So another camping season comes to an end and we were only able to visit once this year, bummer. Love the new office/store and of course the property is as beautiful as ever. You guys amaze me how well you take care of everything. As a seasoned camper who has stayed all over the country, I've never seen so much attention to detail, including the most spotless bathrooms ever, no matter what time of day. Happy and healthy to you all until next summer!!!
WE just arrived home from 10 wonderful days at Rip Van Winkle! We had such a great time we booked another week in August and also for your Halloween weekend. Special thanks to Brian for always being so helpful. We enjoyed meeting his wife and talking "dogs". Your campground is the best and there is no need for campers to look elsewhere if they want good honest to goodness family atmosphere camping. The rules are nicely enforced which allow for a safe and great time for all and one can feel secure and carefree. The wagon rides with music and ice cream cart take even us older folks back to when times were full of simple yet fun filled memories. Keep up the great work!!!
We just wanted you know how much we enjoy coming to your campground every year to go to the garlic festival. We have been coming to your campground since 1993, bringing our family and friends as well. Your hospitality is great. We enjoy having the same site every year in your Rivers Edge area, its awesome. Everyone who joins us every year, looks forward to coming to Rip Van Winkle. Thanks for the many years of enjoyment.
Just go back from camping at Rip Van Winkle and it was fantastic. The place was clean. People and staff were polite and very helpful. I would definitely come back again. My sister in law came up for the afternoon and loved it so much she is making plans to come camping too. My brother in law already has been coming for a few times to your place and referred us to Rip Van Winkle. Thank you for such a great camping experience.
This past weekend was our first time staying at your campground! It's beautiful, and we loved it! The campsites were big and the campground itself was well kept and wooded. My sister visited with her two kids and there was lots to keep them busy. We'll definitely be back again! Thanks again for a great weekend.
Thank you Rip Van Winkle!!! We had a very nice time and our Saints loved the park - they are sleeping now - dog tired..... We will be sure to come visit again - you have a very nice campground.
My husband and I arrived 24 years ago in the dark with a tent on top of the car. We drove in looking for a place to stay over night. We were put on a site near the creek , not really seeing our surroundings. We woke up and when we walked out of the tent the beauty was overwhelming. Family owned and run, they made everyone feel at home. A year later we brought our first born and then our second.
Since then the grandchildren have taken over and they have built on Elton's legacy and have expanded . Brian and Eric are no longer the little guys driving with Dad and Grandpa on the hayride tractor but running the park and keeping the family traditions. It stills feels like home away from home and keeps getting better. We haven't missed a year up at Rips. My grown children have gone every year through out their whole lives with us. They are 20 and 24. I think that sums up what a wonderful place it is.
We are getting ready for the Halloween weekend. We look forward to going up and camping with our long time camping neighbors who we meet each year.
Thanks to Rip Van Winkle we have many wonderful family memories and new friends who we camped next to who have become lifetime friends. That's the kind of place it is.
Within minutes of arriving, our kids (ages 7 &10) said, "We HAVE to come back again!" We stayed in a cabin (immaculate, adorable, perfect quiet setting on the creek) for a mere three nights (a Tue-Fri in July) and wanted to stay longer but the weekend crowd was descending. Mid-week camping meant several empty sites on either side of us and we felt like we had the woods to ourselves. I hear there are lots of activities on the weekends but we loved the tranquility of the half-empty grounds. Between the pool, pedal boats, biking trails, and the gorgeous creek perfect for wading ankle-deep and spotting frogs and crawfish, we were always occupied but never felt busy. The RC track was a hit with my son and the kids loved the freedom they had to bike around the grounds safely and independently. The office/store always had friendly staff, and everything for sale (RC car parts...camping gear...games...food...) was very reasonably priced, a pleasant surprise. Bathrooms, showers, and grounds in general were spotless. The ultimate vacation. Wish we could move in for good. Thank you to the Ellsworth family and all your staff for the best family vacation we've taken!
We choose your campground because it was within a half hour from home and we could check in up to 9 pm. This was important because my fiancé has started a new job and has no time off this summer, plus he doesn't get home until 7 pm. The holiday weekend was the only time we could get away and needed somewhere close by to maximize our camping time.
We really lucked out with your campground. It is truly a gem. The sites were spacious and well kept. There was plenty of space between sites (nothing is worse than camping in a sardine can). We enjoyed the rustic setting of a forest camp while still having the small luxuries of electric, water, sewer, flush toilets and pet waste receptacles.
So many campgrounds have turned into "resorts" catering solely to big rigs. It was nice to see you had a substantial tent camping area and several group sites as well. Although, I felt bad for the tenters due to the showers being so far away. However, you had plenty of well-kept toilet houses throughout the property.
You also have a nice mix of short term and seasonal campers. For the most part, campers are nice people. We are traveling campers and like to visit new places and camping allows us to bring our fur babies. Sometimes, seasonal campers make day campers feel unwelcome in "their" campground. This was not the case at Rip Van Winkle.
The staff were kind, helpful and friendly. And clearly do a very nice job keeping the property in ship shape condition.
We enjoyed our stay and wish we had more time to spend at your campground. Thank you so much for a wonderful and relaxing getaway!