Whether you’re into roughing it in a tent, having the comforts of home in an RV, or glamping in a cabin, camping is better by the water. Not only do you get to enjoy the great outdoors, but you also get to take advantage of all of the water activities — from crabbing to canoeing.
We partnered with Campspot, a handy site that lets you book top-rated camping destinations online to find the best waterside campgrounds from California to the Carolinas.
Why book your next camping adventure with Campspot? Not only is it the leading online marketplace when it comes to family campgrounds, premier RV resorts, and cabins, but it also guarantees you’ll get the lowest price!
Ready to spend some time in the great outdoors? Start planning your camping trip today. These campgrounds and parks can start to fill up fast! We recommend booking your campsite as far in advance as possible. Reserve your campsite today to create lasting memories with your loved ones.
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park™ Camp-Resort
Golden Valley in Bostic, North Carolina
Hey, Boo-Boo! Situated at the base of the scenic Blue Ridge Mountains, Bostic, NC, is conveniently located between Asheville and Charlotte. Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park™ Camp-Resort: Golden Valley’s 600-plus picturesque acres are home to anthropomorphic bears and tons of family-friendly fun. Stay in a luxury cabin or lodge, park it in a full hook-up RV site, or glamp in a tent by the lake.
Canoe, kayak, paddleboard, or fish on the water. Hike to the top of Cove Mountain to check out the new lookout tower, which should be completed this year. Kids will go crazy for the water playground, complete with slides and a pool. The campground also hosts tons of fun activities and events for children.
Crane Prairie Resort
Deschutes County, Oregon
Nestled in the Deschutes National Forest near Bend, OR, Crane Prairie Resort lies about an hour and a half north of Crater Lake National Park. Situated on Crane Prairie Reservoir, the resort offers stunning views, fantastic fishing, a relaxing beach area, and more. Rent a canoe, kayak, paddleboard, or even a boat from the Crane Prairie Resort Store. There are trails nearby for hikers.
Stay in one of the rustic, lakeside cabins and make s’mores while sitting around the rock fire pit. While the cabins do have electricity, there is no running water. However, Crane Prairie Resort’s tent camping and full-hookup RV sites have both water and electricity. Each site offers al fresco dining at its very own picnic table.
Castaways RV Resort & Campground
Berlin, Maryland
Located between the Ocean City and Assateague Island, in Berlin, MD Castaways RV Resort offers something for everyone—even Fido! Enjoy a refreshing frozen drink from Jackspot Tiki Bar on the private beach or in the hot tub. Take in the scenic Eastern Shore from the water in a rented watercraft from Top Gun Watersports. Try crabbing, clamming, and fishing at the pier. Kids will dig the mini-golf course, splash pad, pool, and arcade. For four-legged family members, Castaways features a wash station, an off-leash dog park, and Bark Beach, the private dog beach. Bay Breeze Café is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, while The Sweet Spot serves hand-dipped ice cream and cappuccino.
Pull up your big rig, rent a quaint cottage or camp in a tent. This seaside camping spot is open seasonally from March through October. During the summer, a complimentary shuttle takes guests to check out to see the wild ponies at Assateague Island and festivals, beaches, and historic boardwalk of Ocean City. Families should giddy up and head on over to Frontier Town Western Theme Park, where registered Castaway guests enjoy discounts on activities.
Weko Beach Campground
Bridgman, Michigan
Weko Beach Campground sits on the sandy shoreline of lovely Lake Michigan. Open seasonally from May to October, this beachfront campground features spectacular sunsets over the water and hiking at nearby Warren Dunes State Park. Swim, rent a kayak, or launch your boat. Seven rustic cabins and 70 RV, tent, and trailer campsites are just minutes from the beach. Onsite, guests can also check out Tanner Creek, picnic areas, and the playground.
The Hideaway Retreat
Navarre, FL
Mature oak and magnolia trees make for secluded and tranquil old Florida vibes at The Hideaway Retreat. Formerly known as Magnolia Beach Campground, this hidden gem takes up 371 feet of unspoiled beachfront property on the Gulf Coast’s Santa Rosa Sound. Located on Florida’s panhandle, Navarre, FL, sits smack dab between Destin and Pensacola.
Navarre Beach is one of the best beaches in Florida that isn’t typically crowded. Canines can roam free on the dog-friendly private beach, dubbed “Pooch Beach.” Kayak, paddleboard, fish, or relax on the deck. Covered by beautiful trees and string lights, a cool campground hangout features fun games. Guests can play cornhole, ping pong, foosball, volleyball, and more. Plus, there are tree swings! Choose from 50 RV sites and 10 tent sites. Bonus: Ben and Erin Napier from HGTV’s Home Town have visited!
Oceanside RV Resort and Campground
Coos Bay, Oregon
Cute as can be, the Oceanside RV Resort and Campground sits on the Pacific Ocean in the charming small town of Coos Bay. This section of the Oregon coast is dubbed Oregon Adventure Coast (OAC) for its abundance of water and outdoor activities. Explore the tide pools on the pet-friendly beach. Kayak, scuba dive, surf, fish, crab, and clam. Prep your catches at the campsite’s crab cleaning and cooking station.
At 40 miles, the largest expanse of coastal sand dunes in North America makes for some awesome ATV’ing. Some of the sand dunes are more than 500 feet above sea level! The area also features whale watching, state parks, wineries, hot air balloon rides, and more. Oceanside RV Resort offers both tent and RV sites as well as cute little vacation rentals. Nothing beats cozying up by the campfire after a long day of exploring the Oregon coast.
Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort
Mt. Shasta City, California
Want to get away from it all? Look no further than Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort in Northern California’s Shasta Trinity National Forest. Open seasonally from April until November, the campground hosts primitive tent camping, full hook-up RV sites, and retro trailers, but the cabins have the best view of Lake Siskiyou. Speaking of views, you can’t miss majestic Mt. Shasta in the background!
Lake Siskiyou Camp Resort boasts hiking trails, a Splash Zone inflatable water park, boat rentals, volleyball, and fishing. Lake Sis Bar & Grille serves up local, organic California cuisine all summer long. The resort is pet-friendly but does charge a nightly fee. Also, be aware that there are black bears in the area.
Rodanthe Watersports and Campground
Rodanthe, North Carolina
Channel your inner Diane Lane in this Outer Banks beach town on Hatteras Island. Rodanthe Watersports and Campground offers the best of both worlds: quiet, relaxing waterfront camping along with water activities from beachcombing, swimming, paddleboarding, kayaking, and fishing to windsurfing, kiteboarding, and surfing. Since it’s on the Pamlico Sound, you can see spectacular sunsets over the water, even though you’re on the east coast.
The Outer Banks is fun for the whole family. Bring your tent or RV and set up camp at this family-run campground. The beach, fishing pier, restaurants, and stores are all within walking distance.
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park™ Camp-Resort Lakes Region
Milton, New Hampshire
Pack a pic-a-nic basket to take to Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park™ Lakes Region in Milton, NH. Not one, but two sandy beaches offer easy access to the Northeast Pond’s crystal clear waters. This campground is perfect for camping with kiddos. In addition to walking trails, there’s gem mining, mini-golf, a giant pillow-shaped inflatable to jump on, two playgrounds, a “laser” tag course, disc golf, sports fields, horseshoes, ping pong, an arcade, a game of giant chess, shuffleboard, and bocce ball. Canoe, kayak, paddleboard, and paddleboat rentals are also available. Full of friendly campers, the resort offers short-term and seasonal campsites as well as cabin rentals.
The Aurora RV Park
Upper Lake, California
On the shores of Northern California’s beautiful Clear Lake, The Aurora RV Park offers mountain views in addition to waterfront camping. Only seven of the 63 full hook-up RV spaces are on the lakefront. However, some of the tent sites and tiny homes — which are converted airport shuttle buses — also come with a lake view.
Explore Mt. Konocti (the local dormant volcano) and Clear Lake State Park. Hike, fish, and enjoy spectacular sunsets. Take in 300-plus degree views of the water from “the point.” The Aurora RV Park provides canoes, kayaks, and paddleboats to campers for free! Plus, it hosts movie nights in front of the lake after the sun goes down. There’s also a game room, as well as croquet and bocce ball. Find restaurants, markets, wineries, shops, and more just half a mile away in nearby Nice, CA.
