If you are bringing an RV to Bardstown right now, book White Acres Campground or Little Patch of Heaven: both are private, open year-round and about five minutes from Court Square. The My Old Kentucky Home State Park campground, the traditional choice, is closed for a full rebuild, and the state has not set a reopening date. White Acres is the budget pick at $55 a night; Little Patch of Heaven, from $78, has a fishing lake and more resort touches.
The state park campground: closed for now
For decades, campers came to Bardstown for the campground at My Old Kentucky Home State Park, a short walk or bike ride from Federal Hill, the golf course and the Stephen Foster Story amphitheater. It is now closed for a complete rebuild. The Kentucky State Parks improvements page lists the opening date as to be determined, and ReserveAmerica shows a closure alert.
A tip that will save you a wasted search: the park’s main web page still says “re-opens fall 2025.” It did not, and you cannot book a site there. When other Kentucky state park campgrounds opened for the season on March 13, 2026, this one stayed shut.
What is coming: Kentucky State Parks says the rebuilt campground will have 39 full-service sites, including eight pull-throughs, and a modern bathhouse. Before the closure, the campground ran roughly mid-March to mid-November with 50-amp, water and sewer hookups at its full-service sites and a two-night minimum on weekends. Check the campground page before planning a 2027 trip.
The two open campgrounds compared
| White Acres Campground | Little Patch of Heaven | |
|---|---|---|
| Address | 3022 Boston Rd | 2289 Templin Ave |
| Drive to Court Square | About 5 minutes | About 5 minutes |
| Sites | Up to 80 (per the campground) | 33 (per the campground) |
| Hookups | Water, sewer, 50-amp | Full hookups, 30/50-amp, rigs to 50 ft |
| Published rate | $55 a night for 2 people; $5 each extra person; 12 and under free; $50 with Military, Good Sam or AAA | From $78 a night; $350 a week; long-term from $950 a month |
| Extras | Camping cabins ($65), bathhouse, pavilion, free Wi-Fi | Fishing lake, walking trail, fire pit, laundry, dump station, Wi-Fi |
| Pets | Welcome on a leash | Welcome; dog park planned |
| Season | Year-round | Year-round |
| Booking | Phone (502) 348-9677 | Online via Campspot, or (502) 317-8590 |
Rates are the campgrounds’ published figures and can change by season. For a closer look at both parks, see our White Acres and Little Patch of Heaven comparison.
White Acres Campground
White Acres is a straightforward, no-frills park west of town on Boston Road, and reviewers like it for exactly that. Gravel sites are level (one camper wrote there was “no need to use leveling blocks”), hookups include water, sewer and 50-amp service, and the office is staffed 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Check-in is 1 p.m., check-out noon.
The rate of $55 a night covers two people, which makes it the cheapest way to sleep in Bardstown. The camping cabins, at $65, have a full bed, a table and chairs, heat and air, and a small deck, handy if half your group has a camper and the other half does not. There is a bathhouse, a pavilion and picnic tables.
Little Patch of Heaven Campground
This is the old Holt’s Campground on Templin Avenue, north of downtown, now run by Glowfly Resorts under the name Little Patch of Heaven. The fishing lake that made Holt’s popular is still the centerpiece, with a catch-and-release pond, a walking trail and a fire pit. Sites have full hookups at 30 or 50 amps, take rigs up to 50 feet, include pull-throughs and ADA sites, and share laundry, a dump station and Wi-Fi.
Standard and premium sites start at $78 a night or $350 a week, and long-term sites start at $950 a month, a useful option for traveling workers or snowbirds passing through. Booking is online through Campspot. If you find an older listing with the Holt’s phone number, ignore it and use (502) 317-8590.
Camping farther afield
Want a lake and more elbow room? Taylorsville Lake State Park, about 45 minutes north via Bloomfield, added camping in 1998 and is known for horse trails and heavily stocked fishing waters. Check current campground details with Kentucky State Parks before you go. Our lakes, fishing and paddling guide covers the lake itself.
Tips for RV travelers
- Book fall weekends early. The Bourbon Festival in mid-September and the Arts & Crafts Festival in October fill both parks, and with the state park closed there are fewer sites than usual.
- Plan distillery days without the rig. Downtown Bardstown is compact brick streets and street parking, so unhook before heading into town or to the distilleries, or book a tour company. Never drive after tastings.
- Summer is hot. July and August highs average about 86°F, so shade and a 50-amp hookup matter for air conditioning.
- Winter is mild but not balmy, with January lows around 26°F. Both parks stay open, but protect your water lines on cold nights.
- Don’t bring firewood from home. Buy it locally to avoid spreading pests.
When to camp in Bardstown
Both private parks stay open all year, so the season is really about weather and crowds.
| Season | Average highs and lows | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| Spring (April-May) | 69-77°F highs, 46-55°F lows | Green and mild; May is the wettest month, with about 5.5 inches of rain |
| Summer (June-August) | 84-87°F highs, 63-66°F lows | Hot and humid; Stephen Foster Story nights and Friday concerts in the park |
| Fall (September-October) | 70-81°F highs, 47-58°F lows | The driest, best-looking months and the busiest; book festival weekends early |
| Winter (November-March) | 43-57°F highs, 26-37°F lows | Quiet and cheap, with the occasional snow; about 12 inches a year on average |
These are NOAA 1991-2020 averages from a station just east of town. September and October are the sweet spot: warm days, cool nights for a campfire and fall color on the drive in. Summer campers should plan shade and air conditioning for afternoons, and winter campers should be ready for hard freezes.
While you’re camped here
From either campground you are minutes from My Old Kentucky Home State Park, where the mansion tours and the golf course are open even while the campground is rebuilt. Dog owners should also see pet-friendly stays. If camping is not working out for your dates, cabins and vacation rentals are the next step up.
Compare nearby stays on the map
Campsites are not always on booking maps, so call or book the campgrounds directly. If part of your group would rather sleep indoors, or the parks are full on your dates, the live map below shows hotels, inns and rentals near My Old Kentucky Home with current prices.
