Ideas for New York state?

[michigan_buckey]

Just exploring some options for upstate New York. We traveled through briefly on our way to and from Maine (from Michigan). We stayed one night Saranac Lake on the way out and then a few days in Niagara on the way home. We'll probably spend a week and are initially thinking about the Adirondacks and Finger Lake areas, but are open to any other suggestions. I've read up a little on Lechworth State Park, which also looks interesting. We like outdoor activities (swimming, kayaking, etc.), wineries, and just good old relaxing. We have a Class-C motor home which houses myself, wife, 10 yr old daughter, and typically two cats and will tow a car along behind us if necessary.

Thanks.

[padredw]

Two places we enjoyed staying in New York:

1- Arrowhead Marina and RV Park near Schenectady.

2- Cooperstown Beaver Valley RV Park.

[dcason]

Make sure you book early if you want electric in Watkins Glen...which you will need...if it is summer.

[Hoosierdaddy47]

bukhrn wrote:

michigan buckeye wrote:
So would it be best sticking to the Finger Lakes area / west end of the state if we only have a week? Possibly splitting up our time between two campgrounds?

This sounds very reasonable, considering you only have one week, as you can see from all the posts, anything more would be very ambitious for one week, just don't forget to go back & see the rest at another time.

X2 - There isn't a section of the state that one couldn't spend a week in. Letchworth is outstanding, as are the Finger Lakes, the Niagara Frontier, the Thousand Islands, the Adirondacks and on and on. Maybe you'd want to start at Niagara Falls and work east with subsequent trips!

[bukhrn]

michigan buckeye wrote:
So would it be best sticking to the Finger Lakes area / west end of the state if we only have a week? Possibly splitting up our time between two campgrounds?

This sounds very reasonable, considering you only have one week, as you can see from all the posts, anything more would be very ambitious for one week, just don't forget to go back & see the rest at another time.

[tomkaren13]

In Watkins Glen we stayed at Clute Memorial Park & Campground. Lake is across the road. It is owned by the city of Watkins Glen. Nothing fancy but clean.

[dcason]

We live and have travelled a lot in NY...don't miss:

Watkins Glen State park (only 1 electric loop) the town itself is hohum. Walk the glen...

Finger lakes wineries (there are tons of them but you might want to just pick out one or two...you won't want to drive after that (been there) Drink some wine and bring some home

letchworth State Park is also special for the eastern USA...see the falls....

And if you are just kind of passing through that should keep you busy...

If you come in from the North to Letchworth, leave from the south and find your way to route 86 east...you can then approach the wineries and Watkins Glen state park from the south. If you are there for the leaf peeping season the colors are really fabulous along route 86/17. It is a somewhat windy, rolling road but free and scenic especially when it is in color.

[idealdiamond]

njdirt wrote:
Agree with some of the other suggestions posted and will add another....
Herkimer is between Syracuse and Albany and you can find your own Herkimer Diamonds at the mines up there which is fun and the KOA across the road is on a river you can tube on. Herkimer NY

Well same as on Georgia in Atlanta you ll find atlanta diamond, Which is really great and kind of fun in this city....

[stroza99]

Mortimer Brewster wrote:
Watkins Glen is a don't miss in my book.

X2!!!!!!!!

[livelylittlecam]

We really liked Hickory Hill Camping Resort which was a very nice family friendly campground. It is in Bath, NY and close to Lake Keuka which is lovely for swimming and kayaking. Sites there are pretty spacious but ask to be in the shade!

[Don_in_Niagara]

Allegany State Park is a great park.

[Tvov]

Northern end of Lake George has Fort Ticonderoga, which is very cool to visit if you are into revolutionary-era history. Also, the drive along Lake George on route 9A is really good (tight, hilly, winding small road with great views of the lake).

[Mike__Rose]

Lake George and Lake Placid are nice places to visit. Whiteface Mountain and the Olympic venues are great fun to see even in summer. You can watch the skiers train on the ski jumps fitted with plastic snow mats.

[river_bravo]

Watkins Glen State Park is awesome. Have to hike the gorge, visit wineries, drive the tour at the race track. To change it up, spend the second week at Hamlin Beach State Park or Fair Haven State Park, both on Lake Ontario. Different scenery, activities. We have trips scheduled this year for all of them.

[Amyknits2]

We go every year to Sampson State Park in the Finger Lakes Region and love it there...huge sites, marina to walk to and see beautiful boats and water activities. From there we do wine crawls all over the region, go to Watkins Glen State Park for the beautiful walk path around various waterfalls, see the Corning Museum etc. Electric on all sites, no sewer.

We also go nearly every year to Rollins Park in the Adirondacks. The best part about Rollins is the huges sites and about 90% of them are on the "pond" (huge) and you can kayak/canoe/swim right from your site! No hookups here but it also reduces noise and is great to relax, kayak, read, hike etc. Not much to do nearby unless you go back to Lake Placid for shopping/restaurants.