Interstate Inn RV Park – Weldon, NC

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December 31, 2006

Campground and RV Park Reviews | RVBuddy

Interstate Inn RV Park is located a tenth of a mile to the east of I-95, exit 173, and behind the Interstate Inn. This campground is a good bargain for an overnight stay. 18 bucks gets you cable (and HBO) plus good fast wireless.

There are three rows of sites… get into the first or second row (the ones nearest the motel) because the last row has a pronounced slope. There is no dump at the sites, but there is a dump station. While we would think twice about staying at the motel (a little too old for our taste), the group of RVers make the campground a nice place to overnight.

Lake Harmony RV Park – Townsend, GA

By

vancouple

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December 23, 2006

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Lake Harmony RV Park is located about an hour south of Savannah, just far enough off I-95 so traffic noise was a faint and acceptable hum of background ambient noise. This is really a nice place. Good prices and an exceptionally friendly young couple runs/owns (?) it.

There’s another campground next door that looks nice, too, but we didn’t stay there. At Lake Harmony, there’s a one-acre-sized pond with free fishing, and some affordable canoe and kayak rentals, and a nice little beach, and there are a few rows of camping sites out back, plus a dozen or so on the lakeside as you drive out back. We stayed out back. Any site here is good. There are some monthly people there, but it’s a nice place to stay overnight or for a couple of nights, and the semi-permanent residents are friendly and acceptably semi-upscale. (As a note: We normally are not in favor of travel RV campgrounds that have more than ten percent semi-permanent residents… there’s a tipping point somewhere around that number that changes the feel of a campground to the feel of a trailer park.)

What made this a nice experience for us was the proximity of Lake Harmony to I-95 (closer than the half hour rides each way to those nice Georgia state parks in Crooked River and Fort McAllister… see our other reviews). The quiet ambience, the scenic view and pleasant walk around the lake, plus the attractive young couple were nice. We’ll definitely go again.

Sugarloaf Key/Key West KOA – Sugarloaf Key, FL

By

vancouple

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December 23, 2006

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Located at MM 20, The Sugarloaf Key KOA has a lot to offer, with a few caveats. It’s filled up since we got here about nine days before XMas when it was wide-open, which was nice given the exceedingly narrow site we rented (at 110 a night, plus 6 bucks a day extra for wireless access) right on the beach. But being on the beach has been great, with some really nice neighbors.

A nice clean beach, volleyball set-up, lots of lounges available, plus our site backs literally right up to the beach. The staff puts everyone in at a different angle, so you open your door looking right at the door of your neighbor… don’t know why. The utilities are easily accesible, though, so if you don’t mind close or think the beach access is worth it, take advantage and spend the extra thirty bucks and go beachside. There’s the usual good pool and hot tub, plus the KOA nightclub/lounge (oxymoron) where the nerdy types and workers frequent. They have a nice store… pricey, but waddya gonna do? They have a nice, friendly staff.

Getting to Key West (begins about 14 miles away but is really at MM 1) can be done in two ways. Take the KOA shuttle for 15 bucks roundtrip, per person, from noonish to 8pmish or go out to Rte 1 and jump on one of the busses (currently waiving the two buck fee) that takes you down to a Publix at around MM5 and get on a connector… a simple operation. Driving is a pain and parking is tight and limited. Getting a rental car is virtually impossible, so tow yours or use the public transportation.

There’s a road right out and to the left from the front gate that ends in a half mile, then proceeds as a semi-wide deserted abandoned road for about a mile and a half to an abandoned bridge that makes a super run or a nice bike ride. They also have excellent tent camping sites. Last night there was a subdued drumming thing going on around a campfire. Nice to see other eclectic campers. Speaking of diversity, this is a gay and * friendly campground.

There were lots of families here and no issues. While there are plenty of kids here, from as far north as Quebec and west as Montana, there is an equal number of boozing-couples that just hang out by the water with the ubiqitous red plastic cups. It’s a good mix and a nice crowd. Might overwhelm the red state people, though.

Key West is seriously not as exciting as it presents itself. Maybe on Fantasy Fest or something, but when we went, it was your typical urbany destination tourist trap with hundreds of tee-shirt stores, expensive restaurants (we went to a nice Sushi/Thai place off Duval that we would recommend), plus a few dozen semi-risque stores selling predictably middle class risque clothes and stuff… like a outdoors mall where nipple slips are somewhat common. Mostly a big old yawn, but fun for a few hours. We would also recommend visiting keysail.com if you want to charter. Nice folks and a super-fun afternoon and nightime sail, very safe and fun and affordable!

We would definitely recommend this KOA, since they are once again rumoring that the Fiesta Key KOA is going to condos in March (something like what they said last year, which was inaccurate then, too).

Bridge RV Park and Campground – White Salmon, WA

By

JJandCP

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November 24, 2006

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Bridge RV Park and Campground is a lovely little park just off the Washington State side of the Hood River Bridge (over the Columbia River) in White Salmon, WA.

The laundry room was large and clean, and has a deep sink if you need one for any reason. Although the park has free WiFi, there is also a modem hookup in the laundry room for those with a little less technology. The campground has excellent cable TV with lots of channels! There is a 24 hour convenience store right close by. The park is right on Columbia River, but none of the spots have any particular “view” of the river. I was traveling in late November and had come from Eastern Washington where it was freezing. The weather here was rainy, but definitely warm enough to use water hose without heat tape.

The Hood River Bridge is a bit “tight” to drive over. Plus, you are driving over steel rebar (I think) and not pavement. Also, there is still a toll to drive over.

Although this campground is very close to Washington state Highway 14, which can be busy, I really didn’t notice a lot of road noise.

Columbia River Gorge

Larrabee State Park – Bellingham, WA

By

JJandCP

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November 12, 2006

2

Larrabee State Park is located down a narrow, winding (although paved) road. The camping area is difficult to find if you are traveling south. I drove into the first entrance I saw that was marked “State Park.” This entrance was only for the boat launch. The entrance to the camping area is another mile south down the road. Now I know why Mapquest.com showed two separate locations for this park!

The RV slots, which are designated with a “T,” are both back-in and pull through. The back-in spots are paved, the pull-through’s are gravel/grass. The electricity is 30 amp. The good news is, all of the RV sites have a sewer dump. The bad news is, none of slots are level. The utility sites (some of which will accommodate larger RV’s) all have a picnic table and fire pit, but are pretty close together. Hope you have a decent neighbor (when it’s crowded)! Most of the Standard (tent) camping is closed in winter. The Standard camping sites are quite spacious, except for the ones closest to the RV (utility) sites. Those are adequate, but not as spacious as the other sites. I came here on a rainy Friday just before Veteran’s Day and there were only a few campers here. The camp host slot was vacant, and blocked off to prevent use.

There are hiking trails; and mountain biking is allowed here, along with horse riding. The one downer for this park is train noise all night.

I’m sure this park has good things to offer, but I didn’t like the location, and I was soured on the lack of differentiation on the entrances. It would have been nice if the two separate entrances were clearly marked “State Park – boat launch only” and “State Park – camping only.”

http://www.parks.wa.gov/parkpage.asp?selectedpark=Larrabee&pageno=1

Birch Bay State Park – Bellingham, WA

By

JJandCP

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November 12, 2006

2

I stayed at Birch Bay State Park in early November just prior to Veterans Day. Although it was 50 degrees, it was sunny and pleasant! The leaves were falling and the colors were beautiful! I arrived on a Wednesday, and there were only three or four RV’s at the campground.

The utility sites are varying sizes, some are big enough for larger RV’s (40 foot). Of the 20 utility sites (with 30 amp service), only two have sewer hookup (the camp host’s spot, and Site #33). The camp host spot was vacant when I pulled in, but five minutes later, someone in a fifth wheel grabbed it because that party knew it had a sewer hookup. In addition to the utility sites, there are 147 standard/premium sites and a primitive group camp site that accommodates up to 40 people. The utility spots are in the North campground, open all year. The South campground is closed in winter. This campground reclassified some of their Standard sites into another category: PREMIUM. Basically, a “Premium” is a “Standard” (no hookup) campsite with a view of the bay (thus, charging extra for the view) The Premium site cost more than Standard, but less than Utility.

The utility sites are quite spacious, with a picnic table and fire ring. Tents are not allowed in the utility sites. Among the 20 utility sites are two sets of “two-zies” (where two RV’s can park right next to each other in case you travel with a buddy). The standard sites also have a good percentage of “paired” spots for camping with friends.

There is a privately owned laundry facility and store within a brisk walking distance from the park on Helweg Road. The town of Birch Bay is a longer walking distance along Birch Bay Drive.

You’ll get fantastic TV reception of mostly Canadian channels. If you want American channels, you’ll probably need a satellite dish.

There is a half mile hiking trail… and other activities include fishing, scuba diving, windsurfing, kite flying, picnicking, and clamming/crabbing. Clamming and Crabbing were closed for 2006 due to red tide.

http://www.parks.wa.gov/parkpage.asp?selectedpark=Birch%20Bay&pageno=1

Adventure Bound Deer Run – Schaghticoke, NY

By

Thistle Dew

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November 11, 2006

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We don’t normally patronize private campgrounds that have been bought by large corporations, but work in Albany brought us to this place for several days. I chose to stay here because of the proximity to the work site and the recommendation from a seasonal camper at Deer Run.

The entrance road is quite pretty, the interior roads are just plain perfect. Quite a bit of the park is filled with seasonals, all are landscaped, decorated, and beautiful. The facilities are as clean as can be, even the laundry room was entertaining.The hook-ups are modern complete with cable TV and optional Telephone for long-term. All sites are large and level with a variety of wooded and open space. The 4 swimming pools are clean enough for surgical instruments and some are for adults only.

I found two game rooms for the kids that were stocked with everything any kid of any age can enjoy. There is also banquet facilities for weddings, graduations, etc. The playgrounds were all perfect for kids of all ages.

The only disappointment I found was the front desk staff had little knowledge of camping rigs and the limitaitions involved in various parking situations. I was assigned a site near my friend that was a drive-in, despite my total rig size including tow vehicle. I managed to do it, and it was fine for the purpose, but could have been a problem for other drivers.

Poland Spring Campground – Poland Spring, ME

By

Thistle Dew

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November 11, 2006

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On our way home from Northern parts of Maine, we decided to stop at Poland Spring Campground for a couple nights to just “kick back” and get ready for the long ride home.

We pulled in with no reservations as usual and found a cute little paradise. There were a lot of seasonal renters, and all were maintained to the max. The grounds are very wooded, bringing back a sense of the old days of camping. Some big rigs would have trouble in many sites, so a call ahead would be very smart.

Even in late season the store was stocked to the top with groceries, toys, gadgets, knick knacks, etc. Nearby the Poland Spring Water Company maintains a day park with interactive trails, but we chose to go to the wildlife park. If you think of the facility as a zoo, you will be deeply disappointed.

The Wildlife Park specializes in saving and rehabilitating animals for eventual return to the wild. For us this was a great end to our Maine vacation. The Black Bears and the Moose are the highlights, but the Big cats a impressive.

As for the campground, we loved it. During midweek, the place was quiet, clean, and scenic. The boat launching area is perfect for small craft with canoes, kayaks, and a small sailboat for rent. The Range Ponds are beautiful bodies of water, especially for small boats. We canoed to the nearby State Park with no other vessels on the water. A young Bald Eagle was adjusting to life without parents and we spent several hours just watching his antics.

Bring the kids and enjoy the nearby attractions and the beach area. This Campground is a destination you will remember for many years.

Hayti/Portageville KOA – Portageville, MO

By

inspector58

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October 30, 2006

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Campground and RV Park Reviews | RVBuddy.com

This campground has new owners. We have stayed here before and stopped coming because the old owners were so rude. The campground got more and more run down.

The new owners and staff are wonderful. The campground is now clean and inviting and the store is looking fresh and new. We were too late for the pool but we were assured it was open during the summer and will be next summer also. The last owners didn’t have it open.They have FREE wireless internet, pizza delivered to your site, a tv room which is warm and cosy which also had complimentary coffee. The sites, which are level, had no trouble accomodating our 40 foot rig with 3 slides. We still had plenty of room to enjoy the grassy area at our site which had a picnic table, fire ring and a barbecue. The restrooms and showers were spotless.

I can’t tell you how different this experience was from our previous visits here. We will definately be returning next summer!

Red Apple Campground – Kennebunkport, ME

By

rccombe

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October 25, 2006

1

This one was a real find. Red Apple Campground was exceptional in every respect. We were looking for someplace in the Kennebunkport (Bush family summer residence) area to celebrate my wife’s Birthday. She loves the area for its quaint New England flavor and great shopping at Perkins Cove.

As we use a motorcycle for transportation, the owners offered to lend us their car to drive to an upscale restaurant for her Birthday dinner. This just capped off a wonderful stay in a beautifully maintained campground in the heart of lower coastal Maine with all it has to offer.