If you want to go on vacation anywhere in Texas, then San Antonio is a unique and brilliant place to do it. The city offers a bustling yet laid-back atmosphere, and it may be the most beautiful area of Texas to camp in. If camping tickles your fancy, where are the best places to camp?
Based on the visitor’s rating, the three best areas of San Antonio to camp in are:
- The Rising Sun’s Sherwood Forest Campground
- The San Antonio Kampgrounds of America (KOA)
- Al’s Hideaway
Each destination has something unique to offer as to why it made our list, but first, we need to cover a little more about camping in Texas and San Antonio, in general, to get you started.
Where Can I Set Up a Tent in San Antonio?
According to the city code, you are only able to camp in an area if you own the property, have explicit permission from the person who does own the property, or are on a camping ground. But San Antonio is very well known for its camping sites and hiking trails, and there are plenty to choose from should you want a camping trip. So, the answer to where you should set up a tent in San Antonio is to find a great camping ground, especially one near a beautiful lake with fire rings built-in, and stare at the stars.
Can You Camp Anywhere in Texas?
There are many areas in Texas where you can camp – even for free! Most state parks are have a small charge and encourage camping, provided some etiquette rules are followed. There are also private campgrounds throughout Texas.
However, just because many areas allow you to set up your tent for free doesn’t mean you can pitch anywhere; a good amount of the land in Texas is privately owned, either by individuals or businesses, and you are not allowed to camp there without the property owner’s explicit permission. Some of this land has recently become open to campers through shared service apps like AirBNB and theDyrt so be sure to check those apps (a map view is easy to use) for listings.
The 3 Best Places to Go Camping Near San Antonio
Now that we’ve covered some basic rules about camping in Texas and San Antonio, it’s time to reveal why we have chosen our top picks.
1. The Rising Sun's Sherwood Forest Campground
This private campground is situated at the beautiful Medina Lake in Lake Hills, Texas. These tent pads are simple, but with a gorgeous location, shared park-style grills, and clean porta potties on-site (and the sites themselves having cute names like Robin Hood and Maid Marian), what else could the avid camper want from a campground?
The campground has 5 tent pad sites offered through Airbnb and 3 RV sites also available through Airbnb.
The activities in the Sherwood Forest campground are all about nature! Kayak or fish on Medina Lake (well-stocked with largemouth and striped bass!) or challenge yourself with a little nature hike down to the water from the campground. It’s approximately a quarter of a mile long at 25% grade.
2. San Antonio KOA
The proud winner of Campground of The Year 2015, KOA has room for both RVs and tents – as well as some luxury cabins on-site for booking. If situated on the edge of the lake isn’t what you would personally consider the perfect location, then perhaps KOA, located only 10 minutes from San Antonio, would fit the bill better. With an advertised 4,000 square feet and room for 300 sites, no matter how many you want to bring with you to KOA, it can provide!
KOA offers all kinds of activities for its campers, including:
- A pool that is open all year round
- Fishing
- Bike and pedal cart rentals for the on-land nature trails and a kayak for the river trails
- A large pavilion
- A snack bar
- Propane and firewood are for sale if you’d prefer to cook the snacks yourself!
That is not even to mention the official recreation events that the site offers campers, such as their official movie nights.
Their 40-acre gated park has 10 deluxe cabins and over 20 rustic cabins for rent but, if you find your entertainment outside the camping ground, that’s no problem either; there is a city bus that stops right outside the park entrance. So if you want to experience the city nearby, there is no need to hop in your car and worry about parking!
3. Al's Hideaway
What if your goal is to get away from city life? Then Al’s Hideaway is our recommendation – located in the countryside on 20 acres of quiet private land, it is the perfect place to enjoy a little peace away from the city. There are:
- 12 cabins that can be rented
- 10 RV spots complete with full hook-ups
- 10 primitive campsites
- Rentable self-contained areas
Al’s Hideaway even boasts a gorgeous private wedding ground available for rent, just in case you imagined your special day happening out in the beautiful countryside.
There are even activities on site such as hiking, swimming, horseshoe pits, cornhole, and stargazing – and that’s not even to mention all that is going on off-site.
Off-site, there are many amazing places to visit nearby, including wineries and breweries, shopping, museums and theme parks, cave tours, hunting, and horseback riding. Al’s Hideaway boasts a location that is perfectly nestled in the countryside.
This family-owned and operated resort is just 15 minutes to Boerne, Bandera, John T. Floore’s, and Medina Lake, as well as 45 minutes to Sea World and Six Flags.
Final Thoughts on Camping Near San Antonio
San Antonio is a place proud of its camping sites and hiking trails. You can easily see why; it is a gorgeous area with still lakes, a clear star line, and masses of quiet countryside alongside one of the unique cultures in America. The best part is that all of these campgrounds are both tent and RV-friendly, depending on your preference and comfort leve. It is well worth the opportunity to go if you can, and we recommend bringing your camping gear if you get the chance to experience it!
