Camping Adventures

Camping with kids is one of the best ways to build lasting family memories - campfires, stargazing, waking up to birdsong, and the pride of sleeping in a tent. Texas and New York have the deepest choice here, with Oklahoma and Hawaii adding a smaller set of very distinctive places - from lakeside state parks and Hill Country river camps to Adirondack lean-tos and coastal sites on Maui.

Choosing a Family Campground

For first-timers: Pick a campground with flush toilets, showers, and water/electric hookups at the site. Being close to a town helps too - if something goes wrong, you want a grocery store within 20 minutes. Cedar Hill State Park (20 min from Dallas) and Bastrop State Park (30 min from Austin) are great starter campgrounds.

For experienced families: Campgrounds with unique features keep things fresh - island campsites at Martin Creek Lake, river-access sites at South Llano River, beach camping at Galveston Island State Park, or the boat-access island sites on Lake George and Saranac Lake, where the campsite is only reachable by paddling to it.

For cabin camping: Many Texas state parks have CCC-era cabins or screened shelters - a great stepping stone if your family isn’t ready for tent camping. Daingerfield State Park’s stone cabins with fireplaces are among the most charming in the system.

Camping Tips for Families

• Practice at home first. Set up the tent in the backyard and sleep in it one night. Kids (and parents) learn what to expect without the pressure of being away from home.
• Arrive early. Get to the campground by early afternoon so you have daylight to set up and explore. Arriving after dark with tired kids is miserable.
• Keep meals simple. Hot dogs, sandwiches, foil packets, and s’mores. Nobody needs gourmet camp cooking on a family trip.
• Give kids jobs. Gathering kindling, setting the table, helping with tent stakes - kids who help set up camp feel invested in the experience.
• Bring extra layers. Texas nights can be surprisingly cool, especially in the Hill Country and at elevation. A warm layer for each kid prevents 3 AM wake-ups.

Best Camping Seasons

Fall (October-November) is the #1 camping season in Texas - cool nights, mild days, and beautiful foliage at parks like Daingerfield and Lost Maples. Spring (March-May) is almost as good with wildflowers as a bonus. Summer camping works but stick to parks with water access - a lake or river to cool off in makes the heat bearable.

New York is the reverse of Texas: summer is the season, roughly late May through Columbus Day, and most Adirondack and Finger Lakes campgrounds simply close outside it. Late September brings foliage and no bugs, which is the best week of the year to be there. Bring warm layers even in July - Adirondack nights get cold.

Hawaii camps year-round, with permits rather than seasons being the constraint.

Reservations

Texas state park campsites can be reserved up to 5 months in advance at texasstateparks.org. Popular parks like Garner, Enchanted Rock, and Pedernales Falls book up quickly for spring and fall weekends - reserve as early as possible.

New York runs its own booking window through ReserveAmerica, and Hawaii’s state and county parks each require their own permit, often with a stay limit - check well before you travel, because several of the best sites cap the number of nights.