I'm hoping to get OL/Camping location recommendations that are not that far from NJ (It will be my wife's 1st trip)

[S4NM4N]

Trying to plan a trip for late July with the wife. I'm in New Jersey but want to go out of state a few hours. It will be a 4 day trip, leaving Thursday night to drive out to the area staying in a hotel night 1, camping Friday, Saturday nights and returning home on Sunday. So far my choices are Moose River Plains, NY. Bald Eagle State Park, PA. or Allegheny National Forest, PA. I know there are a ton of other options but I haven't gotten that far in my research. I'm not opposed to going south but my one restriction is keeping it around a 6 to 7 hour MAX drive from Central NJ. OK, I have a 2nd and 3rd restriction. Not too intense of a trail and dispersed camping. I do not want to be in a cluster/group of several camp sites.
If anyone could give me some recommendations to research it would be MUCH appreciated.
THANX IN ADVANCE!!!!!
J

 

[rsweet]

Good food and make her comfortable.

 

[David C Gibbs]

Per a talk Clay Croft gave at N.W. Overland Rally a couple years back - "Plan your 1st camp-out, in the driveway" Determine what worked, what didn't. What did you forget? What didn't you use? Do you really need it? etc, etc. My wife and I have over planned, and were Thankful for the spare tarp, extra rope, back-up batteries for all the devices. We built lists for Spring, Summer, Fall, and WInter. We have camped on the Yosemite floor for Thanksgiving- only to wake-up to 41/2" of snow. We spent 2 weeks in Oregon, in the rain. The tent was so wet, that we checked into a motel, and found a Laundry to dry the Sleeping Bags and tent. Have a Back-up Plan, for your Back-up Plan! We've been Burned Out of 3 campsites. One was so bad and Fast moving the Forest Service moved all of our stuff to a Ranger Station. The tent was soaked in Coleman Fuel. The Canoe was damaged, the campbox-Kitchen was so damaged, I had to build a new one. After we packed everything, except the Tent - Which was put on a garbage bag, and stored in Canoe. Determine her "Travel Time" needs, wants, desire. Don't over drive... Have fun, rinse and repeat. DG

 

[S4NM4N]

Per a talk Clay Croft gave at N.W. Overland Rally a couple years back - "Plan your 1st camp-out, in the driveway" Determine what worked, what didn't. What did you forget? What didn't you use? Do you really need it? etc, etc. My wife and I have over planned, and were Thankful for the spare tarp, extra rope, back-up batteries for all the devices. We built lists for Spring, Summer, Fall, and WInter. We have camped on the Yosemite floor for Thanksgiving- only to wake-up to 41/2" of snow. We spent 2 weeks in Oregon, in the rain. The tent was so wet, that we checked into a motel, and found a Laundry to dry the Sleeping Bags and tent. Have a Back-up Plan, for your Back-up Plan! We've been Burned Out of 3 campsites. One was so bad and Fast moving the Forest Service moved all of our stuff to a Ranger Station. The tent was soaked in Coleman Fuel. The Canoe was damaged, the campbox-Kitchen was so damaged, I had to build a new one. After we packed everything, except the Tent - Which was put on a garbage bag, and stored in Canoe. Determine her "Travel Time" needs, wants, desire. Don't over drive... Have fun, rinse and repeat. DG

Great advice, Thanx!!! I've been out a few times in the truck but it will be her 1st time so maybe a local overnight will be in the works before this trip. I've over packed and under packed everything time I've been out but never ran into extreme issues like you have, luckily. Again, thanks for the advice.
J