Is it just me?

[GeneF]

DW and I just got back from a few days at a very nice campground.

Sites were large
Bathrooms were modern and clean.  
Store was well stocked
Cable and Wifi were free
Three pools
Several activities
Campground was very clean
Camped with two other very nice couples and enjoyed ourselves.
Swimming beach was available.
Excellent seafood restaurant not far from the cg
Plenty of touristy things to do.

I would rate the cg a 9

However, DW and I agree that we would not go back.

Reason, just to much going on.  We prefer the simplicity of a state or national park with or without hookups.  We enjoy lakeside camping and just a campfire with friends.  We don't need activities other than what we can do ourseslves  such as fish, hike, kayak, etc.  We don't need the tv or laptop.  These were the types  of cg's that we took our kids too when they camped with us.

How do others feel?

[sewserious]

We feel the same except we never took our kids camping places like that when they were camping with us and we don't take our granddaughters places like that now.

[cyclone]

I agree completely with you - I grew up camping in state parks (mostly in a tent) without all the extra amenities.  All we really needed was hiking and a place to swim.  If there were paddleboats for rent, we thought that was a bonus!  And, we played lots of card games.   However, I would gladly camp in a cg such as you just experienced if you and your DW were there, too.l

[campdaddy]

No Gene it's not just you. We're the same. We much prefer the relative solitude of state parks to the kind of CG that has it all. Our favorite camp outings have been to state park campgrounds that were isolated and were laid back. See Tar Hollow And while we are friendly enough and will ofttimes meet our neighboring campers, perhaps sharing drinks or just chatting, we don't feel shunned if we don't meet our neighbors either. Our purpose in our camping activities is get away, relax, kick back, and take it easy. We will use our camp site as a home base to go and see the local sites and tourist attractions, we don't run ourselves ragged trying to do it all either. We just completed a 10 day camping trip. The first 5 days was at Mammoth Cave in KY. While the campground itself didn't have all the bells and whistles, the area was full of touristy stuff to do -and we did most of it. The second 5 days we spent at a State Park in eastern Tennessee where we didn't do much but sit around the campfire with family at night and walked or hiked by the lake during the day. DW and I both agreed we enjoyed the second part of our trip better than the first. We were much more relaxed. We especially like those campground/campsites that over look a lake or a stream surrounded by big old shade trees. Our ideal campsite would be in a State Park (with electric and water) with an isolated site surrounded by old growth trees and woods on three sides and a bubbling brook running nearby were we can use the sound of the water to lullaby us to sleep at night.

[mike4947]

Gene, you've given a pretty good description of the difference between RV'ing and camping.
We prefer to camp, to the point hookups don't really matter, but we also RV where we have a destination to explorer. Then having the free WIFI, cable, etc is nice after a hard day of "touristing"...LOL

[ForestCreature]

Gene you know I'll agree with that.(that's part of why we travel so well together) We prefer the State/National Forests & Parks.
The gas prices have kept us closer to home and in the State Parks the past few years. The good forest CGs  are all at least a tank of gas away and we can't justify a 2 day weekend costing that much.

The only times we have camped in a private park was for the TN rally (that was a first and total culture shock to us) Also to camp with groups a few times.

Even the state parks is relatively new to us in our camping life , it was always forests. My son never had a lack of entertainment back in the woods as a kid.

[tlhdoc]

I am currently camping at a campground with free WI-FI, cable, swimming pool, lake, many, many activities.  I am here for a rally.  Other wise I wouldn't be here.  I am also a SP/NP camper.

[coach]

I'm not familiar with those type of camping places.
I go to NP or SP.
Apparently I have not missed out.

[OC Campers]

If I am camping at a rally, this type of cg is perfect.  I want the amenities so the kids can go off and play and enjoy time with their friends.  If we are camping as a family or with one  other person, I prefer a littl emore solitude.  Which only a state or national park can provide.  Now I do have to admit it is real nice having water and electric hookups:rolleyes: so when we find a state park with water and electric it is the best.
 
Jacqui

[campdaddy]

...... I want the amenities so the kids can go off and play and enjoy time with their friends.......
Jacqui

I'll have to agree. Add to my list of things that make up a perfect campgrounds is at least one really really great playground for DD'03. I still want the solitude and relative isolation, but a really great playground along with other kids her age to play with would add so much to her camping satisfaction.

[NUBBS]

First off Good Question


I am 50% with you on that. If their is a big football game or something esle i want to see on tv i might stay home that weekend so i could watch it, but if i know the camp ground has free wifi or free cable hook-up's than i am much more likely to go camping and watch the game outside by the camp fire with friends or fellow campers and where we could tease each other about whos winning or losing. Now if their is no big game on tv that weekend than Yes i do agree with you 100%.

[dthurk]

We're with you, too, Gene.  We prefer the public campgrounds over the private ones.  The fewer the hookups and more sparse the sites, the better.  We were at Allegheny National Forest recently, sites were so far apart we couldn't see our neighbors.  Trees on all 4 sides of us.  Wonderful.

Say hello to Terry for us!

[threebeachboys]

DW and I just got back from a few days at a very nice campground.

Reason, just to much going on.  We prefer the simplicity of a state or national park with or without hookups.  We enjoy lakeside camping and just a campfire with friends.  We don't need activities other than what we can do ourseslves  such as fish, hike, kayak, etc.  We don't need the tv or laptop.  These were the types  of cg's that we took our kids too when they camped with us.

How do others feel?

Well, I prefer just camping at the state park, relaxing under the awning, reading, enjoying the water.

But the park you stayed at has its place.  It is really more "vacation" camping. . . . it's nice to have new, different things for the kids to do.  

Pam

[rgfalcon]

I'll chime in for the otherside.

I can certainly do without the TV and Wifi, but I enjoy spending a weekend with my family enjoying the games/activities, swimming, beaches and lakes that these sites over.

It may not be the defnition of 'camping' but it does bring a family together and create great memories, and that's what's important.

What's not camping: is spending a weekend in a bus, or dragging around a huge tin box that no one steps outside of, or leaving a dog stuck in a crate whining and barking.

My definition of camping is a day spent more outside than in, spending time with your family, un-plugging from the technology, eating good food, talking and making memories while enjoying the great outdoors.

Camping's not where you go, but how you do it.

[CajunCamper]

GeneF, I'm with ya brother. One of our favorite campgrounds near our home is on a lake, no hook ups, the sites are so big your nearest neighbor is at least 100 yards away and all the sites are very wooded. We hike, kayak, fish, swim in the lake, cook, eat, nap, sit around the campfire, star gaze, play cards or domino's and if we're lucky we make the trip with two or three other families that all enjoy the same type of camping and we talk and laugh and enjoy each others company.

Who has time for cable or wifi? Oh and by the way, if the big game is on, most of the time we'll listen to it on the radio around the campfire just like I did with my dad when I was a kid.

CajunCamper