4 campgrounds with availability this weekend
State parks and wildlife management areas surrounding Carrollton, Virginia provide several options for tent camping in diverse coastal environments. Sandy Bottom Nature Park in Hampton offers 11 primitive tent sites, including two group sites, with walk-in access approximately 1/4 mile from the parking area. False Cape State Park Campground presents a more remote tent camping experience on Virginia's southeastern coast, requiring a 5-6 mile hike or bike ride through Back Bay Wildlife Refuge to reach the campground. Big Woods WMA, located southwest of Carrollton, provides basic walk-in tent camping opportunities for those seeking a more rustic experience.
Most tent campsites in the region feature sand-based tent platforms or natural ground surfaces with minimal site preparation. Sandy Bottom's walk-in tent sites include picnic tables, fire rings with grates, and nearby trash receptacles, though drinking water is not available at individual sites. False Cape offers both oceanside and bay side primitive tent camping with drinking water available at central locations. Campers should prepare for insects throughout the warmer months, with multiple reviewers emphasizing the need for bug spray, particularly at coastal sites. Highway noise can be significant at Sandy Bottom Nature Park, while False Cape provides exceptional quiet due to its remote location.
In early fall, tent campers often find reduced crowds and more comfortable temperatures at these locations. According to reviews, Sandy Bottom's sites are "spaced nicely apart" with convenient amenities despite the highway noise. One camper noted that False Cape State Park offers a unique opportunity to camp directly on the beach in designated areas, providing "isolation and a wonderful clean beach." Tent campers at False Cape can choose between sites tucked among live oaks or directly on the sand, with the option to move between them during their stay. The primitive nature of these tent-only camping areas means visitors should pack accordingly, with special attention to water needs during summer months when hiking to backcountry tent sites.
"We hiked in on the East Dike trail through Back Bay, about 5.4 miles, with everything for the weekend on our backs."
"False Cape is a primitive campground that can only be accessed by walking or biking through the Back Bay Wildlife Refuge along the southern coast of Virginia."
Available this weekend
from $21 / night
"We did the canoe-in camping and brought out Hobie kayaks (beware if you bring them our mirage drive seemed to find every downed tree or cypress knob under the water 😜) Buoys marked the different routes"
"We were looking for a reasonably quick (one overnight) camping trip that was different, but within a 2ish hour drive."
from $17 - $57 / night
"The campsights are pretty close together so don't expect privacy on a busy weekend. The scenery is TOP KNOTCH!"
"My group and I stayed at the Benett’s creek high ground primitive camp sites 1-3. It was a 4.5 mile paddle to the site, then roughly 1.5 down to the dock with a staged vehicle."
from $17 / night
"Loved the location - the beaches were surrounded by pine, wetlands, and tall grasses - it felt remote and not overdeveloped! This campsite is comfortable!"
"Super close to a few different beaches. The bug screen and hammock that are part of the site was so appreciated. Also, having a shower was great - it felt like we were glamping! Went in September."
from $35 - $50 / night
"Around 7pm because we had a late start. Unfortunately we didn't stay because our site was hike in and I thought I did drive in. So we ended up getting a hotel instead."
from $17 / night
from $72 / night
TravelerA beautiful campground. Nice wooded sites with decent space between sites. Bathroom and laundry were clean. Showers were just ok. Nice trails and the walk along the James
river was nice. Will definitely stay again.
TravelerDO NOT WAIST YOUR MONEY! THIS IS A SCAM!! Our 3 campsites flooded with 6 inches of water within an hour of arriving before high tide. Very difficult to get ahold of staff due to limited hours of business. I have requested a refund for failure to render services due to unusable campsites. I have left several voicemails and sent emails with attached pictures. Management has been avoiding my phone calls, will not call back. Very unprofessional. I received one call from"management" at 7:20 pm to tell me that he received a message to call me, but he hasn't looked into why he needs to call me and he will call back the next day. I never heard back from him and that was a week ago. I have followed up daily with phone calls without a return phone call. My family makes several camping trips through the year, will never return here.
TravelerGenerous sized sites but only semi-private. Excellent facilities
ScoutThis campground was very enjoyable. I spent a lot of time at the fishing pier, learning to ID birds I had never identified before. Brown pelicans were everywhere near the sunken ships. I also talked to the Hawkwatch people for a bit.
My campsite was far enough from the bathroom I couldn't hear the door slam, but since I was the only one in the F loop, that wouldn't have mattered. Since the loop was so empty, it was an absolute pleasure.
Had the campground been full, I would have felt too close to the people in tents in the sites next to me.
One great thing was that there weren't tent pads so we didn't have to worry about how to fit two tents on to one tent pad.
GuideEnjoying this campground. Close to all the attractions. Incredible staff, super friendly. Pool and game room are wonderful.
TravelerNote to Self: No Primitive Site reservations...EVER. I love this park. It's situated far enough from the busy traffic noise...beautiful Virginia city of Hayes. When I arrived, it was such a scorching day and there wasn't nearly enough tree cover to shield my tent from the "son of Hades". Suffered heat exhaustion almost to the point of death...Literally. Night was my only respite. If it hadn't been for the wonderful camp attendants who came to my rescue, it would've been an utterly failed experience. Bless their hearts. Other than that, this was a great training experience for an old Novice camper. Now that I'm a bit more practiced, I'm going back 😁, armed with knowledge and more confidence.
TravelerThe good: super clean and new restrooms / showers. The entire parking immaculate. Stayed at site 12. Offers water views and shade. Site 13 is similar and is probably the most ideal site.
Cons: zero privacy. The sites are basically scattered around an open grassy area and fairly close together.
Be aware: sites are not vehicle accessible. Need to carry your kit 50-75 yards.
GuideOur stay is going to be the 21 days that are allowed. In that time, I have been on many nature walks with my dog. Very enjoyable, very well maintained. The only thing I did not like is the bathrooms. I have seen a cleaning lady come through, but I think it is primarily for the sinks and toilets. The shower curtains are moldy, lots of spiders. The shower pressure and temp are great. All in all, it is affordable and very peaceful.
TravelerThis is a long one! Here we go. My partner and I travel for work, we went out of our way to move to this location based on reviews saying this is a great place. We have paid in full for the whole stay which is about little over 2 months. We have been here approx 2 weeks give or take. We work night shift. No activity during the day. Simple easy. Not our first campground by any means. At first, we were excited to experience the amenities and such. Now we’re uncomfortable to try anything out. Why you ask? Situation: first day we move in, we end up next to what seems like the literal only other long term or possibly even permanent resident on the grounds. My service animal alerted me to a trigger, which she left the front door of the camper before we walked out. Recalled her to me once we saw that the perm resident (our neighbor) had what presented as an aggressive dog. (Husky maybe?). Within not EVEN 5 minutes of this event, someone was at our door- instead of asking what is going on we were immediately accused of her running around off leash I guess? We had just woken up from sleeping and it was evening time, time to go to work. Instead of arguing or even offering up ANY facts related to the situation I simply said got it thanks and the interaction ended. I’m thinking to myself well damn. Okay. A week or so maybe goes by? Leash in hand VISIBLE -at the door my dog steps out, I step out behind her- same time same situation. She walks ahead of me to where she will relieve herself, I ask for her to come back next to me, she recalls- neighbors dog loses its mind again. I look up at neighbor and say “just go ahead and call man, I get it”. She calls. This time THREE employees are driving on carts to our site, at this point we’re already leaving for work. I knew it was coming, figured they would for sure ask what’s going on this time. They don’t. The older woman accompanied by two men behind her- simply says “you have been told before you need to leash your dog”. We reply yes we understand. Nobody asks for a description of the events, what’s going on, or if this even happened. The female voice is raised and hostile presenting towards both of us. The man behind her approaches our car and peers into the vehicle I’m not sure if to intimidate or what, but that action was also very ineffective in diffusing the situation and instead very intimidating. And now making us both VERY late to work as this is an extra 15 minute drive to the hospital in which we work at. Seemingly, the word of this permanent resident is all they needed to full on accuse the two of us… of what? I am not sure. My animal has resided all over the country in countless locations, all while working and we have had no issues to date. At this point I am still remaining silent as the female worker continues to educate us on our alleged actions. My concern is that there has been ZERO questioning, only full on accusations. We’re highly uncomfortable at this point. They say “we will be speaking with the general manager tomorrow”, Which also felt threatening. I’d like to add that given the whole situation this wouldn’t matter but since this is happening: earlier that morning after work I had stopped by the front desk, to ask about a package I thought that I sent to the wrong place, but didn’t. The same female was there. I remember thinking wow she’s actually so rude. But I brushed it off. Now looking back she must have some kind of prejudice toward myself and my dog. I’ve never been threatened / accused so one-sidedly in my entire career such as what has been happening at this campground. Our resolution was to request moving sites, however nothing was asked of us WHATSOEVER. As stated we were not given any opportunity to speak on the situation. Will attempt to update review whenever we speak with management of this location. Warning is to be wary of implicit bias in staff, potential favoritism, and inconsistent / unfair conflict resolution, aggressive long term campers, and lack of communication from staff.
Tent campsites near Carrollton, Virginia sit within the Atlantic coastal plain, typically at elevations under 100 feet above sea level. The region features a humid subtropical climate with hot summers and mild winters, making spring and fall the most comfortable camping seasons. Most primitive camping options require some effort to access, with trails ranging from short quarter-mile walks to multi-mile hikes or paddles through diverse wetland ecosystems.
Paddle rental options: At Merchants Millpond State Park, visitors can rent canoes for self-service access to remote campsites. "Canoes are self service (you have to get them off the rack, get paddles and lifejackets yourself). Put in is easy, and they use a buoy system to help navigate to the canoe-in campsites," explains camper Becky E.
Wildlife viewing: The coastal wetlands and forests offer excellent wildlife spotting opportunities. At Merchants Millpond, "The cypress trees, swamp flora and fauna are amazing. One of my kids caught a gar, we saw a bald eagle's nest, snakes, frogs, turtles, and lily pads everywhere," shares one reviewer.
Beach activities: Tent camping near ocean beaches allows for swimming and fishing. At False Cape State Park, "The saltwater fishing in the area was great. My cousin even caught a few baby sharks," notes Sam M., highlighting the fishing opportunities.
Trail exploration: Many camping areas feature interconnected trail systems. "There are miles of trails around the lake and through the woods you can follow," mentions Brandon W. about Sandy Bottom Nature Park.
Remote beach access: The effort required to reach some tent campsites creates uncrowded beach experiences. "Really there wasn't hardly anyone else out there, so it felt like we had our own private beach. We hiked out to our spot, but we saw some people biking into theirs," notes Sam M. about False Cape State Park.
Spectacular sunsets: Coastal locations offer memorable evening views. "The most stunning part was definitely the sunsets. No two looked the same... Nothing better than a beach sunset," explains a False Cape camper.
Privacy between sites: Many tent camping areas provide good separation between campers. At Sandy Bottom Nature Park, sites are "spaced nicely apart with convenient amenities despite the highway noise," according to reviewers. The campground offers 11 primitive tent sites including two group sites.
Protected camping structures: Some sites include practical amenities that enhance the camping experience. The Wisteria Beach Hideaway includes "the bug screen and hammock that are part of the site was so appreciated. Also, having a shower was great - it felt like we were glamping!" reports camper RL.
Access challenges: Many of the best tent campsites require significant effort to reach. At Bennetts Creek Canoe In Campground, "It was a 4.5 mile paddle to the site, then roughly 1.5 down to the dock with a staged vehicle," notes todd B.
Insect protection: Bug spray is essential, especially for beach camping. "Due to a lack of wind, flies were bad on the beach. I would recommend bringing an insect screen if you have it," advises Kat H. about Wisteria Beach Hideaway.
Drinking water limitations: Not all camping areas provide drinking water at individual sites. As Mark N. cautions about Bennett's Creek, "The water there does not move therefore is not recommended for filtering for consumption."
Navigation challenges: Some parks have confusing trail systems. At Merchants Millpond, "The kayak/canoe round was not easy to navigate so bring your 3rd party map/GPS. The maps they provide are almost useless because it outlines the terrain but because it's a swamp the terrain changes with the water level," explains Mark N.
Choose accessible sites: For families with young children, consider tent sites with shorter access trails. "We've never camped here but we lived about 5 minutes down the road from the park and absolutely loved it. There are miles of trails around the lake and through the woods you can follow. It is extremely dog friendly with a fenced in dog park as well," says Brandon W. about Sandy Bottom Nature Park.
Bring beach toys: Sand-based tent platforms and nearby beaches make perfect play areas. "There are plenty of sand for kids to play in right at the campsite, and there are very few hazards for small children aside from the ocean itself," notes Stephanie J. at False Cape.
Consider biking with trailers: Some remote beaches can be accessed with children using bike trailers. "My husband and I each hooked a trailer to our bikes, and I towed the kids and he towed our gear. The kids loved riding through Back Bay, and all of us enjoyed having the beach essentially to ourselves," shares Stephanie J.
Plan for adequate water: When camping with children, especially at sites requiring hiking access, water planning is critical. "Bring plenty of water for hike in during summer, hardly any shade hiking in," advises Jesse S. about False Cape State Park Campground.
Limited RV options: True RV camping options near Carrollton are minimal, with most sites focusing on tent camping. At Carter's Cove Campground, "More of a long term stay but there are a few spots for RV's Laundry, trash, restrooms, picnic table, fire pit (day use only). Mature trees and over all space is very large. Sites are level with some spacing," reports N I.
Consider alternatives: Instead of traditional RV camping, some families use alternative approaches to access remote beaches. "We brought our 9 month old and 2 year old children. We towed them in a trailer and they loved their time at the beach," explains Tim R. about biking into False Cape State Park.
Plan for primitive conditions: RVers accustomed to hookups should prepare for more rustic experiences. Many campsites are primitive with no electric, water, or sewer hookups available, requiring self-contained operation and careful waste management.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Carrollton, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Carrollton, VA is Carter's Cove Campground with a 1.0-star rating from 1 review.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Carrollton, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 8 tent camping locations near Carrollton, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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