Where we have camped

Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
I should have started this 2 1/2 years ago. I'll do some reviews also.

These are just the places we've stayed with the RV. While car tripping we've also stayed in campground but stayed in their cabins.

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Solomons Navy Rec center - Solomons, MD *
Oceans Lakes - Myrtle Beach, SC *
Mt. Pleasant KOA - Mt Pleasant, SC *
Pelican's Roost - NS Mayport, FL
Wekiva Falls RV resort - Sorrento, FL
Sarasota Lakes RV resort - Sarasota, FL
Grand Lakes RV & Golf resort - Citra, FL #
Emerald Coast RV resort - Panama City Beach, FL *#
Yogi Bear's Jellystone park, Nashville, TN
Camp LeConte, Gatlinburg - TN
Lion Country Safari KOA - Loxahatchee, FL
Jolly Rogers, Grassy Key - FL
Naples KOA Holiday - Naples, FL
Sandy Oaks RV park - Beverly Hills, FL
All About Relaxing - Theodore, AL
Lakeside RV park - Livingston, LA
Hidden Lake RV park - Beaumont, TX
Bastrop/Colorado River KOA - Bastrop, TX *
La Hacienda, Lakeway - TX *#
Colonia del Rey RV resort - Corpus Christi, TX
Port A RV resort - Port Aransas, TX
South Padre Island KOA Holiday, South Padre Island, TX *
Nature's Own RV Resort, Kingsville, TX *
Blazing Star RV resort, San Antonio, TX #
Kerrville KOA Journey, Kerrville, TX
Ft Stockton RV Park, Ft. Stockton, TX
Mission RV Park, El Paso, TX
Hacienda RV Resort, Las Cruces, NM
Tombstone RV Park, Tombstone, AZ
Destiny RV Resort, Goodyear, AZ
Havasu Springs Resort, Parker, AZ
Las Vegas KOA Sam's Town, Las Vegas, NV
Kingman KOA, Kingman, AZ
Seligman Route 66 KOA, Seligman, AZ
Flagstaff KOA, Flagstaff, AZ*
Holbrook/Petrified Forest KOA, Holbrook, AZ
Grand Canyon Railway & Hotel RV Park, Williams, AZ
USA RV Park, Gallup, NM
Santa Fe Skies, Santa Fe, NM
Santa Rosa Campground, Santa Rosa, NM
The Big Texan RV Ranch, Amarillo, TX
Lubbock RV Park, Lubbock, TX
Whistle Stop RV Resort, Abilene, TX
RV Ranch, Keene, TX
Mustang Hollow CG, Mathis, TX
Hill Country RV Resort, New Braunfels, TX* #
North Texas Jellystone Park, Burleson, TX
Twin Fountains RV Resort, Oklahoma City, OK
Sallisaw/Fort Smith West KOA, Sallisaw, OK
Branson Lakeside RV Park, Branson, MO
Hot Springs National Park KOA, Hot Springs, AR
We RV Champions, Tyler, TX
Port Lavaca/Matagorda Bay KOA, Point Comfort, TX
USA RV Resorts Marina Bay, Kemah, TX
Lafayette, KOA, Scott, LA
Cajun RV Park, Biloxi, MS
Gulf Shores/Pensacola West KOA, Lillian, AL

* = We stayed at these locations multiple times
# = Sun Resort
 
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Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
Ocean Lakes - Myrtle Beach South Carolina

I can type enough nice things about OL. They have something for everyone here. Bonus is it's right on the ocean. It's just a short walk to the beach. This isn't a sleepy little destination. It's a full assault on your senses kind of place. It even boasts it's own post office. This is a destination where you'll never hear the kids say that they are bored.

There are over 850 campsites and a few thousand other properties onsite. The campground encompasses more than 300 acres. In the summer season they employ 360 people. They have their own radio station.

Indoor & outdoor pools with waterslides, camp store, restaurants, ice cream parlor, mini golf, game center, jungle gym, bike rentals, roving security patrols, fishing ponds, just to name a few of the things to do there. Swim in the pool or the ocean as they have a mile of beach front property.

Golf cars abound here. It's the most popular way to get around since everything is spread out. We were here for a Halloween parade and site decorating contest. These people take their competition seriously.

We have never been here during the summer. Our experiences here have been in the fall, when the occupancy drops a bit. That suits us just fine as I couldn't imagine the summer traffic jams with all the golf cars, bikes and autos.

Ocean Lakes

A view from our campsite
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Some of the many personal and rental properties available
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They take Halloween serious here
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I've never seen a 2 story RV before
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Sunrise at the beach
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Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
Pelican's Roost - Mayport Florida

This campground can only be used by people that have a DOD ID card.

This campground has a great location. It's right on a point of land where the St Johns river empties into the Atlantic ocean. It's not the largest campground out there. 58 sites. There's no pool but the base pool is a short bike ride away. It features a great office/game room/kitchen. The kitchen is fully equipped and has nice deep sinks for cleaning up. There are NO homesteaders here, as they limit your stay. 30 days total of which only 14 can be the waterfront spots. Daily rate for waterfront is $27 in the high season. That price is hard to beat for what you get.

You can fish from the jetties that are a short walk across the street. Ships arriving and departing are a constant sight. It does get a bit windy in this location. The town of Mayport has some eclectic restaurants, a gambling cruise ship, fresh seafood including Mayport shrimp, fishing boats and a public boat ramp. You can fish for the day on 1 of the head boats. It's not a huge town, just a few blocks of commercial buildings. You can catch a ferry that will take you to the northside of Jacksonville. It's part of the A1A route.

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Atlantic Beach, Neptune Beach and Jacksonville Beach are a short drive away. St Augustine is about an hour away depending on traffic.

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Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
Mt. Pleasant KOA - Mt Pleasant, SC

Vrai selected this location so she could visit a good friend of hers that relocated from SOMD. And for that I'm thankful. We have stayed here twice. Both times as part of our wintering in Florida. The first year we were a little behind the curve, time wise. We actually ran into freezing temperatures overnight. It wasn't that big of a deal but we were searching for warmer temperature. This park is located just a few turns from the main highway through the area. It's quite secluded which makes it appear more rural than it actually is. Major shopping and restaurants are less than a mile away.

KOAs have a certain standard when it comes to amenities. This place is certainly 1 of those. They have an enormous gathering room with things for kids to do plus a functional kitchen. The kitchen comes in handy for the tent campers. They have several rental cabins and 1 restored train car that serves as a bedroom. The dog park has a fenced section that goes into the water. This way dogs can enjoy the lake and not have to worry about the local alligators. There are a few nature trails that meander through the swampy bush.

The lake is stocked and I've caught a few decent bass out of there. They rent paddle boats, kayaks & canoes. There's a fishing pier along with a community fire pit on the banks of the lake. I was able to launch my boat a few times.

The Mt. Pleasant/Charleston area has a bunch of things to keep a tourist busy. The barrier islands are a scenic draw. The greater Charleston area is a foodie mecca. There is no shortage of food options. There is something for everyone's appetite. I think this place rates in Vrai's top 5 of places she would choose to eat. Xiao Bao Biscuit. Shem's creek is a great place to have a drink and mix with both locals and tourists. Patriot's park has a lot to see. There are golf courses out the wazoo here. For the most part the weather is decent but we have not been here in the summer. I imagine summers here are a muggy mess, given the close proximity to the water.

Previous threads about Mt Pleasant. 2 3

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1stGenSMIB

Active Member
I have been a member of this forum for over 10 years..I have no idea why I did not find your travel stuff until today!!!?!?!?!?!?!

I have been to Mt. Pleasant in April for a sailing regatta (Charleston Race Week)..it is really nice then, but I agree, probably muggy in summer. We usually rent a house in Isle of Palms. They plan the regatta around the tide tables, so the bigger boats racing out in the ocean can get in and out of the channel with the current. The entire area is fabulous.
 
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Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
Colonia del Rey RV resort - Corpus Christi, TX

We arrived here on Thursday. The first thing you notice is how close together the sites are. It's located in the Flour Bluff neighborhood. It's a stones throw from the Laguna Madre bay. The area around the campground is somewhat economically depressed. It's not a shady area but many of the homes in this part of town could use some sprucing up. The naval air station is about 3 miles away. It's a training base and often prop planes fly overhead.

This campground is independent. It's a sister campground to 3 other area CGs. There is a pool, but it's unheated. The bath houses are adequate. The laundry has a few industrial dryers. There's an office and a game room. Each week they have a calendar that lists the various activities. Downtown is about 15 miles away. The beach is a short drive away across the bridge.

On a scale of 1 to 5, I'd give this place a 2.5. It's not bad, it's not great. It is just what it is. Our section of the park has white stones instead of grass for the lawn. A good percentage of the campers are year round full timers. Plenty of sites have 2 cars. With the tight spots and parking space at a premium, it give the appearance of a poorly laid out parking lot.

We normally stay in KOA or some other sponsored campground. There is an expected level of amenities and that is missing from here. This is our 4th Texas campground. 2 of them are top notch, the other 2 not so much. I know Vrai works hard to find us decent digs. Her winners are far outpacing the few duds that we have had. Hopefully the local attractions can pick up the slack.
 

HeavyChevy75

Podunk FL
Next time you are in Charleston let me know. IF I am not back down in FL at that point yet. I have three months left on this contract.
 

Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
Port A RV resort - Port Aransas, TX

A roughly 175 site campground about a half mile from downtown Port Aransas. It butts up against a nature preserve. The camp has 2 heated swimming pools plus a hot tub. The park is only 3 1/2 year old. The park has 2 kitchens, clean bathhouses, a gym, 2 laundries, loaner skateboards, 2 community halls and a catch & release fishing pond.

It's not too far from the gulf. The roads are wide but the cement pads are a bit narrow. It doesn't appear that they let the full timers get too carried away with stuff left outside their rigs. They claim that right now they have 45 permanent people living there. It sure doesn't look like it.

Port Aransas has a lot going on. There is a free ferry that takes you to Aransas Pass. It only takes about 3 minutes to get across the shipping channel. In town there are all sorts of bars and restaurants. You can drive on the beach but you need a pass to park on the beach. Several businesses in town rent golf carts. That seems to be a favorite way to get around town and out to the beach.

There are wall, piers and jetties for fishing. Or you can go on a charter or party fishing boat. Birding is popular here and they have several city parks where you can do that. A few boats go out to dolphin watch. We were able to do that from the docks at the marina.

This area has something for everyone, most of it being outdoor adventures. Prices are very reasonable for this being a beachy, resort area.

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Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
Nature's Own TV Resort - Kingsville, TX

This place is a quick stop on the way to San Antonio. It's a newer RV park. Well laid out. It shows well. They have the usual pool & hot tub, 2 social halls, a doggie spa, some farm animals, horseshoe pits, several dog parks, access to the county park trails from inside the campground. In some areas they have carpet grass. On closer inspection, it's old football turf. You can see some of the numbers and the hash marks. The first few rows are all poured concrete pads. In the back they are crushed rock. Top of the line rate will set you back $440 a month. It is amazing how much more inexpensive Texas is for RVers when compared to some of the more popular destinations. I could do 2 weeks here, staying a month would be pushing it.

Kingsville is a 5 horse town. It's not huge but it isn't tiny either. There are a few colleges, a naval air station, plenty of shopping, Texas tacky cowboy kitsch. You can get a 3/2 SF home for under $100K.
 

Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
Blazing Star RV resort, San Antonio, TX

Other than the officer involved shooting while we were here, it's a nice oasis located right on the outskirts of the city. While we were here, the pool was being renovated. It's a heated pool and there were a few days where we could have used it. 1 night I did go in the hot tub. This is the 2nd place I have seen that the hot tub is not built into the ground. It was 1 of those stand alone types that anyone can buy and put in their back yard.

The campground has a lot of trees. The trees are well manicured. Most of the lower branches have been trimmed so they don't become an issue for large RVs. On the down side, it's hilly in this area. They tried there best to get the lots level but our pad had a big drop off in the front. When it was time to leave, I chose to back up instead of risk scraping the bottom of the rig on the cement. Looking at the cement about a dozen or more people took the chance and lost.

For our needs, this place was perfect. Located right near a major road so we could get out quickly and be on our way. Texas has a system of frontage roads, so the road right in front of our campground was a one way street. If you made a quick car trip you always had to drive past the campground then make a series of left turns to get back on the one way road. It would have been nice if the campground had a 2nd entrance for cars only. Also the highway was being renovated while we were there. I can't blame that on the campground. All the highway traffic was detoured on to the frontage road. Trying to get out of the campground some days was a real challenge with the additional traffic.

San Antonio is the 2nd largest city in Texas. You will find plenty of things to see and do here. I fished the Guadalupe river. We went to TopGolf and hit some balls. They have 2 theme parks on the west side of town. There is the Alamo and the Riverwalk. More restaurants than you could possibly eat at in 1 lifetime. It's a short drive to quaint, throwback towns like Gruene and Boerne. We had some cooler weather while we were here but we also had our share of warm days.

Not sure if we will be back here. But if we do pass this way I'm sure this is where we will choose to stay.
 

Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
Ft Stockton RV Park, Fort Stockton, TX

This park is just off of I10 before you reach Ft Stockton proper. The park has a cafe that is open for breakfast and dinner. Chicken fried steak is their claim to fame. The park is split in 2 parts with 50 long termers up the road a bit. The park is level with almost 1 tree per site. They are expanding in the future. This is a very active campground with a lot of movement daily. 1 of the workers told me that it will be that way until June when it heats up and not as many people stop by.

There is a pool and a dog park. Besides a bathhouse, there isn't much more in the way of amenities. The office stocks a few RV related items like chemicals and replacement bulbs.

This area is super windy. The first night we chose to slide in and not risk losing our slide out awnings. The wind blows up a lot of dust that collects on everything. This isn't the campground's fault, just pointing out that it happens. There are some bold sunsets over the town of Ft Stockton.

Ft Stockton was founded because of a spring that flowed in the area. Horses in the caravans needed water. The local natives also used the springs for water. The US Army built a fort to protect travelers when they would overnight at the spring. A few of the fort buildings have been preserved. The old railroad station is now used by as a visitor's center.

Ft Stockton has pretty much any store that you would desire. There are even a few RV repair people in town. It looks like this is a destination for truckers rolling down I10. We stayed here 5 days which was probably 2 days too long.

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Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
Las Vegas KOA Sam's Town

This KOA is in the Journey category and it is by far the nicest journey we have stayed at. Great location, 7.5 miles from the Strip. Next door to a casino and within walking distance to 2 other gambling halls.

This campground has the widest campground roads that I have been on. 2 large RVs could pass and have plenty of room. The sites share the power pole so you face your neighbors door instead of the usual facing the back of their rig. There's a pool & hot tub that got plenty of use during our stay with temps daily climbing to triple digits. Clean bath houses with 3 different locations throughout the park. The site itself was small crushed rock. The pebbles seemed to always find a way into your flip flop when you were out walking. Good size dog walking area with some obstacles for energetic dogs to play on. Free shuttle bus that will take you to the Strip or Harrahs several times a day.

Not sure if we will ever find ourselves back out this way but if we did, I'd stay here again.

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Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
Flagstaff KOA, Flagstaff, AZ

This has been so far my favorite Arizona stop this year. Not that there was anything wrong with our other campgrounds, just that after months of rocks and dust, the forest is a welcome change.

There are a bunch of teepees that you can rent. They have rustic bunk beds and chairs in them. But when it rains, the drops come through the hole in the center of the ceiling. The few families that rented them said they were enjoyable. I'm sure the kids will remember that experience for decades.

The campground is located at the base of a mountain. It's hilly and there are plenty of pines in the CG. A few rabbits and squirrels roam the grounds looking for delectible nugget.

There is a food truck that serves breakfast. We didn't try it for some reason. There are quite a few tent camping sites. We have seen a few out this way but this CG attracts a lot of tenters.

By Arizona standards, it's a short drive to the Grand Canyon & Sedona from the CG. The routes you take out this way are some of the most beautiful drives that we have taken. Too bad we aren't good enough photographers to capture the awesomeness.

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The empty campground after the voluntary evacuation due to a forest fire
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Our site came with a grill, fire pit and 6 chairs
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Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
The ice cream truck just came through the campground. It was fun watching all the kids come piling out from where ever they were hiding. I'm pretty sure that is the first time I have seen that so far. Most campgrounds sell small ice creams and other goodies. But here the office is closed on the weekends.
 

Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
North Texas Jellystone Park Burleson, Texas

A very kid friendly park. Lots of activities for children. If you can't find enough to do in the park, there is a water park within walking distance to the campground.

In addition to the usual amenities they have golf cart rentals, laser tag, paint ball, rope gym, hay rides and an afternoon wet hay ride where the riders all have super soakers and there's bins of water to refill. At various spots around the campground staff wait for the riders armed with water hoses. There's an activities corner and an area with ping pong tables, foosball, corn hole and basket ball hoops.

The established part is well shaded. The newer part is all concrete and is in the open sun. Rental cabins are available for those without an RV. Many of the rooms have adjoining doors, so a family can have a larger unit.

There's food available and they have really good ice cream that is creatively made on site. It's a short drive to the big city of Fort Worth. Burleson has just about everything you need shopping wise. Good grocery stores and plenty of places to eat.

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Monello

Smarter than the average bear
PREMO Member
Hill Country Cottages and RV resort - New Braunfels, TX

This campground is a Sun RV Resorts property. This is the 4th Sun property we've stayed at. Most of their amenities are above standard. A bonus for the New Braunfels area is that we are 5 miles from a Buc-ees convenience store.

The campground has over 250 sites. They are split between 2 distinct areas. It doesn't have a crowded feelings since they have rental cottages mixed in with the RVs. Renters can pick from 5 different cabin/cottages layouts. There are over 100 of those. There are a few trees for shade. We have a corner site this time that has plenty of room. We are a short walk to most of the amenities.

There is both an indoor and outdoor pool here. The brochure says there are 3 hot tubs but I have only been able to locate 2 of them. A sauna is provided for guests. They have a fitness room along with a craft room. On laundry day you have 3 spots to pick from. The W/D units near us are fairly new. The store inside the office sells some RV related items in addition to some food and drink. They have a few beer and wine selections but a full liquor store is a few miles away. There's plenty of room to walk the dog or you can take them to 1 of the 3 dog parks to let them run around. They have sand volleyball, horseshoe pits, basketball courts and a pit where you can mine for gems inside buckets of dirt.

We are right off of 1 of the exits of I35. H-E-B was nice enough to set up 3 stores in a short distance from here. This area has just about any store you could want. If not, the mega city of San Antonio is 25 miles down the road. Gruene is a short hop from here and Canyon lake is a bit further out. Scenic drives includes River Road which skirts the Guadalupe river.

Speaking of rivers, both the Guad and the Comal rivers have outfitters that will not only rent you a tube for floating but also pick you up and bring you back to your car when you are done. A Guad float is a lazy drift along with most days with 100s of other people. It's a party on the river. The Comal has a few man made water slides that give toobers something to look forward to. Both rivers feature businesses along the banks where you can hop out and get something to eat or drink before you continue down the river.

I'm sure as long as we continue to winter in South Padre Island, New Braunfels will be 1 of the stops we make either going to or heading north. There isn't much to not like about this area.
 

luvmygdaughters

Well-Known Member
Ocean Lakes - Myrtle Beach South Carolina

I can type enough nice things about OL. They have something for everyone here. Bonus is it's right on the ocean. It's just a short walk to the beach. This isn't a sleepy little destination. It's a full assault on your senses kind of place. It even boasts it's own post office. This is a destination where you'll never hear the kids say that they are bored.

There are over 850 campsites and a few thousand other properties onsite. The campground encompasses more than 300 acres. In the summer season they employ 360 people. They have their own radio station.

Indoor & outdoor pools with waterslides, camp store, restaurants, ice cream parlor, mini golf, game center, jungle gym, bike rentals, roving security patrols, fishing ponds, just to name a few of the things to do there. Swim in the pool or the ocean as they have a mile of beach front property.

Golf cars abound here. It's the most popular way to get around since everything is spread out. We were here for a Halloween parade and site decorating contest. These people take their competition seriously.

We have never been here during the summer. Our experiences here have been in the fall, when the occupancy drops a bit. That suits us just fine as I couldn't imagine the summer traffic jams with all the golf cars, bikes and autos.

Ocean Lakes

A view from our campsite
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Some of the many personal and rental properties available
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They take Halloween serious here
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I've never seen a 2 story RV before
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Sunrise at the beach
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We stayed at Ocean Lakes last year. Very nice resort. We rented a house with my daughters and grandkids. Everyone had a great time.
 
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