Never again

[Jebster]

Never again on a holiday weekend. Camped at Natural Springs Resort in New Paris, Ohio this weekend. The campground is very nice, albeit many of the sites are way too small. We were there with 5 other couples who we have camped many times with. It became obvious early on that many who were there do not camp much. Couldn't tell you how many times people just walked through our site, or I saw walking through other campers sites. Way too many golf carts also, and too many kids driving golf carts. It became too congested to even walk our dogs. The campgound also did not enforce their 5 mph speed limit or the 1 vehicle to a site rule.I have never seen so many cars in a campgound before. The quiet hours, for the most part, were adhered to. We made the best of it, but will not camp here.....or on a major holiday weekend again. Lesson learned.

[Sue_Bee]

We have a kid in school, and therefore, the time that we have available is the same time that many others do. We went camping with a bunch of neighbors, it was wet, it was cold, it was muddy, the group site was much smaller than advertised, there were lots of loud people, barking dogs, etc.. But we had fun. If I had gone thinking that it was going to be peaceful and quiet and that there would not be loud kids and dogs and music, I might have been annoyed. At some point, the kid will be in college, then we will be able to go when we want to go, as opposed to when the kid is off and we wont be competing with everyone else.

[pegdiver]

Sitting here at Tawas Point State Park in Michigan. Campground was full for the holiday. Lots of family or friends groups. Lots of kids and cars. Lots of campfires (it was cold!) Didn't notice any problems all weekend. I think a good time was enjoyed by all. Now it is almost empty.
We enjoyed our holiday weekend here.

[Devocamper]

We are lucky that we have enough chances to get out that we do not have to go on the holiday weekends,We have not been out on a holiday in many years for the reasons the OP wrote about. We normally go out the week after a holiday .

[Itching2go]

paulcardoza wrote:
Hmmmmmmm.... Nothing more irritating than a bunch of people having more fun than me! :R

We have peace & quiet all week and most every non-holiday weekend. The holiday crowd is pure entertainment. I'll scold site cutters and they most always comply, but other than that, we just watch the show!

It's actually refreshing to see kids out and about these days, without a video game console in their hands. Reminds me more of when I was a kid and we spent all day outside playing.

If it were such a big deal, we would have bought 10 acres and put a pad in the center........

X2, Paul. Just spent the weekend at Brown County State Park in southern Indiana. Place was packed and noisy during the day, which is exactly what we expected. We really enjoyed watching the families with kids as it reminded us of our 'old days' when we'd head out with ours... sans TV, radios, video games, etc, etc. Just kids walking around or riding their bikes, and family groups sitting around their campfires having a good time. Now that everyone has left and we pretty much have the place to ourselves, it's almost spooky how empty it is! Don't get me wrong... I like 'empty' and quiet, but I also enjoy the business at times, especially when it's great family fun.

[empty_nest]

To each their own, but I avoid camping on holidays as well as going to to the lake(s). Just too much traffic and congestion; on the roads and at the venues.

[paulcardoza]

Hmmmmmmm.... Nothing more irritating than a bunch of people having more fun than me! :R

We have peace & quiet all week and most every non-holiday weekend. The holiday crowd is pure entertainment. I'll scold site cutters and they most always comply, but other than that, we just watch the show!

It's actually refreshing to see kids out and about these days, without a video game console in their hands. Reminds me more of when I was a kid and we spent all day outside playing.

If it were such a big deal, we would have bought 10 acres and put a pad in the center........

[Terryallan]

smkettner wrote:

Terryallan wrote:

smkettner wrote:
I call these amateur weekends.

Yeah. You guys that get paid to camp are way better at it. I don't get paid to camp, So after 33 years of doing it. I'm still an amateur.

If you count paid vacation then yes I suppose that is true.

Still I often dread the weekends. Been this way since I started camping as a kid in the 60s so nothing really new.

No. paid vacation don't count.

[Tvov]

We camped this weekend at a private campground. Place was full of other campers, dogs, golf carts, people, drunk people, people smoking cigarettes, kids running around, dogs off leash, most of the campground rules ignored at various times, loud music, vehicles parked all over the place, kids on bicycles, campfires, campfire smoke, etc etc. We had a blast! It was exactly what I expected for this past weekend.

When my son and I camp at a state rustic campground next month to go hiking in the forest, I expect quiet evenings and few people - and we'll have a blast!

See you on the road!

[beachball42]

I camped at Natural Spings two years ago and had a similar experience. The campground was crowded, loud and someone's dog jumped on our screen house and tore a hole in it and the dogs owner didn't seem to care at all. Will not go back to this campground and would not recommend this place even on a normal weekend.

[rockhillmanor]

TyroneandGladys wrote:
When we had a boat we never went out on a holiday weekend because it was too crowded and too dangerous.

X2
I even took my boat out of the slip every weekend.

I think owning a boat first before an RV is what gave me insight and prepared me for all things involving "weekend-warriors".

[bikendan]

M GO BLUE wrote:
Ah yes those "seasonal campers" ruin it for the ones who try to enjoy it...we gave it up on the three major summer holidays because if them - tow three times per year and most don't know what they are doing, have no respect for others, etc.

we even avoid the entire summer for the same reasons. and we not even retired!
in California, competition for summer and holiday campsites is at such a high level, we leave it to those who can only go in the summer or on holidays and have to put up with the insanity.

we willing to take time off during the week and the other 9 months of the year.

[time2roll]

Terryallan wrote:

smkettner wrote:
I call these amateur weekends.

Yeah. You guys that get paid to camp are way better at it. I don't get paid to camp, So after 33 years of doing it. I'm still an amateur.

If you count paid vacation then yes I suppose that is true.

Still I often dread the weekends. Been this way since I started camping as a kid in the 60s so nothing really new.

[Veebyes]

We spent our weekend holed up in a mostly seasonal CG, Rogue River, OR. Met some of the locals. Had a great time. Hitting the road again tomorrow. Headed for one of those, now empty, state parks.

[noe-place]

We stayed home and DW cleaned the house while I mowed and did yardwork. Today I played a round of golf and lounged around this evening. I learned the hard way too on spring break while getting stuck in traffic for hours around Atlanta. :S We'll never go to Florida on spring break again unless somebody pays me!:W

[reubenray]

I still consider myself an amateur, but I know not to go during a major holiday. We leave on Wednesday instead for 17 nights. If not for the crowded campgrounds it would be the traffic/drivers.