Camping Review: Three Valley Campground- Holland, NY

In our house, Memorial Day marks the official start of camping season.  We always book a site at SpragueBrook Park (Glenwood, NY) for our first camping adventure.  It is less than fifteen minutes from our house so it is the perfect place to go for our first visit, just in case something goes wrong!  Unfortunately, with our crazy start to 2013 we missed the window to make a reservation and by the time we tried to book....they were filled!  So we decided maybe it was time to try someplace different.  Three Valley Campground located in Holland, NY became our destination!

So excited to be camping!

Dom and Zac are probably the best camping buddies I could ask for.  They like to hang out, explore the surroundings, and love a good campfire!  However, like all 11 year olds, they also love their iPad, TV, and watching movies.  So, they were not at all bothered by the frigid temperatures we had in WNY over the weekend.  They were able to enjoy some time in the camper without mom making them come out to enjoy the fresh air.  However, Jay was less thrilled.  He had one mission, and one mission only....ride his bike as much as humanly possible!

Yes, that is Jay's blankie stuck in the handlebars.  Such a silly boy!

The campground was VERY large.  Most people who stay there are seasonal campers who bring their own golf cart to go from one location to the next.  For a frame of reference, the nearest bathroom was about a half-mile away.  Which meant that if we wanted to do anything you had to get in the car and drive.  That fact was probably the biggest downfall of this park. So let's check it out!

Standard bathroom with sink, shower, and two toilets

I can't lie, the pond was beautiful!  If we ever come back I want to stay at one
of the sites by the pond.  We were a good 1/2 mile away.

It was so cold outside I tried to stay warm by baking brownies and putting all the blankets on me! It worked...until Jay discovered my whereabouts.  

Irresistible Brownie Face Invasion!

The boys devoured the brownies!  They are awesome!

Perks:  *Water, Electric hookups at all sites

            *Family Friendly environment

            *Some of the nicest camping neighbors we have had....everyone was very friendly!

            *Relatively flat road (perfect for riding bikes or going for a walk)

            *Walking trails varied from "easiest" to more challenging hikes

            *Bathrooms with toilets and showers were well maintained

            *Heated inground pool

            *Large pond stocked with fish (catch and release)

            

Downfall:  *Everything was VERY far away

                  *Sites varied in size greatly.  Seasonal sites tended to overlap on "weekender" sites making some sites uncomfortably small.  We were lucky and were able to move our site when our initial site had this very problem.

                  *The playground was archaic with the exception of one cool plane glider.  

                  

So when everything was said and done I think it's safe to say that this campground was not for us.  We're going to keep exploring and find the perfect fit.  I'm not completely writing it off forever though.  I think some of the amenities (ex. pool) may be nice if we had been blessed with better weather.  In the meantime, we are going to keep searching for our next adventure.  If anyone has some suggestions, let me know.  I love trying someplace new!