January is my campsite booking season. I start researching places I’d like to visit within a 1-6 hour drive from Philadelphia. Then I fill up a weekend or two per month the following spring to fall with weekend car camping trips.
I’m always thinking as a photographer so I’m looking for scenic places with beautiful scenery and good hikes. I like the campgrounds I visit to have wooded sites that are not too close together. I will make compromises if the campground offers other desirable features (like easy beach access). All sites that I book are drive-up.
Here are a few campgrounds that I recommend – these are all good for two day weekend trips. Start out right after work on Friday and return home Sunday afternoon.
Ricketts Glen – For Waterfalls
Benton, PA
Drive time from Philly: 2 hrs 45 mins
Tents, RVs, Cabins & Cottages
Book HERE.
Ricketts Glen is most famous for its 21 gorgeous waterfalls along the Falls Trail. Come here to hike the trail and escape the heat of summer or enjoy the fall colors. Several years ago I happened to camp here during a sleet storm and it turned out to be one of the most beautiful camping experiences of my life – waking up in the early morning to all of the forest encased in glittering ice.
You can choose several different adventures for seeing some of the falls. If you are staying in the campground, I suggest doing either the full 7.2 mile loop, or doing a shorter 3.2 mile loop that still visits 18 of the 21 falls. For the long loop, start at either the bottom parking lot on Route 118 or the campground. For the short loop you need to start at the top from the campground or the Visitor Center. It’s considered a difficult trail, but most people can do it without any issues if they wear proper footwear. It gets busy during the summer.
You’re going to love being able to head back to your campsite and the promise of a warm campfire after your hike on the Falls Trail.
Along the Falls Trail 
A view over Lake Jean from the campground at Ricketts Glen 
A view looking up the Falls Trail
Trap Pond – For Kayaking or Hiking in a Bald Cypress Swamp
Laurel, Delaware
Drive time from Philly: 2.5 hours
Tents, RVs, Cabins & Yurts (with AC!)
Book HERE.
I only found out about Trap Pond a couple of years ago and I think it’s now my favorite weekend camping trip from Philadelphia. If you are a nature photographer, you’ll fall in love with this place. Think early mornings looking across the still lake with the bald cypress trees jutting out of the water and towering above. Or floating in a kayak during the golden hour among an acre of lily pads, watching the dragonflies and turtles go about their business. Sigh. I can’t wait to get back to immerse myself in this magical setting.
I usually tent camp here, but in July when it’s 100 degrees and 100% humidity outside, a yurt or cabin with air conditioning is a welcome alternative.
During the summer you can rent kayaks and canoes here and paddle along one of their water trails. Or you can hike the trails through the forest and along the water’s edge.
A tent site at Trap Pond 
Bald Cypress 
Early morning fishing 
A yurt at Trap Pond
Assateague State Park – For Camping by the Beach and Wild Ponies
Assateague Island, Maryland
Drive time from Philly: 2 hrs 45 mins
Tents & RVs
Book HERE.
I discovered Assateague State Park by chance. I wanted to go camping at Assateague National Park with a friend of mine, but she needs a campground with hot showers, which the national park does not have. A quick search turned up the state park as our best option and now we go every summer.
Located right next to the national park, this campground has beach access, modern restrooms and showers, and the unique opportunity to see the wild ponies that live on the island. Last summer as I was waking up on Saturday morning, a pony walked through my campsite, just inches from my tent. Then in the evening, several ponies walked through the campground, apparently attracted by the smell of cooking food. I saw one kid yelling at a pony as it approached his picnic table looking for a snack. So beware if you are afraid of horses, but it was loads of fun for most of us. The ponies have been known to steal food so always keep your food locked in your car if you are not preparing or eating it.
We spend most of our days on the beach just a few hundred feet from our campsite. Or we go to the national park to do some hikes and to walk around on the bay side of the island, which has beautiful tidal marshes.
Tidal marshes at Assateague National Park 
Ponies at the campground 
Assateague National Park on the bay side 
Sunrise on the beach, steps away from our campsite 
Last summer’s campsite
Watkins Glen – For Gorge Hiking and Wine Tasting in the Finger Lakes Region
Watkins Glen, New York
Drive time from Philly: 4 hrs
Tents, RVs, Cabins
Book HERE.
Situated at the southern end of Seneca Lake in New York, Watkins Glen is known for auto racing and its beautiful gorge. I’ve been camping here since I was a teenager and still love coming back. If you haven’t walked through Watkins Glen Gorge yet, put this on the top of your list. It gets busy on weekends so go early in the morning. I promise you’ll be humbled by how beautiful this place is. Fall is especially stunning here. This campground can get especially busy and a little rowdy during the high season. If you’re looking for a quieter campground, or if Watkins Glen is full, try the campground at Keuka Lake State Park.
Once you’ve hiked the Watkins Glen Gorge, you might like to do some hiking in some other beautiful parks with their own gorges and waterfalls. I recommend Robert H. Treman State Park, Buttermilk Falls State Park, or Taughannock Falls State Park.
The Finger Lakes are also famous for their wineries, of which there are several world-class ones that you can visit. Driving along any of the wine trails in the finger lakes is rewarding in itself for the views and pretty countryside. I highly recommend visiting Ravines Wine Cellars in either Hammondsport or Geneva. In my opinion, they make some of the best wine in the US. If you visit the Hammondsport tasting room, head up the hill to Bully Hill for a totally different experience. Bully Hill has amazing views over Keuka Lake and a fun tasting experience. It’s an entertaining visit and you’ll like seeing all of the artwork on their wine labels.
At some point I’ll write a whole post about the Finger Lakes region because I could go on and on about what to see and do there. My last tip is to book reservations at Dano’s Heuriger for dinner one evening. The sunset view from the patio over Seneca Lake is breathtaking.
Cherry Springs State Park – For Stargazing & Hiking at Pine Creek Gorge
Coudersport, PA
Drive time from Philly: 4.5 hrs
Tents & RVs (All rustic non-electric. Pit toilets only.)*
Book HERE.
*For a nearby campground with hot showers, you can try Lyman Run State Park instead.
My grandparents lived near Cherry Springs so I spent many of my childhood summers in this remote area of Pennsylvania. Rolling green mountains, small rural towns and farms dotting the hillsides for miles and miles. This is one of those parts of Pennsylvania that feels worlds away from Philly and Pittsburgh. Camping is fantastic in this region during July and August because of the cool, clear nights.
During the day, I recommend checking out Pine Creek Gorge. There are lots of hiking trails through lush forests in the gorge area. Every time I’m here I find some cool mushrooms to ogle at. Hike the Turkey Path in Leonard Harrison State Park which will take you from the top of the mountain to the bottom of the gorge and back. You’ll see some pretty waterfalls along the way.
What’s really special about Cherry Springs is what happens after dark at their Astronomy Observation Field. Bring lawn chairs and blankets and enjoy the 360 degree view of the night sky from the field. The incredibly dark sky in this area makes Cherry Springs ideal for stargazing. On most weekend nights free Night Sky Tours are offered from the observation field. You can find dates and register for free here. During the event, a guide will give a brief tour of the night sky, followed by a chance to look at several astronomical objects through a few powerful telescopes managed by volunteers. You’ll see stuff like the rings of Saturn, Jupiter’s moons, and nebulae.
Butterflies on the beach at Lyman Run 
Along a hike 
A handsome little gypsy moth caterpillar 
Pine Creek Gorge
The Delaware Water Gap – For Waterfalls and Great Views
Dingmans Campground in Dingmans Ferry, PA
Drive time from Philly: 2 hrs 15 mins
Tents & RVs
Call to book. Check rates HERE.
Sometimes I drive up to the Delaware Water Gap for a day trip to photograph the waterfalls and hike the Cliff trail, but you can make a weekend of it by camping at Dingmans Campground. They have forested sites as well as a few sites along the river. They also offer canoe and kayak trips on the Delaware River which I haven’t done myself, but I plan to sometime during the summer of 2019.
I love the waterfalls in this area, probably more than the ones at Ricketts Glen. I think it’s the abundance of rhododendron here – the tall bushes with large, waxy leaves make walking through the forest feel almost tropical. Try visiting in July when the rhododendrons are in bloom. You can find picturesque falls at George W. Childs Recreations Site*, Dingmans Falls, and Raymondskill Falls. Bushkill Falls are also nearby – this is a privately owned park and will cost you money to enter, but it’s a lovely easy hike down to the falls and around the rest of the grounds. You can get some wonderful photos of the rushing stream and the wooden walkways near the bottom of the trail system.
*George W. Childs Recreation Site was closed for the majority of 2018 due to storm damage – check their website to see if they are open when you go.
For a hike with scenic views of something other than a waterfall, go for the Cliff Trail. It’s a 5.6 mile loop but you can make it what you like by turning around when you’re tired or hiking on connecting trails. I love taking my time on this trail to sit at one of the rocky outcrops that overlooks the road and river below. Park at Raymondskill Falls for the trailhead.
Hickory Run State Park – For Boulder Field
Hickory Run, PA
Drive time from Philly: 1 hr 30 mins
Tents, RVs & Cottages.
Book HERE.
My childhood campground! This is where my parents took us for vacation during the summer. Mom, Dad and my two little sisters and me sleeping in a two-room Coleman tent. During the day, Dad took us on hikes to Boulder Field to play on the giant boulders. In the afternoon, we hung out at camp while mom relaxed with a book and dad napped in a hammock. We ate burgers and hotdogs at the picnic table covered with the plastic gingham check tablecloth. Lots of good memories here.
Maybe I’m biased but the main draw for Hickory Run is Boulder Field. Imagine acres and acres of bare sandstone boulders that you can climb and hop over for as long as you like. No trees grow in the cracks between rocks. Hide among the boulders or lay down on a flat rock top to enjoy the sun. It’s certainly something to see – a glacial remnant from the last ice age 20,000 years ago. Getting here is easy – just park in the lot and walk a few feet through the trees for an amazing view. I would love to visit just after a fresh snow, but you’ll be happy at any time. The golden hours are obviously going to have the most interesting shadow play and warm colors.
Beyond Boulder Field, try hiking the Shades of Death trail for a short but lovely serene hike along a stream. If you need a waterfall, hike to Hawk Falls. Check out the rest of what trails are inside the park here.
Alright, so you might need more than a giant boulder field to keep your interest. In this case check out the curiously-named little town of Jim Thorpe that’s just a twenty minute drive away. In a bid to draw tourists in the mid 1950’s the town of Mauch Chunk purchased the remains of Jim Thorpe , a Native American, Olympian, and one of the greatest athletes of the 20th century. A monument was erected and the town was renamed in his honor. The main drag is lined by charming Victorian homes and plenty of restaurants and shops that make for a diverting half day away from your campsite.
If you like to bike, check out the Lehigh Gorge Scenic Railway Bike Train. The train leaves from downtown Jim Thorpe and chugs 20 miles along the Lehigh River Gorge where it drops you off to bike back into town. Plenty of beautiful places to stop and have a picnic lunch.
