Saturday, 14 May 2016

Summer 2015!

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!!
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!
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!!
  • drove past Hampton Beach and hit North Beach – very pretty – can't believe we have come here all these years and never driven that way. Miles of beach.  Rye Beach is lovely. 
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. 

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.

Old Orchard Beach, Maine


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!!

Danforth Bay, beach

Danforth Bay, front office

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!!! 













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