This summer I had the pleasure of camping at the Wakeda Campground in Hampton Falls, New Hampshire. As soon as I drove into the driveway and walked up to the front office, I knew I was going to love camping here. The red paint on the office, bathrooms, trading post, laundry room, and other campground buildings made me feel as if I was going to summer camp. The staff was so friendly and helpful. As a full-time camper, it is always a challenge to get mail on the road. The staff at Wakeda let me have my mail forwarded and packages delivered to the office. They just set them in a back room and held them for me until I arrived and asked for them. What a blessing!
Wakeda Campground has easy access to I-95 and is located close to both the Seacoast and Lake regions of New Hampshire. While there are many seasonal campers in this park, they are all very friendly. They decorate their sites with fun, humorous signs and maintain them beautifully. I loved taking my daily walk around the campground to see everyone's sites. Most of the campsites are set among some extremely tall pine trees. The evenings have gotten a little cooler, so I was able to open my RV windows and let the breeze and the pine smell waft into my home. I inhaled the fragrance of the pines and even amped it up a bit my diffusing my own
Northern Lights Black Spruce essential oils from Young Living. The fresh, earthy, spicy scent of the trees added to that feeling of being at summer camp! The essential oils and the trees help me to feel calmer and peaceful. What a great way to start a week's vacation in New Hampshire.
New Hampshire's Atlantic Ocean coastline may only be 18 miles long, but its Seacoast region has much to offer the exploring RV camper. Hampton Beach State Park has a great white sandy beach and a boardwalk. Check out the activity calendar to find the days and times for movies, fireworks and a lot more fun. While many of these activities are free, the parking isn't, so have some way to pay for parking with you when you go to the beach. I'm thrifty (okay, cheap) and wasn't planning to spend the day at the beach, so I parked a few blocks away in a neighborhood and walked over. Be aware of signs and driveways for no parking zones.
The drive north from Hampton Beach State Park to Rye Harbor State Park is breath-taking. In a way, it reminds me of the drive along the ocean in Palm Beach. The road winds and curves around huge, elegant mansions with glorious views of the ocean and sky. About 30 minutes later, you arrive at the harbor park. It is a small picnic area with views of the Shoal Islands. There is a ferry that can take you to the islands (I didn't go). In the park is a monument to Captain John Smith (the same guy who knew Pocohantos) that commemorates his explorations of the New England coastline.
The next day, I drove an hour and a half to Lake Winnipesaukee. My dad mentioned that he used to vacation in the area when he was a young boy and I wanted to see the places he loved. The day was breezy and not too hot, so I decided to climb Mount Major. This mountain is on the west side of the lake and has an amazing view of the lake from the top. The blue trail going up is pretty steep and the All Trails app rates it as moderately difficult. I can affirm that! My legs were so sore the next day because every step was up. It was the world's most rigorous stair stepper ever. No machine is as tough as this trail. Despite the difficulty, I loved it!
To be honest, the trail was hard because I was out of shape. Young children scrambled on their hands and knees on the rocks as they ran past me up the hillside. Since the blue trail was so steep and my knees are so old, I took the longer, less steep yellow trail down the mountain. The lake region and Mount Major were definitely worth the drive. If you don't like driving back and forth to do your sightseeing, you could always move your rig west to Lake Winnipesaukee. I prefer to unpack my RV and settle down for a week rather than packing up every two days or so. Since I tow my Honda CR-V, I have it to use for these kinds of side adventures. I figure the gas costs are cheaper to move the car and not the RV.
Well, that's the highlights from my time in New Hampshire. I hope you will have the chance to come and see all that this state has to offer. I know I will be back because I haven't even seen the Old Man in the Mountain and other parts of northern New Hampshire. If you've been to New Hampshire and have suggestions for places to go, add your thoughts to the comments section below.
Happy travels!
The next day, I drove an hour and a half to Lake Winnipesaukee. My dad mentioned that he used to vacation in the area when he was a young boy and I wanted to see the places he loved. The day was breezy and not too hot, so I decided to climb Mount Major. This mountain is on the west side of the lake and has an amazing view of the lake from the top. The blue trail going up is pretty steep and the All Trails app rates it as moderately difficult. I can affirm that! My legs were so sore the next day because every step was up. It was the world's most rigorous stair stepper ever. No machine is as tough as this trail. Despite the difficulty, I loved it!
No comments:
Post a Comment
Since this blog is used to share photos and stories from my adventures with both older and younger friends and family, please keep your comments G-rated. Thank you.