RV Travel Archives - Page 21 of 29 - RV Inspection And Care

Our RV Camping Experiences With Boondockers Welcome

Boondockers Welcome is something that we signed up for on the advice of an RVing friend.

Of course, we had heard of the program for a while. But we had not met anyone who had very much experience with it before.

But our friend could not stop praising Boondockers Welcome enough. She had enjoyed many great adventures using their service and was happy to tell anyone who would listen.

Well, if you have followed us through either our website or YouTube channel, you know that we travel a lot. And you also know that we love to find ways to keep our nightly RV camping costs as low as possible.

Watch my video about our experiences with Boondockers Welcome

And one of our favorite ways to do that is to use a Thousand Trails campground membership. Then coupling that with the Trails Collection package that adds Encore resorts all over the country as well.

By using those two programs we are able to keep our nightly camping costs to low single digits. And that is while enjoying full hookups!

But one of the drawbacks of the Thousand Trails system is that there are some areas of the country where their parks are scarce.

So what do you do to be able to travel in those areas and yet still keep nightly camping costs low?

Well, here is where Boondockers Welcome has been a positive addition to our RV camping plans.

So let me explain how it works and what kind of experiences we have had with the program so far.

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Click here to check out the Boondockers Welcome website

What Is Boondockers Welcome?

Essentially, Boondockers Welcome is a collection of people who offer their personal property as spots for RV camping.

In many cases, they are RVers themselves and enjoy meeting other travelers who share their passion for RV travel.

So they offer their property as a place where RVers can stay overnight for free. Yes that’s right, FREE!

Most of the time, the stays are only about 1-3 nights at a time. But there are an increasing number of BW hosts who happily allow up to 5 or even more nights.

Of course, in the majority of cases, there are no hookups for these camping stays. That’s why the name includes the term “boondocking”, or dry camping.

However, it’s interesting to note that many hosts are even expanding their hospitality to include some limited hookups as well. For instance, some now offer water and even electric service too.

If they have these kind of amenities, sometimes they may ask for a nominal overnight fee to help cover their costs. But the point is not really to make a profit on the stay.

It’s usually offered simply as another way to make the visit as convenient for the RV camper as possible.

So in many cases, BW is simply RVers helping other RVers find good accommodations as they travel around.

What Kind Of Accommodations?

The sites that are offered through BW can range quite a bit depending on what the host has to provide.

It might just be a driveway for smaller campers. On the other hand, it might be a whole field that will handle the largest diesel pusher motorhomes.

Each host spells out the kind of camping spots that they have to offer on the BW website. They also list whether or not they have any hookups available, and if so, what kind of hookups they are.

So you can view all of the available sites within an area that you may be visiting in your RV travels.

Then as a BW member, you can even make an online reservation just like a regular campground if you choose.

Typically, most sites can be reserved as far out as about 2 months before the stay. But many hosts also mention that they are happy to accommodate last minute arrangements too.

Our Experiences So Far

Up to now, we have stayed at three BW spots and all of them have worked very well for us.

In each case, we were traveling from one area to another and did not have any Thousand Trails parks available for overnight stays.

So BW was a big help for us in these circumstances. And best of all, it helped us keep our nightly camping costs as close to zero as possible.

Now our rig is not a small one. It’s a 40 foot diesel pusher motorhome and we also tow a Honda CRV. So, there are several BW spots that simply don’t have the room for us.

But happily, there are several hosts that can handle a rig our size, and each stay has worked well for us.

In fact, a couple of our overnight RV camping stays were simply amazing. One was on a farm where we enjoyed a beautiful farming scene right outside our door.

The other was a mini campground that a gentleman had made on his property for fellow RVers.

The sites there were incredibly beautiful and large. And we were surrounded by tall pines that also gave us plenty of privacy.

One of our Boondockers Welcome stays among the pine trees. — Here is where we stayed among the pine trees for FREE!

But all of our experiences with the hosts so far have been incredible too. In one case, the host was out camping themselves. So they arranged for family members to help us get set up on their property while they were away.

The other two hosts were exceptionally helpful and attentive too. They greeted us and made sure that we had everything we needed to make our stay enjoyable.

Watch my video about our Boondockers Welcome experiences by clicking here

The Pros And Cons Of Boondockers Welcome

So let’s review and see what features we found were positive as we used BW:

The cost – in many cases 0$ per night. That’s hard to beat.
They are located all across the country. So you can often find a place to park your RV in areas where almost nothing else is available.
You get to interact with and get to know other RVers who have a passion for RV travel.
You can make advance reservations on the BW simple and easy-to-use website.
There are enough spots to choose from that you can usually find a good spot for almost any kind of rig. But if you have a smaller size RV, you can have your pick of hundreds of places to stay as you travel.
A Boondockers Welcome membership is only about $50/year at the time this is written. So just a couple of overnight stays pretty much pays for the cost of the membership.
They are constantly adding new hosts all the time. So a membership in their program will only get more valuable as times goes on.

So what are the cons of BW?

Probably the only thing I can think of is that you can only limit your stay to 3 – 5 nights in most cases.

Our Conclusion

We are very happy with our BW membership. In fact, we consider it a valuable addition to our RV camping plans.

And we also plan on using it much more in the years ahead. It won’t be our main method of camping overnight, but it will come in handy when we need it.

We agree with everything our friend told us about the program. It’s something that almost any kind of RVer would benefit from.

You can find out more about Boondockers Welcome here

So we are happy to spread the word about our positive experiences with Boondockers Welcome.

Have safe and happy travels everyone!

Tuxbury Pond RV Resort – A New England Treasure

Tuxbury Pond RV Resort is located at 88 Whithall Road, South Hampton, NH.

This lovely RV park is nestled in a beautiful wooded area just over the Massachusetts line in New Hampshire.

It is located just a few minutes from the I-495. And it is accessed fairly easily even with a larger rig.

However, you must be careful with Google directing you to the campground. There are a couple of different ways to access the resort and one has an extremely tight left hand turn. So please, double check that before you get off the main highway.

The best route takes you through the little township of Amesbury, MA to get there. And it’s a very easy way to go, even with a larger rig.

Click here to see a map of Tuxbury Pond RV Resort

Tuxbury Pond RV Resort Features

Tuxbury Pond RV Resort has 316 sites and is open from mid-April to mid-October. They have 30 and 50 amp sites, but you can request a 50 amp site if you need it.

This resort is also part of the Thousand Trails campground system. But as always, you can reserve a campsite outside of that system too.

If you do make a reservation on your own, the price per night is $77. And you can make weekly reservations also which is slightly cheaper.

It is NOT a 55 plus park, so families are welcome here also. And they also have seasonal guests which occupy a good part of the park. But we had no problem getting a spot when we stayed there twice.

A little unique feature of the park is that they offer tiny homes for rent too. So if you have someone meeting you there with no RV, it is an option for them. They were really cute!!!!

This RV park is named because it is located on Tuxbury Pond. It is a fairly large pond but unfortunately is becoming somewhat overgrown with flora.

This is not the parks fault though. Public officials have the responsibility to dredge it and it really needs to be done. Even so, it still does not take away from the beauty of the area.

The roads in the park are fairly easy to navigate. And they have spots for bigger rigs and
also for smaller ones too, which accommodates everyone.

It has many trees that offer shade. And beautiful walking roads and paths give it a restful feel.

The sites are dirt or grass. You definitely can level your rig though. Also when it rains, the drainage is pretty good.

Tuxbury RV Resort Amenities

The park amenities seem to be in good shape. They are older but kept up well. They have a nice size pool, playground. basketball and volleyball courts, and horseshoes.

Most of these were open with limitations because of the Covid pandemic when we were there. But they seem to have other activities planned when these restrictions aren’t in place.

They also have laundry facilities that are clean and appear to be priced reasonably. The bath houses are updated and clean too if this is something that you need.

Internet connectivity worked well in the park too. As usual, we had good connection with our phones through T-Mobile.

And we used our AT&T hotspot to stream videos and access the internet. And we are happy to say that here were no hiccups using this equipment either.

The park does offer wi-fi, but it costs extra. We do not know how well it works, but it is available if you choose to use it.

We noticed that there were some negative reviews online for this resort. But we did not find any of them to be true except that the front desk personnel could be just a little friendlier.

After talking with some long-term residents in the park, we found some people had to be asked to leave because of their behavior. And as you might expect, they and all their friends and family put up bad reviews.

But we, on the other hand, found the park to be very accommodating and a pleasure to stay in.

What We Found In The Surrounding Area

Is it way out in the middle of nowhere? Not really. We found this RV park very easy to to stay at and have access to everything we needed.

First, there is the nearby town of Amesbury, MA not more than about 5 or 6 minutes away. There you will find a delightful Main Street full of Mom and Pop stores.

There are also a number of restaurants nearby, most of which are unique and highly rated. During our stay, we ate at the Morning Buzz Cafe, and we can say that their food was delicious.

There is a Stop and Shop grocery store in the area for some of those necessities that you need too.

But the best thing we enjoyed about the area is all the farms. We especially fell in love with Cider Hill Farm at 45 Fern Rd. in Amesbury.

Cider Hill Farm is closeby to Tuxbury Pond RV Resort — **Cider Hill Farm**

The produce there is amazing. You can even pick your own fruit, when in season. And they have their own cheeses and meats too.

But the BEST thing about Cider Hill Farm is the cider donuts. They are to die for!!!!!

We were there in the autumn, so of course pumpkins and apple picking were everywhere. And they sell the best tomatoes we have had in years.

We can’t say enough about this place. Again, it opens in mid-April and goes
through the fall harvest. So don’t miss it!!!

But if you have the itch to go to a bigger city, then hop on I-495. And about 35 miles away is Boston which offers you anything you could want.

There are plenty of stores, like Walmart, Costco and many other shops and malls. There is also historical spots of interest on almost every corner.

Universities, museums, and restaurants are plentiful in the Boston area. And a beautiful stroll down the Charles River and the famous Boston Harbor await you too.

If you go the other direction on I-495 instead, about 45 miles away Nashua, NH awaits you. They don’t have as much to offer as Boston, but it is not shabby either. All the major stores are there.

Also, in New Hampshire, there are beautiful places to visit where nature and scenery abound. And one big plus is no state sales tax either.

So if you have some expensive items to purchase, you can save quite a bit on sales tax there. All in all, the New Hampshire area is wonderful.

Our Conclusion About Tuxbury Pond RV Resort

So how would we rate this RV Resort? For the area where it is located, we would give it a 5 star rating.

The resort itself? Probably a 4 star. This is only because things, although clean, could be updated a bit. Also the office staff could be a bit friendlier.

All that being said though, we would definitely go back again and probably will. FYI, if you can plan a trip for the fall, you are in for a real treat.

We love the beautiful fall colors and the smells that come with New England in autumn. And we are sure that you would enjoy that special time of year in the area as well!

Portland Riverside Marina – A New England Camping Gem

Portland Riverside Marina is located at 37 Riverview Street in Portland, CT

If anyone has traveled through New England, they are well aware that RV parks and campgrounds are not always easy to find and cost a premium.

So when we found this little campground attached to this Marina, we were thrilled.

This is not a fancy, frilly campground with lots of amenities though. In fact, they have very few.

But what is so unique about this park is that is sits right on the Connecticut River.

Click here for a campground map for Portland Riverside Marina and RV park

Portland Riverside Marina Features

This is also a very easy park to get to, even for larger rigs. It offers 22 nice size lots.

Some sites are grass but most have a concrete pad with a picnic table. There is electric and water available at the campsites but no sewer.

They also have showers and restrooms nearby in the marina store building, if this is something you require.

The campground is open from May 15th through October 31st and costs only $40 a night or $250 a week if you wish to stay on longer, with a 2 week maximum.

The management here is very nice and accomodating. They were very helpful during our brief stay.

The Marina Itself is actually one of the oldest on the Connecticut River. It has been owned by the present owners now for over 40 years and they live on the premises.

The park is very secure and the close proximity to the river makes it an inviting place to stay.

They boast amazing fishing in the area, with a catfish tournament in August. They also encourage you to bring your boats and inflatables.

You can truly walk right from your site to the river so it is a great place to use watercraft if you have them.

The Portland Riverside Marina Surrounding Area

What else is in the area? Well, directly across the river you can see Middletown, CT. This is a decent sized town with the typical old fashioned New England Main Street.

There you’ll find lots of small storefronts and eating establishments. And the same is true in Portland, CT itself. It is a short drive or about a 15 minute walk to the same type of shopping opportunities.

About 20 minutes away is a township called East Haddam. And this town has some interesting things to see.

For one, there is the famous Goodspeed Opera House, which is well known to many.

But one of our personal favorites is Gillette Castle in the Gillette State park. It has a wonderful tour of the castle itself with beautiful grounds. And the state park is really quite lovely.

Also nearby is the Brownstone Exploration and Discovery Park. This was once a brownstone quarry. Today it offers many water sport activities such as cliff diving, scuba diving, snorkeling, and water craft activities.

Then there is Hartford, CT. It is the capital of Conneticut with plenty of enjoyable activities to offer visitors.

Again, one of our favorites in that area is the Mark Twain House and Museum. But there are many other historical and cultural things to do around Hartford as well.

Being a larger city, it offers almost anything you want to do and see and is only about a 15 minute drive away.

So as you can see, this little RV park offers much for a very reasonable price.

Connectivity does not seem to be a problem either. The park does not offer wifi or cable.

But with our hotspot and phones, we had no trouble staying connected to the world around us. 🙂

Our Conclusion About The Park And Marina

So what did we think of this little known campground attached to the marina? We enjoyed our brief stay there.

We would definitely go back again. Our site sat right on the river with the beautiful trees and birds.

The mist rising off of of the river in the early morning was beautiful to see. And the peace and serenity of being in a little RV park, yet close to many things was very nice.

We would give it a 4 out of 5 rating, only because for most people they may want a few more amenities. For us, it was GREAT!!!