RV News, Views &, Cues for '25

 Copyright Janet Groene 2025. To ask about rates to reprint this content, or to place on ad on all six Groene sites for one year, one low rate, contact janetgroene@yahoo.com/

Copyright Janet Groene 2025. To ask about reprint rights to this content, or to place an ad on all six Groene sites for one year, one low rate, email janetgroene@yahoo.com

CAMPGROUNDS; GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

These are news reports, provided so readers can follow up as the story develops.  No endorsements of any park, product or  campground are implied.

NEW CAMPGROUNDS, 

RV PARKS AND RV SITES

A new complex in Crystal City, Missouri is shaping up as a one-stop shop for bicycling enthusiasts including RV travelers.  Owners of a 500+-acre property are turning it into a community with three bicycle trails (and more to come)  plus 29 campsites, a restaurant, event center, general store and amphitheater. Stay tuned as the Plattin Peak Trails project develops. Phase One is now open. See details at Living Life on 2 Wheels, (www.)  livinglifeon2wheels.com

New and now accepting reservations, Alpen Bluffs Outdoor Resort in Alpen, Michigan has 227 sites for RV’s plus yurts and log cabins. RV sites have full hookups and high-speed Wi-Fi. The resort has an outdoor aquatic park, outdoor pool, bar with an entertainment, a playground, full-service restaurant and  a seven-screen indoor golf simulator tavern with a full-service restaurant that delivers to RV sites and an 18-hole mini golf course. For kids there’s a gem mine. Go to lwww.alpenbluffs.com/ or call (989) 470-7070

     Utahraptor State Park, Thompton Springs, Utah,  established in Utah in 2021, now is having a Grand Opening with 67 developed campsites. .Get the latest updates. Until construction is complete some access roads will be closed and only primitive campsites will be available. See https://stateparks.utah.gov/parks/utahraptor/ for the official opening  date, expected sometime this spring. 

Also in Utah,  Red Fleet State Park in Vernal has a newly expanded campground. New campgrounds are added to Escalante Petrified Forest State Park in Garfield County and the North Eden and Rainbow Cove areas of Bear Lake State Park in Rich County. 

It’s approved! San Luis Obispo is about to get a 26-acre resort with 98 RV sites plus cabins and glamping sites. An opening date for the Del Rio Ranch in Atascadero. , California  has not yet been announced. 

SCUTTLEBUTT

The city of Pueblo, Colorado has annexed several hundred acres that are reported to be the future home  of a spectacular new Jellystone Camping Resort. 

EVENTS WITH CAMPING

Admission is free to the New York Blues Festival to be held June 12-14 at the state fairgrounds in Geddes, New York. (Geddes is NNW of Syracuse.)  Headliners include the Warren Hayes Band, Ruthie Foster and The Three Kings. Two and three-night RV camping packages are available. Details at  https://www.nysbluesfest.com/

        July 4-6 are the dates when The Gorge, Quincy,  Washington will ring out with a rousing weekend concert featuring Tipper & Friends. Tickets and camping passes are already on sale. Get details and lineup at  https://tipperatthegorge.frontgatetickets.com/

The Gorge Amphitheater’s phone is (509) 785-6262. Save the dates for the ultimate UTV adventure, to be held August 5-10 at Windy Cove Campground,  Winchester Bay, Oregon. Camping passes are good for six days and five nights. Enjoy rip-roaring UTV action in the dunes, followed by campfire nights with fellow travelers. The campground has 39 RV sites with full hookups. There are also cabins, tent sites and showers. Get details, of the UTV Takeover,  then reserve early at (541) 957-7001

     Known for its lively theme weekends and salt water pools (including a lazy river), Stillwater RV Resort in Winona, Texas plans a hot time for St. Patricks Day, March 14-16. The Hot Rods Weekend will feature a car show  and live music by the Unusual Suspects. Wear green. Ask about future events and special rates for long-term stays. (903) 483-4414

ROAD TRIPS

Sign up free and drive the Spiritual Trail in LOUISIANA on your own schedule. See up to 20 historic and significant sites, churches, grottos, cemeteries statues and schools, some dating  dating back centuries.  When your passport is complete, there’s a prize. The greatest reward, however, is your leisurely discovery of Louisiana’s historic St. Landry’s Parish.   See  https://cajuntravel.com/spiritual-trail-passport/

CAMPGROUND CLOSINGS

In California’s San Bernadino National Forest, three campgrounds are closed with no reopening dates in sight. They are  Black Mountain Group Campground, Dark Canyon Campground the the Ribbonwood Equestrian Campground. 

RV Rainy Day + Campground Good/Bad News

Copyright Janet Groene 2025. To ask about placing your ad on all six Groene sites for one year, one low rate, email janetgroene at yahoo.com 

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CAMPGROUND GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

Rainy Day 

RV Fun 

If you think rainy days were closed-in before you lived in an RV, you ain’t seen nothin’ yet. 

You don't have room to swing a cat BUT you can have plenty of things planned for the unavoidable times when you are rained out , weathered in or just plain housebound.

. This is a good time to learn yoga, tai chi , chair exercise, resistance training or one of the other exercise disciplines that doesn’t involve thrashing about. Catch up on closet cleaning. Enroll in an online college course. 

Of course, most resort and destination campgrounds have activities rooms. Some have extensive facilities such as a video arcade, bridge clubs, crafts room, fitness center,  indoor basketball or swimming pool, and so on. However, women who can afford only government parks or bare-bones commercial parks won’t find much in the way of indoor public spaces. 

Here are other ways to cope:

* Stash DVD’s, popcorn, unread books and other treats to bring out as surprises on shut-in days.

* When the weather channel tells you a rainy spell is coming, check into a luxury camping resort that has a clubhouse and planned activities. Do the laundry and catch up on ironing and mending. 

* Spend a day in a local library. Many have computers, DVD viewing booths, crafts sessions, seminars and storytelling days or kids. Even though you don’t have a local library card that allows you to take out books, the library is a beehive of free fun. Many also have a sale table where discarded books are sold for a pittance. 

* Learn a quiet, compact, indoor skill and make a family project out of turning it to a good cause. On rainy days, quilt or crochet lap robes for nursing homes. Stuff animals for children’s hospitals or make a scrapbook for a shut-in family member. Make a batch of cookies and take some to campground neighbors after the sun comes out. 

* Start a blog or online family newsletter. Get an online pen pal in another country. Ideas to share? I'd love to publish them here. janetgroene@yahoo.com

* Instead of staying inside, embrace the gray days as people do in places where there’s a lot of rain such as the Pacific Northwest, Alaska or England.  Don comfortable, breathable foul weather gear and boots and you won’t miss a day of the wildflower bloom or salmon run. 

 

                 CAMPGROUNDS GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

These  items are gathered from local sources in real estate, news, state parks,  government zoning boards and tourism.  It may be premature or incomplete but is presented here so you can jump in early and follow up as the full story develops. 

REOPENINGS

Closed by Hurricane Helene, General Coffee and George L. Smith state parks in Georgia are now open again.

    The 75-site Acadiana Campground in Lafayette, Louisiana  closed last May for extensive improvements and repairs. It's now open again and accepting reservations at the standard rate of $28 nightly. (337) 291-8388

New RV Parks, Campgrounds or Expansions

Soon you’ll find more room at these destinations, listed by state or province.  

Love’s Travel Stops, an early pioneer in serving RV-ers is growing again and adding more quick-charge stations for RV’s. . The newest Love’s station is in Elliston, Virginia on I-81. The complex has complete fuel services, a Fresh Kitchen, Arby’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, showers, laundry a dog park and self check-out. 

Caroga, New York, known for its sparkling winter carnival,  is spreading a big welcome mat for summer visitors with the addition of a 27-site, four-acre campground. The 80-acre parcel will also have a year-round pub. Stay tuned as this projects goes into production. 

Think Atlantic breezes, white beaches that stretch on forever, and wild horses when you think of the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Now a large development corporation has bought 450+ additional acres in the Currituck area, perhaps for expanding the KOA Holidays. No plans have been announced. Keep an eye on KOA for big things.

The 10-site Deep Creek 4-H Club in Deep Creek, British Columbia is about to add educational agritourism tours to it menu of activities. To be added are tours of dairies and other local farms.

Yakima County, Washington has invested $2 million in economic developemts that will include renovations to the 168-site  RV park at the county fairgrounds. With a menu of events, expos, festivals,  performances and trade shows scheduled year round, the fairgrounds is a major tourism center. 

In Maricopa County, Arizona,  Estrella Mountain Regional Park is getting a new 50-site campground with plenty of amenities. Be alert for closings of areas in the park now through 2027 while construction projects take place.

NEW FEATURES, AMENITIES

Canopy RV Resort in New Braunfels, Texas now has a pickleball coach. This gated, super-luxe resort has a resort style  swimming pool, two dog parks, Wi-Fi throughout, gathering room with coffee bar, free breakfast on weekends and regulatIon pickleball courts. (830) 310-8511

NOTABLE DATES

On February 17 discover rucking at Savage Gulf State Park, Tennessee, a center for rugged hiking, rucking and outdoor challenges.  With a backpack (50 pounds of less)  you’ll hike round trip on the Savage Day Loop and stop only to note interesting natural features along the way. Cost is $10 and sign-up is required. Contact Mark Greenwood, (931) 692-3887, email: mark.greenwood@tn.gov/  

This state park has backcountry camping only.  A better bet for RV campers who want an overnight stay while participating in the rucking event,  is Greeter Falls Campground, which has electric and water hookups. Located  between Nashville and Chattanooga, the campground is less than ½ mile from the western entrance to Savage Gulf State Park. Check the state park website often for dates of many hikes, marathons and other events. https://tnstateparks.com/parks/events/savage-gulf

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Who Owns Your RV Site? See Good/Bad News

 Copyright Janet Groene 2025. To donate in support of this blog with a voluntary subscription, use your PayPal account to send $10 a year to janetgroene at yahoo.com 

RED ALERT!

Your Favorite RV Park Has a New Owner. WHY DOES IT MATTER? 

RV and campground real estate is pinging around the financial world like pawns on a chess board. Huge money is at stake. Mom and Pop campgrounds are being snapped up by large developers.

    Demand for spaces is soaring. Inflation is roaring, raising the cost of everything from the park’s utility bills, taxes and staff salaries to the toilet paper in the bathrooms. New fees, tolls and taxes are coming at you from every direction. RV sales skyrocketed. Suddenly  greenhorn RV-ers are viewed as an easy mark.

WHERE TO BE WARY 

* SITE RATES will probably rise or change under the owners, perhaps in subtle ways that aren’t apparent at first. Read on.

* LOCAL MANAGEMENT DOESN’T MEAN LOCAL CONTROL over rules and rates. When rates and rules are determined by corporate headquarters miles away, local managers may have no say in whether Wi-Fi will no longer be free,  or will  RV pads will be reduced in favor of glamping sites, or will you pay a surcharge for pets, “resort fees” or more than two occupants per campsite? 

* COST CUTTING measures are happening everywhere at all campgrounds. The swimming pool, fitness center and other amenities may be open some or all over the time for a fee to day guests. These facilities become crowded and you lose a sense of security and privacy. Membership campground clubs may open site rentals to outsiders, leaving fewer sites for members. 

* LOYALTY POINTS. If you accumulated rewards or points under the former owners, will they be honored?

* TENANT RIGHTS. The saddest stories involve parks that are  purchased by developers who plan to clear the land and build housing, mixed use. communities and sometimes high-rise condos worth billions. RV dwellers who considered the park their home for years are being evicted. You may no qualify to live here because your rig is too old.  

* RESERVATIONS The new owners may use a different booking service.  Gone are the days when you picked up the phone, called your old friend at the front desk in Greenfarm Acres and reserved Site A12 for two weeks next July. You may now be required to reserve online with a credit card .and pay a non-refundable reservation fee.  Some parks have gone cashless; some take cash only. Some open the reservations window six months ahead; some a year ahead. The former owner reserved some sites for first-come-only guests. Is that still an option? 

* SECURITY. As crime grows, so does a need for added security. Some parks now require a background check, especially for seasonal reservations. Does the park have on-site security? Is is 24/7?  If there is trouble in the park is the area covered n by city, county, state or national law enforcement?  

* AUTOMATION. The new, non-attended RV parks are a huge plus, especially for RV travelers who simply want safe parking and hookups for tonight. You reserve online and get a security code that activates the gate, hookups, shower house and laundry. If something doesn’t work, is there a panic number you can call 24/7?  

Bottom Line: A Recreation Vehicle was built as a vehicle. You're free to move on, but your home on wheels is only as safe and comfortable as the parking place provided for it.   

            CAMPGROUNDS; GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

We troll local media for news of proposed campgrounds, new RV parks, closures and changes. News may be partial or tentative. We tip you off early so you can follow up as the story develops and grab reservations early. 

Is your state or province listed here? 

NEW OWNERS

The Santa Fe, New Mexico KOA is now a member of the Open Road Resorts family. To be added are more RV sites, a new bathhouse and laundry and communal areas such as afire pit and garden. (505) 466-1419.

Long a family camping favorite, Blue Haven Campground and Resort in Ellenburg Depot, N.Y.,  has a new owner. No changes have been announced at this time. (518) 594-3873

.Siuslaw Marina and RV Park, Florence, Oregon, has a new owner. Now managed by the port of Sinslaw, it has full-time staff and a list of soon-to-come upgrades. For now, long-term residents will be permitted to stay on.

Modern America Campgrounds announced its acquisition of the 220-site King Phillip’s Campground in Lake George, New York. It’s expected that 70 new sites will be added. The company offers the Freedom Trail Pass, giving campers access to all its member campgrounds.· (518) 668-5763

The former Cavendish KOA Holiday in Prince Edward Island,  Canada will become a Jellystone Camp Resort. Also in Canada, look for the opening of the 6-acre L.A. Getaway Glamping Resort in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Plans are to add some RV sites to the glamping resort. 

CLOSURES

In Port Townsend, Washington, Fort Worden State Park is closing its housing services but for now the campground remains open. The site became famous after it was used in the filming of “An Officer and A Gentleman”.starring Richard Gere and Debra Winger.  

Throughout 2025 and 2026 closures will be off and on and here and there at the campgrounds, roads and other features in the 75-acre  Keith J. Charters Traverse City Park, Michigan. Improvement projects totaling $8.5 million  will be completed in phases, so check ahead before each visit.

NEW OR EXPANDING RV PARKS

The city park in Paden City, West Virginia is due for upgrades including a better parking area and shower house for the campground, which has 10 RV sites. Also to be added are  riverfront beach swings, ball courts, shaded areas near the performance stage, a larger swimming pool and additional restrooms. As the third most forested state in the U.,S. West Virgin calls itself  “almost heaven”. 

A popular marina and seafood restaurant on the Escambia River in Pensacola, Florida plans to add a 28-site RV park with full hookups and a dog park. Bring your  RV and your boat. Wet slips are available from $12/foot. As soon as approvals are obtained from the county, an opening date can be projected.  It could be as early as this spring. Contact The Swamp House Marina, (850) 781-5036. 

RV travelers can’t get enough of vibrant Nashville, Tennessee. The Nashville KOA Resort will merge with the Nashville RV Resort & Cabins and add 22 RV sites plus cabins and tent sites, Paw Pens, a pavilion, a café,  a year-round heated pool with hot tub, shuttle service to music shows and meeting facilities for up to 200.  Call (615) 889-0282.

In Eatonville, Washington, Nisqually State Park is opening in phases that will eventually include an RV campground, dump station, trails, a village center and interpretive exhibits honoring the Squally-Absch people. It’s currently a day use park . (www.) parks.wa.gov/

Just in time for trout season, Roaring River State Park, Missouri, has 30 brand new RV sites with full hookups. 

Denali State Park, Alaska will get a campground. Details are still being worked out. Stay tuned for news of the future Denali RV Park Resort Campground. The campground will be on private land inside the park and will include a helipad.

In Bardstown, Kentucky, My Old Kentucky Home State Park will get a modernn makeover that will include eight new pull-through RV sites and a new bathhouse.

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Dog Safety for RV Travel + Latest Campground News

 Copyright Janet Groene 2025. To ask about rates to use this content or to place an ad on all six Groene sites for one year, one low rate, email janetgroene@yahoo.com

When we  RV with a pet it’s important to have as much safety advice as possible. I am grateful for these tips from Steffi Trott, a professional dog trainer at spiritdogtraining.com in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She is an expert in keeping dogs safe at home and on the go.

Her specialized courses focus on the individual dog including rescue dogs and different breeds.   

  Get The Pet Used To The RV 

    Don’t wait to introduce your pet to the RV until you actually have a big outing planned. Consider that as every new environment, it may take your pet a while to get used to the RV and feel comfortable and safe on it.

    Food is a great motivator for making your dog or cat like RV-ing. : Take your pet onto the RV and feed him some of his very favorite treats. Do not stay too long and make it short and sweet. This experience will make your pet want to have more!

    The next time you approach the RV your dog or cat will already remember what happened the last time and look forward to getting on board. 

     Make Sure Your Pet Is Safe

Many types of restraints are available

    

The last thing you want is that your pet ends up taking an unplanned spill in a quick stop or fast cornering, Steffi warns.  Dogs should wear a seat belt underway and a life jacket when on or near water. Many choices are on the market, make sure to pick the correct size for your dog!

    3. Lock Up Food

    In the crowded environment in an RV make extra sure that you lock up all food that is toxic to your dog out of reach. A bag of grapes put on the counter can quickly lead to an emergency trip to the vet if your dog gets a hold of it! Be sure to know what foods are not safe for your dog (https://www.spiritdogtraining.com/training/basic/can-my-dog-eat/) and be extra vigilant to keep them out of reach. 

4. Have Clear Rules

    

    Ideally your pet should not run wildly around in the RV for everyone's safety. Of course they need to have their exercise as well!

    Make it easy for your pet to understand when it is time to rest and when it is time to play by always initiating playtime with a certain phrase, eg "Let's play together!" as well as telling him "We're all done" when you finish. That way your pet will know when to expect activity and when to settle.

    5. Potty Breaks

    While cats can use a litterbox in an RV, your dog needs potty breaks outside. You can make this a fast and effective activity by teaching him a phrase, such as "Go Potty". Say it every time you see your dog “use the bathroom”, and soon you will be able to make him go as soon as you tell him his potty command.

   6. Keep Benadryl Handy

    Some pets experience motion-sickness when first getting introduced to RV-in. In a car they usually have a clear view of the road. In an RV they can get disoriented when they have only a side window. Check with your vet. In many cases you can give your dog or cat OTC Benadryl that will instantly make them feel better!

    Signs of motion-sickness are not limited to vomiting. They can also include panting, drooling, shaking and restlessness. Watch out for these signs and help your pet conquer his discomfort.

             CAMPGROUNDS; GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

Much of this news is from our local sources and has not yet reached the RV press. The news may be premature or incomplete. It's presented here so you can follow the leads  as the story developes. Then grab reservations before word gets around. 

Most campgrounds allow pets. Many are adding paw parks and patio suites

FUTURE RV PARKS
    Look for a splashy new destination in Bushnell, Florida in 2026. The Twisted Turtle Splash Resort will be a complex with plaza, shops, homes and an RV park plus a water park spectacle with a wave pool and sky-high slides. For now its price point is intended to be  more attractive than high-priced Orlando’s parks.  


NEW CAMPSITES
 

* It’s been hard to get a spot on weekends at the Pine Lake Campground near Haines Junction in Yukon, British Columbia but now 16 additional sites are being added. One of a handful of vehicle-accessible campgrounds in this area, the campground has a sandy beach, boat launch, hand pump water and a unisex outhouse.

* Just outside Ellicottville in Franklinville, New York, the 75-acre Bear Creek Lake Resort is renovated and open for RV rentals, site rentals and RV site sales. The resort offers full hook-ups, extra long pull-through sites, fishing, watersports, a swimming pool, tennis, pickleball and a resort store.  (Www.) BearCreekLake.com

* On Crow Sing Lake in Akeley, Minnesota, the county government has given the green light to a new campground with 21 sites. Tree Patch RV Campground will have city water and sewer and eventually a shower house and other features. An opening date has not been projected. Stay tuned.

*Ozaukee County, Wisconsin is in the news for plans to double its inventory of campsites. Because of the region’s increasing popularity with campers from outside the area, the destination is anticipating a need for more sites, more hookups, more facilities. Construction has begun on 18 campsites, including five or six RV sites, at Hawthorne Hills. New bathrooms are to be ready by 2026. The campground in Waubedonia County Park is also expanding. The scenic county follows 25 miles of Lake Michigan shoreline and is rich in tourism treasures such as shops, restaurants and trails for hiking and biking. See (www.) OzaukeeTourism.com

CLOSURES

    The city-owned park and  campground in Lometa, Texas is closed until city officials can find ways to make it more profitable. After operating at a loss for several years, the park needs a new plan to continue offering 19 campsites, full hookups, a shower house, playground and a dump station ($10).  No reopening plans have been announced. Phone: (512) 752-3331

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Winter RV Shows + This Week's RV Park News

Copyright Janet Groene 2025. To ask about rates for usng this content, or to place on ad on all six Groene sites for one year, one low rate, email janetgroene@yahoo.com

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THIS WEEK'S CAMPGROUND GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS FROM OUR LOCAL SOURCES

MAKE THE MOST OF 2025 

WINTER RV SHOWS

SEE WHAT'S NEW  in this year's new RV designs, deals and desires. 

By Janet Groene

The RV Show season is always exciting, especially this year when many popular shows are back after COVID and natural disasters. 

RV shows add  sizzle to the winter season. Some are also combination shows featuring RV’s and camping plus boating or adventure travel, fishing, hunting or general travel. They let us dream, plan, buy and see what is trending. They are fun. 

First, make sure you know all the shows in the area you’re willing to travel. Do a browser search for, say, “RV Show + Your State”  or “Camping RV Show + Region”  (such as Midwest or New England). Then mark your calendar. Many RV shows are at fairgrounds and other venues that offer RV hookups. Reserve your site ASAP. 

Attend the show at least twice. Many RV shows have a good deal on multi-day tickets. Go the first time with family or friends. Take the kids. Make sure everyone has a good time. Get a feel for the layout of the show, which may cover acres of displays indoors and outside. 

Now is the time to focus on the hustle, free programs, handouts, snack bars, pageantry and pizzazz. See demonstrations, seminars, shows. Note exhibits you’ll want to visit later but keep moving. 

Say you’re planning  to buy a 21-foot towable.  Before the show, you scanned the marketplace, read some reviews. You now have an idea of what brands you prefer, your price range and the weight your tow car or truck can handle.  At the show, give 21-footers a once-over.  Let the family try them on for size. Move on. 

The same goes for other serious purchases. Say you’re looking for a new security system, or a new convertible sofa, or the latest technology in refrigeration. Note locations of these displays. Later you’ll talk turkey with every factory rep representing convertible furniture or security systems or refrigerators but your family would be bored stiff. Later, you’ll learn a lot by hearing competitors dish on each other. 

Get business cards. Make notes. Listen to what family and friends have to say, even if you don’t plan to take their advice. Then leave the show before the kids get cranky. Now you have names and locations for serious follow-ups.  

TAKE A DAY OFF TO DIGEST 

       Once you're away from the show, go online and do research.  Let’s say you saw and liked the 21-foot Towbaby 4X, the  Shadow Deluxe and the PullAlong XTC. You made note of their list prices and special show prices. Online, you check their reviews and see if they have had recalls. 

Check with a financial site to get a ball park figure on the loan value of each. Contact your insurance agent to see what yearly coverage will cost. Some RV brands are more insurable than others.  If you are looking at a motorized RV, check fuel costs. 

If you buy this RV, where will you keep it? Does your  zoning permit you to keep it on your own property? If not, what is the cost for indoor or outdoor storage with or without power, security and other features. All this information will serve as  bargaining chips later. 

DOWN TO BRASS TACKS

On or near the last day of the show, go alone or with the partner who will be your co-pilot. Sit down with sales people and factory reps. Listen to all sides. Compare verbal claims. Understand all specs, contracts,  warranties. Get a list in writing of what comes standard with the rig. Know the cost of things you MUST add at once such as a custom tow bar, a roof-top pod or AC, undercoating, jacks, a satellite dish.  

You’ll notice now that the tempo of the show has changed.  There are more serious buyers and fewer tire kickers. Salespeople have taken the pulse of the customers. Is it a buyers’ or sellers’ market? 

Many dealers are thinking about lowering prices to rock bottom so they don’t have to take the inventory back home. Some floor models will be roll-away priced now to avoid the high cost of taking the RV or gear back to the factory or showroom. On-site financing is probably nearby.  

Now you are mentally and financially prepared to act now or walk away. The money for a multi-day ticket has been well spent.

             CAMPGROUNDS; GOOD NEWS, BAD NEWS

NEW OWNERS

A change in owners at any campground could mean anything from upgrades and improvements to evictions, new rules and rate changes. Check ahead.

A couple who are former full-timers now own the family friendly, year-round  Corbin/Laurel Lake KOA Journey in Corbin, Kentucky. Upgrades will include additional patio sites with paw pens, a jump pad, new landscaping, general spiffing-up throughout and a new gem mining attraction to open in February.   (606) 528-1534. 

DEALS

Until the end of January, nightly rates at all Mississippi State Park campgrounds are only $25 nightly.  Go to www.mdwfp.com/parks-destinations or call (601) 432-2400.

Fees in North Idaho BLM lands are about to increase. Camping will go from $10 to $20 at Mica Bay, Killarney Lake and Windy Bay. At Huckleberry, single RV campsites will increase to $30 per night . 

NEW & UPCOMING CAMPGROUNDS & RV PARKS

In West Carrollton, Ohio (near Dayton) an abandoned water treatment  plant on the Greater Miami River will be transformed into the 28-acre Whitewater Park. Keep an eye on developments as this becomes a destination with a campground, adventure park and outdoor recreation showplace.

A luxury RV resort has been approved for the town of Syracuse, Indiana. The 45-acre plot is expected to be developed 60% for 80 RV sites in Phase One. The remaining 40% will remain open. Eventually it’s expected that 230 RV sites will be available. As this story develops find news by Googling the North Travel RV Resort.  

UPGRADES

Visitors to Hattie Sherwood Park, campground and boat launch in Green Lake, Wisconsin will see big improvements in 2025. Trees are being removed, opening up views of the lake frpm campsites. Water lines will go in and the 36 campsites will be re-leveled. Around the mill pond, a bird watching path and two observations points are being created. (920) 229-1828

With the improvements well underway, the  campground at Roaring River State Park , Cassville, Missouri will reopen on February 25. Reservations are now available. Construction will continue, so keep an eye on developments. Call (417) 847-2539 or go to  mostateparks.com/

A razzle-dazzle new playground at Delaware State Park, Delaware, Ohio has modern, all-inclusive features that spell a big welcome for all kids,  regardless of abilities.  The park’s campground has 200 electric sites.

CLOSURES

Campgrounds and US Army Corps of Engineers  recreation areas at Lake Thurmond,  Augusta, Georgia, are closed due to massive hurricane damage. The closure will last through 2025 and perhaps longer.

Everything is going and glowing at the year-round, deliciously fun  Hersheypark Camping Resort in Hersey, Pennsulvania except that water is turned off for the winter. A water fill station is available.

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                          WAS INCLUDED IN PAST POSTS