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Sun Outdoors Cape Charles welcomes pets at multiple accommodation types including tent sites, RV spots, cabins, glamping options, and yurts. Kiptopeke State Park Campground also permits pets throughout its facilities with clean, pet-appropriate spaces. Both campgrounds maintain specific leash requirements and designated pet relief areas to ensure all guests have a comfortable experience. The whole family had a wonderful time during Halloween weekends at Sun Outdoors, with pets included in the camping experience. Sunset Beach Resort and First Landing State Park Campground extend their pet-friendly policies to tent campers, RV travelers, and cabin guests, making Cape Charles a comprehensive destination for pet owners seeking outdoor accommodations. Virginia Beach KOA and Cape Charles Chesapeake Bay KOA feature dedicated spaces where pets can safely exercise while remaining within campground boundaries.
The Chesapeake Bay shoreline provides numerous opportunities for dogs to enjoy water activities alongside their owners at these campgrounds. Fishing docks, beach areas, and bay access points accommodate leashed pets with appropriate waste disposal facilities nearby. Dogs must remain under control at all times due to wildlife in the region and proximity to other campers. Sunset Beach Resort's location directly on the beach allows for morning and evening pet walks along the water. During peak summer months, early morning and evening walks are recommended to avoid hot sand that can burn sensitive paw pads. Cape Charles town offers pet-friendly shops and restaurants within a 10-minute drive from most campgrounds. Bathrooms at campgrounds receive frequent cleaning, which benefits those traveling with pets who need regular access to water sources. Many campsites feature picnic tables and fire rings positioned to allow adequate space for pet containment systems or tie-outs while still maintaining proximity to camping activities.
"Virginia has some wonderful state parks and this is one of my favorites. Its got a nice beach, boat launch and a couple miles of hiking trails."
"Very nice, as all Virginia State Parks are, but crowded, noisy, and lit up like an amusement park."
from $32 - $459 / night
Check Availability"There are four fishing piers, miniature golf, basketball court, baseball diamond, five pools (including one that is adult only), a large dog park, and much, much more."
"The close proximity to Cape Charles made this place stand out for me!! But rest assured that if you don’t want to leave the campground there is no need too!!"
"We live on the other side of Virginia, but have enjoyed returning to First Landing whenever we get the chance. We love the fact that we can visit the beach AND camp."
"20 miles of Trails!! Lots of trails to hike and mountain/hybrid bike. We were surprised at the quality and the number of trails available. We were never bored."
from $32 - $163 / night
Check Availability"They also have a separate dog beach, where my dogs lived their best life."
"We wanted to visit Cape Charles and chose the KOA as our base. Arrived on a Sunday (went to dinner at the onsite restaurant on the bay). "
"On-site restaurant and on Bay Beach within walking distance. Very nice bath houses."
"Our campspot was a short walk to the beach which is nice."
"we camped Cape Charles KOA on Memorial Day Weekend. Everything flowed easy starting at checkin. We paid in full in advance so we just had to go to the ranger station and get our site info."
from $59 - $89 / night
Check Availability"Easy access to Cape Charles and Chincoteague/Assateague. We will be back."
"Was a nice place to stay about 1.5 hour drive to either Virginia Beach or assateage."
"They do have a heated indoor pool, laundry, numerous restrooms, and a great dog park. There is yard/tiki art and paintings around the park."
"We stayed for the weekend with our 4 kids and dog. There were lots of other pups there and tons of activities for the kids."
from $25 - $92 / night
Check Availability"Lovely small campground located inside a National Park land. Full hookup sites are named after the original 13 colonies. Nicely situated between Williamsburg, Hampton, Norfolk and Virginia Beach."
"You are surrounded by water. The rate was 30 a night for a tent site. No water or electric. Which is very reasonable compared to other places I looked at. The store prices were reasonable."
from $25 - $59 / night
Check Availability"The Virginia Beach KOA is a nice place to stay. Plenty of things to do every day. This is a newly renovated KOA, and they added a lot of new sites. Also a new pool with a lazy River."
"Definitely plenty to do and a short Uber distance to the World Famous Virginia Beach."
ScoutVirginia has some wonderful state parks and this is one of my favorites. Its got a nice beach, boat launch and a couple miles of hiking trails. The lovely town of Cape Charles with an even better public beach and restaurants is close by. I use the park as a base for exploring the barrier island on the ocean side by kayak.
LegendThis is a typical Sun Resort property with tons of amenities and activities which is great for families. There are four fishing piers, miniature golf, basketball court, baseball diamond, five pools (including one that is adult only), a large dog park, and much, much more. There are a couple of “beach” areas but there are lots of rocks so you might want to wear water shoes. We visited in May and the park was just starting to open for the summer so the pools were not open and there were not many scheduled activities. There is a large camp store and café onsite which is convenient if you don’t want to leave the property.
We booked a 50A full hook-up site (621) which was one row back from being on the water. The front row (with unobstructed water views) is about $50 more per night so I checked online to see which sites were unoccupied and booked one behind them in the second row. Luckily, no one booked a site in front of us during our stay and we had great views, especially of the sunsets. Our site had a great view of the bay since there was no camper in front of us. The site was a pull thru plenty long enough for our car and RV and level and we had a nice shade tree on our patio side. We did have a clear view to the sky with our Dish satellite and got a sufficient amount of over-the-air tv channels. Most of the sites are sandy/gravel and we didn’t have any trouble sinking as the substrate was hard packed. There are a couple of ponds which are pretty, but they attract geese and there was goose poop everywhere.
Honestly, we really liked the surrounding area but, to us, the nightly price of $71 is pretty steep (and that is with a 25% discount-it's normally over $100), especially since we don’t use any of the amenities. Sun does offer specials based on length of stay and offers discounts to military and first responders so check their special offers section before booking. We loved watching the large ships in the Chesapeake and looked on vesselfinder.com to see what they were and where they were going.
Nearby is Eastern Shore of VA National Wildlife Refuge which has a couple of nice trails and The Barrier Island Center is very interesting with exhibits and short films. Downtown Cape Charles is super cute with nice shops and eateries. Cape Charles Brewing Company has delicious fish and chips, Mason Avenue Bakery is absolutely delicious, and we recommend the pizza at Deadrise Italian Kitchen.
GuideVery nice, as all Virginia State Parks are, but crowded, noisy, and lit up like an amusement park. Not a place to “get back to nature” but a place to camp, meet new people, and a place to stay for the great activities the park has to offer and visit Cape Charles.
ScoutGreat place!!! Spent a long weekend and enjoyed it!! The close proximity to Cape Charles made this place stand out for me!! But rest assured that if you don’t want to leave the campground there is no need too!!
RangerThere were a lot of events and options for the family. Cape Charles is also a nice place nearby.
TravelerThis is the first time we have camped at this Thousand Trails RV Resort and we were pleasantly surprised. Beautiful campground that is well maintained. This campground is very family oriented and offers an abundance of activities for children and adults alike. It is also pet friendly and offers a dog park for your furry friends. We will definitely be back!!
GuideOpen meadow camping; some cabins and bunk houses available. Nice swimming beach and fishing pier. Many people bring their boats to put-in at the boat launch. Several easy hiking trails around. Recommend heading to Cape Charles (20 minutes north) for ice cream!
GuideBeautiful recently renovated family owned/run campground since 1954. Super friendly staff! All sites provide 50/30/20 amp electric, water, cable and WiFi. Premium to standard include sewer. Big rig friendly, log cabins and cottages. Only campground to provide shuttle service to area attractions, events and restaurants. Pet friendly. Features: beach park, dog park, nature trails, play grounds, corn hole, tiki toss, arcade..... Beautiful new bath house. Discount tickets to attractions available. Reservations recommended, deposit required.
GuideVery large beachfront area with lots of room to spread out during the pandemic.
They also have a separate dog beach, where my dogs lived their best life.
The Jackspot Restaurant has really good snacks and drinks.
It is super convenient that the resort staff picks up your trash for you right at your RV site daily.
Location-wise, you are not too far away from downtown Cape Charles, where you can enjoy lots of shopping, restaurants and bars.
The closest grocery store is about 15 minutes away. It’s a Food Lion and it’s just okay.
You can fishing or go crabbing right at the resort, or you can go just down the street to Kiptopeke Park and fish/crab for the day.
In my opinion spot 818 is the best spot at the resort. You have the best of both worlds, sun and shade and it’s a large spot with room to spread out.
Kiptopeke State Park Campground offers full hookup sites in loop C for RVers, with spots 15-21 providing optimal shade at the back of the loop. The campground features both pet-friendly and pet-restricted beach areas along the Chesapeake Bay shoreline, with wooden boardwalk trails connecting different sections of the park. Fall and early spring provide milder temperatures for camping near Cape Charles, typically ranging from 50-75°F with moderate humidity compared to summer months.
Crabbing and fishing: The Chesapeake Bay offers abundant opportunities for catching unique marine species at Kiptopeke State Park Campground. "I did enjoy the fishing pier and got to catch fish I have never seen before. One being a searobin. By the way a searobin crocks like a frog when you grab it," notes Annemarie R., who advises caution when handling certain species.
Kayaking to barrier islands: The Eastern Shore provides excellent launching points for water exploration. "I use the park as a base for exploring the barrier island on the ocean side by kayak," shares Stuart M. Most campgrounds rent basic equipment, but serious paddlers should bring their own gear for extended trips.
Mini-golf and water recreation: Family-friendly activities abound at Sun Outdoors Cape Charles, where "mini golf and paddleboats" are available alongside "five swimming pools, very clean and well maintained," according to Susan P. Activity costs typically range from $5-15 per person.
Bay views and wildlife: The waterfront location at Thousand Trails Virginia Landing provides unique nature viewing opportunities. "The scenery is amazing, especially at dusk and dawn," notes Robert P. Many campers report seeing "fiddler crabs and a few blue crabs and a hermit crab" along the shoreline, according to Jeremiah K.
Historical surroundings: Several campgrounds near Cape Charles are situated on or near historic sites. The Colonies RV Park is "located on historic Fort Monroe, VA the fort has a lot to offer," explains Becky W., with "water on two sides with excellent walking area."
Seasonal entertainment: Many campgrounds organize special events throughout the year. One visitor to Cape Charles / Chesapeake Bay KOA shares, "Went for a Halloween weekend, big campground, lots of spots," with festive activities for all ages.
Campsite spacing varies: Site proximity differs significantly between campgrounds. At Kiptopeke, "the only reason I am giving 4 stars is for everyone. I thoroughly enjoyed my spot being in a cul-de-sac. But driving back to my spot I noticed all the A and B spots for trailers are just on top of each other," reports Joseph H.
Weather considerations: The Chesapeake Bay region experiences significant seasonal variation. During summer months, temperatures regularly exceed 90°F with high humidity. One camper at First Landing State Park Campground advises, "I wouldn't recommend tent camping in the middle of summer - my husband and i both got sick."
Military proximity: Some campgrounds are located near military installations. Campers staying at First Landing should "be warned if you go to the southern side of the park near the beach that you will be very close to a US military base called Fort Story. You may hear occasional machine guns and artillery. You will also hear reveille in the morning," according to Nita D.
Off-season advantages: For pet friendly camping near Cape Charles, Virginia with fewer crowds, consider visiting during shoulder seasons. "We come every year because it's on our top list of yearly visits. The beach and staff there are nice. Crabbing and fishing there's very popular. Very pet friendly and they also made a beach side for pets to swim at," explains Gabby B. about Kiptopeke.
Transportation options: When staying at Virginia Beach KOA, utilize the convenient shuttle service to avoid parking hassles. "They have transportation via Trolly bus that comes through frequently throughout the day to transport you to Various beach side activities where otherwise you would have to pay for parking," shares Marc W.
Wildlife education: Turn nature encounters into learning opportunities. "The park is wide-open, which provided plenty of space for kids to roam and explore. Virginia Landing is located right on the shore and we felt perfectly comfortable allowing the kids to freely run around and engage in activities they don't typically (i.e. clamming, kite flying)," writes Jason G.
Site selection strategy: When booking at Kiptopeke, "Try and get C loop spots 15 - 21. They're shaded and at the back of the loop," advises Aaron S. Most Cape Charles area campgrounds have limited shade, so securing one of these spots significantly improves comfort in warmer months.
Terrain awareness: Many Eastern Shore campgrounds have variable ground conditions. At The Colonies RV Park, "The site was half gravel and half grass. The grading wasn't great and the gravel was thin. Lots of water puddles and the grass was swampy," reports Rebecca E., suggesting RVers should bring leveling blocks and ground mats.
Utility connections: Full hookup availability varies by campground and specific loops. At Kiptopeke, "C loop has full hookup where A and B do not," notes Aaron S. RVers requiring sewer hookups should verify availability when making reservations, as premium sites often book 3-6 months in advance during peak season.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Cape Charles, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Cape Charles, VA is Kiptopeke State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 55 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Cape Charles, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 56 dog-friendly camping locations near Cape Charles, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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