Most RV adventures begin with a plan. A trail of pins stretch across a map of America, each pin spread out three hundred miles apart – each pin representing an RV park – each pin representing a night of rest. RV parks are convenient and common among the country. However, sometimes a little research goes a long way. Instead of staying at the big RV park just off the highway, drive off the beaten path and you just might find a hidden gem!
Any RV enthusiast will appreciate the conveniences of an RV park. But at the same time, they acknowledge that most RV parks are crowded, expensive and noisy. Most people at an RV park will test out their motorcycles or ATV’s, and blast their country music, and wallop golf balls across the park. Uhhmmm…..wasn’t that the reason for your RV trip? To escape that forsaken consumption culture?
Even if you never did any research, and think RV parks and your driveway are the only places to park your RV, you are terribly mistaken. You can park your RV in a truck stop, casino, Walmart or a school. Of course, each of these RV park alternatives have stipulations. Check with a Walmart employee before anchoring up in one of those parking lots. You can only stop in the parking lot of a school if you’ve donated to a cause, attended an event at that school or the parking lot is completely empty. And if you are staying overnight in a truck stop or a casino, please lock the doors and don’t leave your pack of beer unattended!
Now let’s get back to those hidden gems, because there are a lot of magical places to park your RV that the whole family will remember for years!
First, if you have that pristine money tree in your garden, there are RV parks that will provide a luxurious and sumptuous evening. The Zion River Resort next to the Zion National Park in Utah is dripping with diamonds. In fact, you could actually mine for diamonds in the park’s very own mining sluice!
About 80 miles outside of Las Vegas, you’ll find the Solstice Motorcoach Resort. This luxurious RV park has fitness facilities, a bocce ball court, pet parks and a putting green. Heh! Did I mention the breathtaking mountain views?
Petoskey RV Resort sits on Lake Michigan. Be sure to come early to this park so you have time to go horseback riding, play some tennis or golf, take a dip in the saunas, and even attend the theatre at the clubhouse!
Thus far, I’ve highlighted options for RV adventurers at the very bottom of the ladder as well as at the very top. Sprinkled in between are some truly funky RV parks. Like the Florida Caverns State Park, in Marianna, where you could park your RV and then go on a cave tour and admire stalagmites and stalactites.
If you have an RV and you are also an alien enthusiast, spend a night at the Bottomless Lakes State Park, located in Roswell, New Mexico, the alien capital of the world. UFOs have reportedly been spotted zooming above the park, through the clear desert midnight skies! Family members not as captivated gazing at the stars, could enjoy kayaking, swimming, hiking and paddle boarding.
Not everyone is into aliens. If you prefer those spooky things that go bump in the night, there are RV parks where you can ghost hunt. Don’t forget your backbone, cause these are some of the scariest monuments in America! Fishcreek Campground in West Virginia, for example, is just a few miles from the Moundsville Penitentiary. This gothic style asylum had been shut since 1995. Daily tours at the facility include zombie walks and mock prison riots.
Cowboy Camp RV Park, in Hallsville Texas, is where cowboy dreams come alive! Take a stroll down a trail on one of the park’s beautiful horses, or mosey on into the park’s clubhouse “The Sasparilla”, where you can play dominoes or horseshoes. Billy the Kid, eat your heart out!
Another bizarre place to park your RV, is in Northern Colorado and called the Greeley Missile Silo RV Park and Campground. This cold war era missile site was active from 1961 to 1965. The trailer park is situated on the Poudre River Valley, surrounded by the breathtaking Rockies. Kind of ironic place to build the apocalypse headquarters! Free educational tours will guide you through the surreal and antiquated military headquarters.
Next time you are in your RV, if you are feeling a little adventurous, drive past that big and crowded RV park, and search for a hidden treasure. They are all out there – just waiting for you and your family to discover them. Don’t just go driving down the road instead, cherish that long and strange trip.
