Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Swansboro, NC

We could not have Christmas with our kids, so we went camping. Where? To our new favorite campground, of course!

Back to CP. We were in site 11 on this trip and we reserved it because it is close to the bath house.

The campground has only had about 12-15 campers in it this week. We love the quietness and the wind in the trees. It turned off really cold....I MEAN REALLY COLD, so I have spent a LOT of time inside the camper.

Here are some of our favorite things from this trip:

• Clam Chowder (yes, buy the BIG ONE) from Swansboro Food & Beverage in Swansboro

• Lazzara’s Pizza on Emerald Isle has some AMAZING thin crust pizza (save yourself and don’t settle for Michangelo’s pizza.... not even close to the deliciousness of Lazzara’s)

I did a silent video that show several sites and how big and well kept they are. I showed the end of the nice bath house and captured a few scattered campers and a brave tent camper......brrrrrrr too cold.

Nice campground well-kept pool, and laundry facility. The playground closed due to COVID but has a dog park and fishing ponds with bass. The biggest downfall to this facility is that the nice campsites are only reserved for seasonal or year-round campers. Anyone there for days - weeks stay get a full-sun site which some can be pretty small ours was a decent size. It's also overrun by feral cats so if you're allergic, bring meds. They offer cable, and you can pay for WiFi.

This was a very nice, well maintained campground. The staff were extremely polite and helpful. We stayed from Aug 11-14, 2020. The pool was nice on a hot humid day. They have gem mining. You buy the bags of dirt in the camp store. The bathhouses are all very new due to a recent hurricane and they were kept clean. The dock/pier was picture perfect as the sunset over the Neuse river. The playground and jump pad looked like they would be a lot of fun but were closed due to Covid 19 restrictions. They had horseshoes and Gaga-ball that were open. They had 2 fenced in dog parks and a dog washing station. We chose this campground for it’s location near historical downtown New Bern and we would definitely recommend it to others. They have RV sites, tent sites and cabins.

Wilmington  Koa is a nice campground with full hookups and all the "stuff" for the family to enjoy. It has a large pool, but no kiddie pool. They are working on the bathhouses so its a work in progress. Even so they are nice. The showers are very small, but useable. The location is near just about everything. The main road turning into the place can be jammed with traffic at times. The state has been building a bypass for the past 10 years and its still not finished. The camp spots are very spacious and the hookups are easy to get to. The workers are always friendly and willing to help. They have a nice dog park. We have stayed there numerous times and always have a good time.

Full timers and long term on business campers beware! This campground has nothing to offer. The owners of this 1 year old campground are very strict with their rules and regulations. They are very nice in person and when checking in but soon you will find yourself receiving passive aggressive emails from them about rule violation they’ve spotted on the 6 or more cameras throughout the park. They have a very strict leash law here but offer no dog run/park area for your K-9 to play. They claim a dog park is on the list of things to come, but the second half of a drain field will come first. There are no amenities here, other than a very small fishing pond and some poorly maintained walking trails at the rear of the campground that have piles of post construction material scattered about. The campground is on well water and very brown in color so I would not drink or cook with it. Over half of the sites have your living side of the RV facing west and there is not a tree in sight, so in the summer be prepared to bake in the sun. The entire campground is gravel parking lot with 10 foot slivers of grass between each site and god forbid don’t let Sean the owner see you put anything(rug, vehicle, etc…) on his beloved grass. I gave this campground 2 stars… 1 for being dark and quiet at night and the other star for the free and decent wifi. So if you don’t want spied on via cameras, harassed, a dusty rig and a place for Fido to play, I would suggest going 8 miles down the road to an awesome campground called Whispering pines you and your dog will be much happier!

Just am few miles from Atlantic Beach, Fort Macon, and Pine Knoll Shores. Free cable, full hook up, super staff, very clean and pet friendly. Wonderfully relaxing. Updated and very clean bath house and laundry.

We stayed here while visiting friends in Swansboro. We had to pay full hook up prices even though we were just tent camping but that wasn’t a huge deal. The area was kept really clean (bathrooms could use a little TLC) loved the views on the hiking trail which was close to the camping sites. Dog friendly! Our kids loved it. Beaches in driving distance.

This spot is close to everything without being on top of it all! Kid friendly, pet friendly, and very clean! All of the lots are level making for an easy setup! This is nice because you can get to enjoying your time away from home quickly! The owners, Lisa& Shawn are very hands on with this campground making sure that everyone is comfortable and feels at home while staying here! We originally booked 3 nights and added an additional night because we weren’t quite ready for our stay to end! This place is truly a hidden gem!! We will definitely be back!

Small 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.

This campground is out in the middle of a farming community miles away from the nearest large city. Decades ago, it was a popular destination for folks for miles around. There was a store and a mill, but more importantly, it was a social gathering place. We took our Cub Scouts there to camp and to have ceremonies a few times. The worst thing about this campground that I have found is that there are venomous snakes that come from the millpond. As far as activities, it does have a swimming pool and a trail or two to explore; but the main attraction is the fishing. Fast forward to the present. A previous owner turned the campground into a cat rescue, and in the past, I have seen dozens and dozens of cats around the campground, sometimes gathered together as the owner is feeding them. This time I only saw five. With that said, you have to watch out for cat droppings. Because of several hurricanes coming through, the pond has washed over the banks a few times, and the dam has broken on more than one occasion. Unfortunately, the dam is still broken and is in need of repair. The millpond is the main attraction for this campground, but with the pond being completely drained, you cannot fish in it or boat on it until it is repaired. In the past, most people launched their own boats instead of renting them, and since it is a millpond, there were lots of places to fish among the cypress trees and stumps. You could see plenty of turtles and geese. There was a peaceful beauty there. My favorite part about the campground is taking pictures of the old mill and store, although it has deteriorated and has“no trespassing” signs. There was once a dock for fishing, but that has also deteriorated and has“no trespassing” signs. The campground did have a store that sold live bait, but with the pond drained, there is no need for it to be in business anymore. Most of the people at the campground are seasonal or permanent residents. The campground has RV sites with cable/internet connections, an in ground pool, a fishing pier, and a pavilion for gatherings. Even with it needing a lot of work and updating, it is a place where you can camp without the sounds of traffic all night long. At night, you could hear owls, geese, and frogs, but this time, it was quiet since the geese aren’t around anymore. The campsite was a little soft because of all the rain, so staying in the back of my SUV seemed like a better option. During the day, you will hear an occasional piece of farm machinery since it is surrounded by farms. Overall, it’s a good place to camp if you just want to get away from the sounds of traffic, and the owner was very nice. As I talked to her, she said she was trying to get help from the federal government to get the dam/embankment fixed so the pond can fill up again. I would like to go back there when the pond is back to its normal level.

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.

Camping 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.

Flanners Beach was great camping. Lots of things to do in the area. Our favorite was the BrÜtopia Havelock. Really nice folks and dog friendly. Campsite was clean and level. Facilities was nice and clean.

Great spot if you have an RV or don't mind being close to them. Small campsites, but the campground is right next to the beach access. Showers are available here. Dogs are allowed on the beach!

Disclaimer: this is a military campground. Onslow Beach is probably our favorite place to camp, and definitely our first choice for camping at the beach. Intracoastal waterway on one side of the campground and ocean on the other. Quiet and relaxing. Very family friendly and dog friendly. Staff are always super nice and helpful. No pressure to do anything other than enjoy your time away from home, although if you are willing to drive into town there are plenty of places to shop and things to do.

Great location. Easy to get to the beach or check out the river or trails. Power only hook ups with a water and sanitation station for the whole Campground. The “host” sucks and will drive by 10 times a day making sure no one is breaking any rules. Well trained dog off the leash for a few minutes well away from everyone so he can retrieve a ball....nope. Not allowed. Drive 10mph in a 5. Get threatened to be kicked out? Meanwhile the bathrooms /showers haven’t been cleaned this year.

This is a clean campground. Nothing fancy. It is close to beaches and the intercoastal waterway.

Pros: clean bathhouse and laundry house. Nice pool. Small Catch and release pond for fishing. Military discount.

Cons: Un-level gravel camper parking areas made it hard to get our camper level.

Ant piles everywhere and ants all over our chairs and outdoor rugs. Dogs couldn’t get a spot without ants.

No shade trees for short stay guests. This is a deal breaker for us, as it’s hot as hell here in the summer time.

No Wifi. Cable hook up wouldn’t work for us.

Alot of full timers, and residents here. And no access to the waterway as advertised.

Campground was within close walking proximity to the beach. Beach was clean and we had fun hunting for shark teeth. Water was fairly clear and nice temperature.

Camping sites are close together but fairly level. Lots of barking dogs, even in their units. Shower/bath house was DISGUSTING!! Showers were full of sand, hair stuck to the walls, torn and stained curtains. Water was hot though. By the end of the week it was out of hand soap.

The bridge that is right behind camp about 60 feet was under a full rebuild. Construction noise started a little before 0700 each day. Dump trucks and heavy machinery while drinking your coffee. A warning before arrival from the reservation office would have been nice. I understand the bridge needs work but warn people.

Glad we got to visit with friends on the base but we won’t be back.

Not bad this is called a holiday one but I would say this is more like a journey one it doesn't seem very resort-like.

Bathrooms: 5/5

Sites: 4/5 upgrades are nice but really expensive for just a concrete pad next to someone else

Pools: 3/5 they have one but it's pretty meh. Like a 70s motel 8 pool.

Beach: 2/5 there is an inlet beach and a pier but it's like marshy Mudd not sandy beach

Waterfrontness: 0/5

Closeness to other sites: 1/5 you are up each other's buttcracks

Dog rating: 4/5 plenty of poop bags

Internet: 2/5 no wifi and no hookups but our AT&T router worked

Cell service: Google fi and ATnT worked

Water quality: 1/5 potable but tastes gross

Extra amenities: they have a shuttle some seasons. It was not here during October so who knows. Bike rentals Kayak rental Laundry Host station