I recently took an early 'off-season' trip to Cape Cod Camp Resort and boy did I return a happy camper!  At the off-season rate of $39 a night (including water & electric)  I have to say this was the bargain of the year.  I pitched my tent in site 'A', which was close enough to the office to pick up the campground's free wifi signal as an added bonus.  The enormously large 200+ site campground is comprised of a big rig area, tent city and cabins.  I would classify the sites as medium sized, and all have fire pits.  Some, like site 'A', also have grills. 

The amenities department is where  the Resort really differs from other campgrounds.  Can you say 3 pools and a jacuzzi?  (With one pool AND the jacuzzi being for the 21+ set).  Now add a lake, basketball court, large open field and the most modern bathrooms I have ever seen in a campground.   Both vino and Fido are a-okay here.  The only 'know before you go' concerns the beach-it is definitely not within walking distance, and about a 35 minute trip by rollerblade.  You can get there by car in 5 to 10, but parking is limited or non-existent on some of the nicest stretch of sand.  Still, I consider it a fair price to pay for the most luxurious camping trip on Cape Cod.

Now THATS snappy camping!

        

The snappy campers recently journeyed to that old favorite, Hammonasset State Park.  This time around we stayed in the Mohawk area on site 19 (among others).  As a corner site bordering the road, number 19 provides the benefit of privacy on 3 of the 4 sides.  There was just the right amount of room to fit 2 large tents, 2 large canopies and a couple of camping kitchens.  (Warning:  the same cannot be said about neighboring Mohawk G.)  The more spacious sites in Mohawk can be found accross the street, as they all abut an open field.  There is minimal shade in the Mohawk region, and all sites offer little privacy.  That said, Hammonasset boasts some of the largest coastal campsites around.

        

I recently ventured to Old Orchard Beach for the first time and must say that I was much less than impressed with what I found.  Although the campground had it's quaint charms, the beach itself was the stuff that bad dreams are made of.  At the outskirts of the madness lies a deceivingly tranquil park.  It's lush lawn is dotted with well manicured gardens, monuments, playground, bandstand and a gated area where dogs can run free.  I have to give the town an A+ in both urban planning and landscape architecture for this one.  However, once one rounds the corner the onset of bad taste looms in the air, and at the epicenter a sprawling swarm of commercial catastrophe is dumped on top of one of the most naturally beautiful beaches in the northeast.  It's almost a crime against nature.

The streets are lined with stores that almost exclusively sell fried food, tasteless t-shirts and/or tattoos.  Sure, every seaside town should have fried dough and the customary 'my (fill in the blank) went to Old Orchard and all I got was this lousy shirt'.  BUT NOT IN EVERY STORE!  And the vendors at Old Orchard take it to a new level when the front window is plastered with prints that say things like (I kid you not) 'I'm not a gynecologist but I can take a look'.  Every once in a while a bar or restaurant with tables pops up, with signs like 'absolutely no club colors' in the window (the audience for which is the large number of biker gang types that enjoy heading to the beach in 90+ degree weather dressed in leather jackets and matching pants).  Then there's the carnival with rows and rows of games that you can play for $2 a shot, with the chance to win something that the local dollar store rejected because it was just too cheap and cheesy to fit in with the 'everything under a dollar' image.  The icing on the cake is the bathroom on the pier that costs .50 per person per use with large creepy bouncers collecting the fare.  I felt like one of the Three Billy Goats Gruff every time I had to pee.  The police put on the grand finale every afternoon when they converge on the beach wearing guns and bright yellow polo shirts.  They swiftly move from blanket to blanket (true story) SNIFFING the cups, cans, and bottles of almost each and every beach goer (even following some into the water).  Apparently alcohol is only A-OK when it is consumed 50 feet from the beach in a 'no club color' biker bar.  Those without a little rum in their Coke only get humiliated.  Those with (that are lucky) get to dump the offending contents into the sand.  The rest get slapped with a ticket and a fine.

Soooo,  if you are considering heading to Old Orchard for a weekend of fun in the sun, I would have to warn you to do so at your own risk.



Crowds + carnival + drink sniffing police = Circle of Hell that even Dante couldn't imagine.

        

This weekend I ventured up to the northern New England resort town of Old Orchard Beach and set up camp at Ne're Beach Family Campground. I just have to say-there's a lot going on in a little bit of space. Ne're Beach is just that: near the beach. The playa and all of the surrounding excitement is within walking distance of the campground. Just about anything you could want to eat, buy, ride or swim is a short trip away by foot. Which is a good thing, as it costs 20 bucks a day to park anywhere close to the boardwalk. << MORE >>

The creativity juices are really flowing at theSnappyCamper.com this month! Last weekend, my baby boy celebrated his EIGHTEENTH birthday and I marked the occasion by creating yet another "one for the road" that I aptly named the 'Happy Birthday' (for the over 21 set, of course):<< MORE >>

The Snappy Campers recently spent a glorious weekend in Brewster. An impromptu visit to the Satucket Farm Stand left us with more fresh fruits and veggies than we knew what to do with. After dabbling in the camping kitchen for a few minutes, it became very clear that a new drink was born. World, meet the 'Snappy Camper':<< MORE >>

Last weekend the snappy campers pitched their tents in Sweetwater Forest Campground in Brewster. As there are 8 ocean beaches that run along the town's border, we spent an entire day just doing playa recon in order to scope out the best semi-permanent home for the next 3 days. << MORE >>

The snappy campers just returned from a trip to Sweetwater Forest Campground in Brewster, Massachusetts. Nestled in the inner elbow of Cape Cod, Brewster is a rockin' place to spend a snappy weekend in July. A great time was had by all, and the trip deemed a two snaps up success. << MORE >>

The snappy campers recently returned from a trip to that 'Old Faithful', Salisbury Beach State Reservation. We stayed in our 'usual spot' on Y Street, with base camp set up at Y-01. I started staying in this site years ago as a result of a last-minute decision to head to the beach. As this (along with most of the other Y sites) is a tent-only area, it does not book out 5 or 6 months in advance like the spots in A, B, C, etc. do. For the life of me I don't understand why there isn't a wait list miles long for this site, as the view is the most magnificent I have ever seen on any site, any campground, anywhere. A couple months back, I stayed on A Street and sorely missed the view from 'Y'. The trek to the beach takes an extra 8 or 9 minutes, but it is well worth it (and counts towards my daily cardio requirement!)<< MORE >>

Last weekend, 22 Snappy Campers made the annual pilgrimage to Provincetown, Massachusetts (which, coincidentally was the first landing place of the Pilgrims of Mayflower fame; they hit Plymouth Rock SECOND contrary to popular belief-even Schoolhouse Rock got that one wrong). We stayed at Dunes' Edge Campground for the second consecutive year and boy did we have a snappy time!<< MORE >>