Best Campgrounds near Princeton, NJ

Granted, you’re in Princeton, yeah, that place known for that one certain university, so of course the expectations are going to be high, right? So, no doubt that this Lowes is pretty awesome, well, insofar as parking lots go that is. While there’s a variety of different sized Lowes that you’ll come across, this particular big blue box retailer serves up a fairly decent sized parking patio here for your overnight paved parking pleasure. Despite being conveniently located right off US1  and just 15 to 20 minutes west of I95 – as this retailer is located in a fairly normal-paced suburban location, you are going to like that yes, while there’s no doubt traffic, it’s all manageable. Despite being located right off US1, this Lowes sits back by about 80 yards so the locale doesn’t pick up all of the highway passerby traffic noise.

Before arriving here, we called Customer Service and spoke with a very friendly lady called Jai-isha, who connected us with the store manager, Amanda, who confirmed it was OK for us to spend the night at this particular Lowes location. So while I don’t think anyone would have any problems just rocking up here for a quick overnighter, you might want to call ahead or stop in first.

While there was definitely an abundance of parked cars as you enter from the west side, this is the least populated area of this parking corral, as well as the southern perimeter, which is a dash bit slower, less populated and therefor quieter. If that somewhat frequently trafficked retail arena doesn’t dissuade you from parking here at this home fixer upper, then you’ll be treated to a small smattering of additional retail options such as Mattress Firm (just in case you needed a new one for your RV), Trader Joes if you need to stock up on groceries, Starbucks to get jacked up on caffeine for that road trip you’re about to take as well The Container Store in the event that you need any kind of packing materials. While these stores add to the traffic pool, you’ll discover its altogether not terribly congested.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Should you be RVing with your four-legged friends with you, then you’ll be in luck as just due north of here you’ll discover a nice patch of nature called Institute Woods (seems ironic, right?) that offers 589 acres of nicely manicured woods, farmland, wetlands and paths for you and your pet to stretch your legs – but be sure to check out the wooden bridge that spans the stream; (2) When you grow tired of trying to conjure up that next meal from the remains of what is in your onboard mini-fridge or you just want to try out some local fare, then just across the street you’ll find The Princetonian Diner otherwise there’s some fast food joints like Wendy’s and Jersey Mike’s Subs or further down US1 in either direction you have comfort casual chains like Buffalo Wild Wings and P.F. Changs; (3) If you have a canoe or kayak and want to dip the beak of your vessel into some fresh water, then head due northeast to Carnegie Lake where you can not only get some decent oaring in, but drop a line or two as well to grab a nice dinner of blue gill; and (4) Looking for a fun diversion for the kiddos? Then head on over to Stumpy’s Hatchet House for some really great axe-wielding competitions!

While scoring criteria may vary from one person to the next, here are the 5 most important criteria that informed my rating of this overnight location: convenience (EZ on- and off-access), safety & security, quality (of facilities), peace & quiet and amenities (either on-site or nearby). Here’s how I ranked this particular overnight spot:

Convenience: 5 

Safety & Security: 5 

Quality: 5 

Peace & Quiet: 4 

Amenities: 4 

Overall, I scored this location a 5. 

Happy Overnighting!

I was so excited when we got here. The sites are spacious and it’s really beautiful. But by the 2nd day I had 3 ticks on me. My dog had one and by the end my husband had 2. That was so crazy because we were just sitting by our camper. I have been RVing for 2-3 years and this is the first time this many ticks ambushed us. I could not enjoy myself after having 3 biting me at one time. My husband had just come out of the shower and found 2 on him( not yet attached). Also the bathroom s don’t have shelves and the showers are not very convenient. You have to come out practically naked to get your towel. And since none of the sites have sewers you have to use them.

In the event that you find yourself in the heart of PA Dutch Country in this town named for the long lost settlers of this particular corner of New England and in search of a place to lay up for the night (and trust me, not anything more than that here), should you call ahead or, like me, simply drop by Melody Lakes Country Estate, you might … just maybe, score a slice of pavement to park your RV or 5th Wheel for the night. And for mi tent pitchin’ bredren, unfortunately you are out of luck as this place only caters to those looking to rent or build a semi-permanent structure or lease you a sliver of pavement next to the community pool for the night.

Located just due north of Quakertown on Highway 309 - you’ll know you’ve gone too far if you’ve passed by Kathy’s Country Kitchen, which I must admit, is definitely worth turning in for the loaded potato skins, Reuben burger and various versions of Mac-N-Cheese as well as their signature, which is anything from the breakfast menu - you'll find this spot completely hidden from site. So from this restaurant, if you missed Melody Lakes altogether – which is incredibly easy to do as there’s only a single sign that is about 3 feet tall and hidden from site besides a bush – just double-back and head down the little lane that meanders due south of the golf driving range. At the end of a 2-3 block blissful sojourn, complete with quaint ponds and accompanying ducks and geese, you’ll reach the main office, which you will then learn if one of the very few (and I mean like 2-3) slots is either available for the night or not. In our particular case, it was (perhaps fortunate for us) not.

As for Melody Lakes Country Estate, this is really just a retirement home for folks that don’t want to live in a closed community, so throughout the entire property, the majority of what you will discover is makeshift semi-permanent structures that have taken root to the land that they’ve been planted on. There are a decent amount of amenities here, in addition to Kathy’s Country Kitchen and the golf driving range, including: community swimming pool, adjacent reservoir, fishing ponds, 100 wooded acres, club house, shuffleboard court, designated trash dumpsters and recyclable bins as well as a kid’s playground. As there was ‘no room@ the inn’ when we stopped by, I couldn’t tell you if there were adequate hook-ups like electric, water and sewage, because we never got that far in our conversation.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Avoid the mistake that we made and call this place WELL in advance to see if they have space in the first place for your RV or 5th Wheeler; (2) Should you find availability and want to find some locations nearby for exploring nature, you’ll want to check out Upper Bucks Rail Trial, which has several miles of some pretty amazing thick wilderness to explore; (3) Once you grow weary of trying to conjure up that next meal from the remains of what is inside of your mini on-board fridge or roto-molded Cordova cooler, there’s a handful of decent restaurant offerings in and around Quakertown, of which, I recommend: The Brick Tavern Inn for its pan-roasted duck breast, The West End for their cheesesteak egg rolls, brisket loaded fries and fish-n-chips, but be sure to tie one on at Casey’s Place with a stiff Ketel One martini; and (4) Should you need to load up on anything when out in these parts, nearby there’s a Walmart, Aldi, Target, T.J.Maxx, Homegoods and Giant grocery store.

Happy Camping!