By Harold Merton
One of the pleasant aspects of camping in different places is the
discovery of a fantastic campground that we wish we had visited a lot
earlier in our camping travels.
Knowing that a campground exists and where it is located
is a common thing for many of us who travel the roads looking to enjoy
the great outdoors. However visiting all of these campgrounds is something
that sometimes takes a while.
We visited one such campground last season and were very pleasantly
surprised at what we found. We had known about Campers Cove Family Campground
for several years, in fact our booth at a regional RV show several years
ago was right next door to the Campers Cove display. We spent many pleasant
hours beside Tony and Mary as we both promoted our individual businesses.
We had not had the opportunity to visit this campground, simply because
we rarely travelled in that specific direction, but the opportunity arose
last summer and we decided it was time to have a close look at the park.
Campers Cove is an overnight and seasonal campground located on the shores
of Lake Erie in the Wheatley area of Southern Ontario.
It was created 45 years ago by Tony and Mary Gerrish and two other
couples. The 61 acre site had 1,200 feet of sandy beach and a great wooded
area which made an ideal location for a camping facility.
The park was developed and improved over the years into the fine facility
that it is today.
The Gerrish family eventually took over sole ownership of the park and
today Tony and Mary are assisted by four of their six children and their
spouses in the operation of the park. Children John, Geoff, Barbara and
Cathy with their respective wives, husbands and children are all active
in the family business helping to make their camping guests' visits a
pleasant one.
There are more than 300 large shady sites in the wooded areas of the
campground that are more than adequately served with facilities and
recreational amenities that makes this camping destination one that the
entire family can enjoy. About 75 of these sights are available for
overnight campers the remainder are occupied by families that spend the
season there.
Woodalls have bestowed a five star rating for recreation and four star
rating for facilities and when one visits the park they can readily
understand why. There is supervised playtime for kids, planned teen programs,
large screen movies, adult and family dances, tournaments for golf, shuffleboard
and horseshoes, marshmallow and corn roasts, pancake breakfasts, flea
markets and craft sales, specific activities for holiday weekends, bingo
on weekends, swimming and fishing, basketball, volleyball, hiking trails,
bird watching, croquet, badminton ... and the list goes on. We never seen
a campground with as many activities as this in the past thirty plus years
of camping!
Add to this not one but six playgrounds for the kiddies and throw in
"Tootie Train rides" on weekends and holidays, then it is no
wonder
families with children want to go to Campers Cove. If you want to get
together as a group too once there then there is a popular activity shelter
as well.
The Gerrish family mission statement says they operate "A family
campground committed to making your stay a most enjoyable experience through
a complete recreation program" and they have succeeded in a way many
campgrounds would like to come even close to. Their social calendar is
so intense that they even list it on their
website so that campers know what is happening and when.
The one thing that impressed us was the number of well behaved children
that were in the park when we visited. It is obvious that the kids here
know what is expected and follow the guidelines.
Our cover photograph this issue show some of those children waiting to
cross the road to the popular campground office and store. It is a hive
of
activity and campers can purchase the usual staple groceries, camping
supplies and firewood as well as hamburgs, hot dogs and french fries.
There is city water on your campsite and they have 20 and 30 amp
electrical service.
You'll find three sparkling clean tiled washrooms with free hot showers
and a laundromat. The wide sandy beach is a major asset to this park.
It was clean and a delightful respite for campers when we visited. Lake
Erie was a delightful sight from the shaded area above the beach.
Pets are welcome here if they are kept on a leash so the entire family
can come for the camping weekend.
If you want to check with home there are four pay phones on the grounds
and one of them is even internet accessible. There is also plenty to do
near the campground itself. Want to golf? There's a public golf course
just a mile down the road. Within a fifteen to thirty minute drive are
Point Pelee National Park, Jack Miner's Bird Sanctuary, Hillman Marsh,
the ferry to Pelee Island and Ohio, Fort Malden Historical Park, Wheatley
harbour, a go kart raceway as well as the towns of Leamington and Kingsville.
Like to antique hunt?
You'll find plenty of opportunities in the area as well. This area of
Southern Ontario is very pretty and a pleasant place to vacation.
It looks like the operators of Campers Cove have thought of everything
to keep their customers happy. If you visit during Mother's Day or Father's
Day there will even be activities to honor them.
They are open from about May 1st through September and they recommend
reservations. You can get more information by visiting their web site
at: http://www.camperscove.ca
We think you will find plenty of activities to keep you and your entire
family busy and happy during your camping vacation at Campers Cove Family
Campground. I think I would have to stay a month to really do it all.
The Gerrish family will welcome you as they do all their campers.
Campers Cove Family Campground
Wheatley, Ontario
1-800-265-5833