It can be a challenge to plan the perfect family vacation that includes affordable lodging, great fishing and plenty of fun activities to keep every member of the family happy. The good news is that families in the Empire State are far ahead of the game thanks to a well-established state park system and a plethora of waterways that are swimming with fish!

Whether anglers want to target trout, lunker bass or tackle-busting muskies and pike, there are plenty of excellent places to wet a line this summer. State park campgrounds offer cost-effective lodging options and plenty of room for fishing, games, swimming, biking and hiking.

Many New York State communities have interesting historic, educational and adventuresome offerings to explore. Families can stand where great battles were once waged, say hello to friendly and exotic animals, ride trains, sail down scenic rivers and learn countless new and interesting things about the historic and natural world we live in.

Here's a roundup of some best-bet family fishing vacation destinations for your clan to enjoy this summer:

WHEN IN ROME . . .
Nearby to all the family fun in Rome and Utica are several family-focused campgrounds that also happen to be near fine fishing waters.

Delta Lake State Park, two miles south of Westernville, makes an excellent base camp for family fun. There are 101 tent, trailer and RV sites within the park, which is on the shore of Delta Reservoir. Anglers may fish here for trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike and walleyes. The campground has a boat launch, and there's a sandy beach for swimming, a playground and hiking trails to explore.

Call (315) 337-4670 or visit www.nysparks.com for information.

The A-OK Campground and Marina in Rome is another excellent option for fishing families. Nestled on the northern shore of Delta Lake, the A-OK has water and electric hookups with sites large enough for double-slide outs and pull-through vehicles. A separate tenting area features 24 wooded sites. The full-service marina has a boat launch and boat rentals. There's a camp store, snack bar, sandy beach and playground.

Call (315) 827-9900 or visit www. aokcampgroundofnewyork.com.

Pixley Falls State Park, six miles south of Boonville, boasts several easily accessible trout streams. The big draw here, in addition to its 22 streamside tent and trailer sites, is the 50-foot waterfall near the picnic area. There's also a nature trail to hike here that passes by Pixley Falls.

Call (315) 942-4713 or visit www.nysparks.com.

Kayuta Lake Campground in Forestport has more than 150 campsites offering options such as 30-amp and 50-amp hookups, pull-throughs, tent sites and rental cabins. The campground spans 212 acres, and is surrounded by 1,000 acres of state and county lands.

Kayuta Lake is 4.5 miles long, extending for three miles up into the Black River. Fishing is good here for largemouth and smallmouth bass, northern pike, walleyes, rainbow and brown trout.

The campground has a boat ramp, boat rentals, a beach, camp store, recreation room, mini golf course, tennis, a playground, shuffle board, horseshoes and bocce ball and basketball courts.