The Dyrt has released its 2026 Best Places to Camp Near Cities list, highlighting campgrounds located within 50 miles of the nation’s most populous cities and selected based on ratings and reviews from members of The Dyrt Community.
The annual list, presented by 57hours, focuses on campgrounds that provide access to outdoor recreation for urban residents who may not have the time or resources to travel long distances.
The Dyrt said nearly 100 million people live within 50 miles of the 10 largest U.S. cities, making nearby camping opportunities an important option for quick outdoor getaways.
To qualify for the list, campgrounds had to be highly rated and reviewed by The Dyrt Community and located within 50 miles of New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Antonio, San Diego, Dallas or Jacksonville. The company selected one campground from each metropolitan 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,” The Dyrt CEO Kevin Long said.
“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,” Long added.
The 2026 honorees include Stella Mare RV Resort near Houston; Stafford Beach Campground at Cumberland Island National Seashore near Jacksonville; Usery Mountain Regional Park near Phoenix; Parsons Landing Campground near Los Angeles; AMC Harriman Outdoor Center at Harriman State Park near New York; The Range Vintage Trailer Resort near Dallas; Fiddlers Cove RV Park near San Diego; Summit Vacation Resort near San Antonio; Camp Reinberg near Chicago; and Blackbird State Forest Campground near Philadelphia.
The selected campgrounds also compare favorably with properties featured on its broader Best Places to Camp rankings, while offering shorter travel times for urban campers.
The company encouraged campers planning visits to popular locations to reserve sites early or use Dyrt Alerts through The Dyrt PRO membership to monitor availability at sold-out campgrounds.
The list is part of The Dyrt’s ongoing Best Places to Camp awards series, which has previously recognized campgrounds in categories including 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.
The Dyrt said additional award categories will be released in the coming months.