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crappie_fisherm's avatar
Oct 12, 2013

White Acres Campground - Bardstown KY...STAY AWAY!!!

DO NOT STAY HERE!!!

We have stayed at a LOT of campgrounds in our RV life...and have always planned ahead by making reservations in advance...

So we were planning to do the Bourbon Trail in KY this year on our way back home to Indiana from Gatlinburg.

So we called White Acres to make a reservation 3 months in advance of our arrival date. I personally spoke with the owner Doris White. We are planners and don't just show up...especially since we have moved into our 40' motor home since we know we just can't "show up" someplace and expect to fit. Mrs. White took our name and the dates for our stay. That's all she did...no email confirmation, no credit card, nothing but my name and date of arrival and departure...at that point I was nervous...but this is her business and that's apparently how she runs it...well...let me tell you...the way she runs her business is to not have anything of true "reservations" because after driving 3 hours up from Gatlinburg and doing a couple of the local distilleries on the bourbon trail (the whole reason for our trip) we show up at White Acres only to be told the only sites they had were 1) extremely unlevel and not long enough for a 40' coach or 2) park in a field with only electric and water with no sewer (we didn't dump black in Gatlinburg as we were only there 4 nights so we needed the hookup).

The gentleman that was there at the time of our arrival was the CG "manager" and not Mrs. White. He tried to explain to me how 1) the people there had reservations 2) some had extended their stays. Basically he was very rude and really didn't care what my situation was.

Firstly 1) We HAD a reservation and 2) When I try to 'extend' in 'normal' CG's if the site is NOT BOOKED I can extend...at least on places that "take reservations" and not First Come First Served...so this was a first...

I tried to politely explain that I had called months ago and spoke with Mrs. White for my reservation so she knew what her other reservations at the time were when she agreed to take mine and she knew the size of our rig at that time and that an extremely unlevel site would not be acceptable for a 40' coach.

Mind you it is later in the day in pretty rural Kentucky...what are my choices?...well...we found a real campground that actually values their customers...Lil Patch of Heaven in Bardstown http://litpacthofheaven.com/...the owner there Lou is customer focused and was able to accomodate us on short notice.

My advice to anyone thinking about camping in Bardstown...avoid the poor customer service and amature and completely unorganized place of White Acres...they will "promise" you a reservation and then have you scrambling like me at the 11th hour when they have given your space away to someone else knowing that they have other reservations coming in...RUN AWAY FROM THIS PLACE and go to Lil Patch...

For the record...I have NO affiliation with Lil Patch...just a dissatisfied customer that was treated very poorly at White Acres.

Joe
  • So. The next time you get down this way. Come over to the NC High Country, and try Raccoone Holler. Between Mile Post 257, and 258 on the Blue Ridge Parkway. It's a great, Quiet CG, right on the BRP. Full hookups. No deposit. Do call for res.

    BTW. We plan as well. Not towing the TT up the mountain, or to the coast, and then try to find a place to put it. Life is too short.
  • Thanks for the HT. White Acres is now on our black list. Glad you enjoyed the trail. Did you get any BBQ?
  • westernrvparkowner wrote:
    Did they actually tell you that the sites they had left were "very unlevel and too short for a 40 foot MH" or did you make that determination after viewing the sites? We occasionally have people who decide a site is unsuitable for their rig even though we have had bigger rigs in them.
    In your defense, it sounds like they have a crappy system that didn't work for a crappie fisherman.


    When I showed up and the guy said "let me show you what's left and you can decide if you want it"...I kind of knew I should start grabbing my ankles...

    When he showed me the site...the elevation difference from front to back (not side to side) was easily 3 to 4' in elevation difference...there is no way my levelers could have done that even if I was willing to give it a try...my front wheels would have been off the ground by FEET! and I'm not convinced the back end wouldn't have been bottomed out on the ground...leveling a coach front to back (as you know) is much different than a TT...so no...it was unsuitable and the guy knew it and that was why he said "let me show you"...I guess he felt if I thought it would work I should make that determination...which it clearly would not have...plus the overall length would have been undoable too...as my rear end would have been into the untrimmed brush and then compressing it and my nose slightly into the road...seriously elevated!

    Thank you for your honest and witty response. :-)

    Joe.
  • Did they actually tell you that the sites they had left were "very unlevel and too short for a 40 foot MH" or did you make that determination after viewing the sites? We occasionally have people who decide a site is unsuitable for their rig even though we have had bigger rigs in them.
    In your defense, it sounds like they have a crappy system that didn't work for a crappie fisherman.
  • psi500 wrote:
    Sorry about the misunderstanding, but how was the bourbon? Where you able to drive thru the Smokey Mnt N P


    psi,

    if you've never done the bourbon trail...DO IT...I've enjoyed bourbon for years and after the first 2 days and ~9 distilleries...I have learned stuff about bourbon and distilleries that I would have never learned...this is a highly recommended trip/outing even for non bourbon drinkers.

    Tomorrow is for Jim Beam, Makers Mark and Limestone Branch.

    Also the town of Bardstown is a neat place all to itself worth the visit as well.

    Apparently the limestone rich water here is what makes the mash so special...

    FWIW...I've got hundreds of dollars of bourbon on the bus...LOL...

    As far as Smoky Mtn NP...yes...we were able to drive through is about all...the park rangers wouldn't let you in areas but were on duty to STOP YOU...go figure...our tax dollars at work...but it isn't their fault...sadly our legislators should have been forced to work the NP's to answer to their constituants and Obama should have been there too since he is part of the problem instead of being the leader he needs to be like Clinton and Reagan did when they had to deal with this...

    Joe.
  • Sorry about the misunderstanding, but how was the bourbon? Where you able to drive thru the Smokey Mnt N P
  • crappie_fisherman wrote:
    agesilaus,

    I just did...thanks for the tip...

    What a crazy experience we had at this place...in all the places we've stayed...we had NEVER been treated so poorly and unprofessionally and I want others to know about it.

    thanks again for the tip.

    Joe.


    I feel your pain. That happened to us at Secluded Valley near Newland NC. Made reservations, and when we got there they wanted us to take a less desirable site than the one we reserved, because someone decided to stay an extra night. We also moved on, and have not been back. After all, Ain't that what they call them reservations. They reserve a site? I did my part. I showed up.
  • agesilaus,

    I just did...thanks for the tip...

    What a crazy experience we had at this place...in all the places we've stayed...we had NEVER been treated so poorly and unprofessionally and I want others to know about it.

    thanks again for the tip.

    Joe.

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