Stayed at Auburn Riverside for 3 nights on a group site with 3 other families. Our initial impression of the site was that it hasn’t been cleaned. It was littered with plastic forks and utensils we had to clean up before our little ones could run. After we set up we headed to the pool. Within 30 mins were were approached by the manager and told to “enjoy the pool now because it would be closed the next day so it could get cleaned because people weren’t respecting the shower before you enter rule”. By people, I hope he wasn’t referring to us because we literally just got there and hadn’t even visited the bounce pad yet. We understand that constantly cleaning a pool full of sand would be stressful but maybe not put a pile of sand right next to a pool. Regardless, the next very hot day we spent wading and tubing in the river. The following day we asked if the pool would be open but again closed because of “potential” thunderstorms (which never came) and pool chemical levels being off. So another day of entertaining 16 children without a playground or pool, but this time the bounce pillow was not running (it was wet). So we turned on a sprinkler but was told that it couldn’t be running because that water was required for rest of the park to use. After sending an email to the email provided on the website to address the pool closure and cleanliness (or lack there of of the sites and porta potties) on “experience camping” website, I was confronted in an aggressive manner by the manager of the park about “going above his head to the main office and not to him directly.” I’m sorry, you’ve proven to be so approachable. I definitely will not be recommending a stay to this park to anyone.
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Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Experience Camping, Other at Auburn Riverside Retreat
Responded Aug 30, 2021
Thank you for the review and we are sorry to hear you didn't enjoy your stay. We fully understand it can be frustrating when some amenities are not open and the weather is not co-operative. We are glad we had the opportunity to discuss this with you. Hope you enjoy your summer and stay healthy!
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We were here because of a family event close by. We were told when we booked that we had to pay for 3 nights since it was a long weekend. Campground isnt even full so feeling like we got ripped off. We were also told we will be camped in a big spot close to bathrooms. Bathroom is outhouses and a Outdoor rinse off shower. We walked to seasonal area to use the only indoor shower and seen they were not clean, spiders all over , no hydro and run down. At a 42F morning it was cold in that bathhouse. Disappointed for what we paid.
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Date of stay: October 2019Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed here for two nights. We were supposed to stay for three but decided to pack up and come home early. We were fortunate enough to see the elk up close and took some pictures and the river was pretty to look at. There is no charge for wifi at all even though the website says there is one. It is very fast and it is available all over the grounds. The pool and facilities were tired but clean. However, the campground was a little dirty and lots of garbage everywhere. We noticed a lot of the sites were seasonal sites so we thought that would mean less children. On our second night, a whole crew of tent campers arrived fully equipped with 20 kids that wouldn’t stop screaming. It ruined the peaceful vibes of nature that we experienced the day before that’s for sure . It is sad because the campground has the potential to be lovely. We won’t be back.
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Date of stay: August 2019
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is just what our family, and extended family needed! We had a fun and relaxing time at Auburn Riverside Retreat. The ‘lazy river’ is a must with and without the kiddos - scenic, soothing, and unique. Great addition this year was the blowup pillow. Kids and parents alike spent a hours bouncing away and making new friends. The kids loved a chance to cool off in the pool after spending time bouncing, playing horse shoes, and riding their bikes. The large campsite was perfectly situated near the camp activities, amenities, and river launch. The group site was large, clean, and staff on site were very personable and friendly. An overall great experience, and we look forward to our return next year!
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Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My two kids have been sitting behind a screen all year for school looking forward to our camping trip here. When we arrived the grumpy camp operator closed down the pool and shut off the bouncy air bag. He really must hate his job or hate kids . What are we supposed to do now? There is no playground anymore. I recommend not staying here . The old owners were so personable and friendly. The place is diving fast . We’ve come here for many years . Not any more
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Date of stay: July 2021Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Experience Camping, Other at Auburn Riverside Retreat
Responded Aug 30, 2021
We are sorry we did not meet your expectations. I can assure you Auburn Riverside Retreat is very kid friendly. Unfortunately the bouncer pillow is not safe to be played on with bad weather. We understand how frustrating that can be. We wish you a safe and healthy summer!
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I love Auburn Riverside Retreat! I have been coming here for 5 years. Tubing and swimming on the Maitland River is so relaxing. Nice family environment with spacious sites, pool, jumping bag, other outside activities and nature trails. Nearby is beautiful Goderich (can bike there along the railway bike trails) with the awesome beaches of Lake Huron, Saturday Farmers market and a good variety of restaurants. I would recommend this park, staff are accessible and helpful, I feel the stress melt off me as soon as I pull in the driveway.
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Date of stay: August 2021
Room Tip:I love the rustic sites
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Experience Camping, Other at Auburn Riverside Retreat
Responded Aug 30, 2021
Thank you for the kind review! We are glad you came and we hope to see you again!
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Despite the site mix up upon arrival, our weekend was wonderful. Everyone is friendly and welcoming. Lots to do for the weekend, but we only kept as busy as we wanted. Lazy river tubing, tractor ride to see the elk, swimming, walking trails and plan old playing in the park. Overall great weekend away!
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Date of stay: August 2016Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This is the third time that I have visited people I know in this park for a bar-b-q dinner. We were there on a Wednesday night this time. The park was surprisingly pretty empty. This is very strange for July. Most campgrounds are completely full all summer. The river that runs through this park was so low, we couldn't go tubing or kayaking. Wi-Fi didn't work at all. That's why it's free I suppose. Pretty noisy considering how few people were around. Went to use the washrooms and there was very little water. Not even enough to flush a toilet. There was barely enough water to wash the dinner dishes. Our friends say the water pressure is low most of the time. The roads around the campground are full of potholes.
Our friends showed us the new expanded campground section. It looks like a war zone. My friends are leaving this campground at the end of the season because of the high rates and the rundown condition of the park. They are going to a much nicer campground further north. This place is pretty rundown compared to other campgrounds. According to our friends, the owners jacked up the seasonal rates this year but the seasonals received nothing for the huge rate increase.
This is NOT a family run campground as the websites suggests. It is a BUSINESS. It’s all about the MONEY. It looks like the owners have not upgraded any of the parks services even for the expansion part and a lot of things don’t work here. The basic services should be upgraded before buying new playgrounds, bouncy toys, etc. The campground that we have our trailer in keeps up to date and invests their own money in the services. The wi-fi works very well, there is always lots of water and the rates are very reasonable. The owners of our campground take pride in their campground and it shows. Everything works where we are and is a family run campground. Look elsewhere if you can.
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Date of stay: July 2022
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Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This park does not observe any covid 19 safety protocols. Nobody social distancing. Parties with no distancing at campsites where multiple families gather. Scarey place to be. This park would be really nice if protocols were enforced. Outbreak waiting to happen
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Date of stay: August 2021
Location
Service
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Experience Camping, Other at Auburn Riverside Retreat
Responded Aug 30, 2021
Thank you for your review. We are sorry you had this experience. I can assure you we abide by all of the Health Unit and Government regulations for seasonal campgrounds. This is something we take very seriously. Please remember camping is an outdoor activity and different rules apply to outdoor settings. We tried to contact you to discuss but we haven't heard back from you. We hope you enjoy the rest of the summer.
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Aside from the disappointment of a misleading website, we had a good time. Website states "At Auburn Riverside we have canoes and tubes available for use. All tubes and canoes come with PFD’s and paddles." and "Wi-Fi is also available throughout the park." followed by the fact that the laundry comes with a charge. We were misled by this and thought it meant these amenities were free, and it was why we picked this site, however there is a charge for everything.
The pool is not solar warmed, we didn't see a blanket the entire time we were there, and was too cold for our little son, refreshing for adults.
The firepits are just tire rims, so make sure you take some sort of large grate along on which to rest pans if you are for campfire cooking.
The bugs were unfortunately terrible when we visited, so make sure to bring bug spray!
All in all, we had a great experience, it was neat to see the elk, and the river is beautiful, not very much stroller accessibility, but can't expect that from a campground!
Now that we know what to expect, we would definitely go again, as we wouldn't have the initial disappointment we had this time.
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Date of stay: August 2017
Value
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Cabins are awesome, campsites 141-150 have best privacy
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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