Memorial Day Weekend Honest Review of Strawberry Park
We booked Strawberry Park for Memorial Day Weekend expecting the usual kickoff to camping season — family activities, amenities open, and a fun atmosphere for the holiday weekend. Unfortunately, this was one of the most disappointing campground experiences we’ve had.
To start, several major amenities advertised for the weekend were either closed, unusable, or poorly maintained. One of the pools was completely drained, with buckets, mud, and tools sitting in the deep end. What was especially concerning was that there were no visible safety barriers or caution tape around an empty 9-foot pool. Another pool in the same area had cloudy, foggy-looking water. The adult pool was open, but one of the hot tubs was covered with a dirty tarp weighed down by buckets. The “blob,” which is a favorite attraction for kids, was completely deflated and unusable all weekend.
Even more frustrating, we received daily emails promoting food specials, snack bar menus, and the ice cream shop, yet none of those services were actually available. We were told they had not completed their food inspections or permits in time for Memorial Day Weekend, so the only thing available for purchase was ice. The camp store itself was barely stocked and closed unusually early at 5:00 PM. My son also went to purchase firewood after we received emails advertising wood delivery to campsites, only to be told they had none available.
The weather was rainy most of the weekend, so we tried to make the best of it by setting up a few easy-up tents so families and kids could stay dry while playing games outdoors. A staff member approached us and rudely told us one of the tents had to come down or we would receive a citation. We complied immediately, but he later returned and spoke to us aggressively again, despite the weather conditions and lack of available activities for children due to so many amenities being closed. Eventually, we removed the tents altogether and spent most of Saturday and Sunday crowded inside campers while it poured rain. Meanwhile, neighboring campers who didn’t immediately remove their tents were reportedly issued citations.
There were also multiple issues with the campsites themselves. One of our group’s electric sites had no power upon arrival, and maintenance staff did not seem to know how to resolve it. Thankfully, members of our group were able to troubleshoot the issue themselves. The site advertised as 30-amp service was actually 50-amp, there was initially no water service, and neighboring sites appeared unfinished. One site still had freshly removed tree stumps, loose dirt instead of stone, and quickly became a muddy mess in the rain. When we arrived, workers were still actively trying to prepare sites on Friday of Memorial Day Weekend, including removing stumps while guests waited to check in. Our own site was also extremely unlevel.
The basketball court was honestly the only standout positive during the weekend.
What made the experience most frustrating was the overall lack of preparation for one of the busiest camping weekends of the year, combined with poor communication and unfriendly enforcement of rules. We understand weather cannot be controlled, but guests should at least be able to rely on the amenities and services that were heavily advertised.
We came with great company and still managed to make memories despite the circumstances, but unfortunately we would not return or recommend Strawberry Park based on this experience.