Do you ever feel like picking a place to spend the night is a gamble. Maybe you had a hard time finding a good review online, maybe it's a small town and you don't have a lot of options. Maybe you don't even know where to start looking. Well, news flash - you're not alone.

And we were in that boat too, trying to find something new in the lodging department for our vacation. We like camping, but not too backwoods. We like fancy too, but we also like cheap. So we usually are making some sort of compromise. Luckily, we stumbled upon this website called www.hipcamp.com ! It's a unique platform I think I can best describe as AirBNB but for camping. And that website led us to this place, Paradise Shores RV Park.

Now don't be fooled by the name, this isn't just a place to park your RV. Good thing, too, because we don't have an RV... In addition to RV lots you can rent, they have their own RVs parked and available to rent on-site, which seems like an awesome idea, and they have three tent sites right on the waterfront available too. We were staying in a tent, and for about $25-$35 a night, it was seriously a steal. This place had any amenity you want at a campground and more, and was an awesome midpoint between serious camping and "glamping" or a hotel.

The couple who runs this place is a joy. They were super friendly and helpful the whole time we were there. They organize group events sometimes in the common areas. The Saturday night we were there, they held a s'mores party at the fire pit, where there was some guitar playing, free s'mores, and great vibes.

Now, let's get to some details

Campsite:

The tent sites are nice, though a little sparse. You're provided ample space for a large tent. We only have a 4-person tent (to fit a large air mattress and the doggos), but the group of 6 girls down the way had at least an 8-person tent, and no one had any space issues. You also get a cool palm-frond umbrella and a picnic table. They are covered in mulch, which provides some softness and some heat dissipation, which in August when we were there helped a lot. It was definitely cooler on the site than it was on the gravel around the rest of the area.

As you can see in the above picture, you are super close to the water. It takes all of 30 seconds to walk down there, which was great for us. It was over 80 degrees in the afternoons, so it was great to easily be able to run the dogs down to the lake, cool off for a little while, and run back up.

Kitchen and Common Space

Ok, this is where we start really getting in to why this place is so wonderful. This common use area is incredible! Two big comfy couches and a side table, a huge eating area, an ample amount of cooking options, and trash and recycling for anything you need. This will be easier to break down into some subsections I think

Cooking/Kitchen Area

Three-burner propane cooktop. Good size burners, so you can use a decently large skillet. I would recommend cast-iron, but I always would for camping anyways. They provide you with propane, large tanks are mounted under the table, and they have a huge refill tank by the office.
Charcoal grills, several of them. You need to bring your own charcoal/lighter, but not having to lug a stove/grill to the campsite is super nice.
Large tub sink. THIS is very nice. You forget how many dishes you can generate, especially if you're cooking meals with side dishes, serving to several people, multiple meals a day.. it adds up. We don't like to use disposable everything, so we need to do a lot of dishes. BYO soap and sponge, but running potable water and a huge sink to use is a way bigger deal than you might think!
Trash might seem like a weird "amenity", but it sure felt like it. They have plenty of trash space, as well as every kind of recycling. Not having to pack out your trash, and just the overall convenience of this whole setup, was a nice plus.

Recreation/Eating Area

Two big comfy couches with a huge coffee table. Makes a great place to hang out, play some games, and maybe meet some new people
Huge dining area with shades. If you're here with a large group, have no worries about space. Tables are solid, not wobbly and lame, and the benches are pretty comfortable.
Huge fire pit area. Not sure if the fire wood is provided, but they have a ton up at the office. BYO lighter.

Other Amenities for Campers

Restrooms

There are full men's and women's restrooms. Real flushing toilets, three sinks with real soap (and lotion!?), and two showers each with hot water! This was great, we did some long hikes and played hard, and between that and the heat, a shower was a welcome amenity for us. BYO toiletries, or buy some from the office.

Dog Wash

Yes, that's right, they even have a shower for your pups. I LOVE how dog friendly this place is.

Office

Well, it might sound weird to call the office an amenity, but it isn't just an office. It's also...

A little general store, where you can buy some toiletries if you forgot, ice for your cooler, fire wood... lots of handy little things
A information hub. They have a bulletin board with some info, handouts with the wifi (yes FREE WIFI at a campground!) password and grounds info, details on nearby things to do such as the close by hot-springs, and more...
A place to make friends! The couple running it always seemed up for a chat, and their little doggo was up for a scritch too, once he got his obligatory barks at new people out of the way...

Lake and Toys

Don't forget one of the biggest perks, you're waterfront! The lake is a great thing to have right there. And not only is the water itself nice, but they provide to you for FREE several kayaks and paddle-boards to borrow and use. Just ask at the office for the paddles.

I am sure there are some highlights I am missing, but I think we have covered enough for you to get a glimpse of how epic this place is. It's a no-brainier for a long weekend, and would make a great stop on a longer trip too! It's close to Yosemite, some beautiful lakes, and amazing hikes and drives. Be sure to check it out!

You can find their main website here: https://www.paradiseshorescamp.com/

Their camping Hipcamp Site here: https://goo.gl/BVEqSF

And their RV Hipcamp Site here: https://goo.gl/N8u1V6