LEWIS & CLARK GOLF & RV PARK, ASTORIA, OR

Our Opinion: Rave.  We got what we paid for at this small, pretty park on the outskirts of Astoria. 

Date of Stay:  The Labor Day holiday weekend, September 2 through 5, 2011.

Weather During Stay:  Unusually sunny and warm in Astoria, a real treat for us.  Cool nights and morning fog that burned off reasonably early.

Site Description:  We sprung for a “premium” site for this stay, adjacent to the green grass of a pretty, 9-hole golf course.  Utilities are situated so motor homes can pull in head first, facing the green expanse of the golf course.  Great setup, and a huge site, totally level.

Behind our row of 8 premium sites, 21 large, level FHU sites are arranged in two rows, 10 pull-through sites and 11 back-in sites adjacent to the road.  Another row of premium sites adjacent to another fairway have been added recently, 10 or so? 

Roads are paved; all sites are gravel with manicured grass between sites.  Spacing is good for a commercial RV park, particularly the premium sites.  No picnic tables or fire rings.  A large (very large) grassy area is provided for walking leashed pets.

Rate:  We paid $41/night for our premium site.  Seems a reasonable price for the amenities and location compared with other commercial parks we have visited this summer.  Golfing is $15 for 9 holes, $20 to go around twice.

Phone/radio/TV:  Good Verizon signal here for both phones and aircard.  They have WiFi (don’t know whether it is included in the fee or not), but we didn’t use it.  Our site had no obstacles for our roof-mounted satellite TV dish.  Cable TV with dozens of stations.  NPR on 89.7.

Elevation/landscape/terrain:  This sea level park is completely flat.  Views are of other rigs, the golf course, and the forest beyond.  Very appealing.

Lighting/noise:  Very dark and quiet at night.

Favorite Sites:  We loved our roomy site (A11) with its great golf course view.  A10 looked even larger.  We would not want to be in one of the back in sites adjacent to the road, B11 through B21 (though I’m sure the price is lower for these).

Hiking/Walking: Good for golfers!  Plenty of good walking within a short drive, though.

Comments:  We were happy we had chosen this park for our Labor Day holiday stay.  Well managed, attractive, quiet, close to all that the Astoria area has to offer - which is a lot.

L.L. “STUB” STEWART STATE PARK - BANKS, OR (NW CORNER OF OREGON)

Our Opinion: Rave.  Huge level sites, FHU, and unlimited hiking.

Date of Stay:  Sept. 1, 2011

Weather During Stay:  Sunny and warm, with a pleasant nighttime cool down.

Site Description:  Seventy-eight 50 amp FHU sites (almost all back-ins) are arranged around two loop roads, 43 in the west loop and 35 in the east loop.  All sites are HUGE, with large gravel pads.  Generous spacing between sites.  Most of the sites are very level.  The west loop also has a separate tent camping area (12 sites).

In both campground loops, sites angle off the loop road on both sides.  The east loop is very open; lots of sunshine and not much privacy.  The west loop has a thick row of trees running through the center of the loop, so sites on both the inside and outside of the road back up to trees, providing a lot more privacy.  Flush toilets and hot showers in each loop.  Each site has a substantial picnic table and a fire pit.

We choose site 49 in the west loop, facing east to capture the warmth of the morning sun and some afternoon shade from the trees at the back of our site.  Voltage and water pressure are good. 

Roads are paved and easy to navigate (slowly) in a big rig.  There is a playground in the east loop.  Just one collection point for trash and recycling, across from the “Welcome Center” as you enter the park.

This park also has a horse camp with 16 FHU sites and other amenities, and a “cabin village” of  12 one-room cabins and 3 two room cabins.

Rate:  $26/night for FHU.  Stay limit unknown.

Phone/radio/TV:  Good Verizon signal here for both phones and aircard.  WiFi was not working at the time of our visit.  Our site had no obstacles for our roof-mounted satellite TV dish.  No stations on the air antenna; no local NPR station.

Elevation/landscape/terrain:  This is a hilly park!  Elevation is probably around 500’.  Most areas are heavily forested - the exception being the camping and cabin areas.

Lighting/noise:  Very dark and quiet at night.

Favorite Sites:  We loved our site, so big, level, and sunny.  We preferred the west loop, where the trees in the center provide much more privacy than the open east loop.

Hiking/Walking: The are trails everywhere in the park, for hikers, bikers and equestrians.  The centerpiece is the paved, 21-mile Vernonia/Banks State Trail.  A park brochure includes distance and difficulty information for all the trails.

Comments:  This fairly new park is a gem, with some of the largest sites we’ve seen in a state park.  Very friendly, helpful hosts.  As the photos show, the grass was dry and brown this time of year, but the park was appealing nonetheless.   Reservations can be made online, but very few sites were full on the day we visited during the week.

NEWPORT ELKS LODGE, NEWPORT, OR

Our Opinion: Neutral - but we would not be likely to return.  Private; you must be an Elk to stay here.

Date of Stay: August 16, 17, 18, 2011.

Weather During Stay: Beautiful sunshine, cool temperatures - and WIND at the beach..

Sites:  8 back-in sites on asphalt behind the lodge building. All sites have 30 amp E, water, and cable TV.  Rather narrow sites (no room for your awning if you have neighbors) are sloped to varying degrees; we used boards on the passenger side to level sufficiently.

Rate: $15/night for W/E and cable TV.  No dump station.  Stay limit 7 days.

Phone/radio/TV: Good Verizon phone and aircard signal.  No obstructions to block TV satellite dish, and cable TV is provided.  NPR on 90.5 FM.

Elevation/Landscape/Terrain:  This lodge sits on the side of a hill above the marina and old Bayfront area of Newport between a residential neighborhood and a heavily trafficked commercial street.  Most of the RV sites are not level, but we managed to settle in comfortably.  Views are of neighboring rigs, the back of the lodge, and nearby houses.

Lighting/Noise: A major east/west state highway traverses the hillside just above the RV parking.  Lots of daytime traffic noise, and occasional very noisy trucks or motorcycles during the night. If you click on the top photo, you can spot the cab of a truck passing by on the road, just above our motorhome (the one with the white solar screen).

Favorite Sites: None of them are great!  Sites 5 and 6 look reasonably level and longer, but face directly to the back of the lodge.  The photos look a bit nicer than the actual sites.

Hiking/Walking: We walked down the steep hill to the boardwalk along the marina.  Quite a hike back, but there is a bus that heads up the hill.

Comments: We would recommend this Elks parking only if you really want/need to be in Newport and are not willing to pay the high prices commanded by local RV parks - fees above $40/night are not unusual.  An nearby asphalt plant (or similar) puffs out a foul odor a couple of times a day, and there is considerable urban noise.  Next time, we’d stay at the nicer Elks parking in either Florence (south) or Lincoln City (north), or bite the bullet and pay the higher rate at an RV park.  Still, we commend the Newport Elks for making this budget-priced parking available to traveling Elks.  Probably the best deal in town.

SILVER SPUR RV PARK, SILVERTON, OR

Our Opinion: Recommend.  If you are a Passport America member, the price is very good.

Date of Stay: August 14-15, 2011

Weather During Stay:  Beautiful sunshine without too much heat.

Site Description:   Sites here are well designed for easy pull-through, with grass between the sites and a dedicated spot to park your tow/towed at the back of each site.  Our site had FHU, 30 and 50 amps, plus cable TV.  Each site had a picnic table, and sites are reasonable roomy for a commercial park.

Interior roads and sites are gravel/dirt, so a little dusty in dry weather.  Getting into the park and your site is easy; getting out is a little less easy.  Signs indicate that you are not to use the entrance road as an exit, but many big rigs did - making a left turn from the designated exit (to head west on Hwy 213) was next to impossible in a big rig.

It’s a big park (134 sites) with nice facilities including a couple of ponds, short walking trails, and a very large lodge/office building.  Price includes good WiFi.

Rate: $17/night for Passport America (minimal restrictions apply); twice that otherwise.

Phone/radio/TV: Good Verizon signal for phones and aircard.  We used their WiFi while here, and it was usually reasonably fast.  No obstacles for roof-mounted satellite dish, and they offered dozens of stations on cable TV.  We also got many local stations on the air antenna.  NPR on 91.5.   

Elevation/Landscape/Terrain:  Level park in a semi-rural area.  Views are of neighbors and distant trees.

Lighting/Noise: Considering the proximity to a major county road, this park was pleasingly quiet, and was reasonably dark at night (low lighting).

Favorite Sites: No favorites here.  Our site, 38, faced NW, so our patio side was shaded in the afternoon.

Hiking/Walking:  The park has a short walking trail around the ponds (we saw a Blue Heron).  You could walk into downtown Silverton (1 mile) and to Safeway (¼ mile or so?).

Comments: This is a good home base for exploring the Oregon Garden, Salem (Oregon’s capitol) or making a trip to Silver Falls State Park (15 miles away).  We had a pleasant stay at a very reasonable price.

KELSO-LONGVIEW ELKS LODGE, KELSO, WA

Our Opinion: Neutral.  Private; you must be an Elk to stay here.

Date of Stay: August 9 and 10, 2011.

Weather During Stay: Overcast mornings, partly cloudy afternoons.  Moderate temperatures.

Sites:  13 pull-through sites on level dirt/gravel (one site might be occupied by a host?) in two rows. All sites have 30 amp E, water, and cable TV.  Get a key for your electric box from the Elks office when you register. 

No trees; all sites have open exposure.  Sites are large enough for big rigs, but very narrow - just enough room for slides and steps. Tow and towed vehicles fit sideways behind or in front of sites. 

The lodge has a large, paved parking lot that is convenient for unhooking a towed vehicle before entering the fenced RV campground, which requires careful maneuvering if the campground is full.  Watch for potholes in and entering the campground.

Rate: $15/night for W/E and cable TV, includes use of the dump station (located in the campground; a little tricky to access).  Stay limit 7 days May through August; 14 days September through April.  7 days out before re-entry.

Phone/radio/TV: Reasonable Verizon phones and aircard signal.  No obstructions to block TV satellite dish.  20 +/- stations on cable TV.  Lodge has WiFi in the lounge; the motel next door has open WiFi accessible from the campsites.  NPR from Seattle on 104.7 FM.

Elevation/Landscape/Terrain:  This is a small, flat parking area at sea level.  Sites face southeast, into a row of trees and beyond to a motel and the back of a Safeway grocery store. 

Lighting/Noise: Reasonably dark and quiet at night; typical urban noises, including background noise from nearby I-5.

Favorite Sites: No difference between sites.

Hiking/Walking: Walk to Safeway, Three Rivers Mall (Target) and chain restaurants.  For a longer (and pleasant) walk, drive east on Allen Street, under I-5.  Pass Brookhollow Mobile Home Park, and park in a small lot on the right at the end of a levee immediately past the entrance to Brookhollow RV Park.  Walk along the gravel trail on the grassy levee to Tam-O-Shanter Park.  Excellent hiking at Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.

Comments: Though this parking is nothing special (and quite tight when full), services are good, the price is right, and the location is handy when traveling the I-5 corridor or for visiting Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument.  This was our third or fourth stop here, and the first time we have seen the campsites full - the Elks Annual Golf Tournament (held on their own beautiful golf course a few miles away) began on Thursday.  The nearby Safeway store has a gas station that is big-rig accessible.