The best family-friendly glamping near Wilmington, North Carolina

Wilmington lures campers with its historic urban center and close proximity to nature. With dozens of parks and preserves to visit within a thirty minute drive, plus many miles of coastline, Wilmington is a top-notch spot for campers looking for a natural getaway or RV park that isn’t too far from creature comforts. Rare wildlife, clean beaches, and lush woodlands await you in this mid-sized North Carolina city.

100% (374)

Top-rated campgrounds

1. Canter Lakes Farm

99%

(96)

21mi from Wilmington · 3 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Rocky Point, NC

Canter Lakes Farm offers waterfront camping on 47 acres. We are a private horse farm with beautiful swimming lakes and river access on site via “Sand Hill Creek” At canter lakes farm you can explore over 10 acres of water without ever leaving our property, and hike almost 3 miles of manicured trails here! If you’re an early riser you can witness the magnificent steam rolling in over the lakes, creek and cypress swamp while you sip your coffee at sunrise. Bring your paddle boards and cruise, or warm up with sunny yoga on your private dock. Kayak or John boats can explore the river bends from our property, or even make it out to the big wide cape fear. We are very close to two public boat ramps suitable for larger boats and jet skis. Holly Shelter boat ramp is literally 2 minutes away, Shelter Creek boat ramp is 10 minutes away. Both ramps have a fishing area and allow kayaks/paddle boards. Fishing is good on our ponds and the river year round, (bass, catfish, crappie, bowfin, gar, etc) in June hundreds of wild blueberry plants you can pick and eat. We also have prickly pear cacti for harvesting which you can cook the fruit and paddles over the fire and enjoy. If our trails aren’t enough and you want more adventure, just two miles away is the Holly Shelter game lands entrance where you’ll find thousands of acres for hunting, biking, hiking or horseback riding. And if you’re craving a beach day, Wrightsville beach is just a 30 minute drive away as well as is downtown Wilmington where you can enjoy walking the riverfront for shopping or dining. Stargazing galore! Surrounding the property is privately owned country land- this is a phenomenal place to be amazed by the stars. Photography lovers will be in heaven from the sunrises and sunsets golden hour is magical here! And with the diverse landscape there’s always something to capture. Tent camping or dry rv camping only at this time. Hot Shower, sink and full size toilet are provided in the bath house. No feeding of the horses allowed, or entering fencing. campers are welcome to visit or partake in farm experience with permission. If you’re looking for a yummy bite to eat we recommend chilitos, about 10 minutes away, for some authentic Mexican food! •Nearest gas station, grocery store and restaurants are in Rocky Point, just 12 minutes from us. •Wrightsville Beach - 30-40 minutes depending on traffic •Surf City/Topsail - 35 minutes •Hampstead- 15 minutes •Jacksonville - 38 minutes •Downtown Wilmington - 30 minutes (riverfront/live oak bank pavilion) •urgent care address: 7910 US hwy 117, Rocky point. (10 minutes from our farm) “novant health express care”.

2. JCO Campground at Lee Baysden Pond

100%

(491)

45mi from Wilmington · 27 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Chinquapin, NC

Finalist for Top Hipcamp in 2023 and 2024! This is a Family Venue! No Parties and/or drunknesses allowed. We strive to create an environment for nature viewing, stargazing, fishing, and unwinding in nature as camping should be. Quiet time enforced 10pm-6am. Check in strictly 2-8pm. We do not allow late check ins. We meet and greet all guests.the historic pond was originally much smaller. We have records that date back to our 6th Great-Grandfather, Joab Fountain, who received a royal grant from the crown in 1773 for the property and then just a grist mill, blacksmith shop and old general store. The property was passed down through the Fountain family until the late 1910's. Originally a creek dammed up for the purpose of the mill it was later dug out in the late 1940's by Lee Baysden. The property also features 2 smaller ponds and surrounded by woods, swamp, and farmed fields, a total of 84 acres. Divided by Duplin and Onslow County line making it very unique! Chinquapin, NC The store/office is the original detached kitchen from his homeplace, which is the white house just up the street. We still use this today and it has Mr. Lee Baysden's handwriting in the store that states opened June 1956. The pond was owned and fished until the late 1990's. A hurricane damaged the dam and land was sold sometime after. The next owner dug the pond into the lake it is today and fixed the dam. In 2020 My husband Tyler, and I decided to buy the Pond Our camp office/store is opened most weekends or by check-in requests and fishing passes available 7 days a week online from sunrise-dark. Our lake features fishing for Bass, Crappie, Bream, Catfish, Bowfin, varieties of Panfish, and more. Check out our Facebook page (JCO Campground at Lee Baysden Pond) for all the latest news and catches! We have tagged bass that have been released back into the lake. Let us know if you catch one so we can record it! We are continually trying to make JCO and Lee Baysden Pond a great place in our community for friends and families! Enjoy the great outdoors unplugging from all the daily devices of reality. Enjoy bird watching for ducks, geese, heron, osprey or occasional eagle, owls, turkey, deer, and more. We now have a lake Kitty that adopted us and is now part of the team. Her name is "Tail".

Wilmington lures campers with its historic urban center and close proximity to nature. With dozens of parks and preserves to visit within a thirty minute drive, plus many miles of coastline, Wilmington is a top-notch spot for campers looking for a natural getaway or RV park that isn’t too far from creature comforts. Rare wildlife, clean beaches, and lush woodlands await you in this mid-sized North Carolina city.

100% (374)

Top-rated campgrounds

1. Canter Lakes Farm

99%

(96)

21mi from Wilmington · 3 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Rocky Point, NC

Canter Lakes Farm offers waterfront camping on 47 acres. We are a private horse farm with beautiful swimming lakes and river access on site via “Sand Hill Creek” At canter lakes farm you can explore over 10 acres of water without ever leaving our property, and hike almost 3 miles of manicured trails here! If you’re an early riser you can witness the magnificent steam rolling in over the lakes, creek and cypress swamp while you sip your coffee at sunrise. Bring your paddle boards and cruise, or warm up with sunny yoga on your private dock. Kayak or John boats can explore the river bends from our property, or even make it out to the big wide cape fear. We are very close to two public boat ramps suitable for larger boats and jet skis. Holly Shelter boat ramp is literally 2 minutes away, Shelter Creek boat ramp is 10 minutes away. Both ramps have a fishing area and allow kayaks/paddle boards. Fishing is good on our ponds and the river year round, (bass, catfish, crappie, bowfin, gar, etc) in June hundreds of wild blueberry plants you can pick and eat. We also have prickly pear cacti for harvesting which you can cook the fruit and paddles over the fire and enjoy. If our trails aren’t enough and you want more adventure, just two miles away is the Holly Shelter game lands entrance where you’ll find thousands of acres for hunting, biking, hiking or horseback riding. And if you’re craving a beach day, Wrightsville beach is just a 30 minute drive away as well as is downtown Wilmington where you can enjoy walking the riverfront for shopping or dining. Stargazing galore! Surrounding the property is privately owned country land- this is a phenomenal place to be amazed by the stars. Photography lovers will be in heaven from the sunrises and sunsets golden hour is magical here! And with the diverse landscape there’s always something to capture. Tent camping or dry rv camping only at this time. Hot Shower, sink and full size toilet are provided in the bath house. No feeding of the horses allowed, or entering fencing. campers are welcome to visit or partake in farm experience with permission. If you’re looking for a yummy bite to eat we recommend chilitos, about 10 minutes away, for some authentic Mexican food! •Nearest gas station, grocery store and restaurants are in Rocky Point, just 12 minutes from us. •Wrightsville Beach - 30-40 minutes depending on traffic •Surf City/Topsail - 35 minutes •Hampstead- 15 minutes •Jacksonville - 38 minutes •Downtown Wilmington - 30 minutes (riverfront/live oak bank pavilion) •urgent care address: 7910 US hwy 117, Rocky point. (10 minutes from our farm) “novant health express care”.

2. JCO Campground at Lee Baysden Pond

100%

(491)

45mi from Wilmington · 27 sites · Tents, RVs, Lodging · Chinquapin, NC

Finalist for Top Hipcamp in 2023 and 2024! This is a Family Venue! No Parties and/or drunknesses allowed. We strive to create an environment for nature viewing, stargazing, fishing, and unwinding in nature as camping should be. Quiet time enforced 10pm-6am. Check in strictly 2-8pm. We do not allow late check ins. We meet and greet all guests.the historic pond was originally much smaller. We have records that date back to our 6th Great-Grandfather, Joab Fountain, who received a royal grant from the crown in 1773 for the property and then just a grist mill, blacksmith shop and old general store. The property was passed down through the Fountain family until the late 1910's. Originally a creek dammed up for the purpose of the mill it was later dug out in the late 1940's by Lee Baysden. The property also features 2 smaller ponds and surrounded by woods, swamp, and farmed fields, a total of 84 acres. Divided by Duplin and Onslow County line making it very unique! Chinquapin, NC The store/office is the original detached kitchen from his homeplace, which is the white house just up the street. We still use this today and it has Mr. Lee Baysden's handwriting in the store that states opened June 1956. The pond was owned and fished until the late 1990's. A hurricane damaged the dam and land was sold sometime after. The next owner dug the pond into the lake it is today and fixed the dam. In 2020 My husband Tyler, and I decided to buy the Pond Our camp office/store is opened most weekends or by check-in requests and fishing passes available 7 days a week online from sunrise-dark. Our lake features fishing for Bass, Crappie, Bream, Catfish, Bowfin, varieties of Panfish, and more. Check out our Facebook page (JCO Campground at Lee Baysden Pond) for all the latest news and catches! We have tagged bass that have been released back into the lake. Let us know if you catch one so we can record it! We are continually trying to make JCO and Lee Baysden Pond a great place in our community for friends and families! Enjoy the great outdoors unplugging from all the daily devices of reality. Enjoy bird watching for ducks, geese, heron, osprey or occasional eagle, owls, turkey, deer, and more. We now have a lake Kitty that adopted us and is now part of the team. Her name is "Tail".

Stories from the community

B

Barbora

October 2025

With pets

2 nights at Canter Lakes Farm

This spot was something me and my dog Mia needed. She is big swimmer and the fact there was no other campers makes me very comfortable. We enjoyed very much. I would love if this spot have plugs for other campers, because I am planning to buy my own camper and spend more time outside. I am person who will not go out once gets dark,so bathroom would be nice to have inside the camper. The owners were very responsive and they immediately fixed one issue I had there. WiFi worked perfectly. I would turn the camper to have the door faced to the pond and maybe also put closer to the pond :-) Other than that we have good time and would love to come back with my own camper or using the owners one.

T

Tracy

October 2025

Weekend Trip to Canter Lakes Farm

Julie and Scott super communicative and the place was just as described! Beautiful grounds comfy camper would love to come back!

Taya

August 2025

With kids

1 night at JCO Campground at Lee Baysden Pond

Beautiful location and setting, fantastic host, gorgeous cabin. Peaceful and perfect. Went for stargazing, but it rained so sat under an umbrella in front of the open fire place, serenaded by singing frogs. It was surreal and perfect.

Will

July 2025

Weekend Trip to JCO Campground at Lee Baysden Pond

We usually tent camp at JCO Campground but chose the A frame for this trip. It was well worth it. The AC was blowing cold and the outdoor shower was amazing. Perfect for a couples getaway. We would highly recommend. And the the host were great as always.

M

Misty

July 2025

1 night at JCO Campground at Lee Baysden Pond

I absolutely loved this cabin on the lake. Amazing views, abundance of wildlife and peaceful, beautiful atmosphere with a lovely and attentive host that went out of her way to appease me with certain likes and dislikes. I've already referred several friends and already want to go back!

S

Samantha

May 2025

1 night at JCO Campground at Lee Baysden Pond

Absolutely beautiful!! The cabin was clean and smelled lovely. The lake sounds were so peaceful, you really feel one with nature. I’d suggest an eye mask if you are sensitive to light at night (from the AC, which was much needed and worked well).

D

DANIROSE

February 2025

Weekend Trip to JCO Campground at Lee Baysden Pond

I loved it so much that immediately added another night

C

Carolyn

November 2024

Weekend Trip to JCO Campground at Lee Baysden Pond

Such an awesome host! We had a great night! Cabin was great!

Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

The best family-friendly glamping near Wilmington guide

Where to go

Masonboro Island Reserve

Just five miles from downtown Wimington, Masonboro Island Reserve is an 8.4-mile long barrier island. This preserve is federally protected and features a wide array of wildlife and beach access, thanks to its pristine marshes, tidal flats, and other ecosystems. This is a nesting ground for both Loggerhead and green sea turtles. Camping is allowed, but it’s best to camp where people have already camped to reduce impact on the environment.

Carolina Beach State Park

This family-friendly state park offers shaded campsites in the woods along with hot showers and bathrooms. This tent and RV campground has both tent sites and full hookups. Camping here will allow you unfettered access to one of the State’s most popular state parks, which has hiking trails and biking paths, two public boat ramps, and fishing—all just 20 minutes from Wilmington.

Freeman Park

Freeman Park is a great place to enjoy old-school beach vibes and camp in seclusion year-round without getting too far away from civilization. Note that there are a limited number of tent camping campsites here, all of which need to be booked in advance. Freeman Park allows dogs and four wheel drive vehicles, and fires are only allowed from October 1 to March 31. Otherwise this is a great spot to watch the sunset and sunrise while enjoying the ocean waves.

When to go

The best times to camp on the Carolina coast are spring and fall, which avoids hot summer months and out-of-school crowds. However, hurricane season is also a factor between June and November, so be sure to stay updated with current weather reports and stick to a camping trip that occurs earlier in the spring if you’d rather play it safe.

Know before you go

Since most of these destinations are quite near to Wilmington, be sure to take note of rush hour traffic and plan accordingly ahead of holidays.
Swimming isn’t allowed at Carolina Beach State Park due to the hazardous coastline.
Most campsites must be reserved in advance, so book well in advance of your trip.