Introduction:
While the people who run this campground are very friendly, and the location is pretty good, we had so many issues with the utilities, we can't recommend it for bigger RVs.
Click here to read about our criteria for campground reviews.
The Basics:
Overall Rating: 3/5
Price per night / Discounts: $28 / We stayed here for a month, so we were paying a discounted weekly rate. The nightly rate is $40. The sites are 30 amp and water.
Campground website: Portland Riverside Campground
Our Site #: 18
Privacy Rating (how spacious and private do the sites feel):
3/5: This is a very small campground with less than 20 campsites (and several were being used for boat storage while we were there), so it is generally a quiet place. Site spacing was OK for a commercial campground and the place was almost never full, so we rarely felt like we were on top of our neighbors. There aren't many trees to speak of or other natural barriers, though, so when it was busy, there wasn't much privacy.
Location Rating (accessibility to points of interest or to major highways):
4.5/5: The campground is located in the small town of Portland, Connecticut which is right near the larger town of Middletown. You can get anything you need within a few miles, and you are right near Route 9 and several interstates. Given the dearth of campgrounds in central Connecticut, the location is pretty good.
Site Quality and Big Rig Accessibility Rating (utilities and accessibility of campground hook ups):
1/5: We had all kinds of issues with the utilities here and cannot recommend it to other big rig owners. We had consistently low voltage (which was only 30 amp to begin with) throughout our stay, which left us unable to use most of the big appliances in our home, our water pressure was irregular and sometimes non-existent, and the campground does not offer sewer hook-ups, nor a dump station. While the county waste facility is about a mile away and available on weekdays for free dumping, we would recommend folks go to the Middletown or Southington highway rest areas instead, as they offer more typical dumping facilities. At the end of the day, we had unreliable electric, unreliable water, and no sewer. For a night or two in temperate weather this might be an OK place to stop, but we wouldn't recommend it for longer stays.
Technology and Customer Service Rating (online resources, reservations, and staff):
3.5/5: What the campground lacked in technology - you have to call or email for reservations - it more than made up for in customer service. The manager was very nice, responsive, and friendly. She gave us a discount because we booked early and were staying a month, which we appreciated. Everyone who worked at the marina was friendly. One thing we didn't love was the number of boaters who would visit the marina and refuse to put their dogs on leash. We saw it numerous times and never saw staff at the business say anything.
Internet Availability Rating (Verizon coverage or campground wifi):
3/5: No wifi offered, but our AT&T hotspot worked well.
Summary:
This campground could be a very convenient option if they would invest in their infrastructure. We got the sense that the campground was simply an afterthought to the more important marina. Unfortunately, for us, that means we won't be able to use it again. Not having reliable electric, water, or sewer is unworkable for us. And while the views of the water were nice, the campground was absolutely overrun with biting insects the entire time we were there. If they would invest in their infrastructure and spray for mosquitoes, it could be a great spot, but as it is, we won't be back.
