Any Campers out there? What's your favorite campground?

[HeatherC]

We are planning a cross country road trip this summer and thinking of doing some camping along the way here and there. Would love to hear everyone's suggestions for their favorite place to camp in all the different states.

I am checking places out along with reviews, but it's always better to get tips from people who have actually stayed in places.

Do you have a favorite place you would recommend or always seem to return to year after year?

I will start....mine is Hermit Island Campground in Small Point, Maine. Have vacationed there for almost 50 years! Started as a baby and am now in my 50's and still love the place!

 

[firefly_ris]

We like Allegany State Park in Salamanca, NY.

 

[Sabeking]

When we were younger we camped at the Holiday Travel campground in Emerald Isle beach in NC. It is still there today and still awesome! Right on the beach. Store, game room, go carts, free WiFi, hay rides, etc... One of the cleanest, most secure campground you will ever go to. It also has a small water park next door.

 

[JaxDad]

We haven't been camping lately, but we used to enjoy Fort Wilderness. I loved getting a golf cart and riding around the whole area!

Our go-to spot is Hanna Park, here in Jacksonville. It's inexpensive, on the beach, and real close!

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Tent camping: Lackawanna State Park in North Abington Township, PA is my family's favorite. We've been there maybe half a dozen times.

"KOA-style cabin camping": The KOA near Mount Rushmore was great

Tent camping: Pokagon State Park in Angola, IN was nice, too. Stopped there on our way to Chicago a few years ago.

 

[RangerPooh]

Farragut State Park in Sandpoint Idaho. Nice campgrounds, clean restrooms, beautiful park. We seemed to always experience bad weather though. Northern Idaho in summer. Go figure.

Yosemite National Park- Upper Pines. Tough to get. Haven;t been there in a decade.

Calaveras Big Trees State Park. Arnold, CA. Haven;t been there in about a decade, but the area is beautiful. Miss my big trees

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Calaveras Big Trees State Park. Arnold, CA. Haven;t been there in about a decade, but the area is beautiful. Miss my big trees

Grover Hot Springs up the road quite a piece in Markleeville is cool too. They have a hot spring pool and a standard pool (heated to some extent) and from there, lake Tahoe is less than an hour away from the hot springs. But be advised. California 4 up over the summit is not for the faint of heart or for large RVs. It's just like any other highway until you get near the top where narrows to the point of losing the center line up top. And for others reading, it's a winter closure.

 

[jaybirdsmommy]

Wind Creek state Park in Alexander City, Alabama

 

[RangerPooh]

Grover Hot Springs up the road quite a piece in Markleeville is cool too. They have a hot spring pool and a standard pool (heated to some extent) and from there, lake Tahoe is less than an hour away from the hot springs. But be advised. California 4 up over the summit is not for the faint of heart or for large RVs. It's just like any other highway until you get near the top where narrows to the point of losing the center line up top. And for others reading, it's a winter closure.

That area is nice too. In terms of Highways, I think 108 Sonora Pass is the worst! Tight and narrow. Although the scenery isn't as top notch IMO as the eastern side of the sierra is bleh. I'm not big on high desert/rainshadow scrub environment. Tahoe has a number of nice camping areas.

 

[FlightlessDuck]

Oh, and by campers, do we mean RVs, pop up campers, or tent camping?

 

[loves to dive]

Oh, and by campers, do we mean RVs, pop up campers, or tent camping?

I was going to ask this same question. When I was a kid/teenager we camped all the time, that meant a tent and a fire and bathing in the river or lake or whatever large body of water was close by. We are getting ready to buy a fifth wheel and I can't bring myself to call it camping.

 

[JaxDad]

 

[Liberty Belle]

We used to backpack (with small tent), then when the kids were born we changed to tent camping in campgrounds, then about 3 years ago we got a pop up.

Our favorite Kentucky campgrounds are The Narrows (south central ky) and Carter Caves State Park.

We've also camped in Warren Dunes in Michigan and at Cades Cove and Elkmont in Tennessee Smokey Mountains, both were amazing, however, there are no showers.

If you're talking backpacking, our favorite place, hands down, was the Red River Gorge.

 

[MrJT]

I haven't been camping in a very long time. But when I was young I loved going to Patrick's Point State Park in California. It's on the coast, near Eureka.

 

[HeatherC]

Oh, and by campers, do we mean RVs, pop up campers, or tent camping?

I say all! Why not? With summer coming all these great places may give everyone ideas on new places to try. Love all the suggestions! Keep them coming.

 

[BrinkofSunshine]

I haven’t been in years, but we camped at Hot Springs Campground in Hot Springs, NC; our site was right on the river which was awesome. The fireflies lit up the trees at night which was so magical. There was whitewater rafting in the area too which was a lot of fun.

My favorite campsite is Ft. Wilderness... that’s way more my speed (actual bathrooms!!).

 

[DLmama]

Our go to campground during the summer is Sunset Beach in Watsonville, CA. This year, we're trying Wishon Bass Lake since we didn't want to deal with the competitiveness of Yosemite campgrounds.

 

[bcla]

Yosemite National Park- Upper Pines. Tough to get. Haven;t been there in a decade.

As a campground I can't say that I liked it. It's crowded, the sites are small, there's no real separation between campsites, and it's bear central. But the location is perfect.

Now Kalaoch Campground at Olympic NP was absolutely beautiful. The best sites are the ones with a view of the Pacific, but they're really only well suited for RVs because there's almost no space for a tent.

 

[HeatherC]

I have to admit....camping in Yellowstone may not be my thing. I don't think I would sleep at all worrying about a bear stopping by to say hi.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Colorado:
Arapaho Bay Campground; Stillwater Campground (but it has been 20 years since I camped in Colorado, so things may be different now, lol)

Nevada/Utah:
Southfork recreational area, NV; Wild Horse State recreation area, NV; Beaver Canyon campground, UT; Zion River resort, UT

FL/GA:
Hanna Park, FL; Anastasia State Park (if you don't mind sand), FL; Goldhead State park, FL; Silver Springs state park, FL; Fort Clinch state park, FL; Laura Walker state park, GA; Stephen C Foster state park, GA

*ETA all this is tent or cabin camping.

There are a few we still want to try here, including the old Girl Scout Camp Chowenwaw (treehouse camping!)