Coatesville, Pennsylvania is located about 30 miles west of Philadelphia. With a population of over 13,000, Coatesville is home to many restaurants and businesses, as well as several parks and recreational areas.
The history of this city dates back to the late 1700s when Thomas Coates founded it as an iron forge and milling town. Coatesville still retains much of its historical charm, with numerous historical buildings found throughout the city. The most prominent example is the Lukens Steel Company complex, which was added to the National Register for Historic Places in 1989.
In addition to its long history, there are plenty of things to do in Coatesville for visitors. For outdoor enthusiasts, the city has a variety of parks, such as Waterworks Park and Memorial Park Lake, where visitors can enjoy activities like fishing or take in spectacular views from a nearby lookout point. Others might prefer visiting one or two museums, such as the Brandywine Valley Museum & Gardens or The Scottdale Railroad & Industrial Museum, which both inform visitors about essential aspects of Pennsylvania’s past.
If you’re looking for something more unique, Coatesville also offers botanical gardens such as Stoltzfus Organic Farm & Garden Center, where you can explore lush blooming gardens filled with vibrant colors. Lastly, many people come to this area for food since it boasts some excellent restaurants specializing in traditional dishes like classic cheesesteaks or Philly-style hoagies.
Campgrounds Near Coatesville, Pennsylvania
Baker's Acres Campground is located just outside Coatesville in Gap, Pennsylvania. This sprawling campground features full hookups for RVs at its sites. The grounds offer pool access during the summer months as well as numerous fishing spots along the banks of French Creek. The campground's walking trails feature scenic views of the surrounding countryside. Amenities include basketball courts, horseshoe pits, and a sandy beach area. A snack bar serves hamburgers and hotdogs. There is also a dump station available at this campground.
Located in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, Timberline Lake Camping Resort is a beautiful and rustic campground that offers an idyllic getaway. The grounds have full-hookup sites for RVs and primitive sites for tent camping. Amenities include a lakefront beach and swimming area, a playground, and horseshoe pits. In the summer, RVers can enjoy live music performed on the campground's outdoor stage. There’s also a picnic pavilion with grills where visitors can gather to eat together. During the summer season, the resort hosts activities like karaoke nights and bingo. A dump station is also available for disposing of gray or black water waste.
Turtle Run Campground is situated in Parkesburg, about 10 miles from Coatesville in West Vincent Township. This family-friendly park offers campsites that include full hookups. Other amenities include a fishing pond stocked with trout during certain times of the year, a recreational field great for sports like kickball or wiffleball, and multiple playgrounds with swing sets ideal for children. Hiking trails travel through the wooded areas around the campground for RVers interested in stretching their legs. The campgrounds outdoor movie theater is perfect for ending the day under the stars while you take in a film.
State Parks Near Coatesville, Pennsylvania
French Creek State Park is located in southeastern Pennsylvania, between the cities of Reading and Philadelphia. The 7,905-acre park is the largest block of contiguous forested land between those two cities. French Creek is a tributary of the Schuylkill River. The park consists of two areas: North Park, which includes the developed campground and day-use areas, and South Park, primarily undeveloped wilderness. North Park features include a 200-acre lake for fishing and boating (no gasoline motors allowed), more than 35 miles of hiking trails, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, horseback riding stables, and a number of picnic areas. South Park offers more than 25 miles of hiking trails and opportunities for primitive camping, cross-country skiing, and hunting.
Lums Pond State Park is located in New Castle County, DE, about 15 miles from Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Lums Pond State Park features a large human-made pond popular for fishing and boating. Other amenities at the park include hiking trails, picnic areas, and a playground. The park also has a campground with over 100 campsites.
Susquehanna State Park is located in Harford County, MD, about 25 miles from Coatesville, Pennsylvania. Susquehanna State Park consists of over 4,000 woods and meadows along the Susquehanna River. Some of the amenities at the park include hiking trails, canoe and kayak rentals, picnicking areas, and a playground. The park also has a campground with over 100 campsites.
National Sites Near Coatesville, Pennsylvania
Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site is a well-preserved iron-making plantation featuring an 848-acre park full of historical structures and sites. A stone blast furnace built in 1771 stands at the heart of the park and is surrounded by a charcoal hearth, blacksmith shop, and gristmill, as well as other buildings constructed between 1740 and 1840. The grounds are open to visitors interested in learning about America’s early iron industry while exploring the diverse scenery of rolling hills, woodlots, meadows, and wetlands. RV-friendly sites are available nearby at French Creek State Park, where visitors will find an extensive selection of amenities, including electric hookups for RVs.
Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail Spans nearly 700 miles from Rhode Island to Virginia; this trail commemorates the route taken by General Washington's army and their French allies during their joint campaign during the Revolutionary War. This historic trail features several local parks close to Coatesville, including Valley Forge National Historical Park, which lies just 25 miles away. Visitors can enjoy various outdoor activities, such as hiking along rugged trails or picnicking on lush meadows interspersed with historical landmarks throughout the area. Valley Forge also offers campsites with 30/50-amp electrical hookups for RVs located near the visitor’s center.
Just a few miles east of Coatesville sits Valley Forge National Historical Park, an iconic location that served as George Washington’s encampment during the Revolutionary War. Today it encompasses 3,500 acres of land featuring thick forests, rolling meadows, and over 10 miles of hiking trails open year-round to explore its past and natural beauty. Guests can walk in Washington’s footsteps through restored cabins while enjoying stunning views of Philadelphia rising on the horizon from several high vantage points across the grounds. There is also a campground facility near the visitor's center, which offers 24 sites equipped with water and electric hookups for RVs.
National Forests Near Coatesville, Pennsylvania
Located in western New York, Finger Lakes National Forest provides outdoor enthusiasts with the opportunity to enjoy activities such as hiking, camping, hunting, and fishing. The forest is 15,000 acres of hardwood forests, rolling hills, and winding streams that cover a portion of the Finger Lakes region. Finger Lakes National Forest has five primitive campgrounds accessible to RVers. These sites offer fire rings, picnic tables, grills, and space to park an RV or tent. There are no hookups or dump stations.
Situated in northwestern Pennsylvania, Allegheny National Forest is over 500,000 acres of forested land featuring deep valleys and high ridges. The forest offers a wide range of recreational activities, including camping, fishing, hunting, and wildlife viewing. For those looking to camp with an RV, several sites in Allegheny National Forest offer basic amenities such as fire rings and picnic tables and access to restrooms and showers at nearby campgrounds. There are also a number of dispersed camping areas available where you can park your RV for free.
It is roughly a two-hour drive from Coatesville, Pennsylvania to George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. This sprawling forest covers almost 1.8 million acres and spans two states: Virginia and West Virginia. It features two distinct sections — George Washington on one side of the Blue Ridge Mountains and Jefferson on the other — making it one of the largest national forests east of the Mississippi River. This area provides plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation, including camping, hiking trails, scenic drives, fishing spots, mountain biking paths, and more. For RVers, there are numerous campgrounds throughout both sections offering basic amenities and some offering full-hookup services for RVs up to 40 feet in length. The forests are a popular destination for nature enthusiasts of all levels as they offer a variety of activities both within the forests and around them.
