5 Of The Best Campsites Near New York City To Escape The Hustle And Bustle, According To Reviews
If you long to get out of the city and spend a night under the stars, listening to the sounds of frogs and crickets singing in the trees instead of car horns and your upstairs neighbor belting out a tune in the shower, you have a few great options to choose from. Since you can't camp in Central Park (except occasionally if you win a lottery), you'll need to leave the boroughs first, but you won't have to go a great distance. As surprising as it might seem when looking up at the glass and steel towers of Midtown in New York, you're never actually that far from wilderness.
To help you narrow down your choices, we sorted through thousands of reviews and scoured social media to bring you some of the top-rated and best-reviewed campsites less than a 4-hour drive from Manhattan. You can read more about how we made our selections at the end of this article, but first, it's time to pack your tent and all the other things you'll want for a quick and easy camping retreat and get ready for your trip. Believe it or not, some New York camping favorites await only a little over an hour away.
North-South Lake Campground
Only 2 hours and 20 minutes from Manhattan, you'll discover the sprawling Catskill Park, part of the forest preserve lands that the New York State Constitution declared "forever wild." You can head to the beach for a swim, look for rushing waterfalls, or hike to tall overlooks and admire the landscape for miles around. Like in all U.S. national and state parks, some trails are only for experienced hikers, but others, like the Ashokan Rail Trail, are great for beginner hikers, too. The biggest campsite in the preserve is the North-South Lake Campground, and as anyone can see from its stellar reviews (between 4.5 and 5 stars across platforms), it might just be the perfect choice if you want to take a break from the city and immerse yourself in nature.
A couple of reviewers have reported that the campground can get a little raucous in the summer, but others described the campsites as feeling large and private. It costs $22 per night, and your dog can come, too. With lakeside views and plenty of wildlife, the North-South Lake Campground is a great choice for anyone who wants to admire beautiful landscapes — especially in the fall. One reviewer on The Dyrt stated: "It's incredibly difficult to bag a site here and now I understand why. Walking around the lakes provided Incredibly scenic views during the fall when the leaves change colors."
Malouf's Mountain Sunset Campground
"It's like glamping but without the posh stigma tied to it. Coming from the city, we don't have the space or ability to own a ton of camping gear, so finding somewhere that includes it all is a must for us," one reviewer raved on Yelp. "Since it's a hike-in, hike-out campground you are truly away from the people, noises, and other distractions of the city." Malouf's Mountain Sunset Campground, which describes itself as a catered camping resort, is only an hour and a half drive from midtown Manhattan, but it's actually better if you don't take your own car there. Instead, jump on a Metro North train from Grand Central to Beacon train station, where a shuttle bus will pick you up and transport you to the campgrounds.
A highly-rated camping experience (4.5 and 4.8 across platforms) that comes at a premium waits for you — think $75-110 per night. While pricey, it might be the right choice for those who aren't totally sold on the idea of roughing it outdoors. Platform sites come equipped with almost everything you need — including propane burners for cooking dinner. Don't worry about packing food, either; you can order all the ingredients through the campground, which will deliver them to your site in a big cooler. Note that the campground sometimes places reservations on hold, so you might not have the option to secure a spot right away.
Fahnestock State Park
"Perfect campground just a short drive from NYC! ... I wasn't expecting such peace and isolation," one reviewer stated on The Dyrt, "It was so quiet at night—not a sound after 11pm during my visit—and in the morning we could hear birds and smell campfires burning. The site was also surrounded by wild raspberry and blackberry bushes which was an amazing surprise."
A quick hour and 15-minute drive from Manhattan, Fahnestock State Park's popular campground (rated between 4 and 4.4 across platforms) only costs $15 per night and is located close to woodland paths and the tranquil Pelton Pond. During the day, you can explore the hiking trails with your loved ones, including your dogs, as long as you keep your furry friends leashed or by yourself — just make sure to review the safety tips if this will be your first solo hike.
The campground follows a natural rock formation, which provides shelter to campers and keeps individual sites relatively separate. On spring nights, the area rings with the singing of frogs, and the woods transform into a vibrant tapestry of color in the fall. If you manage to secure a campsite on the western side of the campground, you will be treated to a gorgeous sunset.
Peekamoose campgrounds
"The area was pretty big and we walked down the river to watch the sunset which was beautiful," wrote one reviewer about the Peakamoose Valley on The Dyrt. "At night, the only noise you'll hear is from the river and animals in the forest which is of course an added benefit!"
If you're sick of city life, the massive Sundown Wild Forest in the Catskills is the cure. The best places to stay are the Peekamoose Valley or the Peekamoose Blue Hole campgrounds (rated between 4 and 4.7), about 2 hours and 15 minutes from Manhattan. While some visitors will miss the amenities offered by more all-inclusive campsites, this wilderness campground is for those who really enjoy roughing it in the great outdoors.
This densely wooded area provides simple campsites, perfect for setting up your tent and escaping from the world. Best of all, you can catch a glimpse of the extremely popular Peekamoose Blue Hole, though you'll need a $10 permit to visit. Fortunately, Peekamoose Blue Hole campsites only cost $2.75 for a night, so you can probably fit both into your budget.
Scaroon Manor State Park
"Scaroon Manor campsite is a well kept secret! ... It is a gem in the Adirondacks," one local reviewer shared on Tripadvisor. "Right on Schroon lake ... Some sites have breathtaking views ... If you want peace and quiet I believe the well spaced campsites will afford you this opportunity!"
If you're willing to make an almost 4-hour journey upstate, you'll find yourself in the lush Adirondack Mountains. There, you'll find many gorgeous places to relax, explore, and spend the night in the forest, but one of the most fun might be Scaroon Manor. While this is a lesser-known spot, the reviews are all raves, ranging from 4.5 to 5 stars. In the woods, you'll find the ruins of the old amphitheater – stone benches overgrown with moss. For a particularly beautiful show, try visiting in the fall when the leaves turn a brilliant orange. At one time, it was a luxury resort, and a movie starring Gene Kelly and Natalie Wood was filmed there. Today, you don't need to be a silver-screen celebrity to walk along the beach or take a little boat out on the lake to enjoy a vibrant sunset; just spend $25/night.
How we picked the best campsites near NYC
To bring you the best camping getaways near New York City, we looked at thousands of reviews for campsites from sites like Tripadvisor, Yelp, Campendium, and The Dyrt to find the most popular ones. We also checked out personal travel blogs and vlogs and read through social media recommendations to find some lesser-known gems. We narrowed down our long list of favorites by eliminating any ranked lower than 4 out of 5 stars or farther than 4 hours outside of central Manhattan. From that much smaller list, we selected our top 5 to provide our readers with options that accommodate different camping styles and priorities without taking them too far from the heart of NYC.