Looking for the best options for tent camping near Lightfoot? Find the best information on tent camping near Lightfoot, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Lightfoot, Virginia's most popular destinations.
$11 - $42 / night
Private secluded site only 1 mile from 2 separate remote beaches. This privative site is nestled in a grove of wisteria covered trees. Plenty of room for larger groups with access to close to 20 acres to walk.
$35 - $50 / night
Brewer’s Point Hike-in or Boat-in Primitive Campground
This campground offers year-round primitive hike-in or boat-in tent camping. Motor vehicle access to these sites is not permitted for any reason. Campers must arrive by boat or hike in (1.5 miles from the closest parking area).
Four sites, six people maximum per site.
Site 1 has an elevated tent platform and gravel pad with a picnic table, fire pit, and lantern post. Site 2 has a large gravel tent pad with a picnic table, fire pit and lantern post. Sites 3 and 4 each have their own tent pad but share a common area with one fire ring, two picnic tables, a lantern post and a clothesline. There is one pit toilet but no showers. There is no electricity or potable water. Campers must bring water for drinking and cooking.
All camping equipment must be set up within the wooden borders. Check-in is 4 p.m., and check-out is 1 p.m. The park has a few canoes that may be rented overnight to access the campground. Weather conditions determine when these canoes are available for rent. Reserve one in advance by calling the park at 804-462-5030.
$15 - $18 / night
ScoutVery clean and peacefully. Rigjt by the river.
Scout
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.
Traveler
Truly enjoyed this CG. Staff are very friendly and helpful CG is clean. Bathroom rooms are dated (compared to the ones at Twin Lakes State Park near Farmville, VA). The dump station is two-sided - helps on busy mornings when campers are leaving. Spent time touring the civil war sites around Petersburg. Lots of breweries in Richmond - a much needed place as a cold beer was very needed during the extreme heat occurring during my stay.
Traveler
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.
Scout
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.
Guide
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.
RangerThere were a lot of events and options for the family. Cape Charles is also a nice place nearby.
GuideMost 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.
GuideWe 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.
TravelerOur site was nice and level. Covered by shade the majority of the day. Playground was decent and pretty centrally located on the campground. Firewood for sale by QR code was convenient. The trails were nice and it was a nice walk to the aquatic recreation park. Access to the aquatic park is free for campers. The bathrooms were clean but the one close to my site the outside was falling apart. Don’t know how the camp store is because it is only open Thursday to Sunday and has almost different hours every day. Overall great campground we will be going back
Legend
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
LegendThis state park is amazing, it is close to the Richmond metro but allows an easy and wonderful retreat to nature. I was there in early June, and it wasnt crowded, though I can imagine it might be later in the summer. There are numerous camping options here, ranging from tent camping to RV’s to camper cabins to yurts, to regular full service glamping cabins, all in different sections. There is also an area set aside that could be rented for a group retreat or group summer camp, with groups of cabins around meeting space and dining hall area. The full service cabins are new and very upscale; the camper cabins are older but well maintained. The yurts are lovely too. I car camped in a standard site, all the campsites are wooded, shady, fairly private and well spaced. The park is huge and has lots of recreation, from miles of hiking and riding trails, biking and more. Very family friendly, with playgrounds, an incredible waterpark and pool, and nature programs at the visitor center. There is also a summer series of concerts etc in the park. Highly recommended!
Legend
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
Ranger
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.
ScoutGood: 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.
TravelerGreat campground with nicely shaded sites. If you want quiet and peaceful stick to the spots on the beach side.
RangerVery basic campground, nothing particularly exciting to do but has everything you need!
RangerLove coming to this spot for camping so close to the beach! Campground fills up fast and sites are kinda close together though. 1-2 bars Verizon.
Traveler
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!
Legend
I will admit I was a little hesitant about coming to an RV park located within a Christian Retreat Center. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but we came anyway because the price through the Passport America discount was right ($20/night for a FHU site with the discount on off-season rates, so, $40 without the discount). I was happy we came, the office staff person was so friendly and so nice and welcoming, and the campground was just great. There’s plenty of activities here- there’s a playground, a gaga ball pit, basketball court, frisbee golf course, pool, soccer field, baseball field, and some really nice walking trails in the woods (some of these might be restricted to use by retreat guests, not sure). Some basic snacks and knick knacks and clothing available for sale in the office.
There’s laundry here, but the set up was a little awkward- there’s one washer/ dryer in the hallway of the lodge, which is a hotel-like building. It’s kind of a far walk from the campground, and there’s no place to hang out and wait for your laundry. It’s $5 for a load (wash& dry) and you can pay by credit card in the office or drop $5 in the box by the machines. Firewood available for sale here for $5, pay by venmo, at the office, or in the honor box. No alcohol allowed in the park.
Cell service for Verizon and ATT was pretty decent, and they have great free wifi. Showers are good and clean and free, continuous water running (no button to push).
RangerIts 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.
Scout
Booked a lot on September 21, 2023 for November 1st. I received an email for the confirmation of the deposit. I called on October 25, 2023 to cancel the reservation as we were no longer going to be in the state at the time of the reservation. I spoke with the customer service lady who told me she would speak with the manager, Becky. They then called to tell me per the cancellation policy they sent me in the confirmation email that it was a forfeiture of the deposit. I had Becky send me the email as I could not find it while driving. The original email they sent versus the “refurbished” email Becky sent state two completely different things. I have called around 20 times and no one will answer. I have emailed the original email to show where the cancellation policy has been reworded. I have left voicemails and no response. I’m out of $250. Hopefully I can save other people from giving these frauds any money with this review. You have been warned.
Guide
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
TravelerPersonally, 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. 😁
ScoutStayed just one night on our way to Maine. Nice, well-kept park and very friendly staff! Will definitely come back when we can stay longer. Stayed in a pull-through site with lots of space and privacy.
Guide
The pictures are for sure not like the campground. I only needed one night so it wasn’t a big deal but it wasn’t maintained well at all. The volleyball courts were grown over, the basketball court had no hoops (not even the poles) and the grounds themselves weren’t well maintained. It seemed as though there were a lot of people that were permanent residents there but I wouldn’t want to actually vacation there.
TravelerWe 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Lightfoot, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Lightfoot, 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 Lightfoot, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 5 tent camping locations near Lightfoot, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
