7 Beautiful Campsites Near a Major City
August 5, 2016
Camping and city living don’t always go together, but that doesn’t mean you’ve gotta give up your hiking boots and marshmallow skewers just yet.
We rounded up seven of the best campsites for city dwellers who wanna get out in nature…but not too far out. Not only do these spots take under a two-hour drive, they’re also in the middle of leafy state parks, in the shadow of volcanoes, even on tropical beaches. The only thing left to do? Pack your gear and practice some good ghost stories.
FOR APPALACHIAN TREKKERS: The Appalachian Trail may sound remote, but for Baltimore residents, it's just a quick trip. Pine Grove Furnace State Park, at the northernmost point of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is where you can pull a Bill Bryson and do some ambling. Peep the park's Appalachian Trail Museum, then settle in at one of the 70 campsites. Bonus: most come with fire pits, bathrooms, and shower facilities.
Image courtesy of Ryan Walker/Flickr
Image courtesy of Ryan Walker/Flickr
FOR HIKING GO-GETTERS: It's hard to believe that the wilds of Shenandoah National Park are only 75 miles from downtown D.C. This sprawling park is a veritable smorgasbord of nature, from Blue Ridge Mountain peaks to dozens of waterfalls, 500 miles of hiking trails to the famous Skyline Drive. When it comes time to tuck in for the night, you can stay in one of the park's four campgrounds…or (with a free permit in hand) go wild with backcountry camping.
FOR VOLCANO ENTHUSIASTS: Snow-and-glacier-capped Mount Rainier is near enough to Seattle to be visible from the city—but for those craving a closer look, there's the White River Campground. One of the best campsites to drive to from downtown, White River is used as a basecamp for mountaineering types looking to scale this Cascade peak. But it's also perfect for those who want to hike Mount Rainier National Park's gentler Wonderland Trail (or simply relax near the campsite's eponymous river).
FOR HISTORY BUFFS: A quick zip from Atlanta, Fort Yargo State Park is perhaps best known for its historic log fort, which was built all the way back in 1792. But that's not the only reason the park is popular with city residents. Urbanites also flock here for kayaking, lake swimming, and paddle boarding. And for those who want to make a night of it, the park offers plenty of camping options, from dozens of casual campsites to camper cabins…even yurts.
Image courtesy of popofatticus/Flickr
Image courtesy of popofatticus/Flickr
FOR SNORKELERS: Campgrounds and coral reefs may not sound like they go together (unless you want to sleep in the seabed). But at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, a speedy drive from Miami in the Florida Keys, visitors can sign on for a kayak ride or snorkel tour by day—this is the first undersea park in the U.S., after all— before bedding down at one of the park's 47 full-facility camping sites.
FOR BEACH COMBERS: We can bet that you don't spend most of your evenings in the company of sea lions and starfish…but that just might change with a jaunt from San Francisco up to Salt Point State Park in Sonoma County. Spanning rocky coastlines and tide-pool-filled beaches, coastal forests, and 20 miles of hiking trails, this quiet enclave is California coast at its finest. Campers can bed down amidst pine trees in the Woodside Campground, or zip open their tents to ocean views at the Gerstle Cove Campground.
FOR DUNE SURFERS: One of the best campsites for Chicagoans looking to get outta town isn't far—though it is technically across state lines. Following the southernmost curve of Lake Michigan, campers can make a quick trip to the wild Indiana Dunes State Park and National Lakeshore, where some of the best beaches in the U.S. can be found. Just inland, there are 200-foot sand dunes to rival the Sahara; so long as you don't mind sand in your sleeping bags, there are more than 130 places to camp in the vicinity.
Before you unplug and revel in nature, have a laugh. What happens when you send two comedians on a camping Ziptrip? Hijinx and tech snafus, to start… (Your trip will go better, we promise.)
Before you unplug and revel in nature, have a laugh. What happens when you send two comedians on a camping Ziptrip? Hijinx and tech snafus, to start… (Your trip will go better, we promise.)
FOR APPALACHIAN TREKKERS: The Appalachian Trail may sound remote, but for Baltimore residents, it's just a quick trip. Pine Grove Furnace State Park, at the northernmost point of the Blue Ridge Mountains, is where you can pull a Bill Bryson and do some ambling. Peep the park's Appalachian Trail Museum, then settle in at one of the 70 campsites. Bonus: most come with fire pits, bathrooms, and shower facilities.
Image courtesy of Ryan Walker/Flickr
Image courtesy of Ryan Walker/Flickr
FOR HIKING GO-GETTERS: It's hard to believe that the wilds of Shenandoah National Park are only 75 miles from downtown D.C. This sprawling park is a veritable smorgasbord of nature, from Blue Ridge Mountain peaks to dozens of waterfalls, 500 miles of hiking trails to the famous Skyline Drive. When it comes time to tuck in for the night, you can stay in one of the park's four campgrounds…or (with a free permit in hand) go wild with backcountry camping.
FOR VOLCANO ENTHUSIASTS: Snow-and-glacier-capped Mount Rainier is near enough to Seattle to be visible from the city—but for those craving a closer look, there's the White River Campground. One of the best campsites to drive to from downtown, White River is used as a basecamp for mountaineering types looking to scale this Cascade peak. But it's also perfect for those who want to hike Mount Rainier National Park's gentler Wonderland Trail (or simply relax near the campsite's eponymous river).
FOR HISTORY BUFFS: A quick zip from Atlanta, Fort Yargo State Park is perhaps best known for its historic log fort, which was built all the way back in 1792. But that's not the only reason the park is popular with city residents. Urbanites also flock here for kayaking, lake swimming, and paddle boarding. And for those who want to make a night of it, the park offers plenty of camping options, from dozens of casual campsites to camper cabins…even yurts.
Image courtesy of popofatticus/Flickr
Image courtesy of popofatticus/Flickr
FOR SNORKELERS: Campgrounds and coral reefs may not sound like they go together (unless you want to sleep in the seabed). But at John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, a speedy drive from Miami in the Florida Keys, visitors can sign on for a kayak ride or snorkel tour by day—this is the first undersea park in the U.S., after all— before bedding down at one of the park's 47 full-facility camping sites.
FOR BEACH COMBERS: We can bet that you don't spend most of your evenings in the company of sea lions and starfish…but that just might change with a jaunt from San Francisco up to Salt Point State Park in Sonoma County. Spanning rocky coastlines and tide-pool-filled beaches, coastal forests, and 20 miles of hiking trails, this quiet enclave is California coast at its finest. Campers can bed down amidst pine trees in the Woodside Campground, or zip open their tents to ocean views at the Gerstle Cove Campground.
FOR DUNE SURFERS: One of the best campsites for Chicagoans looking to get outta town isn't far—though it is technically across state lines. Following the southernmost curve of Lake Michigan, campers can make a quick trip to the wild Indiana Dunes State Park and National Lakeshore, where some of the best beaches in the U.S. can be found. Just inland, there are 200-foot sand dunes to rival the Sahara; so long as you don't mind sand in your sleeping bags, there are more than 130 places to camp in the vicinity.
Before you unplug and revel in nature, have a laugh. What happens when you send two comedians on a camping Ziptrip? Hijinx and tech snafus, to start… (Your trip will go better, we promise.)
Before you unplug and revel in nature, have a laugh. What happens when you send two comedians on a camping Ziptrip? Hijinx and tech snafus, to start… (Your trip will go better, we promise.)
