Boating

Halesford Harbour Resort

1 Cabin, 25 Condos

On 41 acres of Smith Mountain Lake shoreline in Moneta, Virginia—on the private reservoir that Appalachian Power created in 1966 when it dammed the Roanoke River in Bedford and Franklin Counties and inadvertently created one of the most beloved recreational lakes in the American South—Halesford Harbour Resort combines 133 luxury RV campsites, a 24-room inn, the Jake's Place restaurant serving craft beers and American fare, a saltwater pool, waterslide, boat launch and marina, a paradise boardwalk, and the complete lakefront resort experience for guests who want Smith Mountain Lake from both a waterside berth and a resort-quality camping platform. The resort's professional event team and regular activities programming create the community feel that distinguishes Halesford Harbour from a campground that merely happens to be near a lake. RV sites on full hookup service sit within the 41-acre property alongside the inn's 24 guest rooms, creating the mixed accommodation model that allows traveling groups to split between RV and hotel-style lodging without separating properties. A saltwater pool operating Memorial Day through Labor Day, a waterslide, beach area, basketball court, playground, and the paradise boardwalk provide the on-site recreation alongside the marina's boat launch, boat rentals through Bridgewater Marina, boat storage, and boat docks. Jake's Place restaurant provides on-property dining with a craft beer selection, children's menu, and pets' menu—a detail that reflects the resort's commitment to the traveling family experience. WiFi, laundry, a pavilion with gas grills and picnic tables, and the dump station complete the practical infrastructure. Smith Mountain Lake covers 20,600 acres of Bedford, Pittsylvania, and Franklin County terrain in the Virginia Piedmont's Blue Ridge foothills, with 500 miles of shoreline in the rolling hardwood landscape that characterizes southwest Virginia's rural character. The lake's depth—reaching 250 feet at its deepest in the main channel—and the clarity of the Roanoke River inflow create the water quality that supports one of Virginia's premier striped bass fisheries, alongside the largemouth bass, crappie, and blue catfish that attract recreational anglers and competitive tournament fishers throughout the warm-weather season. The Smith Mountain Lake State Park on the lake's north shore provides hiking trails, a swim beach, and boat access for the day-visitor population that the lake's regional drawing power sustains. The Blue Ridge Parkway, America's most visited unit of the National Park Service and the most scenic motor route in the eastern United States, runs through the mountains 20 to 30 miles west of the lake—providing access to the Peaks of Otter visitor center, the Roanoke Valley overlooks, and the complete Blue Ridge hiking and scenic drive inventory that makes the Parkway one of the most rewarding road trips in the American East. Downtown Roanoke, the region's urban center, is approximately 35 miles northwest with its revitalized downtown, the Taubman Museum of Art, and the outdoor recreation culture anchored by the Roanoke Valley Greenway system. Halesford Harbour operates year-round on Smith Mountain Lake, with the summer season generating the highest marina activity and the event team's most ambitious activities programming. The spring striped bass spawn draws serious anglers to the lake from across the mid-Atlantic and Southeast, and the fall bass fishing in the lake's coves and creek arms is consistently productive. Reserve your RV site or inn room at Halesford Harbour and let Smith Mountain Lake's warm Virginia water and the resort's boardwalk, restaurant, and marina make this Blue Ridge foothills stop one of your most memorable mid-Atlantic camping destinations.

from $99/night

Endless Caverns RV Resort & Campground

95 RV Sites, 15 Cabins

Endless Caverns RV Resort & Campground in New Market, Virginia, offers 95 RV sites and 15 cabins at the base of Massanutten Mountain, with 20, 30, and 50-amp full hookups and rigs accepted to 45 feet on a big-rig-friendly layout. The resort has its own six-mile limestone cave system — discovered in 1879 and still geologically active — accessible directly from your campsite. Ninety-five sites run in 30-amp and 50-amp back-ins and pull-throughs, carrying water, sewer, and electric on 20, 30, and 50-amp, sized to 45 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Fifteen cabins serve guests without a rig. A laundry, dump station, restrooms, showers, firewood, and boutique shop handle the practical side, with WiFi throughout. The caverns are the distinguishing feature. Tours run about 75 minutes, led by guides who cover the history and composition of the system, and the underground temperature stays cool regardless of the season — comfortable walking shoes are recommended. Above ground, an outdoor pool anchors the summer, with a disc golf course, jumping pillow, gem mining, sports courts, pickleball, volleyball, horseshoes, a game room, and a recreation center filling the grounds. Walking trails, hiking, biking, fishing in the pond, a playground, and live music round it out, and the property also serves as a wedding venue. Pets are welcome. New Market sits on US-11 in the central Shenandoah Valley between Luray and Harrisonburg, which makes this one of the most comprehensive single-stop bases in the Valley. Summer families and October foliage drive demand. Reserve well ahead for fall color weekends.

Smith Mountain Campground

20 RV Sites, 2 Tent Sites

On Liberty Road in Penhook, Virginia—in the rolling Blue Ridge foothills of Franklin County less than five miles from the nearest public boat launch on Smith Mountain Lake—Smith Mountain Campground operates as a family-owned RV facility with full hookup sites, a stocked fishing pond, private hiking trail, and the quiet country character that the lake region's residential neighborhoods have preserved across the decades since Appalachian Power dammed the Roanoke River to create what has become Virginia's second-largest lake and the surrounding community's defining natural asset. The campground's private pond, four-unit bathhouse with individual tiled rooms, and boat parking give guests who came to fish and be near the water the specific combination of amenities that lake-country camping specifically demands. Full hookup sites with 30 and 50-amp electric, water, and sewer connections, picnic tables, and fire rings serve both back-in and pull-through configurations across the property's site inventory, and complimentary high-speed WiFi keeps connected guests online through the site footprint. A four-unit private bathhouse with individually tiled rooms—each containing a shower, sink, toilet, and electrical outlet—provides a level of bathroom privacy that the typical campground shower-house arrangement doesn't supply. A dedicated laundry facility handles the practical needs of extended stays. Dedicated boat parking accommodates the trailered watercraft that lake-bound guests consistently arrive with, and a pavilion available for private reservation serves the group gathering needs of family reunions and organized camping events. A playground and outdoor recreation area serve families with younger campers and children in tow. The private hiking trail and stocked fishing pond are the property's most distinctive natural amenities—giving guests who want to fish without launching a boat an on-property option that the lake's five-mile distance doesn't otherwise provide. Smith Mountain Lake's character—a 20,600-acre reservoir on the Roanoke and Blackwater Rivers at the base of the Blue Ridge, with 500 miles of wooded shoreline and an elevation of 795 feet—provides the fishing and boating programming that organizes the Franklin County camping calendar from spring through fall. Striped bass, largemouth bass, crappie, and bluegill populate the lake in numbers and quality that have established Smith Mountain Lake among Virginia's premier fishing destinations, and the shoreline's development as a residential and resort community has produced a marina and restaurant infrastructure that gives boating guests on-water dining access that few Virginia lakes match. Smith Mountain Lake State Park, on the Halesford Arm of the lake's western reach, provides the hiking, swimming beach, boat rental, and educational programming that bring non-boating visitors specifically to the state park when a day on the water doesn't require owning a vessel. The park's mountain bike trails and the lake's kayaking and paddleboarding resources extend the recreational programming beyond powerboating into the quieter water-access categories. Roanoke—Virginia's largest city in the western part of the state, with the Taubman Museum of Art, the Virginia Museum of Transportation, and the Blue Ridge Parkway access via the Roanoke Valley—is accessible for the urban cultural programming that a lakeside camping base supplements naturally. Smith Mountain Campground is open seasonally through the Virginia camping calendar, with the prime season running from April through October when Smith Mountain Lake's fishing, boating, and outdoor recreation are at their most active. Fall foliage on the Blue Ridge foothills surrounding the lake creates one of the most visually rewarding shoulder-season camping opportunities in western Virginia. Reserve your site with boat parking early for the spring bass season and let the Franklin County lake country earn the reputation that Virginia's recreational community has assigned to it for decades.

from $35/night

Jellystone Park™ Luray

117 RV Sites, 91 Cabins, 25 Tent Sites, 1 Lodge

Jellystone Park Luray in Luray, Virginia, offers 117 RV sites, 92 cabin and lodge units, and 25 tent sites in the Shenandoah Valley, with 20, 30, and 50-amp full hookups, cable TV, and rigs accepted to 80 feet. Mountain view premium and Red Carpet categories join a water park, zip line, and laser tag. One hundred seventeen sites span standard, deluxe back-in RV/tent, mountain view premium, premium pull-through, Red Carpet back-in, and Red Carpet pull-through categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric with cable TV, sized to 80 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and BBQ pits. Ninety-two cabins and lodges and 25 tent sites round out an unusually deep lodging range. A general store, boutique shop, laundry, propane fills and exchange, dump station, restrooms, showers, and recycling handle the practical side. A daily resort fee applies and covers mini-golf, the playground, and the wider amenity set. Recreation is extensive. A water park, splash pad, outdoor pool, hot tub, and inflatable water toys anchor the summer, with a zip line, laser tag, jumping pillow, mini-golf, gem mining, gaga ball, an arcade, game room, craft room, and recreation center besides. A lake and pond support boating, canoeing, and kayaking, with sports courts, volleyball, basketball, horseshoes, a ball field, barn, golf cart rentals, walking trails, a dog park, and on-site dining and a bar. Pets are welcome. Luray Caverns is 10 minutes away, with Shenandoah National Park's western approach adjacent. Summer and October foliage drive demand. Reserve well ahead.

from $61/night

Camp Holly

8 RV Sites

Camp Holly in Diana, West Virginia, offers eight full-hookup RV sites across a 22-acre mountain property in Webster County, with 30-amp service and rigs accepted to 36 feet. Cabins, glamping structures, and tent camping join a pond, playground, and general store in the state's most rugged interior. Eight back-in sites carry water, sewer, and electric on 30-amp, sized to 36 feet, with site WiFi. Note the 36-foot cap before booking a larger rig. Cabins, glamping structures, and tent camping round out the accommodations. A general store, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. Two useful tips from the operators: buy fishing passes when you book your campsite for a discounted rate, and add a jumbo firewood square at booking and they will deliver it to your site. Pets are welcome. A pond anchors the on-site recreation with fishing, swimming, paddle boats, boating, canoeing, and kayaking from the water. A community fire pit, playground, hiking, and biking fill the rest, with planned activities through the season. Diana sits on WV-20 in the heartland of the Mountain State's most remote interior. The Cranberry Wilderness, the Gauley River National Recreation Area, and the Williams River's wild brook trout stream give this the most complete wilderness and outdoor adventure access of any campground in central West Virginia's Chestnut Ridge and Back Allegheny country. Summer water recreation and October foliage drive demand. With eight RV sites, reserve well ahead.

from $10/night

Lake Ridge RV Resort

84 RV Sites, 20 Cabins, 7 Tent Sites

Lake Ridge RV Resort in Hillsville, Virginia, offers 84 RV sites, 20 cabins, and seven tent sites on a lake in Carroll County's Blue Ridge Mountains, with 30 and 50-amp full-hookup service and rigs accepted to 65 feet. An outdoor pool with water slides, a clubhouse, and a full activity calendar make this a family resort rather than an overnight stop. Sites run from back-in and deluxe back-in with 30-amp water and electric to VIP back-in and pull-through options and super pull-throughs with 50-amp, all sized for rigs to 65 feet. Twenty cabins serve guests traveling without a rig, and seven tent sites cover simpler camping. A general store, snack bar, laundry, propane fills and exchange, and a dump station handle the practical side, and WiFi reaches the property. On-site recreation is extensive. An outdoor pool with water slides anchors the summer, with a lake on the property for fishing, boating, paddle boats, and paddle boarding. Sports courts, basketball, horseshoes, shuffleboard, and gaga ball spread across the grounds, with an arcade and clubhouse indoors and a playground, pavilion, dog park, and walking trails besides. Golf cart rentals make the resort easy to cross, and planned activities run through the season. Pets are welcome. Hillsville sits near the Blue Ridge Parkway close to the Virginia–North Carolina line. Galax and its Old Fiddlers' Convention, the New River Trail State Park, and Grayson Highlands State Park are all close. Roanoke and Winston-Salem are each about 75 minutes; Virginia Tech is 52 miles. The resort runs the Blue Ridge season, with summer families and October foliage driving peak demand. Reserve ahead for both, and check pool and slide operating dates when booking shoulder-season stays.

Sleepy Hollow Campground

18 RV Sites, 5 Cabins, 9 Tent Sites

Sleepy Hollow Campground in Grantsville, Maryland, offers 18 RV sites, five cabins, and nine tent sites adjacent to New Germany State Park, with 20, 30, and 50-amp electric service and rigs accepted to 36 feet behind a gated entrance. One important detail before you book: the RV sites are not full hookup. Eighteen sites run in 30-amp and 30/50-amp categories carrying electric only, sized to 36 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and site WiFi. There is no water or sewer at the sites — a water filling station sits beside the bathhouse as the alternative, and a dump station is available. Note the 36-foot cap as well. Five cabins and nine tent sites round out the accommodations. A general store, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. Walking trails run the property, with hiking from the grounds and a state park immediately adjacent. Boating, a lake, river, and golf course are all nearby. Pets are welcome. Western Maryland occupies a narrow sliver of Appalachian terrain pinched between Pennsylvania and West Virginia, and it delivers outdoor experiences that most of the Mid-Atlantic has not gotten around to yet. Deep Creek Lake, Swallow Falls, the Casselman River, and New Germany State Park are all destination-caliber, and Grantsville sits at the center of the whole Garrett County outdoor corridor. Summer and fall foliage drive demand in the Maryland highlands. Reserve ahead, and plan your water and tank capacity around the electric-only sites.

from $32/night

River's Rest Marina & Resort

21 Condos

On 16.5 acres at 9100 Wilcox Neck Road in Charles City, Virginia—where the Chickahominy River winds through the tidal woodland between Richmond and Williamsburg in one of Virginia's most historically layered counties—River's Rest Marina & Resort opened in 2022 as a water-focused destination combining 126 seasonal RV and tiny home sites, a 68-boat-slip marina with full services, a swimming pool, the Blue Heron Restaurant, and the complete waterfront resort experience on a river that flows through the heart of Virginia's Colonial and Civil War landscape. For travelers who want to be on the water in the historic heart of the Virginia Tidewater, River's Rest delivers both the marina infrastructure and the natural beauty that the Chickahominy provides. RV and tiny home sites at River's Rest are offered on a seasonal basis, creating a stable community of waterfront regulars who take full advantage of the marina's boat launch, fuel dock, 60 electric and water slips, and the bait and tackle store that serves both residents and visiting anglers targeting the Chickahominy's bass, crappie, perch, and the striped bass that run upriver from the James during spring spawning season. A swimming pool, laundry, dog park, playground, and the outdoor patio and bar extend the resort's social infrastructure, and the Blue Heron Restaurant provides on-property dining so guests don't need to drive for a good meal on the river. A bar and the dining service create the evening destination that makes River's Rest a social venue as much as a campground. Charles City County occupies the narrow neck of land between the James River to the south and the Chickahominy to the north, in the landscape that was the geographic center of English colonial settlement in North America—a county where the James River plantations along historic Route 5 represent the most intact collection of colonial-era plantation architecture in the United States. The Chickahominy River itself drains a watershed that was actively contested in the Civil War's Peninsula Campaign of 1862, when McClellan's Army of the Potomac maneuvered through this exact landscape in the campaign that brought Union forces closest to Richmond during the war's eastern theater. Colonial Williamsburg, the largest living history museum in the United States, is approximately 35 miles east—a full day's immersion in the reconstructed capital of colonial Virginia with costumed interpreters, period trades demonstrations, the Governor's Palace, and the Colonial Williamsburg Historic Area's remarkable concentration of 18th-century structures. The James River plantation corridor along Route 5—Shirley Plantation (the oldest plantation in continuous operation in the US), Berkeley Plantation (birthplace of President William Henry Harrison), and Westover Plantation—sits within minutes of the resort and represents one of the finest colonial architecture drives in America. Richmond, 30 minutes northwest, adds the American Civil War Museum and Monument Avenue's historical complexity. River's Rest operates seasonally, with the spring striped bass run and the summer boating and swimming season at maximum activity. The marina's deep water and full services attract powerboaters and fishing enthusiasts from throughout the Richmond metropolitan area, and the Blue Heron Restaurant draws non-overnight guests for waterside dining on the Chickahominy. Seasonal site availability means advance commitment is required for the established RV and tiny home community, but the marina's transient slips serve visiting boaters throughout the operating season. Reserve your spot at River's Rest and let the Chickahominy's tidal beauty and Virginia's remarkable history be the backdrop for your waterfront stay.

from $89/night

Timberline Glamping at Williamsburg

5 Glamping Sites

Timberline Glamping at Williamsburg delivers a premium glamping near Williamsburg VA experience inside Chickahominy Riverfront Park — a 140-acre James City County park on the banks of the Chickahominy River, just minutes from the most historically significant triangle of landscape in the country. For travelers who want a uniquely comfortable outdoor stay alongside Colonial Williamsburg, Jamestown, and Yorktown without sacrificing modern amenities, Timberline Glamping provides the ideal answer. Fully furnished Safari Tents accommodate families and groups in genuine style, configured as two double beds or a king with two sets of bunk beds. Each tent comes with a mini fridge, coffee maker, air conditioning and heating, and a ceiling fan — amenities that make the word "camping" something of an understatement. A hammock, wood fire ring with cooking grate, picnic table, and two outdoor chairs complete the tent's outdoor living space. Bathhouses with modern restrooms and showers are a short walk away, and two outdoor swimming pools provide a social gathering space for guests of every age. A small store, boat ramp, fishing pier, and direct access to the Virginia Capital Trail for cycling and walking round out the on-site amenities. Pets are welcome. The Chickahominy River frontage sets the glamping property's natural character — a tidal river winding through coastal Virginia lowland forest with the estuarine beauty that defines this corner of the state. Kayaking, canoeing, paddleboarding, and stand-up paddleboarding on the river provide water recreation from the park's own shoreline, and the Capital Trail's miles of scenic bikeway begin directly at the property. Colonial Williamsburg, a short drive away, is the most complete living history site in America — costumed interpreters, preserved 18th-century buildings, and immersive colonial trade demonstrations that fill a full day without repetition. Jamestown Settlement, where Powhatan's Confederacy met the English colony that started everything, and Yorktown Battlefield, site of the final decisive engagement of the American Revolution, complete the Historic Triangle that makes this corner of Virginia genuinely irreplaceable for any American traveler. Busch Gardens Williamsburg adds roller coasters, live shows, and theme park scale for families who want to balance history with thrills. Timberline Glamping at Williamsburg is open seasonally, with the warm-weather months delivering the full combination of river recreation and regional historical access. The blend of comfortable furnished lodging, Chickahominy riverfront setting, and proximity to three of America's most significant historical sites makes this one of the most purposefully positioned glamping destinations on the entire East Coast.

Pioneer Lakes RV Park

104 RV Sites, 7 Cabins, 12 Tent Sites

Pioneer Lakes RV Park in Somerset, Pennsylvania, offers 104 RV sites, seven cabins, and 12 tent sites behind a gated entrance in the Laurel Highlands, with 20, 30, and 50-amp full hookups and rigs accepted to 50 feet. Premium and standard waterfront back-in sites and full-hookup pull-throughs sit alongside a splash pad, spa, mini-golf, and a beach. One hundred four sites run in premium waterfront back-in, standard waterfront, and pull-through configurations, all carrying 20, 30, and 50-amp with water, sewer, and electric, sized to 50 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Seven cabins and 12 tent sites round out the accommodations. A general store, boutique shop, laundry, propane fills and exchange, dump station, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. There is no cable in the park, though you are welcome to bring a streaming device, and seasonal sites are available. The recreation roster is extensive. An outdoor pool and splash pad anchor the summer, with a spa, mini-golf, game room, and on-site dining besides. A lake and pond support fishing, boating, canoeing, kayaking, and paddle boats, with a beach for shoreline use. Sports courts, tennis, volleyball, basketball, shuffleboard, horseshoes, gaga ball, corn hole, and gem mining spread across the grounds, with golf cart rentals, walking trails, a dog park, and live music through the season. Water features run Memorial Day to Labor Day, weather permitting. Pets are welcome. Somerset County's Laurel Highlands hold Frank Lloyd Wright's Fallingwater, the Flight 93 National Memorial, and Ohiopyle State Park's whitewater — a dense concentration within an hour's drive. The park is open all year. Summer is peak; reserve well ahead.

from $37/night

Camp Cardinal - Gloucester Point

64 RV Sites, 4 Cabins, 14 Tent Sites, 9 Cottages

Camp Cardinal at Gloucester Point, Virginia, offers 64 RV sites, 13 cabin and cottage units, and 14 tent sites on the York River, with 30 and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 45 feet on a big-rig-friendly layout, behind a gated entrance. A dog park back-in category and patio pull-through tier join deluxe, standard, and water-and-electric categories, with a splash pad, laser tag, and boat ramp. Sixty-four sites span back-in deluxe 30-amp, back-in dog park 30/50-amp, back-in standard 30-amp, back-in water-and-electric 30-amp, patio pull-through 30/50-amp, and pull-through categories, carrying water, sewer, and electric where noted with site WiFi, sized to 45 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Confirm your tier, as the water-and-electric category does not carry sewer, and the dog park sites cluster guests traveling with dogs together. Thirteen cabins and cottages and 14 tent sites round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, dump station, restrooms, showers, RV storage, boat storage, and a snack bar handle the practical side. A splash pad and outdoor pool anchor the summer, with a boat ramp, fishing pier, and beach opening the river for boating, paddle boats, paddle boarding, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, and fishing. Laser tag, a jumping pillow, arcade, game room, craft room, recreation center, gaga ball, sports courts, volleyball, basketball, billiards, horseshoes, gem mining, a playground, pavilion, community fire pit, dog park, and on-site dining fill the rest. Yorktown is five miles off and Colonial Williamsburg twenty. Summer drives demand. Reserve well ahead.

from $35/night

The Blue Canoe RV Resort

103 RV Sites, 12 Cabins, 18 Tent Sites

The Blue Canoe RV Resort in Connellsville, Pennsylvania, offers 103 RV sites, 12 cabins, and 18 tent sites between the Youghiogheny River and the Great Allegheny Passage, with 20, 30, and 50-amp full hookups, cable TV, and rigs accepted to 80 feet. Front premium river, river view, and deluxe patio pull-through categories join a pool, game room, and bike and boat rentals. One hundred three sites span back-in front premium river, back-in premium river, back-in river view, deluxe patio pull-thru, and front river view categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric with cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 80 feet, with fire pits, picnic tables, and BBQ pits. The river-front categories are the reason to book here. Twelve cabins and 18 tent sites round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, propane fills and exchange, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. An outdoor pool anchors the summer, with bike rentals and boat rentals putting the trail and the river within immediate reach for canoeing, kayaking, boating, fishing, and biking. A game room, arcade, gaga ball, basketball, volleyball, horseshoes, corn hole, a playground, pavilion, community fire pit, dog park, golf cart rentals, and on-site dining fill the rest, with planned activities through the season. The Great Allegheny Passage is the most popular long-distance trail in the mid-Atlantic, and Fallingwater, Kentuck Knob, the Flight 93 Memorial, Fort Necessity, and Laurel Caverns are all close. Summer and fall drive demand. Reserve well ahead.

from $22/night