You did it! Your family has decided on a camping adventure. How do you decide where you should go? A great way to family camp is to camp near your home. Once you decide how you want to camp, whether it be a minimalist outdoor adventure, resort style camping, tent, RV, cabin or anything else you can dream up, your next checklist item is to find the perfect campground for your family.
These are the most useful websites for finding and reserving that perfect site:
- ReserveAmerica.com
- GoCampingAmerica.com
- Campendium.com
- Hipcamp.com
- Recreation.gov
Pro tip: most state and national parks release campsites six months in advance. This is important to know if you are planning to visit a popular camping destination as they can book up well in advance.
Reserve America
This Is the best place to start your search for a campground near you. It is one of the largest and most comprehensive online camp reservation websites for public state and local parks in North America. You can also find private campgrounds, so it really makes this site a great go-to for most campground reservations. You can reserve your campground right on the Reserve America website.
Reserve America has many great tools you can use to find your perfect campground and reserve a great campsite. You can filter your search by location, specific dates, and site type. The site type filter is extensive; it includes RV, cabins, yurts or lodges, tents, trailer, group, day use, horse, and boat sites. There is even a link for RV rentals! My favorite feature is the ability to create a profile. By creating a profile, you can add favorites which you can organize into lists as well as save both current and past reservations, passes and vouchers. There is a lot of valuable information on this site, so take some time to explore it. You can also get their app, RA Camping, on IOS or Android devices which is helpful for reservation access during travel.
Go Camping America
This site Is a great place to find well-developed, privately-owned campgrounds, many with ample amenities. Another great resource if you need a back up to Reserve America or want to leave no stone unturned in your search for your ideal campground. You will not find filters for your search like those at Reserve America. Your search begins with your desired location. The site then provides a nice overview of amenities, recreation activities and maps. If you like what you see, there are links to each campground. You can compare campgrounds within a specific geographic location from this website.
Campendium
Designed by full-time RVers, this is a definite go-to for RV camping. You will enjoy reading reviews from other campers, along with shared pictures. This website offers links to filter your search with the following selections: RV Park, Free Camping, National Parks, National Forests and State Parks. Within each search there is a near me option, which is convenient if you want to focus your search close to home.
You can take it a step further and create an account with an option to receive updates about campgrounds and RV Parks. Creating an account allows you to contribute to their community by sharing your feedback. Campendium even has a YouTube channel that can help you explore topics on RV camping. This site has a young, community-oriented vibe, if that is something that piques your interest. The site is also mobile friendly, offering an app on IOS or Android you can use while you’re on the road.
Hipcamp
This site is often considered the AirBnb of camping, featuring property owners looking to rent out space to campers. Imagine unique camping sites like tiny houses, treehouses, glamping on a blueberry farm or a ranch, whatever you can dream up you may be able to find it here. If you’re more of a traditionalist, you can also expect to find RV, tent, and cabin camping. Unlike many traditional public and private campgrounds, you can find last minute campsites for an impromptu family camping getaway. The Hipcamp site includes an easy to navigate search for nearby sites. You can narrow you near me search to tent, RV, glamping, beach, and lake camping sites.
Hipcamp offers user reviews and photos to help you in your selection process. You can create an account and add filters to tailor your searches right in your profile. While creating your profile, you will be asked to select camp preferences, amenities, activities, and views. If you’re planning to visit a National or State Park, you can search by your destination to find nearby privately-owned campsites. For each campsite that interests you, the site provides lodging details, reviews, pictures, amenities, activities, and booking details. The description from the property owner is a nice touch and sets this search experience apart from other campground searches. You can send a message from the website to the owner if you have specific questions.
Recreation.gov
This is the place to reserve campgrounds in National Parks. Since this article is focusing on finding campgrounds near me, we will not highlight all it has to offer here, but felt it needed a mention as it is the main booking platform for National Park campgrounds.
We know it can be difficult to know where to start your search for a great campground. Providing the right tools and advice that will guide you in discovering the camping adventure for your family is our family mission. We hope to help bring your family camping dreams to life.