Glamping sites and camping grounds surround Willow Street, Pennsylvania, within Lancaster County where elevations range from 300 to 500 feet. The area experiences seasonal weather patterns with humid summers and moderate winters, making April through October the prime camping season. Most sites in this region sit within 30 minutes of Willow Street and offer proximity to both rural Amish farmland and suburban conveniences.
What to do
Fishing at waterfront sites: Thousand Trails Circle M offers creek-side fishing opportunities where campers can relax by the water. As one visitor noted, "We were down by the river and had a lot of room on our site" while another mentioned, "The campground sits in the center of a horseshoe curve of the river, bring tubes and kayaks!"
Explore Pennsylvania Dutch countryside: Lancaster-New Holland KOA provides scenic views of traditional Amish farms and culture. A camper shared, "Great view of the valley and Amish farms. Everyone has been very friendly. No pool but the kids seem to enjoy the playground." Another noted it's the "Best kept secret in the area. Peaceful, beautiful valley views of Amish country."
Visit historic sites: Within 20 minutes of most campgrounds is Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site near French Creek State Park. One visitor mentioned, "Not too far from the campground is Hopewell National Furnace and St. Peter's Village with shops and restaurants and hiking trails as well."
What campers like
Well-maintained facilities: Country Acres Campground receives consistent praise for cleanliness. One camper reported, "The new bathhouse has better restrooms than my own home! Everything is clean and well managed." Another mentioned, "This is probably the most well maintained campground we have ever stayed at."
Spacious, private sites: Sites at several campgrounds offer good separation between neighbors. At French Creek State Park Campground, "As long as you don't stay right across from the bath houses you will find ample shade at your site. There are so many trees and brush in between most sites you can't even really see your neighbors."
Farm views and country atmosphere: Many campgrounds back up to working farms. At Flory's Cottages & Camping, a visitor noted, "Backed up to beautiful working Amish farm. Serene and peaceful the only words that come to mind." Another mentioned, "Our site backed up to horse farm."
What you should know
Seasonal operations: Most glamping sites near Willow Street operate from April to October or November, with limited winter availability. Thousand Trails Circle M runs from "April 7 to November 26" and Lancaster-New Holland KOA operates from "April 15 to October 31."
Advance reservations required: Old Mill Stream Campground and other popular sites book quickly. A camper advised, "If you reserve online you can see the availability and pick your site which is always a nice feature. They also have pictures of each campsite on the website so you really know what you are getting."
Varying noise levels: Some campgrounds experience unexpected noise. As one camper at Pinch Pond Family Campground noted, "Next, and I really wished someone had let us know this before we agreed to stay, but there's a shooting range near the property, so at all hours you will hear target practice going on."
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly activities: Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park at Quarryville specializes in family entertainment. A visitor shared, "Super clean, beautiful campground. So many activities to entertain kids, we couldn't fit it all in!" Another noted, "Our first year we did a birthday package where they brought a cake to the camp with Booboo for my daughter."
Playground access: Many campgrounds feature play areas for children. At Tucquan Park Family Campground, "Our 3 young kids enjoyed the playground the most — there were lots of fun things for the kids on the playground. There was also a nice pond — it looked pretty full of fish."
Weekend events: Look for scheduled activities throughout the camping season. At Circle M, "They had Halloween ever at every weekend of October and we spent Halloween weekend here. The kids loved it!"
Tips from RVers
Site selection matters: Lake-In-Wood Campground offers upscale glamping close to Willow Street, Pennsylvania, but requires careful site selection. One RVer mentioned, "The roads were very tight and you really had to watch how you drove through because of the trees. Our site was a drive-through but slanted."
Level pads available: Several campgrounds offer convenient pads for easy setup. At French Creek State Park, "All sites have a paved level area which made set up a breeze." Another camper at Country Acres mentioned, "We got pretty lucky and were assigned one of the concrete pads that was pretty level."
Hookup variations: Campgrounds offer different utility options. At Old Mill Stream, "Camping options include tent sites, water and electric sites, and full hookup sites." A camper at Circle M noted, "We first had a 2 point site near the river, but when it rains the sites get flooded with runoff from the campground. We moved to a full hookup on the Delaware section."
