Yellowstone River Campground – Billings, MT

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June 23, 2009

Yellowstone River Campground = Billings, MT | RVBuddy.com

The park was $48 before Good Sam discounts and taxes. The pull-through spots are “side by side,” agree with other reviews about the “chumminess” of the sites. Let’s just say, the Travel Trailer next to me had to park their car under my awning. If you don’t like the “closeness,” take a back-in, you get a “smidge” more room. At my site, I had to use 30 feet of sewer hose.

Landscaping was well taken care of. The laundry, showers, and restrooms were clean. The pool was only five feet deep, ok for children. The Wi-Fi was secured with a password. Once “non-use” is detected, the Wi-Fi automatically logs you out and you have to log back in.

On check in, the park had a rule that you had to show picture ID (and they wrote it down). Even though the rule said “picture ID” they insisted on the driver’s license. I didn’t have an issue with showing it, I had the issue with them writing the license number down. I finally got them to consent to my passport, as I felt there was less potential for “mis-use of the information.”

Nason Creek Campground (USFS) – Leavenworth, WA

By

JJandCP

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June 14, 2009

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This is a US Forest Service campground, which means it’s meant for the “outdoors experience” not for “comfort.” The sites are a mixture of gravel and asphalt, may or may not be level. Mostly back in, with some pull-through.

The sites are just where ever, no special arrangement, and each site has a fire pit and picnic table. The picnic tables have a special pad for you to place your camp stoves. The sites are rather close together at the entrance, with a little more spacing (but not much) down near the river. There is no sewer dump at this campground.

The Camp Host said big rigs could get in here, but I am skeptical. I have a 32 foot and it was barely enough for me. There are lots of trees with squirrels running around, my cat was entertained for hours. Sites have good shade. The restrooms, which contained a plumbed toilet and sink (wow!), were fairly clean.

Blackwell Island RV Resort – Coeur d’ Alene, ID

By

JJandCP

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June 12, 2009

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When I made a reservation, the person on the phone kept pressing me for a “specific” time that I would be arriving, and wouldn’t accept a general “sometime in the afternoon.” I have no idea what this was all about, as I have never had a park be that picky!

I got there about noon, and it wasn’t crowded. Later on a lot more RV’s came in, but the park was not full. The sites are mostly all pull-through, on gravel, with some grass for spacing between the RV’s. Spacing is adequate. The trees aren’t very tall, so there is no shade. If you have one of those expensive surge protectors from Camping World, it will fit here. Water pressure is high, regulators required. If you don’t have a regulator, you can get one from the office for a $10 refundable deposit. Cable is limited, only about 20 channels.

The bathrooms/showers were clean. There were about four bathroom/shower combos, in separate rooms, all unisex, with locks. Tthe laundry was clean. The Wi-Fi worked very well during daytime, but appeared to be shut off, or not available at night. There is a playground for children. They have a nice clubhouse for functions and there is a nice walk a long the river area. Cedars Restaurant is nearby.

This is a good place for overnighting, but it’s not really a “destination” resort.

Pine Acres Family Camping Resort – Oakham, MA

By

RVBuddy

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June 4, 2009

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We were more than pleasantly surprised with our weekend stay at Pine Acres Family Camping Resort. The park is located in Central Massachusetts, about 15 miles northwest on Worcester in the town of Oakham. It’s a little off the beaten path but well worth the trip.

Our check-in was quick and the office staff made us feel right at home. We were escorted to our site by a friendly gentleman in a golf cart who asked if we were first time visitors and then reassured us that we would have a great stay. It turns out he was indeed correct.

Pine Acres Family Camping Resort - Oakham, MA — Pine Acres Family Camping Resort – Oakham, MA

Pine Acres is a larger resort. They report 350 sites, all types and sizes. From very remote, primitive tenting sites to full hook-up premium lakefront locations. The Premium Lakefront sites were on the expensive side ($75/night), but since this was our first visit we decided to go for it. Despite the price, we were not disappointed.

Our site was a comfortable size, with adequate room for our multiple slide-out 38′ Class A. The site included an oversized picnic table, complete with a cobblestone patio with a rustic double timber chairs overlooking Lake Dean, a small (70 acre) lake. Most of the heavily traveled interior roads are paved and wide enough for larger rigs. Once you get into some of the more remote locations, access is a tad more difficult via gravel roads(and some can be a little steep)… but if you’re a tenter there are some pretty isolated spots.

The restrooms and laundry facilities were clean and well maintained. In fact, my wife commented that these were among the cleanest that she has ever seen. Over the past 25 years we’ve stayed at campgrounds all around the country… so that’s saying a lot.

There are lots of amenities at this campground. I’ll try to cover most of them here…

A small marina is located near the park entrance and the main office building. The marina includes “Uncle John’s Bait Shop” a boat launch area and boat slips (the fountain is a nice touch!). You can fish for bass from the beach or rent paddle boats, canoes, rowboats and kayaks here.

Near the center of the campground is a complex of buildings and attractions. The pool… actually its more of a water entertainment area, is impressive. The pool itself is free-form, quite large and includes a spa and several water features that would keep most kids busy for hours. There’s also a poolside bar that’s open during the warmer months.

The complex has a nicely landscaped, reasonably priced ($3) mini-golf course, basketball, volleyball, and tennis courts as well as a playground for younger kids. “The Lodge”, is a large recreation hall that includes an adult lounge and “The Cave”, one of the largest video arcade rooms I’ve ever seen at a campground.

Across from the Lodge is “Pine Acres Country Store” a small, but nicely stocked convenience store carrying all the basic camping necessities. There’s also a 50-seat full-service snack bar serving breakfast, lunch and other goodies including ice cream. Prices are reasonable and the food is good. The same building houses restrooms, showers, a public telephone and an ATM machine.

The campground offers free Wi-Fi (Tengo). On a walk through the campground found several wi-fi repeaters, so coverage appears to be good. The signal from our site was a little low, but we had no problems connecting. They do have a 48 hour bandwidth limit but the limit is high and should be adequate for even moderate use.

You may be asking, “there must be something negative about this campground?”. Yes there were a few, but relatively minor…

There appears to be just a single dumpster for your trash and it’s located near the entrance to the property. This is a large campground and it’s quite a hike to the dumpster for just about everybody. Adding a second location would be a great idea.

Pine Acres is pet friendly and the campground owners make every effort to accommodate your pet. They even have a pet beach! Just about every pet owner here was considerate of other campers… except for two. One never kept their dog on a leash, the other couldn’t keep their dog quiet. Its not the fault of the campground. You’ll always find a few inconsiderate campers at every campground.

This is truly a family resort and all in all, one of the most pleasant camping experiences we’ve had in a long time. This one’s a keeper. Keep up the good work Pine Acres!

Quechee/Pine Valley KOA – Quechee, VT

By

RVBuddy

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May 23, 2009

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Pine Valley RV Resort - Quechee, VT This is an update of a previous post. Pine Valley RV Resort is now Quechee/Pine Valley KOA.

With the last weekend in July free, we decided to spend a few days at Pine Valley RV Resort in Quechee, Vermont. Being peak camping season we weren’t sure we could even get a site, but called anyway… We were in luck! Just one site left, water and electric only, so we booked it.

Pine Valley is a relatively small campground with about 90 sites, roughly half are full hookups. Because of their proximity to Interstate 89 (just a minute or two from exit 1) they cater to the overnight traveler. But this park is more than just an overnight stop. It’s really a very nice campground to spend a few days at.

Pine Valley RV Resort - Quechee, VT While the property is close to I-89, it’s just far enough away not to hear Interstate traffic… although sites in the lower section of the property will hear traffic from nearby US Route 4.

The campground staff was friendly and accommodating, both when we called to make reservations and when we checked in. In fact, when we arrived there were several customers ahead of us. Noticing the line, another employee asked us if we would like to go directly to our site and just stop back later on to register when it wasn’t so busy.

Pine Valley RV Resort - Quechee, VT The property is extremely well maintained and neatly landscaped among tall, mature white pines. Interior roads and individual campsites are gravel. Most sites are a little on the small side, especially the pull-thru sites in the upper section of the property. This upper section was built on the side of a hill and most of the sites there are terraced. In fact, there was barely enough room for our slide outs and awning. You may also need to work with your jacks, as some sites could use a little leveling. The campground’s only rest rooms and showers are in the lower section too. While the sites were small and facilities remote, the upper section of the park is a lot more private and quiet.

Pine Valley RV Resort - Quechee, VT Pine Valley RV Resort has a very nice, well stocked campstore with a limited selection of groceries and camping supplies. There is a laundromat and heated bath house with free showers, a swimming pool and a small pond where you can canoe or pedal boat (rentals). They also have a playground and recreation hall. Pets are also welcome here. As an added convenience, an RV Service and repair shop is located on the property! Just across the street is a general store with 24 flavors of ice cream and a daily BBQ during the summer. A gas station with a Dunkin Donuts shop is also within walking distance.

Pine Valley RV Resort - Quechee, VT You’ll need a car if you want to visit nearby attractions. Besides the General store, there is little within walking distance. Quechee and the Upper Valley region of Vermont and New Hampshire have plenty of attractions, so you can easily spend a week or more here. Check out the Quechee Gorge area just a mile or two west on US Route 4. In addition to the gorge there are several restaurants, gift shops and a large antiques mall to explore.

With only a few shortcomings, Pine Valley RV Resort is a great little campground. This was our third visit here and we plan to visit them again next summer!

Robert H. Treman State Park – Ithaca, NY

By

Thistle Dew

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May 19, 2009

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Treman is a quaint little State Park located south west of Ithaca. It features a Gorge Trail, and is near two other State Parks with similar trails featuring hundreds of waterfalls. The Ithaca area has Cayuga Lake, several Fingerlakes Wineries nearby, two Colleges, and many unique shopping and dining experiences.

The campground itself is quite small with very few amenities. The Electric sites are very tight, but the Creekside sites are mostly large and grassy with some shade trees. Very few sites can handle anything bigger than 30′. Several basic Cabins are available as well.

We enjoyed the peaceful nature of our weekend visit. Being so close to the two Colleges, we were expecting to hear some loud parties. We were pleasantly surprised. The few students that were there were having a good time without being disruptive.

The area is worth the time if you’re traveling New York, and Treman State Park is a good base.

Yosemite Pines RV Resort & Family Lodging – Groveland, CA

By

jerryhensonhb

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May 17, 2009

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We stayed at Yosemite Pines RV Resort with my husband and three children. The campground and rv resort is set among pine trees and terraced into the hillside with gravel roads.

This was a great place for the kids as they thoroughly enjoyed the petting zoo, gold mine tour, and movie night! The resort has a really nice pool and tot lot. Although they didn’t have a gym my husband worked out on the fitness bars which had pull-up and chin-up equipment out in the woods.

Although the resort is about a half hour to 45 minute drive to Yosemite National Park, it’s a very scenic drive. The waterfalls were great and the whole family had a great time. We returned each night to Yosemite Pines exhausted and either did the movie night or told stories around the campfire. The bathrooms and laundry areas were clean.

Yosemite Pines had a small store where you could buy basic foods, snacks, and beer. The town of Groveland is a neat little historic town and we usually bought groceries there.

Loon Lake Lodge & RV Resort – Reedsport, OR

By

jerryhensonhb

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May 17, 2009

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We stayed at Loon Lake Lodge and RV Resort with my husband and three children.

The rv area is set above the marina with views of the lake and has gravel roads. The kids hung out at the beach and played in the sand with their toys. The best fun we had as a family was taking out the jet skis and waverunners! The canoes and kayaks were fun to take out but you can’t beat the excitement of whizzing down the lake with a jet ski or waverunner at 40-50mph!

Loon Lake is a beautiful, scenic lake set among towering Douglas pine trees and is one of Oregon’s best kept secrets. The bathrooms and laundry areas were clean. Loon Lake Lodge had a small store where you could buy basic foods, snacks, and beer. The staff was helpful with getting us set up on the jet ski and boat rentals.

Blue Sky RV Park – Preston, WA

By

JJandCP

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May 12, 2009

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Preston is a small community near Issaquah. When I called to make reservations, I didn’t have to provide a credit card number! This is great! The bad news is… the park doesn’t take credit cards, or participate in any discount programs. But on the good side, you can write a check! The prices, to me, were a bit high compared to other parks with similar amenities. However, Preston is an unincorporated “bedroom community” to Seattle, and I believe the prices reflect this.

There were a lot of full-timers in the park, in “middle of the road” RV’s – not fancy, but not really old models, either. The driving area through the park is a bit steep. To get to my assigned site, I had to go down a steep road, then turn a banked corner, and I felt like I was going to tip over! But on the good side, I got a pull-through site! Since the park is located on a steep grade, the spaces are terraced down the grade.

If you like to walk, the steep grade hills will give you a good workout. The spaces are somewhat close together, but not too bad. (I have been in worse…) I was given a pretty long space. In my particular space, the hookups were in the center of the slot. If I pulled forward to get close to the hookups, my front would be sloping downward. To avoid the downward slope, I had to sit toward the back of the space, but use extra long cables and hoses. Oh well.

There are lots of very tall pine trees to give you the feeling of being out in nature and out in the country. The rest room has a “handicap access” concrete ramp, but the concrete is a bit bumpy. Those in wheel chairs or “hoverounds” will have a rough ride to get to the restrooms. The laundry room has a good supply of washers and dryers for the park size. The shower/restroom building was clean.

The park also features a small recreation room that has a great TV, a treadmill, and a good selection of books to read. There is a pay phone, but currently it’s not working. There is a cute little fish pond with a bench where you can “sit a spell.” The park does not have WiFi, but Verizon AirCard worked just fine.

The owner is really very nice and helpful. This is a very relaxing park if you just want to “chill” for a few days.

Indianapolis KOA – Indianapolis, IN

By

steveT

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May 6, 2009

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Indianapolis KOA - Indianapolis, IN This is one of the nicer KOAs that we’ve stayed at in the midwest. The park has a pleasant country-like setting, located just off interstate I-70, exit 96. We stayed here while attending a NASCAR race at the Indianapolis Speedway.

After you are registered you are personally escorted to your site by a young gentleman on a golf cart who occasionally will be accompanied by the Sugar Bear, the campground mascot! The individual sites are level and many are shady, with large trees throughout the property.

This is a family owned campground and everyone in the family seems to be involved in the operation in one form or another. The campground is very clean and well maintained. They have a nice campstore with a great selection of groceries and camping supplies. There is also a small pool, pavilion and snack bar.

We plan on returning here for our next NASCAR race!