Brookside Campgrounds

If you want a low-key camping weekend without the chaos of the bigger Catskill spots, Brookside is worth bookmarking. There’s a solid walking path that takes you close to the water, and the open grass field gives kids actual room to run around while adults claim a picnic table near the BBQ area. The shade trees do real work on hot afternoons. What keeps people coming back is honestly the cleanliness — the restrooms are well-maintained, which isn’t something you can take for granted at campgrounds in this region. They run weekend events that actually draw a crowd, so if you time your visit right, there’s usually something going on beyond just sitting around the fire.