Camping in Finger Lakes Region

[beetlebug78]

Hello,

We plan on camping in the Finger Lakes region the week after the 4th of July. We are looking for campground recommendations.

Also, what would you recommend to do around that area.

Thanks in advance!

[Airdaile]

I forgot to mention that there's a huge flea market in Penn Yan every Saturday.

[Stevebx]

Check out some of the small towns in the region, like Hammondsport and Naples. Many nice wineries with lovely views of the lakes and hills, both sides of Keuka Lake and Seneca Lake. You don't mention what type of camping you do or needs for your rig. Watkins Glen has a nice state park but limited sites with electric. Sampson has all with electric, I believe, but they are fairly open sites, some trees for shade. If you go to the Corning area, I have really gotten to like the Chemung County Park campground, Park Station. It has very nice sites with electric, well spaced and private, some on a small lake. Wherever you go, be sure to get a reservation, especially around the holiday. It may already be difficult to get into the state parks.

[pitch]

I had forgotten, a new casino was built in Tyre(Seneca Falls) if that is your interest.

[JoeH]

pitch wrote:

JoeH wrote:
Clute Park is in Watkins Glen. It makes a good base for exploring the area including Watkins Glen State Park and all the area wineries. Hickory Hill is pretty nice and is a short drive to the Curtiss Museum. Over at Taughannock Falls State Park, are campsites and the falls. More wineries and Ithaca not too far.

No way would I stay at Clute. Nothing wrong with it but it is a parking lot. No reason to stay in those conditions with so many actual "Campgrounds" in the area.

Many beautiful State Parks but they are limited to electric only.
Hector National Forest is closebut there are only a couple of sites.

Their is a very large Amish and Mennonite population in the Finger Lakes,these are not "tourist" Amish like in PA,but if you like to watch teams working the fields it makes for a scenic vview. (The locals also "split" lanes while passing buggies, so don't follow one for miles waiting for the dotted line.

All of the roads in the FL are drivable including the "Limited Maintenance seasonal" roads and the roads in Hector with any thing other than a sedan.

Senca Falls has the "Womens Rights National Historic" site and the "WOmens Hall of Fame. Good places to visit but in my mind not worth a trip just for them.

Come see us spend money!

Yes, Clute is a parking lot, but there are very few facilities in the area that will accomodate our 65' long rig. We go out and explore and come back to the RV to eat and sleep, so a parking lot is OK, not great but it works.

[Bob806]

We like Keuka Lake State Park.Close to lots of wineries and good golf courses. All the sites are private, with bushes/brush between them. Probably half the sites have electric though, that's the only downside.

[ACZL]

Just got this in the mail the other day. The owners of the Watkins Glen KOA bought Hickory Hill Campground and has rebranded it as Hammondsport-Bath KOA. There are at least 9 waterfalls & parks to visit. Numerous wineries (tours probly avail or have a designated driver). 5 museums, Watkins Glen racetrack (can even go on it w/ your vehicle), lake cruises, fishing and hiking and several shopping places/interests. All these of course based on staying in the Watkins Glen/Bath/Hammondsport areas. Enjoy !!

[DrewE]

Watkin's Glen, as has been said, is a fascinating and pretty stroll. The state park campground is just fine (typical of NY state park campgrounds--some electric sites, no full hookup ones as I recall). Some of the sites are much larger than their quoted maximum RV sizes would indicate (and some are not), and the access roads are not particularly twisty or constrained.

It's not quite in the finger lakes region, but Letchworth State Park is absolutely, positively, totally worth visiting. It's one of the most beautiful state parks in the nation. It's also long, and the campground is at the opposite end from many of the main points of interest.

[pitch]

JoeH wrote:
Clute Park is in Watkins Glen. It makes a good base for exploring the area including Watkins Glen State Park and all the area wineries. Hickory Hill is pretty nice and is a short drive to the Curtiss Museum. Over at Taughannock Falls State Park, are campsites and the falls. More wineries and Ithaca not too far.

No way would I stay at Clute. Nothing wrong with it but it is a parking lot. No reason to stay in those conditions with so many actual "Campgrounds" in the area.

Many beautiful State Parks but they are limited to electric only.
Hector National Forest is closebut there are only a couple of sites.

Their is a very large Amish and Mennonite population in the Finger Lakes,these are not "tourist" Amish like in PA,but if you like to watch teams working the fields it makes for a scenic vview. (The locals also "split" lanes while passing buggies, so don't follow one for miles waiting for the dotted line.

All of the roads in the FL are drivable including the "Limited Maintenance seasonal" roads and the roads in Hector with any thing other than a sedan.

Senca Falls has the "Womens Rights National Historic" site and the "WOmens Hall of Fame. Good places to visit but in my mind not worth a trip just for them.

Come see us spend money!

[Hondavalk]

This website has lots of good info on the area. If your interseted in Native American history there are a lot of great places to visit in the area.
https://www.lifeinthefingerlakes.com/archive-articles/

[Tripalot]

Check out Corning Glass Works while in the area

[Airdaile]

We've done both Clute and the KOA in Watkins Glen. If you do the KOA, get a site in the back away from the road and activities. There's also a railroad that goes by which is less obvious in the back. Check the schedule at the raceway because you can hear the cars from the KOA.

[mdcamping]

As others have mentioned, you can pick up a guild that shows all the wine,beer, cheese trails around scenic Seneca lake. Some of those establishments have good eats with venues that overlook the lake.

Visit Havana glen gorge as a warmup before visiting Watkins glen gorge, Havana glen has a small campground with W/E sites if I remember, could be a booking option too.

Mike

[JoeH]

Clute Park is in Watkins Glen. It makes a good base for exploring the area including Watkins Glen State Park and all the area wineries. Hickory Hill is pretty nice and is a short drive to the Curtiss Museum. Over at Taughannock Falls State Park, are campsites and the falls. More wineries and Ithaca not too far.

[nypatnva]

Try Sampson state Park, a former military base. Finger Lakes national forest, miles of great hiking. Finger Lakes Wine Trail. Erie canal, plenty of history "so much to see, so little time"