Well after months of pondering a decision, it appears that we will be relocating from Western Washington to the Manchester, NH area. Two questions for the experts here:
1) I may be living in my motorhome for 2-6 months, depending on how long it takes to sell our home here. Any recommendations for a good place to stay around Manchester for this period of time? I will be alone and working a lot. Depending on when the house sells, the wife and kids may join for a short time until we buy a house there. All I want is clean, reasonably quiet during sleepy-time and Internet access. Probably should have cable TV too. Suggestions? I see there are many potential places to stay, though most of them don't open until May.
2) How does camping differ in NE? More bugs? Are the campgrounds as busy and hard-to-get-in-to as they are out here? I know this is a general question; just trying to get a feel for what I'm getting in to when I eventually have some time to venture out and explore.
Any hints / tips / suggestions gratefully accepted.
COLD SPRINGS in Weare is probably the closest (and nicest from what I hear?)
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Pine Acres in Raymond, NH is about 15 minutes outside of Manchester. The campground is located off exit 5 of route 101. I believe that they open sometime in April.
Cold Springs is nice, opened May 1 to about Oct 10. We are seasonal here, about 400 sites, 260 or so are seasonal, many big rigs. Very clean.
To me, Pine Acres is more of a dump, not restrictions on what seasonals can build, no one telling them to clean up their sites etc. I stayed there and will never return.
Camping in NE is quiet until Memorial Weekend, that weekend is busy and then weekend until school get out at the end of June. From the end of June to Labor Day most campgrounds are full or at least close to it at least on the weekend if not all week. Cold springs is somewhat quiet during the week as many seasonals go home to work etc and return Friday nights, other campgrounds with fewer seasonals are busy all week long.
Also close to Manchester is Autumn Hills in Weare NH, never been there myself. Other campgrounds would be north towards the Concord area.
Cold Springs is an ideal choice to be near Manchester NH. Jay and I camp all over NH and sell real estate here as well. Check out our blog which is linked in our signature for camping and town information.
Manchester is a big town and a great location. There are many nice towns nearby and some excellent camping spots.
E-mail me if you want more info.
Monika
Jay and Monika
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Never been to WA so I can't say if there are "more" bugs but there's plenty! Weekends, especially holiday ones, book up quickly. Peak season runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day, but most campgrounds up north open somewhere around 4/1 and stay open until Columbus Day (mid-October). Book as soon as you know when you will need a place to stay. Other than that, I wouldn't say that NE is any different than anywhere else.
Bring snowshoes - we got another 4 to 8" today, on top of the more than 2' I still have on the ground, and I'm only 45 min north of Manchester!!! And our trees are smaller than yours in WA state... ST
2003 Roadtrek 190P Chevy 3500, and a pair of Limmers...
In New England, a few miles can make a big difference in weather and snow accumulation (hence on the opening date for campgrounds). As you head northward, the altitude is generally increasing, too, as is distance from the moderating effects of the ocean temperatures, so there's a triple effect.
As noted above, NH is still buried in snow, whereas here in Boston just 50 miles south but on the ocean, we put our snow shovels away a month ago. When I woke up yesterday and saw school closings on the TV, at first I figured there was flooding somewhere, since we've had nothing but rain in weeks.
Between Boston and Manchester is a straight shot right up Route 93, so if you have trouble finding something closer to Manchester, you might try heading south a bit.
If you can wait till May 1 to come out then I'll second the nod to Cold Springs. In your situation you can get a site at a monthly rate. Now is the time to contact them to arrange something before the place books up. It's very quiet during the week, weekends can be busy but it's pretty quiet at night during "quiet hours". Lots of nice ammenities, everything in the campground is easy to get to, and very friendly seasonal folks A small grocery store is a 2 minute drive, a few larger chain grocery stores are about 10-15 mins away. Laundry on site and Manchester down town is maybe 20 mins away.
http://www.coldspringscampresort.com/
As for bugs, I don't find Cold Springs area to be particularly buggy for some reason. We have a screen house there and don't often feel the need to be in there.
I will also agree that Pine Acres is a dump! Friendly Beaver too! Not sure about Autumn Hills, it's right down the road but I never hear anyone talk about it.
I know of no other camp grounds in the Manchester area.
Good luck with your move! Welcome to Manchester!
Len, Jane, Danielle and Spyro
seasonal at Cold Springs Camp Resort
Weare, NH
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A small grocery store is a 2 minute drive, a few larger chain grocery stores are about 10-15 mins away. Laundry on site and Manchester down town is maybe 20 mins away.
