Can anyone recommend a good camp ground with activities with in driving distance of NYC? I'm really in NJ but live 5 minutes from NYC. I'm looking to take my 5 year old, 10 year old and their cousins (ages 7, 11 & 13) to a camp ground. There would be 2 or 3 adults going too. I would like a place with activities like fishing, swimming, camp fire, barbecue, boating and archery. A log cabin would be nice for the kids. If I were going myself with other adults tents would be fine, but since we have kids going I would prefer a cabin. Does anyone think my 5 year old daughter is too young?

I'm looking to spend a weekend at a time due to my work hours, but want to get in a full 2 days.  I want to leave on a Friday and come home Sunday after dinner. Later in the summer I may take them for a week at a time, but for now it will have to be for the weekends.

Any suggestions?

Check out Driftstone on the Dealware, very nice place with activities for the kids, it is right on the Delaware River near the Gap.  They offer raft and canoe/kayak trips, there is also a area on the river they have set up for tubing.  I don't think they have cabins but they may have trailers available for rent.  I have been there many times, nice pool and play area and it is kept very clean.
http://www.driftstone.com/

Thanks for the camp site info. I have a few questions that maybe you would know since you have been there.

Will there be coordinated activities for kids? This is most important to me, as I really want the kids to have fun. I would also like to bring them fishing but I have not been fishing in years. Do they have the equipment for sale or rent? Is there a fishing guide or someone to help out? Also we would be barbecuing a lot and I was wondering if a supermarket is close by or should we bring food in advance. In addition, I'm concerned about animals like bears and would like to know what the firearms policy is. I have over 15 years of firearms experience and I don't plan on shooting, but would feel comfortable having one with me.

I just sent them an EM asking the above questions and will post the answers when they get back to me.

Thanks again
GF

If you want stuff for the kids and don't want to rough it too bad Hither Hill in Montauk on Long Island is nice.  It is not like a real upstate in the woods camping trip.  If you have never taken younger kids camping it is a good training trip to see how they do.
The facilities there are great. Hot showers, bbq pits and just about everything you want.  It gets crowded in the summer.  The town of Montauk is great for kids and families.  Don't have to worry about dangerous wild life.  It really depends on what you are looking for.  Not as remote as some other places.

do you have a web site I can check
it sounds interesting too

Here is the info for Hither Hills.  They have an online booking system for reservations.

Here is the link for Montauk chamber of commerce.  They have good info on the village thing to do.

Don't worry too much about the kids.  They will have fun regardless of whether there are group activities or not, and your 5 year old will probably be fine (although all kids are a little different).

I have been canoe camping with my buddies and our kids several times.  Last year the kids all ranged from 2 to 5, and other than feeding them and keeping them safe, there really wasn't that much to it.  Usually we would go for 2 nights and tent.  Bottom line, the kids had a blast!

Start with a local State campground to get the feel of it.  We always cancel if the weather will be crappy because there is no point in dealing with constatnt rain when your out there with kids.

The above works well for a weekend.  Your question about structured activities would definately be more important on the week long trip you were considering.

I am from upstate NY so I can't offer any local advice about places to go.