8 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Davis Lakes Resort permits pets but posts no-dog-allowed signs in various areas, limiting where dogs can walk or hike due to private camping areas and roads. Campsites are relatively close together, making this location better for overnight stays rather than extended visits with pets. The resort offers RV sites and cabins but no tent camping, with clean bathrooms and well-maintained grounds. Isle of Wight Family Campground provides a more spacious environment for pets, featuring concrete pads with picnic tables and fire pits at each site. The campground includes a designated dog park area where pets can exercise off-leash, with the surrounding wooded environment offering additional walking opportunities.
White Tail Resort accepts pets but operates as a nudist resort that requires membership, particularly during COVID restrictions. For families camping with dogs, Northwest River Park & Campground offers pet-friendly tent sites, RV spots, and cabins with access to Indian Creek Road. The campground strictly enforces leash requirements throughout the property. Chesapeake Campground welcomes pets but receives mixed reviews regarding maintenance and upkeep. Pet owners should be prepared for insects during warm weather months when camping in the Suffolk area. Several campgrounds in the region feature water access, with Blackwater Birds and Bees providing river sites where pets can swim under supervision, though specific pet policies should be confirmed before arrival.
"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 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
"Downside were the large gravel throughout the site - tough for small dogs and crawlers. Nice 0.7 walk from the campsite to the visitor center to rent canoes! Just a short drive to some other trails."
"Although there are no hook ups, there are water points close to every site, and a centrally located bathhouse."
from $27 / night
from $154 / night
"They have a dog park area, playground and pool. The store has items for purchase and a gathering room. They do potlucks and get togethers often for the campers."
"You walk into the woods which is kept neat and pick a spot to set up your tent - I looove that! Fishing on the lake was a blast!"
from $25 - $40 / 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."
"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.
Suffolk, Virginia campgrounds typically range from 36 to 37 degrees north latitude with average summer temperatures reaching 88°F. The area contains a mix of woodland and wetland environments with camping options concentrated around bodies of water. Most campgrounds in this region operate year-round with peak season running April through October.
Fishing opportunities: At Davis Lakes Resort, campers can fish in multiple small lakes on the property. "Fishing in the ponds was good," notes Scott S., who stayed in one of their cabins. The resort features several stocked fishing areas accessible to both overnight and day visitors.
Hiking nearby trails: Newport News Park offers an extensive trail system through wooded areas. "Miles of trails and plenty of wildlife with a few historical sites," mentions one reviewer who stayed for three weeks during summer. The park's trails connect to historical Civil War sites and provide opportunities to view local wildlife.
Water activities: At Merchants Millpond State Park, visitors can rent canoes directly from the park visitor center. "The visitor center is fantastic and offers canoe rentals as well as a spot to unload your own canoe or kayak," shares one reviewer. The pond and surrounding cypress swamp provide a unique paddling experience with wildlife viewing opportunities.
Clean bathhouse facilities: Campers at First Landing State Park frequently mention the well-maintained facilities. "The shower and rest rooms are set up nicely the best I've seen at a campground," reports Timothy B. The park maintains multiple bathhouses throughout the campground area with regular cleaning schedules.
Private, wooded sites: Many campsites in the Suffolk area offer good separation between neighboring campers. "The sites have good separation between them and don't feel crowded at all," notes a reviewer about Merchants Millpond State Park. Similarly, at Chippokes State Park, campers appreciate that "the sites are level and not too close together, with plenty of shade."
Swimming options: Several campgrounds offer swimming areas during warm months. "The park is against the James river and there's easy access to the riverside. There's also a large pool during the season with a camp store, snacks," mentions a Chippokes State Park visitor. Similarly, Davis Lakes Resort has "a lake with a swimming area and a snack bar" during summer months.
Seasonal variations: Summer camping requires preparation for insects and heat. One camper at First Landing noted: "I wouldn't recommend tent camping in the middle of summer - my husband and I both got sick." Campers should pack appropriate insect repellent and consider RV or cabin accommodations during peak summer heat.
Limited services at some parks: While most campgrounds offer basic amenities, services vary significantly. "The store has a good variety of things that are priced pretty good," mentions a reviewer about Isle of Wight Family Campground, but other locations have more limited offerings. Check each campground's website before arrival to confirm available services.
Reservation requirements: Most campgrounds in the Suffolk area fill quickly during peak seasons. "We made last minute reservations and arrived after the office was closed. Upon arrival the park ranger opened the office and checked us in," reports a Newport News Park visitor, though this level of accommodation isn't guaranteed. Make reservations well in advance, especially for weekend stays.
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature play areas for children. Isle of Wight Family Campground "has a dog park area, playground and pool" according to a recent visitor. For families with children, choose campsites near these amenities to minimize walking distance.
Water safety precautions: When camping near water features with children, supervision is essential. At Merchants Millpond State Park, "No swimming though due to the huge Alligators that live there," warns one camper. Always check with park staff about water safety conditions before allowing children near lakes or ponds.
Educational opportunities: Families can combine camping with learning experiences at several locations. At Chippokes State Park, "The still working farm and homes are a treasure of how life and farms ran back in the day and how they can survive into the future," notes one visitor. Many parks offer junior ranger programs and interpretive displays suitable for children.
Site leveling challenges: Many campgrounds in the area require leveling equipment. At Newport News Park, "Make sure you have leveling chalks as some of the sites are too uneven for auto leveling to work," advises an RVer. Contact the campground office for information about specific site conditions.
Hookup limitations: Not all campgrounds offer full hookups despite advertising water and electric. "This site does not have individual sewer here," notes one Newport News Park camper who was initially told full hookups were available. Confirm exact hookup options when making reservations and prepare accordingly.
Access road considerations: Low-hanging branches can be problematic at some campgrounds. A Newport News Park reviewer mentioned "a lot of low hanging branches on the roads through the park," which can damage taller RVs. When possible, inquire about site access limitations before arrival, especially for larger rigs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Suffolk, VA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Suffolk, VA is Davis Lakes Resort with a 3.9-star rating from 10 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Suffolk, VA?
TheDyrt.com has all 66 dog-friendly camping locations near Suffolk, VA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
