Ahh, camping: the somewhat budget-friendly way to help our children see the world…
For this quick Friday-to-Sunday trip, we headed to Letchworth State Park, known as the “Grand Canyon of the East.” It’s a stunning, scenic place that offers the perfect combo of nature, learning, and budget-conscious family travel—as long as you don’t mind the occasional leaky air mattress or poison ivy warning.
Stops Along the Way
We made the most of the drive, hitting a mix of free and not-so-free roadside attractions—some educational, some just a good excuse to stretch our legs.
Barcelona Lighthouse (Westfield, NY):
This little gem is small but mighty—just 44 steps to the top, and a lovely lake view as your reward. The stairs do get tighter at the top, so they ask you to test your ability to climb in a narrower space. It’s technically free, but they kindly suggest a donation (and I suggest bringing a couple bucks to keep these places running). A great quick stop for families doing a Lake Erie lighthouse road trip.
Presque Isle Land Lighthouse (Erie, PA):
This one includes a short guided tour of the lightkeeper’s house, which was surprisingly interesting for the kids. They liked hearing how families lived there “way back when,” and I appreciated the slower pace of the tour. Then it’s 78 steps to the top for more lake views.
Cost: $8 per person, and worth it for the learning opportunity and stretch break. A solid addition to your list of things to do near Presque Isle with kids.
We didn’t visit the ExpERIEnce Children’s Museum, but another mom in our group did and raved about it. She said it was even better than the website makes it look, with lots of hands-on exhibits and sensory-friendly options. If you’re road-tripping with little ones, this would make a perfect mid-drive break to burn off energy (and maybe even sneak in a quiet coffee break for yourself).
Camping at Letchworth State Park
Letchworth itself was beautiful—even in the rain. There’s a gorgeous gorge, tons of family-friendly hiking trails, and some great learning opportunities.
- The Nature Center is a must-stop, with exhibits that are fun and low-key educational.
- The Autism Nature Trail (ANT) is a peaceful loop that’s sensory-friendly and really well done.
- If your kids need more action, the Recreation Center has plenty of stuff to keep them busy—think sports equipment, game rentals, and more.
We stayed in the 300 loop. Let’s just say if updated bathrooms are your thing, maybe pick a different loop. The comfort station there hasn’t been updated in a while and felt like it. Although it gets the job done.
There’s also poison ivy in the wooded sites, though the grassy ones seemed clear.
Pro tip: Firewood inside the park is $9 a bundle. If you want to stick to a budget camping trip, stock up on the way (just make sure it’s dry and local).
Camp Food: Warm, Carb-Loaded, and Kid-Approved
Since it was colder than we expected (yay June?), we leaned into comfort food camping meals:
- Sausage + Stove-Top Stuffing mix — weirdly satisfying, warm, and one-pan easy.
- Gumbo with a premade base (we like Tony Chachere’s)—just toss in some pre-cooked diced turkey, sausage, veggies, and rice and call it a win.
- Grilled cheese breakfast the morning we left, because why not?
- What did we eat the other day? No idea. I’m going to assume something carb-heavy and cooked over fire.
Final Thoughts
Even with the rain and the suspicious air mattress, this was a solid little trip. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly weekend getaway with kids, Letchworth State Park and a couple of Lake Erie lighthouses make a great combo of adventure, education, and just enough chaos to keep it memorable.
And I wouldn’t leave you hanging on the air mattress story.
Here’s your chuckle for the day:
Imagine a fluffy couple trying to roll over at 5 in the morning on a somewhat deflated air mattress. There was a lot of “I’m going to hit the floor” and laughter echoing through the tent. Honestly, we sounded like a slow-motion version of bumper cars.
Have you ever experienced a leaky air mattress on a camping trip?
Got a story to tell? Share it in the comments—I’d love to hear it!