Best Glamping near Vicksburg, PA

This campground has a little something for everyone, from full hook up sites neatly stacked next to each other, to quiet patches of grass next to the river. After spending two nights up in the electrical hook-up area closest to the train tracks, we decided that we needed a better night’s sleep. Yes, the trains run all night long, and no, we don’t have air conditioning so couldn't just close the windows. So, we moved down to one of the primitive sites next to the river and enjoyed ourselves much more, plus all the solar we needed. 

With all the options within this resort, I can understand why it is so popular. Plus, there’s the whole Hershey Park with shuttles running to and from the campground all day long. So, it’s got that going for it. As a campground resort this park aims to serve everyone. If you need your trash picked up, just leave the garbage bag in front of your site, and someone will be along soon enough to collect it. The bathrooms are immaculate, air conditioned, but many of the showers had wonky temperature controls so check it out before you commit.  Each bathroom building also offers laundry machines to take care of those necessities as well. The campground has a large playground, game room, gift shop and a large outdoor pool. 

Nearby, closer than you might even want, you can find food, groceries, gas, booze and traffic (at least during convention center event weekends). But there are also some really cool mom and pop restaurants, some craft beverage drinkeries, and places to walk, bike and get into some disc golf. This is close enough to be a bedroom community of Harrisburg, so the park is basically located in a tucked away corner of suburbia. If you have the time, go to the Grandview Winery nearby they have a lovely selection of vintages which really hold up to this wine snob’s approval. 

The campsites are well spaces apart, unless within the central loop, and give the allure of being tucked away in the forest. Water is well spaced and is close by. The walk to the bathroom however, can be a stretch depending on where you park so plan according to your needs. But the woods provide an easy way to answer the call! : )

The biggest draw to this state park (which no one in Pennsylvania I spoke with seemed to know about) is the 22 waterfalls! We saw 18 of them on a four-mile moderate hike, but if you want to see the additional four, you could make it a seven-mile hike. The trails are very well marked. 

We stayed in the large loop, which is a peninsula on Lake Jean. Many of the sites have lake views. The bathhouse was clean but not adequate for 73 sites. The campground was about ¾ full and there was often a wait in the bathroom. Showers looked reasonable but I did not use them.

There were many tent campers in this loop, which does not allow pets (the other, smaller loop does allow pets). There are no hookups at all in the park. The water had been tested earlier in the season and unsafe levels of manganese were detected. All water spigots were shut off and covered but we were told it was safe to wash our dishes and brush our teeth. However, the water for the dishwashing sink was turned off as well as the water in the restroom at the trailhead. Since we had a reservation, we received a phone call in advance of our stay letting us know about this.

There are trails to the beach, but we woke to rain the next morning, so we did not explore this. 

One trash/recycle area a distance away from the campsites which seems typical for PA state parks. Alcohol is strictly forbidden– we were warned that if a ranger saw any alcohol outside of our vehicle, we would be cited. Quiet hours are 9 pm– 8 am, which is more restrictive than other state parks, however, some did not observe these quiet hours (a guitar-playing singing camper thought he was talented, but I disagree!)

Looks cute from the outside but once you get in you are immediately disappointed. The cabin had a smell, a wrinkly floor, and was very dark. There is a lack of any shelf or cabinets and only minimal hooks to put your things. Even the TV was on the dining table and you can't use the remote from the bed either. We used the table benches and top of fireplace to place our stuff. We also had no AC. The signs on the wall said make sure you turn off the AC, but no AC. Our friends stayed in cabin 6 and it was so cute, bright, and had AC. Our other friend stayed in 2 and it was much better than ours as well. 3 was better too.

In addition they would not honor a AAA discount due to already paying, what?!

Knoebels campground is situated next to Knoebels amusement park and offers sites for tent campers and RVs, as well as cabins.

There is electricity at every site but not water. There are fill stations throughout the campgrounds. Most sites are level and shaded. There are nice sturdy wooden platforms for tent campers.

The bath houses are clean and well maintained. There are outside sinks with mirrors, laundry facilities, shower stalls, and toilet stalls. Or if you prefer there are also traditional bathrooms with showers.

Quiet hours are enforced between 10p and 8a.

Each site has a fire ring and picnic table. Wood is available by the bucket near the check in building. Sites are inexpensive and are all a short walk, or free shuttle ride, to the park!.

Little Mexico is a nice campground with lots of activities in the summer, situated on Penn’s Creek about 15 minutes from Lewisburg, PA. We camped there twice this summer and had enjoyable visits. The road leading to the campground is narrow and winding, but we didn’t experience any trouble. Check in was a breeze as all the paperwork and payment were taken care of prior to arrival and all we needed to do was pick up our gate pass, map and head to the site. The employees in the front office are amazing and some of the friendliest you will meet. The other employees we interacted with during our stays were equally as friendly and helpful! 

Overall the sites are good sized, level and the majority have full hook-ups. The water pressure is good, electric stable, and good cable TV connections. There is no internet at the sites and only a moderate cell phone signal. Most of the transient sites are right next to each other with little barriers between. Tubs of wood can be delivered to the site and this good quality firewood! For$10 a load, stock up because it burns well with little obnoxious smoke. 

There are various activities each weekend during the summer, a huge pool, playground, mini-golf, and of course Penn’s Creek to float. The only negative would be some of the seasonal sites do not feel the quiet hour times apply to them. Overall, Little Mexico is a nice campground in a beautiful location, with great people operating it!

Stayed in the modern camping section. Easy access to camp ground. The check in process was just to drive to the site and set up which was different but very easy. The sites are private on the sides with some green space to play on. Lots of extra places to park extra cars or bring a second vehicle with a boat.

The kids had fun riding the bikes around the loop and taking the short cuts cut in around the loop. We had fun walking to the foot bridge to go fishing.

The camping area was very quite both mornings and evenings. We saw the park rangers drive through multiple times per day.

The bathrooms were clean. There are no shelfs in the showers (except for a bar of soap) but they had hooks to hang your clothes.

The racoons were a fun surprise on our last night! We left the grease trap from the Blackstone out and the they found it. We did not see any bears though we heard they are there.

We had smoke from Canadian forest fires so haze in the pictures is smoke not haze or rainy days! The walking trails are great. You can see the largest white swamp oak in Pennsylvania!

Definitely check out Penns Cave too.

PROS

Senior discount $18 

Able to reserve 334 days prior to arriving

Campground quiet but can hear PA 150 road noise 

Great night sky viewing 

Nice privacy from side neighbor's campsite 

Asphalt parking pad 

Large gravel around pad to include firepit and utility hook up 

Grass around gravel, but was mid-calf high 

Metal fire pit which was cleaned out upon arrival 

Lantern pole 

8 miles off of Interstate 80 

Firewood for sale at the campground; $6 bundle 

Park is good proximity to Penn State University and Central Pennsylvania 

Country Pride Restaurant Milesburg (TA truck stop off of Interstate 80) has some terrific food! 

4 bars Verizon 

CONS

$6.50 reservation fee for self made online reservation 

One day while away from our campsite, park personnel mowed  mid-cafe high grass at and around our site and the mowers threw grass all over our table with a table cloth, chairs, trailer, driveway...you name it...it was covered with grass. Why the mowers didn’t direct the mowed grass AWAY from our items is beyond me. What a mess!!! 

Check-in clerk at park office was disturbed we checked in with her. Told us just to go to site. Could not tell us if site was vacated. We had to ask for a park map and directions to campground/campsite since this was first time visiting 

Site MO45 unlevel from side to side 

Site MO45 NO shade as was the case with most of the FHU campsites

Metal frame wood top table in bad condition 

Need pathway from upper campsite to toilet/shower building…have to wade thru mid-calf high grass if you don’t walk on the roadway 

Toilet/shower facility lit up like a Christmas tree 

Toilet/shower facility cleaned on Wednesdays only, according to sign on door 

No WiFi

we had a wonderful experience. drove our car right up to our site, had a ton of space to set up. a nice picnic bench and fire pit was there and we were sure 61 so the lake was 100 yards from all of this. the weather was perfect but we arrived at 3, went for a little hike, came back to set up dinner by the fire and it was all so easy to navigate. Our camp host did an awesome job explaInIng the map as well. in the morning with breakfast by the fire and the lake background was perfect. then we packed up and drove to park by the entrance where the day hikers park to do the waterfall hike route. that took us about 2 1/2 hours while taking our time