RV Travel but Live Local + RV sites 2027?

Copyright Janet Groene 2026.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THIS WEEK'S JUST-IN LOCAL CAMPGROUND AND RV PARK NEWS  INCLUDING DETAILS AND RV PACKAGeS FOR THE GEORGE STRAIT "ONE LAST TIME" BOOTS IN THE PARK CONCERT IN 2027. 

 Are you an RV traveler or a tourist? 

Camp Anywhere; Live Local

Some RV travelers want to feel at home where they park. Others settle in a campsite, put up the Do Not Disturb sign and wish the world away. If you’re in the first category as I am, you want to know what makes each place tick, then leave with a friend or two and lots of good memories.  

Here are some ways to connect with your temporary homes.   

* Expand the stay by staying longer or by returning a time or two. Give the place a chance. If you like the campground, use it as a base camp for exploring the surrounding region such as the Hocking Hills, the Badlands, the Dalles, the Dells, the Outer Banks, Delmarva or the Texas Hill Country.

* Tourists flock to the town’s famous eatery.  Veteran travelers, however, seek out the diner where locals have breakfast.  Hear local buzz while having the best food for the best price in town. 

Bonus points if you order the local specialty. Try Taylor Ham in New Jersey, Philadelphia Scrapple, Goetta in Ohio, Redeye Gravy in Appalachia, Enchiladas Montadas in New Mexico, a Primanti in Pittsburgh.  

* Visit a local church. See my article “People Power, Steeple Power” on the Perceptive Travel website.  https://www.perceptivetravel.com/issues/0308/groene.html  

    Buy the local weekly newspaper. Tune in to local radio. 

* Don’t miss the Friday Night high school game (or, in some areas, the Friday Night Rodeo or dirt track race.) Scream your head off for the home team. 

* Need a laundromat? Go local. Meet other patrons. They’re ordinary folks. 

* Check local bulletin boards for news of fund raiser suppers, festivals, memorials, pageants and folk traditions such as an annual Blessing of the Fleet, Dive for the Cross, Blessing of the Animals or Chili Cook-Off. Often these small  town events support a worthy cause all year.  

* Visit local museums and leave folding money in the donation jar. You will get more than you expect. Many small, local museums are run by dedicated, underpaid, overworked volunteers on shoestring budgets. The collections are always interesting, sometimes world class. The best part is meeting the grateful local staff. 

His hometown of Littlefield, Texas, operates the Waylon Jennings RV Park, which offers free overnight campsites. The town also has a museum of the county music star's  memorabilia. 

Support local fund raisers

* My brother is an avid genealogist, following trails that lead from England to Ohio, New York and Germany. Yet he found a treasure trove of information in a private genealogy library in a tiny rural village in the deep South. If you are interested in family history, check each town's  local library or genealogy society.

 You may be connected with a place   in surprising ways. See next week's post for tips on getting started as a genealogist. 

BE an RV Prepper  

   Stuff happens when you're away from home too. Prepare your RV for delays, breakdown, stranding, sudden evacuation, can't find ice, fire ban, run out of propane, supply chain interruptions, civil disturbances.  How much food will you need for a week in the woods for two adults and two kids?  A month in a remote fish camp? A two-week power outage? See Survival Food Handbook for tips on buying, stowing, and making meals from ordinary supermarket supplies that need no fresh ingredients. 

This book was written for campers, RV travelers and boaters who have limited storage space. It's not about having a year's supply of dried food in your RV's basement.

        CAMPGROUNDS AND RV PARKS;

               GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

This is timely news from local zoning boards, real estate transfers and events boards. It's premature or incomplete for RV  travel planning. Grab the news, verify it and follow it for yourself as the story develops. Locations are in boldface. Dates are in red. 

NEW AND FUTURE RV PARKS

In Hewitt, Texas the new South Waco RV Park is now open with Sun Shield or open sites, full hookups, metered electric, gated entry, security, complimentary Wi-Fi, laundry, and a community center. Although it’s expected to be primarily a home for workers paying weekly and monthly rates, the park offers a $55 nightly rate for travelers. Reserve at (254) 314-7001. 

A 50--site RV park has been approved for Henry County, Virginia near the  Martinsville Speedway. Construction of the park will begin after additional permits are issued. In addition to the Speedway, the area offers travelers attractions such as the Virginia Museum of Natural History, historic sites, restaurant shops, watersports and fishing.  See tourismmartinsville.com/ 

By the end of this month the new Lakers Field Campground, should be open at Logan’s Lake, British Columbia. The 37 dry campsites are handy for travelers who want to be near the Lakers Field ball parks and recreation areas. An additional 10 sites are planned. Phone: (250) .523-6274. 

Thanks to a $60 million expansion, up to 70 more campsites will be available in 2027 at  Bon Echo and Presqu’ile Provincial Parks in Ontario. Throughout the province's parks,  300 new campsites will be added and 800 existing campsites will be equipped with electric hookups. 

CHANGES, RENOVATIONS, NEW OWNERS

A county park in Lorton, Virginia is undergoing a $1.5 million renovation that will bring full hookups to RV sites, electric service and other improvements to other sites and comfort stations. Pohick Bay Regional Park is the home of the annual Bull Run Festival of Lights from November to just after the first of the year. See NovaParks.com/

SCUTTLEBUTT

Volunteer Campground Host applications are now available for summer, 2027 posts in Manitoba. The deadline is October 31, 2026. Cut and paste https://www.manitoba.ca/sd//parks/_resources/en/pdf/campground-host-app.pdf

The popular Kentucky Horse Park campground in Lexington, Kentucky will be getting a major up-do as part of a $5 million renovation of the park. Included will be a new swimming pool and splashpad.  Campground work will be completed in phases and should be complete sometime next year, 

EVENTS

There’s color in them thar Ohio hills. You don’t have to go to Vermont for a brilliant fall colorama. The Hocking State Forest Fall Color Tour and  Conkles Hollow State Nature Preserve Annual Fall Foliage Tour will be held October 24-25. Drive or hike various routes where natural resource experts, firefights and forest rangers will be on hand with directions, demonstrations, displays and tours of historic cabins. 

For schedules and addresses of both color tours see the ODNR website at ohiodnr.gov (https://www.ohiodnr.gov/ For information on local accommodations see explorehickinghills.com. For campground reservations go to ReserveOhio.com/

Blazing desert colors and amazing talents come together outdoors in the Desert Arts Festival on November 27-29 at The River, Rancho Mirage, California. A presentation of more than 100 West Coast Artists, the festival displays ceramics, wall arts, sculpture, photography, jewelry and blown glass.  Admission and parking are free. 

The Hastings, Florida Fall Harvest Festival fills the historic downtown with food, music, vendor booths, displays, a kids zone and more small town good times. Dates are November 6-7. Farms tours at $100 include bus transportation and lunch. Get details nd tour tickets at (904) 825-1000

SAVE THE DATE

George Strait Schedules Boots in the Park One More Time

George Strait, the King of Country,  has announced May 14-16, 2027 as the dates for his major music festival, Boots in the Park. A full lineup will be on stage in Albuquerque, New Mexico.. Many ticket categories are already sold out. For information, tickets and details of RV packages, which are ticketed separately,  see https://events.bootsinthepark.com/abq/tickets

 

RV Hookups, Hiccups+Where to Camp 2027

 Copyright Janet Groene 2026.

SCROLL DOWN TO SEE THIS WEEK'S LATEST BUZZ ON NEW, FUTURE, CHANGING AND CLOSING RV PARKS AND CAMPGROUNDS

Let’s Hook Up

Those first messy, scary minutes at a campsite are easy if you know how–AND IF YOU HAVE THE RIGHT GEAR for hooking up. Here are some things to check, whether you are equipping a new RV or are a seasoned RV hooker.

* A white drinking water hose delivers safer, tastier water to your RV. Some types fold flat for easier storage. If you keep it clean, it looks good outside the rig. However, white hoses get grotty quickly. Unsightly mildew gets a grip. It gives your campsite an untidy look. 

Give the hose a bath. Fill a water bucket, add a drop of detergent and a cup of bleach and plunge the coiled hose into it. Wipe down, rinse well, then run a few gallons of water through to flush it outit before hooking it up to the RV again

. Consider two other items when you purchase hoses. Quick-disconnect fittings are a convenience. You might also add a pressure-control device that tames water pressure if the campground’s pressure surges. Your RV’s plumbing could be damaged if incoming water pressure is too high. Inexpensive doublers allow you to connect two hoses to one faucet. Camping supply stores sell everything needed for water hookup.

Once inside the RV, water has to go down drains into tanks that you have to monitor and empty. It’s illegal to let anything drain into the ground, not even clean water from the sink. 

* The capacity of your RV’s electric cord(s) depends on diameter and length, so it’s important to get cord(s) that do the job without adding more bulk and weight than you want to haul around. Power is lost with length, and too thin a power cord overheats and melts. We need  a heavy enough cord in the shortest length that will do the job. 

In active, travel these cords take a beating, so check often for breaks, nicks, cracks, chafing or exposed wires. If you give the cord a quick wipe-down (I  use an old oven mitt) before coiling and stowing it, you’ll transfer less dirt into the RV’s storage area

.  

* Sewer hoses are the bad boys of the hook-up arsenal. Even when they appear to look good,  they may stink. They break down are eventually, made porous by use and sun damage. Treat yourself to a new  one before you think it’s needed. Then shop for accessories that keep it property routed and in place. You-know-what doesn’t run uphill.

 Many RVs have a built-in flushing system that allows you to put clean water through the entire system including the black water tank and out the hose. If you have one, its operation is described in your owner’s manual. 

It’s best to empty gray and black water tanks after a long run so everything is stirred up and in solution. Empty black water first, then gray water to flush the hose. The dump station will also have clean (but not potable) water to use for a final rinse. 

Please leave the dump station as clean or cleaner than you found it. Abuse is the chief reason free dumps are disappearing and fee dumps are raising their prices.

* All tanks are vented to allow waste to “burp”. If you’re getting sewer gas smells  the first thing to look for is a vent clogged by a wasp nest or other debris.

* It’s less important in these wireless days to carry a variety of connectors but in some remote areas, phone and cable TV hook-up may be available if you have your own cables. 

.

BE PREPARED 

   Stuff happens when you're away from home too. Prepare your RV for delays, breakdown, sudden evacuation, can't find ice, fire ban, supply chain interruptions, civil disturbances.  How much food will you need for a week in the woods for two adults and two kids?  A month in a remote fish camp? A two-week power outage? See Survival Food Handbook for tips on buying, stowing, and making meals from ordinary supermarket supplies that need no fresh ingredients. 

This book was written for campers, RV travelers and boaters who have limited storage space. It's not about having a year's supply of dried food in your RV's basement.

          CAMPGROUNDS & RV PARKS;

              GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

Fresh from our local sources, these news briefs are intended to give you a heads-up. It's up to you to follow up as the story develops. Locations are by state. Dates are in red. 

NEW AND FUTURE RV PARKS AND CAMPGROUNDS

We have to wait until late summer, 2028 for the opening but the new campground at McCormick’s Creek State Park in Washington, Indiana will be bigger and better than the camp that was wiped out in a tornado in 2023.  In the plans for the 92-acre campground are 192 modern campsites,  three new playgrounds, 32 primitive sites, new restroom/shower stations and a camp store. The park is known for its limestone canyons, scenic waterfalls and the dining and accommodations at the stately the Canyon Inn. (812) 829-2235

New in Dansville, New York is the Valley View Hideaway on the site of former summer camp for kids. Existing buildings and restrooms have been rehabbed. Cabins are renewed. RV sites with water and electric are being added. The scenic, 50-acre campground has a playground, obstacle course and hiking trails. 

Coming soon to Breaks Interstate Park, Breaks, Kentucky is a 43-site RV park on the Kentucky side. The park, which straddles the Kentucky-Virginia border,,is known as the Grand Canyon of the South and is in the Jefferson National Forest.  It has water sports, camping, hiking trails, guided elk tours, nature programs and much more. Call (276) 865-4413, Email info@breakspark.com/

New since last July in Shepherdsville, Kentucky is the family-run Shepherds RV Park. The park has RV sites, a camp store, Wi-Fi throughout and a catch-and-release pond. See shepherdsrvpark.com/

The first Snow Peak brand campground in the U.S. has opened in Long Beach, Washington. A Japanese concept, . Campfield offers family camping, cultural experiences and luxury touches such as spa. It does not appear to offer RV sites. Tents, cabins and the setting are nature friendly. (833) 662-7624

CHANGES, UPGRADES, NEW OWNERS

A new playground last June is just one of the upgrades at Noah’s Ark Resort near Revelstroke, British Columbia. The year-round, family-friendly resort on the Trans-Canada Highway also has Wi-Fi in selected areas, a community kitchen, facilities such as a laundry for winter guests, a hiking trail to the waterfall and a refreshment station with Keurig coffee pods and frozen yogurt. See  RVCampingRevelstoke.com

In Sandpoint, Idaho, renovations at the City Beach RV Park will include construction of restrooms and showers, thanks to a grant from the state. The goal, they say, is to produce a “signature” RV park but plans are vague and construction dates TBA.  At present the park reportedly has 40 RV sites with full hookups. Get current details from DandpointIdaho.gov/

Historic Mather Lodge

It’s time to take a new look at Petit Jean State Park in Morrilton, Arkansas. The historic Mather Lodge is newly restored and the park now has the first via ferrata climbing route within a U.S. state park. Also new is the  Monument Trail mountain biking system. The park has 144 RV sites with 50-amp power. (501) 727-5441

SCUTTLEBUTT 

Belden Town Resort is located in unincorporated Plumas County in the Feather River Canyon, California. The 4-acre riverfront property is an outdoor getaway for camping, fishing and hiking. It has hotel rooms 16 RV sites and tent camping.  Now for sale, the hamlet is known for its festivals including the annual Stilldream Art and Music Festival. 

The proposed plan for a new campground and development in Woodlington, Lenoir County, North Carolina calls for a $55 million project providing 205 RV spaces, 23 tiny homes, 20 houseboats and tent spaces. The Paradise Lake and RV Resort site will extend to the Neuse River and  include includes a lake. Stay tuned.

CLOSINGS

In Parsons, Kansas, the city-owned Parsons Marvel RV Park will close permanently on October 4. 

Woodland Trails Resort on Strawberry Lake, Minnesota closed for the season and will not reopen. Future plans for the property are not announced but a campground is NOT one of the options for the property.

WHAT IS FULL-TIME RV TRAVEL REALLY LIKE? 

 We tell the whole story, from making the hard decision to sell everything and go on the road, to a happy ending when we became part-timers again. 

We traveled full-time for 10 great years.

 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 it's time to settle down. Order at any book store or let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you.   https://amzn.to/29XFEkq 

COME BACK NEXT WEEK FOR LATEST

HEADLINE NEWS BY STATE OR PROVINCE

RV Appliance Care + RV Park & Campground News

 
Copyright Janet Groene 2026.

SCROLL DOWN FOR THIS WEEK'S JUST-IN NEWS OF NEW, FUTURE AND CLOSING RV PARKS AND CAMPGROUNDS 

TLC for RV Appliances

We love our countertop appliances. In fact, we take our toasters and food processors for granted. But when they hit the highway in an your RV, they need special attention. There are two major differences now.

1. The RV Moves. Now household appliances are subjected to motion, vibration, chafe and G forces. Vital parts could jiggle loose.  Electric cords could fray and short out. Damage could be caused to the appliance from inside the TV underway, such as pots careening around inside a cabinet or from something being thrown against the appliance in a hard stop. 

Any RV appliance should, of course, be well secured so it can’t come loose and bash you in the back of the head in a panic stop. They are portable, so we take them outdoors, yet they are made for indoor use. When we leave a coffemaker or hot plate outdoors, protect it from to wetness or knock-around use.  

2.  Campground electric hook-ups aren't all the same. Electrical appliances can be damaged by the wrong electrical power. Some of our camping  appliances work on 12 volts and some on household power (110 volts) or dual 12-110 volt power. They rely on the RV’s electrical system to deliver the right juice. That means keeping batteries charged and assuring that you don’t overload the “shore” power system provided by the campground hookup.

When campground power is on the skimpy side, as it might be in older or more remote campsites, you’ll see lights dim and hear the compressor labor when a high-voltage appliance, such as an air conditioner, starts up. It could be that your extension cord is too short or too thin for the service, or perhaps there just aren’t enough amps at the campsite. Over-stressing a starting motor can damage it. 

Appliance Repairs

Fortunately the Internet is a goldmine of  videos and expert advice, some free or some for a fee.  With luck you’ll find an online expert in the type, brand, model and year of any appliance made for household use. 

Before reaching out for help, go through troubleshooting steps listed in the owner’s manual. Pay special attention to whether electricity is getting to the appliance. The problem could be in your own switches or wiring, the campsite hookup,  or in your inverter.  

I have a friend who is in the clock repair business. She charges a minimum price for her time, so customers are shocked and embarrassed when she simply takes out the batteries and puts them back in the right way. She generously charges only a token fee in such cases and everyone has a good laugh. Start by ruling out the obvious. Make sure the appliance is plugged in, the RV is plugged in, any batteries are in right,  your “house” batteries are putting out and a circuit breaker has not been tripped. 

Before going to a repair shop,  note any cross-branding information found in the manual or on the appliance itself. It’s possible that your RV Pal Rechargeable Vacuum Cleaner  was actually made by a big, international company under a different name just for the RV market. Your RV Pal vacuum may be exactly the same as the Homeowner Pal model.  The same operation instructions, spare parts and accessories will fit.  Know who made the appliance, and when it was made.

  If you no longer have the owner’s manual  try an Internet search. There may be a manual for sale on eBay, a You Tube how-to or a website or chat room of owners of that brand or that appliance.  Before removing the appliance from the RV, try to trace the trouble to its source. It may not be in the appliance but in the RV’s plumbing or wiring. 

Lastly, don’t throw away any appliance  before finding out first if it’s still under guarantee. If  you don’t know for sure, find the serial number and any other numbers you can find. Then contact the company’s customer service department. They may be able to tell you what warranties are still in place. 

BE PREPARED 

   Stuff happens when you're away from home too. Be prepared for delays, breakdown, sudden evacuation, can't find ice, fire ban, supply chain interruptions, civil disturbances.  How much food do you need to get you through a few days?  See Survival Food Handbook for tips on buying, stowing, and making meals from ordinary supermarket supplies that need no fresh ingredients. 

This book was written for campers, RV travelers and boaters who have limited storage space. It's not about having a year's supply of dried food in your basement. 

CAMPGROUNDS & RV PARKS

GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS

    We get current news reports from our local sources, news that will affect RV travelers but may not yet be complete enough for travel planning. It's up to you to snare these headlines and follow up as the story develops. 

NEW AND FUTURE RV PARKS AND CAMPGROUNDS

Newly opened in Cass, West Virginia is a 100-site campground at Cass Scenic Railroad State Park. The park's new Slabtown Campground has RV sites, a playground, showers, restrooms and hookups. The park is on the site of an historic lumber town, where you'll see old-time lumber artifacts, take a scenic rail ride and hike leafy trails. (304) 456-4300

It’s approved, so wait for more news as a mixed use development goes up in Edinburg, Pennsylvania. To be named The Trillium Tiny Home & RV Community, the former mobile home park will have some lots for manufactured homes and some for short-term RV stays. The year-round facility will also have a community garden space, 

Desert Bloom Campground is new near  Kanab, Utah. The pet-friend campground has full hookups and a bathhouse with hot showers.  RV sites have full hookups.  Call (614) 530-9345 or go to camp.desertbloom@gmail.com;  DesertBloomCampground.com/   

CHANGES, REBUILDS, NEW OWNERS

It’s late in the season now for a beach vacation, but here’s a heads-up to grab reservations for swimming and sunning  on the beach next season at Dillon State Park, Nashport, Ohio.  Just opened at the beach area are new facilities, handicap features and upgrades throughout. The park has RV camping with full hookups as well as cabins, primitive camping and equestrian camping. Reservations  (866) 644-6727.

Two years after a devastating hit from Hurricane Helene, a $3.1 million budget will rebuild Glen Lyn Park on the New River in Giles County, Virginia. For now the park is open for day visitors. Full-service camping should be available by 2028. At this time admission is free. (540) 726-7075

In Colfas, Idaho, a new concessionaire is in charge at the Snake River KOA and the marina at Boyer Park. Except for improvements no changes have been announced at this time.  A  favorite destination on the Snake River since the 1970's,  the park offers tent and RV camping, cabins, boating and fishing. 

Now reopened after a major makeover, Union Grove Campground on Stillhouse Hollow Lake  in   Salado, Texas how has a dozen campsites open and more to come.  The U.S.  Corps of Engineers facility has tent and RV campsites with water and electric hookups.  For information and reservations go to recreation.gov/

CLOSURES

The campground at Willow Creek State Recreation Area near Pierce, Nebraska  will close October 5 through January 1. The good news is that all 64 of the 30-amp campsites are being converted to 50-amp power. The Area offers picnicking,  boating, an eight-mile limestone hiking-biking trail and a 700-acre lake with five handicap fishing piers. Phone: (402) 329-4053

EVENTS

It’s been 10 years of good times at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch in Hurricane Mills, Tennessee. Now it’s time for an anniversary party. Reserve a campsite now for the May 20-23, 2027 Tennessee Motorcycles & Music Revival. Details, schedules and a list of music headliners will come soon. Get reservations early at info@motorcyclesandmusic.com/

WHAT IS FULL-TIME RV TRAVEL REALLY LIKE? 

 We tell the whole story, from making the hard decision to sell everything and go on the road, to a happy ending when we became part-timers again. 

We traveled full-time for 10 great years. 

 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 it's time to settle down. Order at any book store or let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you.   https://amzn.to/29XFEkq 

COME BACK NEXT WEEK FOR NEW HEADLINE NEWS BY STATE OR PROVINCE