Camping at the New Jersey Shore

The Jersey Shore is home to some great campsites for people looking to get away from it all for a few days. 

Here is some helpful information for camping along the Jersey Shore:

The most important thing you can do when preparing for a camping trip around the Jersey Shore is to research the many campsites.  All of them offer different services, and with a little research you will certainly be able to find one that meets your needs and can provide you with your perfect camping trip.

Some especially useful tools in researching a campsite are online reviews from people who have stayed there.  These reviews can often provide a great deal of information that would be difficult to obtain in any other way, including:  the cleanliness level of the campsite is like, whether the staff are friendly, whether the prices are reasonable, the condition of the camp store and more. 

Most of the campsites around the shore are open for business from the beginning of April until the end of October.  Some campsites are open slightly earlier or slightly later in the season, so if you are planning an early or late season camping trip, check with the campsite beforehand for the dates.

The Jersey Shore has camping facilities of all different sizes, ranging from 90 sites up to over 400.  Because there will be fewer people, and therefore less traffic in a smaller campsite, they will usually be quieter than larger campsites.

When planning your trip, try to arrive at the campsite during the week, and in advance of any major holidays.  Many campsites will fill up quickly on weekends, and many of the best spots will already be taken if you plan to arrive on a Saturday.

The Jersey Shore offers campsites that cater both to campers looking to “rough it” for a few days in the tent, and RV owners looking to get out of the city for a couple of days, but also enjoy many of the comforts of home.

Some campsites are more rustic than others: some sites offer minimal services and activities, while others border on full fledged resorts that offer such services as: heated pools, hot tubs, spas, tennis courts, banquet halls and more.

Anyone who has camped in a tent knows that the walls are pretty thin, and, if you are too close to the next site, you can hear everything going on and vice versa.  Tenting campers who wish to have a little more privacy, should try to find a campsite that has fully treed tent sites, the larger the better.

If you are taking the family out for a camping weekend, it is usually best to find a family friendly campsite.  These campsites will not only often have more for the kids to do, but they will usually be much quieter, particularly after dark, so you can more easily put the little ones to bed.

Not all services are available at all RV sites, so when researching, ensure that the facility has all of the services that you need.  If you are going to be desperate to check your email while at the site, you will need to ensure that your site can offer modem friendly phone lines, for example.

Most Jersey Shore RV sites also have a maximum allowed length for your vehicle.  Ensure beforehand that your site can accommodate your vehicle.  Most of the sites on the Jersey shore can accommodate RVs that are 40 feet and less, but if you have a large RV you should call ahead to confirm.

If you don’t own an RV, and tenting isn’t your thing, some sites offer one or two room cabin rentals.  The size of the cabin, the services available, and the price all vary depending on the site.

All of the Jersey Shore campsites offer plenty of opportunities to have fun.  If you are a camper who prefers to entertain yourself, look for a campsite near a lake or a beach where you can do some swimming or sun bathing.  Fishing, biking and hiking are other activities available at many of the Jersey Shore campsites.

Many sites also offer planned activities for guests who are looking for something to do in a more social environment.  These activities can include arts and crafts, organized sports and more.   This can be an excellent service for parents looking to entertain the kids for a few hours in a supervised environment.

Try to bring as much of your food with you as you can.  Most campsites have a camp store, but they will typically be more expensive than their counterparts in the city.

Camping on the Jersey Shore can be a great experience for all.  With a little planning you can ensure a fun camping experience that exceeds your expectations.