Not only is Albany the state capital of New York, but it’s also a great area to explore the great outdoors and get active with hiking, biking, skiing, golf, and other types of recreation. There are campgrounds that you can stay at in this region in state parks and private resorts to make the most of your adventures.
Here are some top-rated campsites near Albany to help you plan your next getaway.
Thompson’s Lake State Park Campground, East Berne
There are some wonderful state parks near Albany to check out, including Thacher State Park, which is home to Thompson’s Lake Campground. This popular camping area has 140 wooded campsites and is by a sandy beach, forests, and recreational areas to play volleyball and horseshoes. When you camp here, you can also get active on the water with canoeing, kayaking, fishing, and stand-up paddleboarding. In the winter, this area is popular for ice fishing and cross-country skiing. You can bring up to two pets per campsite to stay with you. RV generators are allowed from 9-11am and 5-11pm only.
Alps Family Campground, Averill Park
The Alps Family Campground is just 17 miles from Albany. It is located in a quiet, country setting with trees, nature trails, and a swimming pool. There are back-in and pull-through sites here to accommodate both RVs and tents. The sites have water and electric hookups, as well as picnic tables and fire rings. Cabins are also available for rent here. Camping season is from May to October, although there are a few sites available for year-round RVs. Facilities that this campground offers include a gift shop, video arcade, hot showers, fishing pond, horseshoe pits, dump station, laundry machines, playgrounds, and areas to play basketball and softball.
Frosty Acres Campground, Schenectady
You can stay at the Frosty Acres Campground in the scenic hills of Duanesburg, which is also in the Albany area of New York. It offers a quiet and refreshing atmosphere for campers and also fun themes to keep you entertained with activities. The camping season here also runs from May through October. This private campground offers nightly and seasonal camping opportunities. Prices vary depending on if you want a tent site, partial hookup site, or full hookup site. Features of this campground include a swimming pool, beach, fishing ponds, playground, rec hall, laundry facilities, hot showers, horseshoe pits, and canoes and paddleboats you can use.
Adventure Bound Camping Resorts – Deer Run, Schaghticoke
Families love camping at Adventure Bound Camping Resorts, which is located near Albany and overlooking the Hoosick River. It is also close to the historic town of Saratoga and the popular destination of Lake George. The camping resort offers an outdoor heated pool, kiddie pool, dog run, inflatable fun zone, laundry facilities, and general store. Camping cabins are available at this Adventure Bound Camping Resort, as well as RV rentals. You’ll just need to bring your own linens, towels, sleeping bags, and pillows.
Schodack Island State Park Campground, Schodack Landing
Another state park in the Albany area worth checking out is Schodack Island State Park, which is just south of Albany. There are 66 campsites in this park but no cabins for rent. This is a great place for birdwatching and has eight miles of multi-use trails. Guests can also use the volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, and kayak/canoe launch site. There are pavilions you can rent here for groups, and up to two pets can stay with you at your campsite. Snowshoeing and cross-country skiing are activities you can do at the park in the winter.
Broken Wheel Campground, Petersburg
The Broken Wheel Campground is near Albany and in the town of Petersburg, New York for your outdoor adventures. This campground offers Wi-Fi and has fun events scheduled at certain times, such as horseshoe tournaments, cornhole toss games, raffles, and dances. There are 70 spacious sites that you can book here with just water or water and electric facilities. The campground has a pool, playground, rec hall, and cute caboose where you check-in for your site and can pick up souvenirs and brochures too.
Dingman’s Family Campgrounds, Nassau
Also in the Albany area, Dingman’s Family Campground is a family-friendly and peaceful escape for your outdoor recreation and nature adventures. This Capital Region campground is about 30 minutes from Albany and gives you a great break from city life while still being close enough to get out and see the sights. Albany is about 17 miles away, while New Lebanon is five miles away, Chatham is 15 miles away, and Kinderhook is 13 miles away. The campground has been under the same family ownership for over 30 years.
Woodstock Lake Campground, East Berne
Situated on over 150 acres of land, the Woodstock Lake Campground is 30 miles west of Albany and accessible by NY Route 443. This private campground has sites that are approximately 40 feet by 75 feet or larger. Each site has water, electric, and sewer hookups. This is a great place to stay for a seasonal home and use the canoes, paddleboats, and picnic tables along the lakefront. Amenities offered include a swimming pool, tennis courts, rec hall, playground, laundry machines, library, nine-hole golf course, archery range, and walking trails. Catch-and-release is also an activity to try at the lake onsite. Dinners and events are enjoyed by campers of all ages here.
Aqua Vista Valley Campgrounds, Petersburg
Aqua Vista Valley Campgrounds is an Albany-area campground that you can book for a night, a week, or an entire summer to explore the region. It’s located in nearby Petersburgh and has a pool, laundry facilities, rec room, bocce ball court, horseshoe pits, and other amenities for guests. There are back-in sites with 30-amp electric service and water that are available between May and October. You can also book a primitive field site with no hookups for a cheaper price.
Arrowhead Marina & RV Park, Schenectady
The Arrowhead Marina and RV Park is right on the Mohawk River and has 64 sites that are mostly shaded. Some sites are pull-throughs, and all of them have either a 30-amp or 50-amp outlet. The campground also provides a dump station, laundromat, bathrooms, dog park, Wi-Fi, and boat launches. This campground is open between May and October. Book a site here to be in a small and quiet campground that has a marina right onsite. This is a pet-friendly campground, but make sure that pets left unattended do not bark or act viciously. Tents are welcome to camp here in addition to RVs, and there are nightly, weekly, and monthly rates offered.
McConchie’s Heritage Acres Camp, Galway
You’ll be close to Albany, Saratoga, Lake George, golf courses, and other attractions when you stay at McConchie’s Campground. This campground has daily, holiday weekends, weekly, monthly, and seasonal rates. It closes for the season in October. Families enjoy staying here because of all the amenities, such as the swimming pool, bocce, game room, playgrounds, and planned events. Examples of events held here are BBQ dinners, holiday parades, garage sales, tailgate pizza parties, and kickball. There are also vintage trailer and car shows and craft fairs held here during the year.
Doherty's Mountain View Campground, Acra
Another option when you’re in the Albany area of New York is to stay at Doherty’s Mountain View Campground, which was established in 1983 by Bernie and Margaret Doherty. This friendly campground was once home to the Peter Pan Cottage and a popular spot for Italian-Americans from NYC. Amenities that this campground offers include a six-foot outdoor pool, horseshoe pits, rec hall, coin-operated laundry machines, general store, dump station, playground, pavilion, and half-court basketball. Some of the most popular things to see and do when you stay here are Kaaterskill Falls, Thomas Cole House, Hi-way Drive-in Movies, Zoom Flume Water Park, and Windham Mountain.
