Best Tent Camping near Rush, NY

Campers exploring the Canandaigua area discover a delightful mix of lakeside retreats, wooded state parks, and family-friendly RV resorts. Just minutes from downtown, Canandaigua City Park Campground offers easy access to local shops and the lakefront beach, making it a convenient base for those who want town amenities within walking distance. A short drive farther out leads to Keuka Lake State Park Campground and the privately owned Canandaigua-Rochester KOA, both of which feature spacious sites, clean facilities, and excellent opportunities for swimming, kayaking, and fishing on the Finger Lakes. For those seeking a quieter experience, numerous backcountry and dispersed sites are tucked into the surrounding National Forest, where campers can truly unplug—though it’s essential to bring all necessary supplies and practice Leave No Trace principles. Ontario County Park at Gannett Hill and the Stay Bristol Woodlands campground blend rustic charm with modern comforts: well-maintained restrooms, picnic shelters, and on-site hiking trails that wind through hardwood forests and offer scenic overlooks, especially stunning during fall foliage season. Travel logistics are a breeze when visitors prearrange an airport shuttle from Rochester or Syracuse airports, ensuring a smooth transition from plane to campsite. And for adventurers mapping out multiple stops across the Finger Lakes or beyond, reliable multi-city transfers provide comfortable, door-to-door rides—no rental car necessary. With its blend of waterfront sites, wooded hideaways, and nearby attractions—wineries, waterfalls, and historic villages—the Canandaigua region truly has something for every type of camper. Whether pitching a tent under the stars or rolling in with an RV, visitors will find endless opportunities for adventure and relaxation.

What a great place this was!

Everyone was very nice and bathrooms were so clean! To top it off the sites for tents are amazing - so private and pretty. In fact it’s so private we were able to set up our own portable toilet and have complete privacy.

Nice little store too! Overall this place was great and we’d stay here again in a heartbeat. Very easy place to spend the night.

Also they have golfing here and tent areas back up to the 9th hole (but still separated so you don’t feel like you are right on top of it) so you can easily knock around there and do a little golfing too!

Had a great time at Stony Brook State Park this week! The campground side doesn't open until around 11 we were told, and we reached at 8am, so we started at the North (day-use) side, parked there, hiked, ate, and eventually drove back to the other side, checked in, and set up camp. 😁 It was a very nice time. Due to the COVID-19 regulations, masks need to be worn in the bathhouse (except when brushing teeth or showering). Was a good, quiet, fun time, with a few other families nearby. The only negatives: *According to their website, the natural pool would be open the day we went. It was not. ☹️ *No alcohol permitted in the whole campgrounds. Fine for us, but annoying for many. From the trash in the bathhouse, looks like some were anyways. *No "camp store" - so if you forgot an essential item, you've got to go out from the park. Positive part: town is only 8 minutes away via car. Also, we got GREAT and easy burning from the people selling wood for $5/bundle just outside the campground entrance.

All in all, a GREAT time! We all enjoyed it!

This was our first experience at a Hipcamp site, but we took advantage of a $30 promotion from REI and decided to try one out. Camp Elderberry is located on an organic vegetable farm in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Weekend tours of the farm are available for a nominal fee. There are two sites here, both quite separate from each other so they are very private. You can camp in an RV or in a tent on the grass. Due to recent rains, the grass was quite tall, so we did not go deep into our site, which had a view of Seneca Lake. No hookups at either site. 

Communication with Lael was very good from the beginning, and he met us as we arrived to help us get settled. We arrived much later than planned due to a flat tire, so we did not spend much time exploring the property. There is also a ½ mile hike to the beach that I would have explored if we had arrived earlier. I had read there is a porta-potty, but we did not use it. There is also potable water and a cold-water shower. No WiFi, but the cell signal was strong on Verizon. There are many wineries nearby but again, because of our late arrival, they were all closed when we got there. 

We have been exploring a variety of camping options including Tentrr, Harvest Host, RV parks, Corps of Engineers campgrounds, county parks, state parks, and national parks. Hipcamp campsites vary widely by accommodation and price. The price for Camp Elderberry was not unreasonable ($50) but is more expensive than most standard (non-private) campsites. We did enjoy the unique experience, however!

We camped at Golden Hill over the weekend of July 24-26, 2020. Due to COVID, advance reservations are required to book a spot at any NY state campground. We had site 47 in loop C, which was across the road from the lake view sites. I recommend sites 40-45 for lake-front views. Loops A and B were more crowded and more suitable to RV trailers and rigs (we were camping in a pop-up camper). Site 47 was large and had a few trees. The campfire ring was right against the pad, which made it difficult to position our pop-up so that it was away from the fire ring. 

Things to consider: There are 2 bathrooms in the campground, one near the A-B loops and one near the entrance. It was quite a hike in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom from our site. Some sites in the A-B loops are right next to each other, and we preferred the space for the sites in the C loop. 

Wonderful things: The views are spectacular, particularly at sunset. The campground was quiet at night. The Niagara Wine trail is close to this campground, and Niagara Falls is about a 50 minute drive away. We hiked Devil's Hole and Whirlpool State Parks on this camping trip. The showers in the bathrooms were phenomenal - very clean with hot water and a private dressing area next to the shower. Showers were ADA compliant and had shower seats.

Big park with several loops.  Separate and across two roads from the Beach section of the Park. Got a reservation for Friday and Saturday but the spot in loop D was an inclined driveway next to the high voltage boxes for the campground.  Had to move the fire ring after smoking ourselves out the first night.  Right across from the building they called a bath house.  Filthy, urinal broken, one shower broken in mens.   Feces on the floor in womens.  Friday night quiet hours did not exist.  Spent Saturday early am listening to the neighbor loudly declare her preferences in music, men and liquor.  No Ranger in sight.

Minor redeeming qualities:  Nice beach and bike trails across road from campground.  Three lane dump station (only one for a four loop campground with 100s of "spots")

Beware:  Rigs approaching from East there are very low bridges (11' 3') between Rochester and the Park on the Parkway.