Best RV Parks & Resorts near Watkins Glen, NY

We arrived on Saturday, 10.8.22 and are staying for a week. This is a delightful location. Rachel and Doug are cheerful, attentive, and very personable owners who are on-site at almost all times. This park just opened this year, so we checked in at an entrance building that they're using until their primary building is complete. We were greeted with delicious cookies, our site(#9) backs up to a wooded area(with a hiking path buried in there) with a lot of space. We booked early, which was a good thing because they were 100% full for Indigenous People's Day. We chose this site because there was a lot of room around it and we're used to really tightly packed RV parks. But what we found is that all of the sites are very nicely spread out with generous spacing, so that's not an issue. It's still nice to be on the outskirts. We also chose this section per a review we read to be away from the main road noise, but there really isn't much road noise to worry about, anyway. The WiFi is strong and consistent. We're using 30amps, but they also have 20 and 50amp service to each site. The water pressure is great. The bath house is new and very comfortable. Each site has a picnic table, a fire ring and lots of room for big rigs. We watched Doug neaten up sites after other RV's vacated, which shows an attention to detail we don't often find. They also drive by each site every morning to collect trash and recycling. The sunsets are spectacular over the lake(we can't see the lake from here, but it's close). There are numerous award-winning wineries surrounding us and up and down the lake. We're headed out for tastings today. We've been hiking the last few days- Watkins Glen State Park- Gorge Trail(go early or it gets REALLY crowded), Taughannock State Park- Gorge& North Ridge Trail over on Cayuga Lake, and a concert(Rufus Wainwright) at Point of the Bluff Winery over on Keuka Lake. We stopped afterward for dinner in Hammondsport at Timber Stone Grill which was truly wonderful. That's about 35- 45 minutes away. Lots more hiking trails to do in the National Forest and surrounding areas. And there's Watkins Glen, a charming town just minutes away. We highly recommend Finger Lakes RV Resort and we'll be back!

We stayed at Finger Lakes RV Resort in Hector, a short drive from Watkins Glen and Ithaca, in search of waterfalls and wine in the Finger Lakes region of NY state. 

This is a fairly new campground, operated by a friendly husband and wife who show great pride in the condition and cleanliness of every square inch. 

THINGS I ESPECIALLY LIKED: 

• Easy drive to Watkins Glen, Lake Seneca, Ithaca, and the greater Finger Lakes region. 

• Everything is in great condition and clean. 

• Daily trash and recycling pick-up from each site. 

• Walking paths from the campground to two different wineries. 

• Really nice pavilion for group gatherings and watching the sunset. 

• We experienced a severe thunderstorm one evening which resulted in an area-wide power outage that lasted a couple days. Of course, the campground had no responsibility or control over this situation, but they refunded everybody a night’s stay as a courtesy. Thanks, Rachael and Doug! 

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO: 

• This campground does not offer a pool, jump pad, sports facilities, amenities, or activities. They offer a clean and safe place to stay while visiting the area. For me, this is a positive, not a complaint. 

• There’s no shade from trees or otherwise. If you’re visiting during the summer, be sure your air conditioning and awnings are working. 

• They sell firewood and propane. 

WOULD WE COME BACK? 

• Absolutely, this is a great place to stay for wine and waterfalls.

We stayed at Sugar Hill for about 10 days, arriving right after Memorial Day weekend. The campground offers a variety of great options for various rig sizes, accommodating different needs comfortably. Its location is convenient, just a 15-minute drive from Watkins Glen, making it an ideal base for exploring the area.

During our stay, the campsite never even got near half full, providing a peaceful and uncrowded experience. For those seeking more privacy, there are numerous secluded spots along the side roads throughout the park.

However, it's worth noting that WiFi and phone service are pretty limited, typically ranging between 1-2 bars. Despite this minor inconvenience, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would recommend Sugar Hill for its tranquility and proximity to local attractions.

KOA Canandaigua/Rochester NY: (Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good (70 yr olds in 17’ trailer). I rate based on desire for at least a moderate wilderness type experience w at least some camp site privacy. Overall Rating: for a KOA :4 - see map for nicest sites. Price 2023: $61 for a 30 amp site Usage during visit: Light - off season Site Privacy: Our site : None Site Spacing: Close Site surface: Gravel and grass Reservations: They take reservations- Recommend the KOA app Campground Noise: Quiet during our stay. Road Noise: There will some noise at sites near Town Line Rd. Traffic is minimal Through Traffic in campground: None Electric Hookup: Yes Sewer Hookup: Some sites. Dump Station: Yes Potable Water Available: At the site.
Bathroom/ Showers: Individual shower/toilet rooms. VERY clean. Pull Throughs: Yes Cell Service (AT&T): 2 bars.
Setting: Parklike - typical KOA Weather: Highs are pin the low 50s during our stay Bugs: None this time of year. Host: Yes. Johnny on the spot.
Rig size: Large rigs Sites: See the map in photos . Best sites are circled with green marker. Request a perimeter site or lake side if you want one is my suggestion. Otherwise you get what they give you.

The owners do a fantastic job keeping the campground shipshape. Restrooms/showers are immaculate any time of day. Heated swimming pool and the splash pad for kiddies is spotless as well. Nice, pull-through on gravel pad withfull-hookups that can take large rigs. Lake is lovely for fishing/kayaks/canoes. Seasonal campers are tidy. Only a few tent sites with water & electricity tucked into woods. Larger pull-through sites don't get a lot of shade, but there are back-in sites for shorter campers in wooded sites and shaded lake front, as well. Campground store sells ice-cream & nachos and supplies. Campground is pretty quiet during the week, but fills up on weekends with guests using own (or renting) golf carts. Activities on weekends. The campground sits atop one of NEPA's "rolling hills" in quiet, rural farming area. Cell service is spotty. Local winery/cafe just down the road for tastings and lunch. Row boat, paddle boat rentals.

——REASONS I STAYED HERE——

The see Watkins Glen, of course! And go paddleboarding nearby.

—————BASIC FAQ—————

[Tent camping with a Subie]

Dump station? - Yes

Water fill or hookup? - Water fill at dump station but no water hookups. Water spigots are scattered throughout each loop.

Electricity? - Yes, some loops have it but not mine

Clean site? - Yes

Clean bathroom? - Yes

Flush toilet? - Yes

Showers? - Yes

Laundry? - No

Dish washing sink? - Yes, in the bathroom

—————PROS—————

→ The access to Watkins Glen! My site was in Loop D (Onondaga Village) which has a direct hiking trail to the trail along Watkins Glen! I highly recommend going early to beat the crowds. It’s peaceful and easier to enjoy and take photos.

→ Proximity to Seneca Lake! We went paddleboarding. We put in at a boat launch at the very southeastern corner of the lake near Seneca Lake Kayak. You can paddle down to Hector Falls and see it from the water.

→ You can drive to the many waterfalls nearby. I recommend Havana Glen Park for a short hike to the waterfall. Also, drive to Chequaga Falls.

—————TIP—————

→ There’s a power outlet in the bathroom. It was very common for people to charge phones while showering. Or leaving a battery in there to charge.

—————OVERALL—————

5-stars - Speaking for Loop D, of course. Clean site, clean bathroom with hot water, access to Watkins Glen, no issues while staying there.

—————INTERNET—————

Verizon via iPhone 12: 20 mbps down and 0.03 mbps up with 74 ms ping.

Small and quiet national forest campground, just about 20 minutes from the hustle and bustle of both Ithaca and Watkins Glen. We woke up to thrushes singing and fell asleep to nightingales and owls calling!  Sites are basic with a picnic table and fire ring. Two pit toilets and trash/recycling are available, but no drinking water (also no streams for filtering water…so come prepared). Some sites can accommodate longer RV’s and some are perfect for tents.  All sites have quite a bit of shade and privacy as they are lined with trees and shrubs.

The best part about this campground is you are perfectly situated in the heart of the NY wine country!  Seneca Lake is just a couple miles west and has more wineries than you can possibly visit. Our favorite was Catharine Valley Winery…great wine, fun atmosphere, and gorgeous view of the vineyards and lake. 

Also, with the help of a local, we found Smith Memorial Park – a great place to launch our kayaks and make some dinner at the beach. Their campground is currently closed for renovations, but there is a boat launch/docks, picnic pavilion, and a lovely view of the sunset.

No reservations, first-come first served.

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