It has all facilities you need. The Normandy Farms has a history of ~250 years before it becomes a popular camping resort of nowadays. It has everything you need for the joy of being away: 3 outdoor pools, 1 indoor pool, 2 hot tubs, 1 sauna, a fitness center, a recreation lodge… It has a creative arts center if you or your kid(s) like art work; it has free wifi everywhere and a business/information center if you have to check your emails or work while you are supposed to stay away mentally as well as physically. It has a volleyball court, basketball court, a soccer field and a golf course! In the end, the best of all is the beautiful Nature.
It is beautiful. I will just let the pictures speak here.
It is well located. It is only 30 miles away from Boston, so besides all the fun close by, you can grab what Boston has to offer on the side.
Normandy Farms is truly the destination if you get a few days off and are ready to have fun with your family.
Nebraska has some of the finest state parks in the nation. Their parks are frequently on Top Family Campgrounds list such as Reserve America’s annual list of the country’s Top 100 Family Campgrounds.
Nebraska state parks that rank among the Top 100 Family Campgrounds are Eugene Mahoney SP, Fort Robinson SP, and Ponca SP.
Fort Robinson SP is especially interesting if you like to combine a little history and education in your family camping trip. This historic outpost served from the days of the Indian Wars until after World War II. Where else can you find a site with history of events such as the 1879 Cheyenne Outbreak, stories and death of famed Sioux Chief Crazy Horse, a cavalry remount station, K-9 dog training center, POW camp and beef research station?
Today, the State Historical Society offers a museum and many restored or reconstructed exhibit buildings to interpret the Fort's history. The University of Nebraska operates the Trailside Museum, which interprets the geology and natural history of the region.
Petit Jean State Park is a day-hiking paradise about 65 miles northwest of Little Rock via I-40. A diverse system of over 20 miles of interconnecting trails winds through the forest and along Petit Jean Mountain overlooking the Arkansas River. Cedar Falls, Seven Hollows and Cedar Creek Trails are designated as National Recreation Trails because of their rich history and beauty. The park offers 126 individual campsites (including 37 pull-through sites) with full hook-ups.
Campground History
Adrienne Dumont was a young, beautiful French woman engaged to Chavert, a nobleman set to explore the New World in the early 1700s. Without her fiance's knowledge, she disguised herself as a cabin boy named Jean to won passage on his ship.They sailed up the Mississippi River, and then up the Arkansas River, where they stopped at the foot of a beautiful mountain for the summer. Sailors dubbed her Petit Jean (French for “Little John”).
Alas, a sad ending to this love story. The night before Chavert’s party was to set sail for home, Petit Jean became very ill. With death imminent, she confessed her deception to Chavert and begged his forgiveness. She asked to be taken to the mountaintop she loved, and with Chavert at her side, died there at sunset. Years later, a low mound of earth was found on the mountaintop - Petit Jean’s Grave. That has become the park’s main attraction.
Petit Jean State Park is Arkansas’ first state park. It sits atop a picturesque mountain 1,100 feet above the Arkansas River Valley in central Arkansas. Visitors to the park find a vast number of recreational and educational opportunities from camping, hiking and fishing to learning about the unique natural features and the early human history of the area.
Kiptopeke State Park located at the southern end of Virginia's Eastern Shore and just a few miles from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge-Tunnel. Virginia is not just for lovers, it has some pretty lovely beaches, too. The 375-acre Virginia State Park offers nearly 4300-feet of beach that's perfect for swimming, surf fishing, or taking leisurely sunset walks.
The campsites are set away from the beach with sand dunes in between; and each campsite offers a picnic table, fire ring and a pole to hang your camping lantern. The state park's campgrounds include a total of 147 campsites. 86 campsites are open to RVs up to 40 feet in length. There are tents sites and pop-up sites. However, there are no electricity hook-ups.
Before you run away, read about their 5 new lodges built just this year (2007).
The lodges are open year-round and are very popular. The amenities listed on the website for each lodge doesn't sound much different from the room amenities list at Holiday Inn.
Kitchen comes with refrigerator, coffeemaker, stove, dishes, silverware, even dish towels.
The bedrooms come with linens (but no room maid to change them daily). You may wish to bring your own pillow as well as a comforter for chilly nights.
Each lodge has six bedrooms and sleep 16 total. Great for family reunions.
Porches, heat, air-conditioning, fireplace gas logs make for a very comfortable camping experience, if you still want to call it camping.
A mosaic of geological and ecological features, Acadia National Park is composed of ocean, mountains, forests, streams, ponds, wetlands, meadows, and beaches. This paradise of natural wonders rests mainly on Mount Desert Island, but also extends to the Schoodic Peninsula, Isle au Haut, and a dozen tiny islands. The park's dramatic geological extremes are the result of glacial activity and a melting process that shaped the area into islands, coves, and kettle ponds, forming a 10,000-year-old shoreline so "new" that finding sand is almost a rarity.
The plant and animal life in this 47,633-acre park is diverse and accessible. Anglers will find 28 species of fish lurking in the coves and streams, and bird watchers will be awed by more than 300 species of birds (including 23 species of warblers and that old icon–the bald eagle), which call this park home.
Acadia reflects all that is New England, with glimpses back to the days when wealthy New Englanders first began settling the region. There are winding carriage roads and quaint stone bridges ideal for hiking, biking, and breathing crisp Maine air. With vistas that leave even the most hardened park-goer speechless, the 27-mile Park Loop Road features Cadillac Mountain, the North Atlantic coast's highest promontory, and Thunder Hole, where views of waves smashing against the coast give visitors a powerful sense of how this wondrous park was shaped.
Park activities - The variety of geological features offers something for everyone. There are 115 miles of hiking trails looping through the park and 45 miles of carriage trails, which are perfect for walking, biking, or horseback riding. Fishing, boating, skiing, snowshoeing, and wildlife watching are also popular activities. One of the park's true gems is its educational ranger-led programs, which include boat cruises, mountain hikes, stargazing, bird and nature walks, short talks, and evening slide programs. See a map of Acadia National Park.
Welcome to Campgrounds Videos section of JoyOfCamping.com.
We just started this new section Summer 2008 at the request of our readers. As such, we have not covered all the states of the U.S. Do you have a campground video you've posted online, share the link in the comments section below. We might add it to our Campground video channels.
Do hot springs and camping go together? There are many highly developed resorts built around a hot spring. Rather expensive and uppity, not the most welcoming to a sweaty, hungry camper looking for a place to soak.
The Mystic Hot Springs in Utah is much more affordable and developed for campers. A day-visit soaking costs $7.50. A campsite is $15 per night (soaking included). And an RV site with hookups is $30 per night (soaking for two included).
The water comes out of the ground at a steaming 168 degrees (Fahrenheit). The water, cooling as it travels down a channel, runs into eight personal soaking tubs and two pools. As the hot mineral water purifies your body, the inspiring view overlooking the Sevier Valley purifies your mind.
When you're not soaking your stresses away, the countryside offers plenty of opportunity for outdoor recreation. In the Sevier Valley, you can go river rafting, visit a salt mine, or explore Indian ruins. There are also miles of hiking and mountain biking trails.
Agua Caliente Hot Springs is a 910-acre San Diego County Park, complete with a picnic area and a large campground with shady trees at some sites. It is located near the south end of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park in southern California. There are 2 hot spring pools here. One is a large outdoor pool that is kept at a natural 90 degrees (Fahrenheit). The other pool (102 degrees F) is protected inside a glass-walled building and - ready for this? - equipped with whirlpool jets.
Because this is one of San Diego County's most popular parks, don’t expect to Read more
Technorati tags: florida state parks, winter camping florida, winter campgrounds
In Florida, camping doesn't stop in winter. "What winter?" you may ask. Being a New Englander myself, I totally agree with you. Winter camping in Florida is actually preferred by some campers to avoid the annoying ever-present flies in the hot, humid summer months.
Bahia Honda is one of the best beaches in South Florida. It is located along both the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Popular activities include swimming, snorkeling, and fishing. Camping, cabins, 2 exceptional boat ramps, a certified "Clean Marina," and a concession and gift store make Bahia Honda an outstanding recreational destination. Click here for the park photos.
Originally called Hog Island, it became Honeymoon Isle in 1939 when a New York developer built 50 palm - thatched bungalows for honeymooners. Today, visitors can drive across Dunedin Causeway to enjoy the sun - Read more
Snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and other winter sports combined with a temperate winter keep California’s state parks system busy through winter. The three parks that were iselected here offer unique opportunities in addition to the common winter sports found in other parks.
Winter Attraction: Desert wildflowers – they start blooming in late February or early March. For a special wildflower recorded message, call (760) 767-4684. Or mail a self-addressed stamped postcard in an envelope to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, 200 Palm Canyon Drive, Borrego Springs, CA 92004. The kind Anza-Borrego folks will mail the card back at just the right time.
Winter Attraction: This is the site of the world’s largest mainland breeding colony for the northern elephant seal. Every winter, visitors come to observe the males battle for mates Read more
Petit Jean State Park is a day-hiking paradise about 65 miles northwest of Little Rock via I-40. A diverse system of over 20 miles of interconnecting trails winds through the forest and along Petit Jean Mountain overlooking the Arkansas River. Cedar Falls, Seven Hollows and Cedar Creek Trails are designated as National Recreation Trails because of their rich history and beauty. The park offers 126 individual campsites (including 37 pull-through sites) with full hook-ups.
