4 Best Delaware State Parks To Go Camping

Although Delaware, a Mid-Atlantic U.S. state, may be small in land size, it's big on outdoor and cultural offerings. Since it offers visitors easy access to both the Delaware River and the Atlantic Ocean coastline, this state is the ideal place to spend a few days, weeks, or even months camping during the summer. Delaware's diverse state parks offer many opportunities for you and your family or friends to enjoy the long days and warm nights, whether you seek a relaxing or adventurous experience. Following are four of Delaware's best state parks to go camping.

Cape Henlopen State Park

Located at the mouth of the Delaware Bay, where it meets the Atlantic Ocean, Cape Henlopen State Park is perfect for campers who love to be on the water. Cape Henlopen features a diverse ecosystem with its barrier dunes, coastline and sandy beaches, and maritime forest. Nature lovers can explore native wildlife and plants at either the onsite nature center or by hiking or biking along the park's miles of trails. Visitors are invited to take advantage of all the park offers, including ocean fishing and swimming, clamming, boating, and wind-surfing, among other experiences.

Cape Henlopen State Park's campground offers tent, trailer, and RV campsites, as well as 30-, 50, and 100-amp electric hook-ups as needed. Campers can also enjoy fire rings, a communal bathhouse, picnic tables, and a playground for the children. The campground also has an onsite laundry facility, pull-through sites, and additional dump stations for convenience. 

Delaware Seashore State Park 

Offering six miles of ocean coastline and 20 miles of bay shoreline, the Delaware Seashore State Park gives visitors a well-rounded outdoor recreational experience. The park is situated on the Indian River inlet, which is the connection point of the Indian River, Rehoboth Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean. All of the waterways beckon both anglers and swimmers to take advantage of all they have to offer. Wildlife is abundant, as both the barrier beach and inland bays are nesting grounds for a diverse array of birds ad terrapins. 

Delaware Seashore State Park features two campgrounds for tent, trailer, and RV camping. There is one campground on each side of the Indian River inlet, and some campsites offer electric, water, and sewage hook-ups. The Indian River Marina is available for fishermen who want to test the waters on either the inlet or the ocean side and offers wet slips, fuel docks, and boat storage. Campers are also welcome to swim, boat, or surf and take advantage of the modern bathhouses that feature showers. 

Lums Pond State Park 

Located in the northern region of Delaware, Lums Pond State Park is a diverse nature retreat ideal for a camping adventure. The park offers 17 miles of hiking and biking trails that work their way through a hardwood forest. Visitors can take advantage of Lums Pond either on their own watercraft or one rented from the onsite boathouse. The park also features a nature center, which features live animal exhibits, and a 500-gallon freshwater aquarium filled with native pond fish. Spend some time on the park's Go Ape Treetop Course, which features treetop crossings, rope ladders, a swing, and zip lines. Opportunities to play disc golf, cricket, football, horseback riding, fishing, and tennis are also available.

The park offers a recently renovated campground for visitors who want to stay overnight in a tent, trailer, or RV. Some campsites provide three-point hook-ups with water, electric, and sewer services, while the four-horse campsites have no hook-ups. Yurts, which feature canvas walls, single and bunk beds, double bed-size futons, quaint outdoor seating, and decks, are also available to rent. 

Killens Pond State Park 

Killens Pond State Park offers so many recreational opportunities that you could easily stay a few days or weeks without leaving. The park takes its name from the 66-acre Killens Pond, home to various fish, such as bass, crappie, catfish, and sunfish. If you're not an angler, you can still enjoy the scenic waterway via a canoe, kayak, or pedal boat, all of which are available to rent onsite. Bikers and hikers are invited to view the pond from a new, state-of-the-art elevated boardwalk. Killens Pond State Park is also home to a waterpark that offers main and baby pools, a tot lot, and four slides. 

Bring your tent, trailer, or RV to the park and stay at the year-rounded campground, which is surrounded by woods and wildlife. The campground features electric and water hook-ups and a primitive camping loop that only accommodates tents for a rustic experience. If you'd prefer to stay in an onsite family cabin, they sleep up to four people and have air conditioning, heat, an efficient kitchen, a dining area, and a bathroom with a shower. One deluxe cabin offers stunning pond views. 

No matter what type of camping adventure you're seeking, such as a rustic tent or "glamping" RV experience, you'll find it at a Delaware state park. Most parks are centered around some type of waterway you can explore, and some even offer one-of-a-kind amenities such as waterparks, zip lines, and interpretive nature centers. Stay a day, week, or entire summer and make one of the diverse state parks your home away from home for a while.