Kid Frindly Manitoba Campgrounds

[Hammer_2012]

Wow looks like I'm the first to post in this section!

Since we're kinda new to Manitoba and getting back into camping, I was wondering were some good kid friendly camprounds located in Manitoba? Our kids are 3 and 1 month.

We've been to Birds Hill, and Falcon Lakeshore. The little guy loved them both but I think prefered Birds Hill just because of the playground. We haven't tried any of the "RV resort" campgrounds.

Any suggestions?

Cheers

 

[Dubbya]

Well, here's where we go.

St. Malo Provincial Park: Check it out on the http://prspub.gov.mb.ca/FacilitySearch.aspx reservations site. Bookmark this link!

You'll want to avoid having the kids swim there this late in the summer due to usual problems with ecoli in the lake but earlier in the summer the kids LOVE it and there's enough going on at the beach (which is pretty decent) where you can stay busy all day. Great for group camping!

Rock Garden Private campground is really pretty good. We had a nice time there and the staff are fantastic. Kids loved the playground, ice-cream night, convenience store and in-ground pool. They do provide overnight spots but they're not at all well shaded. There may be one or two fully serviced seasonal spots that they'll let you rent for a weekend but it's tough to get your hands on them.
www.rockgarden.ca

Shady Oaks (close to Brandon) is all right and we'd camp there again but it's lacking in services and pretty much "Meh" for the parents but great if you just want to kick back and sit around.

There's not a ton to do but the kids seemed to love the in-ground pool. It's quiet, not too busy and it's pretty well run for a small private campground. The bathrooms are in pretty rough shape and the playground is old enough to have a merry-go-round if that helps put things in perspective.
http://www.rvcampingmanitoba.com/

If you want to keep the kids busy and have some fun yourselves, you might want to check out Lilac Resort. It's really busy, a little rowdy at times but not bad at night and it's tough to get a shaded site there but definitely check it out. It's the Cadillac of Manitoba RV resorts but worth the cost as they really provide a decent bang for your buck. You can also go there for the day to see what it's all about. It's only an hour from the 'Peg if you want to drive out but you'll have to buy wristbands!
http://www.lilacresort.com/

We really enjoyed the brand new Provincial CG at Winnipeg Beach last year. No shaded spots as it's only in its' second year of operation but it's very well set up and there's plenty to do and see within walking distance.
http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/parks/popular_parks/central/winnipeg.html

We don't much care for WestHawk Prov. CG, as there's not a lot of services or amenities around and not much to do if you don't have a boat. It's nice enough and there's plenty of great fishing in the area but we much prefer the conveniences available at Falcon Lake.

If you drove out to Birds Hill, you might have seen the Oasis Beach campground. We haven't camped there or even been there to swim in years but the last time we went the kids had a ball. We've been thinking of checking it out as it's been heavily renovated and under new ownership for the past couple of years.

Assesippi Prov CG (near Roblin) is pretty much "boondock town". It's quiet and sites are pretty secluded. Other than swimming, there's not much to do if you don't hike or fish. You can go river tubing at the ski hill, an absolute ball when the kids are older.

 

[Hammer_2012]

Thanks for the post Dubbya, greatly appreciated! We'll have to check out a few of the CG's.

Have you ever been to Moose Lake near Sprague? There always seems to be some sites open, not sure if its because of the location, or if it's just a crappy campground?

Cheers!

 

[Dubbya]

I've been there too. Stayed at a friend's cabin though, so can't say what the CG is like. It was very quiet but we were there in September!

I do know that it's got a reputation for being a bit rowdy on the weekend and popular with teens as it's off the beaten path and there's not a lot of Police presence up there. The nearest detachment is in Sprague which is 40km away.

If you're not into boondocking, you'll Want to go elsewhere as there are only 14 sites with electrical hookups.


Painstakingly typed with very large fingers from my teenie, tiny iPhone.

 

[Dubbya]

We're in Clear Lake in Riding Mountain (Wasagaming) National Park up by Dauphin.

$30/day for an E/W site plus $19.60/day per adult just to be in the park. It's not cheap to be here but there's a nice beach, a pier and park museum with a few things for the kids to do.

The CG is a bit of a hike from town proper so bring your bikes!

You'd do well to get an electrical site as they're much more private than the serviced sites and the bathrooms/showers aren't as few and far between. Unserviced sites are a few bucks cheaper, widely available and very private as well.

CG roads are paved, so there's no dust blowing about, definitely a nice feature!

The big draw for us is the local shopping and TR McCoy's, our favorite restaurant where the food and service are outstanding. It's always busy, so be sure to make reservations.

There's also a "log cabin" movie theatre in town so that makes for a great night out too, just be prepared for the old-school seats!

Though not ideal for little campers, tons of little ice cream, knickknack and touristy-type shops line main street so that'll kill an afternoon.

The beach is pretty nice too and very pretty. Definitely chalk it up on your to-do list.


Painstakingly typed with very large fingers from my teenie, tiny iPhone.

 

[Hammer_2012]

Sounds pretty nice Dubbya, hope you enjoy your trip. We'll have to put that one on our list!

Cheers!

 

[Dubbya]

These are 360 degree panoramas I took today. It had just rained so things were pretty quiet in town. They don't do the place justice.

Main St. Wasagaming (Clear Lake)
http://www.dermandar.com/html5p/czalls

From the pier:
http://www.dermandar.com/html5p/dsYDLy



Painstakingly typed with very large fingers from my teenie, tiny iPhone.

 

[Faced]

The Whiteshell is also a GREAT place for a weekend getaway. I have a cabin up there, but now with my popup, Ive been checking out all the campgrounds... Way better then cabining hahah.
White Lake is a nice quiet campground (Un serviced). I found lots of sites to be shady, and many sunny ones aswell. You are steps from the restraunt and beach. The playground is lacking, but i found enough to do with the little one to keep her busy. Rainbow falls is just down the road a good bike ride to kill a hour or 2. Boat rentals, launch, and canoe rentals.
Good sized fire pits with cooking grates (I bring my own tho) Lots of tent sites on a little island right in the campground. Modern showers and bathrooms.
http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/parks/pdf/maps/2012_campground_maps/white_lake_campgrd.pdf


Brereton lake is also there, however this is a ROWDY campground. Looking to party all night? This is your place. It is a Provincial campground located directly on the highway (traffic ALL night) and also right on the public beach and boat launch. Bar and store right across the road. They have serviced sites, and a lot of seasonal sites. So beware of the 'locals' They live there all summer. Has modern facilities, but they are pay-per-use. They do have a great kids park within view of most sites, and there are always loads of kids around.
http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/parks/pdf/maps/2012_campground_maps/brereton_lake_campground.pdf


Both are approx 2hours from the city in the Whiteshell Prov Park.

 

[jinxiepie]

We loved St. Malo with our 3 yr old! Bird's Hill too!

Lilac is a resort, and it is very expensive, but I hear very kid friendly and is more of a resort and entertainment experience as opposed to a nature experience.

stay away from Grand Beach, it was very rowdy with a younger crowd and the beach is very far from the CG. It was a pain to hike my kiddo and gear to the beach.

If you want to get off the beaten path, hecla is nice for biking, hiking and exploring and not rowdy, but is quite dated. Didn't see many families when we went. The tap water is disgusting tho.

 

[paulberard]

We are trying out Rubber Ducky this July Long Weekend and can't wait! I find Lilac to be a little expensive/overrated but I think RD is supposed to really cater to kids as well. It offers lots of organized scheduled activities you can find on their website, pools and hottub, outdoor movie night (BEST IDEA EVER) and at a buck something for the movie and 75 cents for a popcorn, it's a great family option! We can't wait!
On another note, I live in St Malo just across the lake from the beach. I absolutely love it here. The campground is great, the beaches are nice, it's never over-crowded and the town amenities are awesome. Come on down!! Shows we love living here when we choose to camp down the road at least once a year! (kinda nice when I'm working a weekend and my wife can take the kids and I can still join the fun after work)

 

[Dubbya]

NM... should have PM'd...

 

[Faced]

We are trying out Rubber Ducky this July Long Weekend and can't wait! I find Lilac to be a little expensive/overrated but I think RD is supposed to really cater to kids as well. It offers lots of organized scheduled activities you can find on their website, pools and hottub, outdoor movie night (BEST IDEA EVER) and at a buck something for the movie and 75 cents for a popcorn, it's a great family option! We can't wait!
On another note, I live in St Malo just across the lake from the beach. I absolutely love it here. The campground is great, the beaches are nice, it's never over-crowded and the town amenities are awesome. Come on down!! Shows we love living here when we choose to camp down the road at least once a year! (kinda nice when I'm working a weekend and my wife can take the kids and I can still join the fun after work)

Please let us know how rubber ducky works out. Its on my short list of close to town last minute kid camping sites.

Normally I prefer to be at minimum 2 hours from home when camping, but sometimes its not possible.

 

[Hammer_2012]

Lots of great ideas! We may give St. Malo a try soon, never really been down to that area before. RD sounds interesting, we may try that next year for something different for the kids, let us know how it works out for you Paul!

This year we've got a few weekends in Birds Hill booked and a long weekend in Falcon Lakeshore. Our youngest will be 1 so it will be interensting to see how we keep him busy and entertained LOL.

Cheers