Best RV Parks & Resorts near Blue Marsh Lake

I don’t know if the Amish camp, but regardless, if you’d like to experience what it’s like to go camping in Amish country then Thousand Trails PA Dutch Country RV Resort has you covered. First of all, whenever I see that word ‘resort’ I always wonder – is it really a resort? And, well, while we're on that particular question, what makes a place a resort in the first place? In my estimation, a resort has to have a pool and likely some of those splash pools, probably gated or requires some sort of secure admittance, full of recreation options, is a restful respite and (very probably) features a Tiki Hut or some version of an outdoor bar that is serving up delicious libations. Apart from that very last amenity, this particular RV campground destination ticks most of the boxes.

So, should you be looking for an authentic Quaker environ to enjoy some of the best of what the great Keystone State has to offer, then you might want to give PA Dutch Country RV Resort some consideration, but before you do, you’ll need to secure a membership with Thousand Trails in order to access this, and indeed the other 250 or so other campgrounds this camping conglomerate has throughout the US. The biggest downside to this particular campground is its very close proximity to the PA Turnpike, which while convenient, might detract a bit from the peace & quiet you might be expecting when here at your new-found camping ‘resort.’ That said, as the PA Dutch Country RV Resort rests at a slightly higher elevation than the turnpike, I have to admit, we really didn’t notice much of any noise coming from the highway and what’s more, this campground is completely surrounded by a fairly dense forest, which likely is what blocks any irritable sound and most certainly blocks any highway or traffic visibility.

Should you decide to leave ‘the reservation’ for any reason, you’ll be engulfed by the incredibly rich, verdant countryside populated by incredibly rural residents who’s ancestors settled this vast rich farmland a few hundred years ago. Today, the Pennsylvania Dutch countryside (of which my Irish ancestors intermingled with a long time ago) is a combination of rolling hills in a plush countryside punctuated by massive rolled bays of hay in the surrounding fields, covered wooden bridges and the occasional quaint New England well-preserved charming towns that you will be sure to encounter. So, if you have camping on your mind, discovering a spot like PA Dutch Country RV Resort places you in the heart of one of the most picturesque natural landscapes anywhere in the Keystone State.

Should you need directions to this campground, it’s just off Exit 44 of PA Turnpike or Exit 60 & 60A off of I78. Here at PA Dutch Country RV Resort you’ll encounter a destination offering up 267 back-in and pull-through slots with full hook-ups (30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage) for RVs in the midst of a fairly decent wooded surrounding with about 6 tent sites offering 15 amp electric and running water. You will discover that no matter where you look on this property, you will have to contend with sloping land as this campground appears to be situated right on the side of a heavily wooded hill. That said, we didn’t have any problems laying out our campsite that came with the standard-issued picnic table and in-ground fold-up fire ring. Don’t have an RV, 5th Wheeler or Tent? Not a problem, as the good folks here at PA Dutch Country RV Resort will rent you one of their 3 cottages for the night.

As previously mentioned, with the term ‘resort’ there should be a ton of amenities that one conjures up and PA Dutch Country RV Resort does not disappoint with plenty of amenities, inclusive of: 3 fairly massive restroom & shower facilities, Wi-Fi service (at a cost), trading post / camp store, swimming pool, walking paths, clubhouse/ office, playing card room, church service, crafts & arts, family bingo, community library, mini golf course, basketball court, horseshoe pits, kids playgrounds, fire pit, designated picnic & BBQ areas, ranger station, recreation hall, cornhole, basketball court, designated dump stations, water stations, ice for sale, propane refueling station, RV storage, Laundry-O-Mat and pet friendly.

Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you are an RVer or 5th Wheeler, the best sites IMHO are those that back up to the periphery and are northernmost up the slight embankment as you’ll have greater privacy and less noise being furthest away from all of the action in the center of this campground resort – these sites include: #C1– C5, #D9– D17 and #E44– E49; (2) Should you grow weary of trying to conjure up that next meal from the depths of your Cordova roto-molded cooler or from the confines of your onboard mini-fridge, while there’s not a ton of restaurants around these parts, there are a few and they are pretty amazing, including favorites Brick Tavern Inn and The West End, McCoole’s @ The Historic Red Lion Inn and Sage Alley Brewery; (3) In the event that you need to replenish any of your supplies, rest assured as in nearby Quakertown, there’s a Giant & Aldi’s grocery store as well as a local Target, Walmart, TJMaxx, Kohl’s and Link Beverages to stock up on the 21+ liquid refreshment; (4) Should you be towing your canoe or kayak with you and are eager to get the beak of your waterbird wet, then head on over due east of Quakertown Campground to Nockamixon SP where there’s a sizeable, yet skinny lake just begging for you to navigate it and get some good, hard oaring in; and (5) As a tent camper, while there are only 6 or so spots to choose from, you’ll be happy to know that these are also located on the periphery, with #L1& L2 being southernmost, which I would avoid altogether as this places you too close to the highway) and #T9– T12, which are located northernmost and are the best tent campsites to book.

Happy Camping!

Thousand Trails Hershey is huge! Sites were first come, first served which was a little weird for us but wasn’t a problem. Sites came with full hook ups, picnic table and fire pit. The bathhouse was clean, but the water was the kind that you had to push and hold the lever in order for the water to run. Doing this during a shower is pretty inconvenient. The park has a ton of amenities that I imagine are great for long termers, but for us being a. Quick stay, we often pick places on having the convenience of a bathroom and when that’s not convenient 🤷🏻‍♀️. Also, upon check in you are given several pieces of paper explaining all of the rules which I found a little much and just not necessary. Overall, it was a clean and picturesque campground.

recs: 🍫 Hershey- Chocolate World (just the store!) 🍺 Tröegs Brewery

We received a free membership to Thousand Trails when we bought our camper. We booked this campground and drove two hours to get there. When we arrived we were told that we could pick a site down by the river in the loop. My wife and I thought that sounds nice and thought we had lucked out. When we pulled into the loop, all the travel trailers were literally on top of on another. The sites against the bank were short and uneven and because the shower house was so far away they had port a potties. It looked like a 1910 tenement site. We went back to the office and the employee told us that there were no other sites available for the two days we had booked. Rather than be miserable we canceled and drove home. 

We stayed at another TT site in Swainton, NJ which was nice but too many annual site holders. Bottom line I think thousand trails is a waste book a nice campground.

Our first trip of 2023 was to Country Acres Campground in Gordonville, PA. And what a great campground to start our season! This is a great spot for visiting Pennsylvania Amish of Lancaster County and about a one-hour drive to Hersheypark. 

Our site(# 837) was a good size for our motor home+ toad. It was level and covered in gravel, like all sites and roadways within the campground. Our site had full hookups, decent wi-fi, cable TV, a picnic table, fire ring, and nicely kept grassy area between sites. 

Becci was super nice at check-in and check-out. They offer a 2:00 pm check-out which we enjoyed. And there are free tickets available for the Amish Farmland Bus Tour. There’s a small, basic tree at the front office. The pool wasn’t yet opened for our stay. They offered a 10% Good Sam discount(which is nice). 

Bottom line: We had a great time at Country Acres Campground and can’t wait to go back! 

THINGS I LIKED: 

• Clean and well-maintained property 

• Quiet campground with friendly neighbors 

• All of the RVs appeared well-maintained with no seasonal sites 

• Easy access from Route 30

This is a no-frills RV Park. The campsites are nice, the park is clean, and convenient to I-78. It is set in a rural area surrounded by fields and pastures which makes for a peaceful setting. Roads and campsites are gravel and very easy for RVs of any size to navigate the roads and sites. The majority of their sites are pull-thrus catering to the many RVs that stop for a night or two. 

Our site was level and nicely graded. We didn’t have any trouble getting in and out and all the hook-ups were well-placed and worked well (including the cable). While there are some nice large pine trees, they were trimmed and not an issue driving through the park or at our site. The only problem with the trees was the pine sap everywhere that we stuck to our shoes and we tracked everywhere. Amenities include an older style playground, horseshoe pits, manicure golf, and volleyball court. The store/office is pretty well stocked with an array of items and an ice cream parlor makes pizza (which was very popular as many people talked about it). The park also has rental cabins, laundry and restrooms. 

The only real downside of this park was the price (58/night for 50 amp full-hookup) and a bit of road noise from the interstate and the wifi was really poor. We stayed at this park because we wanted to eat at a nearby restaurant called Bolete(which is one of our all-time favorite restaurants) and this was the closest campground. Overall, we really liked how clean the park was. The sites were nice, albeit, pretty close to each other. For a one or two-night stay, this park is nice but I wouldn’t call it a destination park.