Copyright Janet Groene 2025.
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CAMPGROUND GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS
Even a small van can have a private bathroom.
Tiny RV Bathroom, Big Ideas
Even in the smallest RV, the bathroom or toilet compartment can use clever hacks and wrinkles to make every inch count. Here are some ideas that may work for you.
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| An entire bathroom cabinet hangs on a single hook |
* Don’t try to use the bathroom as you do at home, There isn't room for all the his-her-and- theirs toiletries. Give everyone a toiletry kit to take in and out of the john, then stow in their own space elsewhere. The portable kit is also handy to grab and go to the gym, pool or campground showers. At the end of the trip, take it home to refresh for the next trip.
* Decide where and how to stow dirty clothes. If there isn’t room for a real hamper, get a couple of laundry bags and find places to hang them. Later I’ll address laundry as a separate topic. Note that many campgrounds prohibit drying laundry or beach towels outside.
* RV’s never have enough towel and dryng racks, yet you need lots of space to dry bath towels, tea towels, wash cloths, swim suits and beach towels. Add a second shower curtain rod to serve as a drying rack. A spring-loaded shower rod can hold heavier items. For drying light items, use a spring-loaded curtain rod might fit your needs.
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| Add an extra shower rod as a drying rack |
Retractable clothesline reels are sold in camping supply stores. Use them as needed, then zip them back into their tiny reel. They are lifesavers but are flimsy, suitable only for a swim suit or a line of lingerie.
* Wire shelf units that hang over the shower head aren’t a good idea in an RV. The weight puts extra load on delicate RV plumbing. Also, they sway with road motion, eventually etching the shower wall. Don’t trust suction cup bathroom shelves and bins, especially with heavy or breakable bottles. Underway, RV's vibrate and flex. These fixtures can break loose on bumpy roads.
* A wall-mounted hair dryer is a convenience and space saver. Installation should be done by an RV electrician.
* The shower pan or tub are good places to stash large or heavy items, such as potted plants, before you get underway. Protect the tender fiberglass surface with a mat.
* Use fabrics and soft goods to soften the look and feel of a small bath. Soft goods also deaden sound. Add a plush toilet lid cover, a treated cotton shower curtain rather than plastic, and fabric window coverings rather than clattery blinds. Do you have a large wall expanse? Cover it with cork board, then mount a mirror and other small, flat items.
* The more ventilation in the bathroom, the better for privacy, mildew and odor control. You might replace the overhead vent with a vent that contains a solar fan or have an RV electrician install an wired exhaust fan. It can be put on a mechanical timer that can be set for, say, 15 or 20 minutes before it turns off automatically.
* It’s difficult to train the family to use the bathroom exhaust fan. Steam or odors build up in seconds in a small space. Consider having the light switch wired to the exhaust fan, so they go on together. Then nobody can forget to use the fan.
These inexpensive, stick-on towel "tuckers" take up little space yet can hold dozens of washcloths, dish clothes, tea towels and other light items.
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| Make every inch count |
CAMPGROUNDS; GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS
These news breaks are from local sources and may be imcomplete or premature. They are presented to give RV travelers an early heads-up. Follow the story on your own as it develops. Listings are by state or province.
RV PARK AND CAMPGROUND CLOSURES
Because of recent natural disasters and changes in laws or zoning, many changes are taking place. Check ANY campground directly (not just their website) for sudden changes. Also, confirm regular seasonal closings and spring openings, which vary greatly. Many RV parks are staying open all year, even in the coldest climates.
The county campground at the Cachuma Lake Recreation Area, California, remains closed. Due to weather and other construction delays, the updated and improved campground is expected to open by Labor Day. See (www.) Recreation.gov/
The campground at Suwannee River State Park, Live Oak, Florida, is closed for repairs with an expected opening date in August.
The City of Trail RV Park, Trail, British Columbia, has been closed because of nearby construction. There is still no clue to when it can reopen. Information may be available from the local tourism office, (www.) Trail.ca/
The campground, day use areas and boating access at Muskallonge State Park, Michigan were reported to be closed for improvements until October 1. Also in Michigan, Otsego Lake State Park will close its campground next month while full hookups are added to 44 RV sites.
Sleepy Hollow State Park, Michigan is closed through October 31 while the campground is paved and new toilet and shower buildings are built.
CAMPGROUND AND RV PARK REOPENINGS
All three campgrounds at Ludington State Park, Michigan are expected to be open again after improvements. Check to see if it’s on schedule.
NEW OWNERS, IMPROVEMENTS, ADDITIONS, CHANGES
In Leduc, Alberta, the Edmonton/Leduc (Alberta) Lions KOA Journey is new to the KOA family. New owners plan a major expansion into a nearby site next to Telford Lake. The park offers 50-amp power, big rig sites, two pickleball sites, a playground and an event venue. The campground is open mid-April to mid-October. ( 780) 986-1882.
RV FRIENDLY EVENTS
Plan to be in Pine Grove Furnace State Park, Pennsylvania for the Fall Furnace Fest scheduled for October 18-19. Bring the family for autumn color, folksy gatherings, live music, pumpkin carving, food and craft vendors, scarecrow making and hearing the legend of the “Hairy Hand” at Fuller Lake. Most activities are free. The park’s campground has 70 tent and trailer sites open through mid-December. A camp store is 1/4 mile from the campsites. Make reservations at (www.) PennsylvaniaStateParks.reserveAmerica/
Make reservations now for the one and only Suwannee Roots Festival at the Suwannee Music Park and Campground in Live Oak, Florida. Dates are October 9-12. The long, long list of headliners includes Donna Buffalo, who will perform all four days, and favorites such as Oteil & Friends, the Yonder Mountain String Band and the Jon Stickley Trio. The campground has tent and RV sites under ancient live oak trees, canoeing on the Suwannee River, food, bike paths and a new bat house (yes, that's bats, not bath). Go to SuwanneeRootsRevival..com/.
Save the date for ear blasting entertainment at the Infrasound Equinox 2026 scheduled for September 11-14, 2025 in Clarks Grove, Minnesota.. Come for camping and nonstop music in hard charging bass and dubstep. RV and car camping passes are available. https://theticketing.co/e/infraeqx25/
See shortcut recipes for camping and RV at https://campandrvcook.blogspot.com/
SCUTTLEBUTT
The new Sunset RV Resort in New Caseville, Michigan is a-building now but it won’t open fully until 2027. At first it will have 67 seasonal RV sites with full hook-ups and concrete pads. In the future it will have a swimming pool, clubhouse and more, Google it from time to time to follow this developing story.
Maybe you heard of plans for a new, 115-site RV park in downtown, Anchorage, Alaska. It’s looking like a sure thing for an opening of the Denali View RV Resort in summer, 2026 but some hurdles have yet to be met. Stay tuned as the story develops and grab reservations as soon as they open.
A new, 24-acre RV park is slated to be built on grounds of the former Ocean Edge Golf Club in Frisco, North Carolina.. Many permits and plans have yet to be made. Stay tuned.
Moving ahead in Davidson North Carolina is a $65 million sports complex that will include an RV park. In addition to eight baseball fields,X-country track, water park, tennis, soccer, pickleball there will be concession stands and parking.
The Rockwell RV And Adventure Park is taking shape in Mankato,, Minnesota in a former quarry.
It’s an even 100 locations now for Love’s Travel Stops, a favorite overnight oasis for RV travelers. This new one is off I-80 at Caitlin, Nevada.
What can you do with $8.5 million? Extensive renovations and improvements are coming to Keith J Charters Traverse City State Park’s campground in Michigan. Closed for the rest of this summer and all next summer, the upgraded campground will have improved facilities for campers as well as better traffic flow and access when it reopens in April, 2027
See money-saving, better tasting HOMEMADE recipes for trail mixes at https://createagorp.blogspot.com/ Mke them by the shipload, then package individually for the pocket or backpack.
NEW RV PARKS AND RESORTS
Just above Vernon, British Columbia, the SilverStar Mountain Resort has a new, 36-site campground. While there are spaces for RV’s, this is dry camping. Indoor bathrooms and a laundry are found at the resort, See (www.) SkiSilverStar,com/
New this season in Mount Vernon, Washington, the 160-site, pet friendly Town & Country Motorcoach Resort offers full hookups, hot tubs, pickleball courts, laundry, showers and on-site eateries. See TownAndCountryRV.com/
In downtown Gaylord, Michigan, the new Alpine RV Resort has nightly RV sites, yurts and cabins plus , mini-golf, a water park, bar and grill, dog park, outdoor pool and many more resort amenities. Additional features in the growing resort will open by the fall of next year with 227 RV sites. (833) 425-8337.
NEW OWNERS, CHANGES, EXPANSIONS, UPGRADES
In Cascade, Colorado the Lone Duck Campground has a new owner. Small and with a scenic stream, the 5-acre campground offers tent, RV and cabin accommodations, a swimming pool, a playground and arcade. To be added is a gift shop stocked with local products. (719) 684-9907
After major water improvement and and other infrastructure upgrades, Cotton Hill Campground on Lake Eufaula in Fort Gaines, Georgia is open again with full services. Reservations are now open at the Recreation.gov/
FREEDOM OF THE OPEN ROAD?
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 the 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
Where to go next? Check road trip ideas at https://janetgroene.blogspot.com/
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