Take a good look at your travel wish list. Could it use some improvements? Have you considered all the spectacular destinations in the United States you haven’t visited before? The following eight great camping destinations put travelers in some of the most majestic regions in North America, making them top wish-list contenders. These resorts and campgrounds pack all the comforts and amenities travelers need to recharge after a busy day of exploration. Click here for more Encore RV Resorts Thousand Trails destinations in exciting parts of America.
Photo: Nevada Tourism
Tahoe Valley Campground, South Lake Tahoe, California
Let the sparkling, clear waters of Lake Tahoe put you under their spell. Stay at Tahoe Valley Campground and enjoy fishing, boating and swimming in the largest Alpine Lake in the United States. Covering 191 square miles, the lake gives visitors plenty of room along the shore to relax and enjoy the freshwater. Travel over to the Nevada side of the lake to enjoy the casinos of Stateline, Nevada, for world-class dining and gaming.
Campers can relax in full-hookup sites, most of which are shaded. Pull-thru sites are available, and guests also have the option of tenting or staying in cabins. Nearby, fishing, hiking and mountain biking are just a few of the pastimes that draw visitors out of their campsites. Play on the river that runs past the campground for added water fun. Go kayaking and canoeing, or just sit back and enjoy the scenery of clear blue waters shimmering under towering mountains.
Horsetail Falls in Yosemite National Park. Pixabay.
Yosemite Lakes RV Resort, Groveland, California
Yosemite National Park lies just five miles away from this campground, but guests might not want to leave the 400-acre RV camping playground just outside their doors. The south fork of the Tuolumne River runs through the Yosemite Lakes RV Resort, enticing guests to fish, swim and pan for gold in the current. The 254 full-hookup sites keep guests comfortable, and non-RVers can enjoy the 130 tent sites along with cabin and yurt rental accommodations.
Yosemite National Park is the area’s big attraction, and adventurers will find endless possibilities for hiking and rock climbing among iconic peaks like Half Dome and El Capitan. If you seek to add variety to your adventures, check out Lake Don Pedro for boating, water skiing and fishing 35 miles to the west. Go underground with a visit to Moaning Cavern, the largest public cave system in the state.
O’Connell’s Yogi Bear Park, Amboy, Illinois
Summer vacations usually involve water recreation, and O’Connell’s Yogi Bear Park in Illinois delivers the wet stuff in a big way. The park has three pools and two waterslides, giving every member of the family a chance to splish and splash to their heart’s content. The fun continues on dry land at the park’s arcade, packed with more games than any campground in or around Illinois.
Guests can meet costumed staff members playing Yogi, Boo Boo and Cindy Bear (this is a Jellystone Park, after all). Kids can play soccer, join in a sing-a-long on a hayride and participate in candy bar bingo. There’s an award-winning-themed activity program for all ages.
O’Connell’s also garners rave reviews for its location. Ninety miles to the east, Chicago offers one of the best big-city experiences in North America. Eighty-miles to the west, the Quad City region, which encompasses areas in both Iowa and Illinois, offers museums and outdoor recreation for the whole brood.
Adirondack Park with namesake chairs. Photo: Getty Images
Lake George Escape Camping Resort, Diamond Point, New York
The Empire State enjoys two big distinctions: It’s home to the biggest city in the U.S. (New York) as well as the largest expanse of publicly protected area in the Lower 48 States. Adirondack Park consists of six million acres of rugged countryside, making it bigger than the nation of Belize and an ideal getaway for hikers and bikers seeking adventure in untouched environments.
Located within Adirondack Park, Lake George Escape Camping Resort puts guests in the heart of the action on the Schroon River. The 178-acre resort entices guests to go swimming in one of two beautiful pools, rally at the tennis courts or drop a line in the Schroon’s current. The park rents outfitted canoes and kayaks for river exploration, giving paddlers a chance to see stunning landscapes from the water. The park’s location near Interstate 87 gives guests convenient access to the Village of Lake George, Six Flags, Saratoga Springs and other area attractions.
The park provides RV sites for almost every camper. There are easy-access clusters along with pull-thrus and back-ins. Spoil yourself with a sunny waterfront site, or go for a secluded setting with a wooded site. Each site includes water and electricity, along with picnic tables and fire pits. Folks without RVs can camp in one of the cozy cabins or take advantage of tent sites. Plan a long stay and give yourself time to explore sprawling Adirondack Park and nearby attractions.
Mount Hood. Photo: Getty Images
Mt. Hood Village Resort, Oregon
If you’ve included the Pacific Northwest’s Cascade Range on your travel bucket list, then you should reserve a spot in Mt. Hood Village Resort. Named after the tallest point in the Beaver State, the wooded resort surrounds guests in a tranquil, natural setting. Nearby, the Mt. Hood National Forest beckons adventure seekers for rock climbing, bird watching, mountain biking, and lakes and streams for fishing. More than 700 groomed hiking trails lead explorers to stunning scenic vistas. Satisfy the need for speed at the historic Timberline Lodge, the only United States location with year-round skiing and snowboarding.
Slow things down a bit by teeing off at the Alpine Slide, a 27-hole golf course that’s as challenging as it is scenic. Back at the resort, the 300 RV sites give guests all the serenity they need for recharging for the next day’s adventures. Experience all that western Oregon has to offer.
Photo: Mrkt/Pixabay
Arrowhead Resort Campground and Yukon Trails Camping, Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin
The Wisconsin Dells has earned the nickname “waterpark capital of the world” for its adrenaline-boosting attractions, but this popular destination also has a mellow side. Discover Badger State tranquility at Arrowhead Resort Campground, which occupies 188 wooded acres minutes from the heart of the Dells action. The resort sits close to trails that lead to Devil’s Lake, famous for its 500-foot quartzite bluffs and gorgeous, sandy beaches. Campers can enjoy spacious sites that accommodate RVs, pop-up trailers and tents; each has a picnic table and fire ring. Cabins are available for folks who don’t have RVs.
Also in the Dells, Yukon Trails RV Camping blends modern facilities and amenities with relaxing camping amid massive oak trees. This resort serves up a classic summer vacation, with a putt-putt course, train ride along with a free movie theater and cornhole area. Hungry campers can feast on ice cream and smoothies or participate in group cookouts. On weekends, families can enjoy donuts and biscuits and gravy for breakfast.
A short drive from both parks, families can make a splash at the Dells’ famous waterparks, many of which recently reopened. If you prefer to keep dry, put your putting skills to the test at one of the area’s miniature golf courses. After a day of hurtling down slides and tubes, families can enjoy some of the shows on offer. Slow things down a bit with a tour of Mirror Lake State Park to see colorful crystal formations.
On the water on Sturgeon Bay. Photo: LongM1985.
Tranquil Timbers Camping Retreat, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin
Camp in the “Cape Cod of the Midwest.” Door County attracts vacationers to explore the 75-mile-long peninsula’s many attractions, including 10 lighthouses, five state parks and 250 miles of shoreline. Campers will discover an ideal home base at Tranquil Timbers Camping Retreat, located between the sparkling waters of Green Bay and Lake Michigan among quiet forests and wooded paths. Guests can enjoy ample RV sites along with rentals of tepees, yurts and cabins/cottages. A heated pool, rec hall, mini-golf and snack bar keep campers happy between jaunts to the great outdoors.
Anglers can indulge in year-round shore fishing for walleye, smallmouth bass, giant northern pike, brook and rainbow trout. If you prefer to stay dry, go hiking and biking at adjacent Potawatomi State Park. The park’s boat launch gives boating enthusiasts a chance to explore Sturgeon Bay, which lets out on Green Bay.