Camping in Chichester

There are 18 campsites published on BritStays across the Chichester area, and every single one of them is camping rather than a cabin or lodge dressed up as camping. That makes this a straightforward region to plan for: you're choosing between pitches, not property types. What varies is how much is laid on for you once you arrive.

Where the sites are clustered

Fifteen of the 18 are listed under Chichester itself, which covers a wide spread of farmland, downland and coastal plain. Petworth accounts for two, and a single site sits over at Hayling Island. In practice that means your decision is less about which town and more about which kind of ground you want to wake up on — open downland, a working farm, or somewhere within reach of water.

For high, quiet countryside, Gumber Campsite and Slindon Camping & Caravan Club. both sit in the Chichester listings, as does West Dean Campsite. Over towards Petworth, Graffham Camping and Caravanning Club Site is one of the few here that lists both toilets and WiFi — useful if you need to stay contactable. Farm-based pitches are well represented too, with Littleton Farm Campsite, Newhouse Farm Camping, Nunnington Farm Caravan and Camping and Hazelbank Farm all on the list.

What the facility data actually tells you

Toilets are the most commonly listed facility, appearing at 7 of the 18 sites. That's worth sitting with for a moment: it means more than half don't list them, so if you need plumbing rather than a trowel, check before you commit. Donnington Wild Camping. is named for what it is, and sites like 1st Harting Scout HQ and Adsdean Avenue Campsite list no facilities at all in this set — which can be exactly right for a scout-style group trip or a stripped-back weekend, and exactly wrong for a first-time family camp.

Beyond toilets, the pattern is:

• EV Charging Nearby — 5 sites, including Donnington Wild Camping. and Slindon Camping & Caravan Club.
• Near a Bus Stop — 4 sites, the ones to look at if you'd rather not drive
• WiFi, Bar, Gift Shop, Swimming Pool and Playground — 3 sites each

Families, couples and dog owners

Families generally want the on-site extras, and they're concentrated in a handful of places. Fishery Creek is the most comprehensively equipped example here, listing a swimming pool, a restaurant and a playground — the sort of site where a rainy afternoon doesn't sink the whole trip. Nunnington Farm Caravan and Camping pairs a playground with toilets and WiFi, and The Spur lists a swimming pool and a bar.

Couples tend to want the opposite. Gumber Campsite with its toilets and little else, or Stedham Campsite with its gift shop, suggest quieter, simpler stays. Hazelbank Farm sits somewhere in between, listing a bar, a cafe and indoor areas — handy shelter without a full holiday-park feel.

Dog owners should read listings closely. Newhouse Farm Camping is the one in this set that explicitly lists Pet Friendly alongside toilets. Plenty of campsites do take dogs without flagging it, so ring ahead rather than assume either way.

What to do once you're pitched

The region is strong on houses and open land. Uppark House and Woolbeding House are both National Trust properties nearby, and Cowdray House adds a stately home to the list. For walking and swimming-adjacent days out, Frensham Common and The Flashes, Churt Common are both National Trust land.

With children in tow, Funland Hayling Island and Butlins Bognor Regis are the two theme parks within reach, and Marwell Zoo over in Hampshire makes a full day. Wet-weather options lean museum-heavy: Bognor Regis Museum is the closest, with City Museum in Portsmouth, Brighton Toy and Model Museum and The Allen Gallery all reachable for a day trip.

When to book

Eighteen sites across one region isn't a deep pool, and the well-equipped ones — the three with swimming pools, the three with playgrounds — are the first to fill. Aim to book school holidays and bank holidays several months out, and be ready with a second choice.

Shoulder season is kinder. Late spring and early autumn usually leave room to book a few weeks ahead, though be aware that some campsites close outside the main season, so confirm dates directly before you plan around them. If you're travelling without a car, start from the 4 sites listed as near a bus stop rather than finding a site first and hoping. And if you're bringing an electric car, the 5 sites with EV charging nearby are worth shortlisting early, because charging options near rural pitches are thinner than they look on a map.