Best Glamping near Preble, NY

New York State pretty much has abandoned this park. Trees fallen down across the sites. Might be ok for a tent but that’s all.

Definitely one of the top places to camp and visit in New York, Watkins Glen State Park never disappoints. Each time I come back, I find something new to discover and have a great time doing that. Pair awesome trails and camping space with world class wineries up the lake, you cannot go wrong.

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!

Taughannock Falls State Park is one of my favorite parks in New York. The camp grounds are excellent, there are TONS of trails nearby, the swimming area of the lake is close, and the water is very clean. The crown jewel of the place is Taughannock Falls, which is a short flat hike to one of the tallest single drop waterfalls on the east coast. It really is quite the sight. There are cool playgrounds for the kids, grills, restrooms, showers, and plenty of activities to do, such as stand up paddle boarding. Taughannock has it going on, and I will be back!

We camped here for 3 nights, I had an event in Geneva. Location was handy, easy in and out. It’s an old navy/Air Force base that was converted in the 60’s. Sites have a weird thing with one electric post per two sites… but they aren’t pull through. So, apparently, New York doesn’t care if you just park anywhere in the general area of your site, which is a vibe, but bring an extension cord. There’s some kind of “resort” co-located that appears to have more conventional hookups, but I’m unclear on how to book that. Price was fine, spot was ok, lake swim beach and playground were nice.

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!!! The falls trails were all well defined and excellent for a beginner, moderate hiker. More advanced trails were also offered as well as biking trails, so plenty for any level of adventurer!! Lots of educational posters along the way to keep you informed of what you were seeing and the history about how it was created. The locals were pleasant, and eager to share fun facts about their area. We stayed at the campground in the park. It was cozy, clean, and just right for a little off the grid fun. No electricity or water hook ups available, but nice big public baths and plenty of water access all around the camp ground. (Say one water spot every 3-4 camp sites). There was also a dump station and trash dumpsters easily accessible at the entrance. Can not wait to go back, planning a week long trip next year and will do all three tours, wine, beer, and cheese!! Till next September!! Stay Gorges!!!

Okay, we all get that there is awesome hiking, scenery, wineries, racing, and more in the Watkins Glen area. So let’s just chat about the campground.

The bathhouses were A+. Clean, well maintained, newer…just overall impressive!

There were water fill up stations EVERYWHERE! We camped in the dry camping loop - it was the only one available to us in our 35’ class A. We didn’t miss anything!

The playground was OUTSTANDING! All adults in our party and we couldn’t help but jump on some of the swings. It’s a newer type playground and is hands down the best I’ve ever seen!

Last, and certainly not least…personnel.

We had the opportunity to speak with the campground ranger, facilities engineer, and gate attendants. Everyone was accommodating, friendly, warm, helpful, and more. :).

One of the BEST campgrounds out there! Thank you New York State, the NYState park system and all the folks at Watkins Glen State Park Campground who make the magic happen!!!

One mention: our site was rated for a 25’ RV, we were 35’ long and fit nicely. Other sites rated for 35’ RV were NOT long enough. (We had to switch sites).

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.

This is a great example of what a state park should be. It not only preserves a place of unique biological diversity and geologic interest, it is also well set up and well maintained to maximize low impact outdoor recreation and environmental education. A new state of the art regional environmental education center is being built now that will open in spring, as well as new handicapped access kayaking docks that complement Accessible trails and campsites throughout the park. This is a great destination for families, handicapped campers, and natural history enthusiasts. There are several campgrounds, one is large and open and meant for large RVs, others are drive-in forested tent sites or trailer sites with hookups, and several walkin sites. There is also a colony of rustic camper cabins. The campgrounds have brand new restroom facilities and playgrounds, and the main lake has a new beach house. The lake is a fascinating meromictic lake with clear calcium-rich waters that are not only pristine and beautiful to look at, but also great for swimming and snorkeling as the waters are crystal clear and very deep. There are hiking trails, paved bike trails, a nature preserve for bird watching at Round Lake, a golf course, and great kayaking or canoeing. It is also located right next door to the Erie Canal State Park for those who want to hike or bike the historic Erie Canal. Though you might expect a park like this to be in a remote location, it is actually just a short distance east of the suburbs of the Syracuse metro area, so it is an easy park to get to, plus staying there also provides easy access to stores for supplies, or access to local cultural activities or restaurants for those who want that. One of my favorite state parks in New York!

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!

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

We've camped in two rustic cabins over the years. The campground is as quiet and peaceful as anyone would like, but the community enables campers the freedom to socialize and share meals whenever you want to reach beyond the family who came with you.

We had a great stay at this park. We enjoyed biking and exploring the lovely blue-green lakes. The swimming area was awesome. We were on the edge of a the large RV section in Pinewoods with premium sites. However, they are all in the bright sun - no shade. It was great having the camp store so close!

I have camped here many times and it is always great. sites good size, Great Lake swimming, fishing.

Our family had a wonderful time at this clean, well-maintained, and beautiful park!! The park was very accessible for my daughter who is in a wheelchair, and VERY kid-friendly!!

Campground just made a lot of new updates to beach, bathrooms and park. A whole new loop was put in of full hook Rv sites which is very rare for a state park.

This is a very nice campground. There are many sites with electric available at every site. There are some sites with full hook-up available and also specific areas that allow pets. Swimming is available at the large beach. You can rent a kayak and enjoy the beautiful lake. There are miles of trails to explore. There is a camp store, laundry room, recreation room, playgrounds and much more.

This park is beautiful and very clean. The water is Crystal clear and very blue, you will think you are in the Caribbean Islands. We visit this park very frequently to rent a boat or to hike the trails.

Have been camping here off & on since I was 12 (1975). Great place for trails, fishing, swimming & plain camping. There are electric & non-electric sites as well as a Cabin Colony. Pet friendly

As a long-time resident of Syracuse, this state park has always been one of my favorites to go to. The lake is the biggest draw, it's crystal blue and impeccably  well maintained. You can take a walk around the lake and then stop at the beach to cool off. Connected to the beach is a food pavilion, grilling up burgers and serving frosty treats.  The campsites are spacious, the bathrooms are clean and well-kept, and the playgrounds are newer models. As a group of four, two adults and two kids under ten, all had a great time.

Our campsite, was directly in front of a small playground so it made it easy to sit in our lawn chair and watch the kids play. The bathroom was only a little farther than the playground and had a sink to wash your dishes in. 

The camp office is located just when you drive in, and everyone was very friendly. A campstore is also a short walk from the campground and has the necessities one may need.

I couldn't complain about anything other than wishing the sun stayed out longer on the trip.

Loved our spot this time. Site 121. On a hill and nice breeze on these hot days.

I’ve stayed here in the pine woods loop 3 times with my family. Some sites are a bit small and some are spacious so look them up on the website. They offer electric only in that loop but have full hookups in an open area. The bathrooms are nice, new and clean. You might find a wait because they don’t have a lot of them. The lakes and beach are beautiful and there’s a nice wide trail that would be good for handicapped people as well. Great opportunities for photo ops. I highly recommend.

Site was very shaded, and probably the most secluded of anywhere else in the loop, since we were on the end. However, we were surrounded by nothing but poison ivy on 3 sides. It was crazy. I’m shocked we didn’t all get it; we were just very careful not to venture out of the cleared area. The playground was in clear view of our site, which was great for our 5-yr-old. As far as campgrounds go, this is probably my least favorite of everywhere I’ve stayed. I’m used to the more secluded, wooded sites in MD state parks, but this was essentially a ring of tightly-packed sites with virtually no separation, with a large field in the middle. Ours was one of the only sites with any kind of shade. It was PACKED, and very noisy. Bath house was centrally located, in the middle of the field. Relatively clean, but not nearly enough to accommodate all campers in the loop. Only two shower stalls, and there was always a line. Campground aside, the park itself was very nice. The lakes were gorgeous, and there were really nice, wide, paved walking trails around them. There was also a sandy beach area for swimming. We were there for a family reunion, so spent most of the time at the picnic shelter, with the exception of a brief walk around the lake. Wish we could have explored the park more. Overall, this is a pretty park, but I wouldn’t camp there again.

We really loved this place and would love to come back.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Beautiful clear blue lakes 

Nice, long trails around both lakes 

Swimming area 

Kayak rentals 

Nature educational building 

Decent sized sites

CONS: 

There are signs all over that you can’t swim in the lake. Only in the designated area. 

Hard to get a kayak to rent at times

NEARBY ATTRACTIONS: Golf course Mini golf

Such a large park with lots of space. Sites with various hookups. The water is breathtaking!! And the beach and property is clean and wonderfully maintained!

Not on a Great or Finger lake but rolling hills and beachfront water. Woody sites and modern but basic facilities. Second loop you drive to is more private. Nice weekend escape for locals with golf, and quaint restaurants nearby. Fills up during August when the State Fair is in Syracuse (same is true for every campsite in this area).