From enjoying s’mores around a fire to playing lawn games while listening to some great tunes, camping is a great way to get away. Here are five local campgrounds to try out this season. We’ve also got your packing covered with our list of camping essentials.
LOCAL CAMPGROUNDS
HERSHEY
The Elizabethtown/Hershey KOA is one of the closest campgrounds to Hershey, making it a great place to stay for a trip to the park. This campground has RV sites, cabins, and tent sites. There are activities for the whole family including fishing, ice cream socials, and movie nights throughout the summer. Added bonus—they even run a shuttle to and from Hershey Park!
Elizabethtown/Hershey KOA | 1980 Turnpike Road Elizabethtown, PA 17022 | (717) 367-7718 |
HARRISBURG
Just outside of Harrisburg is Little Buffalo State Park where there is always something to do no matter what time of year it is. Popular attractions range from boating in the summer to cross-country skiing in the winter.
Little Buffalo State Park Campground | 1579 State Park Road, Newport, PA 17074 | (717) 567-9255
YORK
Otter Creek Campground is known for its miles of trails and abundant wildlife. Located by the Blue Ridge Parkway’s lowest elevation by James River, this well-kept and activity-filled campground is perfect for people who enjoy time in the outdoors. The campground has activities such as birding, fishing, hiking, and wildlife photography available to guests.
Otter Creek Campground | 1101 Furnace Rd. Airville PA 17302 | (717) 862-3628
LANCASTER
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park in Quarryville has endless outdoor activities that keep the whole family busy and having fun throughout your entire stay. One of the featured attractions is Yogi Bear’s Water Zone—the campground’s very own water park! There are tons of other activities such as laser tag, escape rooms, and mini golf all on site!
Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park | 340 Blackburn Road Quarryville, PA 17566 | (717) 610-4505
GETTYSBURG
The Gettysburg Campground, in historic Gettysburg, is right down the street from Civil War battlefields, museums, and exhibits. They offer bus tours through Gettysburg and to D.C. as well as plenty of planned campground activities to add to the fun. The campground has many recreational amenities as well such as a game room, volleyball, and more.
Gettysburg Campground | 2030 Fairfield Road Gettysburg, PA 17325 | (717) 334-3304
5 CAMPING ESSENTIALS
Now that you’ve picked your location, you need the essentials! Here are 5 must-haves for the perfect camping trip.
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A Campfire
Many campsites will include fire pits where you can either bring your own firewood or buy some from the camp store. Nothing beats finishing out a busy day lounging by the campfire! Make sure to come prepared with your best campfire stories!
S’mores!
Well you can’t have a campfire without s’mores! The perfect snack while sitting at the above campfire! And here’s a hint- try replacing the chocolate bar in the s’more with a Reese’s Cup, it’s delicious!
Yard Games
A great way to pass the time while enjoying the company of your family and friends is to play some yard games or games that the campground provides equipment for (such as volleyball or badminton). Some great yard games to check out are: corn hole, KanJam, ladder golf, Spikeball, and Giant Jenga.
A Compact Grill
With a small camp grill, you do not have to rely on a campfire, a charcoal grill, or the campground to have good food! You can still cook up some burgers for the family with little to no extra effort.
A Speaker or A Radio
Playing music can add to any camping situation from cooking to playing games to campfires and more. Don’t forget to be respectful of your camping neighbors and double check the parks quiet hours.
