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ret155 · 08-02-2015, 05:44 PM

My wife and I read about this fabulous place in Lake George NY. Trip advisor had bad reviews but we decided because it hit the rivot, we would give it a shot. 1000 campers here and we are the only airstream. Sardine city, 84 dollars to park in a spot that barely held the camper. Manager was nice when I complained and told me it was a top ten spot. it may be, but not for airstreamers.''

be careful

philipsinewe · 08-02-2015, 05:47 PM

What was the campground name?

Msmoto · 08-02-2015, 05:53 PM

I look carefully at reviews.....if several folks say it is bad, I will not waste my money. Also, reviews must be in the past six months....

My experience has been very good using reviews from the past six months and looking at them carefully.

Another tool is Google maps, or Google Earth, looking at the actual site. One can see how crowded the overall campground is in many case.

AldeanFan · 08-02-2015, 06:01 PM

I always read reviews but I try to determine if the person writing the review is like me. For example when I was looking for a resort in Mexico, one review said the place was full of hot girls and it was a 24hr party and that the reviewer would be back again next spring break. The next review complained about the loud music, the drunk college girls and the number of stairs. That reviewer was not returning. So if your a college student on spring break 5 stars, if your a senior looking for a quiet week at the beach no stars. I was neither so I went someplace else.

I hate what I call parking lot campgrounds because we like to sit outside, cook outside and have a campfire in the evening. State and provincial parks are some of our favourites. Others want to sit inside away from the bugs and only want a spot that's flat and long enough for their pusher or 5er. A highly rated campground might be one we want to avoid if it's highly rated for the wrong reasons.

Protagonist · 08-02-2015, 07:20 PM

I never read reviews for campgrounds. What I will do is find the campground on Google Earth and get a satellite view of it.

For me, camping mostly in the Gulf Coast states where beating the heat is a full-time job, the ideal satellite view shows so much tree cover that it's hard to even tell where the campsites are. Some Corps of Engineers campgrounds are like that, and some State Parks, but no commercial campgrounds have that kind of tree cover. Commercial campgrounds need to turn a profit, and so will have as many spaces as the law and the terrain permit.

That said, I attend a lot of WBCCI rallies with my Unit, and rally organizers tend to like all of the attendees close together, and generally in campgrounds without much tree cover for an elderly camper to back into by mistake. So I end up spending a lot of my camping time in campgrounds without a tree to be seen. But even then the satellite view is useful, because it will tell me if the campsites are far enough apart to deploy an awning or if the rigs are crammed in cheek by jowl.

So far the worst campsite for me was the KOA just outside Lafayette, LA. The sites had full hookups, but they were so close together that my neighbor's sewer hookup was under my awning!

BoldAdventure · 08-02-2015, 07:40 PM

https://www.campendium.com

dougandlori · 08-02-2015, 08:46 PM

Thanks for the site https://www.campendium.com.
Another great resource.

SCOTTinNJ · 08-02-2015, 08:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ret155

My wife and I read about this fabulous place in Lake George NY. Trip advisor had bad reviews but we decided because it hit the rivot, we would give it a shot. 1000 campers here and we are the only airstream. Sardine city, 84 dollars to park in a spot that barely held the camper. Manager was nice when I complained and told me it was a top ten spot. it may be, but not for airstreamers.''

be careful

Heading to lake george soon. What campsite should I avoid?

m.hony · 08-03-2015, 11:09 AM

There is a website that shows actual pictures of every campsite in an RV campground.
That, Google maps satellite view, and reviews are helpful.
I try to stay at 5 star rated places and generally have good luck.
Also, ask on Airforums. I have received helpful hints on campgrounds from fellow 'Forums members.

urnmor · 08-03-2015, 11:27 AM

Great thread as I was also wondering how one picks a campground and a site. Thanks for the idea of goggle earth.

"Also, ask on Airforums. I have received helpful hints on campgrounds from fellow 'Forums members."

Totally agree the folks on the forum are a wealth of info regarding places to stay. I recently asked about the Finger Lake region in NY and also for places in PA. The responses were great. Now I just have to make a decision

CaddyGrn · 08-03-2015, 11:32 AM

I often use Google earth views as well. In addition I do a Google image search for the name of the campground. Mostly I trust my friends or other Airstreamers who have actually been to a spot! If desperate... we will use a parking lot campground, but it is always the very last choice (other than a Walmart parking lot, that is the lowest of the low in my book...)

rtaylor537 · 08-03-2015, 11:51 AM

Use:
Airstream Parks

xrvr · 08-03-2015, 11:55 AM

Some airstreamers prefer parks like that. It's best not to generalize. Most airstreamers I've met would rather be in a Koa than a state park. Just my experience.

SeeMore · 08-03-2015, 11:57 AM

Next time stay at Roger's Rock Campground (a state park) on the west side of the lake pretty close to Ticonderoga but an easy drive to Lake George if you want to do things in the city.

m.hony · 08-03-2015, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by avionstream

Some airstreamers prefer parks like that. It's best not to generalize. Most airstreamers I've met would rather be in a Koa than a state park. Just my experience.

Really?
This Airstreamer prefers state parks with lake views.

Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

n2916s · 08-03-2015, 01:10 PM

I truly prefer COE, State Parks and National Parks, Forests and Preserves. Have stayed at some nice private campgrounds when no other choice available but many others have been a disappointment. RV Park Reviews is very helpful but I always disregard the best review and the worst review and that seems to work pretty well.

I scrupulously avoid any campground that has "resort" as part of the name.

Mike

Wingeezer · 08-03-2015, 01:16 PM

For me, it's campgroundreviews.com plus a looks on googlemaps satellite if it sounds promising.

I don't get put off if there is just one bad rv review - the people could have had a one off bad experience - it might even have been their fault. But if there is a predominance of bad reviews then O do take it seriously and look elsewhere.

The satellite view really helps to get a feel of how tonight the spots are, what the amenities look like, surrounding area etc.

If you like parks with a bit more space, it isn't easy to find those close in to very popular tourist spots like Make George. If you really want t go there, ten t is often something you just have t resign yourself to!

Brian.

GammaDog · 08-03-2015, 02:29 PM

Another vote for Google maps satellite view (or Google Earth). Another resource we use is campsitephotos.com. That one allows you to see specific sites at ground level. ReserveAmerica and Recreation.gov frequently have ground level views too.

To each his own, but our method works for the type of sites we want to stay at. In June we passed a KOA in Rock Spring, WY on I80. It was full and treeless. The choice shady spots appeared to be the ones closest to the 50' tall gasoline storage tanks for the truck stop next door. We drove an additional 30 minutes to what turned out to be one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen -- Firehole Canyon campground in the Ashley National Forest. Plenty of room there. Here's the view literally from the trailer (granted... with an Eddie Bauer its from the open hatch... but it's the view that went with our morning coffee)

GenXair · 08-03-2015, 02:49 PM

SCOTTinNJ-
I just returned from the Lake George area and stayed at Adirondack Camping Village. It's a nice clean campground with tall trees and nice facilities. The camp grounds seem as though each section were tiered with valleys between the back of my trailer and the next area, both a plus a minus. The plus side is a nice view from the rear of the trailer. The minus is the location of the sewage hole on my trailer and their sewage dump pipe. I couldn't use the slinky but was happy and abel to use my backup SewerSolution. =)

I must note that they're seems to be a lot of popup campers and you could hear everything. I had to call the office once, during my week, regarding some new loud neighbors and it was handled quickly. =)

If you decide to stay there I would recommend using the Citgo gas station on Route 9 (good prices) and further down that road is a well stocked grocery store. To find both just head north of the camp. Enjoy

*This is for anyone interested in finding campgrounds.*
I have been using an App from Allstays called Camp & RV for the past few years and absolutely LOVE IT!!! Best investment I made for my trip planning.

philipsinewe · 08-03-2015, 03:22 PM

Still not sure I understand the original post.

1: We read about this fabulous place

2: Reviews (key being plural) from Trip Adviser indicate it is not so fabulous

3: We go anyway

4: Stunned to find it is not so nice

5: Tell us not to believe what you read, when in fact, it appears that you actually can believe what you read.

6: Don't tell anyone the name of the campground

The rest of the followup comments are very helpful resource.