Campground near Watkins Glen, NY

[Scott1]

We are planning to go to the Watkins Glen area for a week in June. Anybody have a campground they can recommend? We have a 39 ft 5th wheel, 2 dogs, and want full hook ups with 5 of us going for a week. Our kids are older so we don't need a campground with a lot of organized activities. Quiet is good!!

[3 Happy Campers]

A couple yrs ago we spent a week in Aug at the KOA in Watkins Glen NY.
Large CG very quiet, nice folks running it.
We would go back.

[dezolen]

I'll second the KOA in Watkins Glen. Been there 3x. Beautiful indoor pool on site. Nice sites at the far end, some with impressioned concrete patios, planters, swing chairs etc.

[grizz427]

You will have to plan that trip now. As they have the Card Board Boat Races weekend 14-16. You will not want to stay at the KOA as they seem to raise the prices for an event. Last year we stopped there coming back from Canada on a Monday- Thrusday. There was a wine show on the weekend and our campsite went from $79.00 a night to $139.00 a night and we didn't even have to move the camper. We are going up there with a group of friends on the 12th-16th. Were staying at Cluth campground. It is closer to town than KOA and very close to the Card Board Boat race. If you have never seen this before it is free and a blast to watch. Boats are card board duck tape and paint. You can guess what happens to card board when its in the water with people in it. I belive this campground is around $50.00 a night with full hook up and pull throughs

[Scott1]

We did make a reservation at the KOA there. Looking forward to our trip in early June! Thanks for the input

[boubou]

KOA there is great. We stayed there last fall. Loved it!

[GalsofEscape]

We have been there several times, and were there just a couple of weeks ago. We like it, the owners and people running the place are very nice. Just a heads up though, they are planning on putting in a huge "Hippo" - it is an inflated water slide and is due to be open for Father's Day. If you are in the Sunset acres portion of the campground you will be far away from the jumping pillow and this Hippo, so should be quieter. They also will have two pool closures scheduled during the summer, they have to drain the pool as they have issues with cloudy water due to high pool usage and kids coming into the pool from the jumping pillow, but these are later in the summer.

[Herk7769]

Ditto on the KOA (twice). Thought about the park in town, but the KOA is a known quantity, easier to get to, and away from all the chaos.

[Don and Elaine]

Another vote for the KOA. Make sure you get one of the sites at the rear of the campground, very large sites with concrete patios and fire rings. We will return to KOA if we can find the time to do some more wine tasting!

[Defiant530]

Yep KOA is the best especially in the newer section, we stay there a few times a year when we hit the wineries.....yeah we like our wine a little too much !

[WatkinsGlenCamper]

From what I understand, the KOA just south of Watkins Glen, on state route 414, is a nice campground. I only stayed there once and that was in 1973, but just by driving by, it looks like it's kept up nicely and usually looks filled during the summer months.

There is a private campground south of the Watkins Glen KOA called Ferenbaugh. It's more near Corning, NY than Watkins Glen, but Watkins is only about a 20 minute drive from Ferenbaugh. I also camped there many years ago, so again I can't really make a judgement call on how it is today. But when driving by, there are always campers there. And it's only about 10 minutes from the Corning Museum Of Glass.

Clute Park Campground, as stated in an above post, is just on the outskirts of the village of Watkins Glen. It is located, just across state route 14, from the southern shore of beautiful Seneca Lake and the lake side Clute Park. It's within walking distance of the village.

There's also is a New York state campground at the top of Watkins Glen state park. I've know more than a few people that's camped there in the last couple of years and they always told me it was picturesque and they enjoyed it. A walk through the gorge there along with all the water falls is a real experience.

There's a lot to see and experience in the small village of Watkins Glen. The state park with its water falls, Seneca Lake, the Village stores and the many wineries within the Finger Lakes area are within a 30 minute drive from the village. There are also boat tours of Seneca Lake including an old wooden Schooner, "True Love." The Finger Lakes area of New York state are some of the most scenic and beautiful areas in the country.

And don't forget the race track, Watkins Glen International. The track offers camping within their infield and outside the track for as little as $40 from Friday morning through Monday morning (plus admission cost). It's "rough" camping (no hook-ups), but it's fun with always something to do and see. I go there every year for about 3 - 4 weekends, but stay clear of camping at the NASCAR race as it's so packed (sold out year after year) it's like living in a city. If I was young once again, maybe, but after years of camping during the Formula One race weekends, I'm getting too old for that stuff today.

I know I'm sounding like a PR person for Watkins Glen, but I've lived in the area all my life and I never have grown tired of it.

Here are a few links:

Watkins Glen/Corning, NY KOA Campground Big Rig RV Park

Ferenbaugh Campsites in Corning New York State

Clute Park Campground | Watkins Glen, NY

Watkins Glen State Park - NYS Parks, Recreation & Historic Preservation

Watkins Glen International - Watkins Glen International

Schooner Excursions

Seneca Harbor

Wine Trails of the Finger Lakes | Finger Lakes Wine Country

Mark

[Scott1]

We did stay at the Watkins Glen KOA the first week of June and had a great vacation. We had one of the premium patio sites, which was well worth the few extra dollars not to have any mud around our site. They are doing a lot of improvements to the campground....we have nothing but good things to say about it and would definitely stay there again. We did many of the things you suggested....waterfalls,10 wineries, the Schooner sunset cruise, the museum of glass, race track, and cannoli shop. We definitely recommend the area and the KOA and will be going back!

[rattleNsmoke]

Watkins Glen KOA all the way.