Camping near Vandalia, Ohio offers multiple outdoor recreation options across state parks, metro parks, and private campgrounds. The region sits in a transition zone between glaciated and unglaciated terrain, resulting in diverse landscapes of rolling hills, forests, and waterways. Most campgrounds in the area open from April through October, though select locations offer year-round camping with varying levels of winter services.
What to do
Disc golf courses: John Bryan State Park Campground features a popular disc golf course among its recreational options. According to camper Shane T., "There is a disc golf course, lots of mountain bike trails and hiking trails! As well as some other great amenities. Would recommend."
Fishing opportunities: The lakes and ponds throughout the camping areas provide excellent fishing. At Possum Creek Metro park, campers can fish without a license in both the lake and fishing ponds. One reviewer notes, "I spent my time at Argonne Lake but you will notice folks fishing at that lake and the other smaller lakes onsite."
Explore local history: Visit nearby attractions like Clifton Mills and the historical town of Yellow Springs. According to Don B. at John Bryan State Park Campground, "Great place to visit has three parks in one - John Bryant and Glen Helen nature preserve and Clifton Gorge are some of the best hiking trails in south west Ohio... You can visit the near by historical town of Yellow Springs."
Fossil hunting: Caesar Creek State Park offers a unique opportunity to collect fossils with a permit. As one camper mentions, "We even got a permit to collect fossils. Great visitor centers too."
What campers like
Complimentary firewood: Five Rivers MetroParks locations provide free firewood with site reservations. At Dayton Metro Parks, "Your camping permit comes with one 2' x 2' bundle of firewood per night. Additional firewood available at checkout (+ $10.00 per 1/32nd of a cord)," according to Kenpocentaur K.
Spacious campsites: Many campgrounds offer generous site sizes for comfortable camping experiences. At Poor Farmer's Campground, one reviewer noted it was "Clean family oriented and spacious. Well run facility w good restrooms and showers plus electric hook up per site."
Private campsites: Some locations offer more secluded options. At Twin Creek Metro Park, one reviewer shared, "We picked this as the Twin Creek camp site only has 3 camp sites within the park. Even then they are out of side from each other. You can somewhat hear the other two camp sites (rarely)."
Clean facilities: Multiple campgrounds maintain well-kept restrooms and shower facilities. At Buck Creek State Park, one camper reported, "The grounds are level and grassy, with trees that provide partial shade. Restrooms are clean enough, and there are showers with nice warm water."
What you should know
Reservation requirements: Most campgrounds require advance booking, particularly for weekend stays. Sites at Buck Creek State Park Campground fill quickly during summer, as noted by Melissa M.: "Had a 4 day 3 night long weekend... We loved our campsite 41 which I found is next to impossible to get!"
Water availability: Not all campgrounds provide potable water on-site. At Germantown MetroPark, "If there is one complaint, it would be that there is a dearth of potable water stations, so all water needs to be packed in from trailheads with water, the Welcome Center, or pumped from non-potable sources, filtered and/or treated."
Variable shade coverage: Many campgrounds have limited tree cover. At Caesar Creek State Park, Jeff P. simply stated, "Nice campground but not alot of trees," while another camper described it as "Beautiful park and camping if you like a parking lot for RVs... Not great for tents but theres a couple ok spots. Not secluded. Very little shade."
Wildlife awareness: Raccoons can be problematic at some locations. Multiple reviewers mention active wildlife, with one noting, "The raccoons stole our hot dog buns we had sitting on the picnic table for literally 5 minutes while we cooked our hot dogs."
Tips for camping with families
Equipment rentals: Five Rivers MetroParks offers camping gear rentals for those without their own equipment. According to a reviewer, "A set of 6 is $50.00 for the weekend. This includes the tent, sleeping pads, and sleeping bag. If you only needed a tent for the weekend that would be $30.00."
Kid-friendly activities: Dayton KOA Holiday offers numerous amenities for children. Damien S. says, "This is a super nice KOA. The environment and people all super! The facilities and amenities are very nice as well! Very kid friendly and dog friendly!"
Farm visits: Some parks feature educational opportunities like farm animals. At Possum Creek, "In addition to the lake, they also had a farm on the property that was enjoyable for the kids to see the animals. You can hear some of the animals but we enjoyed this aspect."
Bike-friendly options: Several campgrounds have good biking terrain for children. Melissa B. notes about Dayton KOA, "We stayed in a small cabin with a swing on the porch but there are many lodging choices. A stream ran behind the cabin. It has a pool and lots of kids activities. Gravel roads aren't great for small kids learning to ride bikes but ok for older kids and adults."
Tips from RVers
Site leveling: Most campgrounds offer generally level sites, though preparation may be needed. At Dayton KOA Holiday, James P. noted, "Excellent rural setting. One of the nicer KOAs. Great staff and facilities. Mostly level sites. Grass, trees, and a pond all very well maintained."
Service availability: Some campgrounds like Wright-Patterson FamCamp cater to military families and provide full hookups. As Janet R. explains, "There are many sites with hookups for RV's, an area for RVs that dont need hookups, basic tent sites, and also a number of camper cabins by the lake."
Hookup types: Different campgrounds offer varying levels of service. At Poor Farmer's Campground, Gordon B. shared, "I am pulling a 33 foot trailor and it was easy to park with 30 amp electric and water hookup."
Pricing considerations: RV sites vary in cost across the region. One camper at Dayton KOA noted, "We just stopped in for the night. We paid $77 for a pull through with full hookups and a picnic table. The grounds are sprawling and the staff is friendly."
