Below are a handful of favorite camping places we have visited. It really is more like Top Ten areas which, in my opinion, should be on your bucket list! Some were with our travel trailer, others with our RV. It is truly hard to rank them, as all are equally worthy travel destinations!
Questions, comments, or want more detail, e-mail me – anneliese@waystwowander.com
Pictured rocks national Lakeshore
( Munising, MI) Perhaps this leads off the “Top Ten Section” because it was rather recent, or maybe because it was just so truly breathtaking! This is the only national park that must be visited by a tour boat. The spectacular views are well worth the (reasonable) tourist cost. We took the sunset cruise (and I highly recommend this option). Sit on the LEFT side of the boat when you get on so that you are on the side of the shoreline for the RETURN leg, when the sun is setting…the colors are astounding! We camped in nearby Munising Tourist park, a small but convenient campground right on the shores of Lake Superior!
Sedona, Arizona
This also belongs in the Top Ten due to the breath- taking scenery everywhere you gaze! If you enjoy hiking, this is a must-see, bucket-list destination (in my humble opinion). We visited in April and found the weather to be pleasant enough to still enjoy a hike without over-heating. We explored many trails in this area, Red Rock Canyon’s being our favorite. Stop in at the visitor’s center for a map (the person we encountered gave us numerous options for varying abilities) Don’t miss Slide Rock (cool family fun), Broken Arrow trail…and the spectacular thrill of (carefully) standing on Devil’s Bridge (the two specks are us!) You can also do a jeep tour to get you to some of the more remote views (well worth the money, and do it at sunset). We liked to end our day at the Oak Creek Brewery (good craft beer, great pizza, friendly staff).
Sedona landscapes Slide Rock Devil’s Bridge
Finger Lakes …….(.area)
I 
New York….
OK, maybe because it is an easy travel distance for me…but what’s not to love? This area is “Gorge-ous”!
There are tons of state campgrounds in which to plan inexpensive get-aways that offer a variety of hiking, biking, and kayaking opportunities, and in this region- wine tasting is a bonus! Check out Watkins Glen (both camping and hiking) for spectacular views of the gorge. Paddle along (and camp) Cayuga Lake, or Sampson Lake State Park. Sampson, on Seneca Lake, also has cabins available, and a boat launch/dock. Get in a great workout at Buttermilk Falls. Taughannock State park also offers hiking trails and is a great day-use area for a picnic or a swim. They rent canoes.
We set up a base camp at Cayuga and did day trips from there. Your camp pass gets you in to all the other state parks for no additional fee! (Another reason I NY) ). We also stayed in Sampson Lake State park, which is a better destination if you have children.
We ventured on to Letchworth State Park, and this is definitely a bucket-list worthy destination. The campground is nestled in amongst numerous hiking trails, almost all of which offer spectacularly breath-taking views of the gorge. There are 3 sets of waterfalls, each a worthy venue and well worth the effort to get to them.
The parks are quite popular for camping-so make sure you have a reservation (done via Reserve America). We are hoping to check out the rest of the state campgrounds along the lakes, and will try to see the Fall foliage one day!
Watkins Glen Cayuga Lake Buttermilk Falls Taughannock Falls picnic area
Letchworth State Park views
Fishcreek and Rollins Pond (State Parks)
I New York….
OK, I repeat myself, but this is an area I have spent many a vacation- going back to my childhood! I dragged my husband there when we were 20-something, and we spent every summer camping there for (at least) the next decade! It is hands down, our “go-to, happy place”!
So, first it is called Fishcreek for a reason. The fishing is excellent (though it is my husband’s idea of fun, not mine. I am canoe ballast and book-reader while he fishes!) Fishcreek campground has a whopping 319 sites directly on the lake. Most are a respectable size, and many can accommodate a 40ft RV, though they may not be ideally leveled! Nestled within Fishcreek is Rollins Pond campground with over 200 water sites. Don’t let the name fool you- it is a 44 acre body of water abutting the St. Regis Canoe area. This makes it our first choice over Fishcreek, which allows powerful motorboats while Rollins limits to 25HP engines. It is thus ideal for paddlers, affording opportunities to paddle and port for miles! You can even camp (primitively) on several of the islands along the way. These also offer places to picnic and swim in the midst of your excursion. We have even found a rope swing or two amongst the islands that my children enjoyed. However, be sure to invest in a paddlers map because the lakes and ponds interconnect and one could get lost…
A 40 minute drive gets you to the quaint towns and spectacular vistas of Saranac Lake and Lake Placid, each with their own tourist attractions and shopping. Nearby is an abundance of hiking opportunities for all levels. Stop in the bookstore in Lake Placid and get and Adirondack guide(s) for the area!
These parks are EXTREMELY popular for camping-so make sure you have a reservation (done via Reserve America, 9 months in advance). They are REMOTE, no water, no electricity hook-ups, but they do have shower buildings and ample bathroom facilities.
Rollins Pond campsite view fishing Paddling 8 mile paddle and port
New Brunswick, Canada (area)
Oh, Canada! I have regard for thee… ( Haven’t met a Province yet that I haven’t enjoyed! )
Nova Scotia is stunning! We traveled via coastal Maine, along Fundy Bay, on to Murray Beach Provincial Park (overlooking the Northumberland Sound), and then ventured throughout the (coastal points) of Nova Scotia. (Make sure you stop and get some Nova Scotia nachos- their own flair with bacon).
The Provincial Parks in Canada are inexpensive, clean and most even have laundry facilities. Staff were always smiling and helpful, as were the seasonal campers we encountered! Reservations were fairly easy to get.
So many scenic points to stop and poke through along the Cabot Trail, or simply soak in the spectacular views as you drive along it. We stayed in Broad Cove Campground in the Cape Breton Highlands National Park , and day-tripped from there. Loved Skyline trail, McIntosh Brook and the Coastal trial, ….but there are so many choices in this area that we feel we will have to go back! The signage is excellent on the hiking trails, with mileage and important warnings. You may stumble across a gigantic red Adirondack- style chair…if you find one, you have discovered one of Canada’s “hidden gems”. We found several on our excursions and were never disappointed in the view!
Northumberland, …. Murray Beach Campground Cabot Trail Cape Breton, typical picnic spot
Maine (area)
Maine, “the way life should be”….. another top ten destination!
This is a vast and beautiful state to visit, complete with coastal delights as well as lake adventures. Many years ago, we spent summers kayaking and splashing with our children in Darmiscotta (Pemequid Lake Campground), and fell in love with the abundant tidal pools at the nearby shore. We also enjoyed Moosehead Lake in west-central Maine and stayed in Lily Bay State Park. We took a scenic boat cruise for the Fourth of July Fireworks and had a beautiful evening. The lake is quite large and was a bit rough for a canoe, but we did manage to plod safely along the shoreline.
Southern coastal Maine was definitely worth poking around as it has much to offer in the way of beaches, hiking trails, restaurants and tourist shops (York, Ogunquit, Wells, Kennebunkport…). If you enjoy the wilderness and peace of state parks, then Cobscook Bay State Park in “Downeast Maine” is one not to miss! Near Lubec, ME, ( the most eastern point of the US). The area offers a multitude of hiking venues and spectacular views of the bays. Cobscook means “boiling waters” (Center photo) and it has an impressive 24 foot tidal change. We hiked trails at Quoddy Head state park and Boot Head Preserve and subsequently enjoyed the beer garden at Lubec Brewing Company.
Rachel Carson Preserve, Wells Boot Head preserve Cobscook Bay, Reversing tides
Sunset in Kennebunk