There are campgrounds and then there are CAMPGROUNDS.
The Colorado River at Fox’s
The desert at Gunsite Wash. Dry camping.
Boring
There are an unending variety and types of campgrounds available to the RV travelers. From federal free BLM land with no amenities or services to high end resorts with all the amenities you can imagine including pools, hot tubs, garbage pickup every day, laundry, meeting rooms, library, etc.
Perfect park, no character
Some have character others do not. Reading most of the review sites would leave one with the impression that if the restrooms and showers weren’t perfectly clean the park was not that good or if the sites were too close together or not level enough or you could hear the train or traffic at night or the hookups weren’t in perfect position, that made it less than desirable. I guess it depends on one’s priorities. One of the campgrounds with the cleanest bathrooms and shower was as sterile as the campground itself: no character, no spirit, boring. Some of the messiest were the most interesting and fun. Is there a correlation? Hmmmmm….
Happy Hour at Betty’s
Another pic from Betty’s
Sunset at Whitetail Ridge in Georgia
I’m only naming the memorable campgrounds to protect the boring. On this trip I’ve stayed in a vast variety of places: The big impersonal KOA, the small unassuming in Ajo, the desert at Gunsite Wash, the memorable Desert Trails near Tucson, the wild crazy Fox’s RV Park in Parker, AZ on the Colorado River, the eclectic Betty’s in Abbeville, LA, several non memorable ones in TX, NM & AZ, some wonderful federal run campgrounds in National Forests, just to name a few.
Deset Trails. Loads of character
Rustic camping in Sam Houston National Forest
Sunset in the desert
Whitetail Ridge
Another view from Fox’s
Perfect but no character
The unassuming in Ajo, AZ.
Character is more than just the people or amenities or layout. One of my favorites was a county run campground, Gilbert Ray, where the location & overall beauty of the landscape & view made it special.
Betty’s RV Park in Abbeville, LA was crowded, lacked some amenities such as showers and bathrooms but still was one of my favorite stops. Betty, the owner who lives onsite has a happy hour everyday under a covered patio attached to her home. Everyone brings their own booze and most bring snacks and appetizers. It truly was a blast.
Gilbert Ray
Betty
View from a boring park
Fox’s, with an onsite restaurant and floating bar was an entirely entertaining time. If you got bored you went to the bar with it’s eclectic collection of bikers, locals and park residents. Sam Houston National Forest was dry camping, gloomy weather but the trees & view gave it character.
Stubblefield Campground in Sam Houston National Forest
Entance to the floating bar at Fox’s
Great view but no character
Boring
There were plenty of others. Too many to mention them all. I don’t want to bore my faithful readers.
Dammit. I just lost a long email to you. Lynn. Friend of Harry Simpson, Saratoga springs. We’ve been tent-camping and van-camping in the Everglades for a few years. Hope you’ll come down this winter. (My last email was clever, but I don’t have the energy….)
I started a blog a few years ago, and tried to keep it up. It’s bits and pieces of a few different years. If you look at it, it’s several different years, if you look at the menu. Also, it starts at the bottom, so you have to scroll down to read it in order. Not very exciting, but it was fun. I stopped because of technical problems, but may start it with more enthusiasm this winter.
I’m going back to your site to continue reading…don’t you just LOVE being retired?
Lynn
George! I’m drinking wine, and eating Junior Mints, and texting with Harry Simpson, of Saratoga Springs. We’ve tent-camped, and van-camped in the same place for a few years. He said that I should check your blog, and here I am. I hope you’re coming to the Everglades this winter. Wonderful community of people who have been getting together for a few years. We’re planning on setting up a community tent this winter…the idea started with the brothers-from-Maine, who wanted to set up a Tiki Bar. Harry’s going to be the landlord, since he talks more than anybody we know. That way, if we want to get away from him (or anyone) we can just go back to our own tents.
Good to hear from you. Wine and Jr Mints? Harry talks a lot? Loving retirement, itchy to get traveling again, bored and trying to post an update about being “home”.
Who knows about Florida. Maybe on my way West this Fall I could stop for awhile. Sounds like a great time and yes Harry can talk.
So many great places to explore and people to meet. Glad you made it to Betty’s it is an experience.
And I thank you for the great recommendation. I only wished I had stayed there longer. Betty’s will always be on my list of stops whenever I am in Louisiana.