50 Best Camping Sites in the U.S. (by State)

These camping sites offer the perfect way to reconnect with life’s simpler joys.

Sometimes, you just need to escape from the world and its many distractions. But you don’t have to spend a fortune on a fancy resort in order to catch a break. Instead, just go camping.

From May through October, camping offers the perfect way to reconnect with life’s simpler joys. Open road, tall trees, quiet lakes, campfires, s’mores — it’s a summertime classic in the United States! Keep reading to find the best camping spot in your state and explore exciting new ones across the country.

These are the 50 best camping sites in the U.S.

Best Camping Spot in Alabama: Gulf State Park

Alabama State Parks

Price per night: $50/night

Amenities: Tents, firepits, cots, bathrooms, shower

For the glampers who want a taste of remote camping, Gulf State Park’s outpost sites fit the bill. Military-style canvas tents each come with four cots, so you don’t have to give air mattresses a second thought. The sandy campground is quiet, private and a great place for a weekend getaway in nature.

If you want something a bit more luxurious, consider Eagle Cottages. The National Geographic book, “50 States, 500 Campgrounds” by Joe Yogerst, calls these stilted cottages “one of the most intriguing overnight options offered at any of the nation’s parks.”

Best Camping Spot in Alaska: Hidden Lake Campground

teri2diefor / Instagram

Price per night: $10/night

Amenities: Wheelchair accessible, dump station, firepits

The Kenai Peninsula in Alaska is as green and pristine as it gets. Hidden Lake Campground comes with lakefront sites, and it’s the perfect landing spot for adventurers to pitch a tent.

From the campground, you can hike, kayak or just sit back and enjoy the wildlife. There are bears and lynxes, however, so maybe observe that kind of wildlife from a distance!

Best Camping Spot in Arizona: Havasupai Campground

Getty Images

Price per night: $17/person, plus a one time $35 entrance fee

Amenities: Outhouses, but no flush toilets or running water

Camping at Havasupai Campground isn’t for those who want to pull up their SUV and crack open a cold one. You can do the latter but only after a 10-mile trek!

Permits are hard to come by, but if you manage to get one, it’s more than worth the hike. The reward? Camping alongside crystal-clear pools and waterfalls in what Yogerst claims is “one of the planet’s most spectacular campgrounds.”

Best Camping Spot in Arkansas: Petit Jean State Park

Getty Images

Price per night: $22/night

Amenities: RV hookups, bathrooms, showers, picnic tables, firepits

If you didn’t know about Arkansas’ state parks, then you’re in for a surprise! Petite Jean State Park includes 125 campsites near a lake, waterfalls and amazing hiking trails. Offering full hookups, this is also one of the best RV parks in the U.S.

To make it even more appealing to travelers come summertime, there’s also a playground and a swimming pool!

Best Camping Spot in California: Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

McWay Falls, Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park

Getty Images

Price per night: $30/night

Amenities: Firepits

Driving through the dramatic coastline of Big Sur is practically an American rite of passage. But camping in Big Sur is even better than just passing through.

These two remote campsites are tough to come by, but if you do get a reservation, they’re pretty incredible. They’re the closest campsites to McWay Falls, an 80-foot waterfall that pours straight into the sea.

Just take the Waterfall Overlook Trail, and enjoy the view!

Best Camping Spot in Colorado: Piñon Flats Campground

Patrick Myers / National Park Service

Price per night: $20

Amenities: Firepits, bathrooms, picnic tables, food lockers, RV hookups, dump station

Believe it or not, Colorado is home to the biggest sand dunes in the country, reaching up to 700 feet in height!

Oh, and you can camp next to them. Either grab one of the 88 RV or tent sites, or backpack into the unknown, and spend a night under the stars.

Best Camping Spot in Connecticut: Devil’s Hopyard State Park

Getty Images

Price per night: $14 in-state campers, $24 out-of-state campers

Amenities: Outhouses, fire pits, picnic tables

For hiking aficionados, Devil’s Hopyard State Park is a dream come true.

While you’re trekking across trails fit for all skill levels, you might come across Chapman Falls, a 60-foot waterfall that spills over a Connecticut landmark called the Scotland Schist Stone.

Best Camping Spot in Delaware: Trap Pond State Park

Delaware State Parks

Price per night: $20/night

Amenities: Just about everything

For those looking for a family-friendly camping experience in Delaware, it’s tough to beat Trap Pond State Park. Start out by relaxing under the shade of towering pines before renting a canoe and paddling out into a lush swamp. There, you’ll find tons of wildlife, flowers and stands of bald Cypress trees.

This campground also boasts tons of amenities, including a playground, convenience store and plenty of bathrooms. It’s basically like having the comfort of a hotel in a tent.

Best Camping Spot in Florida: Rainbow Springs State Park

Getty Images

Price per night: $30

Amenities: Just about everything

Another amazing U.S. campground lies in Rainbow Springs State Park. In addition to camping classics like making s’mores, visitors can snorkel, kayak and go tubing on one of Florida’s many freshwater streams.

There’s also a playground, butterfly garden and gift shop (just in case you need to bring something back for friends or family)!

Best Camping Spot in Georgia: West Rim Campground

Getty Images

Price per night: $32

Amenities: RV hookups, bathrooms, drinking water, fire pits, pet-friendly

West Rim campground at Cloudland Canyon State Park offers beautiful cliff views, great for admiring gorgeous sunrises and sunsets over the canyon walls.

The 30 campsites are located along a one-mile loop trail. But don’t forget to make time to explore the 4.8-mile West Rim Loop!

Best Camping Spot in Hawaii: Malaekahana Beach Campground

Malaekahana Beach Campground

Price per night: About $10/person per night

Amenities: Bathrooms and outdoor beach shower

Camping evokes images of campfires and rugged pine trees, but there’s no reason it can’t be a tropical escape instead! The Maleakahana Beach Campground, located on Oahu’s north shore, is one of the best camping spots in Hawaii.

According to Yogerst, this is the only place in Oahu that you can camp in. The view is what you’d get staying at a premium resort, minus the price tag but with the added bonus of crashing waves to lull you to sleep. Then, wake up bright and early to surf, kayak, paddleboard and snorkel — all just steps away!

Best Camping Spot in Idaho: Point Campground

Recreation.gov

Price per night: $20

Amenities: Flush toilets, drinking water

It’s not a big campground, but it’s beautiful. Point Campground, located in the Sawtooth National Forest, looks like the very definition of camping: a glassy lake mirroring the clouds, snow-capped mountains in the distance and spacious campsites surrounded by trees. Almost all of them have a lake view.

Boating, fishing and hiking are the name of the game here, but you also can’t go wrong just resting in the shade and enjoying the view.

Best Camping Spot in Illinois: Starved Rock State Park Campground

Getty Images

Price per night: $10

Amenities: Just about everything

The best family camping spot in Illinois is just two hours away from Chicago. Dramatic waterfalls cut through 18 glacier-made canyons behind Starved Rock State Park Campground, creating a stunning natural playground.

Speaking of playgrounds, there’s a real one on site for the kids, plus a gift shop, restaurant and all the s’mores supplies you can imagine.

Best Camping Spot in Indiana: McCormick’s Creek

Getty Images

Price per night: $14-20

Amenities: Just about everything

In the heart of Indiana’s first state park, visitors get a first-class ticket to every quintessential camping experience in the book, plus a few upgrades. In addition to hiking trails through a scenic limestone canyon, you can ride horses, climb a historic fire tower, explore a quarry and learn about local wildlife on a guided tour.

In summer, it gets even better. Hop in the pool to cool off, and follow that up with a live concert at the on-site amphitheater!

Best Camping Spot in Iowa: Maquoketa Caves State Park

Getty Images

Price per night: $11-16

Amenities: Just about everything

Of all the U.S. campgrounds on the list, this one might be the most unique. The campsites are pretty much standard issue, though the modern bathrooms and great picnicking spots are a nice touch. It’s when you venture out into the park that things begin to get funky.

Most campgrounds offer hiking, and this one’s no exception — except its trails lead underground. The main attraction at Maquoketa Caves is, you guessed it, caves. From expansive, echoing caverns to tiny corridors, the stalactite-lined caves are more than enough reason to make this the coolest camping spot in the state.

Best Camping Spot in Kansas: Lake Scott State Park

naga.sakii / Instagram

Price per night: $10/night

Amenities: Just about everything

Lake Scott State Park is a hidden gem. Its natural, crystal-clear springs and forest-filled canyons makes it one of the most underrated spots to go camping in the U.S.

Its most unique amenity? You can bring your horse with you, or book a scenic horseback ride right from camp!

Best Camping Spot in Kentucky: Daniel Boone National Forest

Natural Arch In Kentucky, Daniel Boone National Forest

JimVallee / Getty Images

Price per night: $25

Amenities: Just about everything

Choosing a campground in the 700,000-acre Daniel Boone National Forest is no easy task, but Twin Knobs Recreation Area is a favorite among reviewers. The campground has more than 200 sites, so it’s not exactly remote, but it’s right on the shore of Cave Run Lake and has amenities that some of the smaller campgrounds miss.

If you’re eager for adventure, visit near a full moon to go on a late-night hike to Cumberland Falls. If the night is clear, you’ll even get to see a lunar rainbow!

Best Camping Spot in Louisiana: Chicot State Park

louisianahikes / Instagram

Price per night: $20-28

Amenities: Boat launch, running water, dump station, laundry

While Chicot’s tent camping is more primitive than some, it’s perfect for RV owners and those who don’t mind roughing it. The lakefront campsites are pretty incredible, and mountain bikers will love the rugged trails.

For those who like a little luxury, you can ditch the tent and rent a cabin instead.

Best Camping Spot in Maine: Acadia National Park

Getty Images

Price per night: $30

Amenities: Flush toilets, running water, fire pits, picnic tables

There are several noteworthy campgrounds in Acadia National Park, but Blackwoods offers both fresh, mountain air and ocean views. There is, of course, plenty of recreational opportunities, including hiking, biking and boating, but the scenic country roads are also ideal for leisurely, romantic strolls in the afternoon sun.

Maine is known for its seafood, so you’ll definitely want to get some killer lobster at the end of a long day in the Great Outdoors!

Best Camping Spot in Maryland: Assateague State Park

Getty Images

Price per night: $30

Amenities: Picnic table, fire pit

Assateague State Park is the only state park in Maryland situated along the sea. Even better, it’s on an island, with 300 beachy campsites!

Watch wild ponies frolic on the sand while you kick back for an afternoon of sunbathing, surfing, and exploring. The island has plenty of quiet coves to sneak a peek at local wildlife, like the sika deer.

Best Camping Spot in Massachusetts: Boston Harbor Islands

Getty Images

Price per night: $8-10

Amenities: Composting toilets and drinking water

Choose between two incredible views — the mesmerizing skyline of Boston or the wide-open Atlantic — because on the Boston Harbor Islands there are campsites facing the water in every direction. Hop on a ferry to another world, choosing from one of four small islands.

You can scramble up old ruins on Bumpkin Island, relax on the beach at Lovells or Grape Island, or hike to your heart’s content on Peddocks Island. It does get busy with visitors in the peak season, but the crowds clear out in the evenings for a quiet, private escape.

Best Camping Spot in Michigan: Chapel Beach

Getty Images

Price per night: $20

Amenities: Vault toilets

Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore stretches along the coast of Lake Superior for more than 40 miles, and the sandstone cliffs and light blue waters look like something out of a tropical travel magazine.

There are three drive-in campsites that are perfect for families, plus a hike-in campsite to the more remote Chapel Beach campground. If you don’t mind the three-mile hike (which passes a small lake and several waterfalls), you’re in for a treat. The five remote campsites are situated right on the water!

Best Camping Spot in Minnesota: Split Rock Lighthouse State Park

Getty Images

Price per night: $22

Amenities: Firepits, flush toilets, showers from May to October

The campsites at Split Rock Lighthouse are about as accessible as it gets. Some are wheelchair accessible, and visitors staying at all campsites can use convenient carts to haul their gear in.

Once you’ve set up camp, hike to the historic lighthouse, visit the history center and pour some lemonade for a lakefront picnic.

Best Camping Spot in Mississippi: Yogi on the Lake

Jellystone Park

Price per night: $29

Amenities: Just about everything

If you want to find the sweet spot between camping and a vacation, Yogi on the Lake is where it’s at. It welcomes campers to stay in tents, RVs or cabins and live the glamping life with free Wi-Fi, cable TV, modern bathrooms, an outdoor theater, an award-winning camp store and tons to do!

There’s a pool, water park, playground, and basketball and tennis courts, just to name a few. We know where we’re going next summer!

Best Camping Spot in Missouri: Johnson’s Shut-Ins State Park

Getty Images

Price per night: $13

Amenities: Just about everything

No, the park rangers aren’t going to shut you in. Shut-ins is an Ozark term for a small, rocky river, and when you see it, you’ll know why it’s such a hot camping spot. The river is small enough for water play, with kids using it as a natural swimming pool and water park.

The water is clear and cool and a perfect break after some hiking, horseback riding or BBQing. The campsites at Johnson’s Shut-Ins range from small tent sites to RV sites with all the bells and whistles — whatever you want, they have in spades!

Best Camping Spot in Montana: Many Glacier Campground

Getty Images

Price per night: $23

Amenities: Modern restrooms, fire pits, drinking water, nearby coin showers, camp store

You want nature, you got nature in one of the best national parks in the country. Many Glacier Campground is smack in the middle of the woods. Surrounded by Douglas fir, lodgepole pines and quaking aspens, campsites are partially shaded and have some shelter from the occasional strong wind for which the area is known.

From the campground, hikers can trek to the Switftcurrent Creek and Lake and catch breathtaking views of five craggy mountains reflected in the lake. The area is home to bears, however, so hike with buddies!

Best Camping Spot in Nebraska: Eugene T. Mahoney State Park

wildrosephotography_nature_ / Instagram

Price per night: $22-25

Amenities: Just about everything

Biking is popular in Eugene T. Mahoney State Park, as is climbing the 70-foot observation tower to see an aerial view of the winding Platte River.

If you want it to be, the experience there can be pretty upscale. With a swimming pool, camp store, botanical gardens, a water park, theater, a ropes course and miniature golf, it’s impossible to be bored!

Best Camping Spot in Nevada: Arch Rock Campground

Getty Images

Price per night: $20

Amenities: Shaded tables, grills, water, restrooms, and showers

The red sandstone columns in Valley of Fire State Park are otherworldly, like taking a trip back in time. There are always plenty of photo-ops, whether it’s hiking through a narrow slot canyon, trying to decode ancient petroglyphs or seeing how you measure up next to the park’s petrified trees.

Let us know if you find a dinosaur!

Best Camping Spot in New Hampshire: Pawtuckaway State Park

pawtuckawaylake_plia / Instagram

Price per night: $25-30

Amenities: Running water, flush toilet facilities, a camp store, boat launch, coin-operated shower, fire pit, picnic tables

Pawtuckaway is a pretty perfect spot for the classic camping experience — hiking, biking, boating, swimming and rock climbing, all within 5,000 acres of oak trees. It’s only 40 minutes away from the coast, and a marsh with beavers, herons and deer is within walking distance.

Most campsites have a lake view, too. Don’t forget your binoculars!

Best Camping Spot in New Jersey: Worthington State Forest Campground

Getty Images

Price per night: $20-25

Amenities: Picnic tables, fire pits, modern showers, toilets

Worthington State Forest Campground is the perfect home base for your next camping expedition. Its central location provides access to Delaware Water Gap’s 70,000 acres of wilderness, boasting mountain vistas, glacier-made lakes and its namesake gap — a notch carved out in the Kittany Ridge by centuries of roaring water.

In addition to the usual camping activities, special permits allow campers to fish, boat and even hunt seasonal game.

Best Camping Spot in New Mexico: Gallo Campground at Chaco Canyon

Getty Images

Price per night: $15

Amenities: Flushable toilets, fire pits

If it’s trees you’re looking for, look elsewhere. If you’re into canyon hikes, ancient cultural sites and open, starry skies, however, you’ll love Gallo Campground. Start at the Visitor Center, where you’ll learn all about the park and find maps of all the best hiking trails. The best spot to explore is the UNESCO World Heritage Site, which was once a cultural center for the Pueblo people more than 1,000 years ago.

Another factor that sets Gallo Campground apart from the rest is that it rests in a designated dark skies park. The night sky is mesmerizing right from your tent, but it’s even more incredible from Chaco Canyon’s nearby observatory.

Best Camping Spot in New York: Cranberry Lake Campground

Getty Images

Price per night: $20

Amenities: Just about everything

Clean, quiet and close to 50,000 acres of pine-scented fresh air, Cranberry Lake Campground has 171 campsites fit for groups of all sizes. The well-developed trails lead to ponds and streams stocked with trout. Kayakers and canoers have miles of glassy water to explore, and hikers can’t complain either!

If adventure’s not your thing, the shaded campsites and lush undergrowth provide a perfect, private spot for relaxation.

Best Camping Spot in North Carolina: Big Creek Campground

Getty Images

Price per night: $17.50

Amenities: Flush toilets, fire pits, picnic tables, food lockers, pets allowed

Hikers, rejoice! Located in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Big Creek Campground is home to hiking trails that will challenge even the bravest of hikers. Along Big Creek Trail, you’ll find a beautiful waterfall, and you might catch sight of some wildlife on the way. About 1,500 black bears live in the park, so keep your eyes open!

Fly fishing is particularly popular in spring, and it likely will be for many years to come. The area is protected, so the diverse plant and animal life should continue to thrive for future generations of campers to visit. And if you love camping but don’t love solitude, you’ll be happy to know that this is America’s most visited national park.

Best Camping Spot in North Dakota: Juniper Campground

north dakota Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Getty Images

Price per night: $30

Amenities: Toilets, drinking water, fire pits, picnic tables

The badlands of North Dakota are a little less rugged than those of their southern counterpart, but they’re still pretty spectacular. Juniper Campground has all the basic campground amenities, and the sites are shaded by lush, green cottonwoods.

The area is home to rich wildlife, including massive, lumbering bison, so don’t be surprised if one strolls through camp!

Best Camping Spot in Ohio: Kelleys Island State Park

Getty Images

Price per night: $31

Amenities: Showers, flush toilets, some sites are pet-friendly

Kelleys Island State Park, a 677-acre state park accessible by ferry, doesn’t seem like it’s in the Midwest. In the middle of Lake Erie, the campsites are spacious and offer amazing views of the water.

While you’re there, you can fish from a stone pier, explore ancient ruins, swim and even play volleyball!

Best Camping Spot in Oklahoma: Chickasaw National Recreation Area

Getty Images

Price per night: $16

Amenities: Bathrooms, fire pits, picnic tables

Chickasaw visitors get two parks in one — the Platt Historic District and the Lake of the Arbuckles. Buckhorn Campground falls in the latter category, but it’s close enough to explore both parks. There, the options are endless.

There are covered fishing docks, an amphitheater, hiking trails and boat rentals as well as swimming beaches and swimming holes, like Little Niagara, that are particularly popular. The mineral-rich, cold-water springs are hidden beneath shady trees, offering a perfect respite from the hot summer sun.

Best Camping Spot in Oregon: Cape Blanco State Park

Oregon State Parks

Price per night: $26

Amenities: Flush toilets, hot showers, fire pits, pet friendly

History buffs will love this scenic spot on the westernmost tip of Oregon coast. Cape Blanco is home to a 147-year-old, 19th-century lighthouse and the home of an early Irish settler.

From the quiet, sheltered campground, you can take a tour, explore miles upon miles of trails or simply enjoy the view as the setting sun paints the sky shades of pink, orange and red.

Best Camping Spot in Pennsylvania: Cherry Springs State Park

Getty Images

Price per night: $15-20

Amenities: Restroom, picnic tables, drinking water, dump station

Usually, the only campers who get to experience real wilderness are backpackers. (And not all of us are up for lugging 30 pounds of gear into unknown terrain.) That’s where Cherry Springs State Park comes in. It’s wild, remote and dark — but not in a creepy way.

It has exceptionally dark skies, so it’s a favorite spot for astronomers and stargazers to feast their eyes on the twinkling mysteries of space. The 82-acre state park is in the middle of a much larger state forest, which boasts 85 miles of backpacking and hiking trails.

Best Camping Spot in Rhode Island: Bowdish Lake Camping Area

Getty Images

Price per night: $25 and up, depending on the site chosen

Amenities: Just about everything

The Bowdish Lake Camping Area is literally everything you want in a campground. The spacious campsites are near a snack bar, recreation pavilion, two recreation halls, a camp store, sandy beaches and so much more.

Playgrounds and crafts will keep kids busy, and summer nights are filled with activities like pie-eating contests, concerts and ice cream socials that remind everyone of a simpler time.

Best Camping Spot in South Carolina: Edisto River Treehouses

Carolina Heritage Outfitters

Price per night: Check site for pricing packages

Amenities: Just about everything

OK, this one’s a little bit more than ordinary camping, but we couldn’t leave it off the list because it’s just so COOL. On (well, in) the Edisto River is a series of secret treehouses, each with a comfortable sleeping area, stocked kitchen, futons, hammocks, camp chairs, fire pit and picnic table.

To get to the treehouses, hop in a canoe or kayak and paddle to the start of your treebound adventure. You have to bring your own food and beverages, but the canoe ride and shuttle are included.

Best Camping Spot in South Dakota: Cedar Pass Campground

Getty Images

Price per night: $23 for first two guests, plus $3 for each additional visitor

Amenities: Showers, bathrooms

Cedar Pass Campground is a somewhat misleading name considering there isn’t a single cedar in sight, but Badlands National Park is a world all on its own. The flora and fauna in the prairie grasslands are unique and a dream for any naturalist. The beautiful campground inspired dreams of vanlife enthusiasts when it was featured in the Oscar-winning film “Nomadland.”

Campsites are right in the middle of the action, so there are remarkable views, but no open fires are permitted to protect the fragile (and flammable) habitat. If you need a break from roughing it, head over to the Cedar Pass Lodge and Restaurant for a hot meal and a cold beverage.

Best Camping Spot in Tennessee: Fall Creek Falls State Park

Getty Images

Price per night: $15-35

Amenities: Bathrooms, picnic tables, fire pits, a nearby camp store

Fall Creek Falls State Park is one of the biggest in Tennessee and also one of the most beautiful. Mist drifts over nearly 30,000 acres of deep green forest, spilling over waterfalls and into deep river gorges. Fall Creek Falls, the park’s namesake, is one of the nation’s highest at 256 feet, and it’s far from the only waterfall worth visiting during your stay.

The nearby village offers easy access to groceries, camping supplies,and souvenirs, so you can kick back and relax when you get back from sightseeing.

Best Camping Spot in Texas: Chisos Basin Campground

Getty Images

Price per night: $16

Amenities: Flush toilets, running water, grills, picnic tables, dump station

The Chisos Basin Campground is a popular camping spot for visitors to Big Bend National Park. Campers have all the typical amenities, plus a central location near some of the best trails in the entire park.

Speaking of which, the 800,000-acre park has everything from rocky mountains, to rivers, to desert landscapes, so you can have a little taste of everything. Mexico is right around the corner, so you can get authentic tacos across the border and come back to the campsite for a night under the stars.

Best Camping Spot in Utah: Devils Garden Campground

Getty Images

Price per night: $25

Amenities: Bathrooms, picnic tables, fire pits

Devils Garden Campground is more sandy than lush, but that’s not a drawback. Utah juniper, pinyon pine and a long list of flowering cacti decorate the red-rock desert with color.

The shaded campsites are walking distance to the famous stone arches, featuring mind-blowing natural rock formations that defy gravity. Off-roading is a favorite pastime here, so if you’ve never tried it, give it a shot!

Best Camping Spot in Vermont: Smuggler’s Notch State Park Campground

Smuggler’s Notch State Park Campground Vermont

Hipcamp

Price per night: $19-21

Amenities: Flush toilets, coin-operated showers, fire pits

Smugglers’ Notch State Park is much more than a campground. What was once an illegal trade route is now a rustic outdoor playground. From the camp’s visitor center, a 3.5-mile scenic highway takes visitors on a self-guided tour through winding roads that show off some of the best views in the park.

After the drive, take the boardwalk through the wetlands, or hike the intimidating Hellbrook Trail. For the most daring campers, there’s also bouldering, cave exploring and ice climbing!

Best Camping Spot in Virginia: Greenwood Point Campground

@thepyroscribe / Instagram

Price per night: $8

Amenities: Pit toilets, call for more information

Introverts and nature lovers alike will be drawn to the small, isolated Greenwood Point Campground. These are hike-in sites only, unless you want to paddle in instead! The campsites are surrounded by trees, and they all have lakeside views.

While campers may miss the amenities of larger campsites, there’s no better campground to commune with nature than this one. Who needs a waterpark when there’s a natural one right outside your tent?

Best Camping Spot in Washington: Cougar Rock Campground

Getty Images

Price per night: $20

Amenities: Drinking water, flush toilets, picnic tables

Cougar Rock Campground, located on the southwest side of Washington’s most well-known national park, is the most popular campsite for visiting Paradise. Yes, that’s the area’s real name. It has a lodge and visitors center to get you started, leading to miles upon miles of hiking trails with views of the biggest mountain in the state.

Mount Rainier is hard to beat, but the old-growth forests, roaring waterfalls and fields of wildflowers come close. Yogerst suggests doing the 96-mile Wonderland Trail, which goes through the point that gives the park its name.

West Virginia: Summersville Lake

Mountain Lake Campground and Cabins

Price per night: $22-30

Amenities: Just about everything

At Mountain Lake Campground & Cabins, parents don’t have to worry about keeping the kids amused. There’s organized family activities for all ages, tent camping and cabins for those who would rather not pack all their camping gear. Summersville Lake is a popular West Virginia fishing spot, and the designated swimming beach is a fantastic spot to wade in the water.

There’s also a swimming pool, mini-golf and a giant, bouncy pillow. Basically, it’s the best. What other campground has a pizza shop and an ice cream parlor?

Wisconsin: Apostle Islands National Seashore

Getty Images

Price per night: $15

Amenities: Fire ring, food storage locker, most islands have vault toilets

Twenty-one islands with hundreds of campsites to choose from … how will you ever decide? These islands are more primitive than most of the other camping experiences we’ve listed, so come prepared with plenty of supplies.

Paddle in with a kayak or take a water taxi from island to island, exploring sandstone sea caves, historic lighthouses and miles of waterfront trails. If you’re lucky, you may even get a peek at the northern lights swirling across the night sky!

Wyoming: Jenny Lake Campground, Grand Teton National Park

Getty Images

Price per night: $29

Amenities: Flush toilets, fire pits, picnic tables, camp store

Imagine waking up to sunshine, crisp air and a morning walk through the trees to Jenny Lake. If that floats your boat, book your campsite and come rent a kayak! For the thrill-seekers, there are also guided rafting tours.

While you’re out on the water, you’re likely to see bison, elk or moose wandering the valley. The campsite doesn’t have any exciting bells and whistles, but the nearby lodge serves an upscale dinner if you need a break from camp life. Enjoy!