Best Glamping near Gleneden Beach, OR

We headed to the Pacific City in search of fresh air in mid September when much of Oregon was consumed by wildfire smoke. The friendly staff at Cape Kiwanda RV Resort were very welcoming and we opted to stay in one of their cute cabins as rain was forecasted. Cabin N was comfortable and had electric heat, a TV, dorm fridge, microwave, porch swing, outdoor water, BBQ grill, picnic table and outdoor firepit.  The campground had cute wild bunnies hoping around, and amenities such as a playground, full market, and pool.  It's located a quick walk from a beautiful sandy beach, brew pub, coffee shop and other convenient options are nearby.

The South Beach State Park Campground is at the mouth of the Yaquina Bay in Newport, Oregon. The first thing you'll notice is the wind on the way in. Generally, north to south in the summers, the wind is strong, always strong, like 30 mph or more pretty much all the times according to the locals. It felt like it was raining, but it was just water being blown off the ocean. However, once you're in the campground you don't notice it at all since it is well protected by surrounding dunes and tree line.

There is a Tim Burton-esque trail system surrounding the camp leading out in all directions to the beach and bay. Some trails are blacktopped, some sand, and some horse accessible. Google maps struggled to get me to the correct entrance so pay a little more attention when arriving.

My visit was during Oregon Parks day so camping was free. The Hiker/Biker area is just inside the camp entrance across from the hospitality yurt where you can get hot tea, coffee, ice cream, wood bundles, stickers and Oregon Parks merchandise. The camping (all of it) area itself is pretty open with minimal privacy or separation from your neighbors, but everything is very clean and organized. 

The campground was packed, and the RV/Tent area was essentially a parking lot. It seemed like a lot of families to come to the same place, the same weekend every year. However, it was a well regulated, and well behaved campground. The nice thing about this campground is the location. There are hiking trails, beach access, and it is close to all the amenities of Newport. Once you left the camp on a trail you could wander the trees without seeing anyone for awhile if you needed to get away.

Hiker/biker area had faux fencing built up to separate sites and wood platforms to get tents off the ground which I haven't seen in any other hiker/biker camps. The fences were a bit weird but made it easy to lock up a bike, hang some laundry and would a good stop if I were traveling with a hammock.

Amenities include:

• Camp Store
• Storage box with usb charging station
• Raised wood platforms for tents
• Flush toilets
• Hot free showers
• Access to beach & trails
• Walking distance to Rogue Brewery, Yaquina Bay State Park, South Beach State Park, 
• Bike Stand and tools
• Fire pit and picnic tables

Pro-Tip: In Newport, just across Yaquina Bay, is the Newport Bike Shop. It is one of the few bike repair shops along the coastal Oregon Route. If you get a $35 bike tune up you can take a break in their upstairs lounge with tv, wifi, fridge with beverages, and washer/dryer.

Let me preface this review by saying I am not, typically, a KOA camper. In my past experience, they have been commercial, crowded, and noisy, but I found this KOA to be an exception. Disclaimer: I stayed during the week, not on a weekend, and the tent site side of the campground was sparsely populated. Here, the RV pull-in sites are separated from the tent and cabin portion of the campground, with an office, the bathrooms and showers, (even laundry!) and a playground in between. The tent sites are surrounded on the outside by dense woods, and because the campground is about 5 miles off the highway, it was blissfully quiet and serene. The flush toilets, running water and hot showers were welcome, as I was traveling, and the bathroom was sparkling clean. It was just a short jaunt into town for a bowl of fresh clam chowder and to sit by the beach and enjoy the sound and smell of the surf. In the morning, (I got up at 5am) I scared up a marten by the large oak tree in my campsite, and it was such a pleasure to see this shy fellow up close! I would stay here again.

Campground Review:

 This KOA was such a change from the developed and“overly urban” feel of most KOA establishments. It has a few of the KOA norms: cabins, playground, in-campground store, nice showers, and laundry facilities. However other than that it is a very beautiful and lushly forested site, with some of the tent sites backing up to a creek. The RV sites have great level and graveled parking areas, a large grassy area behind each campsite, and picnic table and fire pit. The store had a good supply of basic needs and also a good selection of beer!(which is a necessity on any camping trip:) The maintenance on the sites and grounds was tip top, and during our stay I personally witnessed lawn mowing, bathroom cleaning, and other general maintenance tasks being taken care of on a regular basis. My son enjoyed playing on the equipment and we also enjoyed sitting around the campfire in the evening. This was a really nice KOA off the main drag, but close enough to Lincoln City so as to experience the many tourist attractions and beaches. We even went and drove on the beach! 

**Product Review: **

On occasion I receive gear to test out and review from The Dyrt, and on this camping trip I reviewed the GCI Outdoor Pod Rocker, and WOW! It blew my expectations away! I have used many different types of folding chair in my life, and so far none can compare to the GCI Pod Rocker! 

This chair is so compact that it folds up into its own shoulder bag just like any other folding chair, but it has the added perk of being constructed of powdered coated steel making it very durable. It has two springs attached to the rear main structure which allows someone to rock back and forth. It is a sling-style chair, but the great thing about the way it is designed is that it has subtle arm rests sewn into the fabric that actually work very well. The rocking is described on the website as being able to“Rock on any surface”, and they aren't kidding! I used this chair on sand, grass, slopes, and even in a river-rock-covered river bed, 3 inches submerged in the water! This thing is very well made, and takes my 200 Lbs easily and keeps on rocking! It includes nice breathable mesh at certain points and dries really fast if wet also. The only downside is that a smaller person may have a hard time getting the chair to rock with only their weight alone. It seems designed for larger people which is great for me, but may be a deterrent for smaller folk. This chair so far has withstood heavy use over a 3 week road trip, and I don’t doubt that it will continue to perform. 

On a small tangent, when sitting in the river, I had my phone dangling in the accessory pocket playing music. When I was swimming, the wind suddenly gusted and flung the chair forward, splashing down hard in the water! I don’t know if the holder was designed to do this, but as the chair fell, it used the water to flip up and keep my phone high and dry, saving my phone from a watery grave! I doubt they advertise this as a perk, but I was more than thrilled. Buy this chair if you want comfort, durability, and style.

Your perfect home-away-from-home to explore all that the central Oregon coast has to offer. Miles of beaches are within walking distance or a short drive. The Oregon Coast Aquarium (fee charged), Hatfield Marine Science Center (free), Rogue Brewing and Distillery, restaurants, shops, and a marina are only a mile or so down the road, all accessible via bicycle path from the campground. Newport has several neighborhoods to explore. Reservations are necessary during the summer. Open year-round. Sites for rv's, trailers, tents, yurters, and large groups Dump station on site. Restrooms with showers. Multiple campground hosts.