Best Tent Camping near Chincoteague, VA

This is our favorite campground! It is close enough to ocean city we can enjoy the beach daily but far enough to relax in the woods! This campground is the small sister campground to frontier town. They have a free shuttle bus to provide transportation to assateaque island, frontier town, and ocean city. Campers here are eligible for discounts at frontier town as well! We tent camp but there are RV sites and cabins as well. There is an arcade, camp store, heated pool, playground, dog park, and mini golfing! The main pavilion has rentals for recreational equipment at no extra cost (hula hoops, balls, etc.) There are also themed weekends and scheduled activities throughout the week! The bathhouses are cleaned many times a day and the showers are spacious enough. The staff here is friendly and welcoming. Each tent site is far enough away from the other that you feel spread out and private. This is definitely a place I recommend to friends and family.

My first time visiting TPSP. The site is gorgeous throughout. The camp store is small but has everything that you need. Personnel were warm and friendly, very helpful for a first timer... spent some time chatting with them. I stayed at a tent site. The tent sites are walk in only but parking is not very far. The site provided hand trucks and wheelbarrows for you to car your items into your site. I had brought my own wagon which was helpful in keeping some of my gear off the ground during a rain storm. The site I stayed at was clean, level and well appointed; a t bar for hanging trash or a shower pack. Fire pit with grill. The tent sites are far enough from each other that you are not disturbed by neighbors, lots of trees between sites. There are water pumps every few yards, some are a Bit tricky to get working but I did not have an issue. The campground has trash and recycling bins so you do not have to carry out. I checked out some of the drive in and RV sites. They are large and well maintained, good for camper or tent camping, although fewer trees separate you from adjacent spots, so if you’re interested in more privacy opt for a tent site. The weekend I stayed we had torrential rain for about six hours but my site did not flood. Be sure to bring a large enough footprint to account for rain however, as I needed to really clean my tent and fly when I got home due to splash back of mud and leaves. Thee bathhouse was clean and the playground looked pretty good as well. Hoping that for my return trip the new bathhouse bear the tent sites is completed. If you’re not keen on using port a Johns or hiking to the bathhouse near the camper sites I suggest bringing a travel composting toilet. I hiked the full Bob Trail which is breathtaking. Easy level hike that winds all around the park and connects to the campground. I also rented a kayak for about three hours and was able to travel the full pond and connecting Terrapin Trail and back. The recreation area(where you rent boats and kayaks) has a nice picnic area and playground. I have camped at Henlopen State Park in the past and can say that TPSP is my new favorite in delaware. I enjoyed my time so much that I am already booked to return in late September and again in early November.

We had a great experience at Trap Pond. Price was reasonable. D Loop sites were a good size. Comes with a fire ring and picnic table. Site wasn't super level, so just bring enough leveling blocks if you're in a camper. D14 specifically is the last site on the row with an unobstructed view of the pond- we loved it. All sites in D loop had great tree coverage. It was also right near the showers, which were clean & warm, just what was needed. Tent sites are more secluded and are walk-in; our buddies tent camped the same weekend. There was a dock within walking distance of our site. Canoes were available for rent & I highly recommend canoeing water trails through the beautiful Cypress trees. No sewer connects, but there are 2 dump stations and we didn't wait long at the dump station heading out on a Sunday in July. Camp store has all the necessities, yet still simple. Free concerts at the nature center every Saturday in the summer. Nice walking/hiking trails around the grounds also. Dog friendly was a plus!! Lots of dogs were on leads at campsites including ours.

Campsites are spread out nicely so you have privacy. Pool is nice and within walking distance from all sites. Park is equal distance from Chincoteague and Assateague without the sandy sites

General: 129 sites with water and electricity, eight tent sites, one island site, two yurts, and eight cabins. 

Site Quality: All are level and sand/grass. There are many trees and reasonable separation between sites (although you can easily see your neighbors). A large picnic table and fire ring complete the site. Our site had a water view and was peaceful. 

Bath/Shower house: Bathhouses are located in the A and C loops plus additional ones by the tent camping area. All seemed to be reasonably clean and were cleaned on a rolling basis, starting at 10 am for the A loop. The shower had immediate hot water, but you only get about 30 seconds of water before you have to push the button again. A little clunky but a good way to save water. 

Activities/Amenities: So much to do! Bike rentals are free (donations accepted), there are several hiking/biking/horse trails, disc golf, and canoe/kayak/peddle boat rentals (in season). 45-minute Pontoon boat tours are available on weekends Memorial Day– Labor Day. There are several boat docks if you bring your own boat. There is a small camper store/office that closed shortly after our arrival. There is a single washer/dryer in Loop C. I was mystified that you could only use liquid detergent (I use laundry sheets). Because there is only one for the entire campground, I wouldn’t count on doing laundry. If you have kiddos, try and get a site in Loop A – there is a nice and educational play area (plus a game I’d never heard of– Gaga ball). There is an additional playground in the day-use area, plus a volleyball net. There is also a nature center. Recycling and dumpsters between Loops A and B and another between Loops C and D. 

We camped here several years ago but in the off-season, and wanted to kayak among the bald cypress trees (I highly recommend this). Glad we came back!

This is a well kept, up-to-date campground with lots of variety for places to stay. However, the RV sites are very close, it was packed, noisy, and full of kids and barking dogs. Not quite the nature experience I was hoping for. Bath houses are clean and renovated and nice. Location is just across the bridge from Chincoteague Wildlife Refuge which was awesome.

Close to Chincoteague and Assateague if you're there to see the wild ponies. The tent sites weren't so much as individual sites so much as you just set up somewhere in the huge grass field. Close to a lighthouse and I believe it made a sound occasionally but I camped here a few years ago now so I can remember. Realized I missed reviewing this place when I went on this road trip for some reason and wanted to add my review.

Doesnt allow tent camping

Rv and tent camping. Kids activities. Adult fun. Campstore and bathrooms.

This campground is situated tightly between route 1 and the bay but very low laying ground. This campground is perfect, but only with PERFECT weather. One medium rain/thunder storm will turn the tent camping area into a water covered mess! We were in 'spot 45' avoid this area if there's even the slightest chance of rain!

The amenities are great however, free hot showers, close to beach and bay and very friendly volunteer staff.

Will not go tent camping here again and cannot recommend this camp ground for tenters!

Been tent camping here since I was a child caught my first fish there such great memories. It's also not a far ride to the ocean.

Family friendly, clean, spacious, wonderful outdoor showers and sink for washing dishes. A lot of campers, but it was nice for tent camping too. The horses were magestic!!

Campground Review

How first impressions don't always hold true...

My first impressions of this campground were less than stellar. We arrived from VT, after driving 14 hours in traffic, at 9:30 pm. We arrived in the tent camping area, and were dismayed to find that the campground was PACKED. Not only was it packed, but there was zero privacy from other campers, as only a split rail fence separated each "site".  To make things worse, it turned out the campground staff had directed us to the wrong site....and shortly after we began setting up, another group came in and told us it was there site (it was). However, the office staff was VERY helpful and kind, even though it was late, and they were obviously very busy. It was the Friday of Memorial Day Weekend, which apparently is one of their busiest weekends.

Finally we got sorted out which site to set up it. At this point, it is 10 pm, and our 5 children our bouncing off the walls, full of excitement. The campground is loud, as everyone else arrived that night as well. My husband and I brace for a terrible night of sleep, stoically putting earplug in and hoping for the best. The campground quiet hours were supposed to start at 11 pm, however, there was noise later than that. People driving around in golf carts cheering, people playing board games at the campsite next door...sleep was difficult.

The next day, we did the normal campground stuff--the kids took off on their bikes with their new radios from Midland Radio. Eventually, we motivated our sleep deprived selves to go off on the planned adventures at Assateague Island. Assateague is a magical place for those of us who like their beaches wild--there is zero development on the island. Most people drive to the regular, car access beach where there is parking for many car, rinse off showers, and primitive bathrooms. Tom's Cove Visitor's Center is also at the beach, and has a great touch tank with horseshoe crabs, whelks, and clams for folks to investigate.

Inside Tip if you like QUIET beaches:

Assateague Island also has TWO bike/hike access beaches, and those are our favorite. You can drive to Assateague from Chincoteague with your bikes, and then park. One bike beach is off of the Wildlife Loop, and is on pavement the whole way. It is less than a 2 mile bike ride to get there, and there are far less people.  The other hike/bike beach is a bit further off of the Wildlife Loop, and requires biking down the gravel Forest Service Road. However, this beach is framed by magnificent sand dunes, and has even less people than the first bike beach. We loved it there. It also has more shells, if beach combing is your thing. Get a map from the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge Visitor's Center (free) and ask one of the rangers there to mark the beach locations.

So, back to the campground sleep saga. The second night was better---the campground was quiet by 10:30 pm, and we all slept fine. Well, we did get woken up by terrible thunderstorms, but that is not the campground's fault.  By Sunday night, many campers had left to go home, and we spread out into the empty sites around us.  By Monday night, we nearly had the tent camping area to ourselves. 

The tent camping area is in a beautiful grove of well trimmed Loblolly Pines. The trees were great for hanging hammocks, and also provided the perfect amount of partial shade. Our site was very close to the bathroom/shower houses, and across from the pool as well. The tent camping area also has some of the closest sites to the waterfront/boat launch, and crabbing piers. We loved be able to walk right over to the pier early in the morning and enjoy the sunrise.

Inside Tip:

The campground staff told me that the tent camping area is nearly always quiet during the week. The campground is filled to max capacity on only the holiday weekends and Pony Penning. This campground has quality amenities, and its location is fantastic enough that we would stay there again--just not on a holiday weekend.

Summary:

Restrooms were cleaned at least twice a day, but the high volume of campers meant they got dirty relatively quickly. The showers were not as clean as the restrooms, and were dark, and the water tended to pool at your feet, which was unpleasant. 

The campsites themselves were grassy, and mostly level. We were able to set up both of our tents, including the 17 foot long one. Each site has its own picnic table, but they do not have fire pits, although you are allowed to dig/build your own.

As I mentioned previously, the sites are very close to eachother, but on a less busy week, this is less of a problem as the camping area isn't full.

The campground is large--it caters to tenters and RVers, including seasonal RV renters. There is a laundromat (prices are reasonable); well-stocked camp store with wood, ice, and many essentials; a club house with small arcade, pool, and air hockey; additionally, there is a spot to rent bikes, scooters, and golf carts within the campground.  There is also a play ground that my kids enjoyed biking to. The pool is fairly large (bigger than most hotel pools, but smaller than a competition swimming pool). The employees of the campground are friendly and helpful.

Inside tip: If you like kayaking, this is a great campground to stay at. My husband and son kayaked from the campground over to a lovely sand bar  off of Assateague Island. They got within very close range of a herd of ponies grazing at low tide, hung out, and enjoyed their private slice of nature.  It is great that this campground has water access so close to Assateague.

Cons:

1. Late quiet hours on busy weekends.  

2. Shower houses were not particularly sanitary. 

3. Sea gulls like to start screaming at 6 am. 

4. Lack of campsite privacy. 

5. Loud neighbors.

Pros:

1. Access to water from campground. 

2. Beautiful views. 

3. Crabbing pier. 

4. Pool. 

5. Safe place for kids to bike.

6.  Level campsites. 

7. Chincoteague location. 

8. Helpful staff.

9. Well-drained campsites (didn't flood during severe thunderstorms!)

Midland Radio Review:

As a Ranger for the Dyrt, I am periodically given products to test out.  This trip, I was thrilled to receive products from Midland Radio. We tested out the X-Talker T7-1VP3

and the X-Talker T20X4 Walkie-Talkie Four-Pack.  We had been talking about getting radios for a while for camping. We have 5 kids, and 4 of them are all on bikes now, and love to bike around the campgrounds exploring. Radios are nice because they allow us to find out where they are, without having to hunt them down or holler to find them.  Additionally, we are a hiking, biking, active family, so having a decent radio for my husband and I helps with family management when out in the wild. 

The Walkie-Talkie four pack was awesome for the kids. 

1. Each one was a different color, which helped with the kids knowing whose was whose. 
2. They clipped them on to their bikes, after making sure everyone was on the same channel. 
3. The Walkie-Talkie four-pack was cheap enough that if they HAPPENED to lose it, or destroy it, it wouldn't be a massive loss.    
4. We liked that they worked with our radios, and that they could be set to a private station so that we could use them as a family without interference. 
5. The radios take AAA batteries, so make sure you stock up. 

Minor cons:

1. Being that they are cheaper radios, the build quality isn't super robust.

2.  Their range is less than half a mile in normal settings, however, for kids' use in a campground or hike, they were perfect.

3. No charger

The X-Talker T7-1VP3 2-Radio set was perfect for the parents to use.  I took the radio on a hike, and it was great to touch base with my husband who was still at the beach, in addition to keeping track of the kids on bike rides in the Refuge and at the campground.

1. Their buttons and switches were easy to figure out.   
2. We found their range to be excellent. My husband kayaked at least a mile away, and I was still able to communicate with him without interference or fuzziness. 
3. We like that it has Weather band alerts, as camping relies on knowledge of weather.
4.  The radio charging base has a wall plug, and a USB charging plug which is great on trips. 
5. The battery life seemed decent--a few times the radios were left on overnight, which I think killed the batteries sooner than they should have been. 
6.  Build quality seemed sturdy--one of the radios got left out in a surprise thunderstorm and did not seem worse for wear. 
7.  We liked that the radios can be set up with a password channel for privacy We also really appreciated that the radios work great with the Walkie-Talkies that we had for the kids. It promoted peace of mind for all of us whether biking, hiking, or boating on this trip. 

Minor Cons:

1. To improve the radios, I would add some weather-sealing, and perhaps slightly more tough plastic as the shells on these seem like they could crack if dropped hard on pavement.

Tent sites, snack bar, warm showers and the ocean....what more could a camper want? Make sure to visit the welcome center before going over the small bridge and watch the video that is played.

I had an ocean front tent site. You park and walk in. I may pick a drive up site next time because hauling all of my equipment over the sand took several trips. Was there for the sound of the ocean and beautiful sunrises, which was amazing, and several horses came through. I never used the bathhouses (bring my own camp toilet and camp shower bag) but they have very simple facilities and water pumps at each loop. It was very windy at times (my tent didn’t make the trip home RIP) and you must have deep screw in tent anchors for the sand. Regular tent stakes don’t work. There is a store a few miles outside of the park where they sell basic camping and fishing equipment, food, snacks, firewood etc. I really enjoyed having a campfire in the ring provided at every tent site. There is nothing like having a fire on the beach at sunset. 

The amenities are good and nearby nice, but expensive restaurant within walking distance. You can go out on a fishing boat in the ocean on the north side of the inlet. There are virtually no trees here and none in tent camping areas. Bring your own shade.

I love this place. It’s hard to get a spot here tho you have to book early! Water was cold the bathrooms wasn’t very clean! I stayed ocean side walk in. We park and drag all your items in for tent camping. FYI you can have a fire right on the beach!

Beautiful park right across fron the beach. Took a group of 20 tent camping here and it went great! Have done it for multiple years now and every time it is a great experience. However, it does flood in the rain. Also this beach is not to packed and has great sunrises!

Only stayed 1 night and set up when it was dark so I didn't really get a great look at the entire campground, but the tent sites had great views and I think there was a lighthouse nearby. Went to check out the wild ponies the following day

We had a great trip. The KOA was super clean and kid friendly. From crabbing right off the dock 100 yards from our tent site to jumping on the inflatable trampoline before dinner we had plenty to do without leaving the campground. A 15 minute drive to Assateague national park checking out the wild ponies and a day at the beach was an easy outing and the park was secure enough we weren't worried about our gear.

Our first time here this summer and we fell in love with how close of a walk it is to the beach. Very clean site, and bathhouse facilities. Some sites may have a lot of rocks if your tent camping so come prepared for that under a tent. Luckily our site the first night did not have any rocks under it, it was grassy. It does get a little noisy at night because of the bridge, but it is beautiful when lit up at night. Kids loved the playground. There is no boardwalk, but Rehoboth is close as well as ocean city. Kind check in staff.