Written by: Timothy Fitzgerald 08/13/2010 1:50 PM
One of the great luxuries of traveling in an RV is that you can bring your pet with you. While bringing your pet along always makes a trip more enjoyable, it also presents a dilemma; it's not always easy to find pet friendly campgrounds. To solve that we have searched the country to find the most pet friendly ones that offer something extra that makes them stand out. We've broken them down by state:
MAINE
Salmon Falls River Camping Resort
Salmon Falls River Camping Resort, a family oriented campground, welcomes pets. They have a pet park at the entrance to their park and are planning on adding an agility park for pets in 2011.
Pets can swim in Salmon Falls' private pond and there are no limitations on where you can walk your pet while you are staying at the resort.
The owners welcome big pets - St. Bernards, Great Danes, Newfoundlands, as they have big pets themselves, 3 black labs and 1 dachshund.
Of note, Salmon Falls have breed restrictions that are required by their insurance company and they are Doberman, Rottweiller and Pit Bull / Pit Bull mixes.
MASSACHUSETTS
Normandy Farms
Normany Farms is no stranger to pets. In a survey they conducted found that more than 50% of their guests were traveling with pets. As a result they decided to add a spacious pet park that is over an acre in size and complete with agility equipment, pet wash, fountain and a huge pet house. The area is a park-like setting with lots of shade trees and a secure 5 foot fence around the perimeter.
In addition to their pet park, each guest traveling with their pet receives a pet treat and name tag so that if the pet should get lost while visiting, its owner can be found. They also have pet stations conveniently located throughout the park with bags to clean up after pets along with hitching posts at their facility buildings, where pets can be tied up while an owner is in the restroom or camp store.
Many of their guests travel to the area to visit Boston and Cape Cod so they offer a pet-sitting service where they will take pets out for a walk while the owners are out sightseeing.
They also dedicate an entire weekend to pets, which is aptly called "Pet's Day Weekend". Activities include pet themed crafts and movies, a pet costume parade, and a pet show with contests such as most obedient, best trick and most unusual.
MICHIGAN
Twin Oaks Campground & Cabins
Twin Oaks has a large pet exercise area (appr 30ft x 90ft) where pets can be left off-leash to run, play ball or run with new "friends" they've met at camp! It has a 4' high fence for the larger pets, a bench for mom and dad and bags for clean-up afterwards. Pets of any size and breed are allowed in camp and also in all of the rental units.
Twin Oaks Campground is located one mile from the Manistee Ntl Forest, which offers plenty of places for hikes with the pets or swimming on the backwaters to Tippy Dam.
NEW YORK
Beaver Springs Lake Campground
Beaver Springs Lake Campground is pet friendly. The campground offers a 'tinkle trail' which then leads onto a nature trail that is a ¾ mile grass walk. The trail takes walkers away from the campsites and people, alongside a creek and farmland, overlooked by wooded hills. The partially shaded area offers the pet owner and pet the opportunity to exercise and relax, with time to smell, not just the roses, but all the other animal smells (turkeys, deer, ground hogs, rabbits etc. etc.) and beautiful wild flowers.
There are several 'doo-doo drop' cans throughout the campground - so that the responsible pet owner can deposit their little baggies inside.
Of note, the campground requires pets to be on a leash at all times, that they be picked up after and not left unattended (for an extended period of time).
For those who will be in the area, on Saturday August 21 the campground will be hosting a Halloween 'Trick or Treat Party' where there will be a best dressed pet parade!
Tall Pines Campground & Canoeing
Although Tall Pines always welcomes friendly pets, two years ago they came up with a special weekend in October just for pets to enjoy "Howl-o-Ween". During this weekend they have great activities for both pets and people alike, including their Candy & Bone Hunt, the Pets & People Costume Parade, ice cream socials with a special scoop of vanilla for Fido, their Pet Friendly Halloween Costume Party, tie dye with special tie dye bandanas made just for Rover, the Great Pumpkin Hunt, and much more!
NORTH CAROLINA
Four Paws Kingdom Campground
If the owners of Four Paws Kingdom Campground don't like pets, we don't know who does! The campground is, according to their website, "the first and only pet dedicated campground in the US exclusively catering to adult guests and their canine companions. We'll provide you with all the amenities pets and their humans can wish for. Hiking trails - pet pond - play parks - agility, Rally-O, pet bathhouse with grooming station - and more...
Complimented by full service campground amenities with free WiFi, Big Rig sites and first class events and entertainment. Definitely not your usual campground fare!"
Sleepy Bear's RV Park
Sleepy Bear's RV Park is a pet friendly campground that is on the "Snowbird Flyway to Florida ". They offer a pet walk area as well as two fenced - in pet exercise areas where you may let your pet off the leash to run free.
Lake Norman Coach Resort
Lake Norman Coach Resort offers a large [40'x40'] wrought iron fenced pet park where pets can run free without a leash. In addition the resort has pet stations setup throughout the resort.
Lake Norman Coach Resort is located on the shores of Lake Norman just north of Charlotte, NC.
OREGON
Turtle Rock Resort
Turtle Rock Resort in sunny Gold Beach on the southern Oregon coast has miles of pet friendly beaches. Just a few minutes walk from your RV or canine compatible cottage are opportunities for your pet to run, frolic and sniff all the new smells. Or they can go swimming in the on site creek. On site pet sitting is available if you decide to take a jet boat ride or book a fishing trip on the wild and scenic Rogue River. If your friend forgot to pack a favorite toy Gold Beach has a great small town pet boutique store.
SOUTH CAROLINA
New Green Acres RV Park
New Green Acres RV Park is pet friendly and is a very spacious RV park. They offer a pet playground where pets can run "leash free" and test their skills with the "homemade" agility equipment.
TEXAS
Hidden Valley RV
Hidden Valley RV Park near San Antonio, TX, is a pet friendly park with a safe, wilderness area along a private creek where pets love to walk and frolic in the grass. Hidden Valley provides the pet clean up materials.
For pet lovers who really want to pamper their babies there is a PET PARK near Hidden Valley (about 8 minutes away.) Pearsall Park's pet park is comprised of one and one-half acres. Bright greens, reds and yellows make the fenced-in area stand-out with picnic tables and trash cans as well as play features. Even the fence and the park toilet enclosures sport a "pet paw" design. The park also has exercise equipment, a covered picnic area, benches, and a walking trail.
For emergencies there is a country veterinarian only 8 miles away, the Somerset Animal Clinic.
The owners of Hidden Valley are pet lovers themselves. If you plan on a long day in town or on one of the many day trips nearby they will be happy to stop by your RV and walk, play with and feed your pups or kitties while you're gone.
Copyright ©2010 Camping Road Trip, LLC
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