Top Tent Camping near Cape Charles, VA

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Best Tent Sites Near Cape Charles, VA (7)


Recent Tent Reviews In Cape Charles

560 Reviews of 7 Cape Charles Campgrounds


  • Frank B.
    Camper-submitted photo from Machicomoco State Park
    Sep. 16, 2024

    Machicomoco State Park

    Great Camping Experience at Machicomoco!

    I was visiting the Yorktown battlefield the next morning so I chose to camp here for the first time.  The facilities are nice and modern, and the environment is quiet.  Just what I was looking for.

  • pThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Cherrystone Family Camping Resort
    Sep. 6, 2024

    Cherrystone Family Camping Resort

    Labor Day weekend camping

    Great spot for families. A lot of activities for everyone. The adult pool was very nice and clean. My son and his wife kayaked and had a great time. Cape Charles is a quaint town for shopping and is only 10 min away. Only issue we had were the kids on bikes riding in front of the golf cart and cars. No parental supervision. Very scary and unsafe. Other than that it was a great trip and we will be back.

  • Valenica A.
    Camper-submitted photo from Military Park Langley AFB Bethel Recreation Area - Park and FamCamp
    Sep. 5, 2024

    Military Park Langley AFB Bethel Recreation Area - Park and FamCamp

    Frequent Policing for Black People

    I arrived at the location and, within 10 minutes, police officers showed up to monitor me, despite my behavior being no different from that of others around me. The next morning, I returned and, once again, within 10 minutes, the police were called to watch me. I plan to document these incidents and file a formal complaint, but I want to warn other Black individuals to exercise caution when visiting this place. I'm unsure whether the issue lies with the organization itself or if it's the Bethel campers falsely reporting my actions, but it’s striking that simply walking to decompress has led to repeated police presence. I plan to document each experience, timing my arrival and the police arrival and then look into why I believe I'm being racially profiled. While this isn't blatant racism, it sure aligns with interpersonal racism is much harder to detect if there isn't a pattern and you know how it operates.

  • L
    Camper-submitted photo from First Landing State Park
    Sep. 2, 2024

    First Landing State Park

    Good campground, boardwalk to beach needs maintenance.

    Good campground as usual. bathrooms well maintained and cleaned twice a day when we were there. Campsite is right next to the bathroom and has a good amount of shade. Bathrooms had two sinks to clean dishes. Boardwalk nearby to the beach was very convenient, however quite a few boards look like they need replacement. One highlight was watching the school of dolphins from our kayaks, not far from the beach. Never saw that before.

  • Christine The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from First Landing State Park
    Aug. 10, 2024

    First Landing State Park

    Right on Chesapeake Bay with Sunset!

    Most of the sites have shade a few do not have any shade. If you do not like traffic noise, stay far away from the main road that the park is located off.

    You can not see the water from any campsite and all sites are a little walk to get to the beach of the bay.

    Light waves on the bay. It has beautiful sunsets with dolphins playing there in the evening.

    We stayed in site 5 which is literally in the bathroom front yard with NO SHADE.

  • Kaylee G.
    Camper-submitted photo from Machicomoco State Park
    Jul. 23, 2024

    Machicomoco State Park

    Very Sunny

    We had a very hot stay. We stayed at campsite 13 which had wonderful shade in the late afternoon. Be prepared with a wagon to transport items from your car to your campsite if choosing the no water/electric sites. Short walk from parking to sites. 

    The interpretive area was really fun to explore in the evening during golden hour and beyond. Great view of the sunset over the river.

  • MThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Virginia Beach KOA
    Jun. 24, 2024

    Virginia Beach KOA

    Amenities but…Traffic Noise!!!

    Great pad sites but sparse vegetation and zero privacy. Road noise was constant and lots of traffic on the beach access highway.

  • Janet R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Chippokes Plantation State Park
    Jun. 20, 2024

    Chippokes Plantation State Park

    Great park for cultural and natural history

    Chippokes State Park is located on the grounds of an old historic plantation, actually one if the original plantations in the area dating back to the 1600’s. The land grant was huge, and as a state park now it provides a rich opportunity to learn about the James River, the natural and indigenous history of the region, the settlement history and role of this plantation in Virginia History, and more. Visiting here provides hiking opportunities to learn about fossils along the river shore, the temperate forest in the woods, and history around the old plantation. Taking the ferry across the river from Jamestown to get here was part of the adventure too. There is a nature center and visitor center that provides lots of info and programs near the river , a network of easy park roads for biking, and the plantation itself, set back further away from the river, provides a wealth of learning, including about the history of crops and trade in this area, and about the lives of the slaves who worked the plantation. The grounds right around the plantation are, in fact, a memorial to the hundreds of souls who lived and worked the land here. It was an amazing learning experience to come to the park, and the options to stay over in the park include standard campsites in a wooded campground, or cabins. The campground has all the usual state park amenities, and was very quiet when we were there in November—so late fall is a great time to come, as the fall weather was amazing

  • Janet R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Military Park Cheatham Annex / Yorktown Naval Weapons Station RV Campground
    Jun. 19, 2024

    Military Park Cheatham Annex / Yorktown Naval Weapons Station RV Campground

    Camping in the middle if “The Historic Triangle”

    This is an amazing recreational campground for military families and retirees that is located right on the York River between Williamsburg and Yorktown. It is immediately adjacent to the Colonial Parkway for easy access to historic Jamestown as well, making for a great base for exploring the historic sites and state and national parks of the area. There are several Navy Bases in the area, so this is an easy retreat for active duty folks, but also open to uniformed service personnel or retirees and families from all over the country.

    The campground is multi-faceted. There is everything for everyone—camper cabins (some dog friendly and some handicapped accessible) as well as an RV park with hookups as needed, and also standard tent sites as well as primitive tent cents. The various camping areas surround a central recreational area that includes golf course, playground and swimming pool, but there are also wooded hiking trails, two lakes with rowboats and kayaks and fishing, as well as shoreline and piers on the York River itself. The RV campground has a nice central bath house with showers snd toilets as well as laundry facilities. There is a small convenience store as well as a cafe if needed, but you are so close to Williamsburg and its myriad cafes and shops that you have amazing options! We have stayed here several times now, in fall and spring, and it was a great home base for exploring the whole “historic triangle

  • Clinton R.
    Camper-submitted photo from Holiday Trav-L-Park
    May. 28, 2024

    Holiday Trav-L-Park

    It's what you make of it.

    This is a wonderful spot if you want to avoid the high dollar hotel stays in Virginia Beach. There are a lot of amenities at this place, however you have to pay for some of the activities. This should be included in the price. The RV spots are not even 20 to 25 ft apart from each other. If that. It seems that this park is more in it for the money than the camping experience. That being said, there are a ton of things to do if you have a young family or just want to be rowdy. Lol. I went during memorial weekend, but I was told it's like this all of the time. The site that I had was very uneven. I had to put a 5-in lift on one side of my travel trailer and drop the tongue nearly to the ground due to the uneven pad to park on. Only room enough for one car. Overall it was a good experience, and you can't help but get to know your neighbors. Lol maybe that's what their plan was. Know your neighbors.

  • Eleanor the Airstream R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Little Creek MWR RV Park
    Apr. 4, 2024

    Little Creek MWR RV Park

    Utilitarian

    Overall, this campground is utilitarian at best. We stayed for five nights in April in a 25' Airstream. It is on a military installation so you need to have access.

    - RV office does not open; if you have any issue, you have to call the reservation line or see the camp host...but there was nothing to mark who the camp host was and they never stopped by.

    - Roads are decrepit with major potholes and in need of repair. The roads and some sites flood when raining. There are two one way roads in, but without a map of the campground available, you don't know which one to turn down in advance.

    - Bathrooms are dated but clean.

    - Dumpster not emptied in timely fashion. It was overflowing the first two days here and people were piling trash around it until it was emptied on a Wed.

    - Full hook up (electric/water/sewer) on sites; some have fire pits, some don't. Also the connection boxes are set back pretty far on the sites, so you need longer hoses/cords. We had a long electric cord that reached and had to add a second water hose and second section of sewer hose to connect. Water pressure was good.

    - Concrete pads and free laundry were nice. Ground around the concrete pads were rutted where folks either parked off the pad or didn't know how to park on it.

    - Free wifi if you sign up for MWR's, but we used our T-Mobile home internet with good connection (4 bars). AT&T on our phones was 1 bar at best.

    - Several small hiking trails nearby on base that were good for walking the dog.

    - Traffic getting off base starting around 1500-1600 is bad, so plan accordingly.

    - Expect to hear aircraft all the time. You get used to it quickly, but can be loud.

    - Seemed like some active duty personnel were staying here, as we saw them leaving in the mornings and coming back at the end of the day in uniform.

    - We didn't find firewood for sale on base and bought some out in town near another campground. 

    - Follow the signs on base to the golf course and keep driving past the driving range to find a small beach on base.

    Not the best look for a military campground, but if you just need a place to park to access the other amenities of the base and area cheaply, this is it.

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from First Landing State Park
    Mar. 30, 2024

    First Landing State Park

    Very nice facilities

    Good: Beautiful campground. Very clean facilities and close by. Easy access to water. Close proximity to beach and hiking. 120 - was able to get two RTT on one site.

    Bad: close proximity to other sites. Busy campground in general. Kids running around. Lots of standing water, once bugs start coming out would be a ton of mosquito.

  • C
    Camper-submitted photo from Chickahominy Riverfront Park
    Feb. 17, 2024

    Chickahominy Riverfront Park

    Lots to Do plus a Riverfront View!

    What could be better than camping and kayaking on a beautiful river? Maybe try fishing off the new pier or taking a bike ride on a nice long trail after visiting Jamestown or Colonial Williamsburg or Busch Gardens which are all within a very short driving distance! Or even a Ferry Ride across the river to a lovely waterside restaurant where you can experience delicious food and the most amazing sunsets! And no worries if you don’t have a tent or camper, because they have cozy yet roomy glamping tents available!We love camping at CRP! Everyone is always friendly and helpful! Facilities are always clean and well maintained. We have stayed in the spring as well as late summer without any problems. There is a camp store, two bath houses, and a convenient dump station. Playground and fenced pool. A boat ramp for motorized boats as well as a launch site for kayaks. Bring your own or rentals available. Looking forward to our next visit this Spring!

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Chickahominy Riverfront Park
    Nov. 6, 2023

    Chickahominy Riverfront Park

    Riverfront Park, boat ramp and camping.

    Its a nice park right on the river, sites are a little close but not bad with mostly full hookups. Easy access to bike trail that runs from Richmond to williamsburg, passing many plantations and farms,forrest, etc along the way. The bike path runs seperate from the roads, but is blacktoped for easy riding. They also have canoe, kayak rentals, a nice pool in summer, beautiful views off the bluff of the river as well as a trailered boat launch.

  • Katie The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Cross Rip Camp
    Oct. 15, 2023

    Cross Rip Camp

    Great campground

    Came with a group and we had 2 campsites and one cabin. Layout was great. Water views from all sites. Cabin patio was a lifesaver with the rain. Owners were awesome and helpful

  • Diane R.
    Camper-submitted photo from Chippokes Plantation State Park
    Oct. 15, 2023

    Chippokes Plantation State Park

    Old Ameture

    Personally, I spent my Birthday week 09-13 October there. I had a wonderful experience for my first time car camping. I would've preferred not having noisy camp neighbors but I guess it was to be expected. So happy that I invested in a tent that survived a rainy night with flying colors. It was a training run to get myself accustomed to the many insects that frayed my nerves. I would return though and the next time should be a lot easier on this old woman and her old husband. 😁

  • K
    Camper-submitted photo from Military Park Langley AFB Bethel Recreation Area - Park and FamCamp
    Sep. 11, 2023

    Military Park Langley AFB Bethel Recreation Area - Park and FamCamp

    Great for Families

    We tent camped here over Labor Day weekend as our first family camping trip, and we all had such a good time! Our boys (8, 6, & 4) had so much fun on the big playground and paddle boating. Ask for Bill! He’s awesome and treats everyone like they’re special :)

    The tent sites are clean, closely grouped, and the lights from the bathroom shine on them all night (so bring a sleep mask). But for $10/night with full bathrooms, sink to wash dishes in, and laundry? Worth the lights! Will definitely stay here again.

  • L
    Camper-submitted photo from First Landing State Park
    Sep. 9, 2023

    First Landing State Park

    Enjoyed camping here

    Went for Labor Day weekend. Great campsite with good shade. Beach was nice and bay water was good temperature. Plus while Virginia Beach had red flag conditions, we could still swim. Had my crocs stolen at the beach though. Bathrooms next to us were completely renovated and are very nice.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Newport News Park
    Sep. 3, 2023

    Newport News Park

    Local Getaway

    My 6 year old daughter and I stayed for two nights. It was her first Daddy/Daughter camp trip and she had a great time.

    Reservations/Check In/Check Out:

    • All were flawless.

    -Staff was friendly and efficient.

    • Cost typical for State Park.

    Camp Site:

    • We tent camped fyi.
    • Beautiful shaded site overlooking the lake.
    • A fair amount of litter was on the site from previous campers. We cleaned every piece we could find though.
    • Power and water on site.
    • We were at site 116. For the life of me, I couldn’t find a very level spot for the tent, but we made do.
    • Grill leaned awkwardly to one side.
    • Fire area not well defined.
    • Traffic and Train noise took a bit getting used to.
    • Issues aside, I would still return for a repeat trip.

    Amenities:

    • Bathrooms weren’t very clean.
    • Store was surprisingly reasonable $ for most essentials.
    • Bike trail was fun.
    • My daughter enjoyed the playground.

    Overall:

    • A nice park close to many attractions.
    • A good place to get away without really getting away (if that makes sense).
    • The good outweighs the bad.
  • Austin H.
    Camper-submitted photo from Chickahominy Riverfront Park
    Sep. 1, 2023

    Chickahominy Riverfront Park

    Nice stay

    Has full hookup 30 amp 50 amp fresh water dump station sewage hookup they had construction on the dock so couldn't do much fishing service is spotty with T-Mobile home Internet

  • liz J.
    Camper-submitted photo from Sandy Bottom Nature Park
    Aug. 21, 2023

    Sandy Bottom Nature Park

    A great place to hike and camp if you can't get out of the area

    The park is centrally located with easy highway access.  Plentiful parking, lots of trails to choose from.  The staff was top notch and super kind and helpful.  They were very insistent about the "no alcohol" rule.    

    Sites are first come, first served.  Must reserve in person.  Visitor's center is open 9-6.  

    The sites were located about 1/4 mile from the parking lot down a trail.  They were spaced nicely apart and had nice sand tent platforms with a picnic table and a fire ring with a grate.  Trash cans were very close by, which was super nice.  The bathrooms were flush toilets and running water faucets and located behind the parking lot, so a bit of a hike in the dark if you need to go.  Other than that, expect no amenities.  Bugs weren't terrible but were present.  Definitely bring bug spray.  

    The biggest negative was that no matter where you were in the park, there was significant noise from the highway.  Horns honking, sirens blaring, the general rush of cars going by.  There is no sound barrier between 64 and the park so every noise just filters right through the trees.  Not anyone's fault, but definitely a downside.  

    Overall when you consider the dirt cheap price of 10.60 per night, this campground delivers as advertised.

  • F
    Camper-submitted photo from Kiptopeke State Park
    Aug. 14, 2023

    Kiptopeke State Park

    Great little beach

    Great little beach area with separate dog beach Tight camping Great fishing Few full hook ups Short walk to beach Decent hiking trails Bring bug spray Very hot in camp ground

  • M
    Camper-submitted photo from First Landing State Park
    Aug. 4, 2023

    First Landing State Park

    sweet people, less then ideal area

    If you are looking for a beach day in virginia beach but don’t want to spend ridiculous money on a hotel then it’s perfect!

    Now for the down sides…… there is an air port like 8-10 minutes away which means constant fighter jets passing over the camp from like 4-10. It’s a very busy camp ground so there’s not a lot of privacy BUT people are respectful of quiet hours. Then at about 8 am the base starts doing their morning wake up songs which will wake you up…



Guide to Cape Charles

Camping near Cape Charles, Virginia, offers a mix of beautiful scenery, fun activities, and family-friendly environments. Whether you're looking to pitch a tent or park your RV, there are plenty of options to enjoy the great outdoors.

What to do:

  • Beach Access: Many campgrounds, like Kiptopeke State Park Campground, provide easy access to the beach. One visitor mentioned, "Great little beach area with separate dog beach," making it perfect for families and pets.
  • Fishing and Water Activities: Campers can enjoy fishing and kayaking. A review from Cherrystone Family Camping Resort highlights, "It’s a wonderful campground if you enjoy water activities, paddle boarding, kayaking, fishing, crabbing, etc."
  • Hiking Trails: Explore the natural beauty of the area with hiking trails. A camper at First Landing State Park Campground noted, "Close proximity to beach and hiking."

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained restrooms and showers. One review for Kiptopeke State Park Campground stated, "The bathrooms/showers were clean."
  • Natural Beauty: Many visitors love the scenic views. A camper at Cherrystone Family Camping Resort said, "Great location right on the beach. Outstanding views clean bathrooms."
  • Family-Friendly Activities: Campgrounds often have activities for kids. A review for Virginia Beach KOA mentioned, "They offer a great deal to keep the kids busy even on site."

What you should know:

  • Crowded Campgrounds: Some sites can feel cramped. A visitor at Jellystone Park™ Chincoteague Island mentioned, "Sites are one on top of the other," which might not be ideal for those seeking solitude.
  • Noise Levels: Campers near busy roads may experience traffic noise. A review for Virginia Beach KOA noted, "Road noise was constant and lots of traffic on the beach access highway."
  • Seasonal Closures: Some campgrounds have specific seasons. For example, Point Lookout State Park is closed for water line upgrades, so check ahead.

Tips for camping with families:

  • Choose Campgrounds with Amenities: Look for places with pools and playgrounds. A family at Holiday Trav-L-Park enjoyed, "They have 4 pools, lots of old shade trees that provide nice screen during the hot summer."
  • Plan for Bugs: Bring bug spray, especially in warmer months. A camper at Kiptopeke State Park Campground advised, "Bring bug spray."
  • Check for Kid-Friendly Activities: Look for campgrounds that offer organized activities. A visitor at Cherrystone Family Camping Resort mentioned, "Many activities for small children, along with bingo, karaoke and corn hole tournaments."

Tips from RVers:

  • Level Sites: Ensure your RV site is level. One camper at Holiday Trav-L-Park noted, "The site that I had was very uneven."
  • Space Between RVs: Look for campgrounds that offer more space between sites. A review for Virginia Beach KOA mentioned, "Sparse vegetation and zero privacy."
  • Access to Dump Stations: Make sure the campground has a sanitary dump. A camper at First Landing State Park Campground appreciated the "sanitary dump" feature.

Camping near Cape Charles, Virginia, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Just remember to check the specifics of each campground to ensure a great experience!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Which is the most popular tent campsite near Cape Charles, VA?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Cape Charles, VA is Sandy Bottom Nature Park with a 4.8-star rating from 5 reviews.

  • What is the best site to find tent camping near Cape Charles, VA?

    TheDyrt.com has all 7 tent camping locations near Cape Charles, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.