After spending the day visiting some of the attractions in New Hampshire’s Franconia Notch we decided to spend the night at one of the area KOAs.

The Littleton-Lisbon KOA is located on US Route 302, about 5 miles south of Littleton and I-93 exit 42. The campground is quite small (about 60 sites) and tucked between US Route 302 and the Ammonoosuc River. Most of the sites are for tenting or smaller RVs, but there are a few pull-thrus for larger rigs. Check in was quick and the staff was friendly and accommodating and included and escort to our site. Our 38′ class A had a tough time getting into our site and, while we were able to extend our slide-outs we couldn’t put out the awning because of low branches on several large pine trees. A minor problem, considering it was a last-minute call on a summer weekend and we were lucky to get one of the last sites available.

The campground’s interior roads are gravel. Campsites range from tree-shaded to grassy. Most sites are level, although some are a little small for larger RVs. There are several tenting sites right next to the shores of the Ammonoosuc River. The campground also has several Camping Cabins.

The park’s facilities are very clean and well maintained. Amenities include a small pool, hot tub/sauna, game room, snack bar, bike rentals and a nice little playground area for younger kids. The campstore is small but most of the basics (groceries and camping supplies) are in stock.

Pets are permitted here, although enforcement is a little lax… while our site was close to the manager’s residence, there was a nearby site with a dog that barked throughout the nite.

This KOA is in a fairly remote area, with really nothing within walking distance. Littleton, a town of about 4,400 is about 5 miles to the north. It’s the closest place if you’re in the mood for fast food or a Wal-Mart. While theres not much nearby, the Littleton-Lisbon KOA makes a great base to explore northern New Hampshire and Vermont.

Finally! After a long, cold and snowy New England winter, camping season was officially here. Yeah, I know… it’s only May and I remember plenty of cold and rainy Memorial Day weekends, but even a bad weather vacation day is far better than a good day at work.

Our first camping trip of the year has always been an opportunity to see how well the RV made it through storage… but this year was different. We traded in the old RV for a brand new 38′ Class A and this was the first real opportunity to play with our new toy.

Ledgeview Village RV Park has been a regular stop for us over the past 15 years and we’ve never been disappointed. Since it’s been a year or two since our last stay, we decided to make it our first trip of the season.

Ledgeview Village is located about midway between Glens Falls and Lake George, New York, just west of US Route 9 on NY Route 149. The first thing you notice when you enter the campground is that this park is beautifully maintained. The gated property is always neatly mowed and landscaped. The paved entrance is wide and accommodating with plenty of room even during busy check-in periods. The owners and staff are friendly and accommodating. I stopped in about an hour after check-in to pick up some literature about the area and the person at the front desk went out of her way to ask about my interests and then pointed out a few publications that had what I was looking for.

The entire property is set in a forest of tall white pine. Most of the campground buildings are a rustic adirondack architecture. Interior roads are paved and well maintained, although a some are a little narrow. Nevertheless getting around won’t be a problem even if you’ve got a larger rig. Campsites are gravel, fairly level and comfortably large. Full hook-ups (30 & 50 amp) also include cable TV with an impressive amount of channels. Each campsite has a large picnic table and fire ring. The only problem we’ve had with our site was the amount of pine pitch that drips from the trees… but just about all the sites here are under pines so you just have to deal with it. Tents and pets are not permitted at this campground.

The laundry, restrooms and showers are clean and well maintained. Showers also include private dressing rooms. The park campstore has a good selection of basic groceries and camping supplies including ice and firewood. Park amenities include a large pool, recreation hall, pavilion, game goom, shuffleboard, horseshoes, children’s playground and “funcycle” rentals. Be aware that there are no scheduled events, so more active kids may become a bit bored. The Glens Falls/Lake George however is a great place to explore with the kids. The Great Escape/Splashwater Kingdom, a Six Flags theme park is just a few minutes away from the campground.

Ledgeview’s rates are very reasonable, considering the fact that the Lake George area is a bit on the expensive side. I would suggest buying your groceries and gas before you leave as prices are generally much higher here.

On the downside… the seasonal sites seem to be located throughout the park, with a number of them as you first enter, and there seem to be a few more every time we return. We all have a tendency to add a personal touch or two, but some of these sites are starting to resemble mini golf courses with statues, flags, low voltage lighting and painted rocks. Clean but cluttered.

Ledgeview Village RV Park is indeed what their ads boast: clean, peaceful, quiet and convenient. We confidently recommend this park.

Cold Springs is a campground located just off NH Route 114, in the town of Weare… about 15 miles west of the city of Manchester. This is a relatively large campground with 380+ sites.

Most of the sites that we saw were relatively small and not very private. It was difficult to get into our site and even more of a problem to level-up… and we’re not novice RVers… we’ve driven Class A’s throughout the country for the past 20 years.

The campground has pools, a campstore, and a snackbar. The bathrooms and showers were in need of a little cleaning when we were there. The Wi-fi signal at our site was poor and seldom worked.

The biggest issue with this campground is the lack of rules enforcement. This place is an absolute zoo in the summer. Camping etiquette is non-existent. We witnessed both children and adults cutting through others sites, vehicles inconsiderately parked, and little or security enforcement at all. Some campers party well into “quiet hours” while their kids roam about the campground without supervision. Golf carts and motorcycles speed around the campground during the day and into the night.

If you like to party, don’t care about your camping neighbors, and have kids that will eventually grow up to be just like you, you’ll love this place. If you’re a camper with well behaved kids or you just want some peace and quiet, I recommend that you avoid Cold Springs “Camp Resort”.

A few summers ago we took a three week vacation and toured the midwest in our new motorhome. About 25 miles west of St. Louis on I-44 (Eureka) we passed a Six Flags Theme Park.

Since it was fairly early in the morning, we decided to stop, park the RV in the lot and spend the day at the park. We could take our time at Six Flags because we had reservations at Yogi-Bear’s Jellystone Park conveniently located less than a half-mile away.

Exhausted from a hot July day at the park, we were really looking forward to pulling in to our campsite and relaxing for the nite. We were pleasently suprised when we entered the campground. The “Ranger Station” check-in was quick and the staff was friendly. The station also included a small general store with groceries and camping supplies, a laundromat (open 24 hours), restrooms, showers and a computer modem station. FREE Wi-Fi is also available at this campground.

This campground is comfortably small… with only about 60 sites and many had full-hook-ups. The interior roads were paved and fairly easy to navigate. Our site was a little small but level and shaded.

There was a very nice pool with a poolside snack bar, a Yogi Express train ride thru the park for the kids, video arcade, mini-golf and a new playground. The kids had plenty to do here. If fact, we liked it so much we decided to spend an extra day here before we packed it up and continued our tour thru the Midwest.

We highly recommend this Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park!

Barrington Shores is located about 3 miles off US Route 4, and about halfway between Concord and Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

When we first arrived here, we were a bit disappointed… trash dumpsters, dirt piles and maintenance equipment greeted us at the entrance area. But once we got over that initial disappointment, Barrington Shores grew on us. Check it was quick and the employees were extremely friendly and made us feel welcome. The campground property is located on Swain’s Lake and they have two very nice sandy beaches, lake fishing, boat, kayak, canoe and paddle boat rentals. The campground has open field sites, but mostly pine forest that slopes down towards the lake front. Interior gravel roads were a bit tight for a larger RV and a recent rainy week rutted some of them. It took a little time to back into our site… not much area to maneuver our 38′ Class A. The site did have a very nice sunset view of the lake.

The facilities, restrooms and laundry were clean, private and well maintained. They have a very nice, modern playground for younger kids and a better than average game room for older kids. Horseshoes, basketball, shuffleboard, wagon rides and some planned activities round out their amenities. We were impressed with their small but very nice camp store. They’ve got the basic essentials plus local crafts and gifts and even soft serve ice cream!

Pets are allowed here and the campground is very accommodating when it comes to them. Throughout the park you’ll find pet waste station receptacles and disposal bags. While there were many pets in the campground, owners were considerate and the park rules were always followed.

While we were there only a few days, this campground grew on us the longer we stayed. We are planning a return trip next summer.

Americamps KOA is a perfect stopover on your way up or down I-95. The campground is located just of I-95, exit 89 (Lewistown Road, VA802) about 10 miles north of Richmond in Ashland, Virginia.

The campground is clean and the staff is friendly and helpful. There are approximately 150 sites, 33 full hook-up pull-thrus for larger rigs. The park is fairly shady with large trees scattered throughout. You’ll find the majority of campers here are just passing through, but that’s what this campground is all about… an easily accessible, clean, comfortable and secure park when you’re just passing thru the area. They also have Free cable TV and Free Wi-fi!

Americamps KOA has a small, but well stocked campstore with a limited selection of groceries and camping supplies. Amenities include a laundromat, nice pool, large pavillion, game room and playground.

The only negative… I-95 is fairly close to the campground so it gets to be a little noisy with the trucks going by at night.

Hampton Beach State Park RV Campground is a small RV-only park located directly on the Atlantic Ocean on NH Route 1A in Hampton Beach, New Hampshire.

The campground itself is nothing special… gravel roads, no trees, no shade, no amenities, but plenty of cool breezes off the ocean. In fact, most campers leave their awnings up… it’s fairly windy most of the time here.

We arrived last July 1st for a week long holiday stay. The campground office was locked so we went directly to our reserved site and set up camp. We had an unobstructed view of the Atlantic Ocean. The weather was absolutely great… low 80′s with a nice ocean breeze all week long.

All campsites are gravel, level and comfortably large with full hook-ups. Even the largest RVs will have plenty of room here. While there is no cable, your antenna should pick up more than a dozen channels clearly from Boston, Providence, Portland and Manchester. There are no on-site amenities… no camp store, no laundry, no playground, just campsites. Adjacent to the campground is Hampton Beach State Park which does have a small store with some snacks, ice cream and bagged ice, but that’s about it. If you need anything, head down the “strip”. You’re bound to find it there.

So what’s so great about this park? Other than being directly on the ocean (if that’s not enough!), it’s just a short walk to the Hampton Beach strip… with more food, shops and entertainment than you can take even if you stayed here a week!

Grab your umbrella and towels and head for the beach, it’s only a minute from your campsite. Walk along Hampton Beach Boulevard and smell the fried bread dough, pizza and french fries. Listen to the bells and whistles of the nearby arcades. At night, grab your chairs and head down to the beach and catch the fireworks. Summers are great here! Spend some time exploring Massachusett’s north shore or head a few miles north to downeast Maine. There’s plenty to see and do nearby.

This past July was our 17th visit to Hampton Beach RV Park, and we’ll be back again this summer!

We had a great time at the Nashville KOA! The campground is located just off the Briley Parkway on Music Valley Drive… just a short distance from the Opry Mills, a 1.2 million-square-foot shopping, entertainment and dining complex with more than 200 shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues.

The campground has a great little music barn with live entertainment from May thru October. When we were their we were treated to an excellent 5 piece country rock band that played mostly cover music with one or two original songs in the list. Definitely a cut above your typical campground entertainment.

The park itself was very neat and clean. Interior roads were paved and the sites were comfortable. The area we stayed in was well shaded by trees and close to many of the campground amenities. A large free-form pool mini-golf, playgrounds and game room gave the kids plenty to do. The campground is large (over 400 sites) but really doesn’t look it. There’s a good selection of RV sites with full hook-ups.

Great atmosphere, friendly staff, and good entertainment… our weekend at the Nashville KOA went by quickly. I wish we had time to spend a few more days there. We’ll be back.

I would rate Hershey Highmeadows campground a 7 out of 10. Being associated with the Hershey name, you can expect a well run, first-class operation. The campground has a good selection of amenities with 2 pools, a game room, playgrounds, basketball and vollyball, laundry facilities and a nice country store and gift shop. The interior roads and individual campsites are well maintained. Each site has a fire ring and picnic table. There are some open areas and others with a good amount of shade trees.

There is a downside… the sites are a little on the small side and there is an active operating railroad that runs along one side of the property. I would definately ask for something away from the railroad tracks.

In season there is a shuttle service to Hershey Park… very convenient if you didn’t tow your own vehicle, because the park is quite a distance from the campground and I wouldn’t like to walk it. Even if you don’t want to visit the theme park, I would encourage you to take in the free chocolate tour.

With New England fall foliage near peak, we decided to spend an October weekend camping in Central Vermont. We’ve always been aware of Lake Champagne Campground as we have passed thru the area many times. This time we decided to give them a try.

The park is conveniently located a short distance from I-89, exit 4 in Randolph Center. Once you leave the Interstate you climb up a relatively steep grade for about a mile to the tiny town of Randolph Center. A left at the top of the hill, a right past “Floyds” General Store and you’re there.

Check in was quick and easy. The campground owners were very friendly and accommodating and went out of their way to make us feel welcome. The park is situated on the top of a ridge with a view of the campground and hills to the east. The property is large… about 100 acres and a lot of that is open area, mostly grass… lush, deep green and regularly mowed. Most sites have a view and are in open, sunny field areas but there are a few locations with plenty of shade. The tenting sites are really nice… isolated from the rest of the campground and in the woods. Sites are relatively level, on grass or gravel. Pull-thru sites can accommodate even the largest rigs and have full hook-ups including a very generous cable TV lineup.

The facilities were clean and well maintained. We noticed the little extras… like a basket of dried flowers on the counter in the rest room. The main office (photo above) has a very small campstore with just the basics. However, just outside the campground is Floyd’s General Store which is where most campers go to pick up their groceries. They have a large rec room with ping-pong, pool and a few pinball and video games.

As you pass thru the campground and decend down open fields you’ll see “Lake Champagne” (photo right) which is actually a small swimming pond with picnic tables, grills and rest rooms.

On the other side of the pond is a pavilion with one side open to views of the beach. Inside is a large central fire pit and tables (photo left). Although it was late in the season and the campground was only about 20% full, the fire burned and there was plenty of wood available to keep it going.

Our stay was brief but enjoyable with only one disappointment… The Lake Champagne Campground website advertises “WI-Fi available”. However the range was extremely limited and the vast majority of their sites were well out of range. I wandered throughout the park with a laptop trying to get a signal without any success. Our site was relatively close to one of two transmitters on the property but no luck.

Other than the Wi-Fi issue, this was a great little campground and one that we would confidently recommend to our friends. We’ll be back next summer!