Worst campground

[kimrb266]

Our worst campgound was TT Pio Pico (San Diego).  We had a free weekend camping trip and when we got there, we noticed that we were the only campers there.  Everyone else were full timers with no other children in sight.  There was nothing to do there to occupy our time except for a playground for the kids.  The problem with the playground was that the slides didn't work.  Yes, they wouldn't slide.  DH gave them a whirl and he had to scoot down them.  Not much else on the playground to do so that was a short visit.  
 
In order for us to the free camping trip, we had to attend their sales pitch that didn't bother us.  It was posponed 3x and by that time it was our turn, we knew we weren't interested in purchasing.  We told them we weren't interested and they got mad.  We were entitled to a $50 Camping World Certificate but we were told that because we didn't listen to their whole speel and we didn't tour the campground, we didn't qualify for the gift.  When we got home, we complained to TT management and got the certificate in the mail.  
 
Since this experience, we've camped at 1 other TT campground in Yosemite and found it too was nothing special.

[SherryandFamily]

Our worst experience was an Americamps at Lake Gaston.  We got there on Friday night late.  Our first clue should have been the truck load of kids that went past us hooting and hollering while drinking beer in the bed of the truck.
We checked in anyway with our friends we were meeting there.
During the night it was very loud and we heard later there were a couple domestic disputes and the police were called in.
When we got up the next morning there was no water.  When we went to the bathhouse it was apparent there had been no water for some time as the toilets were full and couldn't be flused.
As we talked to our camping neighbors the theme was "this always happens on holiday weekends"
I went to the office to see what the status was and got a lot of attitude.  No estimated time of repair.  
A little while later I saw the owner or manager in his truck with PVC pipe in the back and asked him what the status was and discovered where the staff got their attitude!!
To make a long story short we started calling around and found another campground an hour and 1/2 away that still had sites so we left.
The weekend was salvaged, but I will never go back there!

[Dog]

Country Roads Campground in NY,,,,,,within an hour of ariving my son split his knee open on a very old rusting metal tent stake,and they dont enforce rules,my daughter ender up slashing he foot on a broken bottle in the pool area,aparently they knew there was broken glass but never got around to picking it up,kind of dirty,,,,in general a seasonals campground,they seemed to have preferance

[JimQPublic]

That's easy.  I could list the place in Baja with the toilet flowing out the restroom door, but we didn't actually stay there.

My #1 pick was dry, dusty, noisy, crowded.  Restrooms had huge deferred maintenance issues.  No picnic tables.  Unheated pools.  Unregulated use of modified golf-cart type things at all hours of day and night.  The worst part was that they have the audacity to charge $65 per night.  

Also the name had "Lakes" in it but the lake in question is private and not within sight of the campground, the highway, or the access road.

They do have a nice community center.  If they would just throw in a picnic table and do some basic maintenance on the restrooms it would be okay, though still overpriced.

Did I mention no picnic tables?  That's what totally set me against it.  Anytime I pay more than $5 for a campsite I expect a table.

Vail Lakes, Temecula, CA

[kimrb266]

That's easy. I could list the place in Baja with the toilet flowing out the restroom door, but we didn't actually stay there.
 
My #1 pick was dry, dusty, noisy, crowded. Restrooms had huge deferred maintenance issues. No picnic tables. Unheated pools. Unregulated use of modified golf-cart type things at all hours of day and night. The worst part was that they have the audacity to charge $65 per night.
 
Also the name had "Lakes" in it but the lake in question is private and not within sight of the campground, the highway, or the access road.
 
They do have a nice community center. If they would just throw in a picnic table and do some basic maintenance on the restrooms it would be okay, though still overpriced.
 
Did I mention no picnic tables? That's what totally set me against it. Anytime I pay more than $5 for a campsite I expect a table.
 
Vail Lakes, Temecula, CA

Don't sugar coat this campground Jim.  Ok, they may not be a 5 star campground, do you think maybe a 2 star.  It has become high priced, they don't enforce rules and don't seem to care about this issue.  We haven't gone into the pool because it always looks closed and I don't know how all the holes got into the bathroom walls.  It is extremely odd that they don't provide tables for our eatting enjoyment.  No thumbs up for us either.  The only good thing about this campground is that it is close to my mom and she comes down to visit with the kids.

[barbjeff]

I can't remeber the name of the campground, but it is a private Cg right across the road from Sandbanks PP in Ontario. My son and I were on a bicycle touring trip and needed a place to stay for the night. the prevoius two nights we had stayed in farm yards, with the owners permissin, along the road but now we wnated a hot shower.

Unfortunately Sandbanks had no sites left so we rode the very short distance to this CG. They had a site no problem.

The first red flag went up when we left the office and rode to the site passing a 1980 something rusted out K car that had been turned into a planter.

 Second red flag went up when we passed a traier with approx 50 empty beer cases stacked against the side wall. :! But it was late, getting dark, and the wind was blowing, a definite drag on a fully loaded bike.

The third red falg went up along with a few fireworks when the site they gave us was 12" under water. No problem a neighbour in a fith wheel let us use the back of his site, flat, dry, and shaded. the 5th wheel by the way only had a partial roof, the back 1/3 was a tarp. fixing a leak the guy said, his wife added that he had been fixing it for 2 months!!

No problem they had hat water in the shower house!! on the way there we passed a site, obviously seasonal, with a VW eurovan....you know the 68 flower power version, the stero was blasting Black Sabbath (that my son was impressed that I knew...aah the innocence of youth....if he only knew....) The wife, probably a really hot biker chick 25 years previously, was shaving her husband back on the picnic table using the handy electric razor!!!........

Could of sworn I heard banjos playing. :yikes:

[jstaddwtr]

State Park in Anderson, Indiana,   arrived late at night and snuggled up to a site by a clump of thick bushes.....super area until earlier in the morning before first light and a huge noise!   Behind the clump of trees was an airport runway.   Close enough to think they were going to land on us!  A very LOUD morning wake up it was!


Someplace near Dodge City, Kansas....tired for the night and had to stop but way too close to the cows!!!!  Took awhile to clear the sinuses when we left!

[tlhdoc]

State Park in Anderson, Indiana, arrived late at night and snuggled up to a site by a clump of thick bushes.....super area until earlier in the morning before first light and a huge noise! Behind the clump of trees was an airport runway. Close enough to think they were going to land on us! A very LOUD morning wake up it was!
 
 
Someplace near Dodge City, Kansas....tired for the night and had to stop but way too close to the cows!!!! Took awhile to clear the sinuses when we left!

How are you?  Did you sell your PU?  Do you still camp?  Miss seeing you!

[jstaddwtr]

Hey Tracy,  

Talked about it but couldn't!   Thanks for the welcome!   I will send you a note!   Hope family is fine!  I'll post on proper thread our 70 mile per hour wind adventure.  PUP's are stronger then I thought!


Thought of another one....Bar Harbor KOA just past the bridge as you enter the area.

Beautiful area but parked like a parking lot no more then 10 feet between.  You could see hear everyone cough or snore on both sides.
We should have gone to the state park!

[HouseInABox]

worst campground hmmmm....well even the worst campground we ever stayed at and there have been a few from sharing the bath house women certain hours men the others and the bath house had a huge hole in the center had to keep a very close eye on the kids! to one with pit toilets that were not taken care of and the stench reached 4 campsites away to having to pay for showers - that you had to run twice - i won't mention their names because they could have and i hope have changed since we've stayed there ...but we are campers and as campers we make do and the worst experiences provide some of the best memories...........and also some of the most laughter..

i noticed some of the worst had to do with bugs and i can't help but ask - we are outdoors sometimes bees and flies and mosquitos are particularly bad at times and again we are outdoors don't they fall into the category of bad weather - i don't think we can blame that on the campgrounds....asateaque park in maryland is polluted with horse flies but we expect them when we visit ...

just a thought