Boating

Fantasy Island Campground

16 RV Sites, 2 Cabins, 1 Onsite RV/Trailer

Fantasy Island Campground occupies Packer Island in the Susquehanna River between the historic communities of Northumberland and Sunbury in central Pennsylvania — a genuinely distinctive geographic position that places guests on a river island in the middle of the Upper Susquehanna, with the water visible and accessible from camp and the river town character of Sunbury's restored Victorian downtown within easy walking range. For guests seeking riverfront camping without the typical streamside-site-in-a-field experience, Fantasy Island's island position on the Susquehanna River delivers an authentically riparian setting with the full-hookup infrastructure of a modern campground. Every site includes a concrete patio, fire ring, and picnic table, and Wi-Fi and cable service address the connectivity and entertainment expectations of extended-stay guests who aren't looking to fully unplug. The campground pool handles the warm-weather recreation demand, and mini-golf, volleyball courts, and shuffleboard provide the supplemental activity mix that keeps multi-generational groups occupied across different interest levels. Boating and paddling directly from camp are primary activities through the warm-weather season, and Lake Augusta — the Susquehanna impoundment created by an inflatable dam just upstream from Sunbury — expands the flatwater boating options for guests with kayaks or canoes through summer when the dam is fully operational. The Susquehanna River's character through the Sunbury reach is broad and island-braided, with a current and riverbank ecology that rewards quiet morning exploration by paddle — great blue herons, osprey, bald eagles, and wood ducks are consistent presences along the forested river corridor, and the summer evening light on the Susquehanna's wide surface creates the kind of reflective river moment that makes island camping feel genuinely separate from the road-traveled world just across the bridge. Sunbury's Historic Downtown — a walkable late-19th-century commercial district with restored brick storefronts, independent restaurants, and the Northumberland County Historical Society's collections — provides the cultural exploration component for guests interested in central Pennsylvania's rich coal and river history. Shade Mountain Winery, situated on a ridgeline above the Susquehanna Valley with sweeping views of the river corridor, offers estate wine tasting that pairs the regional agricultural character with a genuinely impressive viewshed. The Susquehanna Valley more broadly encompasses the Selinsgrove and Danville areas to the north and south, adding antique shopping, local dining, and state park access along the river to the day-trip options available from a Fantasy Island base. Fantasy Island Campground is open through the Pennsylvania camping season, with summer providing the fullest combination of lake boating, pool swimming, and evening river light that makes the island position most rewarding. Fall along the Susquehanna delivers reliable foliage color along the forested ridgelines framing the valley, and the riverfront setting extends the visual season beyond the summer recreation peak. Reserve sites and plan boating access ahead for summer holiday weekends, when the combination of river recreation and Sunbury's regional accessibility drives strong demand for the campground's distinctive island address.

from $65/night

Splash Magic RV Resort

127 RV Sites, 38 Cabins, 18 Tent Sites

Splash Magic RV Resort in Northumberland, Pennsylvania, offers 127 RV sites, 38 cabins, and 18 tent sites on the North Branch of the Susquehanna, with 30 and 50-amp full hookups and rigs accepted to 40 feet. Premium 30-amp and 50-amp pull-through categories join a water park, splash pad, hot tub, and beach. One hundred twenty-seven sites span 30-amp back-in, 50-amp back-in, premium 30-amp pull-through, and premium 50-amp pull-through categories, all carrying water, sewer, and electric with site WiFi, sized to 40 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Note the 40-foot cap before booking a larger rig. Thirty-eight cabins and 18 tent sites round out the lodging. A general store, laundry, propane fills, dump station, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. A water park and splash pad anchor the summer, with an outdoor pool, hot tub, sauna, and beach alongside. A lake supports boating, paddle boats, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing, with mini-golf, a game room, arcade, jumping pillow, gaga ball, basketball, and volleyball filling the grounds. Bike rentals, golf cart rentals, walking trails, hiking, biking, a clubhouse, playground, pavilion, dog park, and snack bar round it out. Birding along the river is productive, and a state park is nearby. Pets are welcome. The Susquehanna's broad river valley gives the resort a natural backdrop that the water park programming sits within rather than replacing. Summer is decisively the season. Reserve well ahead.

from $64/night

Lake Heron Retreat

10 RV Sites, 3 Cabins, 3 Tent Sites

Encompassing 240 acres of mixed woodland in Liverpool, Perry County, Pennsylvania, Lake Heron Retreat is built around a pristine 10-acre private lake that serves as the focal point for fishing, paddling, and quiet outdoor recreation on a property designed for guests seeking a secluded Pennsylvania camping experience well removed from commercial campground noise and highway proximity. The retreat's scale—substantial woodland acreage around a private lake in the undeveloped Susquehanna River Valley corridor—gives it a backcountry character unusual for a property with tent, RV, and cabin accommodation options. Accommodation types span three formats: traditional tent camping, RV sites with hookup access, and cabin rentals that provide a more enclosed lodging option for guests who prefer a structure over a tent. The RV area includes a Comfort Station with flush toilets and coin-operated showers, while pavilion and primitive camping areas with pit toilets accommodate larger groups—family reunions and similar gatherings—in the property's more remote sections. The combination of accommodation types gives the retreat flexibility to serve both solo travelers and multi-family groups. The 10-acre lake is the centerpiece of the outdoor experience at Lake Heron Retreat, stocked with largemouth bass, channel catfish, yellow perch, and bluegill that provide productive fishing across a broad range of angling skill levels and equipment types. Canoe access to the lake allows guests to paddle its wooded shoreline, and swimming in the lake is available for guests seeking a natural, unheated water experience during the warmer months. Hammock spots throughout the wooded property give guests additional relaxation options in a setting where the sound of wind through the canopy and water on the shore define the ambient soundscape. The surrounding Perry County landscape features the Hawk Rock overlook—a prominent viewpoint accessible via a hiking trail that provides sweeping views of the Susquehanna River Valley and the parallel ridges of the Ridge and Valley physiographic province—a geological structure of long, folded Appalachian ridges and fertile valleys that gives central Pennsylvania its characteristic topography. White-tailed deer, black bears, wild turkeys, and a diverse woodland bird community are regularly observed on the property, adding a wildlife-observation dimension to stays oriented primarily around fishing and paddling. Lake Heron Retreat is open through the warm-weather season and is accessible for group reservations throughout the calendar year for facilities that can accommodate all-weather gatherings. Summer represents the peak period for lake fishing and swimming, while spring and fall offer the most comfortable temperatures for hiking and wildlife observation on the surrounding wooded ridges. The retreat's secluded character and privacy-oriented design make it particularly appealing to guests seeking a genuine escape from the routines of everyday life, and advance reservations are recommended for summer and fall weekends when the private lake's fishing access is most in demand. The retreat's 240-acre woodland setting, private 10-acre lake, and diverse accommodation options collectively provide a secluded Perry County escape that rewards guests who prioritize quiet, wildlife, and genuine natural immersion over the commercial campground features found along Pennsylvania's busier highway corridors.

from $43/night

Lakewood Park Campground

23 RV Sites

Lakewood Park Campground in Ryan Township, Pennsylvania, is a 54-acre family-owned retreat in the heart of Schuylkill County — three miles from the I-81 interchange in the northeastern Pennsylvania anthracite coal region, where the dramatic history of the Industrial Revolution's most demanding underground labor meets a natural landscape of forested ridges, river gorges, and some of the most scenically underrated campground terrain in the state. The combination of I-81 accessibility and genuine 54-acre character puts the campground in a category between highway stopover and destination resort that suits both through-travelers and guests making a multi-day base camp. Luxury, family, and rustic cabin options cover the full range of solid-wall accommodation preferences, and full-hookup RV sites with Wi-Fi and cable TV across 120-plus channels handle extended-stay connectivity needs. The property's 10-acre lake provides fishing, kayaking, and paddleboating in a natural setting at the center of the campground, and boat docks and a general store round out the on-site amenity picture. The campground is actively expanding its pull-through and full-hookup site inventory — a sign of growing demand that reflects the property's increasingly well-known regional reputation. Planned events through the season add structured programming alongside the natural lake activity. Pets are welcome. The Schuylkill County landscape carries the geological and cultural weight of Pennsylvania's anthracite history in its terrain and its community character — coal culm banks, company towns, and the heritage of immigrant labor that built this region's identity across the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries sit alongside genuine natural beauty in a combination that rewards curious visitors willing to explore the area's depth beyond its industrial surface. Pioneer Tunnel Coal Mine and Steam Train in Ashland, just a short drive from the campground, provides guided tours through an actual anthracite mine tunnel — a genuinely educational and physically cool (literally, at 52 degrees year-round) experience that connects visitors directly to the region's industrial heritage. Lehigh Gorge State Park, accessible within reasonable driving distance, protects the Lehigh River corridor with whitewater rafting, the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway, and one of the finest whitewater kayaking routes in Pennsylvania. Two additional state parks with lake fishing and swimming are within 15 minutes of camp, extending the natural recreation options well beyond the campground's own lake. Lakewood Park Campground operates year-round, providing consistent I-81 corridor accommodation in a region that serves both long-distance travelers crossing Pennsylvania and guests specifically seeking Schuylkill County's heritage and natural recreation. The coal mining history attractions operate seasonally — plan Pioneer Tunnel visits for May through October when tours are fully operational. Summer weekends and holiday periods book fastest as the combination of lake recreation, regional attractions, and family programming creates competitive demand across the campground's cabin and RV inventory. Contact the campground directly to confirm current site inventory and expansion progress — the addition of new full-hookup pull-through sites makes this a property whose capacity and amenity footprint continues to grow. The combination of Schuylkill County heritage attractions, nearby state park recreation, and the campground's own 10-acre lake creates the kind of multi-day itinerary depth that turns first-time Lakewood Park guests into returning visitors.

from $60/night

100 Mile View Camping

7 RV Sites, 7 Tent Sites

Perched on 400 acres of rolling Pocono Mountains terrain just three miles from the Victorian streets of Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania, 100 Mile View Camping earns its name emphatically. On clear days, the property's high ridgeline delivers sweeping panoramas stretching across multiple counties — a view that stops conversations mid-sentence and keeps guests from packing up on schedule. The campground sits far enough from town to feel like a genuine wilderness retreat while remaining close enough to walk into one of Pennsylvania's most celebrated destination villages for dinner or a morning coffee. The 400 acres accommodate a range of camping styles, from full-hookup RV sites to tent sites and rental cabins spread across terrain that rewards exploring on foot. A private waterfall and natural swimming hole tucked within the property boundaries give guests a feature rarely found at campgrounds — a hidden escape that belongs entirely to those staying on-site. Wooded site placement provides genuine privacy without sacrificing the sweeping ridgeline views, and picnic tables and fire rings are standard throughout the grounds. Miles of hiking and biking trails wind through the property's forests and ridgelines, connecting meadows, overlooks, and the private waterfall with minimal elevation drama on most routes. The terrain suits everything from short nature walks to half-day mountain bike loops, and the trail network is uncrowded even during peak summer weekends. For guests who prefer flowing water to ridge-walking, the Lehigh River runs nearby, providing some of the best whitewater rafting in the mid-Atlantic, with outfitters in Jim Thorpe running guided half-day and full-day trips from spring through early fall. Jim Thorpe, three miles down the mountain, punches well above its size as a destination. Known as the "Switzerland of America," the town's steep hills, Gothic stone architecture, and Victorian storefronts line streets built during the coal and railroad boom of the 1800s. The historic Mauch Chunk Opera House books live music and theater year-round, while the authentic steam-powered Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway runs excursions through the gorge with narrated history. The Lehigh Gorge State Park trail — a 25-mile converted rail trail — runs the length of the gorge and makes for an outstanding day of cycling or hiking along the river. Spring through fall is peak season, with whitewater season opening in earnest by late April and fall foliage typically peaking mid-October in the Poconos. Summer weekends fill quickly, particularly for cabin rentals, so advance booking is recommended. The higher elevation brings cooler nights even in July, making this a welcome escape from the heat of Philadelphia or New York. Pack layers for evenings and come prepared for genuine mountain weather — afternoon thunderstorms are common in summer, and they pass as quickly as they arrive, leaving the ridgeline air clear and cool. The area's outdoor event calendar, highlighted by the Jim Thorpe River Festival each spring and fall foliage festivals in October, adds lively context to any visit timed around those weekends.

from $40/night

Jellystone Park™ PA Wilds

71 RV Sites, 34 Cabins, 3 Tent Sites, 1 Onsite RV/Trailer

Jellystone Park PA Wilds in Mansfield, Pennsylvania, offers 72 full-hookup back-in RV sites, 31 cabins, and three tent sites, with 20, 30, and 50-amp service and rigs accepted to 75 feet. Full-hookup categories at 20/30-amp and 20/30/50-amp join a pool, mini-golf, jumping pillow, and golf cart rentals in Pennsylvania's Wilds. Seventy-two back-in sites run in full hookup 20/30-amp and full hookup 20/30/50-amp categories, both carrying water, sewer, and electric, sized to 75 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. Pick the tier that matches your rig's service, and note that 75 feet accommodates a long coach with a tow. Thirty-one cabins — including the six-person Cardinal Inn — and three tent sites round out the lodging. A general store, restrooms, and golf cart rentals handle the practical side. Check-in is 3pm and checkout 11am, and day passes run $10 per person. An outdoor pool anchors the summer, with mini-golf, a jumping pillow, volleyball, basketball, horseshoes, corn hole, a pond, playground, and live music filling the rest. Boating and fishing run nearby, and a state park is close. Pets are welcome. The PA Wilds is a 12,000-square-mile expanse of north-central wilderness where elk graze open meadows at dusk, the Pine Creek Gorge drops 1,000 feet through what is sometimes called Pennsylvania's Grand Canyon, and the night sky is dark enough to have earned one of the most significant dark sky designations in the eastern United States. Cherry Springs State Park is the destination for that. Summer and fall foliage drive demand. Reserve well ahead.

from $31/night

Wildwood RV Resort

16 RV Sites

Tucked into the wooded hills of Juniata County near East Waterford, Pennsylvania, Wildwood RV Resort offers an immersive natural retreat built around oversized lots, a diverse wildlife community, and the quiet, clean character that draws seasonal regulars and weekend visitors back to this corner of central Pennsylvania's Tuscarora Mountain ridge country. White-tailed deer, rabbits, squirrels, and a consistent chorus of woodland birds define the daily backdrop of a stay here—a natural environment that complements the resort's commitment to providing outdoor-centered relaxation alongside structured recreation options. The resort's oversized lots provide more space per site than typical campgrounds, giving guests room to spread out and set up outdoor living areas that extend the camping experience beyond the rig or cabin. A swimming pool with an adjacent spa serves as the warm-weather centerpiece of on-site recreation, and a dog park accommodates guests traveling with pets. Laundry facilities, a well-stocked camp store, and a clean restroom and shower building handle practical daily needs, while the resort's gazebo positioned beside an on-site pond provides a tranquil outdoor space for relaxed picnic hours or quiet evening reading. Glamping cabins round out the accommodation options for guests who want a mountain cabin experience without the logistical requirements of towing a rig into the hills of Juniata County. Cabin options range from more primitive configurations suited to guests seeking a rustic experience to fully equipped units with kitchen and bathroom facilities for groups wanting indoor comfort. The playground and arcade keep younger guests entertained during downtime between outdoor activities, and basketball, outdoor games, and resort-wide trails support active recreation for all ages. Tuscarora State Forest, accessible from the East Waterford area, encompasses miles of hiking and hunting trails through the forested ridge terrain of the Tuscarora Mountain system—one of the long parallel ridges that characterize the Pennsylvania Valley and Ridge physiographic province. The surrounding Juniata River Valley is known for smallmouth bass fishing, and the broader region's rural character makes it a particularly appealing destination for guests seeking a genuine escape from metropolitan Pennsylvania into undeveloped woodland and river country. Wildwood RV Resort is open seasonally, with summer and early fall representing the busiest periods for both weekend guests and seasonal site holders who return year after year to the same site. The resort's mix of seasonal campers, weekend visitors, and cabin guests creates a multigenerational community character that new arrivals typically note as a distinguishing feature of the experience. Advance reservations are recommended for summer holiday weekends, when the resort's combination of wildlife, wooded setting, and family amenities makes it a popular choice across central Pennsylvania. The Tuscarora Mountain corridor of central Pennsylvania is part of the Ridge and Valley physiographic province—a system of long, parallel wooded ridges and fertile valleys that extends from New York to Alabama and gives this part of the state a landscape character unlike the rolling farmland of the piedmont or the plateau terrain of the northern tier. Seasonal hunting, wildlife observation, and fall color drives through the mountain corridors are popular pursuits for guests who return to the resort year after year.

from $70/night

Sun Retreats Lancaster County

67 RV Sites, 26 Cabins, 24 Tent Sites, 1 Glamping Site, 1 Yurt, 2 Motel Rooms, 1 Tipi, 1 House, 1 Wagon

Sun Retreats Lancaster County in Narvon, Pennsylvania, offers 67 RV sites, 29 cabin, house, and motel-room units, 24 tent sites, and four glamping, tipi, wagon, and yurt accommodations around a six-acre lake, with 30 and 50-amp full hookups, cable TV, and rigs accepted to 45 feet. Red Carpet categories join standard full-hookup sites behind a gated entrance. Sixty-seven sites span 30-amp and 50-amp full hookup, Red Carpet 50-amp full hookup, and Red Carpet pull-through categories, carrying water, sewer, and electric with cable TV and site WiFi, sized to 45 feet, with fire pits and picnic tables. The lodging range is exceptional — 29 cabins, houses, and motel rooms, plus tipi, wagon, and yurt options and 24 tent sites. A general store, boutique shop, laundry, propane exchange, dump station, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side. The property was formerly Lake in Wood Camping Resort. The six-acre lake anchors the recreation, with boat rentals, boat docks, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and boating from the shoreline. An outdoor pool and splash pad, hot tub and sauna, mini-golf, a game room, arcade, recreation center, fitness center, and clubhouse cover the rest, with sports courts, volleyball, basketball, horseshoes, and shuffleboard outdoors. Golf cart rentals, walking trails, a dog park, barn, and on-site dining round it out, with live music and planned activities through the season. Pets are welcome. Narvon sits in the working Amish farmland of eastern Lancaster County, in the heart of Pennsylvania Dutch Country. Summer is decisively the season. Reserve well ahead.

from $46/night

James Creek RV Resort

1 RV Site, 5 Cabins

James Creek RV Resort in James Creek, Pennsylvania, is a fishing and outdoor recreation campground in Huntingdon County offering RV sites and cabin accommodations for fishing families, reunion groups, and the outdoor visitors drawn to the Raystown Lake corridor and the Juniata River valley's central Pennsylvania mountain landscape. James Creek's Huntingdon County position on PA-26 in the Raystown Branch valley south of Huntingdon gives the resort its specific central Pennsylvania outdoor recreation character of a campground in the working agricultural and timber country of the Appalachian ridges and valleys that frame the Raystown Lake reservoir and the Juniata River corridor in one of the least-visited and most naturally intact sections of the Appalachian Plateau's ridge and valley topography in Pennsylvania's geographic center. The Raystown Branch's smallmouth bass and panfish give the James Creek resort its primary fishing camp identity. RV sites and cabins with the complete Huntingdon County campground infrastructure give James Creek RV Resort the accommodation range for both the fishing group whose multi-day Raystown Lake or Raystown Branch itinerary requires the cabin's group gathering space and the RV traveler whose central Pennsylvania hook-up service sustains the longer-stay outdoor recreation visit to the Raystown Lake region. The resort's fishing-camp orientation reflects Huntingdon County's specific outdoor recreation identity as a destination for the Pennsylvania bass, walleye, and muskellunge market. Pets are welcome. Raystown Lake, 15 miles south of James Creek in Huntingdon County on Raystown Branch of the Juniata River, is the largest lake entirely within Pennsylvania — a 29-mile Army Corps of Engineers impoundment with 118 miles of shoreline whose muskellunge fishery, the nationally recognized mountain bike Allegrippis Trail's 36-mile singletrack system, and the Seven Points Marina's houseboat rental operation give the Huntingdon County reservoir the most comprehensive lake recreation resource in central Pennsylvania. The muskellunge, walleye, and the lake-record specimens consistently produced in Raystown's cold, deep, clear water give the lake its specific cold-water trophy fishery character. Trough Creek State Park, 10 miles southeast of James Creek in Huntingdon County on PA-994, protects the Indian Lookout overlook, the balanced rock formation, the Rainbow Falls cascade, and the Trough Creek gorge's dramatic limestone and shale canyon in one of Pennsylvania's most geologically diverse and most scenically concentrated state parks. The park's 0.6-mile Great Trough Creek gorge trail gives hikers the canyon-level experience of the limestone gorge's vertical walls, the creek's cascades, and the rhododendron's June bloom in a compact trail that gives the James Creek area one of central Pennsylvania's most rewarding short hikes. James Creek RV Resort serves guests through Huntingdon County's Pennsylvania camping season from spring through fall, with the Raystown Lake's spring fishing season from April through June and the fall muskellunge season from September through November representing the two primary angling visitor demand peaks for the central Pennsylvania fishing market. The Standing Stone Trail's 77-mile backpacking route through Huntingdon County from Greenwood Furnace State Park to the Maryland border gives long-distance hikers the specific central Pennsylvania ridgeline trail that the Appalachian Trail's more traveled route to the east supplements in the ridge and valley landscape of the Juniata watershed. Reserve sites and cabins ahead for the spring fishing season and the summer Raystown Lake recreation peak.

from $56/night

Gettysburg Battlefield Resort

Gettysburg Battlefield Resort in Cumberland Township puts guests within the landscape of the most consequential three days in American history — the Battle of Gettysburg, July 1–3, 1863, which turned the tide of the Civil War and ultimately preserved the United States as a unified nation. With over 250 campsites alongside a Civil War reenactment area, an authentic farmhouse lodge, and a full slate of family recreational amenities, Gettysburg Battlefield Resort combines a historically significant address with a campground designed to keep families happily occupied for a multi-night stay. Accommodations include RV sites, tent camping, and modern cabin rentals, with an Olympic-sized swimming pool, playgrounds, ball fields, a stocked fishing pond, paddle boating, mini golf, and nature trails providing on-site recreation. A general store with an ice cream parlor, climate-controlled bathhouses, laundry facilities, a community firepit, and an outdoor pavilion complete the amenity lineup. Live Civil War reenactments are staged on the resort's dedicated grounds throughout the summer — one of the most immersive ways for families to connect with the battle's human dimensions anywhere in the region. Pets are welcome at Gettysburg Battlefield Resort. The resort's location in Cumberland Township places guests at the edge of Gettysburg National Military Park — one of the most extensively preserved and interpreted battlefields in the world, where 6,000 acres of ground walked by 160,000 soldiers across three days of fighting in 1863 remain largely intact and accessible by car, bike, licensed battlefield guide, or on foot. The Gettysburg National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center houses the restored Cyclorama — the largest oil painting in North America, depicting Pickett's Charge in 360-degree panoramic detail — alongside extensive artifact collections and multimedia presentations that establish context before guests walk the ground. Little Round Top, Cemetery Ridge, Devil's Den, and the High Water Mark at the Angle are among the most historically evocative sites in America. The Gettysburg National Cemetery, where President Lincoln delivered the Gettysburg Address in November 1863, remains one of the most moving places in the United States. Gettysburg Battlefield Resort is open through the camping season, with summer delivering both the full on-site recreation program and the most active reenactment calendar. Eisenhower National Historic Site, Hershey Park 45 minutes east, Amish country in Lancaster County, and Washington D.C. roughly 75 miles south all lie within reasonable day-trip range. Book early for the summer months — the resort's unique combination of Civil War history and family camping recreation fills gettysburg battlefield resort reservations faster than its 250-plus sites might suggest.

from $72/night

Wake in the Woods Aquapark & Campground

Wake in the Woods Aquapark & Campground in Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania, offers camping and cabin rentals on a private seven-acre lake with an inflatable aqua park on the water, behind a gated entrance in the Pocono Mountains. Boat docks, boat rentals, a bar, and food trucks serve families and group events on historic Lake Genero. Tent sites and cabin rentals make up the accommodations, with corporate retreat and group event infrastructure on site. A general store, boutique shop, propane fills and exchange, restrooms, showers, and firewood handle the practical side, with WiFi throughout and a gated entrance controlling access. The inflatable aqua park is the signature. These are large floating structures with water slides, obstacles, and climbing features, designed to give swimmers a safe, genuinely demanding play area on open water — considerably more engaging than a pool, and the reason most families book. Boat docks, boat rentals, swimming, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and boating fill out the water recreation, with sports courts, basketball, volleyball, horseshoes, corn hole, walking trails, hiking, a playground, pavilion, and community fire pit on land. A bar and visiting food trucks handle evenings, and the property also serves as a wedding venue. Stargazing and birding are strong across the forested acreage. Pets are welcome. Lake Ariel sits in Wayne County in the northeastern Pennsylvania lake district, where private lakes, state forest land, and ridge-and-valley terrain built the Pocono resort region's identity for Philadelphians from the nineteenth century onward. Summer is decisively the season for the aqua park. Reserve well ahead.

Glendale Valley Campground

17 RV Sites, 7 Tent Sites

In Fallentimber, Pennsylvania, at the edge of the Allegheny Plateau in Clearfield County, Glendale Valley Campground sits two miles from Prince Gallitzin State Park—Pennsylvania's third most visited state park and the protected shoreline of 1,635-acre Glendale Lake with its 26 miles of curving, forested waterfront. The campground's position in the heart of the Alleghenies puts it squarely in the middle of Central Pennsylvania's most rewarding outdoor recreation landscape, where the ridges and valleys of the old coal and timber country have given way to the lakes, trails, and wildlife corridors that make this part of the state genuinely beautiful in every season. Full hookup sites accommodate rigs of all sizes across a gated property that features a recently renovated bathhouse, a new camp store restocked with snacks, firewood, and supplies in 2023, and a modern laundry room added in 2024 reflecting the campground's ongoing investment in facilities. EV charging, a boat ramp providing direct Glendale Lake access, a playground, volleyball courts, gaga ball, and a recreation center complete the main amenity offerings. The property is pet-friendly with plenty of open area for walking dogs, WiFi coverage throughout the grounds, and propane fills available at the camp store. Beach access at Glendale Lake gives guests a sandy waterfront option without leaving the state park corridor. Glendale Lake's 26 miles of forested shoreline define the recreational character of the surrounding region—boating, fishing for bass and panfish, swimming, kayaking, and canoeing on a lake that sits entirely within the state park's protected boundaries, creating the kind of clean, uncrowded freshwater experience that Pennsylvania's more accessible lakes can rarely provide. Over 30 miles of hiking trails in Prince Gallitzin State Park extend through the surrounding Allegheny forest from easy waterfront paths to moderate ridge hikes with panoramic views across the Clearfield County landscape. Mountain biking on the park's trail network adds another dimension for cycling guests who want mileage alongside the lake views. The campground's entertainment calendar runs throughout the summer season with weekend activities that create the social energy guests want without demanding participation: live music and bands, DJs, karaoke, bingo, and the beloved Christmas in July celebration that the campground runs each summer with decorated sites, holiday lights, and the festive atmosphere that has become one of the year's most anticipated events. The surrounding Allegheny highlands offer wine and beer tasting at nearby regional producers, and Clearfield County's dark skies—well away from the light pollution of the Pittsburgh and State College corridors—reward any guest willing to step outside after dark for a look at the Milky Way. Glendale Valley operates seasonally with peak demand running from Memorial Day through Labor Day when Prince Gallitzin's lake and trail access draws maximum visitation from across Central Pennsylvania. The shoulder seasons—late May through June and September into early October—offer the park's outdoor recreation at its most pleasant temperatures with noticeably lighter crowds on the lake and hiking trails. Reserve your site at Glendale Valley Campground and let Prince Gallitzin's beautiful Allegheny lake country be the setting for your Central Pennsylvania basecamp.

from $39/night