Indiana When planning our visit to Indiana, Tippecanoe River State Park turned out to be an excellent basecamp. The park is large, heavily wooded, and offers plenty of room to spread out. If you're looking for a campground with mature trees, spacious campsites, good fishing, and miles of hiking trails, this one deserves a spot on your list. Campground One of the first things you'll notice is just how much shade there is. Towering oak and maple trees cover nearly every campsit

Chelsea, Michigan We spent six nights at Sugarloaf Campground in Waterloo Recreation Area while trying to catch the Jackson Hot Air Jubilee. The campground is only about 40 minutes from Jackson, making it a great home base if you're planning to attend the balloon festival or explore southern Michigan. Unfortunately, Mother Nature didn't cooperate for most of the week, but that gave us plenty of time to enjoy everything the campground had to offer. Sugarloaf sits on a beautifu

Newcomb campground is the perfect home base for exploring the Adirondacks

Newcomb Campground was a welcome change of pace after several days of primitive camping and boondocking. Located near downtown Newcomb, the campground offers water and electric hookups along with a dump station. While many Adirondack campgrounds focus on rustic experiences, Newcomb provides enough amenities to recharge while still feeling connected to nature. The campground itself is small, quiet, and beautifully maintained. Sites are spread throughout a pine forest and offer

Sacandaga Campground may be one of the most unique campgrounds I've visited anywhere in New York. The campground sits on a peninsula where two branches of the Sacandaga River flow around the property before eventually merging downstream. Water is everywhere, creating beautiful views and endless opportunities for fishing and exploration. I spent three days here and never felt the need to leave the campground. The fishing was one of the highlights. There are multiple access poi

Lewey Lake Campground was one of those places that immediately makes you want to stay longer. Located along both Lewey Lake and Indian Lake, the campground offers an impressive collection of waterfront campsites. I stayed on the Lewey Lake side and was surprised by how private the sites felt. The campsites were huge, heavily wooded, and so well spaced out that I could barely see neighboring campers. One of the campground's biggest strengths is water access. Nearly every water

Perkins Clearing Conservation Easement quickly became one of my favorite boondocking areas in the Adirondacks. After spending time in traditional campgrounds, I was looking for a place where Kona and I could truly get off the grid, and Perkins Clearing delivered exactly that. The area contains numerous designated roadside campsites scattered along a network of dirt roads near Mason Lake and Jessup River. I spent nearly two hours exploring the area before settling on a large c

Watching the Artemis II Launch — April 1 We spent most of the winter exploring Florida’s state parks and making our annual fishing trip to the Keys with my fishing buddies. Along the way, we found ourselves drawn to the Space Coast, catching several SpaceX launches from Cape Canaveral. But the highlight of it all was watching Artemis II lift off on April 1. Our favorite spot for launches was Manatee Hammock Campground. This Brevard County park is dog-friendly and sits directl

Manatee Hammock Campground is one of the best spots I’ve found to watch a rocket launch—hands down. If you’re looking for a front-row seat to launches at Kennedy Space Center, this place is hard to beat. Reservations and Campsite Setup The campground is run by Brevard County, so reservations are made through their website. If you’re trying to book around a rocket launch, plan ahead—it can be tough to get a site when launches are scheduled. Sites can be a little hit or miss. S

Manatee Springs State Park – Chiefland, Florida Manatee Springs State Park and Campground is located in Chiefland, Florida. Reservations are made through the Florida State Parks reservation system. Springs at Manatee Springs | Florida State Parks The park is located right off the Suwannee River, and the spring system feeds directly into it. Manatee Springs is the largest single spring feeding into the Suwannee River. The Gulf is about 23 miles away. Even at that distance, the

Affordable Camping in Jacksonville Kathryn Abbey Hanna Park is one of Jacksonville’s best-value campgrounds. It offers 300 wooded sites, several cabins, and full hookups for RVs at just $30 per night. This place is a treasure for anyone looking to enjoy the great outdoors without breaking the bank. The campground is nestled within a vast, forested park. Here, you can find 1.5 miles of private beach access. There’s also a lovely lake perfect for fishing, kayaking, and boat ren

Lolo Hot Springs – Lolo, Montana A no-frills RV resort with water/electric hookups, a dump station, cabins, hiking nearby, and even a dog play area—simple but perfectly located along Lolo Creek. The soaking pools are just across the road: warm outdoor pool, hot indoor pool, plus a lodge and restaurant serving all three meals. Guests get a BOGO soaking pass, with hot springs access around $14. ​ Horseback riding, big sites, and quick access to fishing make it an easy place to

Earl G. Williamson Park – Caddo Lake, Oil City, LA A true hidden gem right on the shoreline of Caddo Lake. Spacious RV sites with water/sewer, a dump station, tent sites, and a boat launch—plus room to park a trailer at most sites. Only $12/night, which feels like a steal. Kona loved being able to swim right outside the door, and there’s plenty of space for walking along the lake. ​ Beautiful sunsets, big shady sites (most with a concrete pad and picnic table), and easy fishi

Gateway Inn & RV Resort — Mount Rainier National Park If you’re looking to stay as close as possible to Mount Rainier National Park, Gateway Inn & RV Resort is hard to beat — you can literally see the entrance from the parking lot. It’s a simple, no-frills stay built around one major highlight: location, location, location. ​ The inn offers just a handful of RV sites (about six), along with cabins and a small motel. Sites are grassy, fairly tight, and may be tricky for larger

Camp Kalama sits right on the river with easy highway access and plenty of room to breathe. Spacious gravel sites—many long, flat, and drive-through—make it friendly for big rigs, while tent sites sit close to the water with a sandbar just steps away (though the riverbank is steep in spots). Water/electric hookups, a dump station, propane on site, and lots of trash cans keep things simple and clean. There are also a handful of full-timers, but most sites turn over daily. Larg

Blue River Conservation Area – Tishomingo, Oklahoma The Blue River Conservation Area in Tishomingo is a peaceful and scenic escape, spread across 3,000 acres with more than six miles of beautiful river frontage. Campsites sit in shaded, forested loops and are within sight of the Blue River, offering a quiet, natural atmosphere without being directly on the water. Sites are flat, well-marked, and spaced far apart, providing plenty of privacy. There are four loops with no hooku

Stay: October 5–12 at Riverbend RV Park & Cabins If you love combining RV travel with fishing and scenic exploring, Riverbend RV Park and Cabins in Montrose, Colorado, checks all the boxes. Set right along the Uncompahgre River, this peaceful and well-maintained park offers a perfect blend of comfort, convenience, and natural beauty—plus easy access to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Riverside Camping and Amenities The Uncompahgre River flows along the edge though