My parents are taking me traveling with them for a year, so I thought it would be helpful if I fill readers in and provide a dog’s take on our campgrounds. I need to be up-front and clarify that it’s not ALL about me, because generally, the places I like also appeal to them. Before I get started, there are several criteria by which I evaluate a campground.
First and foremost is, are the people in the office dog friendly? Do they have places for me to go, and if the campground is fairly empty, do they care if mom takes me out and throws the ball?
Second on my list is water (and preferably beaches). I’m not a big swimmer, but if there are beaches to run on or trails near a lake, we have a very good day, and I go to bed tired.
Third, and this is definitely an annoyance to my parents, is are there trees and especially, squirrels? I can become delirious in about 30 seconds if there’s a squirrel nearby, and believe me, I can smell them from 50 yards off!
So here’s the report:
Fifty Point Conservation Area in Winona, Ontario, was over-the top!
Fifty Point campground
There was a huge, stocked fishing pond (where mom broke her fly rod and had to send it back to Bainbridge Island), and a dog beach on the Lake Ontario. The weather was perfect, so we got to spend a ton of time outdoors.
My folks hit a dud in Montreal with the campground Amerique. First of all, no one speaks English and my French is worse than mom’s. There was no place to run or hike since we were surrounded by corn fields and old people who lived in this dismal place all year round. Plus the manager was very rude to mom.
When we arrived in Shediac, New Brunswick, we stayed at the Parlee Beach Provincial Park. Talk about room! But the beaches were not dog-friendly! Mom and dad got to get into their first fresh lobster there, so they were happy!
When we arrived at Twin Shore Campground, Prince Edward Island, we hit pay dirt!
Twin Shores, PEI
We had a great view of the Gulf of St. Lawrence, a walk to the beach, lots of ball tossing room, and more great lobster for mom and dad. (Personally, I don’t get their thing for shellfish).
Cape Breton and the Cheticamp campground was a nature lover’s dream with lots of trails and a major creek running through the nearly deserted campground. Mom even found some chicken of the woods mushrooms to cook up, but I didn’t think they tasted like chicken at all! We didn’t get any beach time, but the trails were great.
Happy campers
Moving to Wayside Camping Park in Peggy’s Cove, Nova Scotia, was sure a set-back in my perspective. We met some nice dogs, but the campground was on a very busy road with no water, maybe a squirrel or two but nothing exciting, and lots of trash left around by the owner! Yuck!
Oak Bay Campground in Oak Bay, just before we left New Brunswick was pretty slick! We went through a tunnel that went under a road to a cool beach. Mom especially liked the fall colors that surrounded the bay. I’m sure getting used to my harness, since mom won’t take me anywhere without it now.
We camped at the Narrows Too campground in Trenton, Maine, down the road from the busy tourist town of Bar Harbor.
Bus ride to Bar Harbor
I got to ride the shuttle bus into town with my folks and the waiter at lunch brought me my own water bowl. We did get kicked out of the brewery, because I’m not a “service dog” (whatever THAT means!) We went to the Arcadia National Park today, but the weather was the pits, so all we got was a brief hike on the beach instead of a 4 miler up to some peaks. Later!!
Teresa Van Haalen Ventures 