The following Frequently Asked Questions and answers have been provided for your convenience. Please read them carefully before emailing/ phoning us about the same question. Otherwise, please send your questions by email to trent@cymbria.ca or by phone 902-963-2458.

Please use the button to the left for a detailed list of campground rules.

1. Q: What exactly do you mean by "laid-back and open-minded atmosphere"?

A: Please try to leave attitudes and stress at home...you are camping now. You'll see how much happier everyone becomes when you're smiling. Try to remember that everyone here is on vacation...not just you. Being laid-back and open-minded means that you understand this and can have respect and tolerance for your fellow campers. Your whole vacation shouldn't be "ruined" because you didn't get the perfect site or our staff wouldn't break the rules just for you. If you can focus on the positive and love camping then we are sure that you belong here. And no...we are not a nudist camp (sorry to disappoint you)!

2. Q: Why do you have so many stupid rules?

A: This is a PRIVATE campground. When you stay here, you are our personal guest in our "back yard". You are paying to support our (and the staff's') hard work and dedication in making the campground better...not to give you a license to criticize, have others clean up after you, or make your own rules. Believe me, if we didn't SERIOUSLY need these "common sense" rules then we wouldn't bother to have them. Don't think that you should get scolded for leaving paper in your fire pit at checkout?  Your "harmless" paper turns into garbage all over the campground when the North-wind gusts takes it away 5 minutes later...you wouldn't want to stay in a campground covered in litter, now would you?  If you don't understand "why?" to any given rule then try running a campground. We enforce the rules the same for everyone to make things fair, so please don't think you are getting "singled out". Ultimately, we try to do our best to make our rules available to you BEFORE you come here. If you don't agree with our rules, then please feel free to stay elsewhere. A special thanks to those of you who even bother to read the rules...hope to bump into you.

3. Q: How many people and tents and cars and relatives are allowed on 1 site?

A: We understand that vacations can get very expensive and you want to save where you can, but by having too many people per site it not only kills the grass prematurely for the next guest but also gives the campground a "cluttered" look and reduces the noise "buffer zone" between you and your neighbours. In my opinion, having 8 people, 1 dog, 2 cars, 3 tents, a screen tent, lawn chairs, coolers, etc...in a relatively  small space really doesn't sound like relaxation (for you or your neighbors). By the time you pay for all of the extra charges, you could probably get a whole other site next to you for another $10 or so, which when divided by eight people (or whatever) is actually not that unreasonable considering the benefits. The following table can be used as a general guideline for MAXIMUM occupancy of any one site. We retain the right to modify this table at any time for any reason (a family of 6 mimes is not the same as a family of 6 clowns), but we will NEVER exceed these numbers...even if the Pope is one of your entourage...so please don't ask. Rules may vary for 3-Way sites depending on the circumstances.

*A maximum of one additional tent is permitted for $4/night extra. Bottomless Screen/ Kitchen tents are permitted free of charge in addition to regular tents where space permits.

**If you've never seen each other naked at one point then you are not a family unit. An example would be a Grand-parent + their 2 children + 2 grand children who are sleeping together in no more than 2 tents OR a couple with 4 children.

4. Q: What is our policy concerning the "younger" campers?

A: Younger families or out-of province visitors (here for travel and not party) are always welcome at Cymbria. At the sole discretion of our staff, younger non-family campers will be admitted provided there is a minimum 2-night stay . All "group camping" will have restrictive clauses and must first be approved by management.  There will be a zero-tolerance policy in effect regarding the enforcement of all rules. Any breach of the rules or SLIGHTEST sign of disrespect will result in the immediate expulsion of the whole site or group, even if only one person is responsible for the act (just don't invite the idiot). Please note for ALL CAMPERS: no stereos, excessive noise or visitors past 11:00pm, campfires and ALL activity completely extinguished by 1:00am (see rules). Please note that we sincerely wish to encourage responsible younger campers to stay at Cymbria,  and when you have a proven history of responsible stays with us then we would gladly consider easing up on the restrictions.

5. Q: Are campfires allowed?

A: Yes. There is a fire pit and picnic table at every site. You are permitted to bring your own firewood, or we sell bags at our camp store for $6.25. You are NOT allowed to burn wood from our forest areas (even deadwood) as it is needed by nature- besides, think what would happen if 300 people per day took a log out of our small forest. For this reason, please notify our staff UPON ARRIVAL if you are bringing in your own wood which may be confused as coming from our woods (i.e.: uncut/ un-split). If you bring it here, take any that's left home. All campfires will be extinguished by 1:00am.

6. Q: Are pets allowed?

A: Yes, Cymbria is a perfect place to keep you and your pet occupied, however all pets must remain leashed at all times with the exception of designated areas (when unsupervised children etc... are not present).  Non-stop barking will not be tolerated (do not leave your pet unattended), nor will anyone who blatantly permits their pet to dig up our sites etc... (please be responsible for your pet). Pet owners are also required to "stoop and scoop".

7. Q: Is your campground/ location safe?

A: All of Prince Edward Island has a fantastic reputation for being a very safe place to be (we are very lucky).

8. Q: Is Cymbria Campground suitable for families/ small children?

A: Absolutely yes. Most of the families at our campground have been coming back year after year with their kids, and Cymbria seems to attract very peaceful and respectful campers. Please be aware, however, that responsible consumption of alcohol is permitted at our campground. We do our very best to enforce quiet time (no stereos after 11pm, absolutely nothing after 1am), however anyone with an extreme intolerance of noise should probably not be at ANY public campground. Please also be aware that your children are YOUR responsibility, not ours, and  must be accompanied at all times by an adult. Use of our facilities, playground, and other campground areas is at your own risk.

9. Q: Why would we choose Cymbria Campground for our vacation?

A: Cymbria offers beautiful scenery in a true rural PEI setting. We are in a very unique central location, a perfect home-base for touring. We are only minutes away from practically everything, yet we remain just outside the high-density tourist areas, giving you a better feel for what PEI is truly about. We offer something for everyone, including a golf course and beach within walking distance. We are a small and close-knit campground, with only half of our 31 acres being used for our 94 campsites (compare the number of sites per acre at other campgrounds), and our sites are some of the largest and cleanest that you'll find. All of our sites are grassy. We believe in being respectful of nature and others, and we seem to attract a very outgoing type of camper. Our campground is Islander owned, and both the owners and staff (most) live and work here on the campground. We volunteer our facilities and time to helping local musicians and artists, so by helping us you are helping them as well. Ultimately, you will have your own reasons for choosing Cymbria. My best advice is to check out this website carefully and compare it with others you find, or feel free to stop in anytime for a look around.  WARNING: No campground, including this one, can make you happy and enjoy yourself if you are not willing and able. We will not tolerate groups that are here solely for the purpose of drinking and acting like idiots, nor will we tolerate people who have no tolerance for others and complain for the sake of complaining.

10. Q: What's the deal with music at your campground?

A: Music is welcome at Cymbria Campground, and we consider it to be an integral part of the camping experience. We do not view loud music from stereos to be the same thing as, for example, acoustic guitars, so please respect your neighbours and keep stereos at a minimum volume if at all, and completely off by 11:00pm. The Cymbria Foundation occasionally hosts music events at our band stage, and holds an annual festival in September.  Artists performing at Cymbria stay for free (ask for details).

11. Q: How many Amps are your sites?

A: By request and/or availability, we offer 30 amp sites for an additional fee. Otherwise, our sites offer 20 amp service, which is sufficient for normal use unless you insist on keeping both air-conditioners and your electric fireplace going at the same time.  This keeps the price of our sites down as well as helping the environment. We also hope that it might encourage you to come join us outside! We offer free 30-20amp adapter loans for RV's which require them.

12. Q: Are there skunks at your campground?

A: Yes. Skunks can be found throughout PEI, including in every town and city in the province. They are not unlike the other wildlife you may encounter at Cymbria Campground, such as squirrels, chipmunks, racoons, birds, insects, foxes, rabbits (hares), and mice, in the fact that #1: they are part of what we call "nature" living here just as we do; and #2: they love our food (especially when we leave it out for them). My advice for anyone (as has happened in the past) who would blame me personally for not eliminating this part of nature, should themselves try to avoid being in it (why on earth would you ever go camping?). Please feel free to ask our staff about how you can help keep the wildlife wild and do your part to become a responsible camper and part of nature.

13. Q: What are/ do you have pull-through sites?

A: Pull through sites are sites where you can pull into them and never have to back up when you leave. They are especially useful for large RV's which are difficult to back up safely. All of our 3-way sites are pull-through sites with the exception of the sites on the left of our site map (sites: 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15, 17, 19 are NOT pull through).

14. Q: What is a 3-way site etc..?

A: A 3-way site has 3 services: water, electricity, and sewer connections. It is usually larger trailers and RV's with their own washroom who need this type of site. These sites are the largest sites at our campground, and for this reason we often rent 3-way sites to smaller trailers and sometimes even tents. A 2-way site has only electricity and water, and is normally used by smaller trailers and tenters. Unserviced sites have no services at the site, however there are shared water areas very close by.

15. Q: Using your site map, how can I tell what direction my trailer door will be facing?

A: Look for the black dots on the map (e.g.: between sites 10 and 12). These dots represent the location where you would "plug in", which is normally found on the passenger's side of the trailer or RV. Thus, for example, sites 10 and 12 are "back to back", and sites 8 and 10 are facing each other (perfect for sharing a front lawn between travel companions).

16. Q: Can I get a site directly on the beach?

A: No. The beach is about 200 yards from the campground (less than 1 minute's walk). Surprisingly, there are very few campgrounds on PEI which have actual camp sites that close to the water, and those that do usually have a very limited number available at any given time. If this is something that you absolutely can't live without, we recommend that you ask very specifically where you will be situated as not to be misled.

17. Q: Can I swim at the beach at your campground?

A: The beach at Cymbria Campground is a shallow bay beach, and as such is not the best choice (in my opinion) for swimming. The beach is probably best suited for secluded walks, scavenging (don't take too much), bird watching, clam digging, canoeing, and kayaking. It is a favourite for kids as it is shallower and warmer than the Ocean. For swimming, we are only minutes from the most famous beaches on the Island, and we also have a heated pool for those who prefer it.

18. Q: Is Cymbria the campground directly behind the Oyster Bed Bridge Racetrack?

A: No. That campground is called Bayside. We are located on the next road to your right (across from Dayboat Restaurant(formerly Cafe St. Jean)) when heading West towards North Rustico/ Cavendish. We are on the same road (Rte. 242) as the Rustico Resort Golf Course and the former "Jumping Jack's".

19. Why can't we have more than 1 vehicle per site?/ Why do you barbarians make us walk?

A: 1) It reduces traffic: safer for kids playing; quieter; keeps dust/road wear down

    2) It helps us monitor and control against unauthorized large groups

    3) It reduces the percentage of vehicles that could theoretically be drinking & driving in tenting/ children zones

    4) It keeps the sites and campground from getting that "cluttered" look, and less wear & tear on our grassy sites

    5) It reduces the incidents of extra vehicles parked in/ blocking other people's sites or in unauthorized zones (common: blocking the entire roadway)

    6) Many other reasons, but the most important one being: BECAUSE WE SAID SO. Many people each season agree to this rule upon check-in just to turn around a minute later and take their 2 cars in because they apparently disagree with the morality of this rule (see Q:2). These same people are completely dumfounded when we tell them to leave with no refunds a moment later.

Ultimately, there is no rule stating that you cant unload your first vehicle, leave the camping area, then bring your second (or third) vehicle up. We provide free parking for an unlimited number of your vehicles in a designated parking area in front of the office (which is well-lit and supervised). There is no campsite farther than a 5 minute walk away from this area.

Unregistered people who wish to "just take a look around" are free to walk through (it won't take longer than 15 minutes to see the whole camping area). This helps for all of the reasons above, in addition to providing extra comfort to those who have left their tents and belongings unattended. For those people who make a scene and "leave in disgust" when we tell them that they can't drive through (unless there is a medical reason etc), we are always glad that we have stopped their bad vibes from spreading amongst the good campers who are already here.

20. Q: Why do I have to leave a damage deposit...do I look like a criminal to you?

A: 1) When you check in, you will be issued an electronic card to enter through our security gate. These cards are very expensive to replace if you forget to return them.

    2) BEFORE we had our deposit policy, we had a rate of 94% OF ALL SITES- USING 2 YEARS OF OUR STATISTICS- (yes, this includes young people, families, retirees, everyone) who left their sites in worse condition than when they arrived or who did not follow the rules, most often garbage left behind. This extraordinary rate was truly a shocker to us, especially because we were under the impression that most campers out there had a respect for nature. AFTER the deposit policy came into effect, only less than 1% OF ALL SITES were creating problems. These statistics are truly disappointing in that it takes a monetary incentive for 93% of campers to take responsibly for their actions. Ultimately, however, the results speak for themselves: we have one of the cleanest campgrounds you will ever stay at; and our rates remain low because we do not have to pay staff to clean up after every check out.

    3) See Q:2

21. Q: Why is there nothing to do at your campground?

A: 99% of the campers who ask me this question look confused when I ask them if they have walked along our beach or through our nature trail. The other 1% were positive that someone personally guaranteed them a campground where they would see a constant stream of fairies frolicking outside their trailer window. While our staff strives to be as helpful as possible, we are not responsible for holding your hand 24 hours per day. We are friends with many of the local campers, and we assure you that they are good people (or they wouldn't be here to begin with). You must venture outside to meet them, however, and you can always find something interesting to do if you are truly willing.