Best RV Parks & Resorts in New York

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.

Total Shi!-Hole.

First let me start by saying that we are not new to rv parks or camping. We average about 10,000 miles a year in our coach.

This particular trip is 5,000 miles over 23 days and 18 campgrounds.

We are a “big rig”. 45 ft Class A with a 16ft tow.

This is NOT a place for big rigs.

We had booked a water front lot, full hookup and their most expensive lot. About $75 for the night.

The roads and lot signs are scarce and other than handing us a very inaccurate map of the property, we were on our own.

We damaged our rig getting to our lot. The roads and turns are not wide enough for a 45’ rig even with the tow disconnected to make turns.

Wide enough for travel trailers and 5th wheels but not a large class a.

The lots are also not gravel and not level. Ours was dirt and mostly mud and even with our leveling jacks down, we could not level due to the mud and lack of a gravel base.

Ours (lot 134) was filthy. Food, cigarette butts, trash and dog shit. Not to mention a pile of mulch. Maintenance seems non existent.

ZERO prep or cleanup was done on the site.

Water pressure good but water reaks of chlorine. DO NOT drink the water. Made the mistake of using it for morning coffee. So much chlorine its like pool water.

Internet very good. Only positive thing that I can say.

Power sucks. 30amp only but not truly providing that. We kept blowing the breaker and noted our lights flickering. We can easily run on 30amp. This is typical of an overbuilt park with not enough power for the campers onsite.

Once we were in and set, we first noted that other campers were cutting through our lot to get to the river. A constant flow of kids, adults and inner tubs all walking through our site.

We then went to walk our dogs and had numerous encounters by dogs not on leashes. We could not leave our dogs outside on their tether's due to worrying about unattended dogs.

The other thing is that cars and trucks were flying on the roads with no safe speed limit. It seems that they drop off tubers on the river near our lot and then the drivers fly out of here to go meet them downriver.

This is a low class dump made up of travel trailers, tent campers and fifth wheels. No maintenance, no enforced rules. No pride in the property or operation.

Not a place for large coach owners or seasoned RVrs who know how the rest of the country is.

We will not be back and strongly advise any Class A big rig owners to avoid.

This park is located approximately 12.5 miles from downtown Cooperstown and is set in the quiet rural countryside of New York. The mature trees make for beautiful scenery in the fall. There is a mix of sites varying from tent, RV, rental trailers, and camping cabins/cottages/lodges bringing the total number of sites to 120. Back-in and pull-thru sites are available. Site types include full hookup, water and electric, and no hookup with prices varying depending upon site. You can choose between 30/20 or 50 amp electric service. Interior roads are gravel and some site pads are gravel while others are grass. 

The park is nicely terraced and all the sites are level. Patios were a grassy/dirt area with a picnic table and fire pit. Our site (#41) was a pull-thru but there was no way we could drive our 45’ motorhome forward out of the site because of a large tree and narrow roads. So we ended up having to back out. The free wifi worked well as did our Verizon 4G phone and hotspot. We picked up a dozen or so television channels with our antenna. The park does have a fair amount of trees that would interfere with roof-mounted satellite dishes so you would have to pick your site carefully. But, there are some 30 amp and no hook-up sites that are clear. This is a typical KOA with lots of amenities including a swimming pool(which was closed for the season when we were there), a playground, volleyball court, basketball court, jump house, pavilion, recreation room, bicycle rental, and horseshoes. Showers, restrooms and laundry are also present and clean. There is a propane filling station. While there is no fenced-in dog park there is a pet walking area. The surrounding area is pretty rural and the closest town (Richfield Springs– which is very small) is five miles away and where you will find restaurants, gas station, grocery store, and more. A few miles from the park is a creamery that has a café. 

Approximately five miles away is Glimmerglass State Park which was great for hiking and kayaking Otsego Lake. There is a also a historic house at the park that you can tour and the country’s oldest covered bridge. Cooperstown is a little over twelve miles away from the park but well worth a trip. Not only is Cooperstown home to the National Baseball Hall of Fame but it is a charming downtown well worth exploring. Other nearby attractions include The Farmers Museum, Fenimore Art Museum, Hero’s of Baseball Wax Museum, Glimmerglass Opera, and Cooperstown Brewing Company.

This campground sits on the Schroon River just a few miles north of downtown Lake George and is very easy to access from I-87. They can accommodate any size camper from the 45’ motorhome with 50 amp service to a tent just wanting electric and water. All sites have cable TV hookup and free WiFi at their site along with a picnic table and fire rings. The park is not huge and it was pretty full so it felt a little cramped for us. There were quite a few seasonal people. Some sites back up to the river so you have a nice view. When the park if full, it can be a little cramped for big-rigs to back into some sites, especially the river ones. There are trees to navigate and some of the spots are tight. 

Apparently, it is under new management and there are lots of changes that the new owners are proud of. But that also means there is a lot of on-going construction happening in the campground which was pretty annoying. Lots of dust and loud equipment certainly interrupted the thought of a peaceful afternoon outside. Many of the sites in the older section have sand/dirt patios and sandy roads which makes it very dusty. The new area has crushed gravel and lots more room and some pull-thru sites. They have the typical campground amenities like horseshoe pit, pavilion, playground, pool, and camp store. We typically don’t use any of those and they were closed anyway due to Covid-19 safety precautions. Had we stayed longer, we would have taken advantage of the river access and paddled. There is a little beach area and launching paddleboards, canoes, or kayaks would be very easy.  (They also have watercraft available to rent.)  We were more focused on hiking and enjoying the woods.(Recommend the short hike to the“Bear Slide.”) 

Some of the things we didn’t like was the sandy/dirt which was a mess when it rained. You are supposed to leave your trash at the front of your site but sometimes it was not picked up until late in the day.  We found the bugs to be very pesky in the evening and didn't want to sit outside. Things we liked it the surrounding location and access to hiking trails and the river. Once the construction is complete and grass takes hold in some areas it will be really nice. Downtown Lake George is only about 4-5 miles away.

Unfortunately, my site did not.

However, my site wasn't crowded and the electricity was reliable. This campground has three loops. One has 30 amp power, one has 50 amp power (with a 30 amp outlet on the same pedestal) and the third loop is for tent camping. There are several places to get water in the camp, so be sure to fill up your tanks before you park. There is a dump station. None of the sites are full hook up.

Each site has a picnic table and a grill.

There are two bath houses. The newer one - between loops one and three - also has laundry facilities.

Your payment for your campsite entitles you to admission to the beach, which is a hike or a drive away.

We stayed here because it was near Niagara Falls and had site availability. We stayed at a non-electric campsite (mid-June). There were 4 other campsites occupied in our area. We have a camper van with solar power and fresh water. There is a shower in the non-electric section but it's not heated water. Since it's June, the temperature was only mildly shocking to my senses. However, the rest of the showers in the campground are heated (we checked). There are at least two laundry facilities. I actually exchanged cash for quarters at the front office. The grounds are well maintained. Beware of the resident skunk that walks around. I didn't test the cell signal here but I was able to work remotely and video chat.

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.