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CAMPGROUND GOOD NEW/BAD NEWS
The Perfect Camping Concert Weekend
Copyright Janet Groene
One thing beats a live concert. It’s a campsite with you in your RV under a canopy of stars overhead and around you a sea of fellow campers, food trucks, vendors, good vibes and nonstop live music
According to Matthew Smith, COO of Ticket Squeeze (www.TicketSqueeze.com) and Janet Groene, RV travel veteran, here are ways to assure the success of a seamless camping-concert experience. Smith finds that concert holidays are the hottest trend in travel.
“ Smith says, "The core of a concert holiday is, of course, experiencing a cherished artist or band perform. But beyond the thrill of the concert itself, traveling music fans have relished the opportunity to immerse themselves in the local culture,” Smith says. .
* First, nail down all the right tickets and reservations for a campsite and the concert itself. Read all rules. Know what is included in each ticket package. Know what facilities will be available for campers and plan accordingly. Entry routes and times for campers are usually different from other concert goers, allowing you to arrive a day or more early and stay a day in your campsite a day or more after the concert.
* Surround yourself with local culture if it’s relevant to the concert or festival such as Bluegrass, Southern Gospel, Latin, Jazz, Native American, Greek and so on.
xplains the appeal of combining a vacation and a concert and gives you his top tips to book your own concert holiday.
* Plan your trip around the event date. Consider factors such as traffic, road conditions along your entire route plus attractions or sites you’d like to visit, and the duration of your stay.
* Book any other reservations needed before and after the concert.
* Will you cross national or state lines? Get papers for yourself and pets. Know entry requirements to enter Mexico or Canada and requirements to get back into the U.S. Because your RV will be stocked with food, be prepared for agricultural inspections at state borders such as California.
* Stay informed about event details, Smith warns. Schedules change. Artists may cancel or be added. As early as possible, sign up for newsletters with updates.
* Ready, set go! After settling into your campsite, familiarize yourself with the entire
venue layout, which could cover many acres. Know entry procedures (re-entry may not be permitted if you leave) and any restrictions on items such as bags, coolers, sun shades or cameras at state areas. .
“Arrive early at stages to secure a good spot and soak in the atmosphere before the show begins,” Matthew enthuses. Know if you need to bring your own chairs or blanket.
“Celebrate the harmony of travel and music with concert holidays,” Matthew says. “With strategic planning and attention to detail, you can orchestrate an unforgettable experience that hits all the right notes.”
CAMPGROUNDS GOOD NEWS/ BAD NEWS
These late breaking news items are gathered from local sources and may be premature or incomplete. These items are provided so you can get an early jump on reservations. No endorsement of any RV park is implied.
Join the rangers at The House on the Hill in Cheraw State Park, Cheraw, South Carolina on December 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., to craft Christmas trees out of longleaf pinecones. There will also be a visit from Santa along with s'mores and hot chocolate. Bring a mug and water for making cocoa, which will be served with s’mores. The cost is $5 per participant. The park’s campground has 17 gravel campsites, six of them waterfront on Lke Juniper. The campground offers water and electric hookups, a bathhouse and a dump station. There’s a two-night minimum on campsites. https://reserve.southcarolinaparks.com/cheraw
* Winding River Campground in Exeter, New Hampshire is the 29th campground to be acquired by Modern America Campgrounds. The group hopes to have a portfolio of 33 campgrounds by next year. Reservations are now being taken for next season, May 12-October 15. The campground offers lots of planned activities, a general store, the Outlaw Grill and RV sites with water, electric (some sewers), picnic table and fire ring. Short -term and seasonal rates are available. Now the campground will offer a Loyalty Program that applies to all Modern America Campgrounds locations. (603) 778-7631
* In Calistoga, California plans are in progress to restore the old Calistoga Speedway and Fairgrounds RV Park. Stay tuned. (707) 942-5111
* If you’re looking for a workcamper job, head quickly for Bossier, Louisiana, where the Live Casino and Hotel Louisiana is having a Job Fair in early December. The fair hopes to fill 750 jobs for the casino complex, which needs food, hotel and gaming workers as well as staff for a campground. For more information see (www.) Louisiana.LiveCasinoHotel.com
* Hurray for the 36 new RV slots added at FairPark RV, the RV park at the Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton, California. The new sites in the gated entry park are 50 feet long, extra wide, and have full hookups, Wi-Fi, picnic table and space enough for an extra vehicle. Two are ADA compliant. Public restrooms are available. (925) 426-3340
* Wekiwa Springs State Park in Apopka, Florida has closed its campground for a year of renovations. It’s due to reopen in 2026 and reservations should be available by late in 2025. Day use facilities at the popular, 7,000-acre park will remain open.
* Alum Spring State Park in Delaware, Ohio has opened its new Freedom Trail, honoring Ohio’s role in the Underground Railroad. The campground has some full hook-up RV sites and some partial, although water hook-ups are closed in winter. The showers are heated and there are flush toilets. Reservations are required and may be made up to six months in advance. Call (866) 644-6727.
* Deck your halls with evergreen swags you make yourself at Camp Moran in Moran State Park, Washington on December 7. Some supplies will be available and you'll also want to bring some of your own. Cocoa and cookies will be served. The park has wooded campsites, picnic tables, showers and a dump station. (360) 376-2326
* Just Southeast of Mandeville, Louisiana, Fontainebleau State Park now offers full hookups at some RV sites. The park on the shore of Lake Pontechtrain has shaded campsites, a Rails-to-Trails hike, great wildlife and bird watching in bayou habitats and history hunting at the ruins of an early 19th century sugar mill. Reserve a site at (www.) LaStateParks.com.
*Attention KOA groupies. A new place to use your KOA reward points in 2026 will be the Fredericksburg (Texas) KOA. Now taking shape, the resort will have a lazy river and regular and patio sites for a total of 291 campsites, a swimming pool, nature trails and plenty of planned events. Stay tuned at (www.) koa.com for news of when reservations will open.
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