I really didn't know what to make of Pine Grove Resort when I first encountered it, looking for…read morevenues to host a summer-camp-themed camping trip for my fiancee and a couple dozen of our friends. The reviews were sparse and mixed but the space looked beautiful online. I reached out directly by email to Joe, describing the type of event I wanted, and he was very responsive and helpful and generous.
First of all, if you read nothing else, I have to rave about the infrastructure. Joe and the folks over there are really bright, mindful, and hardworking - and you can see from what they're building. The bathroom/shower complex near the campground is new and well built. A stone's throw away, the pool area is beautiful and clean, with a majestic lawn to run around on and great facilities. We rented the Mooncat Tiny House and the Glamping Tent and they are both cute, well proportioned, and well designed. The owners have beautiful things and great taste - we found the kitchen stocked with Japanese knives and Staub & Le Creuset cookware. They've cleverly set up mesh WiFi around the whole area that, while not reliable enough for Zoom calls, is impressive. I got a chuckle when a friend, sitting on a stump, asked me for the WiFi password. Even the structures that aren't new are taken care of; things are lived in and not luxury, but nothing is dilapidated.
When I first got there, it took some time to get my bearings. The property is rather large (we never really did explore the east half of it) and there are a lot of structures, some inhabited and some available to rent. Folks of all stripes seem to live there at all times of year. I think the thing that first threw me off is you're never TRULY out of eyesight or earshot from someone, despite the woodsy environ. There's often the odd person or small group sitting on a porch, working on a project, hanging by the pool, or walking a dog - it's more like an unstructured neighborhood in the woods than a secluded campground.
I soon met Joe and found him to be a helpful and well-meaning fellow. In time, folks in my group struck up conversations with the other folks around. Noah and one of the kids came to clean out the glamping tent for us and were very welcoming as well. Everyone was friendly and I came to realize this was a community of folks who had come here - perhaps some temporarily - to get away from the outside world and find some time and space for themselves.
The attitude as I see it was rather healthy and positive. People there seem to be generous of mind and spirit. I was nervous that our group - 30-somethings drinking and floating in the pool, yelling and cursing at one another as we played games like spikeball and cornhole - would be an unwelcome nuisance, but the residents were really kind, accepting, and even fascinated by our antics.
I would recommend Pine Grove highly to anyone, but mostly I think I've found a gem that I hope is around for years to come. I think when we all have young kids and want a place to spend a quiet weekend where they can explore, this will be our oasis.
If you're reading this, thanks for being such great hosts, Joe, Noah, & everyone!
