Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Richmond, VA

Americamps RV Resort's dog park stands out among Richmond-area campgrounds, featuring a dedicated pet exercise area with waste stations and a jar of dog treats at check-in. The campground even offers an on-site dog walker service for campers needing pet care assistance. Most pet-friendly sites in the region welcome dogs with standard leash requirements, including Pocahontas State Park Campground, Powhatan State Park, and Chickahominy Riverfront Park. Sites typically include fire rings, picnic tables, and level tent pads or RV hookups. Williamsburg KOA enforces breed restrictions, specifically prohibiting pit bulls, while maintaining a small dog park for other breeds. The campground is otherwise well-equipped for families with pets, featuring full hookup sites, cabins, and various recreational amenities.

Powhatan State Park's trail system provides excellent opportunities for dog walking with multiple pet-friendly hiking paths surrounding the James River. Dogs particularly enjoy exploring the gnarly trees and open spaces at the primitive canoe-in sites. Richmond North/Kings Dominion KOA offers a dedicated dog park that frequent visitors use extensively during their stays. When temperatures rise in summer months, Chickahominy Riverfront Park provides water access where dogs can cool off. Most campgrounds require pets to be leashed at all times outside designated off-leash areas, with typical leash length restrictions of 6 feet. Center of the Universe Brewing Company, within walking distance of Americamps, welcomes leashed dogs on their patio, offering campers a pet-friendly dining option without leaving their pets behind at camp.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Richmond, Virginia (41)

    1. Pocahontas State Park Campground

    78 Reviews
    Chester, VA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (804) 796-4255

    $35 - $40 / night

    "Just 20 miles from Richmond Va. Pocahontas offers boating, picnicking, camping, camping cabins, yurts, plus 90 miles of trails, along with nature and history programs."

    "Close to Richmond. Nice clean facilities and shaded campsites."

    2. Americamps RV Resort

    16 Reviews
    Ashland, VA
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (804) 798-5298

    $67 / night

    "There are some paved spots near the entrance (7-10 and 15-19 plus VIP 1 & 2). Fire pits and wood for $6 upon request. Nice office with two small dogs to greet you and a jar of dog treats."

    "We picked Americamps because we were traveling through the Richmond area and it was very convenient to I-95."

    3. Richmond North - Kings Dominion KOA

    23 Reviews
    Doswell, VA
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (804) 876-3006

    "Nice location. Next to King’s Dominion."

    "The most convenient campground in proximity to Kings Dominion. Clean bathrooms, well maintained. Recommend the raised platform for folks with tents if it rains as the video will show."

    4. Richmond Family Recreation RV Camp

    1 Review
    Chester, VA
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (804) 279-1094

    $30 / night

    "Easy on and out if visiting Richmond. You must get a permit from the fire department to use grill, super simple and took five minutes. Must email for reservations."

    5. Powhatan State Park Campground

    20 Reviews
    Goochland, VA
    26 miles
    Website
    +1 (804) 598-7148

    $19 / night

    "This campground has a pit toilet at the front of the campground and fire wood available for purchase near the canoe launch.  We loved this park! The trails are fun and love all the beautiful views."

    "It is quiet and always clean, pet and family friendly. Trails for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. And if that’s not enough, you can go down to the river and fish, kayak/canoe or go boating."

    6. Picture Lake Campground

    8 Reviews
    Petersburg, VA
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (804) 861-0174

    "We came here to dive at Lake Phoenix (they have a no pet policy this year) and have our pup with us. The staff was so nice. We were close to the front. They have full hookups."

    "Pool and laundry close to pool. Clean store. Kid friendly"

    7. Cozy Acres Campground RV Resort

    10 Reviews
    Powhatan, VA
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (804) 598-2470

    "This is a nice quiet campground to enjoy outside of Richmond. We have a Class A and enjoyed the sites facing the lake. We stayed in site 119. Customer service is wonderful!"

    "It's beautifully tucked away surrounded by fields and some farm structures. The playground is impressive and the staff is very welcoming upon arrival."

    8. Amelia Family Campground

    5 Reviews
    Amelia Court House, VA
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (804) 561-3011

    "Quiet location. Looks like many long term campers."

    "And will refer others to this location!"

    9. Chickahominy Riverfront Park

    19 Reviews
    Jamestown, VA
    38 miles
    Website
    +1 (757) 258-5020

    "Easy access to bike trail that runs from Richmond to williamsburg, passing many plantations and farms,forrest, etc along the way."

    "Huge grass area to walk the dogs or hit golf balls. Trails lead to hidden docks or beaches on the river. Full hook up. We hit Colonial Williamsburg and Busch Gardens from here."

    10. Ed Allen's Campground and Cottages

    7 Reviews
    Lanexa, VA
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (804) 966-2582

    $30 - $45 / night

    "They have a cute little park that was perfect for my 3 and 5 year old, a big pond for fishing, and it’s such a pretty area if you’d like to go for a nice walk as well, they were all super nice and all"

    "There is a huge lake to go fishing, great restuarant nearby, the campground had a barbeque dinner for everyone. Lots of trails to walk. "

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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Richmond, VA

410 Reviews of 41 Richmond Campgrounds


  • B
    Mar. 3, 2017

    Bear Creek Lake State Park Campground

    Wonderful place to escape to!

    This park is only about an hour's drive from Richmond which makes it very accessible for a short weekend trip. The tent-only section of the campground is alongside a lake, which provides beautiful views. There are lots of hiking trails to explore in the park. The facilities are well-maintained.

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 6, 2023

    Chickahominy Riverfront Park

    Riverfront Park, boat ramp and camping.

    Its 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.

  • Jen O.
    May. 13, 2021

    Americamps RV Resort

    Great Proximity to Richmond

    We’re originally from Richmond and needed a centrally located campground to spend 5 weeks in our class A while taking care of some things in town. (We’re full time travelers in our motorhome.) The location is the best in the Richmond area for a full hookup campground for a large RV. It’s right off I-95 and is mostly good size pull through sites. The kids loved the playground and pool area. The staff was friendly and put on some fun events during the time we were there like mimosas on Mother’s Day and a larger race day event with a band and food trucks. It’s a large campground but was surprisingly quiet. Very convenient to restaurants and shopping. Would certainly recommend for a quick overnight stay or if you need to visit Richmond.

  • Trina C.
    Jun. 24, 2018

    Anvil Campground

    Fantastic campground with a multitude of amenities!

    Beautiful recently renovated family owned/run campground since 1954. Super friendly staff! All sites provide 50/30/20 amp electric, water, cable and WiFi. Premium to standard include sewer. Big rig friendly, log cabins and cottages. Only campground to provide shuttle service to area attractions, events and restaurants. Pet friendly. Features: beach park, dog park, nature trails, play grounds, corn hole, tiki toss, arcade..... Beautiful new bath house. Discount tickets to attractions available. Reservations recommended, deposit required.

  • Katie M.
    Oct. 2, 2020

    Powhatan State Park Campground

    Peaceful and quiet!

    We stayed here in March and it was very cold for tent camping, I think it got into the 20's at night! There were no other campers staying there while we were there in the canoe-in campground so it was very peaceful and quiet. This campground is primitive so there is no electricity or water. The sites include a picnic table and fire ring. Our tent pad was pretty level and pretty big! You could probably fit two small tents on there. There is a short .2 mile hike from a parking lot so we packed light and backpacked in. We stayed in site 4, which is towards the back of the loop. Not much privacy in the winter because there are no leaves on the trees. This campground has a pit toilet at the front of the campground and fire wood available for purchase near the canoe launch. 

    We loved this park! The trails are fun and love all the beautiful views. We saw some incredible sunsets over the James River. There are all sorts of fun, gnarly trees for the kids to play on at the campsite! They had so much fun!

    There are some great breweries nearby and only a short drive from Richmond and Charlottesville!

  • R
    Apr. 24, 2023

    Fredericksburg-Washington DC KOA

    Family friendly

    Nice size spots. Lake on site. Playground for kids. Fun bike rentals. Lots of dog walks and a dog park. Camp store has a little bit of everything.

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 15, 2022

    Pocahontas State Park Campground

    Beautiful spacious sites in woods setting

    Just 20 miles from Richmond Va. Pocahontas offers boating, picnicking, camping, camping cabins, yurts, plus 90 miles of trails, along with nature and history programs. The Aquatic Center, which offers a toddler pool, fountain wet deck, three foot and five foot deep leisure pools, along with activity pool and two tubular water slides. affords seasonal water based activities for all.  Three lakes offer plenty of fishing. Boat rentals available seasonally by the 225 acre swift creek Lake.  The Civilian Conservation Corps Museum, dedicated to Depression era workers who helped build the state park system, is one of a handful in the nation.  Two Dinning halls may be rented for meetings, weddings and special events.  Rustic group facilities with primitive overnight cabins (bunkhouses) are available seasonally for larger groups.  The park also offers buddy camp sites for 2 sometimes 3 campers in a party.

    The park's 2,000 seat amphitheater hosts the Pocahontas Premiers series of concerts and family-friendly entertainment.

    Pocahontas State Park's Location and 90 miles of trails make it particularly popular among bicyclists.

    The canoe trips around the swift creek lake will leave lasting memories of the fun times in nature as you will see and abundance of it.

    Pocahontas has 129 camping sites some of which are site specific while others are reservable, on a first come basis. Most all the sites are somewhat level and lengthy, but if you have a lengthy setup, it's recommended to reserve a lengthy site. The reserve America website will post site overall lengths and be helpful in reserving the proper sites.

    This is a rather big and very enjoyable state park with much to do, while being fairly close in to town for lots of other exploring. Should You decide to give it a closer look. I hope You will find it greatly enjoyable as I do.

    Due to covid please check ahead to be sure activities you may be interested in are not canceled.

    The park does have some slight rolling hills in sections while there are fairly flat hikes as well. Best Wishes and Enjoy!

  • Taylor D.
    Oct. 30, 2020

    Americamps RV Resort

    Most Dog-Friendly

    Enjoyed my corner pull-through site F2 even though it was gravel with some muddy spots. There are some paved spots near the entrance (7-10 and 15-19 plus VIP 1 & 2). Fire pits and wood for $6 upon request. Nice office with two small dogs to greet you and a jar of dog treats. Was decked out for Halloween during my stay, and the flower beds, pond, playground, basketball court and dog park were among the nicest. There is even an on-site dog walker, so dog people will really appreciate staying here. I noticed one side of the park (around site 22) is very noisy during the work day as there is a big lumber yard there. The proximity to the Great Outdoors and a couple of cute pub houses was a nice surprise. Recycling dumpster on site.

  • B
    Aug. 21, 2019

    Williamsburg Campground

    Very nice campground

    The cabin we stayed in was very nice. It had a very large back deck with a picnic table. We chose one without a bathroom, and the bathhouse was a very short walk. They have plenty of recreational activities for the kids. The staff was friendly and helpful. The playgrounds and pool were very clean, and the store had everything we needed. It is a very short drive off the highway and an easy commute to all of Williamsburg’s attractions. My only complaint is that my dogs typically travel everywhere with me, but I was not allowed to bring them on this trip because pit bulls are the ONLY breed they don’t allow on the campgrounds. However, if you have other breeds there is a very small dog park for them to run around and play. Other than that we really enjoyed our stay and will definitely stay at other KOAs when the dogs are not with us.


Guide to Richmond

Tent and RV camping options within a 30-mile radius of Richmond provide access to the rolling Piedmont terrain along the James River watershed. The region maintains average summer temperatures of 85-90°F with high humidity, while spring and fall offer milder conditions in the 60-70°F range. Winter camping remains available at several year-round facilities with overnight lows occasionally dropping below freezing from December through February.

What to do

Outdoor exploration: Pocahontas State Park Campground's network of trails supports various skill levels for hiking and mountain biking. "Great State Park campground! No sewer hookups (they do have 30/50amp). Lots of hiking, fantastic mountain bike trails, lots of history. LOVE the staff. 20 mins from every store you can imagine, but super quiet at night," notes Ashley I.

Kayaking and fishing: Powhatan State Park provides James River water access with dedicated launch points. "Great park! Campground is waaayyy back in the back of park. Only a few years old. No full hookup (yes 30/50 amp). Well maintained trails, level sites. No river access in campground," reports Ashley I. The park maintains multiple river access points separate from the campground area.

History exploration: Chickahominy Riverfront Park serves as a central base for regional historical attractions. "The campground is in a great location to Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestowne, and Yorktown and is a great home base for exploring those sites. They have a modern bathhouse and a pool," writes Ashleigh M. Sites typically fill quickly during summer historical tours, requiring reservations 3-6 months in advance.

What campers like

Level camping pads: Richmond North - Kings Dominion KOA maintains well-graded sites. "From what I observed, the sites were all pretty level. Close to the Interstate so made it great for a one night stay," notes Cat R. The campground features concrete pads at premium sites with most standard sites utilizing crushed gravel surfaces.

Convenient location: Americamps RV Resort provides highway-accessible camping with urban amenities. "Just north of Richmond Virginia, off interstate 95, this park is located between the interstate and Ashland Industrial Airpark. If that doesn't sound appealing please read on....Americamps is mostly surrounded by woods," explains Sharon P. The campground maintains a gated entrance with 24-hour security code access.

Natural surroundings: Pocahontas State Park Campground offers wooded sites with substantial privacy. "Some of the campsites are surrounded with forest. Very quiet and peaceful," states Gregg S. The campground maintains three distinct camping loops with varying levels of tree coverage and site spacing.

What you should know

Reservation requirements: Most dog-friendly campgrounds near Richmond require advance bookings, especially during peak seasons. At Powhatan State Park, "There are 29 tent/RV sites and three yurts. The sites are gravel and include a picnic table, lantern/trash pole, and a fire pit with grill gate," explains RL. Reservations open 11 months in advance with holiday weekends typically filling 6-9 months ahead.

Noise considerations: Some campgrounds experience sound from nearby attractions or highways. At Americamps RV Resort, "it's right up against interstate 95 so it's a constant drone of traffic. And the sites are one right after the other. No real privacy," notes Donna A. Sites further from the entrance road typically experience less traffic noise.

Seasonal differences: Richmond-area campgrounds offer distinct experiences across seasons. "Every camper's dream spot. Seriously, this modern giant state park has it all: mostly private sites, a paved road for biking, plenty of tree cover (even in winter) a lifetime's worth of trails to explore, and clean, legit bathrooms and showers," writes N P. about Pocahontas State Park Campground. Most facilities reduce water service from November through March to prevent freezing.

Tips for camping with families

Pool access: Multiple dog-friendly campgrounds near Richmond maintain swimming facilities. At Chickahominy Riverfront Park, "The swimming pool was incredibly large and CLEAN!!! I was surprised! It felt very refreshing and even had adult swim time and attentive life guards," reports Katie B. Most campground pools operate Memorial Day through Labor Day with limited hours.

Playground options: Cozy Acres Campground RV Resort features well-maintained play areas. "They have a play area for the kids, swimming pool, several fishing ponds, bike trails and more. Bath house is very clean. The sites are a good size and laid out well," explains Glenn F. The playground includes climbing structures suitable for ages 4-12 with safety mulch surfacing.

Organized activities: Many campgrounds schedule regular family programming. At Williamsburg Campground, one visitor notes they "had big jumpy things for the kids, an out door movie theater and a nice playground. our dog enjoyed the dog park." The campground maintains a regular schedule of weekend activities from April through October.

Tips from RVers

RV site selection: When booking at pet-welcoming campgrounds, consider specific site requirements. At Pocahontas State Park Campground, "Site 118 was perfect for our camper van. Could see one site across the road but other neighbors were mostly hidden. Short walk to showers and toilet," notes N P. Corner sites typically offer more privacy and space for pets.

Utility connections: Check hookup locations when making reservations. At Americamps RV Resort, "We picked Americamps because we were traveling through the Richmond area and it was very convenient to I-95. We usually pass up on RV parks because most are wide open fields with large trailers and/or motor homes parked close together," explains Steve V. The campground provides full hookups with properly positioned connections that don't require extension hoses.

RV-specific amenities: Some facilities offer dedicated RV services. "Check-in is at noon, but our road trip got us there about 11:20 and the staff had no problem letting us in early. Thanks! A host guides you to your site and assist you in positioning if needed," reports Steve V. about Americamps RV Resort. Several campgrounds provide pull-through sites specifically designed for larger rigs with towed vehicles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Richmond, VA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Richmond, VA is Pocahontas State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 78 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Richmond, VA?

TheDyrt.com has all 41 dog-friendly camping locations near Richmond, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.