Camping Facilities
(Military FamCamp,
Passport America, Wal*Mart, FlyingJ, etc.)
that we have visited, along with our opinions of the place
|
Send questions, opinions, updates
and disagreements to: Glenn@4merMarine.com
Most
of the civilian campgrounds we used are participants in the Passport America program which
offers, for a small annual fee, a 50% discount on camping fees. It's about
the best deal out there and well worth your consideration. We no longer have
a membership to Passport America because we don't use a lot of commercial
campgrounds. If you do, we recommend Passport America highly. When
we started fulltiming I
was not yet old enough for the National Park Service's Golden Age Passport
so I had been paying full price at federal facilities. I learned, from
my sister Jann, that my VA Disability qualified me for a Golden
Access Passport, which is exactly the same thing except that it is free
rather than the $10 that is collected for the age-related card. The Golden Passports have been replaced by the America the Beautifulcard. It comes in a number of varieties including
an age related card and an "access" card. They are essentially the
same as the Golden Passports which are no longer available but which will
continue to be honored. You can only get them from a facility that honors
them (National Park, National Forest, National monuments, etc. Corps of
Engineers honors them but does not sell them.).
|
|
State |
Name/Address/GPS |
Location |
Notes |
Daily
Fee |
Date
of |
|
ARIZONA Overnight parking at rest stops OK unless posted. |
|||||
|
Arizona |
Grand
Canyon |
From
I-40 take AZ-64 north about an hour to the park entrance. |
We
did not camp here.
We went here on Bev's birthday in January, for a break from the desert, and
stayed at the Maswik Lodge, about a
five minute walk from the rim. It's a basic motel but at $77 per night it was
a bargain. There are more expensive rooms available if you want to splurge,
and there is camping which, sorry, we know nothing about. |
N/A |
January 2007 |
|
Arizona |
Magic Circle
|
From
Business 10 in Quartzsite (off I-10) turn south at US 95 toward Yuma. Drive
approx. 2.8 miles to entrance on left. Just past office pull into parking
area and pay fee. If you don't want to go to Magic Circle you can park anywhere.
Continue on approx. 2.4 miles (first mile is paved) to small blue N on right.
Turn right and follow blue N or white "Magic Circle" signs to
Information sign near flagpole. |
Magic
Circle is a clothing optional area within the massive Bureau of Land
Management Long Term Camping area. BLM charges $140 for the entire year or
$30 per 14-day stay. There are no "sites" so there are no services
on sites. Sewer dump, potable water, trash receptacles and porta johns are available at central locations but there
are NO electric hookups of any kind. In January you can expect to wait
hours to dump and almost as long in the potable water line. This is pure boondocking. We installed our solar panels and inverter
here. If you have an interest in solar, go to Quartzsite and see Craig at Discount Solar. We were told by
anyone we asked that he is the only honest solar dealer in town and he knows
his stuff. (We have since been informed that Solar John is also honest and
helpful). There is a lot to do in Quartzsite,
particularly in January and February. Countless flea markets and gem dealers
as well as experts on everything RV. |
$2.15 |
December 2006 |
|
CALIFORNIA Rest Areas: Overnight "resting" OK. |
|||||
|
California |
Fiddler's
Cove RV Park |
From
I-5 North or South, take Coronado exit and bridge across the bay. This
becomes CA 75 which turns South. Follow 75 through Coronado, past the
magnificent Del Coronado Hotel and the Naval Amphibious Base. Look for small
sailboat on left which indicates the entrance. Check in inside gate or with
Night Host after hours. |
Great
facility with marina, 30A electric and water as well as store, bathrooms,
showers, laundry and super people. Reservations are absolutely necessary as
this place fills up frequently. Spaces are very small. Our 35-foot motor home
didn't quite fit on the concrete pad but there was plenty of space behind the
coach for parking the dinghy. Not wide enough for both slides and awnings.
Pull in spaces and dry camping are directly on the bay with fire rings and a
magnificent view of San Diego. Mail is not delivered to the park so it must be
sent to General Delivery at the Coronado Post Office. UPS and FedEx do
deliver to sites. Plans have been on the books for full hook ups and
larger sites, but as it is this is a winner. |
$22 |
December 2006 |
|
California |
Flying
J Travel Plaza 05090 |
I-15,
Exit 178 |
Large,
very clean, well maintained and extremely busy facility. Full set of RV
islands. Very friendly people. Trucks lined up for blocks waiting to get in
for fuel/service. RVs packed in to a large parking area. Quite noisy. |
$0 |
November 2006 |
|
California |
Santa
Maria Fairpark |
Exit
US 101 at Stowell St and drive west to fairgounds on right. Gate 7, past main entrance is always
open. If late, find a spot and go to the office in the morning. |
We
worked here selling Christmas trees so our fees were paid. The bathrooms are
very nice with great showers and plenty of hot (not scalding) water. 50, 30,
20 Amps. In town. Some pull thrus. Weekly rates. |
$15 |
December 2006 |
|
California |
Wal*Mart #2507 |
US
101, Exit on south end of town and drive west about a block to Bradley. Take
it south (at one point it splits due to a large field, pick it up south of
the field). |
You
must park only in the Wal*Mart parking lot.
Security will make you move from anywhere else. Wal*Mart
management will not give you permission but security will not bother you if
you are in the Wal*Mart lot. Be friendly and
patronize the Wal*Mart store. This is not a 24-hour
store and does not have RV supplies. Security will check to make sure you
leave by noon. |
$0 |
November 2006 |
|
DELAWARE Rest Areas: Overnight parking is allowed but not
encouraged. The Rest Area at Smyrna on DE-1 has a dump for which a fee ($5
when last checked) is charged. Toll roads and bridges accept Ez-Pass. |
|||||
|
Delaware |
Dover
AFB FamCamp 39°
07' 10.6" N |
On
base. Enter via commercial (truck) gate. Follow that road to a T, turn
right. Just past the mortuary turn left onto |
Open
year-round. 10 spaces, all back-in. Overflow is in the adjacent field. Spaces
1-3 do not have sewer. Space 2 floods in heavy rain. Friendly and
helpful staff. No shade. It is close to places of interest for us
(including family) |
$10 |
April 2005 |
|
FLORIDA Rest
Areas: No overnight parking. |
|||||
|
Florida |
Big
Bass Campground |
Mid-way
between Weirsdale and Altoona on County Road 42.
Unmarked westbound. Only one sign eastbound. On the SW corner of the Ocala
National Forest. Look for Forest Road 588 (dirt road) and take it
north. Open Oct.15 to April 15. |
Nice
primitive campground with large and diverse sites. No hookups. Water is
available at many locations throughout the campground and chemical toilets
are also spotted around. The road noise from Route 42 is constant and
pervasive. My America
the Beautiful card made this a real bargain. One of 28 camping areas in
the Ocala National Forest. |
$3 |
April 2007 |
|
Florida |
Flamingo
Campground |
From
US 1, the park is located 12 miles SW of Homestead, FL along State Road 9336. |
Flamingo
Campground is 38 miles from the entrance to Everglades NP. It is at the
very tip of the Florida mainland. At night it is eerily quiet. While
they have very long pull-through pads there are no utilities although, while
we were there a Ranger did question us about electric. The restrooms
are very nice and clean (ours even had complimentary coffee in the morning)
but the showers are cold water only. NO VERIZON SERVICE AT ALL.
No digital TV. Long Pine Key Campground is only 7 miles
from the main gate, closer to civilization. |
$8.00 America The Beautiful |
February 2009 |
|
Florida |
Fort
Zachary Taylor Historical State Park |
US
Route 1 becomes Truman Ave. in Key West. Turn right on Whitehead Street
and left on Southard St. Go past the Truman Annex guard booth, through
the next gateposts and turn left toward the Naval Station gate. Just
before the Naval Station gate, turn righ into the
park's fee booth. Be careful, the streets in Key West are VERY narrow
and tourists do not know why those lines are painted on the streets at
intersections. |
We
camped here during Civil War Heritage Days and parking was part of the
participant fee. They put us in a gravel parking lot right on the ocean
in the shadow of the fort. The beach here is considered the finest
beach in Key West but the park is only open from 8 a.m. until dusk.
Overnight parking is not allowed (although we are leading a campaing to change that). There are no utilities so
this is totally dry camping. Park volunteers however live in Volunteer
Village with full hook ups for 20 hours per week of work. Contact the
park for info. |
$0 |
February 2009 |
|
Florida |
Gulf
Coast Nudist Resort |
From
US 19 take County Line Road east for 2 miles. |
Family-friendly
nudist resort with large pool and whirlpool on a concrete sunning pad. Resort
has paved tennis courts, horseshoe pits, volleyball courts, shuffleboard and
other exercise facilities. A restaurant is open for three meals daily and a cabanna with hamburgs, hotdogs,
beer and wine is open on week ends. Many scheduled
events. We were there for the St. Patrick's Day activities and a meeting of
the Escapees Buffs BoF. Full hook ups and laundry
available. |
$18.50 |
March 2007 |
|
Florida |
Holder
Mine Campground |
From
the Gulf to Lakes Highway (State Road 44) west of
Inverness take State Road 581 south toward Brooksville.
After about two miles you will see a sign for Trail 10 to the right.
A half mile in the road turns to gravel for about a mile.
Campground is on the right just past the dump station. |
The
Florida State Parks have priced themselves out of the market. We can get a full hookup site in a “resort”
for $16. Why would we pay $20 for
electric and water in the boonies? We went to this campground from Big Bass
because the temps continually dropped below freezing at night and without
electric we couldn't keep warm and were spending a fortune on LP for the
generator and catalitic heaters. This is a
beautiful little campground with electric and water as well as restrooms and
hot shower. No reservations, first come first
served. Pick a spot and pay the Iron Ranger. |
$10.00 |
January-March 2009 January 2011 |
|
Key
West Naval Air Station |
Soon
after crossing the bridge into Key West, US 1 makes a
right turn then curves to the left. When it straightens
out look for signs to Sigsbee and turn right onto Kennedy Drive. Take the
causeway and the road to the MWR office and check in. |
Sigsbee
has about 90 spaces with full hook up and a 14-day stay limit. Waiting
time in dry camping is 2-3 weeks and they will never run out of space.
If you are not waiting for a full hook-up site they will probably move
you over to Trumbo Point, adjacent to the Coast Guard but only a long walk to
the Schooner Wharf, Mallory Square and Duvall St. The Trumbow Point campground is sparse with a shower at the
pool along with two washers and dryers. But you are in paradise--the Conch Republic. Go downtown, take a cruise, populate Mallory Square or
just stroll down Duvall Street. If you sit in your coach on your grass
spot you deserve to be bored. |
$12 |
February 2009 |
|
|
Florida |
Lake
Como Nudist Resort |
Just
south of the intersection of US 41 and State Route 54 turn west onto Cot Rd
and follow it to the Lake Como entrance. |
Rustic
family-friendly resort with large pool, whirlpool, sauna, competition-quality
clay tennis courts, free canoes and paddleboats on large lake. Everything
from full hook ups to boondocking at the same
price. |
$65 |
March 2007 |
|
Florida |
Manitee Cove |
From
I 95 take Exit 191 (Wickham Rd). Follow signs to Patrick AFB. There is one
left turn onto Pineda Causeway. Go past first entrance to Patrick AFB. Turn
left on FL A1A. About a mile and a half north turn left into truck entrance
(if after hours call security for entry). From gate turn right onto main road
which eventually turns left. Go through two stop signs and turn left on
Rescue Road which crosses the end of the runway and terminates at the FamCamp. After 9 p.m. stay in the parking lot before the
playground and wait for morning. |
Beautiful
facility, well maintained and well managed. Plenty
of rules but they are all enforced for everyone. Site 69 is reserved for
wheel-chair bound handicapped. Facility has full and partial hook-ups and a
fleet of blue-boys for those in no-sewer spots. Some spots are right on the
Banana River. Nice beach, restrooms, showers, laundry room. |
$14 |
April 2007 |
|
Florida |
Monument
Lake Campground |
Along
the Tamiami Trail (US 41) about 10 miles west of the Oasis Visitor Center north of the highway. |
We
stopped here overnight on our way from Key West to Fort Myers Beach. It
is dry camping with a bathhouse. The lake is full of very large gators who are curious but not agressive.
Beautiful location and very friendly volunteer staff. However, if
we were going to spend more than a night we would go to the Midway
Campground, about three miles east of the Oasis Visitor Center where we can
get a full hook up and shower for $10 a night (Interagency Pass rate). |
$8 |
February 2009 |
|
Florida Nude
Campground |
Paradise
Pines Nude RV Park 20300 Leonard Road Lutz, FL 33558 813-474-8426 http://www.paradisepinesrvpark.com/ sales and rentals |
Exit
I-75 at FL54 and head west. Turn left
onto US41 and make an immediate right onto Leonard Road. Drive past Lake Como and look for the sign
on the left. You will need to have
someone let you in through the gate. |
Very
friendly, laid back nude campground that costs less than the nearby “textile”
resorts. All spots are privately owned
and most are available for rent or purchase.
A pool is available next door at Lake Como (for a fee) but there is
discussion about putting one in the park if the owners can agree. Membership in any recognized national or
international nudist organization is required to keep out the gawkers. |
From $350 per month +
electric (Typically $500 per month) 50-30 Amp,
Water, Sewer |
February-March 2011 December 2011- April 2012 |
|
Florida |
Parkway
Tire Campground |
Between
Panama City and Tyndall AFB on US 98. |
It's
actually the parking area behind Parkway Tire and Service, Inc. We
spent a week here getting our brakes done. We had to replace all four
rotors and other problems and the people here were just great. If your RV
needs service they will do it for a reasonable price. They have
promised us a dedicated camping spot when we come back next year for tires.
We can not recommend Neil and his staff too
highly. Not a very good campground but a great place for RV service and
tires. |
$0 |
February 2008 |
|
Florida |
Raptor
Ranch |
South
of Panama City, just as you enter Tyndall AFB on US98, second right at FamCamp sign. Just off the highway. |
Very
nice, well maintained and excellent management. This one is a winner. No
reservations but fast turn-around from overflow to sites. Beautiful, wooded
location directly on the river. The community building was built by campers
and events are held frequently. |
$16 |
March 2007 |
|
Florida |
Riverboat Nudist Resort |
North
of Land O' Lakes turn east off of US 41 onto
Caliente Road and pass Caliente Resort--paved road ends. Riverboat is on the
left. |
Very
rustic. Pool and whirlpool were dirty. Friendly people. Parties, parties,
parties. Do not take children here, this resort is
friendly to alternate lifestyles. |
$32.50 |
March 2007 |
|
Florida |
Wal*Mart #988 |
On
the north side of State Route 54 just east of US 41. Just a few miles west of
I-75. |
This
is a Wal*Mart, not a Super Wal*Mart
so it closes at night and has no grocery department. However, there is
a Sweetbay Grocery Store in the same
shopping center. Parking is OK but they ask that you park close to the
highway. Walking into this store is almost like walking into a
museum--this is one of the originals. If you want to get a manicure or
pedicure go to Rose Nails, not the overly expensive other nail shop. |
$0 |
February
2009 |
|
GEORGIA Rest Areas: Overnight parking is not allowed. Some Rest
Areas have dumps at the exits. |
|||||
|
Georgia |
Bell
Acres REsort |
I-85
to Exit 149 (Do NOT use the Maysville Exit), go north on US 441, approximately
one mile, cross Grove River Bridge and take first left onto McDonald Circle.
Drive 1.7 miles to Hembree Road (gravel) on left.
Take Hembree Road .6 mile to Bell Acres Road on
right. With a good driver this can be negotiated with big rigs. |
Nudist
Resort open year-round. 10 camping spaces, 35 long term camper
spaces. Friendly membership resort with week end activities, pool (May-Oct),
hot tub, hiking trail, clubhouse, horshoe and
volleyball courts. Pleasant wooded acres. Sites can accompdate
up to 45-ft rigs but there are only a few 30 amp
sites (no 50). Water and sewer on site. Get there soon if you plan to go
because the owner does very little maintenance and the place will soon fall
apart and go back to nature. |
$21.50 PA |
March 2006 |
|
Georgia |
Fort
Frederica National Monument (FOFR) |
On
Saint Simons Island, GA, a barrier island east of Brunswick, GA. Take
the causeway to the island and turn left at the first light. At the
next light trun left and continue to the circle.
Take the second exit off the circle and the park is just past Christ
Church on the left. |
One
pad for volunteers (scheduled up to three years in advance except for July
and August which are almost always open). Work is diverse from interpretation
to construction to costume repair to living history and just about anything
you can offer. |
$0 |
November - December 2008 |
|
Georgia |
Fort
Pulaski National Monument (FOPU) |
About
12 miles east of Savannah on US 80 just before Tybee Island. |
Four
full-service pads for volunteers. You work four on, three off in
various jobs for the National Park Service. This may be the best volunteer
campground in the NPS. The Coast Guard station within walking distance allovs volunteers to eat in their galley for a fee. You
can watch the big ships pass within a couple hundred yards on their way to
and from Savannah. Your dining companions are deer and racoons
and when the park is closed, the bridge is locked and you are pretty much
alone on Cocksput Island. |
$0 |
April to July 2007 |
|
|
32°
38' 25.4" N |
On
base. Drive to the commercial (truck) gate and ask for directions, a map and
an escort, if possible. The site is on a lake and is breathtaking. Well worth
the search. |
Open
year-round. 18-hard stands, 4 of them pull-thru. 50A/Sewer/Water. Friendliest
staff on the planet. We were there a few days before a FMCA event nearby and had to dry camp for half
price. Base services are a short drive away but the campsites are very
secluded in a nice wooded area. Our second visit was just as enjoyable.
A great place to relax. |
$12 |
March 2005 |
|
INDIANA Rest Areas: Overnight parking is NOT allowed. |
|||||
|
Indiana |
FlyingJ |
I-65
Exit 139 at IN-39. |
Very
busy, next to a truck terminal. RV islands to the left of the auto islands.
Diesel, gas, LP, dump, air. Only four RV overnight spaces, located next to
auto islands. Standard Flying J facilities. When we were there they had the
lowest diesel prices in the nation. |
$0 |
May 2005 |
|
Indiana |
Flying
J # 05085 |
Also
Indiana 51- Ripley Street South. |
NO
RV FACILITIES. Go to truck fueling islands. The sign that says "Cars
Only" is for real. A big rig can not maneuver
in the space provided. |
$0 |
October 2006 |
|
Indiana |
Hardin
Ridge Campground |
A few miles off Indiana 446 south of Bloomington on Lake
Monroe.
|
We
arrived the week after school started and essentially had the whole place to
ourselves. Fabulously beautiful, great hosts, spotless, improved parking
spaces with 30Amp electric and water. The showers are very clean,
they work extremely well and are worth the price of admission. The price with
the Golden Access Passport was listed as $13.50 but if you stay 3 days
during the week you get the 4th day free. I didn't realize that the U. S.
Forest Service is part of the Department of Agriculture. |
$10.25 |
August 2005 |
|
Indiana |
O'Riley Raceway Park |
U.
S. Route 136 in Crawfordsville, northwest of Indianapolis. |
Not
a campground--a
workamping assignment. We work here each year for the
MAC Nationals of the National Hot Rod
Association, selling and taking tickets. Before the race starts we
work a few days putting up signs and cleaning facilities. No electricity (In
2007 they left us hook up to 20 amps if we could find a plug). Honey wagon
takes septic and water is delivered when requested for free. The appeal here
is the other Workampers. We have a lot of fun and make a little
money. There are also other events for Workampers
throughout the year so contact Katrina (very nice lady & super boss) if
you are interested in a brief assignment. |
No Fees |
August 2005 |
|
Indiana |
White
Oak Ranch Campground |
Along
Old Farm Road between Springville and Fayetteville west of Bedford. |
Bev's
sister, Leslie, and her husband, Jeff, are the always genial hosts. We have a
30 Amp connection, water and plenty of woods to drain the gray tank. Their
horses add an interesting ambiance to the parking spot. They always welcome
us and it is a beautiful, quiet idylic setting for
resting. Unfortunately, for anyone looking here for a place to camp, this is
another of our network of friends and relatives who have driveways in excess
of 35 feet long and welcome us. |
No Fees |
As often as possible |
|
LOUISIANA Rest Areas: |
|||||
|
Louisiana |
Toledo
Bend Recreation Site |
From
Ft. Polk take US 171 north to Anacoco and turn left
on LA 111. Follow this road (LA 111 makes a left turn--go straight) until it
comes to a T at the river. Turn right and drive 4.8 miles, pass the state
park, and look for the sign on the left. Once at the site, DO NOT go down the
hill to the office with your rig--it is on a peninsula and very difficult to
turn around. Recommend you go through the "Back Gate" if you have a
big rig. This campground can not handle anything
bigger than 35 ft. |
Rustic
fishing camp with electric and water on site. CATV is available for $5 per
week (on some sites). No TV reception, no Verizon service. |
$15 |
February 2007 |
|
MISSISSIPPI Rest Areas: |
|||||
|
Mississippi |
Shields
RV Park |
From
I 10 Exit 34 take US 49 south for exactly 4 miles to Pass Road. Turn right,
Pass Road ends at the gate. Ask at the gate for directions as the park is
being moved. |
This
park is in transition. Its current site is being closed to build military
family housing. The temporary site is a former FEMA trailer park in the
industrial section of the base until the new site is completed at an
abandoned trailer park. Interim site has all back-in on gravel with 30 amp
service, water and sewer. There is also a laundry house with free washers and
dryers, part of which is to be converted to bathrooms. |
$12.87 |
March 2007 |
|
Mississippi |
Wal*Mart #3528 |
US
49 |
We
tried to get in at Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg but it was full with no
overflow due to its Iraq War mission. We decided to go to the Sea Bee base at
Gulfport but it was getting late and we were tired so we spent the night
here. |
$0 |
February 2007 |
|
MONTANA Rest Stops: Overnight parking NOT allowed. Some Rest Stops
have dumps. |
|||||
|
Montana |
Chalet
Bearmouth |
I-90
at Mile Marker 138. 33 miles E of Missoula & 97 miles W of Butte. |
We
were tired after driving the passes in rain, sleet, snow, slush, etc. all day
and saw this place along the Clark Fork River. The scenery is magnificent and
it is open year round. We had a 30 Amp (50 is available) hook up plus water
(water is shut off during winter). Sewer is central due to the age of the
park and proximity to the river. The Lodge has rooms, dining, a bar, casino,
large showers, bathrooms, laundry room and gas
pumps. The restaurant is open for breakfast (which was outstanding), lunch
and dinner. There is also FREE WiFi but no TV. New
motivated and very friendly owners. Planning to go PA. |
$20 |
October 2006 |
|
NEVADA Rest Areas: Overnight parking OK. 24 hour limit. |
|||||
|
Nevada |
Lake
Meade NRA |
I-515 SE of Las Vegas until it ends. Continue on US93 and
take Boulder City by-pass. Before Hoover Dam
will be a left turn to beaches and camping. Boulder Beach is first campground
on right past the Ranger Station.
|
Drive
through campground and pick a spot (none are reserved). Then return to
pavilion at entry, obtain an envelope, fill it out with
site number, name, address, license number of RV and Golden Passport
number if you have one. This campground charges $10 per night ($5 for Golden
Passports). Restroom facilities with sinks are provided as are fire rings and
water (not garden hose compatable). There is a
beach and a dump station. Enforced quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. |
$5 |
November 2006 |
|
Nevada |
Oasis
Resort Casino RV Park |
I-15
Exit 120. Drive down Mesquite Blvd past Oasis
Casino, RV park entrance on left. Check in at office. Pull-thrus on left, back-ins on right. Showers in far right
corner. |
Nice
fully paved area with 50 Amp electric, water, sewer, cable. Very tight
spaces, slide outs are problematic. We were here for a conference (and a
celebration of the Marine Corps Birthday). It is a little more than we would
like to spend and if we are in the area would probably go to Zion
National Park. If this is your kind of camping
this place gets a good grade. Very nice clean showers. Get a key to the
heated pool and two whirlpools at the hotel lobby. If you are a serious
gambler they will comp your site. Try not to drink
the water, it is nasty. |
$17 |
November 2006 |
|
NEW HAMPSHIRE Rest Areas: Overnight parking is NOT allowed. Stays
limited to 3 hours except in emergencies. |
|||||
|
New Hampshire |
New
Boston Recreation Area |
West
of Manchester on New Boston Air Force Station. They bill it as the best kept
camping secret in New England and from our experience they are right. |
Nice
improved spaces with 30A and water. No on site dump. Showers are in a small
trailer at the entrance to the site and the rest rooms are porta-potties. No military exchange or commissary but Wal*Mart is only 8
miles away. A good percentage of the spots are filled with semi-permanent
(3-6 months) campers so reservations are absolutely required. For some reason
they don't allow overflow parking even though there is plenty of open space. |
$10 |
August 2005 |
|
NEW YORK Rest Areas: Overnight parking allowed only in emergencies.
Normal stops limited to 3 hours. Toll roads, bridges and tunnels almost all
accept Ez-Pass. |
|||||
|
New York |
Cherry
Plain State Park |
SE
of Albany near the Mass. border. Waaaaaaaaaay back
in the woods. Very poorly marked with miniature signs behind trees etc.
Single lane gravel roads for miles. |
This
is not your basic overnight stop. You have got to want to come here and,
quite honestly, as far back in the boonies as it is, you should plan to stay
a week and plan to pay plenty for it. Quiet, serene, big beautiful clean lake
with swimming and boating. NO hook ups, small RV spaces (I barely made it
between some of the trees and had to sacrifice my awning to get out). But if
you want rustic, this is the place to be. Friendly staff but a very confusing
fee structure. As I write this I have no idea how much this is going to cost.
One of the reasons we stopped was the note that they gave discounts for
golden access holders (according to the
brochure we got at the Welcome Center on I-81) but now it appears as
though that is "New York State Golden Access" holders. If you have
a rig over 20-feet, DO NOT let them send you into the first loop--you can't
get out. |
$15.75 |
August 2005 |
|
New York |
Cortland
Country Music Park |
I-81
Exit 11. North on Rt.13 1.5 miles on the right. Note: It is the second
Country Music Park, the first is a real dump (even
worse than the dump we ended up in). |
AVOID
THIS PLACE.
The campground is an after thought to the Country
Music Hall of Fame, the Saturday and Sunday live entertainment and the Monday
Bingo. When we arrived they told us to park anywhere so we selected a level
spot. Two days of rain and our spot turned into a mud bog. We were informed
that the tractor was broken and we had to have a commercial tow truck jerk us
out. The management was not only not helpful, they
were belligerent. The place is crowded with semi-permanent residents with
plywood additions. Many of them are around the lake so that you can't even
see the lake. |
$10 |
June 2005 |
|
New York |
Fort
Drum |
Near
Watertown |
Remington
Lake Campground
is CLOSED. The option was dry camping with zero facilities on site for
waaaaaaay too much. But I can't really complain
because this is the home of the 10th Mountain
Division which was the vanguard on our wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. That
part of their job they do great. |
$20 |
June 2005 |
|
New York
|
Sleepy
Hollow Lake |
Between
I-90 and NY 33 west of NY 77 |
200
sites with 30 and 50 Amp service and anything to do from BINGO and quoits to
a petting zoo and a beach. Some shaded sites, some in the scorching sun. This
is one of the few P.A. campgrounds that is worth the
regular fee. This is a resort setting with plenty to do. They did manage to squeeze out an extra $2.50 per night for
air conditioning--it was not in the P. A. brochure. |
$14.50 |
August 2005 |
|
OHIO Rest Areas: Overnight parking NOT allowed. Stay limited to
3 hours. Ohio Turnpike does NOT accept Ez-Pass but
I am told some rest stops have electric hook ups and dumps. Interstate
speed limit 65 except for big trucks and big rigs (55 mph) and enforcement is
fanatical. This forces you to either constantly pass
trucks or drive at the slower speed--this can not
be safer. |
|||||
|
Ohio
|
Kool Lakes Family RV Park |
Off
of US 422 south on Ohio 282 less than a mile. In
Portage County |
Beautiful
old campground with fishing and boating lake and separate swimming lake.
Plenty of campsites with various options from
primitive to full-hookup. Some pull thru's. Very good shower facilities except that when we were there the
hot water was limited or non-existent. Quiet, wooded. The folks who
helped us get set up on Sunday were very friendly,
other staff was much less helpful. Many seasonal
and permanent sites with their plywood add-ons gives it a ramshackle
appearance. We probably won't go back because of their erratic policy on
visitors. We had visitors on two days--just to chat, not to use any of the
facilities, and on the first day they were charged $1 per person and on the
second day $3 per person and were sternly warned to be out of the park by
sundown (despite their rules which said 10 p.m.). |
$11 |
June 2005 |
|
Ohio
|
Mill
Creek Recreation Area |
From Deerfield, OH 4 miles East on US 224, 0.5 miles South
on Bedell Road, on right.
|
30
Amp (50 available in a few sites), no water, no sewer on site (dump in park).
Beautiful wooded setting, level hard surface. Giant lake, swimming, boating,
fishing, hiking, biking, group camping, showers (in need of repair), marina,
playgrounds, central septic dump. Corps of Engineers facility. Friendly
people. We |
$9 |
August 2005, |
|
Ohio
|
Wal*Mart #2362 |
Closest
Wal*Mart to Rock
and Roll Hall of Fame which has NO parking of any kind for RVs. Hard to
find. |
Not
a very nice neighborhood and the Head Cashier said we needed permission from
the manager who just went home. We checked with the roving security guard who
said it would be OK. This is not a 24-hour Wal*Mart
and we would not do it again. The IHOP
nearby was a blessing in the morning. |
$0 |
June 2005 |
|
OREGON Rest Areas: Overnight parking OK up to 12 hours. Some rest
areas have exercise rings for horses. They are also serious about not passing
snow plows on the right. Some rest areas have dumps. |
|||||
|
Oregon |
Dead
Man's Pass
Rest Stop |
I-84
Exit 224 |
From
the west it is a full hour's climb, in 3rd gear to the summit. As a result, I
ran out of fuel pulling into this rest stop. The closest diesel is at the FlyingJ in LaGrande. Have you
ever had to prime a diesel engine on a hill at night in the rain? Trust
me, it ain't fun. |
$0 |
November 2006 |
|
Oregon |
FlyingJ |
I-84
Exit 265 |
This
is a franchise, not a Flying J owned facility. No RV island, no dump, no
propane. Parking is on gravel among the trucks. EXTREMELY noisy from trucks
running all night and a train track next to the parking area. This is also a
Greyhound Bus Depot. VERY FRIENDLY and helpful people who didn't even make
fun of me when I ran out of fuel on Dead Man's Pass. Heading east I would
spend the night at the rest stop about 4 miles down the road. Heading west
I'd go to Dead Man's Pass rest stop. |
$0 |
November 2006 |
|
PENNSYLVANIA Rest Areas: Overnight parking NOT authorized but not
enforced. PA Turnpike accepts Ez-Pass. |
|||||
|
Pennsylvania |
Camp
Carpenter Bee |
Private
residence, sorry |
Greg
& Martee allow us to stay at their place in Brunnerville. It is a well forested lot overlooking a
large farm and a valley. They allowed us to put in a dedicated 30 amp service
and we park on the edge of their parking lot. Super people, we are lucky to
know them. |
$0 |
Whenever we are in
Lancaster County, PA |
|
Pennsylvania Private
Spot |
Deerlick Campsite Orrtanna,
PA 17353 |
This
is our family get away site in the mountains between Gettysburg and Chambersburg, PA. |
Just
a small hunting cabin on rented land.
We have put in two parking spots, one for out motorhome
and one for friends. The lot in in a wooded high valley between Pine Mountain and South
Mountain, 2.5 miles north of US-30 between Gettysburg and Chambersburg. It is a wooded 2 acres with a stream, fire
pit, deck, tree house and zip line. We think it is paradise north. |
$0 |
Summer Months Available to fiiends--please call first |
|
Pennsylvania
|
FlyingJ |
North
of Carlisle just off I-81 at Exit 52. |
Typical
FlyingJ except that RV parking is in the lot
outside the door to the restaurant. There are no pull-thrus
so bigger rigs need to park sideways on the marked lot. |
$0 |
August 2005 |
|
Pennsylvania |
Wal*Mart #1945 |
Off
I-99 about a mile. |
Nice
quiet spot. Be sure to ask manager. |
$0 |
June 2005 |
|
Pennsylvania |
Walker
Compound |
Private
residence, sorry |
Most
of Bev's brother's family live on this large lot on the edge of two streams
and bordered by the Nittany and Bald Eagle Railroad. We have a dedicated
30 amp service in the mountains of Northern Pennsylvania. It is great until
the floods. |
$0 |
Frequently |
|
Pennsylvania
|
Youghiogheny
River Lake |
On PA Route 281 about five miles north of US 40, east of
Uniontown PA
|
We
are convinced that the Corps of Engineers selects their campgrounds by
following the Verizon guy around and when he asks "Can you hear me
now" and there is no response the CofE builds
a campground. They have full hookups but we
selected electric only. It was the last week of the season and
everything was in working order and very clean. Sleeping to the sound of the
water coursing down from the dam was a real pleasure. We will be back. The
town of Confluence is less than a mile away and has a nice market, laundry,
post office and library. And if you drive to the top of the hill your cell
phone will often work. |
$10 |
September 2005 |
|
SOUTH CAROLINA |
|||||
|
South Carolina |
Kings
Mountain National Military Park (KIMO) |
Take
NC Exit 2 off I-85 and head back into South Carolina. This road will take you
past the Headquarters and the Visitor Center. |
They
parked us behind a historic house and installed a 30 amp plug. We had
water and access to the washer and dryer in the house. The Chief Ranger
scheduled us for five days on and two off. That is too much for the amenities
provided and we would have complained if we planned to return. |
$0 |
November and December 2007 |
|
South Carolina |
Double
J Camping Spot |
Private
Camping, sorry. |
Jeff
and Jann Minich, Bev's
cousins, allowed us to use the 30 amp plug, water and sewer connection they
used for the trailer they lived in while they built their beautiful house.
Great hosts and good friends. |
$0 |
As often as possible |
|
South Carolina
|
Marine
Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, SC 29905 843 228-7472 www.mccs-sc.com/services/rvcamp.asp To check graduation dates go to:http://www.mcrdpi.usmc.mil/graduation/grad_dates.asp |
Call ahead and make arrangements (payment by credit card is best). They will give you a combination code. Enter the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, drive to the first circle (you may be directed to the security area for an inspection) Take the first right to the T intersection, turn right then just past the PT fields take the first left. Past the water tower be on the look out for Saint Mihiel Road on the right. Find your assigned spot then go to the service building with the code you have been given and retrieve the keys to your water and electric. |
Bev and I met and got married while we were both stationed here near the middle of the last century. We go back as often as possible to watch a Friday graduation parade. The campground opened in 2010. It was built on part of the old Tarawa Terrace trailer park and has full utilities, a new service building with fantastic showers, bathrooms and laundry facilities. One of the best campgrounds anywhere and open to civilian families of graduating Marine Recruits as well as retired, active duty, reserve military and select others. I consider this my greatest victory as I was one of the voices that got them to put in a campground. I love this place. |
$15 per day | April 2010 November 2010 March 2011 December 2011 April 2012 |
|
SOUTH DAKOTA This is the best state for fulltimers
to use for their address for reasons discussed below.
Rest Areas: Overnight parking is not only NOT allowed there are signs
posted stating that any stay over 3 hours (8 hours for commercial truckers)
is a misdemeanor. That's why we "live" here but don't visit often. |
|||||
|
South Dakota |
FlyingJ #05035 |
Located
one exit south of I-90. |
Excellent
facility with two complete RV islands and a third with only dump and air. LP
is located so that jockeying around is not necessary and you can get LP while
someone else is in the islands. Very busy location with only 6 marked RV
parking spots but the lot is very large. Cleaner than most Flying Js we have
seen. |
$0 |
October 2006 |
|
South Dakota
|
Famil-E-Fun Campground |
I-90
at Exit 325, west of Mitchell. |
65
sites, open April-October. Jerry and Sharon have had
this family park for 18 years and they care for it like a child. It has
pull-thru sites that will handle the largest rigs, 50A and 30A service,
on-site dump, water and a phone at the office for Internet. There is a large,
beautiful pool, mini-golf, laundry, showers, and some of the friendliest
people on the planet. Plenty of shade trees. The Passport America rate is
listed as there is no stated limit, only that they reserve the right to limit
the rate (if, for instance, you are a real jerk). |
$10 |
April 2005 |
|
TENNESSEE Rest Areas: Overnight parking NOT allowed. Two hour limit. |
|||||
|
|
|
On
base. I-24 exit 117 west.
Follow signs to Recreation Areas. At Gate 2 turn left onto |
Open
year-round. Facilities not well maintained. Fee too high for services
available. Quite a few seasonal or permanent units. Some with gardens, some
with gray-water dumped on ground. Beach, boat launch, large lake. No sewer,
central dump. Sites with 30A and water. Small AAFES, base is mostly civilian
contract. The whole time we were there the laundry room was locked and the
camp hostess was unavailable. |
$14 |
May 2005 |
|
Tennessee
|
Maple
Grove Campground |
I-40
Exit 258 take TN-53 north about 9 miles. Look
for signs. When you see the one that says Maple Grove Campground 7/10
mile slow down, it is just over the crest of a hill on the left and the sign
is hard to see. It's a trek over some challenging road but it is worth it. |
This
is a diamond in the rough. For years it was a well known local campground but
it fell on hard times and mismanagement and into foreclosure. The new owners
bought it in 2004 and are bringing back the luster. Shaded, rolling grounds
with 48 grass and gravel sites each with full hook up, some with 50A.
Gigantic pool, building a small store and laundry (not included in PVI). Nice
clean bathrooms with showers, pavilion with fireplace. Pay phone (which is
good because there is no cell phone service--hey Verizon, "Can you hear
me now?"). Adjacent to a Corps of Engineers lake. Spend a week or more
here--open year-round. In the winter this place is crowded with hunters. |
$8 |
May 2005 |
|
TEXAS Rest Areas: Overnight parking OK. Rest areas have free WiFi but I have never been able to get it to work and no
one at the rest areas seems to know anything about it. |
|||||
|
Texas |
Wal*Mart #285 |
I
45 Exit 109 (the Wal*Mart map book says Exit 118
but it is wrong) |
Nice
secure location. Security was both helpful and friendly. |
$0 |
February 2007 |
|
UTAH Rest Areas: The state is closing the rest areas and
replacing them with "Public/Private Partnership Rest Areas." These
are service stations and other commercial locations that are close to exits. |
|||||
|
Zion
National Park |
I-15 Exit 27 at Toquerville.
Drive through Verkin, Virgin and Springdale about
20 miles to entrance. Campground is first right after the Ranger Station.
|
The
view from under our awning is awe inspiring. A small mule dear
watched us as we set up and later the whole family came by to check us out.
The buck had a rack that would make our brother-in-law Jeff drool. We WILL be back when we can stay longer. Even the
pop-up in the pull-thru spot couldn't dampen my enjoyment of this venue. |
$9 |
November 2006 |
|
|
VIRGINIA Rest Areas: Overnight parking is NOT permitted. Two hour
time limit. |
|||||
|
Virginia |
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park (APCO) |
From
Lynchburg or Farmville take US460 to the Appomattox by-pass where you will
take State Road 24 east for about two miles, the Visitor Center is on the
left. |
They
have no camping facilities so we parked next to the house that houses
part-time rangers and plugged in. I worked here as a Seasonal Park
Ranger and Bev worked as a volunteer to pay for our parking expenses. |
$0 |
May - October 2008 |
|
Virginia |
Fort
Pocahontas |
Exit
I-96 onto VA 5 at Exit 22, east to Charles City County. About 1.5 miles past
Sherwood Forest Plantation turn right at small sign and follow signs. |
Not
a campground. We stayed here during the Civil War reenactment held anually in May. While we were parked in the public
parking lot, during the evenings it was quiet and dark with trees. Great
camping, too bad it is not open for that purpose. |
$0 |
May 2006 |
|
Virginia |
Flying
J Travel Plaza #05033 |
I-95
Exit 104 between Fredridksburg and Richmond |
Very
busy. Limited RV parking. Pavement poorly marked, overnight parking very
haphazard. Friendly staff. |
$0 |
May 2006 |
|
Virginia
|
Little
Creek MWR RV Park |
From
Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel take US60 West to Gate 4 (you will pass Gate 5)
on right. Enter base, make first left drive about a mile on left. Report to
cabin. |
Nice
little park. Crowded but plenty of shade. All 45 pads are level concrete and
are assigned by length up to 35 ft. Some have 50A all have sewer,
water, CATV although we couldn't get ours to work. No overflow so it is
probably best to call ahead. Some seasonal sites but they are all clean and
there is no plywood construction. Showers were worth the price of admission. |
$18 |
July 2005 |
|
Virginia |
Pickett
RV Park |
From
I-95 South of Petersburg take Exit 51, US 460 West (it will also be I-85
until the Fort Pickett Exit) From I-85 it is another 30 miles or so (it just
seems like 100) to a left turn just before Blackstone, then several more
miles to the main gate. Drive on post to 10th St. and turn left (Just after
the left, turn right into the parking lot for the office. After 4:30 p.m.
continue past 10th St. to the MP office on right). Campground is about a
block down 10th St., turn right. |
Well
kept secret. 11 RV sites with full hook ups (50 amp) and phone lines
available for long term. Over 30 days @ $8 per day. No showers on site but
showers at billeting are available free. Laundromat at billeting. Armed
Forces Exchange, bowling alley. Wal*Mart, shopping
center & fast food about 2 miles. Pets alowed on leash. |
$10 |
July 2006 |
|
Virginia
|
Stewart
Campground |
The
NSA has covert locations that are easier to find than this place. Find your
way to I64 south of Norfolk and take US17 south to Ballahack
Road, turn left. The base will be on the right a few miles. |
This
place was my personal playground. With a dozen sites there were only three of
us there. It is back in the boonies, and you can't even see your fellow
campers. Sites have 50A electric, no water, no sewer but both are available
at a central location. Nice little base with a
4-lane bowling alley, exercise facilities, pool, nice little Navy Exchange
and gas station. For a week you pay for 6 days. Super bathrooms and showers.
Active security and, oh yes, there is the small problem with bears--but
generally they won't bother you if you don't bother them. Great people at MWR
and everyone on base is extremely friendly. If you
qualify to get on base this is a really great deal. Open May-Oct. |
$10 |
July 2005 |
|
Virginia
|
Wilderness
Road Campground |
From the West (Kentucky) take Route 25E through the tunnel
and then right on US 58 a couple of miles, into Tennessee and then
immediately in to Virginia. Watch for signs for campground. At the welcome
cabin take an envelope and go park. All sites are back-in. Rows B and C
have 50A electric but no dump or water (both are available on the
campgrounds).
|
Wow!!!!
Secluded, wooded, quiet, pristine, natural sites with picnic tables and fire
rings. The comfort stations are almost sterile and the showers are TO DIE FOR
(you know, the type with a strong yet caressing stream of water, easy to set
temp and it even has a hand-held wand that you can switch to in order to
rinse off). Hiking and bicycle trails, plenty to explore and you can
barely see the next site. With the Golden Access Passport and 50% off
the camping fee, this is a winner. |
$17 |
May 2005 |
|
WASHINGTON Rest Areas: Overnight parking OK. Most have dumps. All have
WiFi for a fee. |
|||||
|
Washington |
Indian
John Hill Rest Area |
West
of Ellensburg |
Located
within the Cascade Range. Beautiful spot. Very windy. Dump at truck exit. |
$0 |
October 2006 |
|
Washington |
T/A-Travelcenters
of America |
I-90,
Exit 34, West of Snoqualmie Pass |
We
stopped here to get air for our tires. We couldn't find the air hose so we
asked and it was pointed out to us. We couldn't get there because the area
was being used for employee parking and no one would move their cars. The
place is filthy, the people are surly and it is obvious that they do not want
our business. Pass this place up. |
$0 |
November 2006 |
|
WISCONSIN Rest Areas: Overnight parking is NOT permitted. |
|||||
|
Wisconsin |
FlyingJ #05124 |
I-94
Exit 322, South of Milwaukee |
Fuel
is cheaper than Illinois but more expensive than Indiana. As usual the card
machine at the pumps didn't work. Overnight parking very limited. |
$0 |
October 2006 |
|
|
Pine
View Recreation Area 44°
02' 09" N |
On post. I-94 exit 143. Take WI-21 west approx 9 miles to Ft. McCoy Gate 19, turn right and follow signs for several miles. Host is just past main pavilion.
|
Open
year-round. Excellent facilities. Well maintained. 50A/sewer/water/CATV.
Discount to Golden Age Passport holders. Rating is reduced because we
don’t rate anything over $15 very high (this may change on our next visit
because they honor Golden Passports which
we now have). |
$18 |
April 2005 |
|
Canadian
Campgrounds |
|||||
|
Ontario
|
Kawartha
Trails Resort |
From
Port Hope on 401 go North on County Road 28 16 miles (26 kilometers) to
County Road 21. Turn right and go 2.5 miles (4 kilometers). Campground is on
the left after crossing the river. |
Nice
park. Quite a few long term sites but extremely well maintained. Excellent
pool. Bathrooms clean and well maintained but shower stalls are WAY too small
(apparently there are no fat Canadians). The host couple
were very friendly and helpful. We were even invited to participate in
a pot luck dinner and were treated like old friends. Be careful as the P.A.
price is not available on Canadian holidays nor in
the months of July and August. |
$12.50 |
June 2005 |
|
NOTES: 1. Your comments, if helpful and polite, will be
added here. Send comments to: Glenn@4merMarine.com |
|
We have been fulltiming in our
35-foot, 1993 Winnebago Vectra, diesel pusher since
April Fools Day, 2005. We are true fulltimers in that we have no "stick house" or
"base" to come back to. We are on the road 365 days per year which
probably makes us homeless veterans. We got tired of paying for a bad
education for other peoples' kids so without
property there is nothing to tax. Our vehicle registration goes to fix
up the roads in South Dakota. People have asked us how we do it, so here are
some answers to some specific questions: |
|
|
What state is home, and why? |
We selected South Dakota for the following reasons:
There is a state sales tax, but since we only spend
one day there every five years (to renew our driver's licenses) the sales tax
does not really apply to us. This is also a good deal for South Dakota as we
pay fees and don't use the roads and we do business in Emery (we even have an
account at the Security State Bank in Emery and subscribe to the weekly Emery
Enterprise). |
|
How do we get our mail? |
We use a re-mailing service. Our mail goes to a
house in Emery, SD where it is placed in a box until we call or email
them to mail it to wherever we are at that time. We use campground
addresses, friends and relatives addresses or General
Delivery at small Post Offices. For this service we pay about $100 per
year plus the cost of postage. (Of the 649 people who live in Emery, 1,400 of
us live in the same house). My
Home Address, Inc. If you decide to use the service, give Ron or Judy the
number 1436 as a referral so that we get the $5 credit to our
account. |
|
How do we pay bills? |
First of all, we try not to have many bills. We pay cash
whenever we can. The rest we pay on-line. |
|
How do we do our banking? |
On line! We have a credit card that we use for
emergencies only and a debit card for day-to-day purchases. When we need cash
we use the "cash back" option at a grocery store or Wal*Mart. |
|
What about telephone service? |
We have a Verizon account that allows us to have two
telephones and calls between those phones do not count toward monthly
minutes. Also, calls to other Verizon phones don't count toward minute
limits. In addition, while our address is South Dakota, we got our
phones at the Verizon store in Lancaster, Pennsylvania so that it is a
local call for our kids, no matter where in the country we are at the moment. |
|
How do we get our email? |
We have Yahoo and Gmail accounts that we can access from
anywhere, including public libraries and friends' computers. We also
have Wi-Fi capability and from time to time we are able to get into a Wi-Fi
link. FlyingJ, Starbucks, Barnes & Noble and McDonalds have
access that you can buy a day at a time using a credit card while other
businesses (Krystal Restaurants, Panera Bread Co.,
many hotels, airports, libraries and campgrounds) have free hot spots. The state of Texas now has
free WiFi hot spots at all of their highway rest
stops--we hope this is the start of a trend. |
|
What clubs and groups are helpful? |
Good Sam Club
was a good idea when it was started many years ago by a few campers
disenchanted with the National Campers and Hikers Association. Today it is
part of a camping conglomerate that includes Camping
World, insurance companies, roadside assistance, refinancing and Trailer Life Directory (they are all
under the umbrella of the Affinity Group). If you like junk mail you will
love Good Sam. Their magazine, while informative, is not very professionally
done. Good Sam was one of the first groups we joined and one of the first we
decided not to renew. |
|
Isn't Camping Expensive? |
Yes it is.
But that is why we don't "camp." What others call camping shows up
on our budget as "parking fees." Camping is a
vacation and like anything dealing with a vacation, it is expensive.
When others camp they willingly pay for things like pools and game rooms and
directed activities--while we are looking for a place to rest the wheels for
a couple of days or a week or a month or longer. Every now and then we will
go to a "campground resort" for a vacation but most of the time we
are simply seeking a respite from the highway. Our "parking fees"
budget is $300 per month which works out to about $10 per day--because we are
not looking for camping amenities. We use Wal*Mart
parking lots and FlyingJ facilities because
they are free and they offer everything we need for one night,
particularly when we are enroute to someplace
else. They are easy to find (unlike most campgrounds which are
someplace out in the boonies) and we won't bother
others when we pull in late at night. At a campground we would not use the
pool or the exercise room or the miniature golf course so there is no reason
that we should pay for them. If campgrounds had an overnight pull-in
area for a couple of bucks, we would use them too. Fulltimers
are not campers, most of us can't afford to be on "vacation"
every day. SPECIAL NOTE: There are two types of America the Beautiful cards. One is for U. S. citizens 62 years or older and costs $10. The other is for U.S. citizens with a disability (HINT-the person requesting the card can self-certify his or her disability, a doctor's certificate is not required) and it is FREE. Find more information, including an order by mail option, at http://store.usgs.gov/pass/general.html.
You
can also obtain them at the entrance stations at all National
Parks--they issue them on the spot. However, while the Corps of
Engineers gives the discount they do not sell the cards. You must
obtain a card BEFORE you get to the Corps of Engineers campground. |
|
Questions or Comments? Email: Glenn@4merMarine.com. |
|