Recreational vehicle trips can be the most fun in a home away from home that your group can have! Many people tend to overlook the idea of RV traveling in groups, usually sticking to family and close friends. This list features the best RV campgrounds across the nation that are great at providing tons of fun activities and RV amenities perfect for a group of people. RV trips don’t have to be an intimate weekend away (though they are still wonderful for that), they can provide the vacation of a lifetime for your travel group if you head to the right spot!
Horse Thief Campground and RV Resort -
One of the best RV destinations in the nation is arguably the Horse Thief Campground and RV Resort in the Black Hills of South Dakota. This destination is a very popular family and group vacation destination, having a central location that conveniently gives easy access to famous natural landmarks and parks such as Custer State Park, Needles Highway, Sylvan Lake, Crazy Horse Monument, the Badlands, and Mt. Rushmore. Plus, the views around here are unbelievable! This family-owned and operated RV resort provide a coin laundry, bathhouse, playground, basketball court, and wireless internet. Hikers, bikers, climbers, fishers, motorcyclist, photographers, artists, and history buffs alike find haven at Horse Thief, and with those views paired with the heated swimming pool on the campsite, who can blame them?
RV Protip #1: Equip your group with an RV specific route on your GPS, sometimes getting to these spots in your home away from home isn’t as easy as it should be!
Crater Lake National Park -
Crater Lake National Park in Oregon provides its visitors with two different great RV grounds, plus the opportunity to do some backcountry camping, a great option for large groups! At the Mazama grounds, there are 200 forested sites, each with water, toilets, and fire rings. Lost Creek grounds only have 16 but are a mere 3 miles from the lake versus the Mazama 7. From either campground your group can get to Wizard Island and Watchmen Overlook, great places to view the gorgeous scenic vista, hike, bike, boat, swim, fish, or stroll around. You can head over to Rim Village Cafe and Gifts or the Mazama Store on-site for quick needs or take a convenient trolley into town daily for larger needs. Winters here are rough, with up to 44 feet of snow each season, so plan accordingly and make sure you stay here in the peak times of May through October.
Fort Wilderness -
This next destination is the perfect RV paradise for a group with young kids or even older kids at heart. Here at Fort Wilderness in Florida, your group will encounter a true Disney backcountry retreat. This destination allows you to camp amid the magic of the great outdoors, the campground evoking the timeless beauty of the American frontier. The charming woodland trails, pristine beach, and special pool areas are chock-full of fun activities such as archery, horseback riding, canoeing, swimming, and even a large corkscrew waterslide. There is even a whirlpool spa for the adults who need a moment away from the kids. Each site is equipped with the privacy-enhancing landscape, cable and electric, a charcoal grill, water, and are pet-friendly. The surrounding 750 acres of pine and cypress forest are full of deer, rabbits, ducks, and armadillos, really allowing your group to enjoy nature to its fullest!
RV Protip #2: Take advantage of bike rentals to take it all in at your RV destination, it’s an easy way to see it all or get to town without packing up the car!
Colonial Williamsburg -
This next stop at the American Heritage RV Park in Colonial Williamsburg, Virginia, brings American history to life right before your group's eyes! Within Virginia’s beautiful historic triangle, this park of 70 acres of lush green meadows and woodlands serves as the birth spot of our nation. This park is only 8 miles from Williamsburg and provides great access to Jamestown, Yorktown, Water Country, and even Busch Gardens. Head over to the King’s Arms Tavern and walk-in Washington’s footsteps as you grab a bite to eat, or explore the 9 golf courses, pool, trails, lending library, basketball court, volleyball court, horseshoe pit, game room, or the largest inflatable Hippo Slide. The recreation opportunities here are practically endless! Discover the historic and now entertainment-filled 3,000 square foot clubhouse on-site, or just sit back and enjoy the scenery, from the beautiful spring blossoms to the vibrant fall foliage.
Columbia River RV Park -
Another popular group RV destination back in Oregon, Portland to be exact, is here at the Columbia River RV Park. This destination is located within a city scene, oftentimes deterring travelers, but the opportunities to get to the Columbia River Gorge in a short time make it worthy of our list. The Good Sam sites are paved with hookups and allow pets, located near local marinas and restaurants. The Edgewater Golf Course is nearby, as well as the Cascade Shopping Center. The sites are provided with WiFi, Direct TV, and laundry, as well as a close-by RV and vehicle repair center (because you never know what’s going to happen). At the River Gorge your group can boat, swim, bike, hike, fish, and ski seasonally. A longer day trip will give your group access to Mt. St. Helen's, Mt. Hood, and the coasts of both Oregon and Washington, the site being in close proximity to Vancouver, Washington, as well.
Camp Gulf -
This destination is a must stay for groups and families who love sun, sand, and surf. Here at Camp Gulf, in the Florida panhandle, your group will be able to stay right in the sand, just steps away from the ocean! At Destin, there are beaches, fishing, boating, shopping, dining, and golfing all within your reach. Your group can choose spots from the close beachfront RV spot to the shaded upper park spot, each with different rules and amenities. The sugar-white gulf beach is provided with water and electricity only, as well as an optional honey wagon service. Here you may rent a beach cart, golf cart, yolo board, segway, or pedal cart as you decide whether you're going to spend your day with your group in the 2 solar-heated pools, shuffleboard or basketball courts, billiard room, or snuggled up on the beach!
RV Protip #3: Take advantage of Walmart parking lots if it’s getting late and your driver is getting tired. These lots are free and close to supplies you may need before arriving at your destination.
Rivers Edge Campground -
This is one of the more unconventional sites on our list, but if you can make it out here the trip will be well worth it! Rivers Edge Campground, in Fairbanks, Alaska, sits on the banks of the lazy Chena River and will give your group a whole new perspective on camping. This unique experience is full of birch trees, midnight sun-grown flowers and the pure natural beauty of Alaska in every direction. Rivers Edge is Alaska’s premier camping park, with 170 sites providing WiFi, showers, cable, laundry, a gift shop, and an RV/car wash. Pets are allowed and it is within easy walking distance of breakfast favorite Miner’s Hall or lunchtime Chena's Alaskan Grille. This is a Good Sam park and also features fun classic car shows every Wednesday, making this one exciting and beautiful group travel spot!
High Sierra Yosemite RV Park -
High Sierra RV and Mobile Park in Oakhurst, California, is one of the top-rated Yosemite RV parks that your group is sure to fall in love with. This RV park is only a 3-minute drive from Yosemite National Park and sits directly on the banks of the beautiful Fresno River. This site provides your group with a gorgeous mountain setting, complete with a private swimming hole and two waterfalls. The surrounding soaring oak and pine trees provide the perfect backdrop as you enjoy the electric, water, cable, WiFi, and close proximity to service at your campgrounds. This serene environment will give your group the options to fish, take a dip in the lake, or watch the falls all day. You can even quickly get to the Half Dome, El Capitan, Bridal Veil Falls, and the breathtaking Mariposa Grove full of those famous giant sequoias!
RV Protip #4: Be sure to run your RV a few minutes daily while you’re camping, this keeps the battery full of juice and prevents many engine errors that may occur after a long stay.
