By Guest Author Peggy Bradshaw

Photos by George Bradshaw

I can’t decide if I have a favorite RV park or not. There are many that I like because of different reasons. Most RV Parks and campgrounds have their own Web sites, complete with pictures for viewing.

One of my favorite parks is the Cherry Hill Park in College Park, MD, not only for its location but for its beauty and amenities. It is the closest RV Park to Washington, DC, and tour buses leave daily for tours of the DC area and bring you back.The park itself is tree-lined with great interior roads and parking spaces, and has a spacious clubhouse with a pool, and a deli with great and inexpensive food. The general store is well stocked with things you might need for your rig and souvenirs to take home.

The Rocky Top Campground in Kingsport, TN is built in the woods on a mountainside; however, the parking spaces are easily accessible to park your rig. We were there in August and it was cool. The general store is very quaint looking but is well stocked, and the owner is very personable and makes you feel welcome. They also have cabins for rent.

To find the Tom Sawyer’s Mississippi River Park takes a little bit of wandering through the woods on a dirt road, but is worth the effort. Our space was about fifty feet from the Mississippi River and we watched the tugboats hauling barges up and down the river in the evening. You would never know you were right across the river from the big city of Memphis. They have laundry facilities in case you want to stay for a while and watch the river go by.

Cross Creek Camping Resort near Columbus, Ohio

The Cross Creek Camping Resort is right next to the Cross Creek State Park so don’t get the two confused. This is a roomy RV Park with trees and barbeque pits at every site. The general store has everything you could want in it. Most parks have pools and saunas and this one is no exception.

The Shady Pines RV Park in Texarkana, TX comes with its own lake with a fountain in the middle and also has conference facilities in case your RV club wants to hold a rendezvous there. It has paved interior roads and the parking spots are cement. It is out of the way from the interstate, but easy to find.

The Liberty Harbor Marina and RV Park is located in Jersey City, across the river from New York City. You can schedule a tour of the city in the park office and the tour bus will pick you up at the entrance. It is also right next to the ferry landing to NYC in case you want to go into the city. It is the closest park to the city and the Statue of Liberty is easily spotted.

Niagara Falls RV Park

The Niagara Falls Campground and Lodging is located six miles from the falls and is the closest campground to the falls in the U.S. They have large, level and shaded sites with a large pool and picnic tables at each site. Don’t worry about what to do with your rig while you visit the falls as the parking lots in the area of the falls all have designated parking spaces for your RV.

Every RV Park and Campground is unique. They all take reservations, which is the recommended way to go. They all knew we were coming and were ready for us.

Tomorrow – Return tomorrow to visit Mt Vernon, George Washington’s home

By Guest Author Peggy Bradshaw

When you are traveling to all of these great places out west, if you want to be economical, you might bring your RV.  Here are some places to stay…

The KOA Campgrounds across the country are usually very nice and well run.  One of the nicest is the one in Las Cruces, NM.  There are trees and a cement pad at every site and most are pull-thru, making it easier to get your rig in and out.   The Las Cruces campground has a wonderful pool and picnic/barbeque area, and a grassy area for those with tents.  The general store and gift shop offers western and native wares for purchase, along with restocking your rig.

In Custer, South Dakota we stayed at the Crazy Horse Campground, situated right down the highway from the Crazy Horse Monument which is in the process of being carved out of the mountain.  The campground is in the middle of the forest and trees abound everywhere.  There were also deer that visited us every day.  Keep your door and windows open so the smell of pine trees can freshen the air inside.

Deer Visitors at Crazy Horse Campground in Custer, WY

The sites within the Rockwell RV Park in Oklahoma City are situated among many big trees which shade the picnic area that is beside each space.  Their swimming pool is located in the interior of the clubhouse so that swimming and relaxing beside the pool are out of the sun.  It looks like it is out in the country but it is close to shopping, including a Campers World and a Wal-Mart.

The KOA Campground in Fredericksburg, Texas is located next to an animal preserve with deer and wild donkeys and also a few gazelles which are the only residents who do not come up to the fence to beg for food.  The park has shaded sites with picnic areas at each one.  They also have cabins that you can rent and spaces for tents.  The management is very friendly and the general store offers western and Texas items.

Greer's Pine Shadows RV Park, Flagstaff, AZ

In Flagstaff, Arizona the Greer’s Pine Shadows campground is a very beautiful spot and you soon forget that you are staying right on the highway through town.  They rent spaces and trailers to many people who spend the summer in Flagstaff, away from the heat of the desert below the mountains.  Great place for pine air.

The Sioux City North RV Park is just across the Iowa state line in South Dakota.  They are located on a frontage road, off of the highway and is a quiet restful park with lots of big trees and grass.

Junction West RV Park in Grand Junction, Co is also located on a side road away from the noise of the interstate.  The staff is very friendly and very knowledgeable about the events and activities going on in the region.  The park has shade trees and a park-like atmosphere.

All RV parks have general stores that sell supplies for your rig, some groceries and most have gift shops specializing in trinkets and knick-knacks representing the surrounding area.  All are fun to stay in and most make you feel like you want to stay there forever.

Looking for doodads and knick knacks?  Take a look at the TravelTipsandAdventures shop for goodies to wear and use.

 
But, I would like to hear from other people who have destinations they think are worth sharing.

 
Please, send your experiences as attachments or in the body (English only please) to the comments section.

I will credit you as a Guest Columnist if you have written something that is entertaining and I can verify the information. (I also reserve the right to edit the piece for appropriate language, grammar, spelling and punctuation. I was an English teacher once upon a time.) 300-500 words is about the right length.

 
If you have some great stories to tell, I want to hear about them – and I figure other people would like to hear about them, also.

 
Also, if there is a destination you’ve been eager to know about, please let me know and I’ll find someone – if I haven’t been there – to share a story.

 
Coming in the near future are some Travel Tips and Adventures theme goodies – shirts, hats, mugs, etc.  I will be unveiling my logo very soon.

 
So, join the community and let me know what’s on your mind. What fun adventures and places do you like? Have you been somewhere that you would warn people about – and why?

 
I’m tired of the spam – e-mails, that is, (but I’ve had fun with the SPAM® articles that I’ve posted), so if you plan to spam me with ugly stuff, well, you won’t get no satisfaction!

 
Write to me! I can’t wait to hear where you’ve been!

(And because I always try to provide something of value – see my special recipe below—)

RECIPE

This is a recipe that my friend Jackie just loves – and now her entire family loves it, too.  It is easy and flavorful!

Three Bean Salad with Tarragon

Ingredients:

1 can each of a red bean (like kidney or red beans), white bean (cannellini, Great Northern, garbanz0, etc.) and cut green beans. (Drain these.)

2 squirts of lemon juice – fresh lemon preferred

1/2 cup of olive oil

1/4 cup of Balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon of dried or fresh tarragon leaves

1 or 2 cloves of garlic, chopped fine

salt, pepper to taste

Optional: add one chopped up tomato, and 2 scallions if you like them

Directions:

After draining the beans (and you can add other types of beans if you like them), put all of the beans in a large bowl.

Add the rest of the ingredients and stir. 

Refrigerate for an hour or more.

Serve!

There is something satisfying about the combination of the multi-colored combination and the various flavors.

Join us!