These six kid-friendly campgrounds and adventure resorts make it easy to access adventure for all ages.
When winter breaks and the weather turns warm, it’s time to dust off the camping gear and plan a trip to the mountains. And with plenty of wide-open public lands, the Blue Ridge region is chock full of great options—though some are more kid-friendly than others. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. From lux glamping to primitive sites in a picturesque forest, these six campgrounds bring amenities and destination-worthy outdoor adventures that offer something for everyone.
WEST VIRGINIA
Ace Adventure Resort, Oak Hill
The award-winning resort occupies a sprawling 1,500-acre property nestled against the border of the New River Gorge National Park & Preserve (NRGNP) about nine miles south of the mountain town of Fayetteville.
Choose from a fleet of more than 75 cabins, RV spots, and campsites that range from group pads of soft crush-and-run gravel stashed beneath rooved gazebos, to nifty hike-in sites tucked away in the forest, to canvas bunkhouses perched on wood decks. Cabin packages vary from cozy studio-style tiny homes to three-bedroom lodges with amenities like full kitchens and jacuzzi tubs. And it’s all arranged around a central complex with three restaurants and bars—each with an ample menu of craft beers, ciders and regional wines—as well as upscale hot water bathhouses, a waterpark on a lake, mud obstacle course, aerial park, and bike shop.
At ACE, adventure options are beyond robust. Visitors can hike or mountain bike on 35 miles of onsite trails or shuttle out to explore recommended routes in the 70,000-acre NRGNP. There’s a full fleet of guided kayaking, float-fishing, and whitewater rafting trips on the New and Gauley rivers. And guests can access guided climbing and rappelling in bouldering areas and on cliffs around the NRGNP. aceraft.com
Blackwater Falls State
Park, Davis
Tucker County and its centerpiece 675-person Eastern Panhandle town of Davis has long held a reputation as a hub for outdoors lovers of all stripes—and 2,456-acre Blackwater Falls State Park is one of the area’s main attractions. It sits about a mile from town and encompasses a namesake eight-mile-long, half-mile-deep gorge with a 60-foot waterfall that’s routinely celebrated as one of the most beautiful in the nation.
Stay options here are plentiful. Take your pick of 65 primitive and RV sites in a high meadow surrounded by lush forests. Thirty-nine nicely equipped, one- to four-bedroom cabins are sprinkled around the park. A mountaintop lodge boasts 50 newly renovated rooms that look more Hilton than state-owned, a heated pool, game room, and an in-house restaurant that dishes up tasty smoked meats paired with a strong selection of craft brews. The latter is lined with windows that look towards vast views of the Blackwater River Gorge and surrounding mountains.
Kids will enjoy exploring the river, a petting zoo, and the beach on Pendleton Lake, which has a stand for paddleboard and kayak rentals. Twenty-four miles of hiking and biking trails wind through the park, with highlights including numerous waterfalls and 3,000-plus-foot overlooks of the gorge. They connect to more than 50 miles of noteworthy MTB routes in the Monongahela National Forest and Canaan Valley Resort State Park. There’s also a connector to the 311-mile Alleghany Mountain Trail, which carries trekkers to rare high-elevation red spruce forests and cranberry bogs. wvstateparks.com/park/blackwater-falls-state-park
VIRGINIA
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resort, Luray
Here you’ll find a fantastic blend of old-school, family-focused outdoor fun and cozy modern amenities spread across 73 acres on the western border of Shenandoah National Park. The facility’s activities are amplified by a beautiful location that’s less than five miles from both historic downtown Luray and the SNP entrance at Thornton Gap.
Large swimming pools, multi-story splash grounds, a water park, and a small lake for paddle-boating provide ample summer entertainment for kids. The smorgasbord of to-dos continues with a laser tag arena, wooded 18-hole minigolf course, outdoor movie theater, inflatable jump pads, ziplining, and gem mining. There’s also an ice cream counter and diner that serves pizzas, burgers, and alcoholic beverages.
Overnight accommodations run the gamut from a collection of nearly 100 cabin rentals that includes basic tiny homes and chic cottages with hardwood floors, loft bedrooms, and full kitchens. More than 200 primitive tent sites and RV spots (with water and electric hookups) are also available. campluray.com
Breaks Interstate Park, Breaks
One of two multistate parks in the nation, Breaks straddles the wildly rural border of far southwest Virginia and eastern Kentucky, and the 4,500-acre gem is the home of the deepest canyon east of the Mississippi River. The five-mile-long crevasse is 1,600 feet at its deepest point and was carved into the Pine Mountain range by the Big Sandy River’s swift-flowing Russel Fork (both tributaries of the Ohio).
Visitors can use 13 miles of hiking trails to explore pristine forests and catch incredible views of the gorge from a plethora of surrounding 3,000-plus-foot peaks and overlooks. An onsite outfitter offers rentals and shuttles for guided or self-guided tubing, kayaking, and whitewater rafting trips. Park staffers lead shuttlebus ecotours with a 100% sighting rate into the nearby Virginia Elk Restoration Zone. And to stay cool in warmer months, 12-acre Laurel Lake centers a swimming complex with a large manmade beach, picnic area, swimming pool, lazy river, and waterslides.
Lodging options include nine cabins with larger models overlooking the lake and split-level cottages cozied away in the woods. Recently renovated Chafin Lodge holds an onsite restaurant and 70 spacious rooms with private balconies that bring sweeping 2,000-foot vistas of the gorge. The wooded campground offers 122 primitive and RV sites situated around three hot water bathhouses and a camp store. breakspark.com
NORTH CAROLINA
Deep Creek Tube Center & Campground, Bryson City
This regionally legendary private campground unfurls along an eponymous creek on the southern border of Great Smoky Mountains National Park about a mile-and-a-half from downtown Bryson City—and it brims with old-school mountain vibes.
Weathered split-rail fences surround a high central meadow with scenic views of the Smokies and Alarka Mountains. There’s a rustic, pioneer-themed complex with a general store, gem mine, fort playground, picnic pavilion, and goat petting area. It’s surrounded by 29 cabins that vary from log homes to tiny houses and timber frame cottages. Fifty-five primitive and RV campsites are nestled into groves of mature trees on the banks of bucolic Deep Creek. A quick drive delivers campers to kid-friendly hikes in the Smokies—like walks to Juney Whank, Tom Branch, and Indian Creek falls.
An onsite outfitter offers all-day shuttles and awesome tubing or kayaking opportunities on the lower creek, Tuckasegee, and Oconaluftee rivers; and MTB lovers should ride at nearby Cherokee’s acclaimed, free-to-the-public Fire Mountain Trails bike park. deepcreekcamping.com
Grandfather Campground, Banner Elk
The resort-style campground’s mix of laidback vibes and natural beauty makes it a fantastic basecamp for family adventure vacays. The 100-acre property backs onto 2,456-acre Grandfather Mountain State Park, overlooks a picturesque span of the upper Watauga River, and sits close to celebrated mountain towns like Banner Elk, Blowing Rock, and Boone.
Use a dozen miles of alpine hiking trails in the state park to catch stunning views from the near-6,000-foot summit of Grandfather Mountain and check out its eponymous 740-acre nature park, which is home to a 228-foot metal suspension bridge with sweeping panoramas from 5,305-foot Linville Peak. A five-mile drive takes MTBers to the lift-served bike park at Sugar Mountain Ski Resort, and High Mountain Expeditions, based in Banner Elk, offers a fleet of whitewater rafting, tubing and kayaking trips on the Watauga River.
The campground sits at the foot of the Grandfather Mountain Range and brings vast views of forested peaks in every direction. It holds around 60 RV sites and 50 primitive tent sites that line grassy meadows surrounded by dense forests along the Watauga and Granny Branch Creek. Thirteen cabins run the gamut from quaint, kid-friendly bunkhouses, to cozy cottages with full kitchens. grandfatherrv.com
Cover photo: Photo courtesy of Getty Images
