Where to Camp with the Grandkids
Here’s where you can pitch a tent without them pitching a fit
By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant
Perhaps you camped a lot as a kid and later with your own children, but your grandkids aren’t as into camping. You still have plenty of options to introduce them to camping that’s not quite so “roughing it” as you have experienced. If you don’t own an RV, consider renting one or at least a campsite with a cabin so your grandchildren can feel more secure, especially at night.
Choosing a local campground can help the kids feel comforted that if in any way things go wrong, they’re not too far away to go home. Campgrounds with activities available nearby will make camping feel less like an exercise in depravation and more like — dare we say — fun.
Red Rock Ponds RV Resort in Holley is near the Erie Canal, perfect for hiking or biking on the adjacent Heritage Trail. The resort includes a recreation building for a rainy day, playground, catch-and-release fishing, a swim area on a sandy beach and paddle boats, rowboats, canoes and kayaks for rent. Get together with other campers for activities like bingo, food trucks and for grown-ups, wine tasting events. The campsites have full hookups.
Whispering Winds Campground near Newark in Wayne County boasts 80 acres of full hook-up RV sites, plus two cabins and tent camping space. Dogs are welcome, so bring along your pooch to join the fun. Fish the campground’s ponds (catch-and-release), enjoy hiking, walk along the nearby Erie Canal, swim in the in-ground pool and play basketball, arcade games, horseshoes, ladder ball and cornhole.
Niagara Shores Campground and Conference Center in Appleton overlooks Lake Ontario and is near Niagara Falls. In addition to stunning lake vistas, its 35 acres offers a pool area, playground, volleyball, basketball, soccer, football, mini golf, bird watching, indoor gym, recreation center and café. The pet-friendly center’s lodging options include luxury “glamping” cabins, tent and RV sites and (don’t tell the kids) furnished houses.
The Ridge Campground in Mount Morris provides tent and RV sites and cabins. Enjoy an above-ground pool, playgrounds, rec room, arcade, catch-and-release fishing, horseshoes, volleyball, disc golf, outdoor movie theater and the on-site snack shack. Check the website for scheduled events.
• https://theridgecampground.com
Like other KOA camping facilities, Rochester/Canandaigua KOA Holiday offers a consistent experience. That can be reassuring if you’re taking along kids new to camping. The campsite provides an obstacle course, covered jump pad (available rain or shine!), pool, mini golf, hiking trails, fishing, ice cream socials, basketball, gaga ball, pickleball, game room and paddle boats/bike rentals. Tent and RV sites are available.
• https://koa.com/campgrounds/canandaigua
Adventure Bound in Byron provides full RV hookups and RV rentals, along with opportunities for hiking, biking, fishing, swimming and bird watching. Try playing horseshoes, mini golf, basketball or games in the rec room. The website lists special events weekends.