8 campgrounds with availability this weekend
First Landing State Park Campground's pet-friendly accommodations include camping options for tents, RVs, cabins, glamping, and yurts, all welcoming dogs and other pets with proper supervision. The Virginia Beach KOA accepts pets at tent sites, RV sites, and cabins with full hookups including 30-50 amp electrical service. Holiday Trav-L-Park and Northwest River Park & Campground also accommodate pets, with the latter featuring boat-in access along with traditional camping options. Most campgrounds in the Portsmouth area maintain standard pet policies requiring leashes and proper waste disposal, though specific rules vary by location. Campsites typically provide picnic tables and fire rings, with many offering water and electrical hookups. The area's campgrounds struggle with drainage during storms, with some sites experiencing significant flooding after rainfall.
The Colonies RV and Travel Park sits on a peninsula with water views on two sides and easy beach access for dogs to enjoy their first swim in the bay. This park offers both sunrise and sunset views, concrete pads, and a small country store with reasonably priced camping necessities. Fort Monroe's historic setting includes walking paths perfect for dog exercise, though tent campers should be aware that sites can be extremely windy with little wind protection. Sandy Bottom Nature Park provides pet-friendly tent platforms with picnic tables and fire rings, though highway noise is noticeable throughout the park. Military campers have additional options at Little Creek MWR RV Park and Military Park Langley AFB Bethel Recreation Area, both allowing pets but requiring military ID for base access. Veterinary services and pet supplies are available in the surrounding communities of Hampton, Norfolk, Chesapeake, and Virginia Beach.
"We live on the other side of Virginia, but have enjoyed returning to First Landing whenever we get the chance. We love the fact that we can visit the beach AND camp."
"20 miles of Trails!! Lots of trails to hike and mountain/hybrid bike. We were surprised at the quality and the number of trails available. We were never bored."
Available this weekend
from $32 - $147 / night
"They do have a heated indoor pool, laundry, numerous restrooms, and a great dog park. There is yard/tiki art and paintings around the park."
"We stayed for the weekend with our 4 kids and dog. There were lots of other pups there and tons of activities for the kids."
from $25 - $92 / night
"The Virginia Beach KOA is a nice place to stay. Plenty of things to do every day. This is a newly renovated KOA, and they added a lot of new sites. Also a new pool with a lazy River."
"Definitely plenty to do and a short Uber distance to the World Famous Virginia Beach."
"Lovely small campground located inside a National Park land. Full hookup sites are named after the original 13 colonies. Nicely situated between Williamsburg, Hampton, Norfolk and Virginia Beach."
"You are surrounded by water. The rate was 30 a night for a tent site. No water or electric. Which is very reasonable compared to other places I looked at. The store prices were reasonable."
from $25 - $59 / night
"Very pet friendly and they also made a beach side for pets to swim at. Wild animals usually pass by often later in the evening, horses, deer, rabbits etc; sites are nice and big."
"It has 2 beautiful beaches ‘ one that allows pets and the other does not . There are wooden boardwalk trails in the park and a few of them leads to different areas on the beach ."
Available this weekend
from $32 - $413 / night
"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."
"Lots of hiking trails to walk & turtles in the lake!! Plus you can rent boats for a cheap price which we will probably go back to do. It was so pretty & so fun."
from $11 - $42 / night
"Originally, we planned to stay closer to Virginia Beach, but after finding Davis Lakes, we decided to give it a try."
"The lakes are fun and we always have a great time. Some sites are amazing. Only 4 stars because of proximity to highway."
from $72 - $105 / night
"We were able to bring our dog and our canoe. Everything was very clean."
"There is a small playground in the campground area, but right next to the campground is a large play area that has a rock wall that our kids really loved playing at. "
from $15 - $30 / night
"757-888-3333 or 800-203-8322 Fees: $33.00-$50.00
24 hour security
Store, heated showers, toilets, picnic table, grills, dump station, electric and water hookups, laundry, playground, group sites Pets"
"The sites are quiet, very spacious, nicely spaced, some surprisingly so, but many are deceptively unlevel, particularly on the outside of the loops, and are heavily wooded."
GuideThere are not a lot of spaces available but still a decent amount. They spread out amongst several roads leading down to the water. The trees surrounding are gorgeous. There is a shooting range nearby but we didn’t mind the sound.
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.
Portsmouth area campgrounds accommodate tent, RV, and cabin campers throughout the year in coastal southeastern Virginia. This region experiences mild winters with average lows of 32°F and humid summers with temperatures reaching the mid-90s. The flat terrain makes for easy site access, though many campgrounds struggle with drainage during heavy rainfall.
Kayaking and boating access: Northwest River Park & Campground has boat-in camping options and rentals available. "Love this camp ground. Just love how clean it is. Bathrooms, showers are a big plus. Nice trails and fishing. Will be visiting again," notes sykeethia T.
Shoreline fishing opportunities: Kiptopeke State Park Campground offers fishing piers with unique catches. "I did enjoy the fishing pier and got to catch fish I have never seen before. One being a searobin. By the way a searobin crocks like a frog when you grab it," shares Annemarie R.
Historic exploration: Fort Monroe has preserved military history sites connected to The Colonies RV and Travel Park. "Located on historic Fort Monroe, VA the fort has a lot to offer. No reason to leave but if you do there's plenty in surrounding areas," according to Becky W.
Beach proximity: Virginia Beach KOA provides transportation to the oceanfront. "They have transportation via Trolly bus that comes through frequently throughout the day to transport you to Various beach side activities where otherwise you would have to pay for parking," explains Marc W.
Lake activities: Sandy Bottom Nature Park features tent platforms near water recreation. "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," reports liz J.
Wooded sites for summer heat relief: Newport News Park offers significantly cooler temperatures under its canopy. "Stayed 21 days in June and temps at our site averaged about 5-10 degrees cooler than outside the park. Fairly decent sized spots, some are hit or miss when it comes to bare dirt, grass, mossyness, leaf/pine covered grounds," notes Geored1.
Military presence: Camping near Fort Story means potential noise from training. "We were right near a US military base called Fort Story. You may hear occasional machine guns and artillery. You will also hear reveille in the morning. It was not terribly bad," shares Nita D. at First Landing State Park.
Storm drainage issues: Holiday Trav-L-Park sites can flood during rain. "The site was half gravel and half grass. The grading wasn't great and the gravel was thin. Lots of water puddles and the grass was swampy," comments Rebecca E.
Highway noise levels: Sandy Bottom Nature Park has constant traffic sound. "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," explains liz J.
Multiple pool options: Holiday Trav-L-Park spreads swimmers across facilities. "Several pools to choose from so you don't have to be packed in at one main pool with all the campground guests," notes Da'Paul F.
Pet beaches: Kiptopeke State Park provides dedicated swimming areas for dogs. "They also made a beach side for pets to swim at. Wild animals usually pass by often later in the evening, horses, deer, rabbits etc," explains Gabby B.
Educational centers: First Landing State Park Campground offers nature programs near hiking trails. "There is also trails that are on the campground near there visitors center," shares Timothy B.
Site leveling challenges: Newport News Park requires preparation for uneven sites. "Many are deceptively unlevel, particularly on the outside of the loops. Make sure you have leveling chalks as some of the sites are too uneven for auto leveling to work," advises Tanya R.
Seasonal pricing advantages: Virginia Beach KOA offers significant off-season discounts. "Prices come way down during the off season. Much of the facilities are closed but they keep open one of their bathhouses. Otherwise it's a peaceful stay in the winter months," shares Leo S.
Concrete pad quality: The Colonies RV and Travel Park provides sturdy parking. "Site had everything you need. Bay on one side and ocean on the other. Little country store with good prices on things that campers actually need too," mentions Tim W.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Portsmouth, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Portsmouth, VA is First Landing State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 124 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Portsmouth, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 70 dog-friendly camping locations near Portsmouth, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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