Lake Huron Resort – Review

First of all a disclaimer: Laurie and I have been work-campers at this resort for the summer of 2019 and I will blog a review on the work-camping position in the near future.

Lake Huron Resort is located approximately 10 kms. / 6 miles north of the town of Goderich (Canada’s prettiest town) on Highway 21 also known as the Bluewater Highway and on the shore of Lake Huron, the resort is perched on the bluff giving a breathtaking view of the almost tropical blue waters of Lake Huron and some of the most beautiful sunsets that you can imagine. The resort has two hundred sites all of which are seasonal, there are number of lake front lots which demand a premium price and the rest are well treed sites interior lots located on gravel roads through the park, and the perimeter lots which are designed for the larger units 32′ and over, cost a little more as well. There are many park models in the park, and the park has a ten year rule for units, which keeps the resort looking fresh and cared for, although there are a number of older units which are being impeccably maintained and are given extensions.

Everyone is responsible for their own site so there are many different themes and levels of maintenance thru out the resort, from the simplicity of grass to a site filled with multiple flower gardens. Most sites have decks and sheds with a range of gazebos and patio furniture to personalise their entertaining space, you have the weekend warrior, the summer off, and the retired so it is our summer home groups. All have different needs and wants from the resort, but all seem to mingle and mix in the resort. Many have been long term visitors some over twenty years, so many areas have become their own little community, the resort experiences a certain quantity of turn over every year as peoples situations change be it financial, age, health, needs or just wants. But each change brings new life to the park as it is a shame to see a site sit dormant for the year because of a change is some ones health.

The amenities of the resort are a heated covered pool, access to the shore and beach area, comfort station, community center, large play ground, snap court activity areas, laundry facilities, large common area, and a well stocked store. There are a number of activities for the different age groups from the campfire kids, events and activities for the children, to live bands on the long weekends, chocolate bar bingos, karaoke nights, the amazing poker race for the big kids, Christmas in July, Halloween in September, and a Thanksgiving pot luck near the end of September. The diversity of people in this resort is all over the map, so some say there is too much happening and some say too little is going on, so it looks like its right down the middle.

The park owner and operators are Bonnie and Richard, and have been here for nineteen years so have made many improvements, and have seen many changes, and have many changes planned in the future. This is not an overnight park now but the south part of the park was at one time nothing but overnight sites, all sites are back-in, using the dump station involves a loop through the whole park, many of the sites now have had decks for seasonal sites so have little or no grassy areas. The over night rate is $60 and a minimum $200 for 3 nights on long weekends, there are only a few open sites over the summer and anyone in the park has a priority on the open sites for friends and family. I can see that when it was an overnight campground that the sites would have been nice well treed sites but would have been quite tight to get in and out of.

The seasonal rates start at $3300 and go up from there, with lake front being almost double that, all rates includes your water, 30 amp electric, and either sewer hook up or a pump out service. From our experience the rate is very reasonable when it includes the cost of electricity, Ontario is not an inexpensive place for camping and we paid far more that that last year. Wifi is available, offered through an outside provider, it is excellent, unlimited, unthrottled, high speed internet that is capable of streaming even on weekends with the park full, it’s not cheap but offers good value, and the provider will work with you for multiple devices as the charge is per device. Note: this is what every park should do for internet, don’t offer free internet and provide a limited crappy service, get a strong provider and sell a reliable product that people can see value in and be able to use, people will pay for good service – that is reality.

So remembering that we were work campers here for the 2019 season and we normally do not settle in for a five month stay anywhere, we have talked about this being a viable option in a few years when we are done travelling as much, and with the views, the community in the resort, the amenities, the distance to many events, festivals and attractions that this would definitely be a option for our summers in Canada. And at less that $20 per day with full hookups it easily fits into our budget

The resort is one that we would (and are going to) return to, we have committed to co-managing again next season, there are things that could be improved as with any park, and it is obvious that upgrades and improvements are being made all the time, some are just more visible than others and it’s usually the ones that you don’t see that are the most expensive, we have been in parks that are not reinvesting, this is not one of them. Being a privately owned park means it has to be profitable fist and foremost or improvements will never happen, unlike state or provincial parks where they are spending taxpayers money and do not expect to be profitable, this one gets two thumbs up from me.