20 Best Places to Camp Within 2 Hours of Washington, DC

The nation’s capital provides visitors and residents alike with plenty of activities to partake in while out and about. Being home to many sites to see, DC draws a large crowd of visitors every year. The states surrounding DC provide many places to camp and reconnect with nature. Whether you’re going to the city or you call it home, here are some places to camp for all kinds of campers!

Washington DC is full of beautiful trees to provide shade on walks.

1. Hollofield Campground

Guests of Hollofield Campground have beautiful scenery to look forward to when they park their RVs here. Right near the headquarters to The Patapsco Valley State Park, campers can find out a lot of information about where they are staying as well as what activities are available to them. While there is not anywhere to set up tents, campers can still feel reconnected with nature while fishing or swimming in the nearby river. After spending some time in the river, guests can warm up at the fire rings provided at most campsites. Located right in the middle of suburban Baltimore, Hollofield Campground is perfect for any kind of camper! 

Pros:

  • Electrical hookups
  • Fire rings
  • Picnic tables
  • Fishing
  • Pet-friendly
  • Swimmings
  • Pavilions
  • Restrooms

Cons:

  • No tent campsites
  • No wifi

2. Cherry Hill Park

This campsite prides itself on being the closest campground to Washington, DC, and on being family-owned and operated for 100 years. Campers have the opportunity to choose from RV sites, tent sites, log cabins, glamping pods, yurts, and cottages! All campers have access to free wifi, as well as laundry and bathhouses. There are many activities for guests to participate in to keep occupied, such as swimming, fishing, and playing mini-golf. The only downside to this campground is that it can get very crowded.

Pros:

  • Full hookups
  • Free wifi
  • Multiple ways to camp
  • Pools and spas
  • Mini-golf course
  • Fishing
  • Camp market
  • Walking trails
  • Laundry
  • Bathhouses

Cons:

  • Can get crowded

3. Adventure Bound Camping Resorts- Washington DC

This campsite offers several ways to camp, as well as many things to do. Whether you want to sleep in a tent, an RV, or a cabin, campers are able to swim in the pool or hike the nature trail. Don’t want to leave your dog at home? Bring it! There is a fenced-in dog park for your best friend to play in. While it is about 40 minutes away from DC, this campground provides its guests with a great experience!

Pros:

  • Swimming pool
  • Full hookups
  • Tent camping
  • Cabins
  • Hiking and biking trail
  • Camp store
  • Pool
  • Dog park

Cons:

  • No wifi

4. Marsden Tract Group Campground

Located right next to the Potomac River in Maryland, this campground has a lot of things for those who love being outside. Between fishing, rock climbing, hiking, and biking, adventure junkies won’t get bored! While there are no flush toilets, the activities available make up for it! Hikers and rock climbers will love this campground!

Pros:

  • Fishing
  • Rock climbing
  • Hiking
  • Tent camping
  • Picnic tables
  • Fire rings

Cons:

  • No flush toilets
  • No wifi
  • No RV hookups

5. Horsepen Branch Hiker Biker Campsite

This campsite is perfect for those who want to do a one-day getaway for hiking and biking along the beautiful trails Maryland, DC, and Cumberland offer. After waking up in your tent, get ready to enjoy the beautiful nature earth provides us with. Whether you want to bike along the trails or hike them, both are easily enjoyable when surrounded by tall trees and green grass.

Pros:

  • Tent camping
  • Biking and hiking trails
  • Picnic tables
  • Grills

Cons: 

  • No flush toilets
  • Only one night per stay
  • No RV hookups
  • No clean drinking water
  • No wifi

6. Bayshore Campgrounds

Located on the Chesapeake Bay, this campground has a lot of water activities for campers to enjoy. There is a spot for campers who brought their boat to put it into the bay, as well as a game room for those who want more of a glamping experience. Guests can go kayaking, sailing, or fishing in the bay. The campground can get crowded because it is very popular, but the experience it provides while next to the water makes up for it!

Pros:

  • RV and tent sites
  • Fishing
  • 2 bathhouses
  • Pet-friendly
  • Dump stations
  • Fire pits
  • Game room
  • Recreational courts

Cons:

  • Can get crowded

Maryland rivers are beautiful for camping.

7. Washington DC / Capitol KOA Holiday

This spot of the camping chain has many things to do and many ways to camp. Whether you want to rough it or glamp, KOA has everything you could want. Located close to a shuttle that will take campers into DC, this campsite has a pool, free wifi, nature trails, and a dog park! Propane, fire wood, and bikes are also available for guests to purchase!

Pros:

  • Dog park
  • Pool
  • Pavilion
  • Wifi
  • Nature trail
  • Multiple campsites

Cons:

  • Can get crowded

8. Harpers Ferry / Civil War Battlefields KOA Holiday

Located in West Virginia, this KOA has a lot of things for guests to do when staying there. After going swimming in the pool, campers can have dinner under the pavilion. There is an indoor arcade for those who love playing video games and a mini-golf course for those who love to play mini-golf. This KOA also offers free pancakes!

Pros:

  • Multiple campsites
  • Pavilion
  • Wifi
  • Mini golf course
  • Swimming pool
  • Bike rentals
  • Free pancakes
  • Indoor arcade

Cons:

  • Can get crowded

9. Treehouse Camp at Maple Tree

This campground in Rohrersville, Maryland will fulfill all your childhood dreams of sleeping in a treehouse! All sites have fire rings, grills, and picnic tables. The facilities have private, hot showers and indoor bathrooms! The camp market has ice, food, firewood, and anything you might have forgotten! And, pets are welcome! The camp pavilion is great for having dinner with your whole group. Don’t forget to go hiking through the Appalachian trails!

Pros:

  • Hiking trails
  • Tent campsites
  • Treehouse camping
  • Pet-friendly
  • Fire rings
  • Picnic tables
  • Camp store
  • Restrooms and showers

Cons:

  • No RV sites

10. Lake Fairfax Park Campground

While camping on beautiful Lake Fairfax, campers can expect to be surrounded by gorgeous scenery. Guests can choose to pitch a tent or hook up an RV for their camping trip. There are bathhouses with hot showers, flushing toilets, and potable water spigots. And, each campsite has a grill/fire ring combo and a picnic table! 

Pros:

  • Showers and bathrooms
  • Flush toilets
  • Picnic tables
  • Fire rings
  • Fishing
  • Boating
  • Tent camping
  • RV hookups

Cons:

  • No resort-style amenities

11. Greenbelt Campground

If you love to go hiking, this campground is perfect for you! Greenbelt Park offers miles of trails that will make every hiking enthusiast happy. The backcountry of Maryland has a lot to do in nature, especially this campground. It is surrounded by beautiful wildlife for all guests to view. If you want to reconnect with nature, this campground is for you!

Pros:

  • Tent camping
  • Showers
  • Hiking trails
  • RV parking
  • Dump stations
  • Grills

Cons:

  • No resort-style amenities
  • No electric RV hookup
  • No wifi

12. Travel Camp

This camp is about seven days a week all year long! It’s located along the shore of the Potomac River, and it offers two ADA-accessible fishing piers. There is wifi and cable tv, as well as pull-in and back-in parking pads. While the washers and dryers are coin-operated, the beautiful view of the river will make up for it! This campsite is perfect for military families who are ready to go on an adventure!

Pros:

  • RV rental
  • Cabin rental
  • Wifi
  • Fishing piers
  • ADA accessible
  • Golf course

Cons:

  • No bathhouses
  • No tent camping
  • Only available to anyone with a military affiliation
  • Coin-operated laundry

Many campgrounds around the DC area are near golf courses.

13. Camp Meade RV Park

When staying at Camp Meade RV Park, guests can expect many activities to be available to them. Campers can go sightseeing, shopping, fishing, boating, or sailing! If you don’t have a boat, there is boat rental available! There is a game room, playground, and volleyball courts! This campsite has so many fun activities for people who are affiliated with the US military!

Pros:

  • Boating
  • RV hookups
  • Fishing
  • Showers
  • Laundry
  • Picnic area
  • Store

Cons:

  • No tent camping
  • Only available to anyone with a military affiliation

14. Oak Ridge Campground

This campsite is in Prince William Forest, so there is a lot of wildlife for campers to encounter. There are miles of hiking trails for every hiking enthusiast to enjoy. There are about 100 camping areas for people to camp in, and all the restrooms are handicapped-accessible. Every campsite has a picnic table, grill, parking slip, and lantern post! This campground is perfect for those who love to hike!

Pros:

  • Tents and RVs
  • Picnic tables
  • Grill
  • Restrooms

Cons:

  • A limited number of showers
  • No hookups

15. Hillwood Camping Park

This long-term camping site is available for those who are needing to stay around the DC area for an extended period of time. The park offers a wide range of amenities, including bathhouses, laundry rooms, picnic tables, fishing ponds, and full-service mail. It has several ranges of hookups for every kind of RV! The closest metro station is only 17 miles from the campground! If you have business in or around the DC area but don’t need to move there, this camping park is perfect for you!

Pros:

  • Full RV hookups
  • Fishing
  • Laundry
  • Bathhouse
  • Mail service
  • Picnic tables

Cons:

  • No wifi
  • No tent camping
  • No market

16. Little Bennett Campground

This campsite in Clarksburg, Maryland is the largest natural gem in Montgomery County. The park is spread over 3,700 acres and is home to over 25 miles of nature trails, which are accessible by hiking, mountain biking, or horseback riding! There are 14 historical sites for campers to visit and learn about! There is also an 18-hole golf course! If you want to learn something and play some golf, Little Bennett is perfect for you!

Pros:

  • Hiking trails
  • Picnic tables
  • Pet-friendly
  • Golf course
  • Historical sites
  • Multiple camping sites

Cons:

  • No showers
  • No flush toilets
  • No wifi

17. Aquia Pines Camp Resort

Located in Stafford Virginia, this camp resort has so many amenities that you’ll hardly feel like you’re camping at all! With a pool, playground, and mini golf course, this campground is really like a resort. It offers all types of ways to camp, and it has a market if you forget anything you need! The only bad thing about this camp is that it can get crowded, but the experience you gain will be worth it! 

Pros:

  • RV hookups
  • Rentable cabins
  • Tent camping
  • Wifi
  • Pool
  • Playground
  • Market
  • Restrooms
  • Mini golf
  • Pet-friendly

Cons:

  • Can get crowded

18. Bull Run Campground

This campground is located in Bull Run Regional Park and is home to hundreds of activities and adventures for campers to participate in! There is Atlantis Waterpark for campers to cool off in after a full day of hiking the surrounding trails or playing disc golf through the wilderness! The Occoquan Watertrail is perfect for canoeing, kayaking, rafting, or just swimming! Campers can even learn a little bit at the Civil War Exhibit! 

Pros:

  • Multiple camping sites
  • Disc golf course
  • Waterpark
  • Playgrounds
  • Various lengths of stay

Cons:

  • No wifi
  • No showers
  • Camp store is limited access

19. Breezy Point Beach & Campground

While this campsite is only open for the summer months, the activities on the water make up for it! Campers can swim, tan, and fish! Kids can build sandcastles or search for shark teeth along the shore. The campground spans a half-mile of beach surrounded by the Chesapeake Bay, and it is perfect for those who love to go fishing and crabbing. Be careful of the jellyfish though!

Pros:

  • Multiple campsites
  • Beach access
  • Bathhouses
  • Fishing
  • Grills
  • Picnic areas

Cons: 

  • No boats, jet skis, or trailers
  • No smoking allowed
  • Only open during the summer months
  • Jellyfish
  • No pets allowed

20. Greenville Farm Family Campground

This campground is located on a 200-acre working farm, and it has 43 acres of woods for campers to enjoy. Campers have full access to all of the farm, so feel free to roam around and view farm operations! There are water and electrical hookups for RVs, as well as 30 and 50 amp hookups. Campers can fish in the stocked pond, even if they don’t have a license! There are also pools and playgrounds for the kids!

Pros:

  • Stocked ponds for fishing
  • Farm access
  • Bathhouses
  • Full RV hookups
  • Laundry
  • Pool
  • Picnic tables
  • Camp store
  • Firewood

Cons:

  • No tent camping
  • No wifi

Final verdict:

Cherry Hill Park offers the most to do and the most ways to camp. You have multiple options to camp in: cabins, tents, and RVs. After playing a round of mini golf, guests can soak in the pool. Forgot something at home? There’s a camp market available to all campers. While it is very popular in the peak season and can get crowded, the camping experience Cherry Hill Park offers will be worth it! After being around for 100 years, the family who owns the park knows exactly how to make your stay unforgettable!

 

Bonus tip: Check out this video to find out fun things to do in DC!

 

Riley Draper

Riley Draper is a writer and entrepreneur from Chattanooga, Tennessee. As a world traveler, he has been to more than fifty countries and hiked some of the most elusive trails in the world. He is the co-founder of WeCounsel Solutions and has published work in both national and global outlets, including the Times Free Press, Patch, and Healthcare Global. When he's not writing, he's probably on a hiking trip or climbing in the mountains.

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