Best Camping in Virginia

Virginia's campgrounds span Shenandoah's backcountry, the Grayson Highlands' high-altitude meadows, the Shenandoah River's banks, and the Virginia Beach oceanfront.

Shenandoah NP: Big Meadows Campground (Milepost 51.2)
The most popular campground in Shenandoah — 217 sites in an open meadow environment on the Blue Ridge crest (3,500 ft elevation). Big Meadows has the park's only lodge, a camp store, and the finest sunset views in the park (west-facing meadows). The Dark Hollow Falls and Lewis Falls trailheads are nearby. Reserve months in advance; the camp store and interpretive programs are excellent.

Grayson Highlands State Park (Mouth of Wilson)
Camping at 4,900 feet — the highest campground in Virginia. Sites are in a spruce-fir forest environment with immediate access to the high balds where wild ponies graze. The Appalachian Trail and the Mount Rogers trails begin nearby. Night temperatures are cool even in August.

Shenandoah River State Park (Bentonville)
River camping along the South Fork Shenandoah — walk-in tent sites on the river bank give direct access for kayaking and tubing. The morning mist on the river below Massanutten Mountain is memorable.

Fairy Stone State Park (Stuart)
In the Virginia Piedmont — Fairy Stone Lake (168 acres) camping in a forested setting. The park is named for the fairy stone crystals (staurolite crystals that form natural crosses) found in the area. A genuinely peaceful Piedmont lake camping destination.

First Landing State Park (Virginia Beach)
Camping in a maritime forest within the Virginia Beach city limits — the unusual ecology (bald cypress swamps adjacent to Atlantic coastal dunes) and the beach access make this the most varied camping environment in coastal Virginia. Book months in advance.