Best Glamping near Aurora, NY

Sned Acres Campground in Ovid and Empire Haven in Aurora house stylish glamping accommodations along the scenic shores of Cayuga Lake, offering an elevated outdoor experience in the Finger Lakes region. Safari tents, glamping cabins, and yurts feature plush queen-sized beds with premium linens, electricity, and climate control systems for year-round comfort. Each unit includes private furnished decks overlooking the water, creating perfect sunrise viewing spots. Empire Haven's luxury glamping options provide a more secluded experience with en-suite bathrooms and kitchenettes stocked with local coffee and tea. Sned Acres features upscale canvas tents with wood floors, decorative lighting, and comfortable seating areas that blend rustic charm with modern convenience. A recent visitor noted, "We stayed here for Memorial Day Weekend and really enjoyed Sned Acres. The grounds are well taken care of with a lot of grass and wide open areas."

Watkins Glen State Park, just 35 minutes from Aurora, boasts distinctive yurt rentals positioned near the park's famous gorge trails and waterfalls. These circular canvas structures combine traditional design with modern amenities including wood-burning stoves, comfortable mattresses, and solar-powered lighting. Cheerful Valley Campground's geodesic domes feature panoramic windows for stargazing, while their luxury yurts include private hot tubs and outdoor kitchens for al fresco dining. The proximity to the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail makes these glamping accommodations ideal for wine enthusiasts wanting to explore local vineyards and tasting rooms. One guest shared, "The location is perfect for exploring the Finger Lakes region, with wineries, hiking, and local attractions just a short drive away. The peaceful atmosphere and serene surroundings made for a relaxing getaway."

Best Glamping Sites Near Aurora, New York (30)

    1. Sampson State Park Campground

    20 Reviews
    Willard, NY
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 585-6392

    $24 - $350 / night

    "There is a museum, boat launch, pavilions, and ice cream shop on the camp ground. The bathrooms are great with showers and each camp spot has plenty of distance away from the next one."

    "large tent and rv sites most with electric. Potable water fill station and dump tanks at entrance/exit. Bathrooms were very clean and had dish washing stations in them."

    2. Sned Acres Campground

    9 Reviews
    Aurora, NY
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (607) 869-9787

    $25 - $99 / night

    "We were welcomed w a fresh loaf of bread and the owners made sure our group was able to stay together on neighboring sites. Out site was nicely shaded and across from the small lake."

    "It was easy to find, relatively easy to pull in (would’ve been easier if someone hadn’t parked their car in the grass directly across from our campsite), and the staff we dealt with (Wendy and Reid) were"

    3. Cayuga Lake State Park Campground

    14 Reviews
    Cayuga, NY
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 568-5163

    $17 - $107 / night

    "I was too busy playing in the lake, hiking, and riding my bike on some paths. I also saw a few people fishing in the lake, but not really sure what kind of fish you can catch."

    "These are non-electric tent camping loops, bathrooms are a short walk from spots, if you have kids there is a playground by the more open spots in the inner part of each loop or you can stay in the more"

    4. Watkins Glen State Park Campground

    90 Reviews
    Watkins Glen, NY
    28 miles
    Website
    +1 (607) 535-4511

    $20 - $58 / night

    "Bathrooms were clean. The site was huge, the campfire ring was lovely. The gorge trail is absolutely amazing- beautiful waterfalls!!"

    "I absolutely love coming to Watkins Glen Campground, especially when I went to get away from the busy city. This park has gorgeous waterfalls, and great paths to walk and hike on."

    5. Taughannock Falls State Park Campground

    19 Reviews
    Jacksonville, NY
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (607) 387-6739

    $20 - $67 / night

    "Taughannock Falls State Park is one of my favorite parks in New York."

    "Went for a quick getaway to this little gem of a state park in the finger lakes region of New York. I’ll be coy, and use their slogan ‘Ithaca is Gorges’ and Gorgeous!!!"

    6. Robert H. Treman State Park Campground

    22 Reviews
    Ithaca, NY
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (607) 273-3440

    $20 - $128 / night

    "Beautiful walking trails, waterfalls and a natural swimming area. The playgrounds are better than most we’ve seen."

    "Located in Tompkins County, Ithaca New York has beautiful gorges and hiking trails. Robert Treman is a treat and a gorgeous place to camp in the Ithaca, NY area."

    7. Junius Ponds

    10 Reviews
    Phelps, NY
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 781-5120

    $39 - $999 / night

    "They had a oversized, long pull through available (site 88) that made entering and exiting the site nice and easy. 50amp and water was used, didn’t dump."

    "Well maintained and friendly staff. Clean facilities. Most sites can accommodate large rigs with full hookups. Reservations recommended especially during summer weekends."

    8. Pinecreek Campground

    8 Reviews
    Ithaca, NY
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (607) 273-1974

    "Pinecreek is a beautiful park in a great area 10 minutes from downtown Ithica New York and Lake Cayuga. The area has everything you could possibly want or need."

    "Beautiful lake, woodland and natural surrounding. Friendly campground visitors and staff. Open to seasonal and day campers alike. Playground needs improving."

    9. Empire Haven Nudist Park

    1 Review
    Moravia, NY
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 497-0135

    10. Cheerful Valley Campground

    3 Reviews
    Phelps, NY
    21 miles
    Website
    +1 (315) 781-1222

    $30 - $110 / night

    "More of an open campground vs. secluded. I didn't use their bathrooms or showers. Many seasonal campers. Live music and friendly neighbors. It was a nice stop as I headed up."

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Glamping Reviews near Aurora, NY

330 Reviews of 30 Aurora Campgrounds


  • Maureen F.
    Dec. 4, 2020

    Firelight Camps

    Such a unique Glamping experience!

    Stayed 2 nights for my birthday and loved it. One of the first places to open after COVID shutdown. Normally they have a large gathering area for cooking, games and a bar tent. Even with the restrictions we had a great visit and felt safely distanced from other campers and staff. Great hiking trails because it is attached to Buttermilk Falls State Park. Also close to Cornell University which is a beautiful campus.

    I loved sleeping in the huge canvas tent and listening to the rain safe and warm under many quilts. The breakfast baskets the made for us each day were so nice to wake up to. And the bar and fire pits were maintained for you by the staff -  such luxury. I loved it.

  • Cheryl W.
    Aug. 31, 2018

    Pinecreek Campground

    Beautiful Park, beautiful area could be so much more with a little effort!

    Pinecreek is a beautiful park in a great area 10 minutes from downtown Ithica New York and Lake Cayuga. The area has everything you could possibly want or need. Fabulous State Parks with spectacular waterfalls, a farmers market right on the lake front, Cornell University and so much more. That being said it may be the reason the campground doesn't offer any planned activities. They do have a swimming pool and what appears to be a large clubhouse/meeting area that is not or was not used while we were there, nor were any activities publicized. They do have a small arcade but it did not stay open past 8 pm and did not appear to be air-conditioned.

    Our campsite was a full hookup with a large grassy area for setting up our outside chairs and picnic table. Although we enjoyed our stay we felt it was a bit overpriced for not having much to offer. They also have a very long list of rules & while they do allow pets there is a list of breed restrictions you need to be aware of before booking a reservation. They also charge for electricity on any stays one week or longer which we had not encountered previously at campgrounds where we have stayed.

    Overall we enjoyed our stay but not sure we would stay again.

  • Jess W.
    Aug. 19, 2018

    Watkins Glen State Park Campground

    Wonderful

    Bathrooms were clean. The site was huge, the campfire ring was lovely. The gorge trail is absolutely amazing- beautiful waterfalls!! Quiet hours were honored even by the crazy Nascar fans (we were there race weekend)! Great time had here! Highly recommend!!

  • Sue T.
    Sep. 12, 2016

    Watkins Glen State Park Campground

    Beautiful waterfalls!

    I absolutely love coming to Watkins Glen Campground, especially when I went to get away from the busy city. This park has gorgeous waterfalls, and great paths to walk and hike on. It's located in Upstate New York, so it's close enough to the city but you feel like you are far away from the city. The campsites are great, clean and well kept. This park does get pretty busy though, because it is open to campers and people who just want to visit for the day to walk the trails. I love that they have trails that lead very close to the waterfalls..lots of rim trails that literally overlook the waterfalls and gorges. In the campground they do offer a pool, which again, does get busy because it's open to everyone regardless if you are camping or not. There also is tours you can take in the summer that will take you along the waterfalls and gorge, they have a playground for kids and an area with picnic tables. I went mid July and it was extremely busy, not sure when a good time to go during the summer when it's not as busy. That was the only downside I would say, is how crowded it was. There is also Seneca Lake nearby that many people go to fish in, however I didn't go on this trip but plan to next time. There are restrooms on site, however I didn't think they were that clean. Toilet paper and seat covers were out in most stalls, so I would advise to bring your own when you go. There is also some gift shops and food stands set up...one food stand has some pretty good hot dogs! The hikes to the gorge and waterfalls is pretty well maintained, however there are quite a bit of stairs. There were some people with kids in strollers that had to turn around because the stairs made it difficult. Not handicap friendly. I would advise to wear a good pair of walking shoes, and not sandals because it is slippery in some spots and again, a lot of stairs! I would highly recommend coming here, even if you don't decide to stay the night!

  • Rachel P.
    May. 28, 2018

    Watkins Glen State Park Campground

    Watkins Glen State Park

    Watkins Glen boasts one of New York’s most beautiful state parks! I last camped here in 2012 and absolutely loved hiking along the gorges. Also- the camping was next to perfect. Sites are decently sized and well secluded from one another.

    in addition, the park is so well situated within the Finger Lakes and all the various wine trails! Made for a perfect girls weekend! Definitely recommend!

  • Brian K.
    Sep. 28, 2016

    Watkins Glen State Park Campground

    Convenient Campground for the Area

    If you're looking for a nice campground to see Watkins Glen or go to the racetrack, these are fantastic! Right up the hill from the Glen and a short walk or drive into the village with tiny restaurants and shopping. These are going to be pretty crowded in the summer and are not very secluded sites. Quiet hours are well enforced and campsite loops are regularly patrolled. Overall, a well maintained campground for seeing Watkins Glen for a weekend.

  • Katie K.
    Aug. 30, 2018

    Sned Acres Campground

    Nice place to stay while exploring the Finger Lakes

    We happened upon Sned Acres when Curveball was cancelled and had to make lemons out of lemonade. We were welcomed w a fresh loaf of bread and the owners made sure our group was able to stay together on neighboring sites. Out site was nicely shaded and across from the small lake. The showers were hot and the facilities were clean. It is a family campground w quiet hours after 9pm, so consider that when booking.

  • Nancy W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 29, 2022

    Watkins Glen / Corning KOA

    Nice Campground in a Great Area of NY

    We were looking to spend a couple of nights near Watkins Glen to hit the wineries, waterfalls, and nearby museums around the finger lakes of New York and this park seemed to be in a good location for us to do all that. There were other options closer to downtown Watkins Glen but they were closed for the season when we visited. This park is quite large and can accommodate any size RV with plenty of activities to keep the entire family busy without even leaving the park (but we wouldn’t recommend that because there is so much to do in the surrounding area). 

    Typical KOA with a wide range of RV sites and lodging options and tons of activities and amenities. We booked online and got our KOA discount, so check-in was easy and we were greeted by friendly people. There is a mix of site types which you can pick out online. If you don’t see the type you want online, give them a call because sometimes they can move people around to accommodate you. The roads in the park and campsites are gravel but the park is easy to navigate. They do have short fences at the front and back of sites which can make maneuvering into your site a little tricky. Not sure why they have these unless it is to keep people from driving or parking on the grass. Deluxe sites with fancy paved patios are available for a bit more$$$ than standard sites. All sites have a picnic table and fire pit.

    Our site was level and long enough to fit our tow car. The pad was gravel but the patio was paved. Our fire pit stuck out pretty close to the road which was a bit awkward. Sites are definitely close so upon check-in we noticed that the park was not very crowded and asked that they not put us right next to people if at all possible. The women in the office told us that our neighbors were leaving the next morning and that was the only site option. Turns out they didn’t leave and there did appear to be other sites available. Oh well! 

    The park advertises free wifi and we were skeptical as to how good it would be but it turned out that it worked well at our site for surfing the internet. Our 4G Verizon phone reception was good and the open pull-thru sites work well for those wanting to use satellite. There is cable which broadcasts 70 channels. 

    What we liked about this campground was: the pastoral setting yet it was close to many attractions and things we wanted to do. The hiking trail was a big plus and really appreciated by our Labrador retriever. Wifi worked great and there were lots of cable channels. Our patio was paved which is nice but it is more expensive than standard sites with grass (so we ended up paying for that). 

    By far the worst thing about this park is the price. If you come here in the summer and use all the amenities then maybe we could see paying $100/night. But we really just wanted a place to park and hook-up the RV since we spent very little time there during the day. The only amenity we were even slightly interested in was the heated indoor swimming pool. 

    The surrounding area boasts lots of activities from exploring the natural wonders to wineries and museums. The region is known for its waterfalls including the popular Watkins Glen Gorge that has 19 waterfalls and many more in the surrounding area. Watkins Glen sits at the southern end of Seneca Lake and offers many opportunities to get out on the water for sight-seeing and a diner cruise. Close by are 40 some wineries and breweries that draw many visitors. A 30-minute drive south will put you in the town of Corning home to the spectacular Corning Museum of Glass and the Rockwell Art Museum. Watkins Glen Speedway hosts major motor racing events including the NASCAR Sprint Cup. Click here for a link to our blog post about what we did

  • Jake C.The Dyrt ADMIN User
    Jan. 20, 2023

    Harpy Hollow

    Camping near the finger lakes

    Jake here from the Dyrt!  Harpy hollow not only has a great location in northern New York but is veteran owned and operated and ready to host more campers.  Check them out and leave a review on the Dyrt when you stay!


Guide to Aurora

Seneca Lake sits at the heart of camping options near Aurora, New York, with elevations ranging from 380 to 900 feet throughout the region. The climate features humid summers with temperatures averaging 80°F and cool falls dropping to 40-50°F by October. Many campgrounds in the area remain open from April through October, with some extending their season into November for fall foliage viewing.

What to do

Explore military history sites: Sampson State Park Campground offers access to a naval museum with authentic WWII items. "It was a Naval training base during WWll... It has a Naval museum with many authentic items from that era," notes Brian O. about the park located 20 minutes from Aurora.

Swimming in natural settings: Cayuga Lake State Park provides distinctive swimming areas away from the glamping accommodations. "Small swimming area is a beautiful location, and overall good experience," shares one visitor, while another notes "Kayaking in Cayuga Lake was not lacking some beautiful views."

Hiking gorge trails: Watkins Glen State Park Campground offers interconnected hiking paths beyond just the main gorge. "The gorges speak for themselves, lots to do in the nature here... several beautiful hiking paths in all seasons," writes Harry H. Lindsay C. adds, "There is a huge new playground for the kids and lots of area to walk around the loops if you don't want to hike the gorge trail."

Fishing opportunities: Taughannock Falls State Park provides access to fishing spots along with hiking. "This is a beautiful campground. I stayed at site 42, which was mostly shady... The campground is very walkable to the swimming area, which goes to 12 feet deep and has a dock to jump off of," reports Barbara S.

What campers like

Spacious campsites: Sampson State Park campers appreciate the ample room between sites. "Most sites are pretty spacious," shares Amanda K., while Michele D. confirms, "Beautiful. Spacious campsites, electric and water hook ups."

Welcome amenities: Sned Acres Campground offers personal touches for arriving campers. "We loved our stay at Sned-Acres! We spent 4 nights there in June 2019 at site #17... The friendship bread given to us at check-in was so touching and sweet (as well as delicious)," says Julie S. Another camper mentions, "First time camper! We really enjoyed our stay. They were so helpful as we were first time campers. We loved the friendship bread when we arrived."

Family-friendly facilities: Robert H. Treman State Park has amenities that appeal to families looking for alternatives to luxury glamping in Aurora. "We stayed a week and absolutely loved it! Great hiking to waterfalls, beautiful campgrounds and a large playground. Some sites have shared fresh water hookup between the sites," according to Jennifer D. Another camper adds, "The bathrooms were clean, with multiple free, hot showers."

Pet-friendly options: Many campgrounds near Aurora welcome pets, unlike some exclusive glamping accommodations. Sheri S. notes about Sampson State Park, "Only about 15 minutes to the closest large town (Geneva), Sampson State park has it all... This campground is also dog friendly."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Aurora, NY?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Aurora, NY is Sampson State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 20 reviews.

What is the best site to find glamping camping near Aurora, NY?

TheDyrt.com has all 30 glamping camping locations near Aurora, NY, with real photos and reviews from campers.