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Message |
    
Elizabeth
Citizen
Username: Momof4peepers
Post Number: 74
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Thursday, May 18, 2006 - 11:40 pm: | 
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Anybody know of a "family" camp/wilderness lodge type place within a reasonable driving distance from SO/M? We are thinking of going on vacation and actually leaving the house and NOT STAYING WITH RELATIVES in June. Our kids are little (4 & 2) but want to camp. My husband's idea of camping includes actually pitching a tent. My idea of camping is more along the lines of staying at a Marriott on a lake. Surely someone knows of a happy compromise? My idea is that we could rent boats, swim in a lake or a pool, maybe sit around a campfire (or built-in fireplace), go to the "room" for meals, etc. I know such places exist in Vermont, but I was hoping to find something maybe in New York State/Eastern Pennsylvania.
Any suggestions? |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 3450
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, May 19, 2006 - 6:31 am: |
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The three sleepaway camps my children have attended all offer family camp near the end of summer, so I suspect that it is common to many other (scout, church, YMCA, etc.) camps as well. It is a way for them to extend their season after many of their staff leave to return to college in early August.
Those three are Eagle Island Camp (Girl Scout Council of Greater Essex & Hudson - www.gscgehc.org, 973-746-8200), Camp Lou Henry Hoover (Girl Scout Council of Washington Rock - www.westfieldnj.com/girlscouts/, 908-232-32360 and Camp Johnsonburg (Presbyterian Church - www.campjburg.org, 908-852-2349)
Accommodations range from platform tents to various types of cabins to lodge rooms. Dining hall meals are included, but cooking over a campfire is an option at times, I believe. All three have lakes and offer boating and swimming. Johnsonburg has a pool and the other two have swimming areas in their lakes. Eagle Island is an actual island in the middle of Upper Saranac Lake. You park on the mainland and are picked up by a boat to get to the camp. If you really wanted to pitch a tent, they might let you (maybe hubby and the kids could pitch a tent near your assigned lodgings), but I don't know for sure.
Eagle Island is in the Adirondacks in upstate New York (about a six hour drive from here.) The other two are in northwestern New Jersey, 60-90 minutes away. (other than rush hour, of course)
We have never done any of these family camps although we have considered it several times and are thinking about it for this summer. I recall last year that there was a thread on this topic and posts from some veteran Eagle Island family campers, so perhaps you will hear from them also. |
sac
Supporter
Username: Sac
Post Number: 3451
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, May 19, 2006 - 6:33 am: |
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Ooops, I just noticed you said June. My suggestions won't help then, unfortunately. |
Bailey
Citizen
Username: Baileymac
Post Number: 289
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Friday, May 19, 2006 - 8:14 am: |
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We took our kids camping, actually used a tent.
But, I found that several campgrounds had cabins available, and often a lot of amenities, swimming pools, lakes, near boat rides etc.
We camped near some sort of tourist attractions, like Niagara Falls, Boston, Old Sturbridge Village in Mass. etc, and made day trips to those places, but still had camp fires and breakfasts etc at the campsite.
You could go to www.KOA.com for ideas.
All the KOA's we stayed at had nice facilities, clean showers, swimming pools, mini-stores for the stuff you'll probably forget.
It's been a while though since we did that, so you should do a bit of research.
One place we liked a lot was Watkins Glen State Park in New York. There's a glen gorge there that's a beautiful walk, start at the top and walk downhill about 2 miles, and there are 17 waterfalls along the way. You can take as long as you want, it's not typically very crowded. Just don't go there when there's a NASCAR event, unless you like that, because the surrounding areas get pretty crowded.
It's located at Senaca Lake, the largest of the fingerlakes, and there are vinyards and tours and wine tastings. It's about 4-1/2 hours away. |
Sherri De Rose
Citizen
Username: Honeydo
Post Number: 212
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Friday, May 19, 2006 - 8:29 am: |
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Why not check out the Sullivan County web site. I think it is www.scva.com. Sullivan county is only 2 hours away and has the Delaware river white water rafting, eagle spotting, flea markets, farmers markets and towns are not too far from each other as in the Adirondaks. |
eliz
Supporter
Username: Eliz
Post Number: 1472
Registered: 5-2001
| | Posted on Friday, May 19, 2006 - 9:04 am: |
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For a taste of Eagle Island family camping experience:
http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/quick-trip-overnight-camp-for-everyone |
Ponsonby
Citizen
Username: Elizabeth_s
Post Number: 65
Registered: 3-2004
| | Posted on Friday, May 19, 2006 - 9:27 am: |
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I did a lot of research on this a few months back as I grew up going to family camp in Cali and loved it more than anything in the world. Every place I turned up (and there were a lot of good looking options) seemed to be in Vermont and New Hampshire. |
Sherri De Rose
Citizen
Username: Honeydo
Post Number: 214
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Friday, May 19, 2006 - 9:40 am: |
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There's a place my friend went with her kids called Jellystone Park. www.jellystonepark.com. Check it out. |
BGS
Supporter
Username: Bgs
Post Number: 1008
Registered: 10-2003
| | Posted on Friday, May 19, 2006 - 10:36 am: |
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Watkin's Glen in NY is absolutely a piece of heaven on earth!!!!! |
Bailey
Citizen
Username: Baileymac
Post Number: 290
Registered: 3-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 11:34 am: |
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I just looked at KOA's website for Watkins Glen - their facilities have changed a lot since I was last there.
http://koa.com/where/ny/32161/
BGS - I absolutely agree, Watkins Glen is a piece of Heaven!
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Elizabeth
Citizen
Username: Momof4peepers
Post Number: 77
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 9:03 pm: |
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Thanks for the suggestions! And funny SAC should mention Johnsonburg - my husband camped there as a kid, and the current director is one of his friends. :-) |
max weisenfeld
Citizen
Username: Max_weisenfeld
Post Number: 42
Registered: 9-2001
| | Posted on Saturday, May 20, 2006 - 11:19 pm: |
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This is the camp I work at:
http://njycamps.org/families/
They do family camp weekends in June and the fall. The facilities are rustic cabins in the woods with lots of activities. |
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