Ottawa is ringed by campgrounds within about an hour's drive, from Ontario Parks properties on the Rideau and Ottawa Rivers to long-running family-owned parks in the countryside. This list was put together from Ontario Parks' own camping pages, campground operator websites, and reviews on Tripadvisor and RV LIFE Campground Reviews.
1. Fitzroy Provincial Park
Area: Fitzroy Harbour, northwest of Ottawa along the Ottawa and Carp Rivers · Specialty: 235 campsites across two campgrounds (Pine Grove and Two Rivers), 107 with electrical service
Fitzroy sits where the Carp River meets the Ottawa River, and its two campgrounds offer a mix of waterfront and treed sites with room for trailers. It suits families who want swimming, hiking, and paddling close to the sites, plus a children's play area and central comfort stations with laundry. The park season runs May 8 to October 25, 2026, with reservations through Ontario Parks.
2. Rideau River Provincial Park
Area: Manotick area, on the Rideau River south of Ottawa · Specialty: Nearly 200 level, treed campsites plus rustic cabins and prospector tents
Rideau River has two beaches, including a main beach right at the start of the camping area, and six group sites that can hold up to 125 people. It's a good fit for campers who want beach access without leaving the immediate Ottawa area, or who'd rather rent one of the park's cabins or canvas tents than pitch their own. The 2026 season runs May 8 to October 13.
3. Murphys Point Provincial Park
Area: South of Perth, on Big Rideau Lake · Specialty: Four campground areas (Hogg Bay, Ash Hill, Hardwood, Fallows) plus backcountry, cottage, glamping tent, and yurt options
Murphys Point spreads across 1,239 hectares and offers the widest range of camping styles on this list, from electrical pull-through sites for big trailers to non-electrical tent loops to water-access backcountry sites for paddlers. A park store, visitor centre, and comfort stations with showers and laundry are all a short walk from most sites, making it a solid choice for a longer multi-day stay outside the city.
4. Wesley Clover Parks Campground
Area: 411 Corkstown Road, within the National Capital Greenbelt, about 20 minutes from downtown Ottawa · Rating: 7.9 of 10 on RV LIFE (81 reviews)
The closest campground of its kind to downtown Ottawa, Wesley Clover Parks runs 50, 30, and 15 amp sites alongside unserviced tent sites and cedar cabins for glamping. Reviewers consistently describe large, private sites and helpful staff, though some have flagged tired shower facilities. It suits campers who want to be able to drive into the city for the day and back to a site by evening.
5. Sleepy Cedars Family Camping
Area: Kars, south of Ottawa · Rating: 8.6 of 10 on RV LIFE
Sleepy Cedars is built around family activities, with a saltwater pool, mini-golf, and playgrounds alongside clean, level, treed sites. Reviewers repeatedly praise the attentive, hands-on owners, though a handful mention crowded spacing and an occasionally clunky booking process. It's best suited to families booking a multi-night stay who want on-site activities rather than a quiet backcountry feel.
6. Ottawa's Poplar Grove Campground/RV Park
Area: 6154 Bank Street, Greely, on Ottawa's rural south end · Specialty: Full-service RV and treed tent sites, indoor heated pool, pickleball and mini-golf · Rating: 7.8 of 10 on RV LIFE · Since: 1966
Family-owned and operated since 1966, Poplar Grove is one of the older private campgrounds in the Ottawa area and offers a direct route into the city. Reviews are split: many guests call out quiet, well-treed tent sites and clean, spacious washrooms, while others describe the grounds and an old water slide as run down and in need of updating. It works best as a base for exploring downtown Ottawa rather than a destination in itself.
7. Camping Cantley
Area: Cantley, Quebec, in the Outaouais hills near Gatineau Park · Rating: 8.1 of 10 on RV LIFE (12 reviews) · Since: operating for over 50 years
Spread across 100 acres, Camping Cantley bills itself as one of the closest full-service campgrounds to Gatineau Park, with quick access to the park's trails from just across the river from Ottawa. It suits campers looking for a wooded, longer-established site on the Quebec side rather than the busier Ontario options closer to downtown.
8. Breezy Hill Camping & RV Park
Area: Kinburn, about 20 minutes from Ottawa · Specialty: Full-service sites with hydro, water and sewer, a man-made lake with beach, and cabins · Rating: 10.0 of 10 on RV LIFE
Breezy Hill centres on its private man-made lake and beach, and RV LIFE reviewers rate it highly, though Tripadvisor reviews are more mixed on management. One practical note for anyone planning a visit: the campground no longer offers single-night or weekly stays, only seasonal or monthly camping, so it suits campers looking to set up for the season rather than a weekend trip.
9. Cameron's Point Family Campground
Area: Summerstown, on the shores of the St. Lawrence River, southeast of Ottawa · Specialty: 30 acres of open lots, heated pool, hot tub, floating docks, and an on-site restaurant
Cameron's Point trades the forest setting of most campgrounds on this list for waterfront on the St. Lawrence, with a beach and floating docks alongside RV hookups and tent sites. Reviewers describe it as clean, spacious, and family-oriented, with friendly staff, making it a fit for campers who want a resort-style stay rather than a rustic one.
10. Recreationland Camping
Area: 1566 Canaan Road, Cumberland, on Ottawa's east end · Specialty: Full-hookup RV sites, tent camping, cabins, heated outdoor pool · Rating: 3 of 5 on Tripadvisor (15 reviews)
Recreationland is a straightforward, close-to-the-city option on Ottawa's east side, with a heated pool, laundry, and a stocked store alongside full-hookup sites. Reviews are mixed, with some guests calling it a convenient, good-value stop and others citing customer service concerns, so it's best suited to short stays rather than an extended vacation base.
