Camping in Style

As summer winds down and fall travel plans ramp up, many families will consider a last minute summer camping trip or gear up for fall camping before the weather gets too cold. But many will face some basic, yet important, questions. For example: Can we make this happen without bringing virtually every item in our bedrooms, kitchen, backyard and garage? Do we have to sleep on the ground, or can we simultaneously enjoy the great outdoors and some indoor comforts? And can we go somewhere where we’ll have something to do other than swat mosquitoes or fight with the kids over not having screen time?

There’s no perfect destination that will produce 24/7 familial bliss—because moms, dads and kids all have different interests and are experts at pressing one another’s buttons. But by upgrading your camping experience a little (or a lot) you can enjoy the fun of camping and the comforts of a modern lifestyle all at the same time.

Lucky for us, there are plenty of unique places in the Chesapeake region that offer diverse accommodations, from tree houses in the woods to cottages by the beach, with common creature comforts such as air conditioning and kitchens; traditional outdoor activities from hiking and canoeing to s’more-roasting and star-gazing; notso-traditional amenities, from poolside bars for parents to full-fledged water parks for kids; and of course, the opportunity to make lifelong memories.

Here are five camping resorts that fit the family fun bill.

The Resort at Massey’s Landing Millsboro, Delaware

Massey’s Landing is a luxury campground that offers its guests what are, in my personal experience, the best beach cottages around.

These 24 cottages, three of which are on extra-large “super sites” that include furnished tiki huts, convey a coastal vibe and offer gorgeous views of Rehoboth and Indian River bays.

Each cottage includes every creature comfort that you’d expect from a typical beach rental, including a full kitchen; a full bathroom, A/C, Wi-Fi, flat-screen TVs, a screened in porch, grill, and fire pit. Massey’s also has access to fun perks that you wouldn’t expect, like the Paradise Landing Tiki Bar, a camp store and arcade, washers, and dryers, a private beach and huge pool with a swim-up bar, paddleboard, bike, and golf cart rentals, and free shuttle service to local attractions including Dogfish Head Brewery, golf courses and charter fishing outfits.

If you think your kids could still find a way to proclaim boredom, Massey’s features weeklong kid’s camps on themes like rock n’ roll, dinosaurs, under the sea, and the Wild West.

Massey’s is open the first weekend in April through the first weekend in November. Learn more at masseyslanding.com.

The Treehouse Camp—Maple Tree Campground Rohrersville, Maryland

Western Maryland’s Treehouse Camp is a secluded campground with 12 traditional campsites but also what are likely the most one-of-a-kind glamping accommodations in the state: tree houses.

The Camp offers 18 Tree cottages and houses, all of which are insulated for year-round use. Then there’s the larger FireFly Tree House, which features a large lower deck with covered porch and a small upper covered porch, both of which glow at night thanks to solar-lighted ceilings. Finally, there’s the Hobbit House, a Shireharkening underground structure in which Frodo Baggins would feel right at home (electricity aside) thanks to its enchanted forest mural and thatch covered porch.

The campground has indoor bathrooms, private showers, and a camp shop within a short walk of each tree house. When you’re not hanging out in your tree house or hiking and biking around the property’s 20 wooded acres, the camp offers direct access to Gathland State Park, where you can get on the Appalachian Trail, and is ten minutes or less from Harpers Ferry and Antietam Battlefield, caverns, fishing, swimming and tubing, and raft and canoe outfitters.

The Treehouse Camp is open year-round. Learn more at thetreehousecamp.com.

Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park Camp-Resort Williamsport, Maryland

table, fire ring, and grill.

Tucked into the scenic foothills of Western Maryland, Jellystone Park Williamsport offers a whopping 11 different types of cabins, from cozy and rustic to spacious and modern. There are one- and two-bedroom cabin and cottages, all of which sleep four and include a kitchenette. Boo Boo Bungalows, the newest and most familyfriendly offer a queen bed, bunk bed, futon, full kitchen, bathroom, and lofted hideaway. Larger cabins sleep up to 16 people, perfect for multi-family getaways. Jellystone’s accommodations all have a bathroom, AC (except Camping Cabins), Wi-Fi and cable TV, a picnic

When you’re not relaxing at your cabin, Jellystone provides a host of fun things to do throughout the property, highlighted by Yogi Bear’s Water Zone, which features two 400-foot slides, a 3,200 square-foot pool, and Boot Camp Ninja parkour-style obstacle courses.

Proving that you could spend at least a week at Jellystone and never use your rental golf cart to get to the same activity twice, recreation also includes laser tag, mini golf, an arcade, playgrounds, pedal cars, gem mining, and pony and wagon rides. Jellystone also hosts special events, from luau nights to pets palooza weekend, and is located within a short drive of Harpers Ferry, Gettysburg, and Crystal Grottoes Caverns.

Jellystone is open April 12–December 1. Learn more at jellystonemaryland.com.

Cape Charles/Chesapeake Bay KOA Cape Charles, Virginia

The Cape Charles/Chesapeake Bay KOA is located just north of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Surrounded by a 1,700-acre wildlife refuge, Cape Charles provides its guests a beautiful private beach, endless opportunities to experience nature via hiking or kayaking, and one of the newest glamping options under the sun: RV rentals.

RV rentals feature a full bed, double-over-double bunk bed, and convertible dining area; a fully-equipped kitchen, including cookware and dishware; a full bath with tub and shower; hotel-level amenities including heating and air conditioning, cable TV, Wi-Fi, a Bluetooth stereo system; and, finally, a deck with table and chairs, fire pit, and a charcoal grill.

The resort’s amenities include a beachfront restaurant and bar with live music on weekends; two pools; a fitness center; arcade; bike, golf cart, kayak and SUP rentals; a dog beach and park; and shuttle service to local attractions. Plus it hosts fun themed weekends, from Explore the Shore to Brew N Que.

Cape Charles/Chesapeake Bay KOA is open March 30–October 31. Learn more at koa.com/campgrounds/ chesapeake-bay.

Chincoteague Island KOA Chincoteague, Virginia

Chincoteague Island KOA has plenty of beach cottages, but also offers 13 of what are perhaps the most Instagram-worthy accommodations in the region: safari tents.

Sitting atop an elevated platform with a furnished walk-out porch, these “rustic-chic” canvas tents are luxuriously furnished with two queen beds, a full futon, water and lighting, plus a fire ring outside.

Beyond the tents, on-property attractions include a pool, playground, massive jumping pillow, activity room, shuffleboard, dog park, and canoe/kayak/paddleboard launch. Next to the campground is Maui Jack’s, a full-fledged water park that opened last summer and is the first on the Eastern Shore of Virginia.

The water park is owned by Blue Water Development, which also owns the campground, so Chincoteague guests receive exclusive discounts on passes to Maui Jack’s 620-foot long Lazy River, two 42-foot tall open-air Banzai Racer speed slides, three twisty-turny enclosed slides, North Shore Beach—a play area for the under-48- inch crowd complete with tipping bucket, slides and spray toys. The water park also features rentable cabanas, Keko’s Bar & Grill, restrooms, showers, lockers, and free sunscreen dispensers.

Lastly, because no visit to Chincoteague would be complete without seeing some wild ponies, don’t forget to visit the 14,000-acre Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and the Assateague Island National Seashore, both of which are just minutes from the KOA. As a bonus during this 50th anniversary Apollo 11 moon landing, consider visiting the nearby NASA Wallops Flight Facility Visitors Center, too.

Chincoteague Island KOA is open April 5–October 31. Learn more at koa.com/campgrounds/chincoteague.