Second stay, first review of Merrick.  We have always reserved an Island site, since they offer the best privacy from neighbors in southern camp along the Mississippi backwaters on Fountain City Bay.  We always bring the kayaks, so the water access offered is why we stay.  

3 Campgrounds:

 - Island sites offer the best-in-park privacy for a campsite, but they are walk in (carts provided for hauling in).  Worth the short walk in from the lot for what you get. We think site 50 has the best view and launch, with not as much riprap as the other island sites, but you can make any of them work.

 - South Campground sites are closer together with fewer trees, but still offer a front row seat to the Friday evening boat show. Many sites have pretty good direct water access here too

 - North campground has electric and showers/flush toilets, access to water, but no water views

Notes to self:

 - Bring your bugspray or thermocell, we definitely needed protection.  

 - I grew up in a train town, so I loved hearing the trains in the distance, but if you were up at North camp, it would indeed be really loud.  

 - Porto-pots were passible but not great.  Watch for spidies.