The Garden Campground

I really wanted to like the concept of this place, but it was just not great. I do believe the staff is trying their best to get things turned around, but until then I wouldn’t stay here. We chose this camp because nothing else opened until April 1st, but moved as soon as we could. The pictures online are misleading. Roads are asphalt millings, so it’s impossible to keep anything clean, especially the inside of the camper. Every time it rains the place turns into a marshland. The site pictured was the site we had. No one picks up after their dogs, so poop is literally in every square inch that there is grass. The cops were there 5+ times in our 25 day stay, mostly for the couple 2 campers down from us constantly fighting and screaming at each other. It was just not a great stay. On a positive note, the laundry facility was new, and very clean. The price is okay, but it’s worth it to pay extra to stay somewhere cleaner and safer.

Was in Elkhart for a quick RV repair and asked if I could pay a fee to fill my water tank and was refused. The guy I spoke to was nice but apparently the supervisor wasn’t very helpful. There are other times I stay in Elkhart for several days, but won’t stay here. They could have easily charged me a few bucks to fill. Water is hard to find this time of year in these parts.

The Garden Campground in Elkhart presents itself as an RV camping option, but it deviates significantly from the traditional campground experience. Situated adjacent to the Indiana Toll Road and a hotel, the location creates an atmosphere more akin to a parking lot than a nature retreat. While the campground may offer basic amenities like hookups, it falls short in providing the ambiance and tranquility that campers typically seek. The constant noise pollution from the nearby highway detracts from the experience, and the lack of natural landscaping or privacy features leaves much to be desired. The rise in the transient population in the area since the campground's opening is a noteworthy concern. The sight of individuals, presumably experiencing homelessness, leaving the campground to panhandle in the mornings can be unsettling but it's the normal. It is important to acknowledge that The Garden Campground may serve a purpose for overnight travelers seeking a convenient stop with basic utilities. However, it cannot be recommended to those seeking a genuine camping experience characterized by natural beauty, peaceful surroundings, and a sense of community.

The staff here are awesome!!! Rachael and Pat were so accommodating and helpful. The sites are new, clean, have 50 amp power, water, and sewer. The water pressure was pretty low. The only real downfall is the sewer, as the stubs are a bit high and don’t allow for efficient waste tank draining. It appears there was an engineering oversight. It took me about 20 minutes to figure out a workable (but not ideal) solution. If you’re looking for someplace quiet, this isn’t it, as the highway noise is constant. But the price of $56 including tax is very reasonable. And, again, the staff were awesome!!!

Since this is a reasonably new Campground I thought it would be the best place to try. The roads were filled with potholes. There were several other reasons we decided to stay anywhere else.