Hi folksWe're new to RVing (and don't even have one yet). We're thinking of renting an RV int he spring to see if we like it, and I'm looking for a good campground(s). We would prefer something quiet, but with full hookups so we don't have to "rough it" too much, not a resort full of kids. We won't use a pool or arcade or tennis courts, just looking for nice, clean parks with some good but not too difficult hiking trails and that sort of thing, and dog friendly.Anyway, we live outside Philadelphia (Pottstown area to be specific), and would be interested in anything on the eastern half of PA like the Poconos, or Lancaster area, etc. Also would consider lower NY, anywhere in NJ or DE, or upper MD. I've been tent camping in the chessapeke area in my youth, wouldn't mind going back especially if there's a place to eat crabs nearby :)Any recommendations?

rvnoob wrote:...We would prefer something quiet, but with full hookups so we don't have to "rough it" too much, not a resort full of kids. We won't use a pool or arcade or tennis courts, just looking for nice, clean parks with some good but not too difficult hiking trails and that sort of thing, and dog friendly...Any recommendations?...In my experience, very few commercial RV parks/campgrounds have enough property to have hiking trails of any length. So, you would need to look at ones close to public lands/recreation areas. Many state and county parks have more land and thus hiking and biking trails, etc. Checkout Delaware State Parks, Maryland State Parks, New Jersey State Parks, Pennsylvania State Parks, and New York State Parks. However, these public parks may not have full hookups. Most have at least some electric sites and often have a dump station. Some have pet restrictions and some limit pets to specific campsites and areas within the parks. Corps of Engineers Lakes often have campgrounds with some electric sites and a dump station.

Google rv park reviews and youll find reasonable site with lots of park listings. I don't go by any one review, more of look for consistant complains (and if it would bother me.) Woodalls is another good source to find RV parks.In PA you have lots of options, heck just for the Hershey show other then waiting to long to setup a reservation, I found about 15 good full hookup options in the area (between harrisburg and lancaster.) You also have gettysburg, and many other areas in PA to explore. MD campgrounds are somewhat few and far between until you get past frederick, MD. I would also recommend an early or late season trip to the luray, VA area. We enjoyed our stay in spring there 2 years ago. I don't really get to the NY border much due to travel time, but have considered looking up that way for a long weekend trip.

Check out Rip Van Winkle Campground in Saugerties, NY. You're only a little ways from Woodstock, but still in the woods. This is one of our favorite campgrounds. I don't know what kind of hiking you're into, but there's plenty of places to go right from your site if you want to spend a couple hours.Closer to home and for hiking in the Poconos, try Otter Lake Campground in East Stroudsburg, PA. This is a very nice campground, also.Bruce

I suspect your best bet is to contact each of your preferred states' tourism board. You can do that online or via toll free numbers generally. You'll find that most SP systems have some campgrounds with at least water/electricity hookups and less with water/electricity and sewer. You can also find local RV dealers that will set up the RV for you and at a additional fee empty your grey and black tanks plus refill the white. Of course they rent them as well. Great if your car/truck hasn't a towing system built in and you're trying out an RV experience for the first time. Since you like the Poconos and Lancaster, I'd suggest expanding your campsite search a bit and look in the Adirondack area of NYS as well; some similar landscape there. Basically, I'd just figure out how far I'd like to travel in one day's travel and then look for convenient highway systems. Oh and finally be sure to know the reservation windows for places you want to visit. Waiting until the spring to reserve can mean you won't find a space w/ your criteria. For instance, I spend the 4th of July at a CT state park every year and booked my site for 2015 in August 2014. Currently there are no electric/ water sites left for that time frame and barely any no hookup sites. All the "upgraded" sites were booked the first 3 days the reservation period opened. HTH and have fun.

Well.... try the following - Spring Gulch Campground in New Holland - LINK...Lake In Woods in Narvon ( close to New Holland- - LINK...and Delaware State Seashore Park in Rehoboth DE - LINK... All are pet friendly ( we have a dog) and all are decent places to stay that are somewhat close to you

Upper-Middle East Coast Campgrounds? | Good Sam Community

14 Replies

Doug33
Explorer
Oct 19, 2014
mikhen wrote:
Beacon Hill in Intercourse, Pa, adults only.
Starlite in Stevens,Pa. Kids and all the amneties, but if you are up in the plateau area, it is very quiet, with a great view.
Eastern Pa has plenty of choices.

Beacon has no facilities, but is right in the thick of Intercourse Village with lots of shopping. Starlite is way out in the middle of nowhere, but CG has a lot to do on site and is kid friendly.

Last month we stayed at Country Haven near New Holland PA and enjoyed ourselves there.

http://www.countryhaven.com/
mikhen
Explorer
Oct 19, 2014
Beacon Hill in Intercourse, Pa, adults only.
Starlite in Stevens,Pa. Kids and all the amneties, but if you are up in the plateau area, it is very quiet, with a great view.
Eastern Pa has plenty of choices.
Doug33
Explorer
Oct 18, 2014
ford truck guy wrote:
Well.... try the following - Spring Gulch Campground in New Holland - LINK...Lake In Woods in Narvon ( close to New Holland- - LINK...
and Delaware State Seashore Park in Rehoboth DE - LINK... All are pet friendly ( we have a dog) and all are decent places to stay that are somewhat close to you

I've found Spring Gulch and Lake in the Wood to be extremely expensive - $70/night and up during the peak season. There is no way I can get enough out of a CG to pay that amount. Especially now since we don't usually go with kids.

Delaware State Seashore Park is nice with full hookups, but the sites are fairly small and there is virtually no shade/tree coverage. And since it is right on the inlet between the bay and ocean, it is almost always very windy. But it is a beautiful location if you like fishing and the ocean, since you can walk 5 minutes right to the beach. Unfortunately we could not get a site there this past June when we camped in DE.

We're heading to Tuckahoe State Park in the eastern shore of MD next weekend for the first time. There are a lot of hiking and biking trails, and we got a site with electric for less than $30/night. I'll report back with an assessment.
mgirardo
Explorer
Oct 16, 2014
Rocky Gap State Park in Flintstone, MD has some nice hiking trails from mild to almost wild. I don't think they have full hook-ups, but they do offer 30 amp electric and they have a dump station. Rocky Gap is close to Green Ridge State Forest which also has lots of hiking trails as do other State Forests in Western MD. I wouldn't want to take anything other than a pop-up or small TT to Green Ridge, I've only tent camped at Green Ridge.

PA has some really nice state parks, a lot of them with great hiking trails. Hickory Run State Park is one of my favorites. I know they offer some electric and full hook-up sites.

How long does it usually take for an average couple to fill up a gray & black tank? I wouldn't want to be stuck with a full tank and not know where to empty it

Everyone's water usage differs. We are a family of 4 and fill up gray water pretty quick, usually after 3 days using our shower. The black tank usually fills up in a week. However, if we are somewhere without sewer hook-ups, usually they have bath houses/comfort stations with showers and bathrooms. If we use the campground's facilities for showers, we get a week out of the gray tank too.

-Michael
rvnoob
Explorer
Oct 15, 2014
I would absolutely love Frontier Town, but I know my girlfriend wouldn't be into it at all :) Assateague could work.. I was there a long time ago (like 20 years). I remember the packs wild horses running around. (Is that a pack? or a herd? gaggle?)

I'm going to look into some state parks, that sounds like the best option for now. How long does it usually take for an average couple to fill up a gray & black tank? I wouldn't want to be stuck with a full tank and not know where to empty it :)
edbehnke
Explorer
Oct 15, 2014
if you are going on short trips you would enjoy, I think, the state parks. you would not have to have full hookups either if it is only for a few days.
dahkota
Explorer
Oct 15, 2014
If you are only taking a weekend I would go to the beach - Assateague State Park in Maryland has electric and the beach is pretty nice. It is not too far outside Ocean City for something to do if it rains. There is also Frontier Town (http://www.frontiertown.com/) a private campground in the area with full hook-ups.
JamesBr
Explorer
Oct 15, 2014
For a rental other then Cruise America, there is Stoltzfus RV and Marine in West Chester, PA. I have never rented from them. But I did buy my 5th wheel from them last year. Had no complaints on their sales side, service I am still iffy but major improvements since when they installed my hitch as part of the purchase deal. I am still hoping they keep working on improvements but communications is much better.

I would call them rather then rely on online.
rvnoob
Explorer
Oct 15, 2014
thanks folks

We do have some nearby state parks but the ones I know of are small, they're mostly just for parking and hiking or fishing for the day, i've never seen any campers there. I was thinking something like the poconos would be good.. around here people with vacation homes either go there, or they have a shore house in NJ. Gettysburg would be cool for me, but my girlfriend isn't into history stuff so she would be bored there probably :) Hershey might be cool. I know there's a few wineries around, I think she'd be into that if there were places we could go wine tasting or whatever.

I was thinking we would go for a long weekend more in early spring, like late April or early May, I figured there would be less people around. We wouldn't be traveling anywhere on any holiday weekends, those are always stay home weekends for us. We hate traffic :)

There's a place called Cruise America near us so I figured we would rent from them, are they good? I checked some dates and it seems like we could do a weekend for less than $300 in their large Class C's. I know of one RV dealer nearby, but when I went to their website and clicked the rental button it said they weren't renting right now. Or do you usually have to go and act like you want to buy it, and then they'll let you rent to try it out?

We both drive smaller cars, so we wouldn't be able to get a towable RV and if anything we'll be downsizing our daily drivers for better gas mileage in the future. We don't have a need for a big truck, so we'd have to get a full motorhome when the time comes. I really like the look of the new Winnebago Brave, but I think it might be out of our price range. I'd like to try and find something used but in good shape, maybe just a couple years old, just to save a little. We'll probably head over to that dealer one of these weekends and look around.
ford_truck_guy
Nomad
Oct 15, 2014
Well.... try the following - Spring Gulch Campground in New Holland - LINK...Lake In Woods in Narvon ( close to New Holland- - LINK...
and Delaware State Seashore Park in Rehoboth DE - LINK... All are pet friendly ( we have a dog) and all are decent places to stay that are somewhat close to you