madfinnhockey
01-14-2007, 12:12 AM
A little info on camping at NHIS.
There is $100 fee for camping if you order your camping pass with your tickets, or $125 if you wait and get it when you arrive. To get in the track to drop off your camper you must have a race day ticket for every person in your vehicle.
They say the camping areas open the Sunday the week before the race, but they always open that Saturday.
They park you as you arrive, so if you want to setup your camper near your friends, you must all arrive at the same time.
Tents are not allowed, but we've seen a few setup next to campers, and in the wooded areas on race weekend.
The camping areas are dirt parking lots, nothing more. Most lots are relatively level. No hookups, the only thing provided are portable toilets, which are cleaned out on a regular basis (they do a good job) trash can (which are emptied several times a day) and there are lights in most lots. For the past few years, the areas hav been pretty well patrolled by walking cops and cops on horseback during the evening, and we've never experienced any theft or similar problems (but we have had some neighbors who just wanted to party all night though, don't think they made it to the race).
There is a small shower house on the track grounds for campers to use, maybe 8 shower stalls.
They have one or two "family" lots, some general lots, and "animal hill". The difference between the areas are the quiet times. The family lots must have generators, etc, off at 10, general lots, 11, and animal hill, gosh, no idea.
They squeeze you in tight, really tight, too tight. Each RV technically gets a site the length of their rig, and 18 feet wide. That 18 ft width is supposed to be large enough for your rig, canopy, and slideouts and your tow vehicle, but most park in front of their rig, which causes some problems for people trying to get in and out with their tow vehicles.
Throughout the week there are pumpout trucks driving through the lots, as well as fresh water trucks (all for a fee). There is also an ice truck that drives through the lots.
There is a Super Walmart about 8-9 miles south of the track that most go to to get supplies and reasonably priced ice. Just outside the track entrance are two gas stations with stores (like a Mobile on the Run) where you can pick up beverages, etc. North of the track, in Belmont and Laconia are many places to pick up supplies.
Those working in the camping lots directing the parking of the campers don't do a very good job, and some need lessons in "people" skills. I've learned that you just have to be nice to them, have a few extra cold beverages in your cooler for them, and try to work with them. Our camper and our friends have popoups on the non-canopy sides, so it usually takes some sweet talking to lot attentants to try to get enough room for our rigs (it hasn't always worked, but lucky for us, friends were on that side of our rigs, and we worked it out).
One lesson we learned was, after you park your rig, don't leave until the rig next to you has been parked, otherwise you may find another rig 3 or 4 feet from your door when you return (its happend to us). If you have a camera phone, you might even want to take a picture of the spaceing between you and your neighbor, we've seen people move their rigs during the week while their neighbors were gone, and it was to their advantage, not their neighbors!
If you want to leave to go home on race day, you have 2 choices, packup your rig before you go to the race, then leave the race early and head out, or wait till 8 or 9 o'clock that night before pulling out. There's just 1 main road leading to the track, and everyone dumps out on that road, so right after the race, traffic is tough.
The lots are open for camping until Monday, so you can stay Sunday night, relax, and head out Monday morning if you wanted to.
If you stay the week, there's plenty to do in that area, so you won't be bored.
I've heard that there are some private homes in the area that will allow campers on their property for a price.
There is a private campground (that opens only for race weeks) next to the track, Speeday Sportspark, I don't know too much about it, but I'm looking for info on it. I've heard its well run, and I'm going to consider moving to it. From what I have heard (but unconfirmed), its $250 to camp there for race week, or $400 if you do both race weeks. I was told the sites there are "reserved" sites, so you can show up the day before the race and have your site waiting for you, and they are supposed to be bigger than what you get at the track. As for hookups, I've heard (unconfirmed) that some are available.
About 6 miles south of the track is another private campground, Cascade Falls. We stayed there once, but they really increase prices that week, ok, I'll be honest, they gouge! I'll never ever go back there.
At the track, you can bring in coolers (must fit under your seat) and you can bring in beer (cans only), and I'm pretty sure that they don't sell beer inside the track. They do search coolers and bags as you enter the track, and they are usually very polite about it. Knives and umbrellas are not allowed (if they find them in your bag, they will take them, but you can pick them up afterwards, at least thats what happened to us).
One thing the track owners do, which I like, is, those who work checking bags, working the concessions, cleaning the stands, etc, aren't all track employees, but are members of local churches, youth sport teams, etc, and the track makes a donation to the organization for them providing their time to the track. A friend, involved in a local soccer organization, works a lemonade stand with some of the other parents, and he says the track owners are extremely generous to them. My son also got a security job there last year, and the owners took very good care of him!
Well, I hope this info helps anyone considering going to NHIS!
There is $100 fee for camping if you order your camping pass with your tickets, or $125 if you wait and get it when you arrive. To get in the track to drop off your camper you must have a race day ticket for every person in your vehicle.
They say the camping areas open the Sunday the week before the race, but they always open that Saturday.
They park you as you arrive, so if you want to setup your camper near your friends, you must all arrive at the same time.
Tents are not allowed, but we've seen a few setup next to campers, and in the wooded areas on race weekend.
The camping areas are dirt parking lots, nothing more. Most lots are relatively level. No hookups, the only thing provided are portable toilets, which are cleaned out on a regular basis (they do a good job) trash can (which are emptied several times a day) and there are lights in most lots. For the past few years, the areas hav been pretty well patrolled by walking cops and cops on horseback during the evening, and we've never experienced any theft or similar problems (but we have had some neighbors who just wanted to party all night though, don't think they made it to the race).
There is a small shower house on the track grounds for campers to use, maybe 8 shower stalls.
They have one or two "family" lots, some general lots, and "animal hill". The difference between the areas are the quiet times. The family lots must have generators, etc, off at 10, general lots, 11, and animal hill, gosh, no idea.
They squeeze you in tight, really tight, too tight. Each RV technically gets a site the length of their rig, and 18 feet wide. That 18 ft width is supposed to be large enough for your rig, canopy, and slideouts and your tow vehicle, but most park in front of their rig, which causes some problems for people trying to get in and out with their tow vehicles.
Throughout the week there are pumpout trucks driving through the lots, as well as fresh water trucks (all for a fee). There is also an ice truck that drives through the lots.
There is a Super Walmart about 8-9 miles south of the track that most go to to get supplies and reasonably priced ice. Just outside the track entrance are two gas stations with stores (like a Mobile on the Run) where you can pick up beverages, etc. North of the track, in Belmont and Laconia are many places to pick up supplies.
Those working in the camping lots directing the parking of the campers don't do a very good job, and some need lessons in "people" skills. I've learned that you just have to be nice to them, have a few extra cold beverages in your cooler for them, and try to work with them. Our camper and our friends have popoups on the non-canopy sides, so it usually takes some sweet talking to lot attentants to try to get enough room for our rigs (it hasn't always worked, but lucky for us, friends were on that side of our rigs, and we worked it out).
One lesson we learned was, after you park your rig, don't leave until the rig next to you has been parked, otherwise you may find another rig 3 or 4 feet from your door when you return (its happend to us). If you have a camera phone, you might even want to take a picture of the spaceing between you and your neighbor, we've seen people move their rigs during the week while their neighbors were gone, and it was to their advantage, not their neighbors!
If you want to leave to go home on race day, you have 2 choices, packup your rig before you go to the race, then leave the race early and head out, or wait till 8 or 9 o'clock that night before pulling out. There's just 1 main road leading to the track, and everyone dumps out on that road, so right after the race, traffic is tough.
The lots are open for camping until Monday, so you can stay Sunday night, relax, and head out Monday morning if you wanted to.
If you stay the week, there's plenty to do in that area, so you won't be bored.
I've heard that there are some private homes in the area that will allow campers on their property for a price.
There is a private campground (that opens only for race weeks) next to the track, Speeday Sportspark, I don't know too much about it, but I'm looking for info on it. I've heard its well run, and I'm going to consider moving to it. From what I have heard (but unconfirmed), its $250 to camp there for race week, or $400 if you do both race weeks. I was told the sites there are "reserved" sites, so you can show up the day before the race and have your site waiting for you, and they are supposed to be bigger than what you get at the track. As for hookups, I've heard (unconfirmed) that some are available.
About 6 miles south of the track is another private campground, Cascade Falls. We stayed there once, but they really increase prices that week, ok, I'll be honest, they gouge! I'll never ever go back there.
At the track, you can bring in coolers (must fit under your seat) and you can bring in beer (cans only), and I'm pretty sure that they don't sell beer inside the track. They do search coolers and bags as you enter the track, and they are usually very polite about it. Knives and umbrellas are not allowed (if they find them in your bag, they will take them, but you can pick them up afterwards, at least thats what happened to us).
One thing the track owners do, which I like, is, those who work checking bags, working the concessions, cleaning the stands, etc, aren't all track employees, but are members of local churches, youth sport teams, etc, and the track makes a donation to the organization for them providing their time to the track. A friend, involved in a local soccer organization, works a lemonade stand with some of the other parents, and he says the track owners are extremely generous to them. My son also got a security job there last year, and the owners took very good care of him!
Well, I hope this info helps anyone considering going to NHIS!