Camping at Danforth Bay

[Thats Camping]

Danforth Bay is one of the most popular campgrounds in the Northeast, perhaps THE most popular. Reservations are a must in peak summer months, but during the off-season (May, early June, September, October) it is easier to find an available site.

Before May 1st, only week-long reservations are available, but after May 1st, shorter stays can be reserved. Be warned, the phones are jammed after May 1st with campers trying to make reservations, so keep trying.

[twinnish]

Call me crazy, but Danforth Bay was a little too busy for me. 

It is undoubtedly a beautiful campground, with all the amenities you could want short of butler service.  We stayed there last spring.  My site was out back by the ball field and I liked it. The bathroom was a bit far away, but the site itself was large and level.  It looked out over the field.  The kids could play there while we puttered around the site.  It rained 3 out of the 4 days we were there, so maybe that colored my feelings for the place. Not that it's the fault of the CG!  

I guess I can't put my finger on it, exactly, but I guess for me, less is more.  My kids enjoyed themselves and maybe if I had stayed longer I would have grown to like it more.  But I liked other places better.  Perhaps if I camped in a camper and not a tent, I'd feel different. Maybe I just need to give it another chance.

Maybe  I'm just crazy!

[NewEnglandCamper]

Yes! We will be at Danforth Bay on Memorial Day and Columbus Day. We are now trying to get a week there in the summer. We didn't get seasonal as requested. Maybe next year!

On May 1st then we'll decide if we want to book for shorter stays (Weekends). We had a really hard time getting in there on weekends without a reservation.

Overall I can't wait! Camping is much more affordable. We are concerned whether the camper is going to fit a play pen and whether we will all be cramped.

Happy Camping!

[Thats Camping]

No, you are not crazy. Everyone has a different idea of camping. I understand about sometimes just wanting something simple! I think while camping in a tent, it does seem nicer to stay at a more natural basic campground.

I know the area you are talking about by the ball field, and it is a very quiet area, but yes, in a tent, you would be far from the bathhouse. And ugh,  rain for all that time would certainly make anyone feel blue.

But I think you should definitely give it another shot. The off-peak is the best time to go there, especially in the fall. But don't think you are crazy for not liking it. That is what makes camping so great, there is a different favorite campground for everyone!!!

[Thats Camping]

Yes! We will be at Danforth Bay on Memorial Day and Columbus Day. We are now trying to get a week there in the summer. We didn't get seasonal as requested. Maybe next year!

Hey Bob!! So nice to see you here!! 

And even off peak weekends are tough to reserve at Danforth. Gone are the days of deciding to go camping on Friday afternoon and expecting an available site!!!

I can't wait to go! Since we adopted our little puppy, we couldn't go winter camping, but we will be ready to go very soon. We might check out one of the 4-season campgrounds. I know Danforth doesn't open for the season til mid-May I think.

And hey, good luck with that playpen issue!!!

[NewEnglandCamper]

Congrats on the new puppy! He is so cute! How does Jack like him. I bet you can't wait to take him out for the first trip!

Now you will have to make sure the campgrounds you visit allow dogs (most do). I remember going through that with the camping brochures.

[Thats Camping]

Congrats on the new puppy! He is so cute! How does Jack like him. I bet you can't wait to take him out for the first trip!
Now you will have to make sure the campgrounds you visit allow dogs (most do). I remember going through that with the camping brochures.

The question is how does our new puppy like our parakeet Jack!!! She is a Rat Terrier, and her instincts are to chase (and kill) little animals. I am not expecting a great friendship, but we are at least hoping to get them to tolorate eachother (and maybe not have the other for lunch).

But Jack is actually okay with her. He was a bit quiet when she first came home, but he is now back to his old self again.

I don't know what we are going to do in the trailer. Jack is used to having free rein so I am not sure how they will react to eachother in such closed quarters. We might have to restrain Jack a lot more. Poor guy. He is going to be bummed.

I am looking forward to our first trip though. Now that we have the puppy, of course I will be posting lots of information on dog-friendly campgrounds.  But like you said, most do allow them. I have plans for some puppy/pet articles though!

[Ms Cheyenne]

I agree about camping at Danforth Bay off season.We go every year after Labor Day for a week and it is so quiet and peaceful but yet it is still beautiful and warm enough to do water activities. Last year was our first year with a new dog that we got from a rescue group and it was an experience. She tried to swim across the bay to get a duck with me attached to her leash. We found a great kennel down the street that does doggie day care and kenneling. That way you can go out for the day and have her stay at doggie day care. We are hoping this year that she will be better behaved. We are also going up in May to Danforth on a pets weekend which sounds like fun. I think this forum is going to be great because I have loved reading all the recommendations on different campgrounds and have found many places that I have loved because of the reviews.

[Karen]

Probably not ever. 
I've seen many rave reviews, but had a brief experience that was pretty negative.

We were camping in that area last October (2004), and I wanted to check it out from having seen them at the Boston RV
show last year.

We found the place, and went into the office/store to check it out.
There were 3 people working behind the counter, but there was no order as I waited for someone's attention.  They actually waited on 2 people standing behind me before someone offered to help.  Everyone seemed to think someone else was working with me but nobody ever asked.  I finally had to speak up and felt rude.
I asked for a map and if it was ok to take a quick drive around the grounds to check it out. 

Anyway, they gave me a map and a pass to put on the car, and said they'd open the gate for us.  We sat parked in front of the gate for about 10 minutes, but nobody ever opened it.  Seemed odd to me because you can see the gate from the store, but apparently the workers were so distracted they never looked up.  By this time, we were frustrated by the wait for service in the store, and the wait to open the gate, that we just left.   

Also it seemed to me that there was a lot of loitering around the store, hard to tell who was there to help or who was just hanging out.  Maybe it just me, but I did not feel welcome here.

[Thats Camping]

Hey Karen.
I am so sorry your initial impression of Danforth Bay was negative. First impressions of a campground, especially at the office, is so important.

We have stayed at Danforth countless times, and every time (from our first visit onward), we have been made to feel as though we were part of the family. If your visit was during a holiday (possibly Columbus Day weekend??) it is bustling. I am not trying to make excuses for them, but by your comments, it sounds as if they were very busy.

I have to give them credit. No matter how popular they become, they always make us feel important...and I do believe that their customer service (along with their amenities) are what make them so special. And that is the reason this campground is booked every weekend. The staff is just as nice as the surroundings there.

I am not trying to sway your opinion, Karen and they do not pay me to say these things but I don't think you would be sorry if you booked a weekend (sight unseen) with them. Give it another try!

[campne]

Good thread!

We have never stayed at DB but I did a walk-thru 2 years ago.  It was a well kept cg with nice facilities but I dont think we'll stay there.  Here's my .02:
- Lots of seasonals.  Sites were well kept but looked more like vacation cabins than campsites.  There appeared to be a smattering of transient sites in seasonal areas.  Wouldnt want to stay at one of these sites.
- As I remember it was quite hilly and a long walk to the bay.
- Sites near the bay looked very tight.
- The water dropped off quickly at the beach.

We generally avoid heading to the eastern side of NH.  You just cant get there from here...  Rt 25 and 16 can be a nightmare on weekends.  A cg has to be a real standout for us to head 'east' for a long weekend.

Also, we generally avoid camping 'resorts'.  Moose Hillock has been the exception because the kids simply love the pool and activities.  Plus MH has the fish hatchery, Lost River, etc right down the road for day trip diversions.

Just one guys opinion.  Your mileage may vary 

Cheers!

[NewEnglandCamper]

We love Danforth Bay so much that we are spending 2 full weeks there (7/23-30) and (8/27-9/5) and then some holiday weekends.  I just booked today! They are filling up fast.

I don't know about 2 years ago but the seasonal sites are AWAY from the transient sites (mostly on Winni-Way). I don't think they have a site where you are surrounded by seasonals.  Sites near the bay are a little bit tight. We found some really nice sites by accident last year on Webster way which has access to the "quieter beach".

I agree, Route 25 is a NIGHTMARE through Meredith we have come up Rt. 16 many times and had minimal traffic problems.

Moose Hillock is great too! However Danforth has the lake as well as nice pool (and new kiddie pool for 2005). The activities have quite improved at Danforth Bay as well. You can scoot up to N. Conway area in 20 minutes for shopping via NH-153 (its twisty - so small kids with weak stomachs should stick to Rt 16).  Storyland is probably a 1/2 hour to 45 minutes away. Its also an ideal location for the Fryeburg Fair.

The camping sites are better at Moose Hillock (more spacious and private) but Danforth's aren't bad at all. That's Camping a good list of premium size sites in their review section.

[NewEnglandCamper]

TC are you camping the following weekend with your new addition:
 

From the Danforth Bay Website:

May 20-22: Pets Weekend
We will have fun activities for families with or without pets. Join us for our dog pageant, agility test and fancy trick show. We will also have a hike up Mary's Mountain, kayaking and lots of fun activities.

[Thats Camping]

TC are you camping the following weekend with your new addition:
 

From the Danforth Bay Website:

May 20-22: Pets Weekend
We will have fun activities for families with or without pets. Join us for our dog pageant, agility test and fancy trick show. We will also have a hike up Mary's Mountain, kayaking and lots of fun activities.

We would like to go that weekend, but not sure yet. It does sound fun though doesn't it? I would love to dress her up and parade her around.

We are in the process of looking for doggy classes. We are still in the evaluation stage, but hopefully she will be a lot more manageable by mid May!

[steved28]

We had a great experience last Columbus Day Weekend, but it was with a mini rally, so I guess we would have had fun anywhere. We immedietly made reservations to go back the next Fall. We also tried to rent a cabin this winter to go snowmobiling. But there was a major storm and it wreaked havoc to the road coming in and took out the electric.

We stuck around (nearly all day) for them to rig up some generators, only to find that they would not allow us to use the fridge, stove, even the lights! We finally left and found a hotel in the area. Before leaving we were told they would refund our money and "take care of us". Well, they did refund the money, but never offered us anything for the long, cold day we hung around. I know the storm was not their fault, but IMO they could have handled it better, and not led us to beleive they would fix the problem. 

BTW, here is a different perspective on Danforth

http://home.comcast.net/~smdamelio/pics/danf1.jpg

[Thats Camping]

BTW, here is a different perspective on Danforth

http://home.comcast.net/~smdamelio/pics/danf1.jpg

Wow, isn't it amazing how different it looks in winter. We winter camped last season, and it amazed me how cool it looked with all the snow. The campsites looked so different. I loved it!

Thanks for sharing your photo!!

[CamperMom]

Hi New England Camper!  Your DB dates sandwich our dates!  We managed to score a second week for our site that is down by the bay so we will be there 8/6-20. 

I agree with the MH people, too!  Moose Hillock is a great campground and I hate campgrounds with pools (sorry, I'm a freshwater snob...!) 
the sites are all beautiful at MH with more privacy than the DB sites, but there is something about DB that I just love.  Can't explain it, just reminds me of the way campgrounds used to be.  Maybe it's the amount of week-long campers as opposed to most campgrounds where everyone arrives late Friday and has cleared out by Sunday afternoon. 
The internet access took be back a bit - seemed a bit non-camperish to me.  However, I have managed to overcome this (still working on my issue with arcades, though) since my husband will need it in order to work from the site this year - he's a week short of vacation this year. 
And it IS nice to be so close to North Conway, too.  NC is terrific and has so much to do especially with little ones. 

CamperMom
A horrible day camping is better than any day at the office.

[NewEnglandCamper]

Hi CamperMom!

We might be at Danforth Bay when you are there. As soon as May 1st arrives we are going to be calling up to get shorter weekend stays (probably along with 1/2 of the other campers). So chances are my wife will want to camp between our weeks there.

It really is an A+++ campground. We were really hoping to get seasonal there this year. Perhaps next year.

We also like the hours that Danforth Bay is opened (although I wish they would open up in April as well). MH closes way too early.

My wife and I both love the idea of North Conway and the Mountains being a short drive away. There is a lots to do there. Also Lake Ossipee is really nice. We rented a jet ski last year and had a BLAST! It is a beautiful lake. NOTE: You can't use jet-ski's at Danforth Bay.

Can't wait for the first trip!

[GaryWT]

Not this year and maybe never.  Been through there when it was Shawtown and looked into early on but they did not have a pool when they first opened.  While waiting for the pool to be built we discovered Cold Spring and became seasonal there on our first visit so for now we are not going anywhere else.

[NewEnglandCamper]

Happy May Day... that means Danforth Bay is now accepting reservations for shorter stays.

Well ... we did it! We made our "shorter stay" reservations at 8AM this morning with Dawn. She is such a nice lady.

It was tough getting in on the week of July 4th.

I just hope we got in enuff reservations because I know there is no such thing as going to Danforth Bay at the last minute without a reservation. If it was up to Patty we would go every weekend!

Also believe it or not but Columbus Day is SOLD OUT. We are on a waiting list (and confirmed for the Safari field) for a W/E/S site.