The Dyrt, an app that lists campsites, built by the largest RVing and camping community in the U.S., has announced the 2026 Best Places to Camp Near Cities Presented by 57hours, a platform that helps people discover and book outdoor adventures led by expert local guides, according to a press release.
Camping is inherently about the great outdoors and getting away from it all. But people don’t always have the time, opportunities or resources to travel the country or explore too far from home. By some estimates, nearly 100 million people live within 50 miles of the 10 biggest cities in the United States. So The Dyrt has put together a collection of the top campgrounds near the 10 most populous cities in America that people can get to in under an hour.
The criteria for the Best Places to Camp Near Cities is a campground must be highly rated and reviewed by members of The Dyrt Community and within 50 miles of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas or Jacksonville. There are many great options to choose from, but we selected one campground for each metro area.
“The takeaway from Best Places to Camp Near Cities is that no matter where you are in the U.S., you’re never far from a great campground,” says The Dyrt CEO Kevin Long. “Even if you work a 9-to-5 office job downtown in a big city, you can be at the campsite by dinnertime. And the best part is, the campgrounds on this list would be highly rated no matter where they were located. They just also happen to be convenient in proximity for millions and millions of people.”
The campgrounds ranked on the Best Places to Camp Near Cities list are all great for their own reasons, and can hold their own compared to properties on overall Best Places to Camp lists. They’re also very easy to get to for almost a third of the people in this country. Taking that into consideration, make sure you book your campsite early, or use The Dyrt PRO to set up Dyrt Alerts to help you get reservations at sold-out campgrounds.
The Dyrt’s 2026 Best Places to Camp Near Cities Presented by 57hours
- Stella Mare RV Resort — Houston
- Stafford Beach Campground — Cumberland Island National Seashore — Jacksonville
- Usery Mountain Regional Park — Phoenix
- Parsons Landing Campground — Los Angeles
- AMC Harriman Outdoor Center — Harriman State Park — New York
- The Range Vintage Trailer Resort — Dallas
- Fiddlers Cove RV Park — San Diego
- Summit Vacation Resort — San Antonio
- Camp Reinberg — Chicago
- Blackbird State Forest Campground — Philadelphia
Road tripping across the country, trekking up high in the mountains or venturing out into the middle of nowhere are all great ways to camp. But sometimes you just need a quick getaway where you can maximize fun and relaxation and not be stuck behind the wheel for too long.
See photos and read all about the honorees from the Best Places to Camp Near Cities Presented by 57hours. Also, take a look back at Best Places to Camp Near Water, Best Places to Camp For Free, Best Places to Camp: National Park Neighbors and Best Places to Camp With Kids and keep an eye out in the coming weeks and months for more Best Places to Camp awards for those looking for a very specific, once-in-a-lifetime camping adventure.
