We all need to escape from our tech devices once in a while and reconnect with nature. A friend of mine was eager to return to Prince Edward County for a few days this summer and suggested we go, so we decided to book a luxury RV at Sandbanks Beach Resort, Prince Edward County at their Sand Dunes location near Sandbanks Provincial Park. Although we booked at the last minute, we were lucky to secure Cottager 39A for four nights over the July long weekend. After July 7, 2016, we would have been required to stay a minimum of seven nights.
My friend and I had never stayed in an RV before so it was a new experience for both of us. Upon our arrival on Friday, July 1, 2016, we unpacked our bags and groceries and inspected our unit. Although the rooms were compact, everything was in good condition. Our kitchen included a full-size fridge, stove and microwave, but not a lot of counter space by the time we placed the coffee maker and toaster on the counter.
One bedroom contained a queen size bed and a mirrored closet unit with drawers, which was good for storage.
There was not a lot of room in the living/dining area, especially since we had planned to use the sofa bed to pull out at night for sleeping since the second bedroom was equipped with three bunk beds in an odd configuration.
Cottager 39A came equipped with a TV and DVD player, Wi-Fi, A/C, toaster, coffee maker, pots, pans, cooking utensils, dishware, glassware, cutlery, extra blankets and pillows. There was also a barbecue with propane on our private deck.
The bathroom, however, was teeny tiny and it was particularly frustrating since the sink and cabinet obstructed part of the bathtub and shower.
We decided to walk down to the dock. (Sandbanks Beach Resort has two locations: Sandview and Sand Dunes. If you want to be steps from Dunes Beach, then rent an RV at the Sand Dunes location since it is a one kilometre drive to Dunes Beach from the Sandview location.) If you love boating, Sandbanks Beach Resort has boats to rent including rowboats, canoes, kayaks, boats with 6 and 9.9 horsepower motors, and a 110 horsepower jet waterski boat with skis, jackets and a driver.
We admired the sand dunes across the lake, then walked along a four minute path to check out Dunes Beach next door.
Dunes Beach on West Lake in Sandbanks Provincial Park is great for swimming. You can walk out several metres in shallow water before it starts getting deep. The water temperature is usually quite warm, much warmer than the water at the park’s Outlet Beach, and the lake has a sand bottom with few weeds.
While staying at Sandbanks Beach Resort, access to Dunes Beach is free via the connecting path from the resort to the beach. If you want to drive to the Outlet Beach in Sandbanks Provincial Park, you can sign out one of 10 park season passes at the Sandbanks Beach Resort office and display it in your vehicle to avoid paying the $17 daily admission to the park.
After a swim, we headed back to the dock at Sandbanks Beach Resort and watched the gorgeous sunset.
There is a fair amount of seating at the dock to watch the sunset.
We were eager to have a fire in our firepit. We did have to ask our neighbour for help with the fire starter kit.
Sandbanks Beach Resort is geared towards families or older adults since they have a “quiet” policy that they enforce after 11 p.m., which was great for us. Except for a few Canada Day firecracker celebrations late in the evening on July 1, the park was relatively quiet at night.
We both enjoyed our stay at the Sand Dunes location at Sandbanks Beach Resort. Being so close to Dunes Beach where the swimming was spectacular was a huge advantage. We also loved the gorgeous sunsets that illuminated West Lake and the sand dunes. Our RV was relatively comfortable with a few exceptions. Unplugging at Sandbanks Beach Resort, Prince Edward County for five days did a world of good for me.
Sandbanks Beach Resort, 1818 County Road 12, R.R. #1, Picton, Ontario
