RVing with Rex - Living his dream, Rex Vogel is a Snowbird with a passion for RVing, photography, hiking, and birding.

More Highly Rated Snowbird Resorts, According To RVers

These five Sunbelt resorts have both convenient locations and top-quality facilities

You can learn a lot about campgrounds and RV parks by reading reviews by real campers and seeing photos of the property. It can help you find RV parks and resorts that offer spacious full hookup sites while avoiding crowded parks that get traffic noise all night.

RV Park Reviews provides information on what other campers have said and an overall idea of the park’s amenities. Reviews can also give you insider tips on what to see in the area and tourist traps to avoid.

These five Sunbelt resorts have both convenient locations and top-quality facilities that have ranked them the highest across the U.S. This list of top rated RV parks and resorts has been selected from parks personally visited.

Pechanga Casino RV Resort – Temecula, California

8.6 rating

Recently expanded Pechanga Casino RV Resort offers 168 full-service sites with 12 feet grass on either side. These sites include 24 pull throughs (76 feet x 18 feet concrete pads) and 142 back-ins (55 feet x 18 feet concrete pads). All sites have 50/30/20-amp electric service, water, sewer, cable TV, and Wi-Fi access. Amenities include heated pool with two spas and four cabanas, fenced dog run, security patrol, and on-property shuttle service 24/7.

Top tip: Be sure to visit Old Town Temecula and Temecula Wine Country.

Lakeside RV Park – Livingston, Louisiana

8.5 rating

Great park near Baton Rouge. Easy-on, easy-off, Lakeside RV Park is big-rig friendly with back-in and pull-through sites. The sites are good sized, especially the pull through sites. Our back-in site is in the 55-60 foot range with 50/30-amp electric service, water, and sewer centrally located.

Site amenities include picnic table and fire pit. The park is located around a lake, with boats, fishing, basketball courts, volleyball courts, and laundry room. The staff are great.

Top tip: Ambrosia Bakery sells around 20,000 king cakes during the Mardi Gras season. While the bakery offers a selections of pastries, cakes, candies, and chocolates, as well as a selection of deli items, Ambrosia is known for its cakes. This Baton Rouge shop is located at 8546 Siegen Lane (I-10, Exit 162).

Gulf Coast RV Resort – Beaumont, Texas

8.5 rating

Easy-on, easy-off, Gulf Coast RV Resort is big-rig friendly with pull-through sites in the 60-65 foot range with 50/30-amp electric service, water, and sewer centrally located. All sites are pull-through; sites #115 through 125 are 75 feet in length and sites #75 through 83 are in the 90 foot range. All interior roads and sites are concrete. Site amenities include picnic table.

Top tip: If you have the time, tour the McFadden-Ward House. It is only about six miles from the resort and well worth the time.

Poche’s RV Park – Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

8.5 rating

RV sites at Poche’s RV Park are located on several sides of the pond overlooking the water. A pleasant and unique location with excellent fishing and birding. Sites are concrete and level and separated by grass. Fire rings at every other site. Picnic tables at every site. Relaxing campground with fishing at your door. Major complaint are the rough roads.

Top tip: The owners also have a great little Cajun market with a really good restaurant a mile or so away on the road to Breaux Bridge. Check it out if you’re looking for the real deal; home-made boudin sausage, alligator, crawfish etouffee, andouille, crawfish jambalaya, cracklin, fried catfish, red beans, cornbread dressing, and a great assortment of other quality Cajun specialties to either take home or eat there. Casual, authentic, and reasonably priced.

Golden Village Palms RV Resort – Hemet, California

8.3 rating

Golden Village Palms is a Sunland Resort, not to be confused with the much larger Sun Communities. Golden Village Palms is an older park with mostly back-in sites that are rather tight. Our site is barely 50 feet long and under 30 feet in width. Water and sewer connections are near the rear of the site; 50/30/20-amp electric service and cable TV (50 channels) are behind the RV. Wi-Fi service was intermittent. Paved streets and gravel sites with 35 pull-through sites in the 85-90 foot range. Amenities include a clubhouse, swimming pool, fitness center, volleyball courts, pickleball courts, and putting green. Passport America accepted for four nights.

Top tip: This might have been a nice place at one time but for the most part it is pretty ghetto.

Worth Pondering…

Home is where you park it.

10 National Parks to Visit Now That the Government Shutdown Is Over

Come along and visit these 10 national parks that don’t always get enough love

Good news! The government shutdown is over! Not only will you be getting your tax refunds, but you can also visit— trash free—America’s most treasured scenic and historically important federally-administered land. Of course, we’re talking about the National Parks Service sites.

But instead of talking up Yosemite or the Grand Canyon, two of which you’re already familiar, below are 10 national parks that don’t always get enough love.

Petrified Forest National Park

Most visitors come to see the ancient tree trunks which are preserved by minerals they absorbed after being submerged in a riverbed nearly 200 million years ago. And they’re quite a sight: Over time, the huge logs turned to solid, sparkling quartz in a rainbow of colors—the yellow of citrine, the purple of amethyst, the red-brown of jasper. This mineral-tinted landscape also boasts painted deserts and striated canyons.

Pinnacles National Park

California has so many well-known national parks that smaller parks tend to be overlooked. But Pinnacles should be on your must-visit list. Its unique landscape of towering rock formations that form “pinnacles” is the result of volcanic activity in the area some 23 million years ago.

Congaree National Park

Congaree offers the largest intact expanse of old growth bottomland hardwood forest in the southeastern U.S. This South Carolina park includes the area where Congaree and Wateree Rivers converge. Canoeing, hiking, and fishing are all popular pastimes and may be enjoyed in peace thanks to the sparse number of fellow travelers.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument

With its multiple stems the organ pipe cactus resembles an old-fashioned pipe organ.

The remote Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is a gem tucked away in southern Arizona’s vast Sonoran Desert. Thanks to its unique crossroads locale, the monument is home to a wide range of specialized plants and animals including its namesake.

Capitol Reef National Park

Located in south-central Utah in the heart of red rock country, Capitol Reef National Park is a hidden treasure filled with cliffs, canyons, domes, and bridges in the Waterpocket Fold, a geologic monocline (a wrinkle on the earth) extending almost 100 miles. The park’s main driving tours include the paved Scenic Drive and two long, mainly unpaved, loop tours through the park’s Cathedral and Waterpocket Districts.

Lassen Volcanic National Park

A Nor-Cal beaut, Lassen is home to numerous active volcanoes which include fun, fumaroles (openings in or near a volcano, through which hot sulfurous gases emerge). RV here, if you really want to “blow up” on social media.

Canyon de Chelly National Monument

A one-of-a-kind landscape and the cherished homeland of the Navajo people, Arizona’s Canyon de Chelly National Monument is a truly special place. Sheer cliffs rise on either side of this flat-bottomed, sandy ravine, an area created much the way uplift and water formed the Grand Canyon.

Arches National Park

Another reason to hit up southern Utah? Arches. And not like the St. Louis “Gateway Arch.” We’re talking an area that includes over 2,000 natural arches formed over 100 million years by a combo of water, ice, and extreme temperatures.

Big Bend National Park

Few national parks can match the scenic variety of Big Bend. A land graced with desert, mountain, and river environments makes for a compelling study in contrasts. The Chihuahuan Desert, with its vastness and stark beauty, is joined by the abrupt canyons of the Rio Grande and the forested peaks of the Chisos Mountains.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Located in the Badlands of western North Dakota, Theodore Roosevelt National Park is named for the 26th President. This austere landscape is home to a surprisingly dense population of wildlife including bison, pronghorn antelope, elk, wild horses, and bighorn sheep. Theodore Roosevelt is unique among the scenic parks in that it preserves not only an extraordinary landscape but also the memory of an extraordinary man.

Worth Pondering…

When Robert Frost declared his intention to take the road less traveled in his 1916 poem “The Road Not Taken,” who could have guessed that so many people would take the same trip?

A Wintry Desert Wonderland

These HOT parks evoke a sense of adventure in Arizona’s wintery desert wonderland

Arizonans and seasonal visitors know that winter temperatures don’t stand a chance of stopping outdoor pursuits. Compared to the rest of the country, the mild temps and low seasonal precipitation create the perfect formula for outdoor adventure throughout the state.

Many national, state, and regional parks are primed for winter fun. The trails are perfect throughout the day, wildlife is active this time of year, additional birds have migrated into Arizona, and you just can’t beat the sunrise and sunset at your camping site.

Come along and we’ll expose HOT parks that will evoke your sense of adventure in Arizona’s wintery desert wonderland!

Catalina State Park

Catalina State Park sits at the base of the majestic Santa Catalina Mountains. The park is a haven for desert plants and wildlife and nearly 5,000 saguaros. The 5,500 acres of foothills, canyons, and streams invites camping, picnicking, and bird watching—more than 150 species of birds call the park home. Commonly encountered species of wildlife include javelin, coyote, mule deer, bighorn sheep, and various reptiles.

Usery Mountain Regional Park

Usery Mountain Regional Park, one of 13 Maricopa County Regional Parks, is a 3,648 acre preserve at the western end of the Goldfield Mountains, adjacent to the Tonto National Forest. Located on the Valley’s east side, Usery Mountain contains a large variety of plants and animals that call the lower Sonoran Desert home.

Usery Mountain offers over 29 miles of trails for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding. Park trails range in length from 0.2 miles to over 7 miles, and range from easy to difficult. These trails are very popular because they have enough elevation to offer spectacular vistas of surrounding plains.

Alamo Lake State Park

Nestled in the Bill Williams River Valley away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, Alamo Lake State Park offers outdoor fun, premier bass fishing, rest and relaxation. The crystal clear lake is surrounded by mountainous terrain speckled with brush, wildflowers, and cacti making for a visually pleasing experience. Stargazers are sure to enjoy the amazing views of the night sky, with the nearest city lights 40 miles away.

Picacho Peak State Park

Visitors traveling along I-10 in southern Arizona can’t miss the prominent 1,500-foot peak of Picacho Peak State Park. Enjoy the view as you hike the trails that wind up the peak and, often in the spring, overlook a sea of wildflowers.

The park and surrounding area are known for its unique geological significance, outstanding and varied desert growth, and historical importance. The unique shape has been used as a landmark by travelers since prehistoric times. One of the first recordings was in the 1700s by the Anza Expedition as it passed through the area.

Organ Pipe National Monument

Crazy symphonies of prickly arms—nowhere else in the United States can you find these unique living sculptures, Unlike their more familiar Saguaro cousins, Organ Pipe cacti branch out from ground-level. Organ Pipe National Monument sits on the Mexican border. From November through April, the weather’s nearly perfect for hiking, camping, or just driving along the scenic loop road. This is one of the most stunning, and least-visited, corners of the Sonoran Desert—and worth the drive!

Lost Dutchman State Park

Named after the fabled lost gold mine, Lost Dutchman State Park is located in the Sonoran Desert, a few miles east of Apache Junction. Several trails lead from the park into the Superstition Wilderness and surrounding Tonto National Forest.

Depending on the year’s rainfall, you might be treated to a carpet of desert wildflowers in the spring. Enjoy a weekend of camping and experience native wildlife including mule deer, coyote, javelina, and jackrabbit. A four mile mountain bike loop trail has opened at the park.

Worth Pondering…
Newcomers to Arizona are often struck by Desert Fever.

Desert Fever is caused by the spectacular natural beauty and serenity of the area.

Early symptoms include a burning desire to make plans for the next trip “south”.

There is no apparent cure for snowbirds.

Overtourism and Undertourism in 2019

Celebrating the “Undertouristed” places for RV travel in 2019

If there was a competition for the Word of the Year in tourism, a serious contender would be “overtourism”.

From Barcelona to Bali, the Indian Ocean to the Adriatic, 2018 was the year that people in the world’s most coveted, visited, and Instagrammed places said enough was enough.

There were protests in Barcelona and Mallorca. And the New Year began with Venice vowing to charge tourists for entry.

Let’s celebrate the alternatives in 2019—the undertouristed places that deserve more visitors and where the locals won’t take to the streets and forums to protest.

Let’s hear it for undertourism in America. From the rugged mountains to the giant forests to the vast desert, the RV traveler has it all.

Overtouristed: Charleston, South Carolina and Ashville, North Carolina and Zion National Park, Utah

Undertouristed: A sampling follows

Capitol Reef National Park, Utah

Capitol Reef received its name from the great white rock formations resembling the U.S. Capitol building and from the sheer cliffs that presented a barrier to early travelers.

However, it is the park’s multi-colored sandstone that earned it the nickname, “land of the sleeping rainbow”. The park runs along a huge buckle in the earth’s crust called the Waterpocket Fold. This noteworthy geologic feature is a wrinkle in the earth’s crust. Layer upon layer of rock folded over each other.

Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, Kentucky

The Bernheim Arboretum in Clermont (about 30 miles south of Louisville) includes 15,625 acres of fields and forests, as well as over 40 miles of hiking trails that weave their way through the forest and a bike route that winds along Long Lick Creek.

Whether it’s hiking one of the many trails, fishing in Lake Nevin, enjoying public art, reading under a tree, or taking advantage of one of the many informative programs, Bernheim offers visitors unique opportunities to connect with nature.

New River Gorge, West Virginia

A rugged, whitewater river flowing northward through deep canyons, the New River is among the oldest rivers on the continent. The park encompasses over 70,000 acres of land along 53 miles of the New River, is rich in cultural and natural history, and offers an abundance of scenic and recreational opportunities.

Hiking along the many park trails or biking along an old railroad grade, the visitor will be confronted with spectacular scenery. There are opportunities for extreme sports as well as a more relaxing experience.

Holmes County, Ohio

The Amish have established themselves in the Holmes County area, and it is estimated that one in every six Amish in the world live in this area. The Amish choose to live a simple way of life, which is clearly evident by the presence of horses and buggies, handmade quilts, and lack of electricity in Amish homes.

Entrepreneurial businesses owned by the Amish add to the friendly atmosphere along the byway while creating a welcome distance from the superstores of commercial America. The Swiss and German heritage of the early settlers in the county is evident in the many specialty cheese and meat products and delicious Swiss/Amish restaurants.

Okefenokee Swamp, Georgia

This pristine 680-square-mile wilderness is an ecological wonder. Wetlands provide a critical habitat for abundant wildlife and migratory birds. Take a walk on the 4,000-foot boardwalk and view the prairie from the observation tower. Visitor center offers displays and film. TAKE THE GUIDED BOAT TOUR. From the open, wet “prairies” of the east side to the forested cypress swamps on the west, Okefenokee is a mosaic of habitats, plants, and wildlife.

Worth Pondering…

This is not another place.

It is THE place.

—Charles Bowden

Where Are America’s Best Kept Secrets? Think the Southwest Deserts!

As the most popular national parks get more crowded, where do you go to escape?

In this post, we’ll explore two such parks in Arizona.

The attraction: Joshua Tree National Park, California (2.9 million visits)
The alternative: Saguaro National Park, Arizona (960,000 visits)

Location: 15 miles from Tucson, Arizona
Best places to stay: Lazy Days KOA, Rincon County East RV Resort, or Desert Trails RV Park
Best hike: From the El Camino del Cerro trailhead to the top of Wasson Peak via the Sweetwater trail—best done in cooler weather

Saguaro National Park’s two districts offer more than 165 miles of hiking trails. A hike at Saguaro National Park can be a stroll on a short interpretive nature trail or a day-long wilderness trek. Both districts of Saguaro National Park offer a variety of hiking trails.

Tucson is home to the nation’s largest cacti. The giant saguaro is the universal symbol of the American West. These majestic plants, found only in a small portion of the United States, are protected by Saguaro National Park, to the east and west of Tucson. Here you have a chance to see these enormous cacti, silhouetted by the beauty of a magnificent desert sunrise or sunset.

Saguaro National Park has two districts separated by the city of Tucson. The Tucson Mountain District on the west, and the Rincon Mountain District to the east, are approximately 30 miles (45-60 minutes) apart. While similar in terms of plants and animals, the intricate details make both areas praiseworthy.

Although Saguaro National Park is open every day of the year except Christmas, the busiest time is from November to March. During the winter months, temperatures are cooler and range from the high 50s to the mid-70s. Starting in late February and March, the park begins to get a variety of cactus and wildflower blooms. In late April, the iconic Saguaro begins to bloom. Come June, the fruits are beginning to ripen. In August, the lush Sonoran desert starts its Monsoon season, so watch out for those flash floods.

Another alternative: Organ Pipe National Monument, Arizona (224,548 visits)

Location: 60 miles south of Gila Bend, Arizona on SR-85

Best place to stay: Twin Peaks Campground, the main campground at Organ Pipe National Monument

Best hike: Estes Canyon (3 miles round trip)Estes Canyon is a moderate trail and is great for birding. Trail crosses several washes and is relatively flat until the switchback climb to the Bull Pasture trail.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument preserves the northern-most natural habitat of the Organ Pipe Cactus, as well as amazing examples of desert plants, animals, geology, and human history. Be ready to enjoy the trails and scenic drives, the star-lit nights, and the sun-filled days. Keep yourself safe by knowing what to expect from a desert wilderness.

The easiest way to see the splendor of this park is to take a scenic drive. Many hiking trails are accessed using these scenic drives.

Ajo Mountain Drive is the most popular scenic drive in the monument. It is a 21 mile, mostly gravel road usually passable by normal passenger car. RVs over 24 feet are prohibited, due to the twisting and dipping nature of the road. The Ajo Mountain Road Guidebook is available in the Kris Eggle Visitor Center. January through March a free three hour ranger guided van tour is available. Space is limited and interested visitors may sign up at the Kris Eggle Visitor Center for a seat on the van.

Puerto Blanco Drive is the other popular road in the park. The 37 mile drive provides access to the Pinkley Peak Picnic Area, Red Tanks trail head, Senita Basin, and Quitobaquito Springs. The Puerto Blanco Drive was completely reopened in 2014. Be advised that many travel books and websites do not reflect this change. High clearance vehicles are recommended beyond Pinkley Peak.

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument is open every day of the year. The Kris Eggle Visitor Center is open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. On Thanksgiving and Christmas the visitor center is closed but the park remains open.

The state of Arizona is on Mountain Standard Time. It does not observe Daylight Savings Time.

Worth Pondering…

The saguaro cactus is the Sonoran Desert’s singular icon, the largest native living thing that exists here, and it appears to be a stunningly robust presence in a harsh land.

—Larry Cheek, Cheek, Born Survivor

Highly Rated Snowbird Resorts, According To RVers

Highly rated RV parks and resorts with the snowbird in mind

You can learn a lot about campgrounds and RV parks by reading reviews by real campers and seeing photos of the property.

It can help you find RV parks and resorts that offer spacious full hookup sites while avoiding crowded parks that get traffic noise all night.

The following highly-rated snowbird resorts have both convenient locations and top-quality facilities that have ranked them the highest across the U.S. This list of top rated RV parks and resorts has been selected from parks personally visited.

Meaher State Park – Spanish Fort, Alabama

8.2 rating

This is a small campground located on Mobile Bay with tall, pruned pine trees providing shade. Located in the wetlands of Mobile Bay near Spanish Fort, Meaher is a scenic 1,327-acre park. Meaher State Park is the perfect access point to Mobile Delta. A 300-foot fishing pier with a 200 foot “T” and boat ramp make the park an excellent location for fishing with Mobile Bay providing a productive estuary offering numerous species of fresh and saltwater fish. A boat ramp is located on the Blakeley River on the east end of the park.

Meaher State Park offers 56 modern campsites with 50/30/20-amp electric service, water, and sewer connections. Semi-circle pull-through sites exceed 100 feet in length. Most back-in sites are in the 60-65 foot range. The campground also features a bathhouse with laundry facilities.

Top tip: While camping at the park, take advantage of the abundant shopping and dining options in the Mobile area. The white sands of Alabama’s Gulf Coast are only an hour away.

Hollywood Casino RV Park – Bay St. Louis, Mississippi

8.2 rating

Hollywood Casino RV Park is located in Bay St. Louis approximately 10 miles south of I-10 (Exit 13). The RV park is big-rig friendly featuring 80 back-in sites and 14 back-to-back pull-through sites. Our site backs to a treed area on a bayou and is in the 55-60 foot range with 50/30-amp electric service, water, sewer, and cable TV (42 channels). All interior roads and sites are concrete. Site amenities include metal picnic table and BBQ grill on concrete slab and garbage canister. There is now an office at the park. You check in at office, she assigns you a site, and meets you at site to unlock electricity.

Top tip: Touring the area, we drove along the Bay and wandered the pastel colored buildings and quaint, funky shops of historic Old Town Bay St. Louis including the (train) Depot (c. 1928).

Indian Waters RV Resort – Indio, California

8.1 rating

The park has an area with grassed sites and an area with gravel sites. Ample room to park your RV on a concrete pad and an adjacent spot for your tow or toad vehicle. All basic services worked fine but the Wi-Fi becomes only a teaser as the park fills with snowbirds in early January. The park is close to most places and is good value in an expensive area.

Top tip: Only 23 miles from Palm Springs so close to everything in between. Do not arrive until check-in time as gates do not open until then.

Cajun Palms RV Resort – Breaux Bridge, Louisiana

8.1 rating

A 5-star resort with all hookups including 50-amp electric service and cable TV centrally located together. The reception desk didn’t make us feel particularly welcome. All sites are concrete, level and double wide (with a handful of triple wide sites). They offer pull through, back in, and covered RV sites. The sites are 45 degree angles with strips of grass in between, but no landscaping except for one palm tree. Good power/sewer placement, good water pressure, 70+ cable channels. Trash picked up daily from your site. Bathroom/shower area large. They are currently building more cabins and will be adding another 130 RV sites in the near future.

Top tip: I-10 was under construction with the work extended near the park entrance.

Hacienda RV Resort – Las Cruces, New Mexico

8.7 rating

Hacienda Resort is popular among snowbirds who flock to the desert southwest each winter. They’re located off Interstate 10 in Las Cruces, New Mexico, and less than an hour drive from White Sands National Monument. Each site has full hookups and a privacy fence. Amenities include laundry room, club house, and hot tub.

Top tip: Nearby is Old Mesilla; great food at LaPosta.

Worth Pondering…

Home is where you park it.

The Most Instagrammable Travel Destinations for 2019

The RV lifestyle makes it easy to explore these Instagram-worthy travel destinations

For fun and adventure, consider our top Instagram-worthy travel destinations for 2019.

This compelling list of photogenic destinations captures some of nature’s most beautiful spots.

The RV lifestyle makes it easy to truly immerse yourself in the culture of a destination while checking off those bucket list destinations.

Monument Valley, Arizona/Utah

Driving through Monument Valley makes you feel as though you’ve just traveled back in time. It combines old country western feels with road trip vibes, and offers some of the most perfectly framed photo ops that are totally ‘Instaworthy.’

Joshua Tree National Park, California

Nearly 800,000 acres of desert east of the Coachella Valley, Joshua Tree National Park rewards visitors with a full range of peculiar treasures: spiky yuccas, spiny cacti, spindly ocotillos, gangly Joshua trees, and geological formations, including Jumbo Rocks.

The lower Colorado Desert merges into the higher Mojave Desert, and cholla cactus and ocotillos give way to Joshua trees. An even bigger wow (think Instagram-worthy) can be had at Keys View. To the west, distant San Gorgonio Mountain and San Jacinto Peak—both topping 10,000 feet—scrape the sky. Looking south, you can spy the Salton Sea.

Canadian Rockies, Alberta

The Canadian Rockies stretch 900 miles northwest from the Montana border. The lakes and peaks combined create gob-smacking scenery at any time of the year. But since an RV/car is indispensable for visiting the Rockies, accessing their beauty is easiest in the warmer months, when the highways are clear of ice and snow. Banff and Jasper are the two most popular destinations for visitors to the Rockies. They are connected by the Icefields Parkway, a 140-mile highway that offers unobstructed mountain views.

Blue Ridge Parkway, North Carolina/Virginia

One of the most scenic roads in America, the Blue Ridge Parkway is a 469-mile road that winds along the crest of the Appalachian Mountains providing a unique view of picturesque landscape and history. The Parkway connects Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park at the north end with North Carolina’s Great Smoky Mountains National Park at the south end.

Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona

Step out of your car and into a natural wonderland. The vibrant colors of the Petrified Forest will keep your eyes engaged, while these fascinating ancient fossils will engross your mind. Check out the Rainbow Forest Museum first, so you can orient yourself and determine your trail route.

Carlsbad Caverns National Park, New Mexico

Take a break from being a road warrior and go caving instead. Hidden beneath the surface are more than 119 caves—formed when sulfuric acid dissolved limestone leaving behind caverns of all sizes. Experience the Big Room and Natural Entrance trails at your own pace. Ranger-guided tours include King’s Palace, Left Hand Tunnel, Hall of the White Giant, Lower, Spider, and Slaughter Canyon cave. If you visit from May to October, be prepared to witness the spectacular flight of bats at twilight.

Sequoia National Park, California

I love being close to nature, especially feeling the fresh clean air passing through my lungs and hearing birds sing as a river passes by. Sequoia National Park is a truly special place that is definitely Instagram-worthy. Those huge trees hold an amazing energy and knowledge. At over 3,000 years old, some even pre-date the birth of Christ.

Moki Dugway, Utah

Driving the Moki Dugway in southeastern Utah is not for the faint of heart. A three-mile section of gravel switchbacks chiseled into a nearly vertical cliff side, Moki Dugway descends 1,200 feet down to the western end of the Valley of Gods (known for its buttes and towering pinnacles). The few guardrails don’t hide the wreckage of the occasional vehicle that went over the edge.

Worth Pondering…

Every picture I take is like a diary entry.

—Gilles Peress

7 of the Most Scenic Places for Snowbirds to Camp

Scenic locations for snowbirds to camp this winter in prime Sunbelt states

One of the best things about the RV snowbird life style is that there are so many scenic places to roost. Not only can you park your RV in picturesque locations, you can also enjoy numerous hiking trails, fishing, and other activities while wintering in the US Sunbelt.

Take a look at some of the amazing campsites, and don’t forget to bring your sense of adventure—and your camera.

Usery Mountain Regional Park, Arizona

Neighboring the Goldfield Mountains and Tonto National Forest, Usery Mountain Regional Park spans 3,648 acres of metro Phoenix’s east Valley, and offers 73 individual camping sites. All are developed sites with water and electrical hook-ups, plus a dump station, picnic table, and barbecue fire ring, and can accommodate up to a 45-foot RV. Restrooms offer flush toilets and showers, and group camping is also available.

Anza-Borrego State Park, California

Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is the largest state park in California. Five hundred miles of dirt roads, 12 wilderness areas, and many miles of hiking trails provide visitors with an unparalleled opportunity to experience the wonders of the Sonoran Desert.

Borrego Palm Canyon Campground is a great place for camping. Don’t let the vast 122 available campsites fool you, this campground books up fast. The campground amenities include drinkable water, restrooms and hot, coin-operated showers. Some sites offer full hook-ups.

Gulf State Park, Alabama

Gulf State Park’s two miles of beaches greet you with plenty of white sun-kissed sand, surging surf, seagulls, and sea shells, but there is more than sand and surf to sink your toes into.

Located 1.5 miles from the white sand beaches, Gulf State Park Campground offers 496 improved full-hookup campsites with paved pads and with 11 primitive sites.

Organ Pipe National Park, Arizona

Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument preserves the northern-most natural habitat of the Organ Pipe Cactus, as well as amazing examples of desert plants, animals, geology, and human history. Enjoy the trails and scenic drives, the star-lit nights, and the sun-filled days.

Twin Peaks Campgroundhas 174 sites for RVs. Some sites can accommodate rigs up to 45 feet in length. Restrooms have running water and a few have solar showers. Hookups for electricity, water, or sewer are not available. A dump station is located past the last row of campsites.

Galveston Island State Park, Texas

Come to the island to stroll the beach or splash in the waves. Or come to the island to go fishing or look for coastal birds. No matter what brings you here, you’ll find a refuge at Galveston Island State Park. Just an hour from Houston, but an island apart!

With both beach and bay sides, Galveston Island State Park offers activities for every coast lover. Things to do at Galveston Island State Park include camping (56 sites with 50/30 amp electricity and water), swimming, fishing, bird watching, hiking, mountain biking, and relaxing.

Buccaneer State Park, Mississippi

Located on the beach in Waveland (adjacent to Bay St. Louis), Buccaneer is in a natural setting of large moss-draped oaks, marshlands and the Gulf of Mexico.

Numerous changes within the campground have taken place since the devastating effects of Hurricane Katrina. Today, the park has 206 premium campsites with full amenities including sewer. In addition to the premium sites, Buccaneer has an additional 70 campsites that are set on a grassy field overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. These sites were redesigned after the storm for easier parking and convenience for the visitor. These Gulf view sites only offer water and electricity. A central dumping station and restrooms are located nearby.

Catalina State Park, Arizona

Catalina State Park sits at the base of the majestic Santa Catalina Mountains. The park is a haven for desert plants and wildlife and nearly 5,000 saguaros. The 5,500 acres of foothills, canyons and streams invites camping, picnicking, and bird watching—more than 150 species of birds call the park home. The park is located within minutes of the Tucson metropolitan area.

This scenic desert offers 120 electric and water sites. Each campsite has a picnic table and BBQ grill. Roads and parking slips are paved. Campgrounds have modern flush restrooms with hot showers, and RV dump stations are available in the park. There is no limit on the length of RVs.

Worth Pondering…

Stuff your eyes with wonder…live as if you’d drop dead in ten seconds. See the world. It’s more fantastic than any dream made or paid for in factories.

—Ray Bradbury

Bay St. Louis: A Place Apart

“A Place Apart” Bay St. Louis is an historic beach community with a quaint and funky Old Town

For over three centuries, Bay St. Louis has been home to colorful characters, fanciful buildings, and unquenchable community spirit.

The Bay St. Louis motto is as unique as the city itself: “A Place Apart.”

Bay St. Louis was established in 1699 by French explorers d’Iberville and Bienville. Known for years simply as “the Bay of St. Louis,” the city was incorporated under the name of Bay St. Louis as the first act of the new Mississippi legislature in 1818.

In 2010 Bay St. Louis was listed as one of the Top 10 Beach Communities in the U.S. by Coastal Living Magazine. Budget Travel magazine named it one of the “Coolest Small Towns in America” in 2013 and Southern Living magazine named Bay St. Louis one of their 50 Best Places in the South in 2016.

This far southwest corner of Mississippi appears to have more in common with and oriented more toward Louisiana than the rest of the Magnolia State. Unlike the Deep South with its dominance of Baptist and other protestant churches, here the Roman Catholic Church with its beautiful historic cathedrals and above-ground cemeteries dominate. Local television feeds originate from New Orleans and in the sports memorabilia market Louisiana-based teams are most common.

Touring the area, we drove along the Bay; explored Bay St. Louis and Sister City, Waveland; and wandered the pastel colored buildings and quaint, funky shops of historic Old Town Bay St. Louis including the Depot.

The “Depot,” is a two-story building with mission style design. The train depot (c. 1928), is surrounded by park-like grounds, and once served as the centerpiece of the movie, “This Property is Condemned” starring Robert Redford and Natalie Wood.

The historic L & N Train Depot is designated a “Mississippi Landmark,” and currently houses the Hancock County Tourism, Bay St Louis Mardi Gras Museum, and Alice Moseley Folk Art Museum. Located across from the “Depot” is “Depot Row” which houses several shops and restaurants.

The Mardi Gras Museum currently features a Mardi Gras costume display entitled, “Trains, Tiaras, and Tights: Costumes and Keepsakes of Carter Church.”

Often called the “Costume King,” Carter Church is one of the top costume designers in the U.S. He was a friend and colleague of the renown Russian-born French artist and designer known as Erté, renowned artist of the Art Deco movement, whom he knew in New Orleans and in Paris. Besides frequent comparisons to Erté, he has received 50 Alpha Awards and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Fashion Group International for his designs in the field of couture as well as costume.

His designer gowns and costumes that have won well over 100 awards. Downsizing from the demanding schedule of creating up to 150 costumes a season from his workshop in Bay St. Louis, he now creates designs and costumes for about a dozen krewes in Louisiana and Mississippi. For Carter Church, Carnival is a way of life.

Driving around downtown Bay St. Louis, we admired the “Heavenly Carved Wooden Angels.” Once beautiful live oaks they are now works of art. Chainsaw sculptor, Dayle K. Lewis transformed the tree trunks into “Angel Creations.” Two of the magnificent “Carved Angels” stand in the Cedar Rest Cemetery on Second Street; one on Beach Boulevard in front of Our Lady of the Gulf Church, one near Century Hall, two are located on the first block of Demontluzin Avenue. The “Demontluzin Avenue Angel” was used as a life raft by three Katrina survivors and their dog.

Where to Stay: Hollywood Casino RV Park

Hollywood Casino RV Park is big-rig friendly featuring 80 back-in sites and 14 back-to-back pull-through sites. Our site (#73) backed to a treed area on a bayou and is in the 55-60 foot range with 50/30-amp electric service, water, sewer, and cable TV (42 channels). Wi-Fi worked well from our site; no problem locating satellite. All interior roads and sites are concrete. Site amenities include metal picnic table and BBQ grill on concrete slab and garbage canister. As with many other casino RV parks, pay upon check-out.

Hollywood Casino RV Park is located in Bay St. Louis approximately 10 miles south of I-10 (Exit 13).

Worth Pondering…

Traveling is almost like talking with men of other centuries.

—René Descartes

6 Scenic Lakes for Camping in the Southwest

Enjoy waterfront camping at these six scenic lakes in the arid Southwest

Since the Southwest is known for its iconic desert landscape, you may be surprised by the many scenic lakes where you can enjoy waterfront camping.

These lakes are an oasis for activities like swimming, fishing, and kayaking, and have camping facilities that can accommodate RVs.

1. Lake Pleasant, Arizona

The cool blue Lake Pleasant is located in a regional park about an hour north of Phoenix. The recreation area is open year-round and has campsites, hiking trails, boat ramps, and a Discovery Center where you can learn more about the area’s plants and wildlife.

The developed sites are complete with water and electricity, a covered ramada, picnic table, barbecue grill, fire ring, and access to a dump station. If you don’t mind dry camping, the semi-developed sites have similar features except for utilities.

2. Patagonia Lake State Park, Arizona

Patagonia Lake is well known for its great fishing, hiking, and bird watching. This southern Arizona state park also has a beach, boat ramp, and a picnic area with tables and grills. If you don’t have your own watercraft, canoe, pontoon boat, row boat, and paddle boat rentals are available.

The campground has over 100 sites with electric hookups, picnic tables, and fire rings. Waterfront cabins can also be rented on the southeast end of the lake. The park can get crowded, but it’s usually more peaceful during the off-season and middle of the week.

3. Parker Canyon Lake, Arizona

Parker Canyon Lake is off the beaten path and not as easily accessible but it is usually much less crowded than Patagonia Lake. The US Forest Service campground is open all year; in the summer boat and paddleboard rentals are available.

Lakeview Campground overlooks the lake with 65 campsites (maximum length 36 feet) on top of a hill. There are no hookups, but there is potable water, a general store, and restrooms.

4. Lake Mead and Lake Mohave, Nevada/Arizona

Lakes Mead and Mohave are both on the Colorado River and worth a visit in the RV. The two reservoirs are located within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, a short day trip from Las Vegas.

There are several campgrounds and RV parks along the shores of the two lakes. The National Park Service sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. These include Las Vegas Bay Campground, Callville Bay, Boulder Beach Campground, and Echo Bay. Lake Mead RV Village offers pull-through and full hook-up sites.

5. Elephant Butte Lake State Park, New Mexico

The largest state park in New Mexico surrounds the state’s biggest reservoir. Elephant Butte Lake has beach access, a fishing pier, marinas, and boat rentals. The park has 15 miles of hiking and biking trails as well as several picnic areas where you can enjoy lunch overlooking the lake.

There are about 170 RV sites in Lions Beach, Desert Cove and South Monticello campgrounds. Primitive beach camping, group sites, and boat-in camping are also available.

6. Alamo Lake, Arizona

Campground A offers 17 basic sites with both back-in and pull-through sites. Campground B has expanded to 27 mixed-amenity sites. Campground C offers 40 water and electric sites 15 full-hookup sites. Dry camping is located in Campgrounds D and E and each site has a picnic table and fire ring.

Worth Pondering…

A lake is the landscape’s most beautiful and expressive feature.

It is earth’s eye, looking into which, the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.

—Henry David Thoreau