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For most outdoor-loving people, there is no better way to spend a weekend than camping with your family. For some, camping could mean experiencing nature, an adventure, traveling across North America, meeting interesting people, reconnecting with loved ones, a way to escape concrete jungles or simply finding solace and peace. Checking out campground reviews is a good start in planning your next camping trip.
How Important are Campground Reviews?
Going camping is very exciting and if it is your first camping trip, make sure to do some reading on reviews beforehand. Reviews are important because previous campers get a chance to rate different campgrounds and share their thoughts – whether the place was good or bad. Remember, reviews may not be reliable as they seem, so make sure you check out a handful to rule any biased opinions.
Going on a camping trip need not be expensive as most states have parks that provide camping for a small fee. A few of the camping sites you can go to are Tybee island, Sturgis, the Cape, Jackson hole, the farms in Normandy and even in Disney World Orlando’s Fort Wilderness. No matter what campgrounds or parks you choose, camping with the family offers the excitement and beauty of the outdoors and a sense of mutual adventure.
For some, camping may also mean dirt, buzzing insects and a hard ground to sleep on but before you know it, you will enjoy the hiking, playing in the lake and even just sitting by the campfire at night, listening to stories of the past. If you happen to camp in northwestern US coastal areas, you can even go cod fishing.
Reviews for popular camping sites can be found on the internet and other camping-related forums. Reading reviews is worth the effort as this will help you check out hiking trails, water sports, types of recreation and activities that are available near the campsites you chose, and you can therefore plan the activities for every member of your family. Below are reviews of a few popular camping sites you might find helpful.
Cinnamon Bay Campground Review
“If you like real camping, you’ll love this place!” says one camp reviewer when asked about Cinnamon Bay. The reviewer further states that the beach is really quiet, usually empty early in the morning and in the evenings, the bathrooms usually clean, showers were really cool, and there was a large outdoor sink for washing dishes or clothes.
One reviewer who stayed at the site last April 2011 says that if you like rough living, the place is for you – with a pull chain to run your shower with cold water as the only option, a yellow jacket wasp nest above your shower area, moldy curtains and old and stained plates and cups, but all in all, the beach is really great.
Yellowstone Campground Reviews
There are a lot of reasons why Yellowstone was named as the top National Park in the USA. Covering Wyoming, Montana and Idaho, it is also the first national park founded in 1872 in the United States. Yellowstone provides children the opportunity to learn about geology, history, wildlife, and home to a number of wild animals including black bear, wolves, bison and elk. A great place for kids, preteens, and teenagers, the park has a full game room that is free for kids. If these are not enough, they can go hiking, boating, and explore the park.
One accountant guy who rated the site says, “The tent spots were packed in tight, each with a table, fire pit, and cooking grate and the areas by the lake have lots of mosquitoes.” Traffic is congested in the summer because of lack of public transportation. Overall, reviews are positive.
Cherrystone Campground Reviews
Being reviewed may offer some advantages as well as its disadvantages. Such is the case about Cherrystone. Nestled in the woods, it sits on a 300-acre waterfront in Virginia’s Eastern shore and is a great campground. They have beautiful log cabins and great amenities such as pool, mini golf, a bait and tackle shop and a well-stocked general store. On the negative side, some reviews say they have a declining customer service.
Pigeon Forge Campgrounds Reviews
With 13 campsites, Pigeon Forge is a place for camping that meets all your needs – from bare essentials like laundry facilities to carnival shows and rides. A haven for festivals, Pigeon Forge is a vacation in itself. Pigeon Forge still remains the destination of choice for a lot of families visiting the area albeit a few negative reviews on some attractions such as the Jurassic Jungle Boat Ride, “This is the worst ride in Pigeon Forge. Nice concept, but only worth half the admission. For $8.00, this would be OK, but they charge way too much.” Overall, reviews are commenting on Pigeon Forge as being “pricey”.
Lake Laurie Campground Reviews
If you happen to be in New Jersey, you can enjoy a great deal of things to do at Lake Laurie including local attractions nearby such as Starlight and Twilight Party Boats. On-site you can play golf, fishing, whitewater paddling, and swimming. Amenities abound as well as nearby beaches, boardwalks, shopping, fine dining, antique shops, boating, fishing trips, flea markets and much more, although one reviewer has this to say, “it was the worse camping experience ever. Cars and golf carts speeding up and down at all hours. So much for quiet hours at 10pm. Radios were loud till 2:30am. Pool was green. Bathrooms were muddy. No toilet paper. Raccoon out during day light. We told the office. They told us there was nothing they could do. Needless to say, we didn’t sleep the entire time we were there. ”
Michigan Campground Reviews
Endowed with lakes, rivers and beautiful landscapes and forests, Michigan campground is top hunting grounds year in and out and has the finest camping facilities in the Midwest United States. Michigan campsite is a family friendly park that offers activities such as hiking, mountain biking, swimming, fishing, boating, hunting while nearby lakes is a delight for people who love to go goose and duck hunting. Overall, Michigan raked in positive reviews as a great camping site although 99% of of the public beaches of lake Michigan does not allow dogs.
Gettysburg Campground Reviews
If you want to go camping on an RV, Gettysburg have shady or sunny RV sites that can literally accommodate any RV size. It has 260 sites and is bordered by a beautiful Marsh creek. Not to worry if your RV is not in top condition because Gettysburg is the only campsite that has facilities for RV repair.
Camping at Gettysburg is like a vacation that is filled with history. Perfect for children for learning historical sites and personalities through watching actual reenactments of a battle. Overall reviews came out positive with some isolated negative comments about not having restroom facilities for the handicapped and some flooding in some tent areas which were brought about by torrential rains.
RV Campground Reviews
For some people, the idea of camping has changed a lot with the advent of RVs or recreational vehicles. For starters, having an RV does not restrict camping in a tent and spending uncomfortable nights sleeping on the hard ground. For people not wanting to sacrifice comfort but still want to experience nature in a pleasurable way, RV camping is an option. Reviews for this particular type of campsite are extremely valuable because any wide traveler knows that RV parks are not created the same. Worse, finding a campground when you’re already on the road may be hard and challenging and you end up settling on a campsite that is not ideal for you.
Where to Get Campgrounds Reviews?
The internet has plenty of resources for reviews on camping sites and online communities where you can get tips from veteran campers. RV park review directories can also help you find a campground and provide you an updated listing of campgrounds across the United States.
Just remember, campground reviews reflect people’s differing opinions of a perfect campground, so when reading reviews, always think about your needs and no one else’s.
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