You see, as I was sharpening my quill and adjusting my spectacles in preparation of this post, it struck me-this campground is as perplexing as Saco River Family Campground in North Conway, NH. For most all the same reasons. I can hear you saying " well then, don't waste my time telling me about it." But I ask, how sporting of me would that be? I dare say I would have no fun at all. So I continue.
Oh, but here's a Twilight Zone moment. The campgrounds are similar (and yes you are dying to know how), one is named Saco River, and one is in Saco. Ok, that's all the comparisons, but for a moment, I was like "whoa!".
So back to the campground. When driving in you are struck with the fact that that while not run down, it's not meticulously maintained.
The playground equipment looks vaguely reminiscent of the one in the old atomic bomb film I saw as a kid. Then there is the hodge-podge of park model homes, inter-dispersed with seasonal travel trailers up on blocks. The interesting thing is, there are some very well maintained seasonals, and the right next to them, some that look like they were placed there shortly after Noah's ark touched down. While this sounds dumpy, it's really not just a striking juxtaposition.
Then there is the road in the campground. The thought that came to mind was "this must be what the astronauts encountered when they landed on the fake moon in the film studio!" While not as large of craters as they constructed for the moon landing, you do feel compelled to jerk the steering wheel wildly about in a vain attempt to being permanently lost in one of them. You will be happy to know we were not lost.
When we arrived at our site, it was apparent the aesthetics was not considered in the placement of the sites. At the back of the site directly to our left, and about 6 feet away was the back end of a seasonal trailer. Then, to our right, there was a site big enough to fit a small town in. It rained one evening, and the next morning when we awoke, literally half of our campsite was a pond, while the town's site was high and dry. But at least we had 3 trees on our site to provide us with ample shade and tree droppings.
I hear you saying "Now that's what I call a lesson learned! Now just learn how not to blog." But wait, you'd be wrong on both accounts. This is where it becomes interesting. You see, the Casita camping/campground experience is not always measured by the condition of the road or playground. Nor is SOMETIMES the condition of your fellow camper's domicile. Ah-ha! Your interest is piqued, no?
Ok, so why did I then waste precious moments of your life complaining about things that do not matter? Gee, I wish I knew. Anyhow, on with the enthralling review, don't you agree?
While yes, there are some things that might cause a knee jerk reaction, if a person were accustomed to life at the Vanderbilt Estate, I highly doubt you are that person. The things that keep drawing us back year after year for a weekend or so are more than manicured grass.
For instance, the campground is literally right next to the Eastern Trailways Bike Path which you can access from the campground and ride for miles in either direction. A lot of it through the woods, and some through towns. While not teaming with people, it is used by bikers, walkers and joggers so you don't feel too isolated.
Then, there is there is the proximity to the coast and some pretty neat beaches. Old Orchard Beach is only a couple miles away, as is Scarborough Beach State Park and Higgins Beach. The water at these here is warmer than other beaches just up the coast 30 miles. Don't know why, but I'm not complaining, especially when I am cajoled into the water by my two kids with promises of extreme entertainment and fun. You'd think by now, I'd have figured it out, but I fall for it every time.
Then there is what I consider the biggest intangible, the campers at the campground. Since most of the campers are seasonals, it is a given that they will be rude and condescending right? Have you not read anything I have typed? If you had, you'd know the answer. Oh, you do? Here then, here is your golden star. Well done. Everywhere you go around the campground people will wave and say hello. Just plain friendly. Remember our neighbors, the ones 6 feet from us? Not the ones in their own town...well, they brought some clothes over to our site, thinking we had hung the up on their clothes line. Turned out, they belonged to family members staying with them, but your missing the point. They didn't complain, set fire to them or glare at us. Just put them on our picnic table. It's those type of things that make it fun to camp there.
And the pool. Clean, refreshing and deep. This can provide you a brief moment of sanity while your kids enjoy frolicking about. And the beauty of it is, while they have rules posted, they really don't need them. Every time we have been there, both kids and adults have been very well behaved. To the point where you start wondering if you are in an episode of the Twilight Zone. Don't get me wrong, everyone's having fun, but not in that obnoxious way, you get used to at campground pools.
So now you can start to see why it is somewhat difficult to label this campground as good, bad or mediocre. It all depends on what you are expecting. Plus, who needs labels anyway? I usually just end up ripping them off whatever they are attached to. More comfortable that way. And yes, we will be back.
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