Camping around the US: A list of disboard members favorite campgrounds in the US!

Jessica527 · Jul 17, 2012

-Disboard Member's Favorite US Campgrounds -

I would love your help making a list of favorite campgrounds around the US. We love to camp and recently purchased a travel trailer, so we are always looking for new places to visit. Now of course, our new favorite place will be Fort Wilderness; but we would love to see the US as well!

So come join in! Tell us some of your favorite campgrounds to visit through the US! If you can include details like.. Name, location, attractions nearby, amenities at campground, why you love it, RV/Tent friendly, and other info that would be great. And yes, pictures are great too!!

Campground List by state:

Jessica527 · Jul 17, 2012

My first favorite campground is Ricketts Glen State Park in Benton, Pennsylvania.

Directly from the website: Ricketts Glen harbors Glens Natural Area, a National Natural Landmark. Take the Falls Trail and explore the Glens, which boasts a series of wild, free-flowing waterfalls, each cascading through rock-strewn clefts in this ancient hillside. The 94-foot Ganoga Falls is the highest of 22 named waterfalls. Old growth timber and diverse wildlife add to the scenic area. Ricketts Glen State Park is one of the most scenic areas in Pennsylvania. This large park is comprised of 13,050 acres in Luzerne, Sullivan and Columbia counties.

Campin: Tent/RV, no electric or sewer hookups. Dumping station available.

Price: Ranges from $15 - $25 per night.

Favorite attraction: Waterfalls!!

Special Moment: This is where my husband and I got engaged :hug:

Website: http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/stateparks/findapark/rickettsglen/index.htm

Julylady · Jul 17, 2012

Ludington State Park, Michigan is located on the shores of Lake Michigan. Camping is in a beautiful forest-like setting. To the north is a national forest with sand dunes. To the south is the Au Sable River. There is also Hamlin Lake in case you don't want to swim in the big lake. Oh, I forgot the lighthouse that you can only reach by walking two miles north from the beach or hiking through the dunes.

Lake Michigan beaches in West Michigan rate up there with some of the best beaches in the nation. Sugar sand beaches, glorious sunsets, beautiful dunes!

The state park has miles of groomed, marked hiking trails for all activity levels. You can float down the river in a tube all the way from Hamlin Lake to Lake Michigan often seeing eagles, deer, and raccoons along the way. You can fish in Hamlin Lake.

Reservations to camp are made through the state campground reservation system and are hard to get. You can reserve six months in advance. Getting a reservation is similar to getting one at Cinderella's Table. You set the alarm and try online, home phone and cell phone all at the same time!

JessicaR · Jul 17, 2012

My 2 favorite camp sites!

Strawberry Park in CT

http://www.strawberrypark.net/

Cedar Point State Park NY

http://nysparks.com/parks/21/amenities-activities.aspx

Samandmom · Jul 17, 2012

This is great, we just bought a pop up!!! Never knew about Strawberry Park in CT! Thanks

MIGrandma · Jul 17, 2012

Julylady said:
Ludington State Park, Michigan is located on the shores of Lake Michigan. Camping is in a beautiful forest-like setting. To the north is a national forest with sand dunes. To the south is the Au Sable River. There is also Hamlin Lake in case you don't want to swim in the big lake. Oh, I forgot the lighthouse that you can only reach by walking two miles north from the beach or hiking through the dunes.

Lake Michigan beaches in West Michigan rate up there with some of the best beaches in the nation. Sugar sand beaches, glorious sunsets, beautiful dunes!

The state park has miles of groomed, marked hiking trails for all activity levels. You can float down the river in a tube all the way from Hamlin Lake to Lake Michigan often seeing eagles, deer, and raccoons along the way. You can fish in Hamlin Lake.

Reservations to camp are made through the state campground reservation system and are hard to get. You can reserve six months in advance. Getting a reservation is similar to getting one at Cinderella's Table. You set the alarm and try online, home phone and cell phone all at the same time!

One of our favorite places to camp!! :thumbsup2

Another of our favorites is in the upper peninsula of Michigan, Tahquamenon Rivermouth Campground, the rustic section right on the river. So beautiful!! And close to one of our favorite little towns, Paradise, and Whitefish Point, and of course Tahquamenon Falls, both upper and lower. Gorgeous!!

LuvsDragonflies · Jul 17, 2012

Odetah in Connecticut, fun family campground.

disneyfans95 · Jul 17, 2012

Ohhh can we play!!

http://www.youtube.com/user/lysico?feature=mhee

As you can tell, we LOVE and I mean LOVE the KoA in Newburgh, NY (which is not in Newburgh mind you)

Amazing campground.. We have a 13 year old and 12 year old and a big chocolate lab (you can see him in the videos)..

That KOA is amazing.. Free breakfast each day, amazing stuff each day for the kids and friendly staff.

The soda dive this weekend was so fun. They even used the big sodas.. Kids loved it.

So KOA New York (newburgh but in New Paltz)

auntie · Jul 17, 2012

Samandmom said:
This is great, we just bought a pop up!!! Never knew about Strawberry Park in CT! Thanks

LOVE

Strawberry Park!

Also like
www.AlpinelakeRvresort.com

near to
Saratoga Springs, NY. Great Kayaking in the nearby Hudson and Sacandaga Rivers. Resort amenties include pool, tennis courts, basketball courts, two lakes, with fishing and boat/kayak rentals. We very much enjoy the Saratoga Springs area. Lots to do. Campground also offers trolley service to both Saratoga, and Lake George.

Jessica527 · Jul 17, 2012

Julylady said:
Ludington State Park

This is beautiful! Do a lot of the state parks have electric hookups in MI?

JessicaR said:
Strawberry Park in CT
Cedar Point State Park NY

Wow! The CT looks like a lot of fun, love the idea of a lobster bake. Also, the cedar point one looks very close to Canada. Do you know is there a border crossing close by?

Samandmom said:
This is great, we just bought a pop up!!! Never knew about Strawberry Park in CT! Thanks

Welcome, congrats on the pop up purchase!

MIGrandma said:
Tahquamenon Rivermouth Campground

I need to get to MI, those pictures are amazing on the website!

LuvsDragonflies said:
Odetah

Hubby just saw the word lobster again, looks like we will be going there soon!

disneyfans95 said:
Ohhh can we play!!

KoA in Newburgh, NY

Of course you can play! Love the you tube!

auntie said:
www.AlpinelakeRvresort.com

This looks like a great place to stop on the way to Quebec, it is going on the must see list!

funkychunkymonkey · Jul 17, 2012

Michigan
Lake linden campground http://www.lakelinden.net/campground.html
Just spent a weekend here. Aswome bathrooms and showers that require a code (so only used by campers). Huge beach, park, disc gold course and lots of wide open running space all withn walking distance. Fishing on the lake sucks but everything else was 5 star. rustic sites are only $8 so very affordable. Kid freindly too!

Geoff_M · Jul 17, 2012

Munising Tourist Park, Munising, MI. Camp right on the shore of Lake Superior with a 10 minute drive to Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore:

endy · Jul 17, 2012

KOA in San Diego. Beautiful, well kept, lots of trees, lots of flowers.

Second one we just stayed at last week was at Winthorp, WA. Seems like the middle of nowhere. The campground is at the each of the river, lots of big trees. We only stayed overnight but I'd loved to go back someday. The town is right out of a cowboy movie.

Butterbunkins · Jul 17, 2012

Lake Glendale in Shawnee National Forest in Southern IL.

It's our favorite and it's where we got married! It's one of the only private campgrounds in Shawnee. They have electric and primitive sites and they are separated which is great for tent campers.

http://www.lakeglendale.net/

luvmyfam444 · Jul 17, 2012

Navarre Beach Campground (Navarre, FL) is a great quiet campground, with a pool and beach. We usually stay in cabins when we go, but have stayed in my famiy's RV as well.

Fort Pickens Campground @ Pensacola Beach, FL

Nature Mom · Jul 17, 2012

I camp a lot, here is a few of my favorites that we repeat often:

Indian Creek Campground in Cherokee, NC http://www.indiancreekcampground.com/ Tent camping, camper camping, rv camping. Even a few cabins. My favorite campground in the world. :cloud9:

Mile High Campground, off the Blue Ridge Parkway near Cherokee, NC. http://www.campmilehigh.com/Milehigh.com/Index.html
Unbelievable night time views. You really are a mile high! Feels like you can touch the stars. We would often be camping for a week or so at Indian Creek but take one night with just small tent and come up here to watch the stars. Very cool. :3dglasses

Desoto Falls campground in the Chattahoochee National Forest area near Dahlonega, GA. Love tent camping here.

Jekyll Island campground, Jekyll Island, GA: http://www.jekyllisland.com/wheretostay/campground.aspx Just don't tent camp in August. :beach:

But do take time to go to the sea turtle center. That place is doing a great job.

Fort Mountain State Park, Chatworth, GA (Just came back from a week there. It was great camping, I will be back there before the year is up!) :thumbsup2

Vogel State Park, Dahlonega, GA Another state park we like.

Red Top Mountain, Allatoona Lake, Cartersville, GA http://www.gastateparks.org/RedTopMountain/ Near I-75 for those traveling to Fort Wilderness and wanting a spot to stop near Atlanta. Camped here many times over the years, never a bad time.

Amicolola Falls, Dawsonville, GA http://www.gastateparks.org/AmicalolaFalls/ Only 24 campsites but such a beautiful place. I drive up here just for the day all the time because it is so peaceful. Also where the Appalachian Trail begins (well, this trail takes you to Springer Mtn which is the actual jump-off point).

Deep Creek Campground, Bryson City, NC (Smokey Mtns are great camping. I also love Elkmont, Smokemont, Cades Cove, and Cataloochee)

River's End Campground on Tybee Island, GA http://www.cityoftybee.org/Campground.aspx
is as pricey as Fort Wilderness these days, but still not a bad campground. Tent sites are limited, it is much more an RV park now than it used to be. I was a little disappointed since it had changed so much since I had camped there as a kid, but my DD12 said after our April trip how much she loved camping there, so I am sure we will go again.

Lovin' Disney · Jul 18, 2012

Here are the 3 that we are sure to visit every summer:

Indian Shores outside of Minocqua, WI - http://www.indian-shores.com/index.aspx . We live in a rural area, so we like campgrounds that have stuff to do. This one has shuffleboard, mini-golf, fishing, a swimming pool, a lake, a playground, a basketball court, an arcade/store, fire truck rides, bingo, etc.

The KOA in Hayward, WI - http://koa.com/campgrounds/hayward/ . Jumping pillow, waterslide/pool, nightly activities, tubing down a real river, playground, canoeing, etc.

Jellystone Park in Fremont, WI - http://www.fremontjellystone.com/ . Waterslide, large pool, kiddie area, mini-golf, nightly outdoor movies, fishing, themed weekends, meet Yogi, Boo-Boo, and Cindy Bears. About 15-20 minutes from Appleton.

2goofycampers · Jul 18, 2012

Defeated Creek Park near Carthage Tn.
http://www.recreation.gov/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=71136

Riveredge RV Park in Pigeon Forge Tn.
http://www.stayriveredge.com/

FireDancer · Jul 18, 2012

Mohican Reservation in Loudonville, OH

They have primitive sites that are only $25/day for two adults ($10 per day for each additional), sites with electric and water hookups for $30 or $35 depending on whether they are river-front or not, and also have some cabins if you don't want to sleep in a tent.

Most of the primitive sites are right along the Mohican River. You can fish right from the site, take a canoe or tubing trip on the river, or just hang out at your site. Alcohol is allowed but there is an enforced quiet time after 11:00. It basically just means you can't be too loud and have to turn the music down pretty low.

There is a building with a small store, bathrooms, laundry, a game room and showers and an area with swings, basketball, volleyball, and some other things all set up. On busy weekends in the summer there are also bands that play.

There are people who rent sites for the whole summer and have really elaborate setups, including RV's, but I've never seen anyone drive in with one for a weekend.

It is about half way between Columbus and Cleveland and in a really beautiful part of the state.

Jessica527 · Jul 18, 2012

Wow, what a great list!! Thank you everyone for adding!!

Camping around the US: A list of disboard members favorite campgrounds in the US!

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