Reviews

Andy Follett

Fall tenting can be iffy because of weather and early sunset. Two suggestions: Have someplace indoors and heated for people in tents to hang out in when the sun goes down. The bathroom was pretty small and unheated. Again, not an issue so much in August, but cool fall nights and mornings, heated would be welcome. The tent sites are large and quite nice. Great location on the river and with a pedestrian bridge to bike safely into town.

Lindsay Gardner

We had a blast on a tubing float trip this weekend. Such a lovely, relaxing day and the folks at Bethel Outdoor Adventure made it all so easy. Clear instructions and seamless process throughout. We got a cooler tube which was very handy and I highly recommend for snacks and drinks. The river is currently pretty low so it was a lovely leisurely float! Thanks so much!

Heather Perez

Great experience on the river! This outfitter is very organized and everyone was super nice and accommodating. They even called me a couple days before our scheduled tubing trip to warn us about the colder temperatures that particular day and rescheduled us to a different day with excellent weather! Overall, tourism seemed light in the area for late summer, so in a busier season this may be difficult, but we’re incredibly thankful they were able to save our trip! The river itself, though it has a troubled history with lots of chemical pollutants from local industries, was still beautiful and even in a drought season it flowed the whole way with only a couple shallow spots that were easy to navigate. Very tame and safe. Many of the larger factories previously creating pollution have since been shut down and The Clean Water Act has helped revive the area. The premium tubes and extra cooler float were worth it, as we wound up staying on the river for a good 4 hours (by choice). The average trip is about 3–3.5 hrs. Not buggy at all in late Aug., but bring sunscreen!

Julie Parla

My whole experience with Bethel Outdoor Adventure Campground and River Trips was excellent. Booking online was easy and simple to follow. You can also book by phone or in person. They have several shuttle times running on the hour up to 3:00pm which was a plus. I arrived and my reservation was pulled up, a receipt printed and I was directed to the buildings in which to pick up my pfd and safety instructions. The two assistants were very helpful, well informed, quite enthusiastic and encouraging to this retiree flying solo. I was then directed to the van that would take me upstream and the launch site. Happened I was the only one on that particular shuttle and Peggie treated me like royalty. Once at the launch site, Peggie helped into the kayak and sent me on my way. I met some wonderful people on my trip back to the campground, where I was greeted by two attendants who helped me get out of the kayak. All in all, it was an amazing experience. I highly recommend this facility for your solo or family outing. P.S. you can rent tubes or canoes as well if kayaking is not your thing. I encountered a few tubing groups who had tied themselves together and were just chilling on the river.

Kimberly Tucker

I had the most amazing time tubing down the lazy river last weekend! From start to finish, it was the perfect way to unwind and soak up the beauty of nature. The check-in process was super smooth, and the staff were friendly, helpful, and made sure everyone felt safe and ready to go. Once we hit the water, it was nothing short of bliss. The current was gentle and steady, making it easy to just sit back, relax, and let the river do the work. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous — trees lining the banks, birds overhead, and even a few fish darting beneath us. We brought a cooler float for drinks and snacks, and it made the experience feel like a floating picnic. What I loved most was the balance of fun and relaxation. There were a few light rapids to keep things interesting, but nothing too intense — just enough to make you laugh and get a little splash! It was the perfect summer activity to do with friends or family. Highly recommend this lazy river tubing trip to anyone looking for a stress-free, fun day outdoors. Can't wait to go back!

David Long

There was absolutely no leniency for an unexpected change in arrival time. I booked a tent site a few days before Friday, but my work got incredibly busy, and I was unable to make the strict 8 p.m. check-in. Even after explaining that I would have arrived no later than 8:30, there was no flexibility. Keep in mind, I paid in full for two nights and paid the extra $10 to hold and guarantee my location. After explaining the situation, the response was given in a very flat and rude tone—no apology, and perhaps I'm not owed one, but the attitude was unnecessary: "I suggest you stay somewhere closer to you then." I can understand the policy to an extent, and I missed it when booking, but the day I booked it, the late check-in wouldn’t have been an issue. I booked this site for the river trips they offer—the same ones I’ve done for years. Nowhere on their site does it clearly state an end date for the trips. When I asked what time the first shuttle left, I was told they stopped running trips last weekend. I then asked for a refund since the entire trip was now pointless, and I was rudely told I wouldn’t be getting one. I get it—you don’t need my business. You have plenty of other people who will come, stay, and use your services, and be happy to do so. And hey, you already have my money. But a little bedside manner goes a long way—don’t be so rude.

Scott

We've rented kayaks and tubes many times and have always enjoyed the experience. We recently purchased a camper and stayed twice at the campground with full hookups. Very relaxing area and have always had great interactions with the staff.

Emily Doehrman

We had such a nice time renting a canoe from Bethel Outdoor Adventure. Booking online was so easy. The check in process was super quick, the safety briefing was helpful and set us up for a great time on the river. Our trip was super relaxing and fun, I’d highly recommend Bethel Outdoor Adventure for rentals!

Heather Moody

We came to Bethel for a friends 30th birthday celebration, and found that this campground was located very close by. We decided to stay for the whole weekend and venture over to NH as well. This was a great location for day trips around and exploring. The campground was well maintained and so peaceful. We look forward to returning when it’s not so rainy so we can try the river float!

Amy Gustavson

Campground is going through a reawakening with new ownership. There are a could improve things, but we saw how hard the owners and staff were working. Hook ups were sturdy, night was peaceful. Areas to walk the dog. Some really nice tent sites. Conveniently located. And reasonably priced. And owners work with you if there are any problems. You're not just a dashboard tag. Thank you

Trisha Smith

Great experience, super friendly people. Definitely want to come back in the summer!

Lisa M. Meyer

I stopped by the Ice Palaces in Bethel, Maine yesterday. Due to Mother Nature and a few minor obstacles the park was not open. I was lucky enough however to meet the owner and the man behind the magic ✨ He was a down to earth friendly gentleman with a wide knowledge base of his craft. He took the time out of what we could tell was an extremely busy day and showed us around and explained the process of making such beauty. Although the park was not open yet..it has a magical feel to it along with the pride of bringing such artistic beauty to Maine. It is absolutely amazing and definitely a place where all of us Mainers have got to go see and support this Maine Family as they venture out and bring us something we all can enjoy. Children, Adults, Families..it is something for all of us! I look forward to going back 💖

Chris Packert

Last summer my family took our travel trailer across the country from Colorado to the coast of Maine. This was unfortunately the worst stop in our adventure. We paid for full hook ups and the office staff put us in a site with only electricity and water. Also, the site that they put us in was impossible to enter due to the position of the trees surrounding the site. Someone from their grounds crew recognize that we were having an issue and put us in another site with full hook ups. We were very pleased and set up the camper for the evening. I asked the worker if I should notify the office, and he said no. That he would take care of it. About an hour later, while we were cooking dinner, I received a call from the front office and they told me we had to move out of that site. I explained that one of their employees put us in the site when we could not access the one that we were given, in addition to the fact that the site that we were given did not have full hook ups. They became combative and told me to come to the office. I walked to the office and was confronted by two members of the office staff and the employee who moved us to the location. The employee lied to my face and said he never put us in that new spot. If we were going to stay there, we had to move. After 10 hours of traveling that day, this was the last thing that I wanted to do. The whole situation was handled so unprofessionally. In addition, the place is covered in poison ivy, and the hook up in their dump station was elevated above the ground which made it really difficult to dump the black tank in the morning. My daughter had to get under the camper and raise the hose several times to transfer from the black tank to the dump station. We stayed at 10 different campgrounds during this trip and this was by far the worst experience. The office staff really needs some training in customer relations.

terry conner

Nice small campground, sites are very close together and the traffic in the campground is all the folks that go canoeing or tubing, they also use the bath house and it was not clean, trash over flowing in restrooms. Roads are dusty as they are dirt and people to not drive slow to keep dust down. Food truck in parking lot had good food.

Keith Weber

We had an absolute blast going tubing with this company. The lady behind the desk was extremely helpful and understanding. Everyone had an awesome time in the river. And the trips take the suggested time maybe a little longer if you take your time and stop a bunch of times like we did. The tubing trip for us took most of the day. But we had smaller kids so it might not take as long for other groups. I would definitely recommend this place in a heartbeat! Very fun!