximately one hour from the Southport area.
Tent campsites at Freeman Park require a 4x4 vehicle for access and special techniques for securing tents in sand. Instead of traditional stakes, campers must use sand-filled bags tied to tent corners and buried for stability. Basic amenities include pit toilets and limited trash cans. Lake Waccamaw's tent sites require a quarter-mile walk from parking areas to reach campsites, with sites 4 and 5 particularly distant from bathroom facilities. The park provides fire rings, picnic tables, and food prep counters at each site. Black River sites include portable toilets, non-potable water pumps, and trash cans at each location, with fire pits but no grates for cooking.
Seasonal timing significantly impacts the tent camping experience in this region. A camper at Freeman Park noted, "Camping here can be very hit-or-miss depending on the time of year. February-March and September-November are best to avoid the chaotic party scene." High tides present safety concerns for beach camping, with one visitor reporting that "a super high king tide completely covered the camp sites in the morning." At Lake Waccamaw, campers experience natural sounds including "bullfrogs, peepers, and owls calling all night," though mosquitoes can be voracious despite repellent application. The lake itself offers swimming in shallow waters and excellent fishing opportunities, making it ideal for tent campers seeking water recreation without the crowds of ocean beaches.
