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Monday, September 10, 2018

Review: Somes Sound View Campground, Mt. Desert Island, ME

Bottom Line: Well-kept campground on Somes Sound and adjacent to the Acadia National Park and close to Bar Harbor Maine.

Our family landed at Somes Sound View for five nights. We chose it because not many of the campgrounds in the area had the same kind of views and a lot of the features one would expect from a regular RV campground. Due to the region this campground is not open in the winter.

Acadia National Park is a real destination and provides a ton of outdoors entertainment, and Bar Harbor is a nice town that has a lot of things to do. There are plenty of campgrounds to choose from in the area, but Somes Sound View has everything one would need. Despite not being a chain the grounds were very clean and well maintained. The office is small and has firewood and ice for sale.

The weather in August was very nice for those us that live in the South. The evenings were around 60F and the days got up to the low 80s so there was no need for air conditioning. The site we had (11A) was a little sloped toward the water, but someone with a couple of blocks would be able to level up. It was not enough to cause any suffering. There were dozens of sites in a big ring around the old quarry (with a free paddle boat and fishing) and down the bank toward the sound. We had no trouble with noise and I did not see any permanent campers which is a good thing.

Features: tent sites, RV sites with 30a/20a/water (limited to 30' or less), fire rings, bath house, heated pool, dock access to Somes Sound, fishing, and kayak rentals.

Summary:
Somes Sound View Campground is nice and about as fully featured as could be expected considering where it is. I give it seven out of ten stars.
Somes Sound View Campground (Official Site)
5 Spinnaker Way
Mount Desert, ME 04660
Phone: (207) 244-3890
Web: https://ssvc.info/

Monday, September 3, 2018

Review: Rest N' Nest Campground, East Thetford, VT

Bottom Line: Beautiful sites and very nice weather in August.
Vermont is a beautiful state and this campground reflects that. The sites are spacious here while still being very wooded. This campground was one that is on my short list to come back to if in the area again, that alone is nothing short of great for me considering how I like to try new things.
There is a small pond for swimming on the bottom of the property with a slide and a sandy beach area which we did not try. It looked okay, but the above ground pool was clean and cool, perfect for an August day.
Overall, this campground was very comfortable and quiet with friendly neighbors. There is a little grocery store a few miles away and we were able to stock up and get supplies for the next few days. I think I paid $49 in total for one night.
Features: Pool (above ground), sandy pond beach for swimming, recreation hall, tent sites, RV sites (some pull-through) with 50a/30a/20a/sewer, playground, bath house, very small store.
Summary:
Rest N' Nest is a very peaceful place with a lot to offer. I give it seven out of ten stars.
Rest N' Nest (Official Site)
300 Latham Road
East Thetford, VT 05043
Phone: (802) 785-2997
Web: http://www.restnnest.com/

Friday, August 24, 2018

Review: Dorset RV Park, Dorset Vermont

Bottom Line: This is a nice, smaller campground in the woods.

This was the first time I have been to Vermont and the whole state was really beautiful. The campground was mostly shaded with tall evergreens, the roads were gravel, and there were few apparent permanent residents. The office is an old house that the owners might live in, and check in was quick and easy. This campground is only open from May to October.

Getting the 31ft "Crazy Train" into our spot took a couple of turns but the spot was quiet on the back edge of the ground, and had everything we needed. We had water, 30 amp electric, cable, and sewer. There was no wifi, which is fine for me. I had spotty LTE access in our site.

The tent sites were in their own wooded area behind the campground, and there were probably a dozen sites.

Features: Fire rings, tent sites, playground, bath house, store.

On the way in we did buy a pizza at the Manchester House of Pizza, and though expensive, the pizza was very tasty. We also stopped here so that we could visit the Hildene house, which is a family home of the Lincolns.

Summary:
Dorset RV Park is a very peaceful place with a lot to offer. I give it seven out of ten stars.
Dorset RV Park (Official Site)
1567 Route 30,
Dorset, VT 05251

Phone: 802-867-5754
Web: http://dorsetrvpark.com/

Sunday, August 19, 2018

Review: Indian Creek Camping Resort, Geneva-On-The-Lake, OH

Bottom line: This Campground is large and well kept, but you'll need to walk or have a car to more than see Lake Erie.

The front desk service were very friendly and took care of us quickly. The entry and exit roads were both two-lane and split with a median, and each has an electric gate.

This park has a number of small cabins for rent as well as the RV sites. There were some permanent residents as there always are but I did not get the feeling that the park was not well-kept.

We visited the playground first since there were kids in our party and there was nothing wrong with the areas at all. There was the typical tower gym with a wood chip base, and across the road there was another one with swings and a jungle gym. Next to the jungle gym was a large covered patio that would likely be used for large gatherings. There is a putt-putt mini golf on site, which I think was $5 per game. We did not play, but it looked clean and in good shape. They sold snacks and ice cream where they sold the mini golf ticket. We did not visit the pool.

The bath house that we used was in good shape and clean.

The resort has a very well stocked store with gas and diesel and an adjacent restaurant called "The Loft." There must be some prohibition in Ohio about selling full-strength alcohol because the liquor was all watered down and specially labeled. The store had pretty much everything one would need and more. It was much larger than a typical campground store. The Loft restaurant was kind of like a sports bar. The service and food were both okay, nothing special but nothing wrong either.

This campground is across the road from Lake Erie, and there is a walkway to get there. Unfortunately, the water access is owned by a condominium and the walkway only allows a "view" of the lake. I was told that a mile or so down the road was public access and a lot of other businesses and restaurants, but not having a car and with kids in tow, we decided not to do that. I might have done that with a two night stay.

I think I paid $32 in total for one night, which was a great deal. There is a $5/day fee if you bring your own golf car.

Features: Good LTE signal, 2 heated pools, restaurant, catch-and-release fishing (lake), Lake Erie view, free wifi, 30/50 amp, sewage hookup, picnic area, showers, laundry facilities, and hundreds of spaces in the open and under trees.

Summary:
Indian Creek Camping Resort is a one-stop shop with lots of amenities and activities for kids. I give it seven out of ten stars.
Indian Creek Camping Resort (Official Site)
4710 Lake Road East,
Geneva On The Lake, OH 44041

Phone: 888-886-2477
Web: https://www.sunrvresorts.com/resorts/midwest/ohio/indian-creek/