YOSEMITE CAMPERS: Which Yosemite campsite is better: Lower Pines or Wawona?

My dad and I want to go camping this weekend (last minute decision) and I want to know which campsite is better. So far–judging on the amenities–Wawona looks better.

Some things to keep in mind:
-We are very new at camping
-Never have been in Yosemite
-Not too fit (we’re not going to be doing some crazy rock climbing up that huge rock or anything)
-We want to walk around and see…nature =)
-We don’t have fishing gear
-We want to have a bonfire or something and be able to cook
-Even though we are not prima donas, we kind of want a toilet to do our business =)

Any info would be soooooo awesome!

Thanks =)

-Sammy

Anyone knows a great family campground, resort, park to tent over the weekend in Maine? ?

looking for some decent sand beach + lake / river / ocean / pond and some hot showers + nice bathrooms
we have two little ones so a nice playground (and ideally a swimming pool:) is a definite bonus.

thank you for any tips.

so far we’ve tried mostly state parks: peaks-kenny, swan lake, and lilly bay.

i have called an rv campground the other day that had all the amenities that we were looking for but they only allow rv’s..
main county beach? cook mountains? maybe you could tell me where in Maine that is???

Campground Amenities That are Sure to Please

We do quite a lot of traveling in our RV, staying at all kinds of campgrounds. We’ve camped in state parks, national parks, private parks, and campground chains. We’ve found ourselves in elite RV Resorts as well as the bare minimum, no-frills site…and everything in between. When asked what campground amenities we typically look for, we came up with the following list.

1. Free WiFi. Internet service is important for us while we are traveling because it is our way of staying in touch with all of our children at the same time. We like to check in with them on a daily basis, if possible, to let them know we’ve arrived at our destination safely and to tell them about our travels. We enjoy receiving emails from them, as well, to help with our issues of homesickness. The internet is also extremely important to us in routing and planning our trip. With a few simple clicks, we can access the weather forecast, explore road construction details, and make reservations at different campgrounds along the way. We can also investigate different points of interest along our routes; their hours, fees, and highlights. Online banking and shopping are also frequent activities of ours, so having access to the internet via WiFi from my own laptop computer is very important to us when we’re “on the road”.

2. Cable/Satellite TV. Even though we have the HDTV converter box connected, local television is not always available in some of the areas in which we travel. Television entertainment is especially important if we’re camping on a weekend when sporting events are broadcast. We also enjoy viewing favorite television shows each week…especially the reality-type shows for which there are no re-runs to watch if we miss a show.

3. Pets Welcome. Because we travel with our little dog, we look for campgrounds that are “pet friendly”. In order for us to have an enjoyable trip, RV travel and camping needs to be enjoyable and stress-free for her. It is important to have an area for her in which she feels comfortable; a grassy area nearby, if not an actual grassy site. It’s also nice to meet other pet-owners while on one of our many walks throughout the campground. We can share stories about experiences we have had while traveling with our pets; getting and giving much-needed advice.

4. Campground Activities. For extended stays, or if we have guests, it’s nice to have different activities in which to participate. These can range from swimming and walking to hiking and biking; painting and crafts to poker and bingo; potluck meals to community campfires. Meeting fellow-RVers and participating in fun activities with them can only enhance your camping experience.

Though everyone’s camping experiences and expectations differ, I believe that the amenities offered are very important in choosing a campground that’s right for you.

By Laura Weaver