--- title: "Cheap Camping Near Austin | Riverside Tent Sites From $29/Night" url: https://sonsriverranch.com/blog/cheap-camping-near-austin description: "Cheap camping near Austin — BYO tent sites from $29/night on the spring-fed San Marcos River, 45 minutes from downtown. Fire pits, BBQ pits, picnic tables included." lang: en --- 🎉 Join us for Sunday Fun Day - $79 Cabanas! Includes Entry for 8! — BOOK NOW! 🎉 Join us for Sunday Fun Day - $79 Cabanas! Includes Entry for 8! — BOOK NOW! https://sonsriverranch.com/book-now Image: Cheap camping near Austin tent sites on the San Marcos River (https://sonsriverranch.com/assets/tent-camping-1-DT4_wWQw.webp) Back to Blog (https://sonsriverranch.com/blog)Local Guide # Cheap Camping Near Austin: Riverside Tent Sites From $29/Night Affordable doesn't have to mean boring. Spring-fed river, fire pits, and a real campfire weekend — 45 minutes south of Austin. May 11, 2026 6 min read Kingsbury, TX Hill Country state parks aren't actually cheap once you add reservation fees, the 3-hour drive, and the gas. Here's an honest look at the **cheapest camping near Austin** that's still worth the trip. ## The $29 weeknight BYO tent site BYO Tent sites at Son's River Ranch (https://sonsriverranch.com/) start at $29/night on weekdays — first-come, first-serve so you can pick your spot on arrival. Weekend sites are $49/night. Either way, you get: - Fire pit (when burn bans aren't in effect) + firewood for sale on-site - BBQ pit and picnic table - Bathhouse access - Walkable river access - The whole 168-acre property's amenities Image: Riverside tent camping near Austin on the San Marcos River (https://sonsriverranch.com/assets/tent-camping-3-ChV_2by-.webp) ## The math vs. state parks A McKinney Falls site is ~$20 + $6 day-use per adult + the reservation system fee. Inks Lake is $25 + $7 per adult. Once you do the math, the $29 weeknight rate at Son's is roughly the same — and you're on a private property with on-site tubing, kayaking and shuttles. Image: Affordable camping near Austin with firepit on the river (https://sonsriverranch.com/assets/gallery-firepit-wPyge74Z.webp) ## How to keep the trip cheap - **Camp Sunday-Thursday** — weekday rates and smaller crowds - **BYO firewood** if your car has room - **Skip the wristband, walk the river** if budget is tight — swimming is always free - **Bundle a kayak rental** with your stay for 25% off vs. day-rental pricing ## Want to upgrade later? If it rains, swap your tent for a glamping cabin (https://sonsriverranch.com/glamping-cabins) or safari cabin (https://sonsriverranch.com/safari-cabins) — same property, A/C and a real bed. Safari Cabins are $99/night on weekdays through June 11th. ### Grab a $29 tent site Weekday sites are first-come — drive down on a Sunday and you'll have your pick. Book Now (https://sonsriverranch.com/book-now/overnight) ## Related reads - Camping near Austin: riverside tent sites & bell tents: https://sonsriverranch.com/blog/camping-near-austin - Riverfront camping near Austin: https://sonsriverranch.com/blog/riverfront-camping-near-austin - Glamping vs. camping: which is right for you?: https://sonsriverranch.com/blog/glamping-vs-camping ## Structured data ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Organization", "name": "Son's River Ranch", "alternateName": [ "Sons River Ranch", "SRR Kingsbury", "Son's River Ranch Kingsbury" ], "url": "https://sonsriverranch.com", "logo": "https://sonsriverranch.com/logo.png", "description": "Family-friendly riverside resort with private river access on the 72-degree spring-fed San Marcos River. Glamping, air-conditioned cabins, tubing and kayaking in Kingsbury, TX — 45 minutes from Austin and San Antonio.", "parentOrganization": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Son's Getaways", "url": "https://sonsgetaways.com" }, "knowsAbout": [ "San Marcos River tubing", "private river access glamping", "Kingsbury TX lodging", "72-degree spring-fed river", "family river getaways", "air-conditioned cabin glamping", "San Marcos River vs Guadalupe", "San Marcos River vs Comal" ], "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "1400 Sherrill Rd", "addressLocality": "Kingsbury", "addressRegion": "TX", "postalCode": "78638", "addressCountry": "US" }, "telephone": "877-577-7667", "sameAs": [ "https://www.facebook.com/sonsriverranch", "https://www.instagram.com/sonsriverranch", "https://www.tiktok.com/@sonsriverranch", "https://www.bluerivercamp.com/", "https://sonsisland.com/", "https://www.sonsgeronimo.com/", "https://www.sonsriocibolo.com/", "https://www.sonsguadalupe.com/" ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BlogPosting", "headline": "Cheap Camping Near Austin: Riverside Tent Sites From $29/Night", "description": "Affordable riverside tent camping just 45 minutes from Austin at Son's River Ranch.", "url": "https://sonsriverranch.com/blog/cheap-camping-near-austin", "image": "https://sonsriverranch.com/og/og-cheap-camping-near-austin.jpg", "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Son's River Ranch" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Son's River Ranch", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sonsriverranch.com/logo.png" } }, "datePublished": "2026-05-11", "dateModified": "2026-05-11", "keywords": "cheap camping near Austin, affordable camping Austin, budget tent camping Austin TX" }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sonsriverranch.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Blog", "item": "https://sonsriverranch.com/blog" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Cheap Camping Near Austin", "item": "https://sonsriverranch.com/blog/cheap-camping-near-austin" } ] }, { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [ { "@type": "Question", "name": "What's the cheapest camping near Austin?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "BYO Tent sites at Son's River Ranch start at $29/night on weekdays and $49/night on weekends — among the most affordable riverside camping near Austin." } }, { "@type": "Question", "name": "What's included with a $29 tent site?", "acceptedAnswer": { "@type": "Answer", "text": "Fire pit, BBQ pit, picnic table, access to bathhouses, and walkable river access on a private 168-acre property." } } ] } ] ```