Downingtown is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. Aside from great camping spots, you'll find hiking and many more outdoor experiences. Thinking of traveling with kids? You're in luck—Downingtown is surrounded by family-friendly activities. Ready to plan your adventure? Check out our campgrounds near Downingtown and user-submitted reviews.
$20 - $84 / night
"No pets though. B and C loop felt like the spaces were very close to each other. A loop was closed at this point."
"Campground Review: French Creek State Park Campground is located in Elverson, Pennsylvania and sits adjacent to Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site."
$59 - $86 / night
"The campground is located in a beautiful part of the Pennsylvania countryside with rolling hills which meant the roads getting there are narrow and windy."
"I did have major trouble backing in because the road is too narrow for a 45’ motorhome to back in on a nearly 90-degree angle."
$15 - $50 / night
"We loved the lake campground. My kids are age 3-12. There’s running water available, porta potties are very clean and don’t smell and are lit with a street lamp. Very quiet at night."
"This campground has 2 small loops, the Lake Loop and the Fiddler's Loop. Lake loop is the bigger of the two, however the “sites” are smaller and it's more open. It is popular with group tenters."
$40 - $60 / night
"There is a quarry close by so you could hear the trucks beeping and the noise from there but that was the only negative thing."
"My family and I stayed at Lake In Wood for 4 days. The campground is very well maintained , and the staff is very nice."
"The store was stocked well with essentials, and the women running the store was very helpful and friendly. The campground is very well lit and can be navigated easily at night."
"The road for this row is narrow and there is a fence that makes backing in more difficult, especially for a 30+ ft travel trailer."
$24 - $46 / night
"The site itself was set back some, and felt secluded while still being near the parking area.
Walk to bathrooms and camp store was on the longer side."
"Great secluded campground, peaceful. Great bath houses, always super clean.
Some engineering genious put the bath houses furthest from the people that need them most."
"We stayed here in November with beautiful weather which meant the large farm behind the campground was spraying manure over their fields. We could smell it."
"Staff is always friendly and the store well stocked. Kids enjoy the water park and nigh time laser tag parties and hay rides. "
"Nice bath houses. Well maintained with friendly staff. Reasonably priced and great location."
"We had the best time in a site next to our son and his gal. We both had pop-ups. The sites were clean and lovely places to stay while we enjoyed the Amish sites in the area."
$43 / night
"Since he was 2 years old I’ve taken my son, and we always have an amazing time, either hiking the trails to wandering in the woods looking for “adventures”."
"It was a great place to walk with your dog and enjoy the Pennsylvania outdoors."
"This is a nice KOA with full hook ups, tent sites,cabins, and even glamping cabins. There is a pool that is open Memorial Day- Labor Day."
"I arrived on a Tuesday a few days after they closed the pool, and by Wednesday I had the whole row of tent sites to myself."
TravelerStarlite offers a wide variety of amenities such as a community pool, general store, snack bar, playground area, toilets, indoor shower stalls, daily activities, pets permitted, water/electric utilities and laundry units. Staff was very friendly! Loved the cleanliness and atmosphere as well!
GuideI was able to book my site the day before the trip. The site itself was set back some, and felt secluded while still being near the parking area.
Walk to bathrooms and camp store was on the longer side. Firewood was $5 a bundle, but the register wasn't working and they could only take cash.
The hiking in the immediate area was beautiful, lots of fun trails and wildlife. Fishing, kayaking, zip lining, tons of great activities.
The firepits have grates over one half, so campfire cooking is a breeze. Cook up and use the provided picnic table for an easy dinner set up.
The park itself is very dog friendly and most sites had dogs. There is also an off leash dog park at Lum's pond and dog water dishes outside the camp store.
The showers and bathrooms were incredibly well kept with hot water and stocked supplies. If you didn't feel like walking so far, the tents had a spiget with running water near the parking areas.
Reception for Verizon was spotty, t mobile was pretty great. Wish there was an ATM on site though I don't think the cash only situation is a normal one for this campground.
All in all an amazing trip, and I'll be back as soon as possible.
GuideNo electrical and no pets allowed in camp sites. But plenty of trees and huge fire rings in each spot. An RV would have a tough time but for car camping it’s great. The Delaware Canal is nearby with the tow path for biking. That makes this a nice Bikepacking stop.
LegendWest Chester KOA This is a really nice KOA not too far from downtown Philly. The campground is located in a beautiful part of the Pennsylvania countryside with rolling hills which meant the roads getting there are narrow and windy. A bridge nearby the campground was washed out earlier by a hurricane so we had to take an alternative route going about thirty minutes out of our way. (Make sure you check their website for directions!) There is a lot to do in the surrounding area like visiting the historical sites in downtown Philadelphia, Valley Forge, or exploring Amish country.
This is a typical KOA with lots of amenities and activities for kids– swimming pool, jump pad, miniature golf, volleyball, butterfly garden, gem mining, playground, store, dog park, nature trail, etc. There is a large pool area with pavilion but it was closed during our stay since we were there early in the season. The campground is right on the Brandywine River which is a slow meandering pretty river that is great to get your feet wet or go for a paddle. Canoes and kayaks are available for rent if you have time and as there is very little current in the river you can paddle out and back without any trouble. There is a nice, short nature trail which was nice to walk our dog and she enjoyed getting wet in the river.
The campground is hilly which means that a fair number of sites are not level. Our site (#27) was level for our RV but the patio sloped downhill and we could not use our picnic table or find a level spot for our chairs. Some sites are “premiums” with paved patios, Adirondack chairs, fancy firepits, BBQ grill, and tables and chairs with an umbrella. These sites are really nice, but you pay a lot more for them. Some sites are located adjacent to the river with nice waterfront views, but beware some might be muddy. There are lots of camping cabins and a couple of glamping tents.
Overall, the campground is very clean with no trash lying around and the grass was mowed and trimmed. The 50-amp electric was good as was the water pressure. The sewer connection uphill from our site so it did not drain properly. There is basic cable but since you are so close to Philly there are plenty of over-the-air channels. The Wi-Fi at our site worked well. Garbage is picked up at your site. The surrounding area has plenty of restaurants, shopping, and interesting things to see and do.
LegendPROS
Reserved 328 days prior to arriving
$13.50 senior discount
Immediately greeted by Loop C camp host who was extremely friendly and helpful
Site C3 parking pad level asphalt
Metal frame wooden picnic table that was moveable
One hook lantern pole
Metal fire pit which was cleaned out upon our arrival
Some vegetation between sites provided a bit of privacy from neighbors sites
Park is 21 miles from Valley Forge National Historical Park. Catch National Park Service 90 minute trolley tour at the Visitor Center.
Shady Maple Smorgasbord...authentic Pennsylvania Dutch cooking…largest buffet in the USA…16 miles from French Creek SP
CONS
$6.50 reservation fee for making my own on-line reservation
Horrible signage along PA-345. Never saw very small sign when we where intensely searching
Such a large overall park, but camping loop sites are jammed together
Pitiful low water pressure in Loop C
Site sewer connection is high; needs to be knocked down to ground level
Short length of site caused creative tow vehicle parking
Loop C women’s toilet/shower building a big nasty mess Saturday
Trash dumpsters are on the main road near the campground check-in station (not walkable)
Noisy campground; 9pm quiet hour not enforced
Lots of barking dogs
No wood sales in park
No WiFi
1 bar Verizon
GuideFirst time camping at this park and it was perfect. Even though it rained all weekend, we explored the area by car, even tried some fishing off the pier and we got to get some much needed rest and relaxation in. D Loop seemed like the best loop (for tent campers such as us). Pretty spacious between sites. No pets though. B and C loop felt like the spaces were very close to each other. A loop was closed at this point. Bathhouses can use an upgrade but has flush toilets and hot showers which is all you need.
GuideI arrived on a Tuesday a few days after they closed the pool, and by Wednesday I had the whole row of tent sites to myself. Maybe that's why it was so peaceful, but every night after my cacophonous conference in Philadelphia, I couldn't wait to turn down Timberlane Road and see that little KOA sign glowing in the darkness. In addition to the peaceful vibe, the people are friendly, the little office store has everything you forgot to pack, and if you look around the campground edges or follow the walking trail into the woods, you will find wonderful native plants like blueberry, viburnum, clethra, and meadow beauty.
RangerWe stayed here for 3 nights while visiting family In Philadelphia. It is a 20 minute ride into Philly and Uber was was quick and responsive.
*note- this does close for winter and reopens in April but call park for exact closure dates because they do change.
This is a nice KOA with full hook ups, tent sites,cabins, and even glamping cabins. There is a pool that is open Memorial Day- Labor Day. They also have a catch and release pond and we found a pickleball court at a nearby city park.
We did Chinatown and walked part of the Schuylkill River trail which we accessed by parking near Fairmount Park. This is a great area to explore with gorgeous views and easy access to the River trail. (There are rentals for everything here- kayaks/bikes etc)
IF we had a car with us- we would have considered taking the ferry from Camden’s Ferry Terminal next to Wiggins Park to Philly. (This is also near the Adventure Aquarium and the battleship New Jersey) Here is a link to information about the ferry-
https://www.delawareriverwaterfront.com/places/riverlink-ferry
This is a great location for exploring Philadelphia.
Happy Camping! Pamela and Keith
TravelerReally nice campground. Staff was friendly and helpful. It’s very secluded, no highway noise. Our spot backed up right to a creek and it was beautiful. Only giving 4 stars because the toilets had problems and the dump station didn’t have running water. Would definitely return regardless.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Downingtown, PA is French Creek State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 75 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 43 glamping camping locations near Downingtown, PA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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