Washington

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Electric City/Grand Coulee - 2011

Steamboat State Park #73


RATING: 1 – Yuck, 2 – Poor, 3 – Fair, 4 – Good, 5 - Excellent
OVERALL RATING: 3
Would you stay here again: Yes
Dates: 7/18/11 (1 nite) $49.50 Expensive place! $36 + $8.50 Res fee + $5 for being out of state resident.
Quality of Facilities and Visual Appeal: 3
Campground is in two secrtions by Banks Lake. Each section has 5 loops. The sites are asphalt and very large; big enough for a large RV with a large area on surrounding grass for a tent. Loops are circles and very open, so you can see into all your neighbor’s sites. There is grass all around and several trees, but not enough to cause lots of shade. Each site has a very large aluminum picnic table and a fire ring. There are no street lights at night, so it is very dark at night. Nice to see the stars. During our stay the campground was full. All families with lots of kids. All the sites were very cluttered with bicycles, scooters, towels, games, etc. Did not make for an attractive view. But what do you expect staying in a State Park during the summer.
NOTE: Lots of seagulls walking and flying around. Where are they coming from??...the Lake???
Staff: 2
When we arrived at the entrance, it was closed. It was a long drive, so we left early and arrived at 1:45. The check-in kiosk opened at 2:30pm. Why were we not told that when we made the reservation. We were 3rd in line and it was growing behind us. We got out the paperwork and figured out that we were assigned a site when we made the reservation. So we could go ahead and go in through the “thru traffic” lane. Whew.
Location: 4
If you wanted to visit the Grand Coulee Dam, this was a very convenient location. In fact there are several State Parks in this canyon.
Noise/Quiet: 3
Despite all the kids here, they did not cause all the noise. It was those dam scooters. The teenagers were driving them all around the loops and I did not see one of them wearing helmets. You also kept hearing car alarms. However it was ‘dead’ quiet at night.
Amenities: 3
Full hook-ups, but no cable TV or any TV and no internet. Even the cell phone signal is weak. But this is a state park out in nowhere land. We are lucky to have utilities.
Rec Room/Lounge/ Pool: 4
We are out in nature! And there is the lake. Lots of boats at the campsites and on the lakes. There is lots of hiking around. And there is a volleyball net where people are playing all the time.
Laundry Room: 0 None at campground.
Comfort Station: 2
Restroom is primitive. There is one shower that is spacious, but not to private as you can see inbetween the door. The stall is large and clean, but no shower curtain. And there is a fee! .50 for 3 minutes.
Assigned Site #73: 3
Our site is spacious and very level. But it is out in the open and not close to any trees. So it is sunny and hot. It was very hot in this area at this time of the year. High 80’s. We were close to the restroom, but not too close.
Park Residents/Neighbors: 2
The neighbors on both sides stayed to themselves. Didn’t even acknowledge us nor did anyone in our loop. Maybe they don’t like Californians here. However, we didn’t greet anyone either, so maybe they thought we were unfriendly. The neighbors next door at #72 stayed up past midnight, sitting outside loudly talking and laughing.

 

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Gig Harbor - 2009 - Gig Harbor RV Resort #37

RATING: 1 – Yuck, 2 – Poor, 3 – Fair, 4 – Good, 5 - Excellent

OVERALL RATING:  3

Would you stay here again: Yes

Dates: July 10 – 14 3 nights $34.03 per nite
Quality of Facilities: 3

Lots of trees and shade. Sites are laid out neatly for the first half. But at the top of the hill, the sites are sloppy and small with no comfort station. You have a long walk to get to the showers and laundry if you get stuck in this area. You really have to drive your car to the comfort station. It is too hard to walk back up that hill. Paved interior roads, but sites are grass or dirt. No cement pads. Most of the sites have a small picnic table, but some don’t have any.  Lots of trees and nicely landscaped. First part of park looks real pleasing, but the other half at the top of the hill is sloppy and can’t tell the borders of some of the sites.
Location: 4

Very conveniently located. Just up the hill from the downtown area of Gig Harbor. Very close to the Melchior’s home.
Staff: 4 Very friendly and personable.
Amenities: 3

Full hook-ups w cable TV (several channels).  Modem in office. WiFi for a fee

Rec Room/Lounge/ Pool: 4 Nice pool. Did not use

Laundry Room: 3 Modern machines. Clean

Comfort Station: 4

Shower with changing room. Small, but a good size. Shower small, but has good shelf space and lots of hot water. Clean and private.

Noise/Quiet: 3 Some road noise, but quiet at night.

Site location and environment: 4

We finally had a good site at this park. We’ve always been at the top of the hill. This site as spacious with lots of room on either side. Not too close to the neighbors. The sites in the lower half are terraced so that one neighbor is lower than you and the other is higher.
Park Residents/Neighbors: 3
Never saw the neighbor above us, but the lower neighbor was friendly. Both were quiet.

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Gig Harbor - 2011 - Gig Harbor RV Resort #35

RATING: 1 – Yuck, 2 – Poor, 3 – Fair, 4 – Good, 5 - Excellent
OVERALL RATING: 3
Would you stay here again: Yes
Dates: July 15 – 17 3 nights $34.03 per nite
Quality of Facilities & Visual Appeal: 3 See 2009. Nothings changed from last visit.
Staff: 4 Very friendly and personable.
Location: 4
Very conveniently located. Just up the hill from the downtown area of Gig Harbor. Very close to the Melchior’s home.
Noise/Quiet: 3 Some road noise, but quiet at night.
Amenities: 3 Full hook-ups w cable TV (several channels). Free WiFi, but not at site. Office area only but at times it is very slow. Dial up is faster.
Rec Room/Lounge/ Pool: 4 Same as last visit
Laundry Room: 3 Modern machines. Wash $2.25, Dryer $1.50
Comfort Station: 4 Same as last visit.  See 2009
Site location and environment: 3
Out site this time was two sites lower down the hill then our last visit. This site was smaller and closer to neighbors. It was also angled closer to the main road, so traffic noise was a bit louder and you could see the traffic. It was not blocked by a thick layer of trees like the other site.
Park Residents/Neighbors: 4
The park was pretty full. The row were were in looked mostly like permanent residents. Our neighbor uphill came by and visited. She was carrying a beautiful cat that looked like a Maine Coon. She was very friendly. The site downhill from us was empty the first night. A van was in it the next two nights, but never saw them. Other residents were friendly and would wave.

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