Best Campgrounds near Smithfield, VA

This is a campground in one of Virginia’s most popular state parks. Campsites are right on the beach, with only a sheltering dune between you and the water. Aside from the incredible beach, there are ranger programs, an educational visitor center, cafe and shop. In addition to swimming at the beach, however, the campground is adjacent to a unique and historic Cypress swamp that is a National Natural Landmark. In this part of the park there are incredible hiking trails and boardwalks into the swamp, and the Trail Center also has educational exhibits and ranger programs. The swamp side also has nice camper cabins that are peaceful and quiet. Something for everyone!

There may be a bit of confusion about camping opportunities at Cheatham Annex Bass. It used to be that there was only one campground for the whole base, with a combo of RV sites and tent sites. The options have expanded and changed: a brand new RV park was built several miles away on the northside of the base, and it has its own brand new Rec Center and bath facilities etc. The Kings Creek Campground is on the south side where the old RV park used to be, but is now for tent camping only. There are still the remnant water and electric hookups available, and each site has plenty of grass for setting up tents, or you can set up on the cement pad. Each site has a picnic table, only some have fire rings. Sites 11 through 18 are in a loop around a nice kids playground, with trees surrounding the sites and glimmers of Kings Creek in the background. Sites 1-10 in the adjacent loop are right on the water where Kings Creek enters the York River, and the sites circle round a nice picnic area. Sites 6-7 are currently not being rented out as it has been discovered that the gravesite of a Revolutionary War soldier is located right there. Both tent loops have close access to a nice clean bathhouse, and there is good proximity to the base golf course and a really nice outdoor swimming pool. A great fishing pier nearby extends out into the York River. The MWR office rents kayaks and other equipment and has a coffee shop if you want hot breakfast

I would agree with the previous two reviews, this campground is a little rough around the edges. If given a choice, I would choose nearby Fort Story for several reasons: beach access here is further away, base access is difficult and confusing as many of the gates are closed, and you are further from offbase amenities if you need them. However, there are two advantages of this campground: the MWR recreational equipment rental building is new with a variety of options, there are some on base amenities such as fast food and convenience store nearby, and there is a recreational marina where visitors and campers can fish or even moor their seaworthy boats

This campground is a recreational opportunity for active and retired military snd their families. This campground is located at the Fort Story Navy Base, set in a wooded area not far from a nice beach right at the corner of where the Chesapeake Bay meets the Atlantic. Two historic lighthouse mark the spot! The campground has both basic RV sites with hookups, and also tent sites without. The sites are fairly spacious with lots of trees. The staff at the campground office are very nice and have basic MWR info for the area. Though not right on the beach, the beach is nearby and is much quieter than the beach at the nearby and more crowded “First Landing” State Park.

We werent able to stay here because on arrival we found out that not only do they not have designated tent sites, but that tenters arent even allowed! Very disappointing. That being said, RV campers will be very happy to stay here. There are two loops, the south loop is older with many trees and shade and more space between sites, the northern loop is new and treeless and open with sites close together. However, both loops have direct access to an incredible extensive strand of premier beach right on the ocean, with the protection of a natural sand dune barrier. There is a bathhouse and central MWR clubhouse as well. The south loop does offer basic bunk camper cabins as well, and there are full fledged cottages north of the north loop at Dam Neck; however, as mentioned, no tent camping at all! Hence my knocking the rating down a star.

This campground is on a Navy base near Virginia base, so you do need a military connection to make use of any of the recreational facilities including the campground. But the base MWR has extensive recreational equipment rentals, and you would have access to other typical base amenities

What a nice RV park with 138 sites mostly pull thru’s with full hookups 30/50amps just minutes off the highway I-64. Our site was very nice site#10, a leveled concrete site with room to park our towed vehicle while still attached to our Motor Home. We also had a level concrete patio with a picnic table. Very well kept and very clean with grass between sites. Lots to do-pickleball, playground, volleyball mini golf, two nature trails and a nice-sized pool. Our Wi-Fi and cable were very adequate and easy to connect to the internet. Very convenient to Williamsburg, with plenty of shopping and restaurants nearby. We had site pull thru.