The latest news about camping and developments in North American campgrounds and RV parks from Janet Groene and the staff of RVtravel.com
DISCLAIMER: Information is believed current at press time but conditions can change quickly. Check ahead online for dates, rates and rules, as well as a campground’s location. No endorsement of any campground or product is implied by this reporter nor this website.
DATELINE: July 19, 2019
ARTS AND CRAFTS AT SOUTH CAROLINA STATE PARK
Huntington State Park at Murrells Inlet hosts the 44th Annual Atalaya Arts & Crafts Festival September 27-29 with 100 fine artists and artisans. Food and live music round out a weekend of festival fun in Atalaya, the Moorish-style former home and studio of Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington. RV sites are near hot showers and restrooms. Some sites have sewer hookups; all have free Wi-Fi.
FAT TIRE FESTIVAL COMES TO WISCONSIN CAMPGROUND
Campers at the Haywood, Wisconsin, KOA will have a front row seat at the 37th Annual Chequamegon MTB Festival on September 14. Each year mountain bikers come to Cable and Hayward to test their off-road bicycle riding skills in this rolling glacial terrain. The staff at the KOA will serve the riders a gala spaghetti supper.
FLORIDA GULF COAST TO GET LUXURY RV RESORT
Opening in 2020 but accepting reservations now is The Tides in Palmetto, Florida. Fully fenced and security monitored, the resort will have three docks, lake fishing, pickleball, a large lap pool, two laundries, planned activities, dog park, spa and fitness center, a large clubhouse and much more on the 95-acre site.
NEW CAMPGROUND, NEW DEAL FOR SNOWBIRDS
The new Verde Ranch RV Resort in Camp Verde, Arizona, is opening August 1 with 402 full-service RV sites and a special deal for snowbirds. Pay a $200 deposit before September 30 and get a 20% discount on a site for next winter. A minimum stay of two months is required.
GEORGIA STATE PARK HONORS THE HATED LOVEBUG
The south has two lovebug seasons, spring and fall, when these pesky bugs hover over highways, clog your RV’s grill and make a sticky mess. General Coffee State Park near Douglas will bug you with an educational day of edible bugs, pollinator programs and insect-related crafts for children on September 14. Programs are held 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $2 plus parking or camping fees. The park has 50 RV campsites
MICHIGAN STATE PARK FESTIVAL FOR CAMPERS ONLY
On Lake Huron, Port Crescent State Park’s Fall Harvest Festival is scheduled for October 4-5. Enjoy pumpkin carving, wagon rides, trick-or-treating, scarecrow building and more. RV sites have 20-/30-amp service and are $33 nightly. In addition, a Michigan State Park permit is required. Make reservations early for this popular event.
NORTH CAROLINA WELCOMES NEW OUTDOOR RESORT
Coming this fall, the new Emberglow Outdoor Resort in the rolling hills near Lake Lure located most of its RV campsites along paths through property that is about 80 percent woods, 20 percent pastures with three creeks running through. The 72-acre resort offers RV sites as well as cabins, vintage campers, yurts, tree houses and more.
EMERALD CITY HOSTS BLOCKBUSTER CONCERT
Yes, Toto, you’re in Kansas City to attend Dancefestopia, one of the nation’s biggest music festivals with camping. More than 100 artists starting with Alison Wonderland play on four stages September 5-8. Between sets, festival-goers can enjoy the rock wall, balloon rides, swimming pool, zip line and more. A long list of camping packages is available, so read rules and rates carefully.
Stay Tuned
A small campground on the Ontanagon River has been approved for tiny homes, RV sites and tents by the city council in Ontanagon, Michigan. The area is subject to flooding and plans are still flexible. An opening date has not been announced.
It will take a few years but the Homestead RV Community in Fowl River, Alabama, promises to add as many as 1,000 new residents to the area near Dauphin Island. Phase One, to open late next year, is expected to offer 59 rental lots. On site will be a stocked fish pond, patio sites with room for a garden, storage for boats and, eventually, a storm shelter and many more sites.
Good things are happening at Palisades State Park in South Dakota, but it will be a while before RV campers benefit. Thanks to a donation of an additional 250 acres of land, the park will be larger in size and will have additional RV campsites and amenities. Work begins in 2020.
The 54-acre site of the one-time Lakewood Park amusement park near Tamaqua, Pennsylvania, is expected to open by September as a campground with a lake, meeting facilities, cabins and up to 200 campsites. The new name will be Catalpa Grove and Lakewood Park Family Campground.
ADDITIONS FROM RVTRAVEL.COM STAFF
Increased flooding and the resultant cost of repairs will close Steamboat Bend Campground at Woodland Mound on the Ohio River for good. Great Parks of Hamilton County, Ohio, says Steamboat Bend will close at the end of its season, which is the beginning of November.
A petition with more than 1,500 signatures was delivered to the U.S. Forest Service in hopes of beginning plans to reopen Albert Pike Campground in Arkansas to overnight camping once again, after flooding in 2010 killed 20 people. Overnight camping has not been allowed there since then, but many folks believe it’s time to allow them to spend the night along the banks of the Little Missouri River.
Rippling River Resort Campground in Marquette, Michigan, has opened a new 9-hole mini golf course on the resort grounds. After a round of golf by the kids or families, ice cream and snacks are available in the main office. A round of golf is $3 for campers and $5 for the general public.
A variance request to add six more campsites at the Akeley City Park, Minnesota, was denied by Hubbard County. It was explained that the campground had already been permitted more camping spaces than normally allowed, and that the lakeshore has to be protected. There are 28 RV campsites at the park.
Janet Groene is the author of 25 books including Living Aboard Your RV, 4th Edition, available at Amazon.com.
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