Blitz CLean These 5 RV Spots

Copyright Janet Groene 2025. 

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE BREAKING NEWS OF RV PARKS THAT ARE OPENING, CLOSING, CHANGING NEAR YOU

Time Capsule RV Cleaning 

Whether you’re vegging out on a weekend RV trip to living on board for months at a time, chores happen. Could you keep ahead of the mess by devoting  15 minutes to just one small area? 

Here are 5 spots that you might blitz in 15 minutes:

Heavy items need to be organized and secured for highway travel. 

Standby foods. Do you have a deep cupboard where you stash emergency food supplies such as jars of peanut butter and cheese spread,  condensed soup, canned beans, powdered milk?  Check for use-by dates and replace as necessary. Keep heavy items in lowest spot possible. 

 

The Junk Drawer. Just as at home, the RV probably has a  drawer were you keep rubber bands, paper clips, twist ties and other just-in-case stuff. Empty, sort, discard. Make a shopping list of things that need to be replaced. Vacuum the corners. Another day, do the silverware drawer. 

The Spice Shelf. Spices stale quickly in outdoor air. I try every new one that comes along and then it just takes up space, never to be used again. Give this area a 15-minute purge, then wipe the shelf clean.

Seats and seat cushions. Oh, how quickly dust, crumbs, bits of food and dead bugs build up under cushions and around the dinette.  Fluff pillows. Vacuum under seat cushions, the convertible sofa, the cockpit seats and in corners around the dinette.

The recharge station. These days it’s not just the phone that needs charging. We also have banks of cords and chargers for everything from the toothbrush to the vacuum cleaner and power drill.  

THE ONE- SIZE- FITS- ALL GIFT.....

  Living Aboard Your RV, 4th Edition by Janet Groene & Gordon Groene is a total guide to the full-time life on wheels, warts and all. Should you sell the house or rent it out? Downsize possessions or put them in storage? Too young to retire? See our chapter on ways to make a living anywhere. Kids on board? We cover home schooling and then provide an exit strategy if and when the time comes to settle down. Order at any book store or let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you.  https://amzn.to/29XFEkq 

 

          RV PARKS & CAMPGROUNDS; 

             GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

    These news items are from local media sources and may be incomplete or premature for the RV consumer. They are given  here for you to follow up. No endorsement of any place is implied. 

NEW AND FUTURE RV PARKS & CAMPGROUNDS

 To open next year near  Holbrook, Arizona  is the Old Trails RV Campground. Phase one of the project will see RV sites, a laundry, bathrooms with showers, Wi-Fi, walking trails, a gazebo and a playground. Future plans call for 250 RV spaces,, a swimming  pool, pickleball courts, a restaurant, gift shop and tours to nearby attractions such as the casino and Petrified Forest National Park. The golf course is a half mile away, Go to OldTrailsrv,com to schedule a phone call with the developers.  

UPGRADING,  EXPANDING, CLOSING CAMPGROUNDS

Oakleaf Campground in Glocester, Rhode Island is expanding by 10 acres. The park has a swimming pool, partial hookups, a dump station, lots of outdoor activity areas and theme weekends. :Seasonal sites for 2026 are already booked but nightly reservations are available.  (401) 568-4446

CLOSINGS

Sam’s Town Casino and RV Campground in Tunica, Mississippi is permanently closed.  The future of the campground has not been reported.

Flying Saucer RV Park in Sheridan , Colorado will close next year.  The property has been rezoned for the building of a 362-unit apartment complex. 

Closing in the fall of 2026 and into 2028 is the campground at Gifford Pinchot State Park in Lewisberry,  Pennsylvania. The $8 million makeover will modernize a campground built in the 1970's.  Day use facilities are expected to remain open. 

SCUTTLEBUTT

In Hemiston, Oregon there is talk of adding a 100-site RV park at the Farm- City Pro Rodeo.

The city-operated Riverview RV Park in Clinton, Iowa is now known as the Gary McDermott RV Park. It’s renamed in honor in honor of a local veteran.  (563) 242-3600

 Finish Line RV Park, formerly the Butler Mobile Home Park in Hot Springs, Arkansas,  is seeking to expand,  pending approvals. The gated, secure park has a loyalty program and is currently offering BOGO specials. Check it out at  FinishLineRVPark.com/

Opening by Spring,  2026 will be the Camp Margaritaville Orange Lake in Citra, Florida. The popular brand offers ultra luxury RV resort life plus this region’s natural  advantages such as fishing, hiking, and biking. Start alert for the opening of reservations.

Joe Wheel State Park in Rogersville, Alabama is getting an eye-popping, all-accessible, $450,000  playground. In other news,  Lake Lurleen State Park near Tuscaloosa is getting a complete makeover. Campsites will be larger and better equipped but wlIll be reduced from 90 sites to a 70 or fewer. The upgraded campground area will be gated. 

THIS BLOG POSTS WEEKLY. SEE YOU NEXT WEEK! 

 

10 Tips: Faster RV Park Check-in

 Copyright Janet Groene 2025

10 Ways to Speed Up

Your Campground Check-In

1.  Check in/out  online ahead of time if available.  Make note of the gate code and WiFi password.

2.  Know check-in check out hours. You may ne charged extra for early check/in or late check-out. If yo are given a specific arrival time, believe it. Many parks require them to avoid traffic jams. 

3.  Get directions from the park’s own site. They may be different from GPS.

4.  Read the fine print in campground rules which are usually on the website and make sure you’re able to comply when you get there. Deal breakers might include the size or breed of your dog, signing a liability waiver or the age of your rig.

5.  Know your credit/debit card limit.  Be prepared to pay in the method required. Know that a “hold” of $200 or so may be placed on your credit card to cover incidental charges incurred during your stay. 

6.  Know your license number. Have your ID handy as well as membership cards, loyalty cards and proof of qualification for a veteran’s or other discount. 

7.  Forget the chit chat. Consider that there are others waiting behind you. Cordial but quick works for now. Make friends with the campground staff later. 

8.  Know as much as possible about the size and shape of your campsite and location of the hookups. Avoid arriving after dark.

9.  Be prepared to show proof of your reservation so it can be found quicker on the office computer. 

10.  Follow signs to the check-in parking area, which may require a long walk to the office. 

                                 ++++++++++++++++++++

DOES THE OPEN ROAD CALL YOUR NAME?

 Do you dream of living and traveling in a complete home on wheels? Living Aboard Your RV, 4th Edition by Janet Groene & Gordon Groene is a total guide to the full-time life on wheels. Should you sell the house or rent it out? Downsize possessions or put them in storage? Too young to retire? See our chapter on ways to make a living anywhere. Kids on board? We cover home schooling and also an exit strategy if and when the time comes to settle down. Order at any book store or let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you.  https://amzn.to/29XFEkq 

                                   +++++++

RV PARKS & CAMPGROUNDS; GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

Locations are in boldface by city and state. Dates are in red. Listings here are free . No endorsement of any RV park is implied. 

New RV PARKS AND CAMPGROUNDS

Just in time for snowbird season, the new Roaming Trails RV Resort in Burleson, Texas is offering a Grand Opening Special of two free months with a six-month stay. Go to  https://roamingtrailsrv.com/offers-and-packages/ 

Located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, the luxury resort specializes in long-term stays. Settle in a for a vacation that includes a huge swimming pool, Wi-Fi, full hookups, gated RV sites, security and a large community center with activities including line dancing and barbecues. 

CHANGES, NEW OWNERS, UPGRADES, EXPANSIONS

La Belle, Florida is getting a new RV park at  the popular River Landings Resort, where an additional 20 acres will have RV sites and a commercial district.  The Class A resort has an 8,000 square-foot clubhouse, a resort style swimming pool, bar/lounge and more. (863) 612-0104.  

Rustic Woods Campground  Varysburg, New York is under construction and accepting reservations now for Summer, 2026. Located in the Finger Lakes Region, the new destination will offer full hookups, fishing, hiking, and grassy or wooded RV sites.  1--585-535-4141

CLOSURES

Starting in September,  2026, the campground at Gifford Pinchot State Park, Lewisberry,  Pennsylvania will close until 2028 for major renovations, especially to handicap facilities such as parking and  bathrooms. The $8 million upgrade will take 16 to 20 months. Hiking, fish, trails and other outdoor recreation facilities will stay open. (717) 432-5011, _ giffordpinchotsp@pa.gov_ /

EVENTS

Grand Ole RV Park, Goodlettsville, Tennessee has live Nashville music every night.  The family-run, family-friendly park has 130 full hookup RV sites, a camp store and a guest laundry. (615) 420-6036

The former Sertoma Youth Ranch, Brooksville, Florida is now the Florida Sand Music Ranch with a red-hot schedule of music events. The 80-acre park has 200 full hookup RV sites, a pavilion with stage, a playground and handicap accessible hot showers. Dump station use costs $15. Call for dates for the next concerts.  (813) 699-4096

Sport your ugliest  outfit for the Christmas Sweater Party on December 13 at Maple Bear Campground,   Tomahawk, Wisconsin. Bring a dish to pass at the potluck and join the contest. The year-found park has ATV/snowmobile trails, a bar and grill and lots of events. Go to maplebearcampground.com, phone:(715) 453-5103. 

    Scroll DOWN TO SEE SAMPLES OF PAST POSTS

See a weekly blog of RV-tested recipes that save time, space and mess. https://campandrvcook.blogspot.com 

COLD RV, WARM THOUGHTS

Blog copyright Janet Groene 20025.  To donate in support of free Groene blogs use your Paypal account to janetgroene at yahoo.com

SCROLL DOWN FOR THIS WEEK'S EARLYBIRD REPORTS  OF NEW, UPCOMING, CHANGING AND CLOSING RV PARKS AND CAMPGROUNDS 

      WARM THOUGHTS FOR Cold RV’s

Why wait for warmer weather when so many great RV parks and resorts are open all year? Here are some tips for November RV trips:

* Get a safety check up on the RV furnace if you haven’t used it for a while. Does it need new filters? Vents open and free of insect nests and blown leaves? 

* Are your indoor and outdoor wardrobes updated for November’s cold rains, warm afternoons, frosty nights, shivery mornings and buffeting winds? Don’t forget nightwear and maybe a change to flannel sheets. My favorite bed warmer is a 12-volt mattress pad. 

* Most RV floors get seriously cold for pets even when “room” temperature is comfortable. Consider a thicker (and maybe heated) nest for Rover and Kissy Kitty  and warm pants for kids who play on the floor. 

* Stock up with ingredients for  “comfort food”  soups, casseroles, oven meals and campfire coals. Bring bone broths, satiny sauces and gravies, a bouquet of hot sauces, rum for hot toddies and , garlic bread to serve hot and dripping with butter. When eating outdoors, warm plates and bowls before adding hot food. 

* When you write to Santa, ask for the best new, insulated coffee mugs and new gimmicks such as ear muffs with built-in Bluetooth and  battery heated socks.

 

* If you use campground restrooms, you need a thick terry robe and turban to wear back to the RV.after a hot shower. I made mine out of thick terry bath towels. . 

* Change your white windshield cover for a dark one. It will drink in the sun’s rans even on cold days. 

More? Share your trips and let me know if may credit you by name. 

WILL 2026 BE THE YEAR YOU BUST OUT AND GO FULL-TIMING IN A SELF CONTINED HOME ON WHEELS?

 Do you dream of living and traveling in a complete home on wheels? Living Aboard Your RV, 4th Edition by Janet Groene & Gordon Groene is a total guide to the full-time life on wheels. Should you sell the house or rent it out? Downsize possessions or put them in storage? Too young to retire? See our chapter on ways to make a living anywhere. Kids on board? We cover home schooling and also an exit strategy if and when the time comes to settle down. Order at any book store or let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you.  https://amzn.to/29XFEkq 

 

RV PARKS & CAMPGROUNDS; GOOD NEWS/ BAD NEWS

Locations are in Bolface; Dates are in Red. Is your state or province in the news this week? 

NEW RV PARKS & CAMPGROUNDS

This news may be incomplete for travel planning. it's present here so you can follow the story and pounce when reservations open.

* Approved in Baldwin County is a Planned Urban Development near Stapleton, Alabama  that wil include the Southern Park RV Camp. Part of the  Daphne-Fairhope-Foley metropolitan area, this part of Alabama is known for its beaches and golf courses. Stay tuned as this story develops. An opening date for the projtect has not been announced. 

Opening soon near Flagstaff, Arizona,  the Flagstaff Mountain RV Park will open sometime next winter with high-speed WiFi, a camp store selling supplies including beer and wine, spaces suitable for all comers from van lifers to pet owners and easy access to Flagstaff’s local trails and city life. Get your inquiry in now to learn of earlybird perks and discounts. (928) 547-2851

More than 25,000 miles of rugged trails are going to be part of the new Appalachian Outlaw Trails project that will open in May, 2026 in Belle, West Virginia. Stay tuned as this 100,000-acre park takes shape with 24 full hook-up RV sites, dispersed camping areas, a welcome center, guard shack and camp store. Eventually the plan calls for 150 RV sites plus cabins, an amphitheater and outfitters for campers, hikers, RV-ers, ATVs, UTVs, OTVs, and single-track vehicles. See AppalachianOutlawTrails.com/

Coming to  Mirrilton, Arkansas in about six months will be the Petit Jean Gateway RV Park with 18  RV hookups, and aa community coin laundry.

UPGRADES, CHANGES, NEW OWNERS

Renovations are coming to Cozy Embers Campground and Cabins, Bradford, Pennsylvania, thanks to a $20,000 grant from the The Harvey L. Golubock Business Competition The former KOA doesn’t appear to have a website yet and current links may not be up to date.  While in Bradford, don’t miss the Zippo Museum. 

     The 147 RV site in the RV park at the Center at Forest County, Hattiesburg, Mississippi is getting a tune-up. The park has full bookups but  they are in need of he current updating.  Rates are by the night, week or month. The 16-acre park complex houses a conference center with arena and restaurant. Next door is the Forest County Lake. See Visit Hattiesburg.org/

The San Marcos River RV Resort in Lockport, Texas, formerly the Leisure Resort,  is getting a new look with the addition of mini golf, a basketball court, and a playground.  Guests enjoy walking trails, swimming and tubng the river and planned activities such as hayrides.  Accommodations are in cabins, tent sites,  tree houses and 125 RV sites. Go to SanMarcosRiverResort,com/

In Venice, Florida the former Camp Venice RV Resort is now an environmentally-sensitive county park. It will still offer riverfront campsites while upgrading hookups and creating access to other nearby nature sites such as Snook Haven Park. The park is on the Myakka River and is also near Sleeping Turtle Reserve. See  SarasotaCountyParks.com/

Whitehorse Campground in Whitefish Horse Camp, Oregon is about to get a new polish. The county park’s Upper Loop will get expanded campsites, water and electric to some sites full hookups for others, and a redesigned traffic pattern to accommodate more and larger RV’s. The transformation will come in phases starting with new restrooms in Phase One next year. Get details at the county website, JosephineCounty.gov/ or call  (541) 474-5285 (Also see Closures below.)

RV PARK & CAMPGROUND CLOSURES

A 12-month closure is in the works for Isla Blanca Park in South Padre Island, Texas while a $12 million expansion takes place. The 577 RV sites will get more modern hookups and traffic patterns will be improved for larger vehicles. The beach including pavilions, concessions and a boardwalk will remain open. Got dates and details at  CameronCountyTX.gov/

Davidson River Campground, Pisgah Forest, North Carolina is closed until May, 2026  for repairs and improvements including a new bathhouse. Other campgrounds within the national forest remain open. See PisgahHospitalityPartners.com/

EVENTS

Admission to all South Carolina state parks will be free on Black Friday, November 28. Historic home tours will also be free at Rose Hill Plantation, Redcliffe Plantation and Hampton Plantation. Reservations for the home tours open on November 10. Camping fees will  apply as usual. Start at SouthCarolinaStateParks.com/

Wyoming is always the prime place for road trips and 2026 will be doubly travel worthy. Throughout the state special events will make America’s 250th anniversary.  This is also the year the Devils Tower National Monument, the nation’s first, will turn 120 years old. Make a special trip to Vintage Park in Gillette, Wyoming where the Frontier Art Museum will expand its exhibits of camper vans, neon signs and frontier nostalgia. Check often with https://TravelSWyoming.com/

Don’t miss the Feathered Friends & Fine Art exhibit at the park lodge at Maumee Bay State Park, Oregon,  Ohio. The free exhibit includes more than 30 pieces including paintings, printmaking, music and photography. It’s open now until January 16, 2026.  The park’s campground has full and partial hookups but water hookups and some shower houses are closed in winter.  At present the nature center is also closed for two months of renovations.  See Ohio DNR.gov/

Be one of the first hikers on the  Steve Newman Audio Trail when it opens on April 1 at East Fork State Park, Batavia, Ohio. The year-round park has 23 RV sites with full hookups, 376 sites with water and electric and 17 equestrian sites. Each has a picnic table, paved pad and fire ring. The park has a dump station, flush toilets,  camp store,  playgrounds, mini golf,  a nature center and a beach and boat ramp for campers only. (866) 644-6727. 

Save the date. The Appalachian Music Festival at Pike Lake State Park, Bainbridge, Ohio is scheduled for June 20, 2026. T Campsites will go early. The park has a 13-acre lake, trails and campsites with electric hookups.  (740) 493-2212. 

SCUTTLEBUTT

* New owners are in charge at the Skyway Camping Resort, Greenfield Park, New York,: (845) 647-5747. The resort  has more than 160 campsites, sports and other planned activities, a swimming pool in season,  a camp store, laundry, dog run and hot tub. 

Will there be a new RV park in the Coachella Valley? It’s possible that the former Thermal Ranch will become a 230-acre community  with focus on equestrian housing, polo, competitions and fun. The plan calls for 300 RV sites plus  homes, a hotel, a village with restaurants and shops, and venue spaces for the entertainments the valley is known for. Keep an eye on this story for future developments.

City-owned Bergstrom  Park in Woodland Park, Colorado has added two small parcels of land that will make way for more RV sites. Check it out for next season at WoodlandPark.gov/

  SEE WHAT YOU MISSED PAST WEEK. SCROLL DOWN

RV Trip-Ups & Forget-Me-Knots

Blog copyright Janet Groene 2025. 

Planning a lengthy road trip?

LITTLE MISTAKES, BIG CONSEQUENCES

FORGET-ME-KNOTS

Copyright Janet Groene

It's lucky that I checked the expiration date on my driver’s license before leaving on an extended RV trip. I'd  thought I had another year to go. To my surprise I found that I had only a few short weeks weeks to see an eye doctor, get all documentation together, make an appointment with the DMV and renew my license driver’s license before leaving.  

When it comes to planning an RV road trip, it’s often the little things that trip us up. We may remember all the camping supplies, the trip plans and reservations,  but forget to pick up the dry cleaning or renew the dog's rabies certificate.

 Here are just a few of the things most often forgotten when leaving for a long trip far from home. What's your list? Please share.

* EXPIRED DOCUMENTS. Check the expiration dates on your driver’s license, RV plate, unpaid bills, pet papers and vaccination records, vehicle and equipment, warranties, booking confirmation deadlines for campsite reservations and, if you’ll be crossing into Canada or Mexico, your passport. 

* CHECK all of your CHECKLISTS including a checklist of things that must be taken care of before leaving home. 

* CAMPGROUND RULES, check-in and entry times. They are getting tighter these days and are more rigidly enforced.  

* ACCESS ROADS.  GPS directions may get you to the RV park or campground but you might also need updated information on access roads and traffic conditions on the way.

* ALL KEYS to the RV and any gear, toys and accessories.. Do you need keys to your storage shed at the camp? Your RV’s basement hatches? Passwords? 

What did you forget? Please share your stories.  

Breaking news just in from our local sources ...

RV PARKS & CAMPGROUNDS; 

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

Destinations are in boldface; dates are in red. 

NEW RV PARKS & CAMPGROUNDS

More than 25,000 miles of rugged trails are going to be part of the new Appalachian Outlaw Trails project that will open in May, 2026 in Belle, West Virginia. Stay tuned as this 100,000-acre dream takes shape with 24 full hook-up RV sites, dispersed camping areas, a welcome center, guard shack and camp store. Eventually the plan calls for 150 RV sites plus cabins, an amphitheater and outfitters for campers, hikers, RV-ers, ATVs, UTVs, OTVs, and single-track vehicles. See AppalachianOutlawTrails.com/

Coming to  Mirrilton, Arkansas in about six months will be the Petit Jean Gateway RV Park with 18  RV hookups, and a community coin laundry. We could not find a website yet for the new park.

UPGRADES, CHANGES, NEW OWNERS

In Venice, Florida the former Camp Venice RV Resort is now an environmentally-sensitive county park. It will still offer riverfront campsites while upgraded hookups  are added and access to other nearby nature sites such as Snook Haven Park will be provided. The park is on the Myakka River and is also near Sleeping Turtle Reserve. See  SarasotaCountyParks.com/

Whitehorse Campground in Whitefish Horse Camp, Oregon is about to achieve a new polish. The county park’s Upper Loop will get expanded campsites, water and electric to some sites and  full hookups for others plus a redesigned traffic pattern to accommodate more and larger RV’s. The transformation will come in phases starting with new restrooms in Phase One next year. Get details at the county website, JosephineCounty.gov/ or call  (541) 474-5285 (Also see Closures below.)

RV PARK & CAMPGROUND CLOSURES

A 12-month closure is in the works for Isla Blanca Park in South Padre Island, Texas while a $12 million expansion takes place. The 577 RV sites will get more modern hookups and traffic patterns will be improved for larger vehicles. The beach including pavilions, concessions and a boardwalk will remain open. Get dates and details at  CameronCountyTX.gov/

Davidson River Campground, Pisgah Forest, North Carolina is closed from now until May, 2026  for repairs and improvements including a new bathhouse. Other campgrounds within the national forest remain open. See PisgahHospitalityPartners.com/

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

DOES THE OPEN ROAD CALL YOUR NAME?

 Do you dream of living and traveling in a complete home on wheels? Living Aboard Your RV, 4th Edition by Janet Groene & Gordon Groene is a total guide to the full-time life on wheels. Should you sell the house or rent it out? Downsize possessions or put them in storage? Too young to retire? See our chapter on ways to make a living anywhere. Kids on board? We cover home schooling and also an exit strategy if and when the time comes to settle down. Order at any book store or let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you.  https://amzn.to/29XFEkq 

                                   +++++++

 

EVENTS

Don’t miss the Feathered Friends & Fine Art exhibit at the park lodge at Maumee Bay State Park, Oregon,  Ohio. The free exhibit includes more than 30 pieces including paintings, printmaking, music and photography. It’s open now until January 16, 2026.  The park’s campground has full and partial hookups but water hookups and some shower houses are closed in winter.  At present the park's nature center is also closed for two months of renovations.  See Ohio DNR.gov/

SCUTTLEBUTT

City-owned Bergstrom  Park in Woodland Park, Colorado has added two small parcels of land that will make way for more RV sites. Check it out for next season at WoodlandPark.gov/

Rockport Recreation Area in Alpena, Michigan is rumored to be getting a 100-site RV campground. Stay tuned at michigan.gov/recsearch/parks/Rockport for developing news at this former limestone quarry. For now it's a popular day park for swimming and boating in season. 

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE WHAT YOU MISSED LAST WEEK

Questions? Comments? Contact janetgroene (at) yahoo.com

Choose the Right RV Park 2026

© Janet Groene

Hard Choices: Campgrounds 2026

Do you seek an outdoorsy campground experience, a resort experience or just an affordable place to live? 

Has your RV life been turned upside down by the floods of new RV-ers on the roads and the soaring cost of RV sites? The current landscape is almost unrecognizable to long-time RV travelers. 

Here are some thoughts on finding an affordable, safe camp-outs. 

* Don’t pay for amenities you don’t want nor use.  Many new RV resorts have splurge appeal for families (extravagant water parks or theme parks) and others for adults (resort style swimming pool, swim-up bar, dance band evenings.)  

* Take a close look at reservation policies. You may be able to book a choice campsite as much as a year ahead or as late as the same day. When you are loyal to one campground chain, it may be easier to make reservations at your present place for the next member campground on your route.  

* Closer attention is now paid to eviction laws, which vary by state. Your rights and obligations as a park tenant vary according to whether you are a short- or long-term occupant. Eviction laws apply differently to long-term stays.  Tourist taxes may also apply differently to long-term stays. 

* Many RV parks now admit day visitors to use the pool, water park,  fitness facilities and other amenities for a price.  With day visitors inside the gates,  and the pool more crowded, will you feel less private and secure in the campground ? 

* Read the fine print on the rate sheet. Resort fees are a popular way for campgrounds to charge more without raising basic  rates. Fees are usually per site, per night so they add up quickly.  They may also be called a destination fee, facility fee or amenity fee. Also creeping into the camping world are energy surcharges, service fees and charges for the beach shuttle, access to ATV trails, trash pickup and/or metered water or power. 

* Know how you will pay. Some campgrounds are cashless. Some are cash only. Some charge a convenience fee, usually about 4%, for using a credit card. 

* What do you get for your resort fee and can you opt out? If so, can you opt out piecemeal or must you take or refuse the whole package? 

* Be prepared to evacuate for a flood, fire or other emergency. A new trend in campgrounds is to build them on flood plains. It may be years before the next mandatory evacuation but it’s always smart to keep your mobile home mobile. 

* Does the campground have a storm shelter and a tornado warning alert? Many do. 

* The controversial 10-year rule discriminates against an RV by year, not condition. Enforcement seems to be growing, shrinking, ignored,  subject to challenge and otherwise confusing,  depending on who you ask. Know before you go. 

* Security is getting tighter. Be prepared to be subject to a background check and/or credit check, especially if you are reserving a seasonal or long-term stay.

* Has the local Chamber of Commerce/BBB had complaints about the campground? How were they resolved? 

* Concerned about the location?  The internet makes it easy to check crime rates by city or neighborhood and to find maps showing locations of convicted sex offenders. See FamilyWatchdog.us and NSOPW.gov/ You’ll need to search by physical address.  

* For crime rates in general, see AreaVibes.com, SpotCrime.com and CrimeMapping.com. Different websites have different criteria and different access to statistics and updates, so check several sources.  

Again, ask yourself.....

Do you seek an outdoorsy campground experience, a resort experience or just an affordable place to live? 

 Do you dream of living and traveling in a complete home on wheels? Living Aboard Your RV, 4th Edition by Janet Groene & Gordon Groene is a total guide to the full-time life on wheels. Should you sell the house or rent it out? Downsize possessions or put them in storage? Too young to retire? See our chapter on ways to make a living anywhere. Kids on board? We cover home schooling and also an exit strategy if and when the time comes to settle down. Order at any book store or let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you.  https://amzn.to/29XFEkq 

 

RV PARKS & CAMPGROUNDS; GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

These just-in news breaks are from our local sources and may be incomplete or premature for RV travel planning. Follow up on your own as the story develops. 

NEW & FUTURE PLACES TO FIND RV SITES

Mark your map with Brighton, Colorado where another Love’s Travel Stop is just off I-85 northeast of Denver. The complex has overnight parking spaces for 80+ trucks and two RV’s plus showers, four diesel bays, food and dining outlets and restrooms with showers. Check  loves.com for the opening date.

The Pepsi Sports  Complex in Laverne, Alabama  is going to be everything sportsters could ask for  including an RV park. Features will include a 40-acre lake, a  state-of-the-art track, two regulation football-soccer fields,  two fields for  girls’ softball and little league and a lighted walking trail. Phase One is slated to open next year.

PARK UPGRADES, NEW OWNERS, CHANGES

After a year of hard work the campground at Harrison Lake State Park, Fayette,  Ohio is now showing off its new shower house and spacious, pull-through RV sites with full hookups. The 142-acre park] in northwestern Ohio has a lake for  swimming including a dog swimming area plus fishing, camping, disc golf, picnics, archery and paddle sports.  In season it’s open for waterfowl hunting. See ohiodnr.gov/

Near Lake Wales, Florida, the small campground in  county-owned  Lake Rosalie Park is open again. The park has 20 RV sites, water and 20/30-amp power , showers, flush toilets and a daytime-only boat ramp. Reservations are required and can be made up to a hear ahead or as late as the same day. Pay by cash or credit card. Go to www.polk-county.net or call (863) 679-4245

EVENTS

Hurry to get tickets with RV camping for the Withlacoochee Bluegrass Festival, Dunnellon, Florida, November 20-22. Sites with water and electric are going quickly. The schedule of star performers starts on Thursday with Valerie Smith, the ETSU Bluegrass Band and others, and ends Saturday with acts including Fast Track and Dave Adkins and Mountain Soup. For details and tickets go to WithlacoocheeBluegrass.com/

SCUTTLEBUTT

  Winter storage for motorhomes,  trailers and boats is available after October 22 at the county fairgrounds in DePere, Wisconsin. Service will be from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on a first-come basis. Prices vary. Call for information, availability and rates at (920) 448-6242 

The promised amusement park for Bonner Springs, Kansas is now closer to reality and so is a luxury campground for the 180-acre property. Mattel Adventure Park will have a year-round Christmas village, an indoor rain forest, hotels,  shops, a 10-acre lake and an RV park. Construction is to begin in 2027 and completion is expected by 2030.

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