Ward Pound Ridge is very well known to the locals as a great place for sled-riding in winter (Pell Hill area) and a place for big group gatherings. The many different trails are frequented by the locals as well. In recent years, the county government also allow bow-hunting of deer to control its population during the months of October to December.

As far as camping as a family, it is not too exciting a place for us. The grounds are far too well trimmed, as you can see in one of the videos. There is wide open space and the paths are well paved so kids can have fun riding the bikes or running around. There is also many trails of various difficulty levels to suit everyone, including horseback riders. The Trailside Nature Museum is also fun for the kids.

There are lean-to sites as well as tent sites. A maximum of eight people in two tents are allowed at each site. But if you really do have a party of eight, one picnic table seems to be inadequate. The sites are much farther away from the comfort stations than most campgrounds we have been to. But there are port-a-potties very close to the sites, which is very important when you have young kids.

All in all, it is not a place I would recommend if you want to get close to nature.

Dutch Springs is all about water fun and all the aqua activities take place in the 50-acre spring-fed lake. If you are into aqua park activities, scuba-diving ,snorkeling or swimming (in a life jacket - yes it is mandatary) in the exceptionally clear water, this is a 5-star location, and the $22 - $45 park activities pass would seem like nothing. Camping and RVing for a $15 per person per day fee is charged if you plan to stay the night.

RVs are to be parked at the parking lot while tents can be set up on a large lawn area overlooking the lake. There is no reservations necessary. You can pick any spot on the lawn as close to or far away from your fellow campers as your heart desires. However, there is no camp fire allowed and no hookups. Nice hot showers are available in the spacious climate-controlled bathhouses though.

For my husband and I, camping without a roaring camp fire was no fun at all. Luckily, my brother-in-law who is a frequent scuba-diver and instructor at Dutch Springs brought a gas grill and we did have a great time chatting and eating some hot food at the picnic table area - without alcohol though - yep, not allowed. All in all, the "camping" part of the trip left much to be desired. I'd give it 3 stars if just for the camping.

Other than the above restrictions, there was the curfew. The grounds are locked after sunset and anyone not staying overnight better make sure they are out of the gate before the big lock-down. Like wise, there was a lot of pressure for us to be back on the ground before 8pm from grocery shopping because we did not want to be sleeping in the car.

The FUN Part:

Our 9-year-old loved spending time on the lake! The aqua park is a large area on the lake with inflatable everything! My personal go-to was the floating mattress but if you are fit and adventurous, there is an inflatable iceberg that you can climb and jump off of, a floating obstacle course and of course giant water slides. The Blob was the most fun to watch; one person climbs to and sits at the end of this giant half-inflated blob and waits to be sent flying into the air when the next person jumps onto the other end of it. Since the lake is deep and there is no touching the ground once you are in the water, every adult and child has to wear a life jacket which you can rent there.

My sister-in-law's daughter and her friend were attending classes and getting certified for scuba-diving that weekend, so they were having fun in and out of the water a lot. My daughter who went snorkeling around in the lake with my brother-in-law and our other family members reported seeing a helicopter, a plane, a tank and a replica pirate ship in the water. If you dive deep, you are supposed to be able to catch a school bus too! There are also koi fish swimming around. There are beach loungers for those who prefer to sunbathe and read but you got to be there early to get one.

All photo credit to my sister-in-law Lynn with permission

Sharpe Reservation is located in the middle of nowhere in Fishkill, NY. It offers New York City kids an opportunity to enjoy nature in the summer. During the year, schools and youth groups can participate in the education programs available. It is a 2000+ acres of nature with cabin accommodation - but not for the general public who are looking to camp there. (If you are the leader of a scout troupe, I highly recommend you try organize an overnight trip for your troupe there.)

That does not mean you should give up in checking out this wonderful place. For once a year, they open the grounds for the general public during their Maple Celebration in March. And it is worth bringing your kids to this all-day event if you are camping/traveling in the neighborhood. http://www.freshair.org/maple-celebration

I have taken my daughter and friends there for a few years and it is always a fun-packed day to cure cabin fever before all other places are open for activities before the start of spring: watch a sky show at the planetarium; make crafts in the nature discovery room, play outdoor games designed for different ages, taste maple syrup from competing makers, watch maple sugaring demonstration, enjoy a BBQ lunch, touch an exotic animal, or walk the many trails on the ground. There is also local handmade goods and foods for shopping. (TIP: There are several screenings at the planetarium during the day, but it is best to be there at the earliest shows when there are not many people; otherwise, you probably will have to line up for half an hour to get in.)

The activities are spread out over at different locations within Sharpe Reservation, so wear comfortable shoes. But it is such a nice break from winter and such soul calming environment that I highly recommend it.

Leantos at this state park give you protection from the elements - mind you not all sites have a leanto. (The kids also enjoyed the view from the top of the leanto but I cannot officially recommend that. : P ) Sites are on top of each other but some are more spacious and away from the others. You need quarters for showers. Dogs are allowed and I find that sites where dogs are present have less of a critters problems like racoons. The camp sites are quite a bit of a walk up the hill from the lake where there is swimming, kayaking, paddle boating and picnicking. As a result, we drove even though there were paths that people could take to go to the beach. The paths were not ideal when you have kids. There is some walking required from the parking lot to the lake and with kids and a lot to bring, it can be exhausting; but if you bring your own kayaks, you can launch at the inlet leading to the beach which cuts the walking. You can rent kayaks and paddle boats as well as life jackets.

Larchmont is our favorite camp site. It is much larger than most sites, a short walk to the showers and a bit tucked away for privacy. We had two tents set up there, which is impossible for most sites. This is a popular camp ground so reserve as early as 11 months before arrival.

There is a rope swing if you paddle away from the beach. It was great fun for the older kids. Also, exploring the island in the middle of the lake is another option.

We also drove 10 minutes to nearby Danby for horse-riding at Mountain View Ranch which is a good break from soaking in water every day.

Sadly this place closed in 2018. (http://www.caseysspencerbaycamps.com/) I hope that someone is buying this campground and reopens it in the future because it is a nice place. The camp sites were big and some of them have direct water access. The downside was the 6-mile drive on a bumpy dirt road into the campground. Make sure you are all loaded with food and supplies cause the drive in and out on the dirt road will drive you nuts.

Update: OMG, two weeks after our last visit there, the Today Show showed up and held a live show at Sagadahoc Bay! Here is an official clip. Watch the end of this other clip for the correct way to pronounce Sagadahoc LOL)

The owners Pat and Eric are super friendly and accommodating. We have been camping there for three years straight now and look forward to going back each summer.

The most unique feature of this campground happens at low tide when you can walk over a mile out towards the lighthouse on Sequin Island (https://www.seguinisland.org/)..) (You cannot actually reach the lighthouse, mind you.) Plenty of clamming and watching wild life like hermit crabs, crabs, seagulls or your dogs running in joy on the soft clay like surface. The clams there are the sweetest and most delicious I have ever tasted, not to mention freshest. Clamming license, tools for digging and even pots are available at the office. You can order lobster bake and have it delivered to your camp site for dinner. Kayaks and canoes are available for rent, too.

We love the water front sites where you can see the tides come in and out and listen to the waves. On a weekend close to Independence Day, they put on a fireworks show out in the bay at low tide. (Just go to their Facebook page to see pictures.) (Tip: We noticed that the campground cleared out a lot the days after July 4th. Very quiet and possible to go on a last minute camping trip.)

This year we camped there with our dog for the first time and it was delightful to see how much fun he had on the beach, knowing that he was welcome there. Pat even picked a quiet site (#160) for us because we were worried about him barking. And probably because there are many dogs camping there, we never see any raccoon problems at this campground.

Reed State Park (ocean swimming) and Five Islands (great views and seafood) are a short drive away. There is also a country store minutes away where you can get almost anything including hot food.

One word of advice though: It is coastal Maine and there are mean mosquitoes. My all natural bug spray which is usually strong enough for NY bugs is not effective there. So I have to go back to the basic commercial brands like Off which works for hours per spray.

The bath houses are simple but cleaned several times a day. There is no mirror in Bathhouse #2. There is a full length mirror in the toilets side in Bathhouse #1.

We have not taken advantage of that but they also have fully equipped cabins for rent.

If you have kids and dogs, this is a wonderful campground to bring them to. We love, love, love Sagadahoc Bay Campground!