Canandaigua / Rochester KOA

Camp in an RV near Canandaigua and you’re just a short drive from the fourth largest of the Finger Lakes - Canandaigua Lake. At its northern end is the Canandaigua Lake State Marine Park where you’ll find a boat launch for getting out on the water, with fishing for trout, largemouth bass, yellow perch, and black crappie available. If you’re visiting during the warmer months, you can cruise aboard the double-decker paddlewheel boat, the Canandaigua Lady, to enjoy scenic views of this sparkling body of water.

A short drive from the Canandaigua / Rochester KOA is the Letchworth State Park, which encompasses the Genesee River as it flows through a deep gorge and over a series of large waterfalls – the Upper, Middle, and Lower Falls. It’s been nicknamed the “Grand Canyon of the East” due to its 550-foot-high gorge walls, with a paved road along the west side offering access to a series of scenic viewpoints. Hiking, mountain biking, and kayaking are all popular recreational activities in the park, together with snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, and snow tubing during the winter months.

Also nearby is the Finger Lakes National Forest, which lies between the Cayuga and Senega Lakes on the outskirts of Ithaca and is the only national forest in New York State. It encompasses just over 16,000 acres of forested woodlands, rugged gorges, and scenic pastures, together with large areas of former farmland that are in a state of transition back to woodland. Around 30 miles of hiking trails wind through the area, including the 12-mile-long Interloken Trail and the short but sweet Burnt Hill Loop.

Renting an RV in Canandaigua provides you with a good base for visiting the beautifully landscaped Sonnenberg Gardens and Mansion State Historic Park, which sprawls across 50 acres at the northern end of Canandaigua Lake. Serving as the former summer home of New York banker Frederick Ferris Thompson, this Queen Anne-style residence is now open to the public, with its rooms furnished as they would have appeared during the early 20th century. The mansion is surrounded by a Japanese garden, rose garden, and historic conservatory while the adjacent Bay House is home to the Finger Lakes Wine Center where you can sample a range of local wines.

Traveling with kids? The Canandaigua / Rochester KOA is a short drive from the Roseland Waterpark where they can let loose during the summer months. Aside from a series of swimming pools (including a wave pool), there are adrenalin-pumping waterslides, a Mammoth Raft Ride and an Adventure River. The Splash Factory is designed specifically with young kids in mind and features water cannons, small waterslides, and a 1,000-gallon dump bucket.

Camping at Canandaigua / Rochester KOA also makes an ideal base for exploring Rochester, which lies just 30 minutes’ drive to the northwest. It’s home to a number of great museums, including the Strong National Museum of Play that’s clustered with antiques toys and dolls. If you’re into photography, don’t miss the George Eastman Museum, which occupies the early-20th-century estate of this Kodak founder. Also of note is the Rochester Museum & Science Center where you can get hands-on with a range of interactive displays or visit the planetarium to gaze up at the night sky.

Whether you want to explore the Finger Lakes, tour the surrounding wine country, or delve into the region’s history, book an RV in Ontario County and start planning your next vacation.