7 Scenic RV Parks Where You Can Book Your Next Vacation

Discover RV campgrounds with amenities and attractions to enhance your trip

a man relaxing in a chair outside of an RV

You can park, sit back and relax at these RV parks with on-site fun and memorable views.

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Terry Ward,

AARP

En español

Published June 06, 2024

Sometimes the joy is in the journey. Some 56 percent of Gen Xers and 31 percent of boomers surveyed in a 2024 RV travel trends report said they plan to hit the road in an RV this year, according to RVshare, which bills itself as the largest RV rental site in the United States.

Other times it’s just as much fun being there. And when you stay in an RV at one of the country’s most beautiful RV parks, with tons of on-site fun and memorable views — lakes, mountains, ocean, rivers — you might be tempted to simply shift into park and not go anywhere else during your vacation.

RV rental companies like Outdoorsy, RVshare and RVPlusYou can take the driving and towing out of the logistics of an RV vacation by delivering the rental to you. Ask the RV owner if they will handle setting up the vehicle after they deliver it and if they can walk you through such tasks as connecting hoses and cables to sewer and electricity.

There are a variety of locations around the country for trying out an RV vacation. RV parks differ from campgrounds in that they usually have pull-through sites offering easier access for bigger rigs as well as paved or gravel sites, even driveways, for straightforward parking. RV parks usually offer some combination of water, electric and sewer hookups (or, preferably, all of them), cable TV connections, and other amenities such as showers and laundry facilities on hand. Some have on-site dumping stations too.

Keep in mind that not all RV sites offer all amenities. You’ll want to do your research before booking to ensure your comfort needs will be met by the site you’ve selected before you roll up.

When it comes to the top places in the U.S. to try an RV stay, your options are vast. Consider these seven spectacular spots to settle in for an RV vacation.

No paved sites? No problem. At Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo, the sites can accommodate RVs up to 50 feet long.

Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo

Westgate River Ranch Resort & Rodeo, River Ranch, Florida

While there are no paved sites at this RV park on a real Florida dude ranch about 80 miles south of Orlando, you can count on lots of shady spots amid the wilderness at Westgate River Ranch. The sites can accommodate RVs up to 50 feet long and have partial hookups, so there’s electricity and water but no sewer (there is, however, an on-site dumping station). Bathroom facilities with hot showers are just a short stroll away. The ranch’s Rodeo Arena hosts a weekly Saturday Night Rodeo, where some of Florida’s best rodeo athletes compete in barrel racing, bull riding and more. Among the many ranch activities are horseback riding, airboat and swamp buggy rides along the Kissimmee River and the surrounding wilderness, mini golf and a petting farm. RV sites start at $59 per night.

Misty Mountain Camp Resort, Greenwood, Virginia

For a vacation near the wineries and rolling foothills of Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains, plan your stay at this lovely RV park west of Charlottesville. The Misty Mountain Camp Resort sprawls across 50 acres and has RV sites with gravel pull-through and back-in parking pads, electricity and water, and your own picnic table and fire rings, so you can enjoy the outdoor camp life too. There are laundry facilities and hot showers on-site as well. The entertainment comes to you on summer and fall weekends, when live bands and local food trucks set up on-site. Other amenities include a jump pad and playgrounds for kids, a fishing pond stocked with bluegill and bass, basketball and volleyball courts, and even cornhole and horseshoes. Rates start at $56 per night.

Sea Ranch Resort, Cannon Beach, Oregon

For great hiking and spectacular coastal views, there’s nothing quite like vacationing along the thickly forested Pacific Coast. At Sea Ranch Resort, you can settle in for an RV stay that’s within easy reach of some of the West Coast’s most beautiful nature. All sites here have electricity and water, and some have sewage hookups too. The resort is just a few blocks from the ocean and downtown Cannon Beach in an area of incredible wilderness where elk sometimes pass through. Among the amenities are fire rings with grill tops, laundry and hot showers, and a sauna facility that costs $35 per person to use for up to two hours. RV sites with full hookups start at $90 per night.

The campground at Indiana Dunes State Park is set along Lake Michigan.

Indiana Dunes State Park

Indiana Dunes State Park, Chesterton, Indiana

The campground at Indiana Dunes State Park (not to be confused with the nearby national park with a similar name) offers RVers the chance to experience some of the Midwest’s most spellbinding scenery. Set along Lake Michigan, the park sprawls across more than 2,100 acres and has more than 3 miles of pristine beachfront that’s particularly popular (and busy) during the summer months. You can stock up on groceries in Chesterton, just outside the park gate, or in Michigan City, less than 8 miles away. There are 134 sites with full electrical hookups, along with up-to-date restrooms and shower facilities. RV sites are roughly $23 per night.

Grand Marais Recreation Area, Grand Marais, Minnesota

Grand Marais Recreation Area puts you within walking distance of the quaint harbor town of Grand Marais, bike trails and Lake Superior’s pretty (if chilly) cobblestone beaches. It’s the perfect spot for an RV vacation, with sites that have full hookups (electric, sewer and water), picnic tables and dedicated spaces for building a fire to keep warm while enjoying the scenery outside on brisk evenings. While you can camp here year-round, the park’s bathhouses are open only from May to mid-October — the busiest months of the year. RV sites start at around $50 per night in peak season.

At Camp Eddy, RV travelers can stay right next to Las Colonias Park along the banks of the Colorado River. Airstreams and tiny homes also are available.

Visit Grand Junction

Camp Eddy, Grand Junction, Colorado

Airstreams and tiny homes are among the options for a stay at Camp Eddy. For RV travelers, few places could be more welcoming than this great campground, where you can stay alongside the scenic green space of Las Colonias Park and right on the banks of the Colorado River. A paved walking path from the campground leads to the park’s amphitheater, where bands sometimes perform. And you can follow bike paths into town to explore downtown Grand Junction’s restaurants, breweries and bars. The Palisade wineries of Colorado’s wine country are just a 20-minute drive away. RV sites have pull-through and back-in options with full hookups as well as access to laundry and hot showers. And you can sit for a drink around a firepit at The Hub, the campground’s riverside patio. RV sites start at $50 per night.

On the Lake RV Resort, Onalaska, Texas

Less than 90 miles north of Houston, on the shores of Lake Livingston, the On the Lake RV Resort offers both waterfront and woodsy RV sites, depending on the backdrop you prefer in this piece of nature in East Texas’ picturesque Piney Woods region. Keen anglers love the onsite marina and direct access to the lake’s catfish and bass fishing as well as the camp’s fish-cleaning station. Families come year-round for lakeside recreation, which includes a pool and hot tub, playground, volleyball court and private beach. RV sites have full hookups and picnic tables as well as access to laundry and restroom facilities with hot showers. The winter and spring months, when temperatures are at their mildest, are particularly inviting. Winter RV rates start at $49 per night.