The best waterside campgrounds in Virginia

Camping waterside in Virginia means early morning mist on the river, birdsong over the lakes, and a view worth waking up for. With over 4,200 waterside campsites across the state, you can pitch your tent or park your camper right next to rushing streams, quiet coves, or rolling rivers. Average sites run $45 a night, but you can find spots starting at just $10 if you know where to look. Top picks include Private Farm Minutes to Cville (594 reviews), James River Depot (559 reviews), and Rivers Edge Trail Camp (523 reviews). Basic facilities like toilets and showers are common, and most sites allow campfires. Expect hiking trails, swimming holes, and the option to saddle up for horseback-riding. Virginia’s waterside camping makes it easy to swap screens for scenery—just pick a shore and settle in.

98% (14.9K)

Top-rated campgrounds

Kayaking on the pond! It actually goes down to a depth of about 30 feet in the middle. Super refreshing for an afternoon or morning dip.

1. Private Farm Minutes to Cville

98%

(1376)

7 sites · Tents, RVs · Charlottesville, VA

This was a 55-acre farm, split in half to accommodate a bypass through Charlottesville, so the previous owners had to give up half the land, and actually moved the house down to the other half of the property! They had to build a land bridge to get to the new home site, so they turned the bridge into a dam and created a beautiful large swimming pond, complete with beach and gazebo. My wife Stephanie and I bought the property in early 2017 and have turned it into a private horse farm, adding pastures, a riding ring, and 6-stall barn. There are ~21 horses who live on the property. The property is unique in that you can hardly see another house from anywhere on the property and yet we are only 2 miles from Barracks Rd. Shopping Center, and 4 miles from the University of Virginia.

2. Infinity Acres Ranch

99%

(110)

7 sites · Tents, RVs · Ridgeway, VA

Rick & Laura relocated to Ridgeway VA 18 years ago and are in love with the southern pace and park-like setting of the fields, pond and woods surrounding our Ranch. Folks were fascinated with our animals and kept saying we should open it up to the public!! We finally did just that! Then in 2012 we established an Animal Interactive Educational Non-Profit! Currently we share our domestic and exotic animals to benefit 1000's of folks each year! Now we are opening up the Ranch to you as a HIP CAMPER! You can learn more about us by following Friends of Infinity Acres Ranch on FACEBOOK, and also check out our website and watch the videos! Just google Infinity Acres Ranch to find us online! Many CHOICES!! You can choose to have an interactive experience, or just enjoy the tranquility of being in the country!! (fyi: roosters &; peacocks add to the experience, but also may wake you up!! ) Talk with Laura when you book and decide what will work best for YOU!! Strict supervision of children is required. Any aggressive behavior or harassment of the animals is prohibited!

Camping waterside in Virginia means early morning mist on the river, birdsong over the lakes, and a view worth waking up for. With over 4,200 waterside campsites across the state, you can pitch your tent or park your camper right next to rushing streams, quiet coves, or rolling rivers. Average sites run $45 a night, but you can find spots starting at just $10 if you know where to look. Top picks include Private Farm Minutes to Cville (594 reviews), James River Depot (559 reviews), and Rivers Edge Trail Camp (523 reviews). Basic facilities like toilets and showers are common, and most sites allow campfires. Expect hiking trails, swimming holes, and the option to saddle up for horseback-riding. Virginia’s waterside camping makes it easy to swap screens for scenery—just pick a shore and settle in.

98% (14.9K)

Top-rated campgrounds

1. Private Farm Minutes to Cville

98%

(1376)

7 sites · Tents, RVs · Charlottesville, VA

This was a 55-acre farm, split in half to accommodate a bypass through Charlottesville, so the previous owners had to give up half the land, and actually moved the house down to the other half of the property! They had to build a land bridge to get to the new home site, so they turned the bridge into a dam and created a beautiful large swimming pond, complete with beach and gazebo. My wife Stephanie and I bought the property in early 2017 and have turned it into a private horse farm, adding pastures, a riding ring, and 6-stall barn. There are ~21 horses who live on the property. The property is unique in that you can hardly see another house from anywhere on the property and yet we are only 2 miles from Barracks Rd. Shopping Center, and 4 miles from the University of Virginia.

2. Infinity Acres Ranch

99%

(110)

7 sites · Tents, RVs · Ridgeway, VA

Rick & Laura relocated to Ridgeway VA 18 years ago and are in love with the southern pace and park-like setting of the fields, pond and woods surrounding our Ranch. Folks were fascinated with our animals and kept saying we should open it up to the public!! We finally did just that! Then in 2012 we established an Animal Interactive Educational Non-Profit! Currently we share our domestic and exotic animals to benefit 1000's of folks each year! Now we are opening up the Ranch to you as a HIP CAMPER! You can learn more about us by following Friends of Infinity Acres Ranch on FACEBOOK, and also check out our website and watch the videos! Just google Infinity Acres Ranch to find us online! Many CHOICES!! You can choose to have an interactive experience, or just enjoy the tranquility of being in the country!! (fyi: roosters &; peacocks add to the experience, but also may wake you up!! ) Talk with Laura when you book and decide what will work best for YOU!! Strict supervision of children is required. Any aggressive behavior or harassment of the animals is prohibited!

Public campgrounds in Virginia

100%

(5)

Stories from the community

K

Kylie

2 weeks ago

Tent

Weekend Trip to Private Farm Minutes to Cville

Amazing!! The site was private and there was a fire pit which was great! The bathroom was easy to get to and had everything you could need! The property was so beautiful and we loved looking at the horses and donkeys!!

Do your own thing, be alone with nature.

L

Luke

3 weeks ago

Tent

2 nights at Private Farm Minutes to Cville

Bob was incredibly helpful at relocating us because site #2 doesn’t allow dogs. He moved us to the spacious #7 campsite at no additional charge, and we never had to talk to another person while we were camping. It was exactly the kind of escape into nature that we were looking for. We will be back!

A

Adrienne

3 weeks ago

10 ft travel trailer

2 nights at Private Farm Minutes to Cville

Beautiful site. Excellent communication with the host. Feels remote while being close to many amenities. We will definitely stay here again.

E

Erik

3 weeks ago

16 ft car

With kids

Weekend Trip to Private Farm Minutes to Cville

The campsite was the perfect Fall escape—wide open views of rolling hills with the Blue Ridge in the distance, golden light through the trees, and an unexpected bonus: several well-kept horse fields that made the place feel unique. Clean, scenic, and peaceful—absolutely worth the trip for families looking for a quiet weekend with actual views, not just a parking lot with trees.

Tian

3 weeks ago

27 ft Class C

With kids

Weekend Trip to Infinity Acres Ranch

We absolutely loved camping at Infinity Acres! We were a party of 7. 4 adults and 1 kid in our 27ft class C RV, and then 1 adult and 2 kids in a tent. There was plenty of space for camping and hanging out, enjoying the fire pit. We cooked 3 meals over the fire, including some Bass that we caught in the lake! We are novice fisherman, so Rick even helped the kids getting the poles set up and giving advice on bait. Our RV is a 27ft Minnie Winnie, 13ft clearance, and barely fit into the spot. Laura came to greet us and we actually had to trim a couple of branches to be able to fit, but she was kind and helpful and we made it work no problem. The kids absolutely loved watching all of the animals. We took a few hikes through the woods and made our way to "Narnia". And the fishing pond was great. Our oldest son caught his biggest fish! The views were great, so much foliage, and the property sits atop a hill so you've got quite a bit of visibility. We will absolutely stay here again, both kids and adults had a great time at Laura's place!

K

Kristy

3 weeks ago

16 ft car

Weekend Trip to Private Farm Minutes to Cville

This was our second time camping there and we'll be back again. We have a teardrop camper and the site was perfect for our needs. Beautiful farm and absolutely perfect location.

T

Tish

3 weeks ago

20 ft travel trailer

Weekend Trip to Private Farm Minutes to Cville

I couldn’t believe how peaceful this place was, so close to town. Standard camp spots, nice tree canopies, and generally level. Waking up to soft rolling hills and grazing horses (and 2 very charming mules) hit the spot!! Highly recommend.- tho I confess part of me wants to keep this gem a secret - so it’s always available for when I return! ;) Thank you again!

E

Erica

3 weeks ago

18 ft travel trailer

Weekend Trip to Private Farm Minutes to Cville

Lovely HUGE site with beautiful views of the horse farm and the mountains. Special little oasis so close to town! We will be back!

J

Justin

3 weeks ago

19 ft campervan

Weekend Trip to Private Farm Minutes to Cville

It was a great site, super convenient. We will definitely be back!

Dan

November 2025

30 ft pop-up camper

With pets

Weekend Trip to Private Farm Minutes to Cville

The farm is easily accessible and close to everything. Arrival instructions are impeccable, as is on-site signage. Host communication was prompt. Site #4 was beautiful with south and west views over the horse pastures. It is fairly close to site #5 which was occupied while we were there (5th wheel with a generator and a couple of dogs). The folks at site #5 were super nice and respectful, though we would have preferred to be further away. We were able to arrange our set-up to maximize seclusion. That aside, #4 was still fantastic, and we'd visit again!

D

Dean

October 2025

19 ft campervan

Weekend Trip to Private Farm Minutes to Cville

The spaces are perfectly spaced out and provide a good amount of privacy unlike most campgrounds. We met a fair amount of our neighbors and everyone was so friendly!! Conveniently 13min from The Jefferson (music venue) downtown. Would recommend and will be back again! Thanks for the hospitality ya’ll. Oh, and pro tip, if you’re up before everyone else, make some coffee, then go and sit on the lifeguard tower, the birds put on quite a show <3

Beautiful views surround the property and only minutes from the city!

B

Bryan

October 2025

16 ft campervan

Weekend Trip to Private Farm Minutes to Cville

Beautiful spot surrounded by horse pastures. We only spent the night as we were passing through but would certainly return in the future.

Michele

October 2025

16 ft car

Weekend Trip to Private Farm Minutes to Cville

This is a beautiful property. The sites are spaced out. Everything was very nice. We loved it, and we hope we can stay again when we're in the area.

C

Chad

October 2025

11 ft pop-up camper

Weekend Trip to Private Farm Minutes to Cville

Great place. So peaceful and beautiful!! Would recommend to anyone that wants to reset.

Elizabeth

October 2025

Tent

Weekend Trip to Private Farm Minutes to Cville

As the description says, site 3 has a lovely western view, great for watching sunset over the horse pastures. The hosts are friendly, and it was nice to have a shower with hot water. The bathroom is a bit of a walk from the sites--or at least, sites 3-6--but it's not terrible. The donkeys and horses were fun to watch!

B

Bradley

October 2025

Tent

With kids

Weekend Trip to Private Farm Minutes to Cville

Owners were really friendly. Sites were spacious, separated, and secluded. Be aware of the donkey, whose cry at first sounds like a man screaming while being murdered. Really beautiful property; we’ll be back.

V

Vicky

October 2025

Tent

2 nights at Private Farm Minutes to Cville

A beautiful spot to camp, individual meadows for each camper amongst beautiful horse farm. Bathrooms in the main house were locked but managed to find someone to open them.