10 best family campgrounds and RV parks: Explore sites in Arizona, South Dakota, more
With thousands of campgrounds in the U.S., it’s easy to plan a camping trip that checks off all the boxes on your family vacation ideas wish list. From camping with pets to family glamping in rustic luxury, you’re never far from some of the country’s best campgrounds no matter where you live.
These picks for the best campgrounds in the U.S. are based on the factors that are most important to a successful family camping trip: location, activities and on-site facilities.
Islander Resort
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
Located on the shores of Lake Havasu, Islander Resort is a great choice for families who love to spend their days in or on the water. You can fish (with a license) and launch your boat from the docks and there are several places nearby that rent paddle boards, kayaks, canoes and jet skis.
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The campground boasts more than a mile and a half of sandy beach or you can take a dip in the resort-style pool. Classic outdoor campground activities like pickle ball, bocce ball and shuffleboard are also favorite pastimes. The RV sites are large, paved and include views of the lake or the mountains. If you aren’t RV camping, you can rent one of the campground’s fully-stocked cabins and can cook your own meals or dine at the on-site restaurant.
Winding River Resort
Grand Lake, Colorado
Winding River Resort borders both Rocky Mountain National Park and Arapaho National Forest. Formerly a logging camp dating back to the late 1800s, the campground resort is an ideal setting for camping, hiking and trail riding (available through September). Other activities include hay rides, pony rides, fishing and ATV rentals.
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Winding River Resort offers rustic cabins, spacious RV and tent sites, guest horse camp sites with corrals and a unique covered wagon lodging experience.
Tall Pines Campground and River Adventures
Bainbridge, New York
At Tall Pines Campground, the RV sites include all the amenities necessary for modern camping comforts. You can canoe, kayak, tube and fish in the Unadilla and Susquehanna Rivers or just hop in the pool for a swim without going far.
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On Fridays, Chippy’s Hippie Pizza Delivery will deliver your dinner in a pink 1969 VW bug. And kids will love listening for the bell from Chippy’s Ice Cream Cart.
Splash RV Resort and Waterpark
Milton, Florida
With paved RV sites, cottages and Conestoga Wagons for families who want to glamp it up, Splash RV Resort and Waterpark (set to debut in December) is one of those big family campgrounds with so much to do that you may never want to leave.
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Put on your bathing suit and float down the lazy river, swim in one of the resort pools or relax at the spa (that’s right, this RV resort park and campground has a spa). There’s an amphitheater for live music and entertainment and if you don’t feel like cooking, you can enjoy food and drinks from onsite providers.
Austin Lake RV Park and Cabins
Toronto, Ohio
Family-owned and operated, Austin Lakes RV Park and Cabins is situated on a huge man-made lake with plenty of open space for hiking, biking and relaxing. And since there's scant cell reception and limited WiFi, you can truly unplug from work and your kids can engage with the real world instead of their screens.
Water sports and swimming are a favorite activity at the resort’s 80-acre lake, sandy beach and inflatable obstacle course. Paddle boats, paddle boards, kayaks and bumper boats are also readily available for an additional charge. Stocked spring-fed ponds are great for fishing and a kid-friendly creek flows through the park, offering hours of fun.
Newport Dunes RV Resort and Marina
Newport Beach, California
An iconic family recreation destination in Orange County, Newport Dunes is home to the area’s premier waterfront RV resort, Newport Dunes RV Resort and Marina. This California family campground resort offers roomy RV accommodations, charming cottages, a marina with hundreds of slips, boat launch ramp, watercraft rentals, a beach and a waveless swimming lagoon.
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Your RV site can be right by the water, surrounded by palm trees and nestled up to a sandy beach. Watch the kids splash in the lagoon or take part in one of the many water sports offered or bring a blanket and watch a movie on the beach.
Pineland Camping Park
Arkdale, Wisconsin
Pineland Camping Park, about two hours northwest of Madison, is home to Pinezilla, a four-story inflatable waterslide. But that’s not the only thing that makes it one of the country’s best campgrounds. Pineland is filled with unusual attractions, including a mechanical bull, jumping pillow and a bazooka ball shootout game.
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Most of the campsites are very wooded, so you’ll have some privacy and the campground offers tent camping, rental RVs and a few cabins, including one that's wheelchair-accessible. Pineland Camping Park also boasts organized family activities, themed weekends and live music every Saturday night.
Beaver Lake Campground
Custer, South Dakota
Roughly an hour from Rapid City, Beaver Lake Campground has a pool and a 360-foot-long water slide that will keep kids busy all day long. Its RV sites are grassy, very large and can be sunny or located under the pine trees. Tent campers will find ample sites and those looking for more amenities will enjoy the deluxe or basic cabins.
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This is a great family campground to use as a base for visiting Mount Rushmore, Custer State Park, the Crazy Horse Memorial and Jewel Cave National Monument.
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Mammoth Cave
Cave City, Kentucky
Just a few miles from Mammoth Cave National Park, Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Mammoth Cave is one of the country’s best campgrounds for relaxation and fun with friends and family. Whether you want to pitch a tent, park your RV or to try out the camping lifestyle in one of the park-model cabins, the campground makes a great base for activities like exploring Mammoth Cave, kayaking in the Green River or Nolin Lake and soaring with nearby ziplines and canopy tours.
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This Jellystone Park, one of more than 75 Jellystone campgrounds in the U.S. and Canada, has many planned activities as well as a giant jumping pillow, a splash pad area, a sandy beach featuring an inflatable obstacle course, mini golf and basketball. When it’s time to relax, grab your towel and head to one of the swimming pools.
Elizabethtown/Hershey KOA
Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania
At the Elizabethtown/Hershey KOA, the RV sites are gravel and many have a patio with fire pit, charcoal grill and Adirondack and glider chairs for relaxing. Premium patios have a gazebo for protected outdoor dining.
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This campground is close enough to spend some time at Hersheypark or visit Amish Country. Families love to visit Chocolatetown at Hersheypark and pick up supplies for s’mores around the campfire.
Elizabethtown/Hershey KOA offers themed weekends stretching into October. One of the most popular is the Chocolate Extravaganza, featuring a chocolate slip-and-slide.
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