Ok, we were slow posting - but we had been keeping notes as we went. Here is a run-down of the summer 2015 sites! We wrote it more like a campground review, for those traveling down the east coast!
Quinte Isle Camppark, near Picton,
Ontario
A gorgeous campground. We got one of
the new waterfront sites right on Lake Ontario. Beautiful views,
lots of wind at times. The lake can really change from beautiful
calm, to choppy and rough. It was much farther from the original
campground, but that was okay. It was a good bike ride to get up to
the pool, and would be along walk – but on bikes it was fun. The
main pool is nice and there is a splashpark for little kids. Very
clean and new. The sites are grassy and well maintained.
Kids found it cool because there was
lots to do. Rec hall was fun with ping pong. Picton is a cool town
for shopping for the parents and you can visit the nearby wineries.
The problem is, we were spoiled and went to Normandy Farms afterwards and in previous years,
which makes this spot disappointing....
The sites up near the pool are regular
size. Water sites in the future will be phenomenal when they develop
and add a bit more down there like a pool. Very nice marina down
there. It is a long road between the two campgrounds – so doesn't
have an active vibe. For the price, it is a little (a lot)
overpriced - $88/night, but we would expect more activities to be run
daily. But it is a very lovely location!!
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| Quinte Isle Park, Picton, Ontario - down at the beach |
Normandy Farms – Foxboro, Mass.
Well, what can we say? Amazing! Think
of anything you want in a campground and it is here. Think big,
think large – and it won't disappoint you. They must have 20
activities a day – soccer, capture the flag, chocolate bar bingo
(we still didn't win!), mom did water zumba and zumba. Teen
activities – kept Trent busy – he played a lot of ping pong and
liked the disc golf. (18 holes) Adult happy hour - $2 drinks –
now that we know about that one- we will be back! Sarge once again loved the dog
park. The bike park has been re-vamped and is impressive.
Nothing could be added to make this better. Fine amenities – well
maintained, lots of staff on hand. Best campground ever!
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| Dog Park, Normandy Farms |
Scusset – Scusset Beach, Mass.
Quieter, after coming from Normandy –
but gorgeous beach. Fishing from the pier and lots of biking along
the Cape Cod Canal. Scrubbier sites, but farther away from each
other. So close to the beach! Very quiet and peaceful. Met a man
at the pier who has been fishing there for 60 years – bought a
house close by so he can go everyday! Nice life!
We biked the canal – 7 miles each way. Wasn't bad until the head wind
coming back- took a little longer. Gorgeous ride though.
Salisbury Beach State Reservation, Mass.
Still one of our favourite campgrounds
– don't know why – crammed in, few trees, but there is so much
around to do. For any age– there is something. Plus
the nicest beach – people who don't drive into the State
Reservation and see the beach and the river, don't know what they
are missing! Quiet at night despite so many people. Hampton Beach
fireworks on Wednesday night, Salisbury on Saturday night.
-Go to Market Basket and get the
lobster – cheap and delicious!!
Salisbury Beach State Reservation beach
is still one of the best yet. Gorgeous. Pure sand, unspoiled.
Hampton Beach is busy and this beach gets super busy too, but it is so
nice. We went out when the tide was lower and kids could go pretty far
out. There was a riptide in one spot – so be careful. Lifeguards
were blocking that area off. Watched one kid on a boogey board get swept
out pretty quick, but it wasn't too deep and he paddled over to the
side – he didn't panic.
-Sarge still enjoys swimming on the
river side of the campground. We are so lucky that dogs are allowed
to cool off here – if not it would be brutal hot!
-Hot! Hot! Hot! Apparently July was
cooler, but end of July has always worked for us with a hot spell!
-Trent went on a fishing expedition
with Eastmans. Went to the mouth of the river for Stripers –
didn't catch anything, but great night. Good company that has been
here for so many years.
-Of course we went to the Old Salt – a Hampton Beach landmark
that burned down some years ago – now located in town – remember
– happy hour dinner specials from 3-5 Monday to Friday.
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| Salisbury Beach during the day - it is empty at night! |
Powderhorn,Old Orchard Beach, Maine
Okay, at first we weren't sure.... driving up to the fences at the
front – it feels like they are trying to keep the monkeys in.
But....it did grow on us. Crowded, and not too many English speakers, but nice campground
– we had a nice site - very shady, but the nicest site. Sites
near the back pool are nice... full sun – that is where we would
get next.... short bike ride to the beach... not safe roads though...
pools at the front are nice... but right next to the road – would
not want to have a site by the road – too noisy... crowded, as are
all campgrounds at OOB, but would go back here... others we met said
it was the nicest. bathrooms very clean, strict about bikes and
fires after 11. The kids liked ping pong and the Free mini putt – which
was fun. They also have a kids hot tub – which is a nice touch – we have been
to so many where kids are not allowed....
We have teenagers now... who have different
interests. Nice access to the beach. Trolley that goes downtown is
handy. Fireworks on Thursday night were amazing!!
Oh... the fries at the beach – Pier
fries - the best I have ever tasted... and go for dinner at
Huot|'s.... Camp Ellis... best onion rings ever... and great dinner! Casual
but good seafood... perfect for what we needed.
The campground is a little pricey - based on 2 person occupancy –
which drives us crazy!!! Dogs are extra...... which makes camping super expensive with
the Canadian dollar right now.... but the campground is full... clearly their reputation keeps them popular...
We don't really like it when campgrounds
charge extra for kids – camping is family and family consists of more than two people.
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| Old Orchard Beach, Maine |
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| The Pier, Old Orchard Beach |
Danforth Bay, Freedom, New Hampshire:
Still one of our absolute favourites –
best weather ever! 2 pools, activities for kids. Great Lake. We met some amazing friends from Mass. so the kids had a great time all week with SO much to do!
They are very strict about the fires. We had a
rainy day and were cooped up all day (no activities for teens on the
rainy day) , the rain died down and we started a fire – it got a little late
– but their truck came roaring over and rudely told us to put it
out. I get it, campgrounds need to keep control... but a
little common sense... what is more offensive? their golf
carts roaring up and down the roads so loudly and Teens
everywhere.... or people on vacation sitting around a fire. Deal with the noise makers, not people sitting around a fire... Regardless, we still love this place!! Of course we went to Pizza Barn again for Trent's birthday and into North Conway for shopping, army surplus store and of course Camping World!!
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| Danforth Bay, beach |
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| Danforth Bay, front office |
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| Danforth Bay, pools |
KOA Lake Placid, New York
Lovely, large, wooded sites. The best
thing about this campground is the Ausable River running behind it.
Just a short walk and you hit cliffs and hear the roaring waterfall
(be careful not to fall – it is steep). Just a ways down from that
is a great swimming spot, with pools of water to relax in, rocks to
climb, and small cliffs to jump off of. A super spot on a hot day.
The lodge at the campground is beautiful, bathrooms are clean, good
dog walk area and the staff hustles! The pool needs updating and
they need to add a hot tub and biking area. But, that really isn't
the draw – it is the area. Go to Whiteface and go up the gondala –
worth the money!
Also went into town to the Smoking ....
great spot to eat – good happy hour deals.
What an amazing summer! Can't wait to visit these areas again!!!
