NEVADA CITY — The pandemic has led more people than ever to explore the great outdoors. The same is true for the Nevada City campground.
In Town Campground has become extremely popular after the COVID-19 camping boom and has been named the best RV campground in the country by USA Today for the third year in a row.
The campers we spoke to agreed with the award.
“Oh yeah! If it wasn’t like that, we wouldn’t have been coming in years,” said regular Patricia Cross.
Mother-daughter duo Patricia and Victoria Cross have called this campground their second home for many years.
“It’s not just a campground. It’s the people who run the campground,” Patricia says.
Erin Thiem and Dan Thiem built In Town Campground themselves about 10 years ago. They fostered a community-driven atmosphere, so much so that people talked to him three times over. This is his third year being named the #1 RV Park Campground by USA Today.
“For a campground of our size in a small hilly community, we are honored and grateful to receive this honor,” Erin said.
This is a people’s choice award and Thiem said he was thrilled to know that his 15 acres of forest were making people so happy.
“Sitting under the trees is really magical. People often think, ‘Oh, are we on a lake or a river?'” I tell them, “No, this is a campground in town. You can walk to downtown from here.”
“Come October, we have Halloween decorations. There’s a contest and we’re encouraged to put up lights. We love it,” said Patricia and Victoria Cross.
The word is spreading. They’re open seven days a week, but they sell out quickly and the community supports them.
“I went to a coffee shop and the woman who was serving me was so excited that the person at the grocery store stopped me and congratulated me on the award. I didn’t know who they were. So I was very happy. But they were rooting for us,” Thiem said.
If tent camping isn’t your thing, there are 21 glamping tents available.
