The best safari tent rentals near Syracuse, New York

Sitting on the thumb of the Finger Lakes, Salt City is a gateway to the awesome nature of upstate New York. Syracuse is roughly halfway between Niagara Falls and the Adirondacks for easy side trips. But this small city has its own claim on natural beauty with lakes, forests, and farms. The New York State Fair sets up its tents here, covering the 375-acre grounds with horse shows, butter sculptures, and deep-fried Oreos.

Winter brings snow--and lots of it. Locals grumble, but the deep white makes for killer cross-country skiing. Highland Forest park bills itself as the Adirondacks of Central New York with 40 miles of trails, half of them groomed. Beaver Lake Nature Center boasts a warming hut and snow-shoe rentals.

The closest public camp is Green Lakes State Park in Fayetteville. Two emerald-green glacial lakes are its centerpiece, where you can rent a rowboat or swim off the sandy beach. Tent camping is set back from the lakes amid pine trees, with options for cabins and RV camping. There's also an 18-hole course by Robert Trent Jones, a legendary golf course architect.

The old Erie Canal passes right by Green Lakes. The canal turned Syracuse into a thriving city. At the Erie Canal Museum in downtown Syracuse, visitors can go deep on its history.

Today, kayakers have free rein in the canal's retired sections. Try launching in Dewitt at Cedar Bay Park, then paddle 10 miles to the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum. The route is especially scenic in autumn when the turning leaves are a blazing canopy on the shore.

The Finger Lakes are close by, and Cayuga Lake State Park makes a good home base to dip in your toes. The park campground has cabins near the shore and hilltop tent sites. Boat launches are on the beach, and the waters are quite good for catching largemouth bass. Over a dozen vineyards and wineries are a short drive away.

Most state park campgrounds will accommodate trailers, but big rigs wanting full hook-ups should check out RV parks in the area. Several offer extra amenities such as free Wi-Fi, swimming, and boat launches.

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Top-rated campgrounds

1. Naturalists’ Campfire Collective

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48mi from Syracuse · 2 sites · Lodging · Ithaca, NY

Share in our Finger Lakes sanctuary! Set on 6 acres along the Enfield Creek and just a short drive from famous naturalist attractions in every direction, our land is shared with our fun-loving host family and guests at other sites. We’re far enough out of town to enjoy peace and quiet, yet close enough to access local culture, nature, and nightlife. Nearby Highlights & Local Adventures 1/2 mi: Dandy Gas & Dollar General (grab basic groceries or snacks) 8 mi: Ithaca Commons – local art, food, culture, and small shops 9 mi: Cornell University Campus 9 mi: Ithaca College Campus ~10 mi: Start of Seneca & Cayuga Lake Wine, Beer, and Spirits Trails 15 mi: Watkins Glen – charming town, world-famous racetrack, gorge trail 25 mi: Greek Peak Mountain Resort – winter snow sports, summer ropes course, indoor water park year-round Parks & Nature 4 mi: Robert H. Treman State Park – our favorite! Lower Treman for a short waterfall walk and swim; Upper Treman for scenic hikes and the historic Old Grist Mill. 7 mi: Taughannock State Park – flat year-round hike ending at a stunning waterfall; swim in the lake afterward. 8 mi: Buttermilk State Park – perfect stop for a hike or waterfall dip; shallow areas for littles. 10 mi: Finger Lakes National Forest – explore wild trails and forests. 9.3 mi: Cayuga Nature Center – wildlife exhibits and a 6-story treehouse!

Sitting on the thumb of the Finger Lakes, Salt City is a gateway to the awesome nature of upstate New York. Syracuse is roughly halfway between Niagara Falls and the Adirondacks for easy side trips. But this small city has its own claim on natural beauty with lakes, forests, and farms. The New York State Fair sets up its tents here, covering the 375-acre grounds with horse shows, butter sculptures, and deep-fried Oreos.

Winter brings snow--and lots of it. Locals grumble, but the deep white makes for killer cross-country skiing. Highland Forest park bills itself as the Adirondacks of Central New York with 40 miles of trails, half of them groomed. Beaver Lake Nature Center boasts a warming hut and snow-shoe rentals.

The closest public camp is Green Lakes State Park in Fayetteville. Two emerald-green glacial lakes are its centerpiece, where you can rent a rowboat or swim off the sandy beach. Tent camping is set back from the lakes amid pine trees, with options for cabins and RV camping. There's also an 18-hole course by Robert Trent Jones, a legendary golf course architect.

The old Erie Canal passes right by Green Lakes. The canal turned Syracuse into a thriving city. At the Erie Canal Museum in downtown Syracuse, visitors can go deep on its history.

Today, kayakers have free rein in the canal's retired sections. Try launching in Dewitt at Cedar Bay Park, then paddle 10 miles to the Chittenango Landing Canal Boat Museum. The route is especially scenic in autumn when the turning leaves are a blazing canopy on the shore.

The Finger Lakes are close by, and Cayuga Lake State Park makes a good home base to dip in your toes. The park campground has cabins near the shore and hilltop tent sites. Boat launches are on the beach, and the waters are quite good for catching largemouth bass. Over a dozen vineyards and wineries are a short drive away.

Most state park campgrounds will accommodate trailers, but big rigs wanting full hook-ups should check out RV parks in the area. Several offer extra amenities such as free Wi-Fi, swimming, and boat launches.

100% (3)

Top-rated campgrounds

1. Naturalists’ Campfire Collective

100%

(3)

48mi from Syracuse · 2 sites · Lodging · Ithaca, NY

Share in our Finger Lakes sanctuary! Set on 6 acres along the Enfield Creek and just a short drive from famous naturalist attractions in every direction, our land is shared with our fun-loving host family and guests at other sites. We’re far enough out of town to enjoy peace and quiet, yet close enough to access local culture, nature, and nightlife. Nearby Highlights & Local Adventures 1/2 mi: Dandy Gas & Dollar General (grab basic groceries or snacks) 8 mi: Ithaca Commons – local art, food, culture, and small shops 9 mi: Cornell University Campus 9 mi: Ithaca College Campus ~10 mi: Start of Seneca & Cayuga Lake Wine, Beer, and Spirits Trails 15 mi: Watkins Glen – charming town, world-famous racetrack, gorge trail 25 mi: Greek Peak Mountain Resort – winter snow sports, summer ropes course, indoor water park year-round Parks & Nature 4 mi: Robert H. Treman State Park – our favorite! Lower Treman for a short waterfall walk and swim; Upper Treman for scenic hikes and the historic Old Grist Mill. 7 mi: Taughannock State Park – flat year-round hike ending at a stunning waterfall; swim in the lake afterward. 8 mi: Buttermilk State Park – perfect stop for a hike or waterfall dip; shallow areas for littles. 10 mi: Finger Lakes National Forest – explore wild trails and forests. 9.3 mi: Cayuga Nature Center – wildlife exhibits and a 6-story treehouse!

Stories from the community

C

Casey

September 2025

Weekend Trip to Naturalists’ Campfire Collective

We absolutely loved our stay at this camp. It had everything we could possibly need, from kitchen utensils, pans, silverware, a cook stove, an outdoor kitchen, a sauna, lights, water, incredibly comfortable beds, a bathroom and all the other creature comforts. We ended up bringing way more than we ended up using, we very easily could have showed up with a cooler and our clothes and not needed anything all weekend. It’s only 15 minutes from downtown Ithaca, so it was very convenient to go out on the town or to any of the surrounding natural beauty in the area. We absolutely loved being visited by the three cats on the property as well. We will be using this camp again and again and again. Aurora and Chris are excellent hosts, making sure we had a heavy duty wagon to get all of our gear to camp, and making sure we had everything we needed. If you’re looking for a relaxing and low stress camp where all you have to do is show up and enjoy, this is the camp for you.