We have spent the last two 4^th of July at this wonderful campground.  In the heat of Florida summers, the east coast is a better option as it tends to be cooler.  Upon our arrival, we were welcomed with the splendor of a gorgeous rainbow.  This campground has two areas- one right on the beach which is very tight and the other across the street on the Halifax River.  Due to the size of our 5^th wheel, the river site is home for the next several days.

Even though we can’t hear the sound of the waves crashing on the shore, this campsite has its advantages.  It is newer, roomier and some sites even have sewer hookups.   The restrooms are very clean and you can throw in a load of wash before you head out for a day on the beach. There is direct access to the river from the campground with a boat ramp.  Canoes, kayaks, and bikes are available for rent.  For all the beachgoers, the parking tag gives you beach access for free.

This area has many wonderful restaurants and it is so close to Ormond and Daytona Beach.  Daytona Beach has a pier with rides and amusements and to boot offers concerts and fireworks every Saturday starting from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

We decided to cruise north along the shoreline (A1A) and found ourselves in St. Augustine.  It’s about a thirty-minute car ride.  St. Augustine is the oldest city in Florida.  It has quaint shops and numerous eateries lining the old cobblestone roads.  It even has a fort that once protected our shoreline from enemies many years ago.

If you ever find yourself on the east side of Florida, this is worth spending a few days to rest and enjoy the Florida sunshine.

https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/gamble-rogers

Funny, when one’s mind starts to go down a track it becomes very focused.  We are visiting my mother in law in Peoria, Arizona over the Memorial Day weekend.  While visiting her, my husband wanted to take a side trip to check out one of the many BLM lands Arizona has to offer.

For those unfamiliar with the term it stands for Bureau Land Management.  These are government owned lands.  Our government allows us to stay on the land for 14 days. Sounds like a great deal if you want to camp for free.  Here’s the catch.  There are no facilities – at all.  No water, no electricity no nothing.  You need to bring it all.  People who camp on this land have solar or generators and need to bring their own water.

My husband decides to take my MIL and I for a road trip to visit Saddle Mountain to scope out this BML land.  It takes an hour to get there and if you didn’t have a GPS you would probably pass it by as it looks like all the other vast desert fauna we saw getting there.

We venture off the road and begin to see areas where past RVers have stayed.  Firepits made of the available stones and trodden areas where many rigs visited the area.  My husband wanted to get closer to the mountain and as we did the terrain became rockier and trodden areas disappeared and was replaced with tumbleweed, cacti and more rocks.

There was not one RV, probably due to the fact it was 98 degrees.  I looked around and thought to myself, this was not going to be something I would be jazzed about. My MIL didn’t help as she begin to give warnings about bobcats, scorpions and snakes. On the complete opposite side of the spectrum was my husband who just kept saying, “Can’t wait to get the road, this is going to be one grand adventure.”

I reserve the right to delay my opinion until we actually stay on the BML land but in the meantime, you have to admit the view is spectacular!

This is a campsite you should keep in mind if you ever find yourself in St. Lucie County.  This park offers campsites, canoeing, fishing and biking.  We spent three nights on a canal site which gave us a perfect view of the preserve and its wildlife.  The canal proudly displayed its lily pads as well as several trolling alligators.  The sites were roomy but not much in the way of any foliage separating the rigs.

Our site was fully equipped with electric, water and sewer hookups.  Each site had its own picnic table and fire ring.  The only negative for us was the occasional sound of the passing train which could be heard from the recreation area.

The surrounding area offered beautiful beaches, and plenty of activities to keep busy.  For more detailed information, be sure to check out the website.

Savannas Recreation Area

During all the chaos of downsizing, we still kept our camping weekend at Lake Louisa near Clermont Florida. A much needed break. Upon waking up, we were greeted with a chilly 42 degree hello. The morning fog was awesome.

Morning Fog

It’s a must visit for those who have never been to this state park. Nestled way in the back on this 4,372 acre is a site housing 60 campsites. There are two lakes that flank each side of the camping grounds. It’s great for canoeing or kayaking and having lunch on the water. Access to Lake Louisa is just a stone throw away. There is even a small beach area for sunbathers to enjoy and soak up the sun and swim in the designated areas.
This campground has the cleanest bathrooms I have seen. Some sites

have sewer hook ups if you are lucky enough to get your reservations early. Activities while you are here include biking, hiking, fishing and volleyball. They also have equestrian trails to ride on.
There is so much wild life to see around the park. Deer, squirrels, possums and raccoons make their home here. Around lakeside, ospreys can be spotted and if you’re really lucky you might catch a glimpse of the American Bald eagle.
If being around Mother Nature isn’t enough, one can always venture out to Orlando which touts Disney, SeaWorld and Universal Studios. It’s only about 25 miles away. For me, I think I will stick with the tranquility and beauty of Lake Louisa State Park.
Being here reminds me of the end goal of RVing full time and keeps me focused of forging ahead with the herculean chore of downsizing my home and putting it on the market.
For those interested in finding out more, check out the website below.

Sunrise

View of the lake

On the lake