Location, Location, Location!
I like to keep it within about ninety minutes of Queens. That usually means heading north to Westchester, Putnam or Rockland counties. I’ll do just about anything to avoid the George Washington Bridge, so New Jersey and Pennsylvania are normally out. The Long Island campgrounds we’ve seen so far had all of the sites next to each other with little privacy. The campgrounds we return to tend to have a swimmable lake. Almost all of the campgrounds have trails that start on site.
Once we get to the campground we like a site that’s away just enough to feel private, but still close to the restrooms. I prefer campgrounds where you can park nearby at the top of the loop, but not so close that your site sounds like a parking lot. After that, space is everything. A flat patch of level ground with no rocks or roots under your tent, is a great start. I want enough room for a hammock and still space for the kids to toss a ball around. The best sites give you a natural buffer from the next families. If I can’t see or hear the neighbors at all, even better.
Then a 5 star site has to have a level picnic table. So many sites have tables that lean. My daughter’s basically mastered cooking on a tilt! That table becomes the kitchen, dining room and game room. And of course, a good fire ring with a sturdy grate is required.
Little Pond in the Catskills comes pretty close to perfect!
