jmarkquinn

We’ve stayed at 25 locations in all the Maritime Provinces, and the Provincial and National Park campgrounds are the best. The Canadian public campgrounds are such high quality it makes investment in private parks difficult and most private parks are now seasonal…which means, mostly filled with campers, not people…in other words, zombie parks.

This park is outstanding. Great recreation facilities for families, modern bathrooms, expansive sites well maintained. Very close (perhaps too close) freeway access. Also, in fairness, all parks have nice staff, private and public, but they’re all Canadian, so of course they’re nice.

Sorry privately owned parks, it’s hard to compete…

The campground and staff were universally great: good bathrooms, services, private wooded level sites, well maintained property. All of which you should expect since this is a National Park.

But the location, view and proximity to the Bay of Fundy’s spectacular tides is, literally, the only place on earth like this. While it is walking distance to the water, there’s lots of parking there too. The town of Alma has a number of brewpubs and restaurants, all catering to tourists.

But watching the tide rise and fall 40+ feet is amazing and you can see it from a view spot at the campground. A total got-to-do it location

A large campground with clean bathrooms and showers. On the shore of the lake but a very wooded site. The campsites were not all level and the access roads were not perfect, but not really an issue.

Stayed only one night and it rained, so only had a limited amount on exploration of the entire park. That said, the site was quiet, private and easy to access. The three juvenile bald eagles in the nest above us made a racket but then, that’s what kids do, even eagles.

Totally a keeper campground, highly recommended. The only downside of the Provincial/National Parks is no WiFi…if watching YouTube is what you do when camping.

Really, how can you pass up a campground named ‘Dildo Run’? And then, it turns out to be amazing.

The negatives: mosquitoes flying in killer flocks, the dirt road with bomb crater potholes, the (very nice) comfort building that seems like too far to get to, and the mosquitoes…also, moose signs but no moose.

The pluses: incredible location on the water. Some sites on the water - ask for site 4 - and all are well screened from adjacent sites. Close enough to Twillingate to do an out-and-back trip. Saw some amazing icebergs in July…

Of course, no Wi-Fi and bad cell connection, but loved the place

OK, it wasn’t their fault that the heat index was 106 degrees, the air quality index was over 300, and the smoke from Canada over night left it the worst place in the US…but, on the other hand, the camp ‘site’ was really just the rolling uneven lawn, the WiFi was completely unusable, and the bathroom looked like something from the movie ‘trainspotting’…really, have they upgraded their showers since the 1950s? I suppose the full time users and monster fifth-wheel folks don’t even think about using the bathrooms…my advice is no one else should either.

Sorry, this KOA is worn out. I’m not wild about the KOAs that are paved over, but would it kill them to bring in some gravel? But what really galled is was, when asking for a shadier spot at 98 degrees, the answer was “No, it messes up the computer “ while I understand if the place was full, but a half dozen shady spots were open all night. My advice? Take a remedial computer class…

Admittedly, Fernley is an ‘on-the-way’ location for most travelers so having a well managed, clean, safe and friendly place is what you want. This is just that. Really clean and well laid out bathrooms and site layouts are very well done. The folks are helpful, the place relatively quiet, and while Nevada looks like Afghanistan with gambling, we had great sunsets and quiet Saturday night, just what you want after an I-80 drive.