8 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Bull Run Regional Park houses glamping accommodations near Gainesville, Virginia with spacious sites that include comfortable canvas structures equipped with modern amenities. The park offers a blend of natural surroundings and convenient facilities, making it popular for those seeking upscale outdoor experiences without sacrificing comfort. "These big spots were great," one guest shared, "but it was pretty expensive for what it was. I think you were paying for the location." Other glamping options in the region include Andy Guest/Shenandoah River State Park Campground, which features yurts alongside traditional camping, all set within scenic natural landscapes with access to electric hookups, water, and shower facilities.
The glamping experiences in the Gainesville area provide access to numerous outdoor activities and attractions. Bull Run Regional Park features hiking trails, a disc golf course, and seasonal water park access, all within a wooded setting that creates a sense of seclusion despite proximity to Washington DC. A visitor noted, "The campground is beautiful and well-maintained. There's a disc golf course that is easy and fun to follow. Also, a water park with a charge of $4 if you are a registered camper." Many glamping sites in the region stay open year-round, though amenities like the water park operate seasonally. The area's proximity to historical Civil War battlefields, national parks, and the nation's capital makes these eco-friendly glamping options particularly appealing to those wanting to combine outdoor luxury with cultural excursions.
"Great Park, friendly staff, clean facilities. We stayed with our Pop Up for two nights at an electric -supported site. Portable water and dumping station located at the camp store."
"Pros - Clean Bathrooms, Camp store open 8am - 8pm, Sites 62 - 92 (except #74 and 88) are all pretty good. Security was great, patrol throughout the night. "
Available this weekend
from $34 - $90 / night
"We were at site 133, non electric non water. I feel like the spots at the end of each loop might have slightly more privacy, but our site was fine."
"We stayed on the big loop on site 48. Unfortunately there wasn’t anything on ReserveAmerica specifying the water situation, so when we arrived we found that we didn’t have water hook up."
Available this weekend
from $150 / night
"Nice facilities (shower, bathrooms, garbage, etc.), but the campsites themselves leave a bit to be desired. Pros: deer wander the grounds, making for some beautiful morning animal encounters."
"This was a great campground location to many, many National Park Trails. Our stay was during the last week of September. We met up with family who live in the area and got 3 sites hugging the AT."
Available this weekend
from $30 - $75 / night
"We enjoyed the many trails and walking our dog along the river. We would highly recommend and will come back."
"Normally we’re tent campers, but this time we opted for the climate controlled cabins of this state park. Cabins were wonderful. Essentially a little house off in its own little “cabin neighborhood.”"
Available this weekend
from $27 - $384 / night
"Great spot right next to the Rappahannock River, plenty of place to set up camp. Had water on site with a fire pit and picnic table too!"
"Very friendly staff. We stayed here and went tubing on the Rappahannock River one day. The tubing trip was organized by the same people that run the campground so that was very convenient!"
"BLP has a great lake for fishing and boat rentals, a paved path to walk around the lake (about 5 miles) and a fantastic playground."
"i’ve camped here too many times to count, love being surrounded by nature!"
"Almost everything, from the grounds, to rec halls, to pool and laundry, was sparkling clean and beautifully maintained."
"This KOA offers close and cozy get away near Harper’s Ferry Virginia. Technically within walking distance to the National Park shuttle to downtown."
from $40 - $80 / night
"We stayed in a level pull-thru site(#1715) with picnic table on a paver patio, iron table and chairs, clean gravel surface, grill, and fire pit."
"Every campsite has a patio, grill, and fire pit. Great pool, clubhouse, entertainment for the kids, great laundry facilities, and huge off leash dog area for the dogs."
Available this weekend
from $999 / night
"Close to me so theres nothing new"
"It is small, but the price and location near DC cannot be beat. It is directly on Potomac River. Tip: if you want a day pass, just show your REI receipt and you can get in for free"
from $15 - $18 / night
TravelerLong drive thru spots, lots of space between campsites. Really inexpensive laundry ($1 to wash $1 to dry) $5 showers for 10 minutes. Nice bathrooms. Dry camping at its finest. Close drive to Grand caverns and Luray caverns.
GuideI fear that yurt glamping may have ruined me against tent camping again! This was absolutely lovely. We stayed in the painted horse yurt. Cozy, comfy, lots of amenities. The only downside here is the sulfur odor the water in the bathroom has, but it is very good for your skin at least! I’d stay here again for sure.
GuideQuite the dump and almost no one around to talk to. There is a bathroom with running water, flushing toilets, and a shower. But it is cramped and not attractive. Most of the sites are right underneath the freeway, and very noisy. Primitive sites away from the road noise are nothing more than a wide area of the dirt road.
ScoutWas looking for a last-minute getaway on a busy weekend, and they seemed the best option. I've always associated private campgrounds with crowding and sites on top of each other. I couldn't have been more wrong about The Cove. There is more wooded space between sites than in many National Parks.
Some sections are best accessed via 4WD, which I think is a great way to keep things from getting too crowded.
Such a huge diversity of types of sites, from lakeside to wooded, to open fields. They have something for everyone.
The bathrooms are ok. Other than the shower area and the reception, most toilets are pit toilets. If you want to be walking distance to showers, make sure to book sites near them. For most sites, it's going to be a hike or a drive.
And on top of that, they have a beach for the kids, boat rentals, and a range.
This was our first visit, but we will definitely be coming back.
ScoutWe stayed in site #133 with our 34'10" travel trailer/toy hauler. Overall, we really like the site. It's spacious, fairly level, heavily wooded, and feels surprisingly private. There's plenty of room around the camper, and although there are other campsites and cabins nearby, the trees provide a lot of separation. We had a nice large area for our chairs, fire pit, picnic table, and dogs. The biggest thing to know about #133 is the approach. We were instructed to pass the site, go around the loop, and then make a left turn into it. With our nearly 35' trailer, that would have required an extremely tight, almost 90-degree turn between the trees, and we did not feel we could safely make it. There is actually visible damage on one of the trees at the entrance, so it appears others may have had difficulty with the turn as well. Instead, we approached from the opposite direction and positioned the camper with our doors facing the main campsite area. That put the water and electric hookups on the opposite side, but our hoses and cord were long enough to run underneath the camper and reach without a problem. Once we figured that out, the site worked very well for us. I initially thought we probably wouldn't choose #133 again because of the awkward setup, but after spending the weekend here, I would. Now that we know how to approach and position our trailer, it really is a nice site. If you're bringing a longer travel trailer, just be prepared to do a little maneuvering and make sure your water hose and electrical cord have enough length if you decide to orient your camper the way we did.
ScoutFirst camping trip in VA and honestly the only time we’ll come here. Noisy, plots are on the main road people speed down, loud music at all times. Plus the bathroom was great, taken care of but this isn’t camping. Great if you need people around you.
ScoutThis is are first camping adventure in are new travel trailer. Camp ground is quiet and well maintained. Bath rooms and shower facilities are fantastic.
GuidePrimitive feel with full hookups. I have a 22' trailer, and it fits fine. I hope you like trains. Plenty of them go by.
RangerWe stayed at Little Bennett starting on Labor Day Monday and left before the weekend, so it is hard to say how this looks when the campground is full of life. They had quite a few activities for families and a pavilion capable of concerts and such, but there was minimal activity during our stay. My biggest complaint is that the gate code changed and we didn't get any notice--so after a long day and a dinner out near Baltimore (nearly an hour away), I had to call the police to get back to my camper. Otherwise, the campsite was relatively spacious and quiet. The bugs were a little rough. Lots of whitetail running around.
Bull Run Regional Park offers tent, RV, and cabin camping options 30 miles west of Washington DC. The campground sits at an elevation of 300 feet with a moderate climate that averages 75°F in summer and 35°F in winter. Many campsites remain open year-round despite seasonal closures of certain amenities such as water parks and splash pads from October through April.
Disc golf course access: Bull Run Regional Park features an 18-hole disc golf course popular with campers. "The campground is beautiful and well-maintained. There's a disc golf course that is easy and fun to follow," notes a visitor at Bull Run Regional Park.
Explore battlefields: The region contains significant Civil War history sites within short driving distance. "Lots of history near by so check out the old battle fields and buildings that housed troops during civil war. Very cool stuff," explains a camper from Bull Run Regional Park.
River activities: Multiple campgrounds offer water recreation opportunities. "This campground is off the beaten path and QUIET! We'll be back with this as a destination for kayaking. The river access is fantastic!" reports a visitor to Rappahannock River Campground.
Historical exploration: The area offers numerous historical sites beyond traditional outdoor recreation. "Harpers Ferry National Historical Park Visitor Center is literally next door. Harpers Ferry Lower Town and Bolivar Heights are a few minutes by car," mentions a camper from Harpers Ferry/Civil War Battlefields KOA.
Spacious sites: Many campgrounds feature generously sized campsites. "Very spacious sites and awesome views of the forest," reports a camper from Bull Run Regional Park.
Clean facilities: Bathroom quality stands out as a highlight for many campers. "I'll go again just for the showers. They're with staying again alone. Locking doors, individual stalls. Hot dog. Best camping showers I've ever had," shares a visitor at Bull Run Regional Park.
Wildlife viewing: The natural setting provides opportunities to see deer and other animals. "We saw many deer and bear while camping. Just being in Shenandoah is a soothing experience. With so many hiking trails and waterfalls nearby we love to camp in Big Meadows - and for the star watching at night," notes a camper at Big Meadows Campground.
Proximity to DC: Location near the nation's capital remains a practical advantage. "Nice and quiet here during winter more so during week than weekends. Took me 25-30m to get there so you are far away from bustle of city but not so far that going in to enjoy breakfast or the sights is a feat," shares a visitor at Pohick Bay Campground.
Environmental challenges: Some sites experience drainage issues during rain events. "While we were here, there was a fairly heavy day of rain. Couple inches, I suppose, but nothing Biblical. The mouths of the metal culverts in our loop were bent downward from campers driving over them, which obstructed the flow. Result was lots of standing water at our campsite," reports a camper from Bull Run Regional Park.
Ambient noise: Background noise can be noticeable at certain campgrounds. "Camp ground is nice. The only drawback is that it is not quite. There is a shooting range in the park. It is on a flight path for DCA. And, I66 is not that far away," explains a visitor at Bull Run Regional Park.
Site variations: Campsite quality and levelness vary significantly within the same campground. "My site had a slight slope, but was easily overcome using additional blocks on the low side to get the trailer level," notes a camper at Bull Run Regional Park.
Reservation requirements: Many campgrounds implement booking policies that require advance planning. "But Bull Run manages to goose you even more. There are occupancy AND transaction fees that really add up if you're only there a few nights. But the real kicker is a 2-night minimum stay. Even mid-week. In APRIL for gosh sakes!"
Scavenger hunts: Several parks offer organized activities for children. "Our family stayed here in a cabin on a long weekend trip to DC. The campground had a climbing wall on one afternoon. There are miles of trails and my gkids enjoyed the nature scavenger hunt. You even get a prize when you finish," shares a visitor at Bull Run Regional Park.
Scheduled activities: Check for special events during your stay. "They informed us that they had a scavenger hunt for the kids going all weekend, they had an outdoor movie scheduled for Friday night, a campfire story time scheduled for Saturday night and crafts scheduled for Sunday morning," reports a camper from Cherry Hill Park.
Playground access: Consider site location relative to play areas. "We had a site on the inner loop and it backed to the playground and the bathhouse. The site was spacious," notes a family that visited Pohick Bay Campground.
Seasonal water features: Water parks provide summer recreation opportunities at certain campgrounds. "Pirate's Cove waterpark is definitely a highlight in summer," mentions a visitor to Pohick Bay Campground.
Leveling challenges: Some RV sites require significant adjustment to achieve proper leveling. "Heads up, big rig owners! Our Pull-thru FHU Patio site had a serious slope. It was impossible to level my 45' motorhome without elevating the front wheels dangerously in the air," cautions a visitor at Harpers Ferry/Civil War Battlefields KOA.
Site spacing: RV sites vary widely in spacing and privacy levels. "The sites are pretty close together but on the ends at least you only have a neighbor on one side. The landscaping, trees and site placement does help the esthetics," notes an RVer at Cherry Hill Park.
Hookup considerations: Utility placement can affect campsite functionality. "Our site had water and electric which was nice," explains a visitor describing glamping near Gainesville, Virginia at Pohick Bay Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Gainesville, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Gainesville, VA is Bull Run Regional Park with a 3.9-star rating from 44 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Gainesville, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 35 glamping camping locations near Gainesville, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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