Last summer, I took my friend’s kids on their first camping trip, and watching their faces light up as they roasted marshmallows under the stars reminded me why outdoor adventures are so special.
As someone who’s camped everywhere from the dense forests of the Pacific Northwest to the open deserts of Arizona, I’ve learned that camping with children isn’t just about picking a nice spot – it’s about creating memories that stick with them forever.
Whether you’re a seasoned camper or just starting to think about taking your little ones into the great outdoors, planning a family camping trip can feel overwhelming. From choosing kid-friendly locations to packing the right gear and planning activities that keep young minds engaged, there’s quite a bit to consider.
To help make your family camping adventure a success, I’ve gathered recommendations from experienced outdoor parents and combined them with lessons from my own camping experiences. Here are the best camping trips that will have your kids begging to go back to nature again and again.
Yosemite National Park, California, USA
Families have been camping in Yosemite National Park since the early 1900s, and it remains one of California’s most cherished outdoor destinations. Nestled in the heart of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Yosemite spans nearly 1,200 square miles of wilderness dotted with giant sequoia trees and marked by the iconic Half Dome and El Capitan rock formations. The park’s 13 campgrounds offer different experiences, from the family-friendly Upper Pines near Yosemite Valley to the more secluded Tuolumne Meadows at higher elevation. Kids can join the Junior Ranger program while parents take in the sights of Yosemite Falls, and the whole family can spot black bears and mule deer from safe distances along the park’s numerous hiking trails.
Lake District National Park, UK
Pack up your camping gear and head to England’s Lake District National Park, where rolling hills and clear lakes create the perfect outdoor classroom for kids. Families can pitch tents at one of the many lakeside campsites, where children can try their hand at activities like rowing, swimming, and hiking gentle trails suitable for little legs. Make your way to Grizedale Forest to spot wooden sculptures hidden among the trees, or visit the World of Beatrix Potter to bring her famous stories to life. When evening comes, gather around the campfire to roast marshmallows while watching the sun set behind the fells – it’s an experience that will have your kids begging to come back next summer.
Acadia National Park, Maine, USA
Perched along Maine’s rugged Atlantic coast, Acadia National Park offers families a perfect mix of mountain and ocean adventures. The park stretches across Mount Desert Island, where hiking trails wind through pine forests and along rocky shorelines that kids love to explore. Unlike many national parks out west, here you can start your morning watching the sunrise from Cadillac Mountain, spend the afternoon splashing in the chilly waters of Sand Beach, and end your day roasting marshmallows under a blanket of stars. The park’s unique carriage roads, built by John D. Rockefeller Jr., provide safe, car-free paths for family bike rides and walks, while the tide pools at low tide become natural aquariums filled with hermit crabs and starfish that keep children entertained for hours.
Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
When families ask me about camping in Canada, I always recommend Banff National Park. Located in the heart of the Canadian Rockies, this vast wilderness playground offers well-maintained campgrounds surrounded by snow-capped peaks, crystal-clear lakes, and dense pine forests. Kids can spot wildlife like elk and bighorn sheep right from their tent, hike gentle trails to hidden waterfalls, or take a dip in the park’s natural hot springs after a day of adventure.
Lake Garda, Italy
Lake Garda draws families to northern Italy for its perfect mix of beach fun and mountain adventures, making it an ideal spot for camping with kids. The lake’s clear waters offer plenty of opportunities for swimming, kayaking, and paddleboarding, while the surrounding mountains create a natural playground for hiking and biking. The nearby towns of Riva del Garda and Malcesine provide easy access to gelato shops, family-friendly restaurants, and local markets where kids can sample Italian treats. Whether you’re setting up camp in one of the lakeside facilities or exploring the medieval castles that dot the shoreline, Lake Garda keeps families entertained with its blend of outdoor activities and cultural experiences.
Black Forest, Germany
The Black Forest region of Germany draws families seeking both outdoor adventure and fairytale charm, with its dense woods and traditional villages straight out of a Brothers Grimm story. The area offers numerous campgrounds nestled among towering pine trees, where kids can explore nature trails, spot local wildlife, and gather pinecones for crafts. Parents appreciate the well-maintained facilities and easy access to nearby towns like Baden-Baden and Freiburg, where you can stock up on camping supplies or grab a slice of the region’s famous Black Forest cake. While summer brings perfect conditions for hiking and swimming in forest lakes, the shoulder seasons offer unique experiences like mushroom foraging in fall or spotting animal tracks in spring.
Zion National Park, Utah, USA
Ever wonder what it’s like to walk between towering red cliffs that seem to touch the sky? At Zion National Park in Utah, your kids can do just that while splashing through the famous Narrows – a giant natural hallway carved by the Virgin River. Just a few hours from Las Vegas, this park feels like stepping into another world, where families can spot bighorn sheep scaling impossible heights and watch rock climbers tackle massive sandstone walls. The Watchman Campground sits right at the heart of it all, offering spacious sites beneath cottonwood trees and easy access to junior ranger programs that’ll keep your little ones busy identifying animal tracks and learning about desert plants.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee, USA
Straddling the border of Tennessee and North Carolina, Great Smoky Mountains National Park offers families a perfect introduction to camping in the wilderness. Like many national parks, it has well-maintained campsites and ranger programs, but what sets it apart is how naturally it caters to kids of all ages. Just watch your little ones’ eyes light up as they spot black bears from a safe distance or chase fireflies in the summer evening, and you’ll see what I mean. Because of its location in the Appalachian Mountains, the park experiences all four seasons distinctly, and you’ll find endless hiking trails that wind past waterfalls, through old-growth forests, and alongside bubbling mountain streams that your kids will love splashing in.
Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, USA
Many families come to Yellowstone National Park for Old Faithful, the famous geyser that erupts like clockwork, but the park offers so much more for outdoor adventures with kids. The sprawling landscape features bubbling hot springs, roaming buffalo herds, and rainbow-colored hot pools that seem almost too strange to be real. In summer, the park’s campgrounds fill with families eager to spot wildlife, hike through pine forests, and watch the natural steam shows. While the peak season draws the biggest crowds, each season brings its own magic – from spring elk calves to winter wolf watching – making Yellowstone a year-round destination for camping with kids who love nature and science.
Lake Superior Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada
Stretching along the northeastern shores of Lake Superior, Lake Superior Provincial Park offers families a genuine Canadian wilderness experience just a few hours north of Toronto. Like many provincial parks in Ontario, you’ll find well-maintained campsites and hiking trails here. But what sets this park apart is its mix of rugged coastline and dense forest, where kids can discover ancient Indigenous pictographs painted on cliffsides and watch moose wade through shallow streams. Because of its location far from major cities, the park has some of the darkest night skies in Ontario, making it perfect for teaching little ones about constellations. You’ll spot families huddled around campfires, telling stories while keeping an eye out for the Northern Lights that often dance across the sky here.
New Forest National Park, UK
Tucked away in southern England, the New Forest National Park has been my go-to spot for family camping adventures. This ancient woodland, dating back to William the Conqueror’s time, offers the rare chance to pitch your tent among wild ponies and roaming cattle that freely wander the landscape. Unlike most national parks, the New Forest isn’t just about hiking trails – it’s a living, working forest where animals and humans have coexisted for centuries. Kids can spend their days cycling on gentle paths, tracking animal footprints, or joining ranger-led activities to learn about the forest’s unique ecosystem. It’s not the most remote camping experience you’ll find, but that’s exactly what makes it perfect for families – you’re never too far from civilization while still feeling completely immersed in nature.
Big Sur, California, USA
The rugged coastline of Big Sur has been our family’s go-to camping destination since 2015. Located along California’s central coast, Big Sur stretches across 90 miles of pristine Pacific shoreline between Carmel and San Simeon. Towering redwoods and hidden coves make up most of the landscape here, along with several family-friendly campgrounds nestled within Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. The area’s rocky beaches and gentle hiking trails offer perfect spots for tide pooling and wildlife watching, while the clear night skies put on an unforgettable stargazing show that blurs the line between earth and space.
Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada
Let your kids experience true Canadian wilderness when you camp on Vancouver Island, where dense forests meet the Pacific Ocean. There are over 100 provincial parks and campgrounds to choose from, including family favorites like Rathtrevor Beach Provincial Park with its warm, shallow waters perfect for swimming. Watch your children’s eyes light up as they spot orcas breaching offshore, or take them on gentle hiking trails to search for Roosevelt elk and black bears. For a more comfortable camping experience, book one of the yurts at Strathcona Provincial Park, where you can spend evenings roasting marshmallows and telling stories under towering Douglas fir trees.
Abel Tasman National Park, New Zealand
Explore one of New Zealand’s most beautiful coastal areas at Abel Tasman National Park, where family camping meets seaside adventure. The park’s sheltered beaches and clear waters make it perfect for kids to splash around, while the well-maintained hiking trails offer easy walks through native forest. Set up camp at one of the beachfront sites where you can wake up to the sound of waves and spot fur seals lounging on rocky outcrops. The shallow waters are ideal for kayaking with little ones, and at low tide, you can walk across the sand bars to tiny islands. It’s a great place to introduce children to activities like snorkeling, hiking, and wildlife spotting, all while enjoying the comfort of New Zealand’s mild climate.
Kruger National Park, South Africa
Experience the wild side of family camping at Kruger National Park, South Africa’s premier safari destination. Kids will be amazed as elephants, lions, and giraffes roam freely past their tent, making every moment feel like a scene from their favorite nature documentary. The park offers several family-friendly camping areas with modern amenities, including swimming pools and protected cooking spots. For a more comfortable experience, book one of the permanent safari tents at rest camps like Satara or Skukuza, where you can enjoy guided game drives and evening storytelling around the campfire.
Lake Powell, Arizona, USA
Lake Powell is where memories of splashing in turquoise waters and camping under star-filled skies become part of your family story. This massive reservoir on the Colorado River, stretching across the Arizona-Utah border, offers families a perfect mix of water adventures and desert exploration. Kids can spend their days swimming in hidden coves, learning to wakeboard, or hunting for lizards among the red rock formations. It’s a place where you can rent a houseboat to create your floating basecamp, or stick to traditional camping spots along the 2,000 miles of shoreline. Getting here takes some planning – the desert climate can be intense – but the payoff of watching your children’s eyes light up at their first sight of towering sandstone walls reflecting in crystal-clear waters makes it all worthwhile.
Brittany Coast, France
The rugged coastline of Brittany holds a special place in my heart, especially for family camping adventures. This northwestern corner of France offers a perfect mix of sandy beaches, rocky coves, and peaceful campgrounds where kids can spend their days exploring tidal pools and building sandcastles. The landscape changes dramatically with the tides, turning the beach into a natural playground twice daily. It’s not your typical French holiday – you won’t find crowded resorts or fancy restaurants here – but families who make the journey discover a simpler way of vacation life, where morning walks to get fresh baguettes and afternoon swims in the Atlantic become cherished routines.
Olympic National Park, Washington, USA
Located three hours west of Seattle, Olympic National Park offers families a chance to experience three distinct ecosystems in one incredible place. Kids can explore misty rainforests draped in moss, wander along wild Pacific beaches dotted with tide pools, or hike through mountain meadows where Roosevelt elk roam free. The park’s numerous campgrounds cater to different comfort levels – from basic spots near Lake Crescent to more developed sites at Kalaloch, where the sound of crashing waves lulls everyone to sleep. Because of its unique geography and varied landscapes, the park feels like several family vacations rolled into one. You’ll find Native American heritage sites, ranger programs designed for young explorers, and some of the clearest night skies in the Pacific Northwest.
Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada
Ever seen a moose munch on water lilies while you paddle past in a canoe? It’s a regular occurrence in Algonquin Provincial Park, just a three-hour drive north of Toronto, where dense forests meet crystal-clear lakes. A paradise for family camping adventures, this is one of Canada’s best spots to spot wildlife like beavers, black bears, and over 250 bird species year-round. You can also teach the kids to paddle on calm lakes, hike through maple forests bursting with fall colors, or gather around the campfire at one of the park’s family-friendly campgrounds that dot the shoreline.
Cairngorms National Park, Scotland
I first visited Cairngorms National Park with my kids during a camping trip through Scotland in 2019. As the largest national park in the British Isles, Cairngorms spreads across the eastern Highlands with ancient pine forests and rolling hills as far as the eye can see. Small highland villages dot the landscape here, alongside herds of wild reindeer that roam freely through the heather-covered slopes. The park’s family-friendly campgrounds nestle among the trees, offering easy access to gentle hiking trails and crystal-clear streams where kids can spot salmon leaping upstream. The night sky here is remarkably dark, making it perfect for teaching little ones about constellations while toasting marshmallows around the campfire.