Northwest River Park & Campground is located in Chesapeake, Virginia, approximately 3 hours from White Oak, North Carolina. This established campground offers access to extensive equestrian trails that connect to surrounding natural areas. The campground sits in a wetland region, which creates unique camping conditions during rainy seasons when some sites may experience flooding.
What to do
Kayaking and paddling options: Northwest River Park & Campground provides kayak rentals for exploring Blackwater River. As reviewer Heather L. notes, "Canoes and paddle boats are available to rent for use in black water."
Miniature golf for families: The campground offers recreational facilities beyond nature activities. Patricia L. shares that there are "Plenty of things to do for the active camper. Put put golf, kayak, hiking and much more."
Horseback riding opportunities: Chippokes State Park Campground provides trails suitable for equestrian camping near White Oak, North Carolina. Elizabeth V. mentions, "Equestrian trails available, which is always a plus." The park combines historical plantation features with outdoor recreation.
What campers like
Spacious campsites: Northwest River Park & Campground receives praise for its site layout. Gary D. reports, "Plenty of room..showers/bathrooms huge..water NOT at all sites but easy to fill tanks."
Clean facilities: Multiple campers mention the maintenance standards. Joseph H. states he was "Overall amazed at the cleanliness of the campground. The staff is very friendly. The park was very quiet going into the night."
Helpful staff: Jeff B. found staff assistance valuable, noting, "Great staff. Very helpful and keep the park clean. They have firewood at $6.00 a bundle. We went on a sellout weekend but was still pretty quiet."
What you should know
Variable water access: Not all campsites have direct water connections. Sally T. advises, "Plan on bringing your own water as there isn't always running water (not sure why)."
Leveling requirements: Some sites require adjustment for proper RV positioning. Sheri K. notes, "The sites are gravel and mostly level but I did have to use a couple blocks of my levelers."
Limited trash disposal: Chesapeake Campground provides trash service, while some parks have restricted trash disposal areas. One camper reports, "The only garbage containers I found were near the dump station, which is on the way out of the park, nowhere near the campground!"
Tips for camping with families
Consider weather impacts: When planning equestrian camping near White Oak with children, monitor forecasts. Nicole L. suggests, "If rain a lot of rain is forecasted you may want to talk to one of the rangers about your particular site."
Child-friendly activities: Some campgrounds offer specific family programming. Audriana V. reports about Chesapeake Campground: "There were a lot of child friendly activities to do here. It's about 40 mins from the beach. We tent camped and had a blast."
Swimming options: Chippokes State Park Campground offers water recreation for children. Danielle H. mentions you can "Hunt for sharks teeth on the beach. Pool is very clean."
Tips from RVers
Site selection for satellite access: For extended stays, connectivity matters. Cliff M. advises, "Several sites have good access to satellite system."
Reservation considerations: When booking RV sites, direct contact may be preferable. A camper explains, "From now on if I camp here, I will make the reservations directly with the park and not online."
Layout variations: The A loop at Chippokes has a specific design feature. Johnathan M. explains, "The campsites on the A loop are a little more on an angle, they converted tent site lots to camper lots so they come with a level tent area as well."
