Camping in New Jersey

[MalkaR]

As some may remember, I took my sons on our first camping trip to Fort Wilderness a few months ago and had an amazing time. I got some wonderful advice from the posters on this board. We can't afford another Disney trip any time soon, but I'd like to do some camping this summer. I'm looking for a nice place to tent camp as well as do a camping trip with DH (who's high maintenance and requires a cabin with a bathroom). I see lots of people from New Jersey post on this board, so does anyone have any ideas for nice campgrounds with weekday activities for new campers in New Jersey? I did some google searches but there are very mixed reviews. First hand experiences would be very helpful. Thank you!

 

[parrothead64]

Where do you live in NJ?? Helps narrow places down.

 

[MalkaR]

I live in Union County, but I'm willing to drive about an hour and a half or so, which covers most of NJ.

 

[parrothead64]

I live in Burlington County, but don't do much camping in NJ. We do most of our camping in PA and their state parks. Here are a couple of suggestions. We are big fans of Promised Land State Park, Pickerel Point Campground. They have tent sites and newer cabins and brand new bathrooms. Also, if you never been, Knoebel's Amusement Park in Catawissa, PA has a campground next to the amusement park, but they also have another campground a couple miles away called Lake Glory which has new cabins as well. I don't know how old your boys are, but Dutch Wonderland has a park next to it as well in Lancaster which is pretty good called Old Mill Stream Campground. Lancaster has a lot to do and see as well.
Check out some other state parks in PA as well, most are really nice.
NJ to me is too many seasonals and a lot of the campgrounds cater to their people and could care less about the transient camper. If you have any questions, about anywhere, just ask or check out RVparkreviews.com, they have a good amount of reviews of different places.

 

[tinkerdorabelle]

There are a lot that are a short driving distance to shore points or Great Adventure, etc. Decent ones we've stayed at include Driftwood, Ocean View, Timberland, Sea Pirate and I have been wanting to try Timberline. I know Beachcomber is Very popular with kids, was there many yrs back. Camp Taylor is in northern NJ and is a really cool place which is attached to the Lakota wolf sanctuary, they also take in other animals there, a basic campground but I know there are cabins there. Very neat place to visit, you can walk a trail or they will transport you up to the wolf sanctuary. We also really like Belleplain State Forest campground in the middle of the Pine Barrens, a state park in south Jersey, on lake with beach swimming area, boating, kayaking, biking I believe they have cabins and yurts also.

 

[MalkaR]

I live in Burlington County, but don't do much camping in NJ. We do most of our camping in PA and their state parks. Here are a couple of suggestions. We are big fans of Promised Land State Park, Pickerel Point Campground. They have tent sites and newer cabins and brand new bathrooms. Also, if you never been, Knoebel's Amusement Park in Catawissa, PA has a campground next to the amusement park, but they also have another campground a couple miles away called Lake Glory which has new cabins as well. I don't know how old your boys are, but Dutch Wonderland has a park next to it as well in Lancaster which is pretty good called Old Mill Stream Campground. Lancaster has a lot to do and see as well.
Check out some other state parks in PA as well, most are really nice.
NJ to me is too many seasonals and a lot of the campgrounds cater to their people and could care less about the transient camper. If you have any questions, about anywhere, just ask or check out RVprkreviews.com, they have a good amount of reviews of different places.

We've been to Dutch Wonderland and love it! I would have gotten season passes but it's about 2 and half hours away.

Your comment about too many seasonals seems to really be reflected in the reviews of the campgrounds near me, that they are basically trailer parks.

 

[MalkaR]

There are a lot that are a short driving distance to shore points or Great Adventure, etc. Decent ones we've stayed at include Driftwood, Ocean View, Timberland, Sea Pirate and I have been wanting to try Timberline. I know Beachcomber is Very popular with kids, was there many yrs back. Camp Taylor is in northern NJ and is a really cool place which is attached to the Lakota wolf sanctuary, they also take in other animals there, a basic campground but I know there are cabins there. Very neat place to visit, you can walk a trail or they will transport you up to the wolf sanctuary. We also really like Belleplain State Forest campground in the middle of the Pine Barrens, a state park in south Jersey, on lake with beach swimming area, boating, kayaking, biking I believe they have cabins and yurts also.

Camp Taylor looks really cool! Thanks for all of the suggestions.

 

[PaHunter]

Promised Land State Park in PA is a great place to camp. Of course I am biased as I used to work there. Still do our camping there and hope to get up there for a weekend or two this year even with a Disney trip scheduled.