These family-friendly outdoor basecamps around the region make it easy to find fun in the sun or under the stars for all ages
As spring kicks in and turns up the heat, it’s time to break out your camping gear and plan a trip in the great outdoors.
And with tens-of-thousands of acres of public lands and beaches spread across numerous state parks and nature preserves, the Coastal Virginia region is full of fantastic options—though some are more kid-friendly than others.
But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. From lux cabin rentals to tent sites overlooking a picturesque beach, we hand-picked a few campgrounds that offer amenities and destination-worthy outdoor adventures that are sure to satisfy every member of your troop.
Jellystone Park
Chincoteague
Jellystone is packed with exciting amenities like a pool-fronting tiki bar and grill; waterpark with slides, splash playgrounds and a lazy river; inflatable jump pads; action-packed activity center—and much more. Options like fully furnished luxury cabins, rental RVs or sites, bungalows and safari tents with porches and firepits make for easy overnights. There’s also a wooded, primitive camping area where families can pitch tents off Elk Creek.
Better still, the campground is located about a mile from both downtown Chincoteague and protected beaches on Assateague Island.
For The Littles: Rent bikes and take a pedal-powered tour of historic downtown or explore wildlife along paved or crush-and-run gravel trails in the 14,000-acre Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.
Adult Swim: Rental golfcarts from Island Cruizers let you indulge in a fun pub-n-small-plates tour around the island. Highlights include old-school dives like Teaguer’s Pub and tapas at Backfin Island Grill.
Bethpage Camp-Resort
Urbanna
Find this family-focused waterfront camping oasis about a mile from historic downtown Urbanna at the confluence of the Rappahannock River and Robinson Creek. Central woods hold cozy and well-shaded pull-up tent and RV sites. They’re surrounded by dozens of cottages and lux camper rentals that range in aesthetics from Key West bungalow to rustic fishermen hideaways. A strip of interconnected docks offer excellent fishing and crabbing. Additional amenities include a café with a full bar and grill, laundry room, a rec center, outdoor amphitheater and gym. be
For the Littles: Kids can cool off in an onsite waterpark with slides, splash centers and five swimming pools, or in a small lake with an artificial beach and a hulking trampoline feature. There’s also a minigolf course and a lagoon-like paddleboat, board and kayak area.
Adult Swim: Onsite golfcart rentals enable architecture-rich cruises around the Urbanna National Historic District. Follow with craft cocktails, regional wine, brews and local bivalves at The Urban Oyster.
Sun Outdoors
Cape Charles
This 300-acre resort campground sprawls along the Chesapeake Bay shoreline about a mile from downtown Cape Charles (as the crow flies). Anglers will love a quartet of private fishing piers, while a half-mile-long beach offers swimming, snorkeling and sunbathing.
Stay options range from spacious RV sites to lux or rustic tiny-home-style cabins, well-equipped cottages and primitive tent sites tucked into grass-lined pine groves. A general store sells camp and swim supplies, souvenirs, firewood and foodstuffs. The Little Neck Café dishes up tasty treats like homemade ice cream, espresso, sandwiches, pizza, burgers and fried fish baskets. sunoutdoors.com/virginia
For the Littles: Tykes can pick from a fleet of swimming or wading pools, spray parks and an aquatic play area with small slides, faux rock formations and a central island. There’s a minigolf course, paddleboat pond, arcade, playground area with giant jumping pillows and an outfitter that rents bikes, kayaks and paddleboards.
Adult Swim: Lease a pontoon boat and hit the bay for swimming and lounging. Rent a golf cart or takea shuttle into Cape Charles for craft beverages at Buskey Cider On The Bay or bivalves and cocktails at The Shanty on the harbor.
Kiptopeke State Park
Northampton County
Situated bayside on the Eastern Shore just three miles north of the CBBT, Kiptopeke offers a winning mix of seclusion, natural beauty and access to cultural amenities. The 562-acre park boasts two swimming beaches—one of them a half-mile-long—a lighted fishing pier, playground area, boat ramp, butterfly gardens, and five miles of hiking or biking trails. Clusters of RV and tent campsites with firepits and picnic tables are nestled into maritime forests near bathhouses with hot-water showers. But it’s the modern yurts, deluxe cabins and large-group lodges that steal the show.
For the Littles: Rent a pontoon from Poseidon Watersports, pack a picnic lunch and explore Chesapeake Bay tidal creeks, estuaries and shorelines—being sure to catch awe-inspiring views of Savage Neck Dunes Natural Area Preserve. Follow with gourmet cold treats at Brown Dog Ice Cream in Cape Charles.
Adult Swim: Pack snorkel gear and discover amazing underwater ecosystems at the Kiptopeke Breakwater. The roughly 2,300-foot-long manmade barrier island and reef consists of nine, partially submerged concrete boats that are now home to more than 300 species of aquatic critters.
First Landing State Park
Virginia Beach
If you like your outdoor experiences more au naturel—but also love convenience—look no further: This 2,888-acre gem sprawls south from a 1.5-mile-long Chesapeake Bay beach, through wetlands on Broad Bay, to northern Virginia Beach. Its campground is within a quick bike ride or walk from neighborhoods filled with great shops, drink spots and eateries.
Expect pull-up tent camping beneath a magical canopy of mature live oaks or on semi-secluded sites along the dunes. While their rustic but comfy two-bedroom cabins are currently under renovation, there are also a handful of beachside yurts. A visitor’s center and premium bathhouses with hot-water showers round out the package.
For the Littles: Post up on one the state’s most secluded public beaches and enjoy carefree swimming in the bay. Use 20 miles of hiking and biking trails to explore awe-inspiring bald cypress forests and wetlands or book a kayak ecotour on Broad Bay with Chesapean Outdoors.
Adult Swim: Rent cruisers from Switching Gear Bicycle shop and follow the paved Cape Henry Trail to great eat and drink spots like the Lynnhaven Pub or Chick’s Oyster Bar.
Virginia Beach KOA Holiday
Virginia Beach
Here you get a scenic camping abode loaded with onsite fun located just 2.5 miles from Atlantic Ocean beaches. Kids can swim in a nifty complex of heated pools that includes splash pads, a lazy river and deeper areas for more advanced swimmers. There’s a game room, playground, toddler-friendly jump pad and a huge, trampoline-esque bouncing pillow area. Overnight accommodations range from tree-lined RV and tent sites to a large selection of deluxe cabins and group tiny home villages. But the showstopper is a sister treetop adventure course with nine ziplines.
For the Littles: A dedicated trolley ferries campers from KOA to Croatan Beach Park, Grommet Island Park and other northward shorefronts. The latter are located on the Virginia Beach boardwalk and bring access to ice cream shops, surf lessons, eateries and shops.
Adult Swim: Bring a cooler and post up in a community bonfire pit area with an events stage for live musical entertainment on weekends.
Chippokes State Park
Surry
If your family loves a combo of nature, water and history, Chippokes is a winner. The 1,947-acre park is just across the James River from Jamestown on the pastoral banks of Cobham Bay. It’s home to a plantation that’s been continuously farmed since 1619 and is located a few miles from the oldest brick home in the U.S., Bacon’s Castle.
Tour a rambling, immaculately restored and period-furnished 1854 Italianate mansion. Explore its beautifully landscaped grounds, gardens and boxwood forests. There’s also a living history farm museum with working barns, stables, workshops and a sawmill. Pitch your tent in a wooded campground that loops around a hot water bathhouse, or pick from a quintet of historic cabins or lodges.
For the Littles: Beat the heat in a large, Olympic-sized swimming pool surrounded by forests or post up on a large, enhanced beach on the James River.
Adult Swim: Cross the river and catch epic views from the Jamestown-Scotland Ferry, then tour Historic Jamestowne. Follow with craft brews at Billsburg Brewery on a outdoor deck overlooking a marina off Sandy Bay.
Eric J. Wallace
Eric J. Wallace is an award-winning lifestyle journalist based in Staunton who has contributed to WIRED, Outside, Reader’s Digest, Atlas Obscura, Best American Food Writing, All About Beer and more.
