Are you looking for the best camping apps to help you plan your family camping trips? We’ve listed our best app to help you find the perfect campsite… and so much more.
Camping season is at the doorstep. It’s now time to start planning your family camping trip and search for some amazing campsites (if you haven’t done it yet). Trust me, it can be overwhelming to navigate through all the web information to find campsites for your adventure.
You want to make sure you’ll find campgrounds that fit your needs.
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Are you looking for an established campground and looking for a good RV parks and campgrounds app?
Are you looking for privacy and public land sites and wondering what is the best boondocking app?
Do you need full hookups?
Or maybe you’re looking for a unique camping experience?
One of the following camping apps will help you find the perfect campsite for your family.
The Best Camping Apps for the Entire Family
We’ve listed below our favourite apps when it comes to camping. Most of the apps are available on iOS and Android. You’ll find that some mainly cover the United States, while others also include Canada (and even international locations).
They are all helpful apps to use while camping.
P.S. If you’re travelling with kids, make sure to check our recommendations #6 (the GoWhee app) and #9 (Pinna Audio). You’ll want to have them with you. 🙂
If you’re in a hurry, here is a recap table.
Free version + Pro Version | Free version | Free version | Paid Version | Paid Version |
To search for established and non established tent sites or RV park | To search for free campsites | To search for federal campsites | To search for unique RV overnight experiences | To be RV hosted by private individuals |
$35.99 USD | $0.00 | $0.00 | $99.00 | $50 |
Available in USA | Available in USA & Canada | Available in USA | Available in USA & Canada | Available in USA & Canada |
1. The Dyrt
⭐ The Dyrt App has a 4.8-star rating on Apple Store.
If you’re looking for an app to simplify your search for camping locations in the US, The Dyrt camping app is worth using. Whether you’re looking for tent sites or RV parks, you’ll find the perfect camping place.
The Dryt app shows you all the information about the campsite you’re looking into:
- how easy it is to access this campground,
- the facilities,
- the mobile connection as well as WIFI,
- user reviews from other travellers.
The Dyrt PRO App is the largest campground search platform. It offers user-generated campground reviews and tips. Plus, it is accessible offline for finding your camping spot on the road!
⛺ Try The Dyrt Pro membership ⛺
The Dyrt is a very intuitive and easy-to-use app. We also love the community features which allow you to connect with other adventurers. It’s also one of the good apps for boondocking (but it doesn’t have as much options as other apps for boondocking).
It’s also one of the best RV park finder apps.
Although the app is free, there’s also a paid pro version, The Dyrt Pro. The pro version includes amazing tools such as the custom trip planner, and search on Maps offline. With the pro version, you can save money with their partner’s camp and gear discounts.
The Dyrt Pro cost is $35.99 USD per year after a 7-day free trial.
2. Harvest Hosts
⭐ The Harvest Hosts App has a 4.8-star rating on Apple Store.
You need to check out the Harvest Hosts app if you’re an RV owner. This app is only for self-contained converted vans or RV (with a toilet, water tank and inside cooking facilities). Also, you need to know that tents and tent trailers aren’t allowed.
With Harvest Hosts membership, you can enjoy unlimited overnight experiences around North America. In addition to this, it offers an experience rather than just a place to sleep!
Their membership gives you access to wineries, breweries, farms, golf courses and attractions.
⛺ Try Harvest Hosts membership ⛺
With the Harvest Hosts app (or the website database), you can easily find your overnight stay and book it through the app. It is really worth trying. You’ll have a unique camping experience.
Harvest Hosts Classic membership is $99 per year and the Harvest Hosts + GOLF is $139 per year.
Learn more about Harvest Hosts and our own experience using the app here
3. GoWhee App
⭐ The GoWhee App has a 4.4-star rating on Apple Store.
If you have kids, you know what it feels like to look for kid-friendly locations and things to do with kids. It isn’t easy, right? This is why we love GoWhee App!
This app is perfect for family travellers who want a fun adventure with kids. No matter how old your children are, you’ll find the ideal place or activity for them. And also the best family-friendly campgrounds.
We love the community of parents in this app because their reviews and comments will help you travel like locals by discovering incredible off-the-beaten-path places and hidden gems. On the GoWhee app, you’ll not only be finding camping locations that are adapted for kids, but you’ll also find great road-stop attractions for the kids.
The GoWhee app also partners with local businesses to provide exclusive family-friendly deals. It’s definitely the best app for kids.
The app offers a 14-day free trial. After that, it’s $29.99 annually.
4. Boondockers Welcome
⭐ The Boondockers Welcome App has a 4.8-star rating on Apple Store.
The Boondockers Welcome app allows you to find free overnight RV parking on private property. It offers great places to stay across the US and Canada barely for free. If you love tranquillity and fewer campground crowds, you’ll find them within the app.
In the app, you can search for host locations, request overnight stays, communicate with the host and much more. It’s one of the best boondocking apps.
⛺ Try the Boondockers Welcome ⛺
We love that Boondockers Welcome is part of the Harvest Hosts family because it allows you to search both programs with only a mobile app.
Their annual membership is $50, including planning information, discounts and past host references.
5. iOverlander
⭐ iOverlander App has a 3.5-star rating on Apple Store.
iOverlander is a free mobile app to help you find your next destination on the road. On the app, you’ll find places to sleep (camping spots, hostels, etc.), restaurants, petrol stations and other facilities to help you have a great adventure.
It’s very simple to use as you can browse the map by location or search for places. All of these options allow you to filter according to your preferences.
iOverlander is the perfect app for those looking for boondocking and free camping. It shows maybe free and public lands campsites, but in addition to a database of campgrounds, it offers great you can find dump stations, water refills, and parking lots that allow overnight stays.
⛺ Try iOverlander ⛺
Because the database is crowd-sourced, it’s essential to read the reviews and make regulations that have not changed since the last review.
Many users have done iOverlander reviews which include: “I’ve been using this app for over a year now. The users of this app have submitted many useful locations including dispersed camping locations, campgrounds, water, dump stations, propane, etc…“
Another iOverlander reviews include: “We are ten months into our journey from the US to Patagonia. This app has been our go-to for everything along the way, whether it’s to check warnings for corrupt police or to find beautiful wild camping spots“.
At the moment, iOverlander doesn’t support offline maps. Still, you can open the maps using Map.me or you can download the maps to have access to it without an Internet connection to use the app, which is extremely useful when you’re travelling to remote places.
As we said, the app is free but accepts donations to keep it growing. It’s an app for van camping.
6. Recreation.gov
⭐ Recreation.Gov App has a 4.8-star rating on Apple Store.
Whether you’re looking for your next weekend adventure or going on a long road trip with your family, this free camping app will help you discover incredible camping destinations across the United States.
It’s a must-have campground app (or website) if you’re planning to visit some of the US national parks and US national forests, as it is the only site to reserve national park campgrounds.
With this app, you can search campgrounds based on your travel preferences by using filters, find all types of tours and activities in the area, and much more.
There are more than 113,000 recreational locations available on the website and app.
The search process with Recreation is straightforward, you can easily compare camping spots by looking at reviews and location details, checking availability, and finally booking your perfect campground.
Even when we aren’t travelling, we love bookmarking our favourite places to visit in the future.
7. Campendium
⭐ Campendium App has a 4.8-star rating on Apple Store.
Campendium is another great app for campers. It features tens of thousands of places to camp. You can find free remote campsites, RV parks and more.
The app has different filters to search for specific amenities, such as:
- showers
- electricity
- playgrounds
It’s a free app with in-app purchase.
The Campendium App has a 4.8-star rating on Apple App.
⛺ Try Campendium ⛺
8. Camp Finder
⭐ The Camp Finder App has a 3.0-star rating in Apple Store.
This paid app offers a comprehensive camping directory to help you find campgrounds across North America. In the app, you can read reviews and look at photos to help you decide. There is also a filter where you can search for campsites with:
- 30 Amps,
- Cable TV,
- Hot Showers and
- All Ages
Other Great Apps You Must Download When Planning a Camping Trip
The following app recommendations are not related to finding campgrounds, but they are needed when planning a camping trip.
9. Roadtrippers
⭐ The RoadTrippers App has a 4.5-star rating in Apple Store.
This Roadtrippers app shows you unique places to plan your perfect road trip in the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
You can find anything from diners only the locals know and unique attractions to scenic national parks and accommodations.
⛺ Try RoadTrippers ⛺
Roadtrippers also offers a paid pro version which includes valuable features such as RV routing, live traffic, offline maps, and special discounts.
Roadtrippers Plus is $29.99 per year.
10. AllTrails
⭐ The AllTrails App has a 4.9-star rating in Apple Store.
Do you love hiking, backpacking, walking or mountain biking? Then you need the AllTrails app, perfect for adventurers.
Within the app, you can find incredible trails in your local area or abroad. You can easily find the perfect trails by using their filters, which include difficulty, length, route type and ratings.
⛺ Try AllTrails ⛺
We can read other travellers’ comments and photos which will help you determine whether it’s a good trail for you and your family.
AllTrails have a paid pro version, AllTrails Pro, which costs $2.50 per month ($29.99 annually). This version gives you access to features like downloading offline maps, getting off-route notifications, and seeing real-time overlays.
11. Pinna Audio
⭐ The Pinna Audio App has a 4.1-star rating in Apple Store.
A great app for kids to relax at night is Pinna Audio. Their audio library includes podcasts and audiobooks to boost your children’s imagination.
Whether on a road trip or at home, this app is excellent for screen-free time.
⛺ Try Pinna Audio ⛺
Pinna Audio offers a free version that allows you to try it before buying one of their memberships. Pinna full-access membership is $7.99 per month or $79.99 per year, and it gives you unlimited access to over 3,000 podcast episodes, audiobooks and music.
12. Flashlight
⭐ The flashlight has a 4.5-star rating on Apple Store.
This is a pretty straightforward free app that comes with your iPhone. If you don’t have a flashlight or a headlamp (or if the batteries are dead), it’s pretty handy to have your phone flashlight at night with camping.
It’s not rare that a kid will wake up overnight to ask to go to the restroom. No one wants to walk in the wood without any light.
13. First Aid by American Red Cross App
⭐ The First Aid by American Red Cross app has a 4-star rating on Apple Store.
This First Aid by American Red Cross App is a free app that every adventure and camping family should have. It provides step-by-step instructions for first aid emergencies and how to deal with them such as cuts, burns, severe winter weather, and many other injuries or natural disasters.
14. Star Chart
⭐ The Star Chart app has a 4.6-star rating on Apple Store.
If your kids love science, it’s the perfect app to download when camping as a family. The Star Chart app is now free. It used your phone’s GPS and compass to show you the map of what to sky looks like at the precise moment.
It includes the positions of the stars, planets and constellations.
It’s a great way to integrate some education into your camping trips.
Final Thoughts: Which One is the Best Camping App?
Each of the above camping apps has something different to offer. And most of them have a free option or at least a trial option to start with.
We use a combination of many of them depending on the location we are planning to go to. They are all helpful apps to use while camping and a mix of a few ensure finding the best campsites.
Now, you have to download one or more of those apps, pack the car for your road trips and find the perfect campsite for your family.
Emilie is the founder of Love Life Abroad. She helps moms plan epic road trips and outdoor adventures with their families. Because who said adventuring had to stop once we have kids? She’s based in the Canadian Rockies and shares her love for the region as well as other unique places in Canada & USA. She works with tourism boards and outdoor brands to inspire families to experience new unique destinations and outdoor activities.