10 Campgrounds Near DC to Go Family Camping with Kids

Family camping is a great way to bond with kids in the great outdoors. But for some children, there's only so much hiking and s'mores-roasting they can do before they start to get bored and cranky. And some kids just don't do well completely roughing it. That's why it's helpful to find a campground with extra activities and comfortable amenities for families.

We’ve got you covered with 10 family campgrounds within a four-hour drive from DC that offer fun family activities like pools, mini golf, arcades, and more, as well as some with cozy sleeping arrangements such as cabins, tree houses, and RVs. We tried to include a range of price points to fit any budget.

Once you've chosen your destination, visit our Camping Travel Guide. There, we share everything from classic and funny campfire songs to kid-friendly ghost stories to help make your family camping trip a success

Enjoy an enchanting stay in the Hobbit House at The Treehouse Camp. Photo courtesy of Maple Tree Campground.

Family-Friendly Campgrounds Near DC in Maryland

1. The Treehouse Camp at Maple Tree Campground — Rohrersville

Open year-round, The Treehouse Camp offers rustic camping in the woods with a little extra magic. The campground includes tent camping sites, tree cottages, and tree houses, all of which have a fire circle, a picnic table, and a charcoal grill. None of the cabins have heat or AC, and all bathrooms are communal. Enjoy biking trails, river rafting and tubing, caverns, swimming, and fishing throughout the 20-acre wooded campground.

Why we love The Treehouse Camp for family camping: The Treehouse Camp has three unique themed tree houses kids will love: the FireFly Deluxe Tree House with solar lights and sky lights, the Dragonfly Fairy House complete with a tower with stained-glass windows, and the Hobbit House, an underground cabin inspired by the Lord of the Rings books (and the only cabin with electricity).

2. Cherry Hill Park — College Park

Just a 30-minute drive from DC, Cherry Hill Park offers camping year-round with fun activities and amenities that are all included in the cost of your stay. Accommodations include RV sites, tent sites, and a variety of cabins and cottages including glamping pods, yurts, premium log cabins with full kitchens and bathrooms, and cottage rentals that sleep up to 10.When hunger strikes, visit the camp grocery store or the on-site café.

Why we love Cherry Hill Park for family camping: Cherry Hill Park offers loads of activities for families, including two pools, a splash park for little ones, an 18-hole mini golf course, three playgrounds, tractor rides, an arcade, a fishing pond, gem mining, games like pickleball and basketball, a dog park, and more.

3. Sun Outdoors Frontier Town — Berlin

Your little cowpokes can enjoy a Wild West adventure at this campground located just a short drive from Ocean City and Assateague Island, open late March through late November. Camping options include tent sites, RV sites and rentals, cabins, and even a Conestoga wagon with a king bed and bunk beds. At meal or snack time, visit the two on-site restaurants, the ice cream parlor, or the camp store.

Why we love Frontier Town for family camping: Kids will never get bored at Frontier Town. There's a pool, an arcade, nature trails, a high ropes course, and lots more. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, guests also have free access to a water park with slides, a lazy river, and mini golf, as well as a replica western town complete with Wild West shows. You can also charter a boat or rent a Jet Ski or pontoon boat.

RELATED: RV Camping and Campgrounds for Families: A Beginners' Guide to Planning an RV Trip

Kids can splash around in Yogi Bear's Water Zone at Jellystone Park. Photo courtesy of Jellystone Park™ Williamsport

4. Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park — Williamsport

If you’re looking for more than the average camping trip, check out Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park, open late March through early December. Camping options include tent sites, RV sites, and a range of cabin options from luxury to rustic. Upgrade your relaxation even more by renting a hammock for your campsite, a golf cart to get around, or a private cabana at the pool.

Why we love Jellystone Park for family camping: Activities included in the cost of your stay are a water park, mini golf, pony rides, playgrounds, archery tag, sports courts, and more. For an additional fee, kids can tackle a ninja obstacle course, play laser tag, go to the arcade, pan for gems, play Bingo, or make arts and crafts. You may even get to meet Yogi or Boo Boo!

5. Greenbrier State Park — Boonsboro

This state park is offers 165 tent campsites, each of which has a table, a fire ring, and a parking area. Forty of the campsites have electric hookups. Bathhouses with hot showers are conveniently located. Camping is available from early April through the end of October.

Why we love Greenbrier for family camping: Greenbrier State Park is home to a 42-acre man-made lake with a beach where families can swim, boat, canoe, fish, and relax on the white sand. The park also has a visitor center and over 10 miles of hiking trails through a variety of wildlife habitats.

RELATED: Camping Games to Play with Kids

Stay in a cozy cabin at Pohick Bay Regional Park. Photo by Nova Parks/CC BY-SA 2.0

Family-Friendly Campgrounds Near DC in Virginia

6. Algonkian, Bull Run, and Pohick Bay Regional Parks — Sterling, Centreville, and Lorton

Virginia’s beautiful regional parks offer some fantastic family camping options year-round at reasonable prices. Bull Run Regional Park and Pohick Bay Regional Park offer tent sites, RV sites, and cabins. At Algonkian Regional Park, you can rent a riverfront cottage that sleeps up to 10 people with a full kitchen, a furnished living area, and a private deck with river views. The deluxe four-bedroom cottage even has a hot tub.

Why we love these parks for family camping: All three parks have water parks, hiking trails, and playgrounds. There are also golf courses at Algonkian and Pohick Bay, and Bull Run has disc golf. Boating, kayaking, and fishing are also accessible on lakes or rivers in all three parks.

7. Wilderness Presidential Resort — Spotsylvania

Just a two-hour drive from DC, Wilderness Presidential Resort offers year-round lakeside camping. Budget-friendly camping options include tent and RV sites with hookups. You can also rent a vintage RV with AC and a kitchen, a lakeside cottage with a kitchenette and a bathroom (including some with hot tubs), or a log cabin with all the comforts of home, including cable TV and a Jacuzzi tub.

Why we love Wilderness Presidential Resort for family camping: Activities include a ropes course with a climbing wall, pools, a beach on the lake, mini and disc golf, archery, tennis and pickleball, fishing, an escape room, and much more. A daily schedule of activities features crafts, movie nights, and games. Annual events include a classic car show, a music festival, and holiday activities.

8. Lake Fairfax Park — Reston

If you’re looking to camp close to home, Lake Fairfax Park is open year-round and is just a 30-minute drive from DC. There are tent sites with or without electric hookups, as well as RV sites with water and electricity. The campground has a bathhouse with hot showers.

Why we love Lake Fairfax for family camping: On the lake, you can fish or rent a pedal boat or kayak. A beautiful antique carousel is located right next to the lake, along with biking and hiking trails. There’s also a skate park. And if you camp in the summer, the Water Mine Family Swimmin' Hole is fun for all ages with its lazy river, water slides, and special splash park for babies and toddlers.

9. Cape Charles/Chesapeake Bay KOA Resort — Cape Charles

This resort sits right on the Chesapeake Bay and has its own private beach. It offers a variety of accommodations for both campers and glampers, including RV rentals and sites, deluxe cabins, and safari tents. Bring fishing gear, paddleboards, or kayaks to enjoy on the bay, or go swimming in the campground's two pools. Enjoy waterfront views and stunning sunsets from the on-site bar and grill.

Why we love this KOA resort for family camping: Family events and themed weekends take place throughout the year and include a summer concert series, Halloween weekends, and more. The campground is also surrounded by 1,700 acres of parkland including wildlife-rich wetlands, maritime forests, and a wildlife refuge.

RELATED: Parks with Beaches Near DC for a Day Trip with Kids

Hunt for shark's teeth on the fossil beach at Westmoreland State Park. Photo by Virginia State Parks/CC BY 2.0

10. Westmoreland State Park — Montross

Westmoreland State Park is best known for its fossil beach, where kids can hunt for prehistoric shark teeth. But this park also has camping and other great family activities. Tent and RV camping sites are available from the first Friday in March until the first Monday in December. Rustic cabins without heating or AC are available from April 1 to mid October. Larger cabins with a kitchen, bathroom, and heating and AC are available year-round.

Why we love Westmoreland for family camping: Westmoreland State Park has gorgeous hiking and biking trails, where you can glimpse bald eagles and other water birds. Other activities include fishing, boating, and playgrounds. During the summer, kayaks, pedal boats, and stand-up paddleboards are available for rent.

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