Camping at the parks - CoasterBuzz

Has anyone had good or bad experances camping at the parks. PKI AND CP.I have enjoyed both many times over the years.

I have camped at PKI. Our campsite was right underneath/next to Top Gun. It was really nice at night, very quiet. However, at 6:30 in the morning they began testing Top Gun and a really loud alarm went off a few times. It woke everyone in the area up. We ended up leaving early because we were so tired. If you are going to go try to get a campsite closer to the entrance.

Yeah I camped there (PKI) before and had a great time.
If you've camped there before or have always planned on it I suggest you do it this year.
I've heard from a very good source that it'll be cleared and moved to make room for a new hotel.

We had a good night at the PKI campground. Although the clear the track siren did wake me up early. It was still a nice camping area and the price wasn't bad either.
I only wish CP had tent sites for their campground.
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Parks hit for 2000!
PKD,BGW,Knoebels,DP,HP,PKI,HW,SFKK,SFA, Camden, SFO,CP,WL,IW,KW,BP

I am reviving this old thread because I have a question...

Does anyone know if SFMW and/or PGA have campsites for RV's? I am thinking about renting one and doing a Nor Cal coaster trip. The official websites say nothing about campers, unless I missed the section.

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Gotta ride 'em all!

I belive Rv's are 12 dollers to park at those places

Todd

Riddler's Revenge: The most underrated ride in the universe!

Do they allow overnight parking? That's my real question.

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Gotta ride 'em all!

Well, it looks like the rumor started by dirtyvern in 2000 is finally coming true. I stayed at PKI's campground on August 1 and 2 and many employees and customers were talking about how sad they were that Labor Day weekend 2004 will be the last time you can camp there. After that, it is supposed to be torn down to make way for a large resort hotel.

According to the sources I heard, the new hotel will include indoor rides. I didn't get any information on what those rides would consist of (maybe an indoor water park?)but was told that the hotel will be quite large.

I also heard that a new campground is supposed to be eventually built by the river (sounds nice)but that it probably will not be done for 2005. *** Edited 8/15/2004 3:27:33 PM UTC by Natas***

Yeah, coasterpunk. That would be nice! :-D I did stay at Lighthouse Point though, so that's *sorta* roughing it I suppose. lol.

I have never camped at PKI except for the time my family and I had our RV there once, but that was a long time ago.

-Tina

If worse comes to worse, you can always park for free at the local Walmart. There seems to be one near every major park. If you do that a few times, and stay at a real campground (to have a nice fire, dump your waste, etc) you can save a fortune.

I have stayed at the campgrounds at HW and PKI. And at PKI, we were at the entrance to the campground. We had so much space, and no neighbors nearby (and that was a weekend in August last year). I have also stayed at the Jellystone(?) super close to SFSL. Last summer we really did the park trips super cheap and did a lot of camping. I always find out if there is a campground at the park, and if not, I "map.yahoo" it ...yes, it's now a verb :) and find the closest campground.

I wish CP offered "real" camping, but until I can afford the mobile home I want, I am very content staying at the cottages at Lighthouse Point. Oh to be on a permanent coaster tour in an RV....

Parking overnight at Walmart is technically illegal. Whether it be a 24-hrs Wal-mart or not... they have signs posted all over their lot to NOT park there overnight.

If you want to keep it cheap, stay at an off-site campground NEAR the park.
Cedar Po!nt's nearest off-site campground is Bayshore Estates. It's almost right next to the Cedar Po!nt Causeway... maybe quarter mile down the road. Definately an adequate park, if you can put up with the bi-hourly train passes, the near-by air-port... and... 'coons. Damn things ripped 3 holes in my new tent last time I was there!

if they are removing the good old PKI campground, a temporary fix would be the canoeing campground down on the river. It does require that you drive two miles on the interstate and one mile down the rural road, but three miles isn't that bad. And it's a great tent ground : lots of shade, cool on hot summer nights, and not a sound from either the park or the interstate.

DawgByte II said:
Parking overnight at Walmart is technically illegal. Whether it be a 24-hrs Wal-mart or not... they have signs posted all over their lot to NOT park there overnight.

Actually it is very well known in the camping community that Wal-marts parking lots are a safe rest stop on your journeys. They don't want you setting up your awnings and chairs and firepits but you are welcome to stop for the night and sleep. This is due to the fact or myth that someone in the Wal-mart family died due to falling asleep at the wheel.

The Golden Rule - Try it once and if you don't like you don't have to go on again!

"Most Wal-Mart stores — perhaps nine out of ten — graciously allow RVers to stay the night in their parking lots". About 340 do not. You may have seen the signs at one of the stores that does NOT allow it. See the following site for more information... http://www.freecampgrounds.com/noparking.html