Camping is one of the best bonding experiences a family can have. Everyone puts away their phones. Kids spend hours running and playing outdoors. All ages can hike or bike the trails. The adults cook together over an open campfire, and after dinner, family members share memories and stories around the fire as the kids drift off to sleep. It sounds absolutely idyllic. If you have fond camping memories like these from your childhood, you may be eager to recreate those times with your family now on a multigenerational trip.
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While “roughing it” in the woods may not appeal to everyone in your family, today’s best campgrounds are packed with amenities that straddle the fence between camping and, well, “glamorous camping” (glamping). You can also level up your comfort and convenience by renting an RV. But if a full-on “glamping” experience with running water, climate control, and maybe even spa services is more your style, you can find that, too.
There’s truly no better time for camping than the fall, when milder temperatures meet breathtaking autumn foliage, and seasonal crops from farmers’ markets provide fresh corn and vegetables for your campfire feast. Join us as we dive into some of the best camping and glamping sites from coast to coast.
Johnson’s Beach
Guerneville, CA
Johnson’s Beach in Guerneville, CA, near the Russian River delivers a slice of heaven in Northern California. Nestled in Sonoma County wine country, the campground offers zip lining, wine tasting, and redwood views. You’ll find comfortable accommodations for everyone in your party, from 1920s bungalows to tiny cabins built for two, or canvas cabanas to give a camping vibe with a comfy bed. The campground also offers tent and RV camping for a more traditional experience.
But there will be nothing truly traditional about your stay in Guerneville. There’s plenty to do in the area, including wine tasting at top Marin County wineries, farm-to-table dining, local bars, art galleries, a Michelin-rated café and even mini golf. Because what family vacation is complete without mini golf and arcade games?
Promised Land State Park
Greentown, PA
On the other coast, Promised Land State Park in Greentown, Pennsylvania also provides varied options for a Poconos vacation close to nature. If you want a hotel experience, try The Rex at Promised Land, a boutique micro-hotel experience with just 10 cabin-like rooms just steps away from nature. Promised Land State Park also offers 12 rustic rental cabins constructed in the 1930s for those who want less glamping but still enjoy four solid walls and a roof. The cabins have twin bunk beds, but you’ll need to bring your own bedding. Six campgrounds across the park are suitable for primitive camping or RVs.
Promised Land State Park puts you in the midst of nature with hiking, fishing, and bicycling. TripAdvisor.com reviewers, which rated the park #1 in things to do in Greentown, recommended taking a short hike on Little Falls Trail to enjoy the waterfalls. You’ll also be a short drive away from breweries, restaurants, and shopping.
Mammoth Hot Springs, Yellowstone Park
Park County, Wyoming
Yellowstone Park is a well-loved tourist destination for campers in the region and those traveling long distances to experience this legendary national park. Not surprisingly, Yellowstone offers both glamping and camping options for families. The Mammoth Hot Springs area is open year-round, offering spring, summer, fall, and winter activities. Nestle into the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel and Cabins. Don’t be surprised to see elk just outside your window.
For a traditional camping experience, the Mammoth Campground is the only campground in the park open year-round. It allows tents and RVs. The Mammoth Hotel is where you’ll want to go for dining inside the park, but hop over to Gardiner, Montana, outside the North Entrance of Yellowstone, for more options. Visitors aren’t allowed to soak in Mammoth Hot Springs, both to protect people and the environment. But you can take a dip in the Yellowstone Hot Springs, natural and developed hot springs designed for relaxation.
San Antonio / Alamo KOA Holiday
KOA owns a large network of campgrounds across the US. You’ve probably seen their name or perhaps stayed at a KOA. All facilities offer laundry and a convenience store, so you don’t have to leave the area. If you want your family camping adventure to include time in a major city renowned for its history, culture and cuisine, book a stay at San Antonio / Alamo KOA Holiday campgrounds. Thanks to its location in the south, it’s one of the few campgrounds on our list with a swimming pool open year-round.
The site offers deluxe cabins with full baths, RV camping with patios, and traditional tent sites. Rent bicycles to enjoy the scenery on an 8-mile trail. And if you get bored with the great outdoors, the city of San Antonio is just five miles away. Stroll the famous River Walk. Take a dinner cruise. Visit the Alamo for a taste of history and the Tower of the Americas for an incredible view of the city. Adventure-seekers and animal lovers will want to spend time at Six Flags Fiesta Texas, SeaWorld San Antonio, and the San Antonio Zoo. The Pearl is the city’s historic district, overflowing with culture and amazing food.
Savannah Sunset Resort & Spa at Six Flags Great Adventure
Jackson, NJ
Newly opened in 2025, the Savannah Sunset Resort & Spa is one of the latest attractions at Six Flags Great Adventure, one of the flagship parks for Six Flags Entertainment. These glamping suites aren’t cabins or hotels in the middle of the woods. They look like tents but, inside, offer all the amenities of home, and a close-up view of many of the animals that reside in the Great Adventure Safari.
Travelers of a certain age (Read: 50+) may remember the experience of driving through the Great Adventure Safari, with lions a short swipe away from your car and baboons literally climbing on your windshield. This… is not that. But you’ll still get to experience wildlife from six continents in a safe environment. Add a made-to-order breakfast, a close-up giraffe encounter, access to Great Adventure and Fright Fest, spa treatments, and nightly games plus s’mores around a firepit, and you’ll find something for everyone in your family to enjoy.
The Quarry Campground
Tolland, CT
If you’re looking for a campground with amenities, but would rather forego luxury spa treatments, designer bedding, or high prices, the 67-acre Quarry Campground in Tolland, Connecticut, strikes the perfect balance. The Quarry Campground offers RV or tent camping in shaded areas with fire pits and picnic tables. Take a short walk to find a convenient store, laundry room, a rec room with arcade games, outdoor games like corn hole, horseshoes, and giant checkers and, if that’s not enough (or you just need to check your work email this one time!) solid WiFi hookups.
Weekends bring karaoke, BINGO, and scavenger hunts to the park, which means you don’t have to come up with activities to keep your family entertained or ever hear, “I’m bored.” And if you do, head into town to tour the historic Mark Twain house or stroll Bushnell Park and ride the carousel. On Saturdays stop into the Farmers Market to pick up farm fresh eggs for breakfast, and everything you need for pulled pork.
Under Canvas, Yosemite National Park
Sierra Nevada, California
There’s glamping amongst lions and giraffes and then there’s Glamping. Hospitality company Under Canvas was founded in 2012, opening a campground in West Yellowstone (also a good option if you are visiting that park). It currently offers more than a dozen locations for campers who want to stay close to nature but also want luxury accommodations. Under Canvas Yosemite is situated 10 minutes from the Big Oak Flat Entrance to Yosemite Park. The accommodations blend tent-style canvas with hardwood floors, comfortable beds, and décor that brings you closer to nature. Enjoy California cuisine on-site, organic bath products in the ensuite bathroom, and nightly fire pits with smores. Of course, you can also find tent and RV camping in the massive park.
As one of the country’s top national parks, Yosemite offers plenty to do, including hiking, exploring El Capitan and catching a sunrise or sunset, touring Yosemite Village Museum, panning for gold, and even skydiving for the more ambitious members of your travel party. With accommodations like this, it might be enough to revel in the beauty of nature. Yosemite Park is 1,200 square miles, which is bigger than the state of Rhode Island.
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