Best Glamping near Buena Vista, VA

Recent Glamping Reviews near Buena Vista, Virginia

245 Reviews of 19 Buena Vista Campgrounds

• 

  Cory D.

  Ranger

  

  Jun. 19, 2018

  Sun Retreats Shenandoah Valley

  Family/group/RV centric campground

  We used this in the offseason as is was one of the only ones in the area that stays open for most of the year. This is not a primitive/secluded campground if you are looking to get away and spend some time in nature. It would make a great group/family glamping campsite as is has all of the amenities, including playgrounds, a pond with a "beach" and golf cart rentals to get around.

• 

  Brittney K.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 9, 2020

  Natural Bridge-Lexington KOA

  Excellent camping experience

  First time at a KOA. The staff is very friendly, the facilities are immaculate, and the camping areas have plenty of space for an expansive set up. We were in tent space 48, which was very private and had a lot of trees over it so we were able to sleep in fairly late. The bathrooms were as clean as a hotel and the shower had great water pressure. Due to covid there was a pool sign up which we didn’t have time to do but it looked clean. Amazing stay! It felt more like a low budget glamping experience — 10/10 would do again

• 

  Andrea N.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 3, 2019

  Middle Creek Campground

  Ranger Review: Nature's Coffee Kettle at Middle Creek Campground

  Campground Review

  As a Ranger on The Dyrt, I sometimes receive compensation for reviewing campgrounds like this one. Middle Creek Campground is the perfect place to use as a base camp for all of the outdoor activities in the area. Getting here was a lot easier than expected. The campground is only 6 miles off the I-81 Arcadia exit. We were quickly in the Jefferson National Forest where the road winds through the forest along Jennings Creek. It was absolutely gorgeous. Around every turn we saw fishermen wading into the water or sitting on the banks.

  Check-in is at the fully stocked camp store where you'll likely be greeted by the two resident dogs. They mostly lazed around all weekend and watched people coming and going. The RV sites are directly across from the camp store, but the tent sites were tucked back into the woods. The upper tent campground was closed for renovations during our stay, so we chose from the 8 or 9 sites located in the lower tent campground. All of the sites were roomy and featured a small fire pit, picnic table, water, and electricity. Several of them even had a pull-through site and would work well for a small pop-up. Bonus: most of the lower tent sites have direct access to the creek! There were only four other tent sites occupied the whole weekend. It was very quiet and peaceful.

  We chose site #76 because the creek wound around the back of the campsite and had a gentle slope leading down to the creek. We knew our dogs would love splashing around in it! Once we got everything set up I realized that the site was bigger than I'd originally thought. There was more than enough room to set up our Kingdom 4 tent, 10' canopy, and camp kitchen to glamp in style. We brought a 15' lead for the 2yo beagle so he could go down to the creek on his own or hang out with us. Even at the end of his lead he was nowhere close to the road. Check out the video below for a 360' view!

  The bathhouse was at the back of the camp store. Like the rest of the campground, the facilities aren't fancy, but they are functional and clean. Both men's and women's featured two showers where the water was nice and hot! There are even washers and dryers around the corner.

  Firewood is available for purchase onsite. We paid $7 for a bundle at the camp store, and it was delivered to our site just a few minutes later. The bundle was huge! We had more than enough wood for two cooking fires.

  Because our visit was so early in the year, we weren't able to access most of the amenities. There is a good-sized pool and pavilion on a hill behind the camp store. Right beside that is the swimming pond with two large slides in the middle, plus a small beach. There is another lake at the front of the campground designated for fishing. There are no trails in this campground, so if you want to hike, you'll need to drive about a mile out to where the Appalachian Trail meets Jennings Creek. Or, drive to one of many trail heads within the National Forest. There are also plenty of pull-off spots along the road if you want to wade into the creek.

  During our stay, we observed the staff cleaning, fixing, and getting ready for camping season. The bathrooms got a fresh coat of paint. The roads through the campground were recently groomed with new crushed gravel. All of the picnic tables and sidewalks were being power washed. The game room was also being renovated! Downside: we didn't have water at our site the first day. About half-way through the second day one of the workers came around to let us know they were turning it on and to let it run for a bit since it had been off all winter. That made it much easier to wash dishes in a bucket at camp. There isn't a wash station in the campground for doing dishes, so we had to improvise the first night. The biggest turn-off for us at the campground was the RV section right across from the camp store. It seemed like the sites were really packed in there, one on top of the other. I've never been RV-ing before, so I'm not sure if this setup is typical, but I wanted to point it out.

  All of the staff that we came into contact with were super friendly and helpful. We were immediately made to feel welcome. It felt like spending the weekend with friends and neighbors instead of strangers.

  Product Review

  As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time - today I am testing Nature's Coffee Kettle with Colombian Arabica Coffee. I am completely unable to start my day without coffee even when I'm sleeping in the woods. Nature's Coffee Kettle is a packable system that provides you with delicious, pour-over coffee in the backwoods. The "kettle" is a specially designed pouch with two sections. The top section holds the pre-filled coffee filter in place while you slowly pour hot water over the grounds. It features a zip-top so you can close it up while you're waiting for the magic to happen.The bottom section is the reservoir that holds all of that coffee goodness. Coffee refills are also available separately. The entire system packs flat for storage in a camp tote or in your backpack.

  The directions on the back of the bag are super clear and even contain pictures. The key to making the perfect brew with Nature's Coffee Kettle is time. Don't rush it. This is not instant coffee. It is the real deal and will be worth every minute. Slowly pour 1 cup of hot water over the filter, zip up the top and let it sit for a minute or two so the grounds can soak up all of that water. This is the most important step. Then, unzip the top, and keep slowly adding the rest of the water. How much water? I used my coffee mugs to measure out the right amount of water into the kettle before boiling. After you've poured all the water into the bag zip it up again and let it sit. Then, just twist off the cap and pour!

  The pouch is reusable, so don't toss it out. Dispose of the filter and rinse out the pouch. It will be ready to go the next time you need some caffeine. Nature's Coffee Kettle comes in a variety of coffee flavors as well as orange pekoe black tea, apple cider, and hot chocolate.

• 

  Jonny D.

  Guide

  

  May. 2, 2018

  Otter Creek Campground — Blue Ridge Parkway

  Great

  Great all around virginia campsite

• 

  Cathy L.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 4, 2018

  Douthat State Park Campground

  Quiet, large sites, plenty to do for all ages

  A favorite of our for years! All types of sites and hookups plus cabins. Fishing, lake swimming, hiking, educational opportunities galore. Security is good but not overwhelming. Virginia is for lovers and camping lovers!

• 

  Olivia D.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 21, 2021

  Douthat State Park Campground

  Absolutely gorgeous !

  This is our favorite campsite and park that we’ve been to in the state of Virginia! We have so many more to explore but Douthat state park is huge the lake is so much fun, and the trails go for miles! We just started camping and hiking and can’t wait to explore more of the country!!

• 

  Gary G.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 29, 2020

  Douthat State Park Campground

  Outstanding State Park!

  Douthat (Doubt-that) State Park is a campers dream!  Level sites with or with out hook ups, well spaced apart, fairly private, and in the middle of a pretty good forest!

  Kid and pet friendly, this park has a nice lake for Kayaking/canoeing, multiple hiking trails with views, excellent opportunities for wildlife watching, and great biking trails.

  It is off the beaten path so it appears to be less visited than other Virginia State Parks.

• M

  Misty C.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 3, 2019

  Natural Bridge-Lexington KOA

  Love love love this KOA

  My husband and I love this campground. The owners are kind and gracious. Always fun activities year round (they are open year round). Nice little store, gas station at the entrance. Very clean bathroom as and showers. We love our spot “99”! So much to do here in Natural Bridge and Lexington. Go to Pink Cadillac Diner - 4347 S. Lee Highway Natural Bridge VA 24578 United States and Laynes Country Store! Ride through the Virginia Safari! See the Natural Bridge and hear about when George Washington was a young man exploring this are.

• 

  Chris E.

  Guide

  

  May. 20, 2020

  Montebello Resort

  Simply Wonderful

  This is one of Virginia’s best kept secrets for Cabins, RV or Tent camping.

  The location is awesome; close to some great hiking spots, very accessible & well laid out.

  The kids are guaranteed to catch something in the fishing hole & the camp store has EVERYTHING!!

  Love this place! It is a great spot to go tent camping.

  Call and speak with the staff about the best dates to go. They helped is pick a day when there were NO other people there.

  Such a great spot.

• E

  Eben O.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 17, 2024

  Thunder Bridge

  Idyllic forest campground

  Thunder BRidge is a unique property tucked away in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Near Natural Bridge State Park in Virginia, the campground was once a CCC camp. Now it is home to many quiet tent sites, screen cabins, log cabins, and even some fully furnished rental cabins.

  The campground is about 60% wooded, the rest is open ground with buildings from the camp's earlier days. The open area includes  several artists' studios.  At one edge is a forest creek, great for wading. 

  The campground is mostly tenting sites and rustic cabins, but there are RV sites in the open area.

  This is not a "resort" but you won't find a more beautiful, quiet campground!

• D

  Dennis M.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 21, 2018

  Natural Bridge-Lexington KOA

  Needs Improvement

  Located in a beautiful part of central Virginia, this campground gives you lots of options for sightseeing. It is definitely worth a trip to the Natural Bridge. The nearby town of Lexington has many historic buildings, and the town seems very dog-friendly. The campground is kept very clean, and the staff is very helpful. However, the sites are small and not leveled well. Although my camper is only 15’ long, I ran out of shims trying to level my rig. I watched a fifth wheeler spend two hours trying to position his rig so that it could be leveled. The store is friendly, but doesn’t stock much variety. Given the beauty of the area, I would go back, but I would insist on seeing the site before trying to set up. There is a wonderful country store (Lynne’s) close buy with great produce and meats. Be sure to check out the famous Red Hen Restaurant in Lexington.

• 

  Sam M.

  Legend

  

  Dec. 9, 2019

  Montebello Resort

  Nice little place in a great area

  This was a nice little campground, and my friends and I had a great time here. Originally I picked this place because most of the other campgrounds in the area were already booked up. We went in the middle of October when the leaves were changing in Virginia. It was a good place to stay overall. We stayed in one of the "primitive" campsites with no water or electric hook ups. For these you park at a small parking lot and walk a few hundred feet or so to the campsites.  The sites in this area were pretty close together, some closer than others. We stayed at site 7, which was a little closer to some other campers than I would have liked. It was flat and grassy and the woods were very nice though.  There were also some rv sites in the campground, which also seemed a little close together. 

  I wold say the best thing about this place is how close it is to stuff. Crab tree falls and spy rock are both really nice hikes right in the area.  Bold rock hard cidery is about 40 minutes from the campground. All around a really awesome area with plenty to do.  I would recommend it.

• 

  Scott F.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 5, 2021

  Bolar Mountain Recreation Area

  Beautiful campground surrounding site 34 at Bolar Mountain Campground

  This was our first camping trip to actually visit lake Moomaw in Warm Springs Virginia.  We had been close before but never made it to the lake itself.

  First off, sorry for the audio on the video we uploaded.  It seems in March of 2021 I was diagnosed with having lung cancer and it is pinching the never of my left vocal cord so I'll I can use now is my right vocal cord.

  Now, given that information, we decided to camp at Bolar Mountain Campground for a few days. We arrived the week before Memorial Day since it worked out better with my chemo treatments. We reserved site 34 and it was a perfect site. It's basically a corner lot which worked out great for us. It's little hike to the bathrooms but not to bad of an incline.

  The bathrooms were clean and so were the showers. Everything was great. Access to a small store is not far away. The owner of the little store is very nice and helpful. Stop by and see him if you choose to come camp here.

  If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.

  https://youtu.be/VIjZYIG58Ks

• 

  Crystal C.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 13, 2018

  Natural Bridge-Lexington KOA

  A bit expensive for no more than it was

  I selected this site. because it was near Natural Bridge and all that it has to offer. There were not a lot of options in the area so I bit the bullet and paid $30 for a site for the evening. While the facility was typical of a KOA I was not entirely impressed by the overall price to amenity ratio, especially after seeing other campgrounds in Virginia along this trip and their price being so vastly different.

  Let me just give a full disclosure on this…. There are tent sites which cost less here, BUT there are only 5 of them in the entire campground so if you end up there on a weekend don't count on them being open at all. I even checked just for a reference of how booked they are and even checking some 2 weeks in advance on a random week day the same results appeared, NO BOOKINGS.

  During summertime I can see how this place would attract a lot of people with the pool and various options, but in my opinion that does not offset the price point. And RV sites, which are more costly looked hard to get into with larger units.

  My site was even and pretty basic despite having electricity. It was just across from the deluxe cabins and close to the restroom which I liked. Everything seemed well lit at night.

  This campground being my hub only I did enjoy that it was very close to the town of Lexington itself as well as Natural Bridge, which is a pretty cool site with a lot of interesting history as well.

  TIPS:

  • If you want a primitive site book well in advance. These are apparently quite a difficult ticket to score at this camp.
  • Call ahead about RV lengths to make sure you are booking the correct site for your size. I noticed more than a few people struggling with their units and some of this could have been avoided with proper booking.
  • Check into local sites!! There is a zoo and dinosaur area as well as the Natural Bridge, hiking and a historic downtown.
• 

  B M.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 1, 2023

  Bolar Mountain Recreation Area

  Nice shaded campground

  We were in site #5. It was not level yet nothing in the mountains is level. The electric showed 30 & 50 amp yet the 30 amp was disconnected and that's what we need. We had to use the 50 amp hook up. The electric bo is on the wrong side of the site, most in this loop are on the wrong side. We filled with water this loop you have to fill with water. 

  The site was nice sized and shaded. 

  There isn't any cell service yet near the camp loop 2 the loop below ours behind spot #10 as you walk to the lake at a specific spot you can get service. 

  The lake is beautiful. Our neighbor was catching nice fish out in his boat. Many different kinds of fish and very nice sized brown trout.

  There is a swim beach which you can launch a kayak or canoe from the beach.

  The Marina is closed yet there is a boat launch near the marina. 

  They really need to update the campground area's  was told it was all closed for a few years too bad they didn't update the campgrounds. 

  There isn't much around so bring your supplies with you. There is a small general store that sells somethings and gas but it's not a real grocery. They did sell excellent Virginia peanuts there. 

  favorite campsites are:

  Campground 1 

  sites 9 and 2 were my favorite. Sites 2, 3, 9 & 10 the electric boxes are on the correct side.

  Campground 2 sites 44 and 45 are nice with water & electric.

  Sites 47, 50, 53, 54, 51 and 55 have no hook ups yet they are waterfront sites.

  Campground 3 there is a boat & trailer storage area. 

  Best sites are 69 and 70 with water & electric.

  No hook ups 64, 88 and 89 are waterfront.

  They had a problem with the water in our loop so the bath house was closed and they had port o potties in front of the bath house. The day use area is big and was not crowded at all. There were many people camping in our loop it was very quiet.

• S

  Steven

  Scout

  

  Aug. 24, 2020

  Morris Hill Campground

  Great Place To Camp

  Morris Hill campground is located in Alleghany County, Virginia, in the George Washington National Forest. 

  This campground does not have Water/Electric hookups... It is semi primitive.

  Cell Phone Service is spotty also, as there is no pay phone at the campground either.

  The campground has 3 shower/bathroom location within the campground loops.

  1.) Men's side has 1 toilet, 1 urinal and 1 shower, 2 sinks.

  2.)Lady's Side has 2 toilets, 1 shower and 2 sinks.

  3.)Each Bathhouse has a sink in the rear (outside) for washing dishes and cleaning fish.

  4.)Each Bathhouse has a water spigot in the front that allows you to fill jugs for drinking water.

  For you all who have campers/RV: There is a dump station for your tanks, equipped with a wash hose to wash your drain hose out.

  There is a fresh water filling station here as well, if you wish to fill your camper/RV when you get there.

  The campground is located close to two boat landings. 

  Fortney Branch, located approximate 2.5 miles away, has a substantial amount of parking for boats and cars. ($5.00 per day, per vehicle to park unless camping at the campground)

  1.) This location has 4 vault toilets, a phone for local calls only.

  2.) There is 4 lanes for launching as well.

  3.) This entire area is a "No Wake" zone which makes for good fishing if you are wanting to fish off the bank.

  Coles Point, is located approximate 3 miles from the campground.

  ($5.00 per day, per vehicle to park unless camping at the campground)

  1.) Boat ramp is located here along with a dock.

  2.) There is a Pier for fishing as well.

  3.) Bank Fishing is also allowed in this area. There is a few picnic tables located along the shoreline as well.

  4.) On the opposite side of the boat parking area there is a beach area for swimming. Soft sand and also a Volleyball net if you want to punch the ball around for a few.

   5.) There is also a restroom/bath house here as well. Each side has 3 spacious showers with hot water to get clean after taking a swim in the lake.

  This area has 2 picnic shelters (which can be rented for family gatherings).. Both of those shelters also have access to water, and restrooms as well. There is individual picnic tables at these locations as well outside of the shelter where you can enjoy a meal with family.

  Gathright Dam Area. (Trout Fishing)

  The spillway located down in the bottom of the dam offers great trout fishing area as well.... and for those who want to see how massive this man made rock dam is, you will want to drive down and take a look at the massive size.

  The US Army Corp of Engineers has a welcome center located just down from the campground as well. There is a replica of the lake inside of the visitors center along with boating information.

• D

  David B.

  Ranger

  

  May. 4, 2023

  Natural Bridge KOA

  Small but friendly and well maintained!

  This is a very typical KOA and, with one exception, it provides the services one expects from a KOA. However, it is rather small and it has some sites that are not level but can be leveled with some effort by the camper.

  The office staff was very professional while still being country-friendly and helpful. Also, the KOA is just a few miles from Natural Bridge State Park. I found it to be worth the $9 admission fee.

  I had excellent cell service on Verizon. Although the KOA offers WiFi, I was never able to get a strong enough signal to connect to the internet even though I tried several times during the afternoon, early evening, and late at night.

  My biggest disappointment was that although the showers, sinks and toilets were very clean and well maintained, they did not meet my ADA expectations.

  I was there on Tuesday, May2, 2023.

• 

  Carey R.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 4, 2022

  Natural Bridge KOA

  Perfect for Visiting Natural Bridge with Kids

  We stayed in a Pull Through, Full Hookup site on the hillside. It was surprisingly very level. We just used this as a base for visiting Natural Bridge State Park, so it was only an overnighter. The bathrooms & private showers were amazing & clean. The laundry room looked just as nice, but we didn’t use it.
  We didn’t use the pool, but the kids enjoyed the Gameroom! Of everything we used there, the only thing to mention that was dirty was the game room. But I’ll take that, we were very impressed with the playground, dog park & they even had chickens & a petting farm upon entry.
  This KOA seriously restored my faith in KOA’s. I will renew our membership, (which is about to expire), based on this visit. There are great ones out there!

• P

  Patrice M.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 3, 2022

  Natural Bridge KOA

  Great Campground

  Great campground. Very quiet, clean and right off of 81. Great place to stop on a southern trip. Pool was clean and bath house was newer and very clean.

  Would stay here again.

• 

  Stephanie H.

  Ranger

  

  Jun. 25, 2022

  Natural Bridge KOA

  Deluxe area

  We had a deluxe patio area. Which was on nice level concrete. Was not too close to the pool but there were rest rooms nearby. We only stayed one night but was a nice area. The kids likes the petting zoo.

• m

  mae

  Guide

  

  Oct. 17, 2021

  Natural Bridge KOA

  Best campground so far

  Needed a last minute stay for one night and got in here. They had brand new premium pull through sites that were amazing! Big patios, bbq grill, tables, fire pit. It was a quiet, well laid out and easy to manage in our 36 ft trailer. Wished I was staying much longer at this campground. Definitely recommend and would love to come back and check out the wineries and country stores nearby.

• 

  Kaylee G.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 1, 2022

  Natural Bridge KOA

  Just right

  Normally we camp with our tent, but we decided to make the trip to check out Natural Bridge State Park at the end of December. Never quite sure what the weather is like we were able to get a one room camping cabin. It was perfect for our family of three plus two dogs. Our toddler was throughout entertained by exploring everything around us and we would have visits by a black cat. Can't wait to go back and check out their tent sites.

• M

  Marletta & Ed M.

  Traveler

  

  Jan. 2, 2022

  Natural Bridge KOA

  Easy access and friendly staff

  Great job building level sites in a hillside. Easy in and out. Clean facilities.

  Remote not much to do. We don't have a toad. Not an area to ride bikes.

  Great as a stop over.

• K

  Karen

  Guide

  

  Jul. 24, 2021

  Natural Bridge KOA

  Quiet retreat in nature

  This KOA was a very nice surprise given that it was right off the highway. We only were there for 1 night and we didn't hear any highway noise. They had a very nice nature trail as well as chickens running around and baby goats in a pen. Check in was easy as they had a tent set up so we didn't have to go on the office. An employee led us to our site. The main campground is rather hilly, although our site was a rather level gravel pad. They have a new area, not flat ground, that has cement pads and pretty wood benches around fire pits. It looked like these campsites were for the large class A or fifth wheels. We had electric and water. Cable TV is included. The Verizon wifi was spotty with 2-3 bars. We will definatly go back if we pass through this area again.

• 

  Amy

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 7, 2020

  Natural Bridge-Lexington KOA

  Beautiful

  We are first time RV’ers and we really enjoyed this campground. The owners were kind and helpful. The nearby hiking was amazing.

• S

  Sara L.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 17, 2020

  Natural Bridge-Lexington KOA

  It’s ok

  Clean and right beside the safari park in Natural Bridge, cave mountain is few extra miles but is nicer in my opinion if you want nature and peace. This place does have hookups and sites are on top of one another not spaced out. It does have WiFi available and your phone will work here. Has a gas station right in front of it’s entrance and is directly off interstate

• T

  Todd C.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 20, 2020

  Natural Bridge-Lexington KOA

  Great stay at the KOA

  Had a great time as always. Staff friendly and very accommodating. You have to go to the Safari Park next door. Great memories.