Virginia Campground recommendations

[Unregistered]

We are planning a week long trip to Virginia in June and had hoped to find a campgound that takes reservations in the Williamsburg area.  Typically here in Tennessee the state parks are a pretty safe bet to be clean and accomodating but we don't know anything about VA parks.  Can anyone suggest a campground with a pool (necessary for a five year-old), water and electric for a pop up camping family?  From the research I've done, it looks like some of your parks took a beating from a hurricane.

Thanks,

Barbara, Jessie and Shelby

[stateparkgrl]

The only state park in the Williamsburg area is York River State Park, and they do not have  campground yet.

I would suggest Newport News Park. It is a Regional Park, and has gotten good reviews from alot of people on this board. It is right on I-64, close to the Williamsburg/Jamestown area.

Louise

[SheBantam]

We had a spring fling last year at New Port News Park. It is very nice and well kept. It is half way between Williamsburg and Some of the best shopping in the area that I found. Rates were good and there is a reservor/lake that you can get near for a nice view. Sites were huge. They are water and electric only though, so take you tote tank.

Paula

[Gone-Camping]

As a local, I can back-up what everyone else is saying, Newport News Park is the place to go! The only other campgrounds in the Newport News - Williamsburg area are all commercial campgrounds, and most of them are not all that nice. If you gotta have a sewer hook-up, then you might consider http://www.americanheritagervpark.com/ as they have shaded full hook-up sites, swimming pool, store & game room. Also have a free modem port.

You can visit Newport News Park's website here... http://www.newport-news.va.us/parks/park1.htm or you can take a look at pictures of the place by visiting my website in the campground review section...
http://www.gonecamping.net/reviews/va/va.html This place has five loops, four of them have electric & water hook-up's, and several lake front campsites. Biggest draw-back is there isn't any swimming allowed in the lake, and they don't have a pool. Water-Country USA is a couple miles up the road though.
 
The closest State Park with camping faclities would probably be Chipokes Plantation State Park, but you'd have to take a ferry boat to & from Williamsburg to access this place (the Jamestown/Surrey ferry is free BTW).
 
Next closest State Park would be First Landing SP in Va Beach, but they don't have any hook-up's at all there, just dry camping. For more info on Va State Parks, just ask "StateParkGrl" or click here...
http://www.dcr.state.va.us/parks/
 
And speaking of StateParkGrl.... Hey Louise, does the State have any plans to add electric & water to First Landing? Seems one of the biggest destinations in the state is Va Beach, you'd think they would upgrade the place?!?!

[Unregistered]

Thank you all so much.  I had searched and searched so you've given me great advice.  If you head to Tennessee check out the Tennessee Pop Up Campers website (TPUC) - we're a friendly bunch and would love to return the favor.  Happy camping!

Barbara

[stateparkgrl]

Cliff,
I doubt First Landing will be adding water anytime soon. From what I understand, it's a problem with the city of Virginia Beach, and how much water they can provide. It's an infrastructure problem.

Chippokes is a nice park, with a nice pool and great scenic cliffs overlooking the river, but the campground is pretty new, and they only have about 30 sites. Surry is also a small town with not much to do. If I wanted to camp there, I would make reservations early because of the limited sites available. BTW, if you are ever in the town of Surry, be sure to eat at The Surry House restaurant..and get the Peanut Pie!

Chippokes is also host to one of the largest outdoor crafts shows on the east coast...the Pork, Peanut and Pine Festival. It's always the weekend closest to July 15th. We try to go every year - DH likes the Antique Farm show and all the old tractors and equipment (he and my 16 year old daughter are restoring a 1940 Ford 8N Tractor.)

Louise

[Unregistered]

Hi Gone Camping.

We are Pop up times Magazine subscribers.
We are planning a trip to Williamsburg June 25 - July 6.
We are still trying to find a good camp ground for us.
Your help would be appreciated.

We are a Family of 5, Kids 5,7 and 9. We have a Coleman Sunvalley and will be travelling from Toronto.  The hard part is we are meeting friends flying in from Vancouver with 2 kids.  They will need a park trailor or rental or cabin.  we would like to be close together.  The american Heritage park has one rental maybe.  What about Glouster Point Park, Jamestown Beach, Outdoor World?

We are used to camping in the Ontario Provincial Parks with large sites with Water and hydro.

The kids definately need a pool.

Any recomendations would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

David And Suzy!

[Gone-Camping]

Ok... As for rentals, you've got a couple of choices, but probably not the best choices. For your needs, I'd recommend American Heritage, but with only one rental that could be a problem. Trouble is, you're not going to find too many campgrounds a clean and nice as this in Williamsburg area.
 
KOA has little cabins for rent, but you're going to hear the train going by in the morning. Same train can be heard at American Heritage, but at least they are a little further away from the tracks. There are actually 2 KOA's in Williamsbug, I've never actually been to either one of them, only know about the trains from what I've read here and elsewhere, so maybe it's not all that bad. I'm sure others can voice an opinion one way or another about them...
http://www.koa.com/where/VA/46111.htm
http://www.koa.com/where/VA/46182.htm
 
Chipoke's Plantation State Park also has cabin rentals, though I'm not sure how nice they are. Louise says it's fairly new so I'd venture to guess the cabins are pretty nice.
http://www.dcr.state.va.us/parks/chippoke.htm
 
Another option is to just choose which campground you want, and rent an extra RV from Dixie RV which is right down the road from Williamsburg/Newport News Int'l Airport...
http://www.dixiervsuperstore.com/rentals.html
 
The only one that is going to come remotely close to being anything like one of your provincial parks would be Chipokes or Newport News Park. Since NPN Park doesn't have pool or beach, I'm assuming you've ruled that one out. Chipoke's is probably the furthest one away.
 
I've stayed at Jamestown Beach Campsites. It's not too bad, but I wasn't real impressed either. Old facilities, they had a Harley Davidson meet the weekend I was there...boy was that noisey.... I don't think they have rentals either.
http://www.visitwilliamsburg.com/jamestown_beach.htm
 
If you run across the words "Anvil Campground" just keep on browsing, it's not worth considering!

[Unregistered]

Thanks for the info.
Any way of e-mailing you?

Dixie rental is about $800 per week with a $250 set up take down fee.  The site fee is on top of all that.

We are presently booked with the Williamsburg KOA but the reviews don't sound that great.

Chippokes has three cabins and there were 2 available the last time I checked, they are 1,2,3 bed rooms.  Also seems a bit far from Bush Gardens which is one of our destinations.

Thanks again!

David & Suzy

[Gone-Camping]

Sure you can email me, just send it to webmaster@gonecamping.net (where else?)
 
Ummm, here is another campground, it's a bit further out, it's huge, has tons of stuff to do, not sure about rentals or not but you call them and ask...
http://www.bethpagecamp.com/pages/welcome.html

[Unregistered]

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