Barnwell State Park, SC

Yes, we arrived at Barnwell State Park in great time. The trip was pretty much unremarkable. If anyone wants to know how the pups travel all I can say is, most of the time we don't know they are back there. And of course Stuart is Stuart, he just goes anywhere Susan goes.

Barnwell State Park is located near Blackville, SC. The park is one of 16 parks built in 1937 by the Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC). The CCC was a program created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This program was designed to provide employment during the Great Depression while addressing national needs in conservation and recreation.

The park has 307 acres with recreational opportunities such as fishing, hiking, camping, picnic shelters, and more. We could tell right away the park emits a laid back feeling ...just what we wanted.

We arrived at the front office to check in and found the head ranger doing paperwork. He explained this time of year they are only open an hour per day. Luckily, we hit that magical hour.

The fall foliage leading into the campground was beautiful. The trees still had some colour and with the sun shining through made it even more spectacular. However, the road was a little narrow so I will wait to sight see.

Barnwell SP has a total of 25 campsites. Sites 18-25 will accommodate RVs up to 36 feet and have water, 50 amp service, and sewer connections. I knew we downsized for a reason. There is a dump station but it was destroyed during the tornado. 

The sites are a little hilly but definitely doable.

After setting up, I went out exploring with the pups in tow. Even though it was not a long drive we still needed to stretch our legs and the pups needed to wear off some of that puppy hyperness.

This is one of three small lake. This one hosts a variety of activities such as swimming, non-motorized boating, and fishing. Not sure if I would swim in them there waters...it's called alligators. This man-made lake was one of many made by the CCC. 

The dike system also made by the CCC is to hold back lake water allowing the lake to remain a certain levels.

A large activity area with volleyball nets. The volleyballs are provided by the park.

I had mentioned earlier a tornado. Two years ago a category 5 tornado rolled through this area destroying everything in it's path.  Even with a massive cleanup effort the damage is still quite visible. 

There are 5 cozy cabins available to rent located about 100 yards from the upper lake. Some are new...it's called tornado.

There are 4 picnic shelters like the one below available for picnic gatherings.

All-in-all this was a great park to hang out for a couple of days. Lots of areas to walk the dogs, it was extremely quiet, and best of all it was free. Yes, for helping/volunteering in the Amazing Challenging at Myrtle Beach State Park I received these 2 nights at Barnwell for free. Not a bad deal.

RV Park Scoop - New Green Acres RV Park

Our third day of travel found us leaving the I-81 only to continue down the I-77 into North Carolina. We travelled through Charlotte, NC and around Columbia, SC where we left the I-77 to join up with the I-26. This is where we caught our first glimpse of the wind damage caused by Hurricane Matthew. Massive trees uprooted like popsicle sticks. Large branches that were once on the highway now lay along the roadside awaiting to be cut up for firewood. We couldn't help but wonder what it was truly like when the storm hit. We could only imagine.

As we continued, we turned onto the I-95 south where the drive went as smooth as a babies bum. We arrived at New Green Acres RV Park in Walterboro SC shortly after 2 pm. This blog is basically a review of the park. I have no pictures to post. Oh snap, forgot my camera while going for a walk.

First impressions, not a destination campground but definitely a good stopover for one night. Being just off the I-95 we had to deal with highway noise throughout our stay. Our site was a pull-thru with water/50 amp electric/sewer/cable/free wifi all for $32. Not bad at all.

Half the park were seasonals while the other half were over- nighters. Many of the seasonals were in much need of some TLC. Shortly after we arrived it was a constant stream of RVs coming in for the night. The park has a total of 106 sites, more than half were full by nightfall. All the sites were grass and sand which made it very dusty each time someone drove by. Stuart's nice white paws were gray by the time he finished his walk.  

Not sure of what we wanted for supper, I suggested to Susan that Cracker Barrel was just around the corner. She had her shoes on and was out the door before I changed my mind. We both decided on the roast beef dinner. The food was fantastic. It did not let us down. While we were unhooked we got diesel in downtown Walterboro. So far it's the cheapest @ $2.24 per gallon. Not sure what gas was. Anyway, now we're ready to hit the road in the morning.

RV Parks Scoop - Fifty Point Conservation Park

It has been sooooo long since I've written a blog I ask myself do I remember how to do this. Of course. So I thought I would start with a place I know well Fifty Point Conservation Park. This park is our go to place after our home park closes for the winter and before it opens in the spring. Why this one? Let me tell ya. 

This park is located 5 minutes from my home town of Grimsby, Ontario meaning it's real close to my mother. That's the most important reason. Also very important is the park opens on April 1st and closes on November 30 of each year. I mean we are talking below freezing weather in the spring and late fall. To find anything open in Ontario that time of year is very rare.

Fifty Point is located just off the QEW (Queen Elizabeth Highway) on the north side or lake side (Lake Ontario) of the highway.

The park itself encompasses a total of 80 hectares of land. Within the park boundaries is a marina with docking spaces for 330 boats. The marina facilities includes a restaurant, a fully serviced gas dock and pump-out station, visitors dock, electric and water hook-ups, showers, washrooms and laundromat, and winter storage facilities. As you can see most of the boats have been pulled from the water and placed in dry dock. Of course as a camper in the park we have access to the restaurant and marina.

Fifty Point campground has a total of 70 serviced sites, all with water, electric, and sewer. Some sites are 20/30 amp while others are 30/50 amp. The price averages about $50 per night tax included.The newer area is open with large grassy areas between each site. Not much privacy here. In the cooler weather it's nice as we get lots of sunshine. 

The older area has all the same amenities but not so open. Large trees provide a nice shade canopy in the summer months when the days get up to 35-37 degrees C or hotter. They also have side by side pull-thru sites which I have never been fond of, to close to your neighbour.

There is one central comfort station for the entire campground. It includes washrooms, individual showers, and laundry facilities. Even though we did not use these facilities each day they were cleaned spotlessly.

Campfires are not allowed at each individual site, however the park does allow campfires at a few communal locations. WiFi is available throughout the campground free of charge. Not sure how well it works the further you get from the comfort station but from our site it was very fast.

If your into fishing this is the spot. You have two choices. A stocked pond within the park allows you to fish for trout and largemouth bass without a license.

Fishing in Lake Ontario and from the shores of the marina requires an Ontario fishing license. However this is where the salmon can be caught.

Entrance to the marina. Lake Ontario beyond that. Toronto is position right between the two jetties easily seen on a clear day.

The park also offers a dogs only beach which is separate from the public beach.

The one drawback about this park is the traffic, not from the QEW but from the people racing to get to their ball hockey game. Yes, each night teams play ball hockey in the park on an official size rink. It's actually fun to watch but beware when they are coming and going. Speed limits means nothing.

Maybe that is why a new 3.4 km path is under construction. I've walked this park endlessly and always see runners, birders, and walkers at all hours of the day and night. Yes, this park is the perfect place to see birds or ducks.

 As I walked the park I couldn't help but notice the destruction caused by a local beaver. Later I was able to locate it's den.

Autumn is a wonderful time in the park with the leaves turning all colours and the smells associated with them falling. Ya got to love it.

 

RV Parks Scoop - Jamaica Beach RV Resort, Galveston TX

To all that know us, you know that this has to be the longest time we have ever spent in one park. Nope, not because we love the park nor is it because we are bored of travelling. Bingo, we wanted or should I say that Susan wanted to try something different this year, staying in one place for an extended period. And the verdict is, we haven't decided. I guess if we hated the park and there was nothing to do then it would get boring. Like every park we've stayed there's good and bad, this park is no different. Here are my thoughts on this park.

Why did we choose this park! I always check out RV Parks Review when choosing a park. I look at the general comments then I choose one based on our needs and of course price. This park got great reviews. It's relatively new (9 years old), across the road from the beach, and located near birding hot spots. A must for me.

All houses are on stilts because of flooding

The park is located in Jamaica Beach which is approximately 10 miles from downtown Galveston. There are soooo many attractions in town, I only blogged on a few. Across the road is the Gulf of Mexico. The sound of the waves crashing into shore can be heard from inside the rig. It lulled me to sleep each night. One downside was the road between the park and the beach which can be quite busy and very noisy. At night you can hear a car/truck racing down the road at 100 mph, then you wait for the crash. That didn't happen thank goodness, but still it's unsettling.

The Office

The park, the road, the beach

There are 111 sites with a 70 site expansion happening as we speak. The cost was $596.27 for 32 nights working out to be around $18 per night. We stayed on site 26 and included water, 30/50 amp service, sewer, free cable, & free high speed wifi. The wifi was one of the best we encountered in any park. With over the air digital antenna we received about 40 stations all out of Houston area. Lots were Spanish but the important ones ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox were great.  

Expansion sites

All sites have concrete pads, most in good shape. There are 3 types of sites. I'm not sure what the difference is because they all looked the same to me. The interior roads are concrete although uneven in many places. All the sites can accommodate the largest rig out there including it's tow vehicle.

Our site after the rain, the ducks are enjoying it

At least they try to get rid of the water

The park has several amenities and activities for those who chose to get involved. Included are, a large rec hall with pool table and exercise room, 2 large pools (not heated), a large indoor infinity hot tub, 2 laundry facilities, a pirate themed 18 hole mini golf, event planning, a giant chess set, free daily paper, an outdoor theater, and 2 dog parks.

Large Rec Hall

Free Mini Golf

Large chess game

One of two resident tortoises

Pool with swim up bar not heated, not open

Infinity hot tub

What we really liked about the park was how friendly people were. Many introduced themselves to us, didn't care if we were staying a month or a few days. Then we met our stocker friends who walked up and down the road several times looking at our rig. Long story short they are from Houston, camping in the park, want a front living room rig, saw ours loved it, spent many hours talking about everything, went out for dinner together, now we are friends forever. You have to love the RVing life. We do it just for this reason alone.

We will be moving on tomorrow further south towards Port Aransas. Had a great time here. Have to admit the time went by so fast. Maybe I can get use to staying at a park longer. The verdict is still out. Mind you, I can get use to sunsets like this.

 

RV Parks Scoop - Cave Country Campground, Cave City, KY

We have stayed here once before on our travels south but have never blogged on the actual campground. Cave Country Campground lies right off the I-65, so very easy on/off location. The park is south of Elizabethtown and north of Bowling Green making it centrally located for sightseeing.

The campground itself is very open, some trees are present but they are still small so no scratching the rig. There are a total of 51 sites all being pull-thru and on an angle making getting in and out easy. All have 30/50 amp service along with water, sewer, and cable. No extra charge for cable but an extra $2 for 50 amp service. They take several discount cards including Good Sam, FMCA, and AAA only to name a few. The price per night $38.00

The interior roads are hard backed gravel, well groomed so no potholes to worry about. Our site #43 was hard packed gravel with a cement patio which was placed almost perfectly.
Some sites I noted had firepits ours did not. The roads along with all sites were plenty wide and long enough to fit any size rig with a tow vehicle.

There is free wi-fi in the park which worked amazingly great. Our Verizon 4G phone also worked fine. If you have roof-top satellite there would be no interfere from trees.

This is basically an overnight or short term park. Not a lot of amenities, just the important ones like laundry facilities, washrooms, propane services, an enclosed dog run, and a picnic pavilion. Sorry no swimming for those wanting to take a dip.

Beware... DO NOT park or drive on the grass. The owner has a real issue with his grass. If you damage one blade you will be charged $125.00 to repair it. NO JOKE. There are several trains that pass through town each night that can be very bothersome for some. I lived by train tracks in my younger days so no bothering me. Felt like home...almost! There is some highway noise but again nothing that will keep you awake at night. All in all it's a great park.

RV Parks Scoop - Cross Creek Camping Resort (Delaware, Ohio)

Our plans to try and connect with friends at Lexington Horse Park just didn’t come together. For one there was a large event (The Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event) going on in the park consequently, the campground was full. Also, it was between campgrounds in which we were going to stop for the night. Therefore it would have meant we had one very short days drive and one very, very long days drive.  As we left Renfro Valley we thought maybe we will surprise them and just show up. Well, it was our surprise when we got 2 miles from the exit and traffic was backed up waiting to get into the horse park to see the day’s events. Sorry Nancy and Betsy maybe next time. We honked as we went by. Did you hear us!!!!

We have made Cross Creek Campground one of our planned stops for many years. The first year we stopped we met our good friends Don and Sandy here and the rest is history. The campground is about 6 miles off I-71 in Delaware which is just north of Columbus, Ohio.

The entrance road to the campground is paved with rumble strips so slow going is the name of the game. All interior roads and sites are gravel with grass between them. Most sites have 30/50 amp service with water and sewer. When we connected to the power source there was no 50 amp service. So having a 75 foot power cord comes in handy, I just connected to another site. I called to let them know, someone was there to fix it in no time. There’s no cable TV at this park but we were able to get at least 20 over-the-air stations maybe more. Wi-fi is available for free throughout the park but we could not get on. The park staff is very friendly as are the permanents. We have found this consistently with each visit that's why we keep coming back.

The whole days drive and even setting up was done in the pouring rain. Yes, I am still in my shorts and t-shirts and loving this cool weather (48 degrees). Tonight it’s suppose to go down into the 30’s. Halleluiah!

RV Park Scoop - Renfro Valley RV Park (Renfro Valley, Kentucky)

Before we left Georgia behind we had to pick up some pecans. Everyone knows that Georgia is known for their pecans, peaches, and Vidalia onions. Moses, the man behind the pecan stand was a real business man. We picked out what we thought were the two bags of pecans we were going home with. Nope, Moses made us a deal on 4 bags of pecans. With smiles on our faces (including Moses) and less cash in our pockets we were all happy.

Every state has its own challenges, whether it’s the mountains of Tennessee or dust storms of Texas. What is pretty consistent across the board are the terrible drivers. Yes we have our fair share in Canada but on the I-75 there seems to be way too many. There are so many people from Canada and different US states, that are all trying to get home in one day. So, in saying that, people are crazy on the road, cutting me off and stopping on the on ramp in front of me instead of accelerating. These are just to name a few. I’ve also noticed that if it is race weekend (NASCAR) people seem to drive like they are on a race track.  So the moral of the story is you have to have eyes up your butt.

As we approached our stop for the night we were feeling good so we decided to push on another 30 miles or so. What a score. We found the most amazing RV park in what I thought was the middle of nowhere. It’s just off the I-75 at exit 62, 45 miles south of Lexington and 135 miles north of Knoxville. As we were ready to exit, all the traffic started to slow down. We crept along then the traffic came to a complete stop right in front of our exit. Fancy that! Another score!

I had never heard of Renfro Valley let alone the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame. Once we registered, got set up, had something to eat, I decided to go out and explore. The campground is part of the Renfro Valley Entertainment Center and is equipped with all the amenities. The interior roads and sites are all gravel with grass between each site. All sites have 30/50 amp service along with water, sewer, and cable TV. There is no Wi-Fi at this park.

Our site...trees are just starting
to blossom

This is about 1/3 of the campground...got to love the
hills of Kentucky

Within walking distance of any given site is live country, gospel, and bluegrass music along with a shopping village and historic cabins. They also have a full service restaurant on the premises. As I was walking around all I could smell was smoked ribs. Too bad I just ate.

Pretty neat shops

The Music Store which has been around since 1939

An old Gristmill 

Full service restaurant on the premises

Aunt Polly's House...the
oldest house in Renfro Valley circa 1817

How did this place get it’s start? Well I asked the same question and this is what I found out. It all started in Chicago in 1937 when a young man by the name of John Lair was listening to a new contraption called the radio. With his new love for music and entertainment John moved back home to the Renfro Valley and started the Renfro Valley Barn Dance. For two years the show continued on WLW radio in Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio. While this was happening the Big Show Barn was being built in Renfro Valley. Most locals figured the barn would turn into a future tobacco barn. What they did not know was in two short years there was a loyal following of the radio station. So on November 4th, 1939 the Old Barn doors opened and the announcer from WLW started to broadcast what became known as the Renfro Valley Barn Dance. They are now in their 76th year. If you like country music this is the place to come. It’s quite, small but has great entertainers.

The Old Barn

The New Barn

Unfortunately, we arrive a day early or we could have seen Loretta Lynn in concert. Other artists gracing the New Barn stage are Tracy Lawrence, Ronnie Milsap, The Oak Ridge Boys, Charlie Pride, Merle Haggard, Mickey Gilley just to name a few.

Site of the Bluegrass Festivals

A country singer entertaining the
campground

We have already decided that this place deserves a return visit. The area is alive with music and entertainment.