Camping is the number one outdoor vacation activity in America, according to the U.S. Travel Association (USTA, www.ustravel.org). One third of U.S. adults say they have gone on a camping vacation in the past five years, and only 6% of people who have gone camping said it was not for them. Camping vacationers tend to be married with children at home; the average age is 37. People who go camping also tend to enjoy hiking, biking, and canoeing. Fifty-nine percent (59%) of campers said they traveled with their spouse on their most recent outdoor vacation, and nearly half traveled with their children.
Including equipment, travel, and all related expenditures, outdoor camping is a $5 billion annual business in the United States.
According to Tripleblaze.com, there are over 17,000 campgrounds in the U.S.
Top Campgrounds
Tripleblaze.com ranks the best places to camp in the United States based on the average rating and number of reviews for a campground and the number of people who have camped or wish they could camp at that campground. Both tent and RV campgrounds are included in the ranking.
BEST CAMPING PLACES IN USA Photo Gallery
The following is the 2016 ranking of top campgrounds:
1. Carolina Hemlocks (Burnsville, NC)
2. Ludington State Park (Ludington, Mi)
3. Ocean Pond (Olustee, FL)
4. Double Lake Recreation Area (Cleveland, TX)
5. Loon Lake Lodge & RV Resort (Reedsport, OR)
6. Devils Lake State Park (Baraboo, WI)
7. Yosemite National Park (Mariposa, CA)
8. Crow Butte (Paterson, WA)
9. Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park (Marion, NC)
10. Bear Creek Lake State Park (Cumberland, VA)
11. Ossineke State Forest Campground (Ossineke, MI)
12. Standing Indian (Franklin, NC)
13. Anastasia State Park (St. Augustine, FL)
14. San-Lee Park (Sanford, NC)
15. Edisto Beach State Park (Edisto Island, SC)
16. Tishomingo State Park (Tishomingo, MS)
17. Seminole State Park (Donalsonville, GA)
18. Franklin Lake Campground (Eagle River, WI)
19. Badin Lake Campground (Troy, NC)
20. Lake Claiborne State Park (Homer, LA)
21. Chippokes Plantation State Park (Surry, VA)
22. Cheoah Point (Fontana Village, NC)
23. Bahia Honda (Big Pine Key, FL)
24. Upper Pines Campground (Yosemite Valley, CA)
25. Newaygo State Park (Newaygo, MI)
26. North Fork Recreation Area (Hammond Mill) (West Plains, MO)
27. Huckleberry Tent and Breakfast – Camping near Sandpoint Idaho (Clark Fork, ID)
28. Tahquamenon Falls State Park (Paradise, MI)
29. Porcupine Mountains State Park (Silver City, MI)
30. Glacier National Park (Northwest Montana, MT)
31. Big Creek RV Park (Annapolis, MO)
32. Fort Clinch State Park (Fernandina Beach, FL)
33. Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Gatlinburg, TN)
34. Four Oaks Lodging & RV Resort (Four Oaks, NC)
35. DeGray Lake (Arkadelphia, AR)
36. Cherry Hill Recreation Area (Mountain Rest, SC)
37. Bewabic State Park (Crystal Falls, MI)
38. Cheraw State Park (Cheraw, SC)
39. Ponce de Leon Springs (Ponce de Leon, FL)
40. Kelly Flats Campground (Fort Collins, CO)
41. Cove Creek (Mill City, oR)
42. Horse Heaven Ranch (Talihina, OK)
43. Ponderosa State Park (Mccall, ID)
44. Chicot State Park (Ville Platte, LA)
45. Hartwick Pines State Park (Grayling, MI)
46. Oxbow (Big Prairie Township, Ml)
47. Fort Mountain State Park (Chatsworth, GA)
48. Leo Carrillo State Park (Malibu, CA)
49. Grand Canyon National Park (Grand Canyon, AZ)
50. Harold Parker State Forest (Andover, MA)
51. Mount Pisgah Campground (Canton, NC)
52. Greenbelt Park (Greenbelt, MD)
53. Enota Mountain Retreat (Hiawassee, GA)
54. Lake Powhatan (Asheville, NC)
55. Moraine Park Campground (Estes Park, CO)
56. Myles Standish State Forest (South Carver, MA)
57. Big Bay Recreation Area (Shell Knob, MO)
58. Okatibbee Lake (Meridian, MS)
59. Seedhouse Campground (Steamboat Springs, CO)
60. Bagley Rapids Campground (Lakewood, WI)
61. Hancock (Lincoln, NH)
62. Pomona State Park (Topeka, KS)
63. Fort Yargo State Park (Winder, GA)
64. Skyisland Retreat and Campground (Old Fort, NC)
65. Dead Horse Point State Park (Moab, UT)
66. McCormicks Creek (Spencer, IN)
67. Philipsburg Bay Campground (Philipsburg/Georgetown Lake, MT)
68. Lakeview RV Park (Bluff City, TN)
69. Paddy Creek Recreation Area (Roby, MO)
70. Jordanelle State Park (Heber, Ut)
71. Chisos Basin (Big Bend National Park, TX)
72. Tappan Lake (Uhrichsville, OH)
73. Ed Z’berg Sugar Pine Point State Park (Tahoma, CA)
74. Prophetstown State Park (Prophetstown, IL)
75. Alum Creek State Park (Delaware, OH)
76. Richard B. Russell Dam And Lake (Elberton, GA)
77. Horsethief Lake Campground (South Dakota)
78. Cave Lake State Park (Ely, NV)
79. Westport-Union Landing Sb (Leggett, CA)
80. Natalie State Forest Campground (Newberry, Ml)
81. Happyland Campground (Ninette, Manitoba, Canada)
82. Snow Canyon State Park (Irvins, UT)
83. Leroy’s Ferry Campground (McCormick, SC)
84. Unicoi State Park and Lodge (Helen, GA)
85. Big Knob State Forest Campground (Naubinway, Ml)
86. Pocahontas State Park (Chesterfield, VA)
87. Wolf Creek Dam Lake Cumberland (Somerset, KY)
88. Big Bear Lake State Forest Campground (Vienna Corners, Ml)
89. Lake Blue Ridge Campground (Blue Ridge, GA)
90. Turkey Run State Park (Marshall, IN)
91. Cloudland Canyon State Park (Rising Fawn, GA)
92. Vogel State Park (Blairsville, GA)
93. Hocking Hills State Park (Laurelville, OH)
94. Elkmont Campground (Gatlinburg, TN)
95. Frank Gross Campground (Morganton, GA)
96. Rock Cut State Park (Loves Park, IL)
97. Dorena Lake (Cottage Grove, OR)
98. Clinton Lake State Recreation Area (Dewitt, IL)
99. Apple River Canyon State Park (Apple River, IL)
100. Lewey Lake (Lake Pleasant, NY)
GuestRated.com, a TripAdvisor-like site for outdoor enthusiasts, annually ranks U.S. campgrounds. The top-rated campgrounds in 2016, based on over 30,000 responses, are as follows:
Arizona
• Leaf Verde RV Resort California
• Anaheim Resort RV Park
• Far Horizons 49er Village Resort
• Meadowcliff Lodge and RV Resort
• Pismo Coast Village RV Resort
• Shadow Hills RV Resort
• The Springs at Borrego RV Resort
• Wishon Village RV Park
Illinois
• D & W Lake RV Park
• Geneseo Campground
Maine
• Beaver Dam Campground
• Smuggler’s Den Campground
• Cherry Hill Park
Michigan
• Sunny Brook RV Resort Minnesota
• Eagle Cliff Campground Montana
• Yellowstone Holiday Campground and Marina
Nebraska
• Camp a Way
• Las Vegas RV Resort New York
• Lake George RV Park
Pennsylvania
• Kalyumet Camping & Cabins
South Carolina
• Lakewood Camping Resort
• Ocean Lakes Family Campground
South Dakota
• Chief White Crate Recreational Area
• Custer State Park
• Hartford Beach State Park
• Lake Vermillion Recreation Area
• Lewis and Clark
• Newton Hills State Park
• Pelican Lake Recreational Area
• Rocky Point Recreational Area
• West Whitlock Recreational Area
• Bluebonnet Ridge RV Park
• The Vineyard Campground and Cabins on Lake Grapevine
West Virginia
• Ashland Resort
Wisconsin
• Buffalo Lake Camping Resort
• O’Neill Creek Campground
29.3 Glamping
Glamorous camping experiences, dubbed ‘glamping,’ include lodges, RVs, and tepees that give people an outdoor experience with some of the comforts they enjoy. Amenities typically include a bathroom, kitchen, television, and wi-fi.
The following are some glamping facilities:
• Costoanoa (Pascadero, CA; www.costanoa.com)
• El Captain Canyon (Santa Barbara, CA; www.elcaptaincanyon.com)
• Falling Waters Adventure Resort (Bryson City, NC; www.fallingwatersresort.com)
• Fireside Resort (Jackson Hole, WY; www.firesidejacksonhole.com)
• Kampgrounds of America (several locations; www.koa.com)
• Lakedale Resort at Three Lakes (Friday Harbor, WA; www.lakedale.com)
• Lonesome Lake Jut (Franconia, NH; www.outdoors.org)
• Mormon Lake Ranch (Mormon Lake, AZ; www.globalexpeditionsinc.com)
• Nomad Ridge (Cumberland, OH; www.thewilds.org)
• Normandy Farms (Foxboro, MA; www.normandyfarms.com)
• Sinya on Lone Man Creek (Wimberley, TX; www.hillcountrysinya.com)
• The Resort at Paws Up (Greenough, MT; www.pawsup.com)
• Treebones Resort (Big Sur, CA; www.treebones.com)
• Wigwam Village Inn (Cave City, KY; www.wigwamvillage.com)
• Yellowstone Under Canvas (Montana; www.mtundercanvas.com)
“Glamping is short for ‘glamorous camping.’ Why sleep on the ground with snakes when you can opt for a real bed in your deluxe tent, yurt, or treehouse?”
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