South Beach Yurt Camping

Headed out to South Beach, just south of Newport, this past weekend to try out one of their yurts. These things are really just tents with a sturdy frame, a heater and a hinged door. For $40 a night four adults and one teen shared the cozy space they indicated was large enough for eight. Trust me on this, you don't want to try squeezing eight people into one of these things.

One other problem was the huge blackbirds that practically overran the park. They were so big and aggressive that I would be afraid to let a small dog or cat out without keeping a close eye on them. The birds were very noisy and not afraid to land right on the railing of the deck, boldly checking for unguarded food as we prepared meals on the outdoor grille.

Space and bird issues aside, we had a great time and decided we should try yurt camping again at a different location in the future.