Quick Visit to Big Bend National Park

Santa Elena Canyon

People say you don’t just stop in at Big Bend National Park. You plan your visit as it’s not really on the way to anywhere. We found this to be true when especially planning for fuel and grocery stops. We are trying to hit as many of the national parks as we can and since we were in Texas and heading west to New Mexico, we did incorprate Big Bend into our trip.

That being said, we had only budgeted two full days to explore the park and the nearby town we camped at – Terlingua. In hindsight, five or six full days might have been wise. Read on as we share our very doable and picturesque time spent in 2.5 days there to help you choose your activities in the park.

Luckily, we had left Hill Country a day earlier than planned and drove as far as Alpine to camp for one night and check out Marfa Mystery Lights. We set up camp at the Lost Alaskan Campground and drove to the Marfa Viewing Site which was only about a 30 minute drive. We knew before going that the mystery lights are only visible some 30 nights per year but we thought it was worth a shot. It’s fairly near to Big Bend so wanted to include it in this post as an option to consider.

“The Marfa Mystery Lights are visible on clear nights between Marfa and Paisano Pass as you look toward the Chinati Mountains. The mystery of these lights remains unsolved. One explanation why the lights do not always appear is that the atmospheric conditions from the interaction of cold and warm layers of air bend light so it can be seen from afar, but not up close.” We did not see them.

It was a short hour and a half drive to Terlingua from Alpine which was perfect. This allowed us to get set up at RoadRunner Travelers RV Park, make some lunch and head into Big Bend National Park for a half day. It’s about a 30 mile drive to Panther Junction Visitor Center – where we decided to start our journey in the park.

We picked up a park map there since we had read cell service was non-existent in many areas. A park ranger coached us on roads to travel in the park, the must-see places, etc. We had researched the areas we wanted to explore but it didn’t hurt to get an expert opinion for sure. On our list, was to hike to Balanced Rock on the Grapevine Hills Trail. The ranger verified you need a high-clearance vehicle to navigate Grapevine Hills Road. The 7.7 miles to reach to the hiking trail took us about 30 minutes on the washboard, rocky dirt road. There is limited parking but we lucked out and found a spot. We hiked the mile and a half to Balanced Rock, took a few photos and hiked back out to the Jeep. The trail is 3 miles total, in and out and relatively easy until the last quarter mile in which involves climbing up and navigating some boulders.

Afterwards, we opted to drive down to the Chisos Mountain Lodge Restaurant for dinner upon seeing some good reviews. Plus that is also the famed “Window” view to catch the sunset. The dinner and view did not disappoint! Definitely one of our best meals and old fashion on the trip thus far! Our bartender offered up the tip for our next day – get to the Lost Mine Trail parking by 7 am as it fills up fast. The Chisos Store offers some really nice clothing, jewelry and gifts also.

We set our alarms (yes, on vacation!) and got to the Lost Mine Trailhead parking about 7 and got parked. By the time we got organized for the hike with packs, water, snacks, etc, the parking lot was full!

The Lost Mine hike in and out is about 4.8 miles with about 1300 feet of elevation. Not terrible and some folks did bring their children on the hike. The climb is switchbacks without difficult terrain. At the top, you’ll experience a 360 degree view and a great photo opportunity of Casa Grande Mountain. Along the way, we heard and saw a lot of Mexican Bluejays and a roadrunner.

After lunch, we took the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive to Castolon and the Santa Elena Trail. Along the way, we stopped at Sotol Vista and Mule Ears View Point. On this drive, I bet we saw three or four different kinds of terrain – it was fascinating to us all the different kinds of terrain in Big Bend.

We got to the Santa Elena River Access Point near where the Terlingua Creek and Rio Grande meet and elected not to cross as we had on our hiking shoes. We did see people coming down off the trail on the other side and heading further up past the access point. We walked that way and discovered the creek dried up and that is where people were crossing to climb up to the trail. While the trail itself is only about 1.6 miles roundtrip, we wouldn’t suggest families take their kids in this way. It involves climbing without much to grab onto or good footholds. Once you get up and to the actual trail though, it is an easy path to walk albeit you are walking up 80 or so feet and then back down to the river bed level. The bluffs on the opposite side rise up 1500 feet from the river bed. If you could cross the Rio Grand there and scale the bluffs, you would be in Mexico. The views are well worth the hike with many photo opportunities.

After leaving the Santa Elena Canyon, we opted to return the way we came in on the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive. The Old Maverick Road would have been shorter to get out of the park and to Terlingua but would have been much longer due to the nature of the roads rough condition, as advised by the park ranger. We still enjoyed the drive back as it was nearing sunset and the terrain took on different hues and shadows.

Our last day at Big Bend, we drove about 45 minutes over to Rio Grande Village on the other side of the park and checked out the campground there. We determined it was the only place within the park we could get to safely with our 30 foot Winnebago Adventurer Motorhome to camp should we get the chance to come back someday.

We then did the short hike into Boquillas Canyon, also on the Rio Grande. We could see men and horses on the Mexico side. It is illegal to cross there on both sides however Boquilla’s Crossing is nearby where you could cross if you had the appropriate papers and the desire.

Our last hike at Big Bend was mid-afternoon to the Ernst Tinaja Canyon. To get there, it was about a 45 minute drive 5 miles on the unimproved rough Old Ore Trail. It is only a mile hike roundtrip to the canyon and the natural rock pool. However, the walk is on mostly thick, large gravel and rock which isn’t the easiest to walk on long distance. This was definitely our favorite place at Big Bend. We were there at the hottest part of the day and the only ones there. It was very serene sitting on the swirling, orange, rust and purplish colored rocks. The only sounds we heard were birds, crickets, flies and a javelina grunting that we couldn’t see. Stunning scene even though the water in the pool was low and still.

We wrapped up the day by going to the Starlight Theater for dinner in Terlingua Ghostown. It so happened that it was a Friday night and they had live music. Baird and friends were playing a wide variety of music while we ate. We absolutely loved the music and atmosphere there, as well as the food and service. A must-do if you are near Terlingua Ghostown!

TIPS:

  • It is recommended to bring water on all hikes and water is limited in the park so make sure you carry enough with you.
  • There is an outdoor water spigot at Panther Junction Visitor Center to refill water bottles.
  • Bring non-odourous snacks (so as not to attract bears), especially salty snacks like pretzels, granola bars, nuts, etc.
  • The road to Chisos Basin has some hairpin turns; it is not recommended to drive trailers down over 20 feet long or RV’s longer than 24 feet.
  • We didn’t see any camping areas we would want to drive our Winnebago Adventurer to camp other than Rio Grande Village. The dirt roads and rough terrain were probably fine though for a small trailer or Class B RV such as an Ecko with higher clearance.
  • When the road says high-clearance vehicles only, believe it!
  • Check the NPS Park Calendar for Events & Tours before you go to help maximize your time there.
  • The flowers were just starting to bloom when we were there March 8-10. Mid to late March and even April I’m told is a better time to catch more flowers in bloom.

Road Trip to South Padre Island

South Padre beach

On our road trip to South Padre Island, we passed through Arkansas, which we had never spent any time in. We decided to hang out for a couple nights at the Downtown Riverside RV Park in North Little Rock. Our full day there, we visited the William J Clinton Presidential Library then drove to Hot Springs to hike the National Park. Would love to have gotten hydrotherapy with the hot mineral water (naturally at 143 degrees) at the Buckstaff Bathhouse but it was closed on President’s Day. I would go back to do that!

  • Hot Springs National Park
  • Clinton Presidential Library

Moving on, we spent a couple nights in Houston at All Star RV primarily to catch up with a nephew that lives near there. It was a quick visit but long enough to have an amazing dinner at Pappas Brothers Steakhouse. I found this gem in the book, 1000 Places to See in the United States Before You Die. I had ordered this recently at the recommendation of a friend who loves to travel. Check one off the list; 999 more to go!

On our full day of non-travel while there, we took the short drive to Galveston for a quick day checking it out. It was a rainy, windy day so not a day to beach it. Instead we had lunch at Miller’s Seawall Grill (just meh for us), then took a tour of the Bishop’s Palace, an 18th Century historic home with impressive architecture. The tour took us about an hour and we then moved on to Moody’s Rainforest Pyramid.

Endangered exotics at Moody’s Rainforest Pyramid include a Komodo dragon, other reptiles that I chose not to store images of in my head, colorful birds, Rodriguez bats from Madagascar, Blue Poison Dart Frog, Xingu River Ray and so many other interesting exotic rainforest creatures. Both attractions in Galveston were cool and time well spent.

It was a pretty easy drive to South Padre Island from Houston. We checked into the KOA for a 6 night stay. This was our second visit to South Padre but the first time camping there. Since we had been there previously, we went to a familiar spot for dinner, The Longboard. What’s nice about The Longboard is they always have music in the afternoons and evenings. Food is average but good and the beer is cold. Great outdoor seating options make it one of our favorites.

The first full day, Friday, we drove in to Brownsville so Bill could see a chiro – ended up going to The Joint with good results. Picked up a few necessities while in town decided to walk to dinner on marina dock nearby at Mahi Nic’s. We loved the chill and easy atmosphere and owner Nic was easy to talk to. Mahi Nic’s had good food, especially the burgers and fries, and had us coming back later in the week. Plus it was great to walk over and not deal with driving.

Saturday we had planned to go the beach area at the furthest end of South Padre island. We drove on the beach to find a parking spot. It’s fun to drive on the beach and hang out but it was crowded in some parts. On our way back, we made a stop at Clayton’s to take in their great music outdoors on the huge patio area. Sunday was a good day to tool around on our bikes and check out the island with easy bike parking. SPI was in the 70’s with 96% humidity but there was a nice breeze while riding. This day we had no lunch so went to the Sea Ranch for dinner right away when they opened at 4:30. We got in right away and service was prompt. The menu states they are #500 in America on a magazines top restaurant list. I would beg to differ. Food was good but not great and when I ordered a glass of Pinot Grigio, I wasn’t offered a wine list to choose from but rather got a glass of some variety of Pinot Grigio without an explanation.

Mahi Nic’s Dockside
cute couple on the beach
Winnebago Adventurer at the SPI KOA
Love the Brown Bag Beer idea!

Monday took us back to Brownsville to the Joint again. We had planned to go to Space-X and Boca Chica beach afterwards but the road was closed for testing at Space-X. We ended up going to the Laguna Atascosca National Wildlife Refuge. Ocelots, jaguars a few other cats are known to be freely roaming there. We were there mid-aft; the wrong time of day to see them and temps were about 88 and humid inland. I believe lost about a pound of sweat that day walking around. SPI is the only beach time on our trip so we kicked back and took it in. Favorite spots were very small outdoor bars on docks – Driftwood Landing and Mahi Nic’s (really good food). Overall though, we thought the food on SPI was very average and recommend cooking in at times if you have the option.

Campground Notes: The KOA was nice overall with a pool, large deck/patio area for guests to mingle and catch the sunset and laundry. Many guests there stay for two to three months. Personally we probably wouldn’t choose South Padre to stay for months. The salt spray is pretty brutal on vehicles. Site 38 was fine though we did catch a whiff of sewer smell occasionally. If we came back, we would try for a site in Regal Row though I’m sure those are regulars who come back every year.

Pictured Rocks, Falls & Petoskey Area

Michigan is a beautiful state that we have yet to see much of. So when friends from Detroit proposed meeting us in the UP camping, we were all in. Though our timelines didn’t fully jive, we were able to meet them at Muskallonge Lake State Park for a couple days. We took off in our third longest trip in our Winnebago Adventurer (CC). CC did not disappoint and we continue to enjoy the space and amenities she offers as we glamp our way around the United States.

Our itinerary for that area included seeing Pictured Rocks and the Upper and Lower Tahquamenon Falls. Both were beautiful and on the must-see list when visiting the UP. Our first night upon arriving included a visit to the nearest gas station/bar/grill – Pine Stump (about 8.5 miles away). We thought it was a fine establishment in the area (one of few far and between), had pizza for dinner and enjoyed talking with a few locals.

We decided to do the Pictured Rocks Cruise this time around. It’s a two and a half hour boat ride up and down the shoreline. Not a bad way to go though I could see renting kayaks to get in closer – next time! For someone more adventurous who likes tent camping, there were a couple beaches you could hike in, boat or kayak in to and camp overnight the cruise guide indicated. Mosquito Beach was one of those with a couple pit toilets near the camp area.

Bill and I hooked up with our friends that evening. We had made plans to grill pork tenderloin and potatoes on our Blackstone flattop. They turned out juicy and tender, perfect with a good salad, pineapple upside down cake done on a grate over the campfire (wow kudos to Joyce for making over the fire), and wine. It was a nice quiet evening at Muskallonge which gave us time to catch up since we hadn’t seen them in several years.

We all took off the next morning for the Upper Tahquamenon Falls. We hiked around saw the falls from several vantage points. I hadn’t realized they would be a copperish-gold color. It might have been even more spectacular to see them on a sunny day? We then proceeded to the lower falls for similar views but smaller falls. Very peaceful and I wouldn’t mind coming back in the fall with the autumn colors dappling on the water.

Upper & Lower Tahquemenon Falls

Paradise, Upper Peninsula, Michigan

We rounded out our visit by heading a bit further to Whitefish Point in Paradise for a whitefish dinner (of course) at Brown’s. Not a fancy place by any means but certainly good service and food. Anyone from Wisconsin would feel right at home there. The Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum was only open for another half hour so we didn’t take the tour but instead walked the beach a bit and hunted rocks. Couldn’t help but notice this memorial to the Edmund Fitzgerald – very cool.

We left our friends the next day and headed for Petoskey, Michigan, about a 3 hour drive from Muskallonge State Park. A light rain clouded our view of the Mackinaw Bridge but it was still a sight to see. There was thankfully not much wind to toss our big “sail” of a motorhome around. We had decided a visit to Mackinaw Island was a separate trip without CC. Next stop Sun Outdoors, Petoskey Bay Harbor.

Check-in was a quick, friendly process at Sun Outdoor. We setup camp and headed into town to explore for a few hours in daylight. We quickly discovered Petoskey has a great lakeshore vibe and most shops were closed by 5:30. We relaxed with an excellent dinner at the Pour Public House, Petoskey, and afterwards walked down to the marina in the bay.

The next day we biked the Little Traverse Wheelway to Charlevoix and wandered around that quaint little town. Fun little shops and cafes lined the main street near the marina. Lunch at the Stafford Weathervane was just meh in my opinion. It was nice sitting out on the deck overlooking the channel into the bay though. We quickly learned that that drawbridge opens on every half hour. On our bike ride back to Sun Outdoors, we stopped at a little trampled path down to the water. It was secluded and no one in sight. My kind of stop; we did a little rock hunting and I only wished we would have had a couple chairs and a cooler along! I did find one Petoskey stone on the trip though!!

We nixed the idea of biking or hiking the next day and opted to drive the Tunnel of Trees with the t-tops off the Wrangler. Beautiful, not too long, and we decided we needed to come back for autumn foilage. As it so happened, yay, there was a winery on the tour. We stopped at Pond Hill Farm Winery for a quick flight of wines and a taste of their new sangria. Another fun little place I would detour to again. The drive home took us through Harbor Springs, another little town on the bay. I will say all of these little quaint towns had friendly locals and tourists taking in the sights.

Reservations that night took us to Chandlers, a small restaurant on a side street that had earned a high rating. The salads we had were outstanding, the entrees were good, not great. Oh well, maybe we had the wrong entree? We needed to find something redeeming in town so we went to Murdicks Fudge/Ice Cream Shop. Ahhhh, a Pothole ice cream cone did the trick for me!

After a few days, we still had not made it to Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore Park. It was a good hour and a half drive from camp so we committed to making that trek the next day and staying another night. The National Lakeshores/Seashores are in our Collector Series Passport Book of National Parks – we were so close, we had to go!

The Pierce Stocking Scenic Drive at Sleeping Bear Dunes Park was suggested by the campstore so we took off to complete that after getting our stamp. It was a beautiful drive though again, it would be fantastic in the fall. Note to the reader – there is no food or beverages sold in the park so bring your own. The Dunes Climb and various hikes will leave you thirsty! The Lake Michigan Overlook was stunning and our favorite stop. No, we did not go down the steep hill! Scaling up looked to be quite the challenge!

On our way out of Empire, we stopped at the Shipwreck Cafe and sat roadside for a late lunch. We were starving and were prepared to be disappointed. Not so! Pizza and sandwiches were the options and we both enjoyed an herbed sub roll with an herbed mayo as a condiment on our subs. By far one of the best subs with plenty of meat that I’ve ever had!

All in all, we had a great trip to the UP and Petoskey area. We would come back again but perhaps late September to enjoy the scenic drives even more. I hope these notes might help you make some decisions about a trip to Michigan and maximize your enjoyment.

Campground Notes:

Muskallonge LakeState Park – Site #104 in Loop 2 was just ok, fairly level but no privacy from neighbors. As a state park, sites did not have full hookup; just electric. You know that going in so no big deal. Our friends were in #150 and #151 Loop 1 and their sites had much more privacy and greenery surrounding them. We would opt for a site in Loop 1 should we go back. Our cellular provider is Verizon and we had no reception unless we went to the park office and hung out. We were mostly off the grid for a few days – nothing wrong with that! Newberry was the closest town, about 25 minutes away.

Sun Outdoors Petoskey Bay Harbor – A full service campground with amenities like pool, clubhouse, laundry, garbage pickup, dog park, putting green, horseshoes0 and pickleball courts! Site 97 was home for 4 nights. Our site was fine, nice and level, concrete slab. If we go back, we would try for sites along the back, Sites 45 – 145 with more green space and further from nearby roads.

Biking Boulder Junction

Boulder Junction, Wisconsin, and Vilas County are known for their biking trails. 52 miles of paved bike paths stretch from Boulder Junction to St. Germain. With biking in mind, we planned a short trip with the motorhome there, staying at Camp Holiday Campground for three nights mid-July.

It was an easy drive and we had good weather. Unfortunately, a dump truck passed us and either kicked up a significant rock or one flew out of the back. We heard a loud crack and felt shards of glass hit us! It was a strange break, mostly on the inside and barely visible from the outside. We carried on after cleaning up the glass shards and arrived at Camp Holiday late afternoon just before rain came in.

After setting up camp, we headed out to find a bite to eat since we had skipped lunch. It was a Monday and not much was open from what we could see online. Mental note here, Mondays and Tuesdays seem to be common days for restaurants to close which is not surprising; just not something we thought of when making the reservations.

The Ice Shanty was open and we headed there. Turns out the Ice Shanty is a drive-in that had good reviews. The pizza burger was meh, fries were good and ice cream ok. We got back to camp before it really started raining. An early bedtime was calling us and the rain beating on the roof made for good sleeping. We also had left Harris the cat home which no doubt helped as well!

Camp Holiday was about 3.5 miles from a parking lot at County H & K where the biking trail went through. We opted to park there as County H had no shoulder to ride on and had a decent amount of traffic. That was a good choice! Our route for the day was south to Manitowish Waters – about 13 miles.

The paved bike path was beautiful and maintained extremely well. The grass on either side of the path was mowed and signage prominantly displayed where driveways crossed the path. There was a restroom about half way to Manitowish Waters near a school. We also noticed another parking lot about 4 miles from H & K which we might use in the future since the lot at H & K was very full.

When we arrived in Manitowish Waters, we discovered that the few businesses that were there were closed on a Monday and Tuesday. Dixie’s Coffee House was open luckily and we popped in for a bite for lunch and some iced tea. The young gal behind the counter was clearly more interested in her phone than in serving us. We were eventually taken care of and enjoyed a small sandwich. The bike ride back to camp was uneventful so we just enjoyed the weather and smooth trail.

The next day we met some friends at the parking lot of H & K and biked in to Boulder Junction from there for coffee. It was no doubt an easy, short ride but enjoyable nonetheless. Boulder Junction Coffee Company offered a good selection of coffee, bakery and the like in a homey atmosphere. Our friends were not up for a longer ride so we headed back and took a drive to their home in Presque Isle to hang out for the afternoon. It was a very scenic drive on remote roads.

We were in the area very briefly so I can’t comment on much other than to say we would definitely come back to do more biking on the paved and scenic trails! Perhaps even stay at Big Bear Hide-Away if we came without CC (our motorhome).

St. Augustine April 2022

We drove A1A from Flagler Beach to St. Augustine and that in itself was spectacular! After this drive, we added driving A1A from beginning to end to our bucket list. The area around Hammock Beach especially looked fun to explore – the paved hiking/biking trail alongside the road went for many miles, another draw for us.

We got to St. Augustine Beach later in the day after a quick stop at Fort Matanzas National Monument. After settling in at Bryn Mawr Ocean Resort, we drove over to North Beach Camp Resort (nice sites by the way, fair amount of foilage between sites) to meet up with some friends camping there. There are three restaurants within walking distance from that campground – The Reef, Aunt Kates and Caps on the Water. The Reef got our business that night. Since it was 4:20 and the hostess indicated we couldn’t get served outside, we went into the bar and got great service from Chelsea. She was so pleasant and efficient, we opted to stay inside, eat at the bar, and the food was excellent.

Since we only had 2 days at St. Augustine, we had to choose from many, many historic sites to see in such a short time. St. Augustine, founded in 1565, is known for its history, architecture, and art. A rainy morning didn’t help us. After the rain stopped, Bill and I did an Olde Town Trolley Tour, about 1.5 – 2 hour tour, to help us narrow our options. The trolley tour was very informational, worthwhile and we saw a lot! One thing that stuck out was that after many invasions and burning of the city, buildings were built with coquina – the rock that saved St. Augustine. Afterwards, we met up with our friends for a late lunch/early dinner at Columbia Restaurant, one of my favorite Florida Family Restaurants. I love their 1905 Salad and crusty bread – Yum!

Lightner Museum ^

< Memorial Presbyterian Church

Irish Pubs were plentiful in St. Augustine, the melting pot of various cultures since founded in 1565

The photos above are from our trolley ride, certainly not great and you can find better – this is merely meant to share our perspective should you consider visiting St. Augustine. Day Two we explored the Fountain of Youth (part of the package we purchased with the Trolley Tour). The Fountain of Youth was certainly interesting and historical, covering the history of Ponce de Leon discovering the area and designating it “Florida”. Those that like big attractions would not be “wowed” by it for sure but there were pieces of history shared that are hard to fathom in this day and age.

The “Fountain of Youth” you could drink from was I suppose a symbol of what it might be like if such a thing existed. This fountain merely tasted earthy and metallic, was warm and the feeling of youth only lasted for a second!

We stopped for lunch afterwards at one of hundreds of restaurants (I swear) in St. Augustine – a small, authentic Mexican place. Sustained with good, inexpensive food, we then went to explore the Castillo de San Marcos National Monument, constructed between 1672 and 1695. There is a fee for entrance however if you have a National Parks pass, you have complimentary access.

The unique design of the fort allowed guards to see enemies approaching from all angles
A 16-pounder Mexican Wap cannon
Guard Room – Spanish soldiers lived here while on duty – a 24 hour rotation

Sadly, I neglected to get a picture of the drawbridge which secured the fort at the moat, along with 14-foot thick walls. There are many exhibits inside the fort to really delve into the history on your self-guided tour.

St. Augustine Thoughts

The Castillo de San Marcos National Monument and Fountain of Youth are definitely worth visiting if you enjoy history. And the Trolley Tour was one of the better ones we’ve done. If you really love history, shopping and trying new restaurants, you should plan on spending at least 4 full days there. We would check out Anastasia Island or North Beach for camping next time or, one of the many bed and breakfast options there.

What We Liked about Bryn Mawr Ocean Resort

The office staff was friendly and attentive. It was a really short walk to the beach with several beach access points. Site #135 was at the end of a row and close to the beach and included a covered deck with picnic table to relax under. Restroom was convenient to our site, not necessarily others however. Other amenities: swimming pool, tennis court, shuffleboard, dog park, trash pickup and cable TV.

What We Didn’t Love about Bry Mawr

Sites are very close together with minimal, if any, foilage or natural screening between sites. The roads in the park were very bumpy while we were there. Some sites had quite a walk to the restroom (unless the would cut through someone else’s site which is bad etiquette). They did not recycle.

Canaveral Seashore & Flagler Beach

We left Cape Canaveral on the way to Flagler Beach and decided to check out Canaveral National Seashore and get a bike ride in. (It’s in the Collector’s Edition Passport to National Parks – we are working on getting stamps at those listed ) It was a pretty drive once we got off I-95 and took Hwy 44 through New Smyrna Beach. We agreed that New Smyrna Beach was somewhere we would like to come back and explore sometime.

A little tidbit – The Canaveral National Seashore is the longest stretch of undeveloped coastline in Florida. There was a nice visitor center at Canaveral NS and we discovered that was the best place to leave the RV as turn-around space was limited further on into the park. There were no bike trails but the roads were not too busy so we tooled around out to the furthest beach – Parking Lot #5. We discovered it was a nude beach – so did not take any pictures! Thought that was interesting in a national seashore area.

We moved on and made our way back, roundtrip about 12 miles, which was a nice break from our drive. We stopped at Turtle Mound near the entrance on our way out and walked the nice boardwalks. It was a beautiful area and a perfect habitat for butterflies – couldn’t believe how many there were!

Back through New Smyrna we went and I noted a few places to check out next time – cute little store Needful Things and the Treehouse Bar & Grill (really built around a huge tree!).

On our way, we came across a Buc-ees Gas Station/Store and had to stop! If you’ve been to a Midwest-based Kwik Trip, you think those are pretty amazing (and they are) but the Buc-ees is a Kwik Trip on steroids! There were 2 islands of pumps with about 20 stations at each. The store is bigger than our local Piggly Wiggly – crazy! And the bathrooms are amazing. Sometimes, I find the quallity of the bathrooms can be the defining criteria for a stop.

Beverly Beach RV Campground was our home for a couple nights outside of Flagler Beach. We got settled in to our campsite which was set back from the oceanside sites. The beach had received some hurricane damage a few years back and they had brought in sand to replenish. Sand on the beach was reddish in color but still nice and pretty firm for walking. Dinner was at the Golden Lion Cafe. They have a ton of outdoor seating and a rooftop dining area – right across from the ocean and some live music.

Flagler Beach and CC in site #112

The next morning we biked the really nice wide bike path into Flagler Beach – a cute little town with quite a few restaurants, some gift shops and ice cream stands. It is such a pleasure riding alongside the ocean and off the road! We had brunch at the Funky Pelican, a restaurant dockside on the ocean and right in the middle of the beach shops. It was a good place to park our bikes and walk around.

Walking around we discovered the Gallery of Local Art on a side street. Cool little gallery with an amazing amount and variety of art/sculptures/jewelry, etc. I highly recommend stopping in if you are in the area. We also found that several stores and restaurants were closed on Mondays and Tuesdays so that is a factor when visiting. We indulged in an ice cream stop also because we were going to burn off those calories biking back! HaHa.

Back at Beverly Beach, it was windy on the beach so we just kicked back and did some reading. It was just relaxing to be outdoors in the warmth and sunshine. Pulse check – 60, pretty good! Temps were in the low 70’s but breezy when we were there the first week in April.

What We Liked About Beverly Beach RV Campground

Of course it’s awesome to be on the beach! There’s a little store if you need some necessities and it looks like they have a convenient mail pickup option for people camping for extended periods. There are also cabins for those who don’t have an RV to camp in. Bathrooms were clean, I didn’t check out laundry facilities so can’t comment on that. At site #112 on the beach side, we had a concrete pad for chairs, etc. and level gravel surface to park on. Loved having the paved biking trail across the street!

What We Didn’t Care For At Beverly Beach RV Campground

The road was behind us and traffic could be busy in the mornings so if you’re a light sleeper, you’re not sleeping in! Nothing to be done about that, gotta choose the beach or sleep! Sites are close together (no doubt to maximize sites/revenue) so our hookups were right near our neighbor’s picnic table. Only other complaint was the campground did not recycle. Seemed like it was their choice since we did see recycling bins in town.

Cape Canaveral

This trip was one of exploring places we hadn’t been in the southeast area and while typically we would choose a beach vacation, we sacrificed (ha ha) for some history and culture. Ultimately the Kennedy Space Center is what drew us to Cape Canaveral. It had been many years since Bill had been there and I had never.

The Kennedy Space Center

Walking into the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex was impressive with a variety of rockets on the grounds.

We got to the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) early in hopes of getting on the bus tour. We were successful (no fee for this tour) and rode out to the Apollo/Saturn V Center, passing the NASA current launch site. We could not tour the launch site as the Artemis Program and Orion Spacecraft were being worked on.

Things we liked most at the Apollo Center were viewing the Space Shuttle Atlantis, The Heroes and Legends Rocket Garden, Forever Remembered (Tribute to the crews of Challenger and Columbia) and the exhibits of artifacts which included the Apollo 14 Capsule.

It was amazing to us how three astronauts could fit in this capsule!

The other thing that I didn’t recall was that Space Shuttle Atlantis launched as a rocket but returned and landed on earth as a plane. The technology that was present back then was incredible.

Space Shuttle Atlantis
Bottom of Atlantis

Among the artifacts, we discovered this Go – NoGo Checklist for Apollo 17. For those of you who have ever been part of a launch of a website, this checklist seems pretty minimal for a Go-NoGo decision? Yet I imagine how complex it is to make sure everything is good to go to launch a shuttle!

Throughout the complex, suspenseful but uplifting music played, reminiscent of Star Wars music. The music set the stage, especially for the Shuttle Launch Experience. We did go through the simulation and thought it was ok – I am certain younger crowds enjoyed it more!

As we left The Kennedy Space Center, it was fitting to see this memorial and quote from John F. Kennedy:

Cape Canaveral – Surrounding Area

Driving into Cape Canaveral, one of the first things we saw were several cruise ships in the port. That was kind of cool as we don’t see those in Wisconsin! While it was cool, we quickly discovered that our internet access dwindled significantly because of all the usage. Later in the day as they all left port, we saw improvement. Gosh we are so dependent on our devices in a new area to access maps, restaurants, etc.!

Near the Port, there is a bunch of restaurants all within walking distance of each other. No doubt this makes life easy for those about to hop on a cruise ship and those staying at Jetty Park. We popped into FishLips there for a quick bite. They were busy but we were seated quickly up on the deck with a great view of the water. We settled for a Calamari appetizer – some of the best we have had!

We had biked down to a local bar, La Cantina, for some chips and salsa. You could tell this was not a tourist destination, in fact, it was sort of a Green Bay Packer bar unbeknown to us! Sadly though, the chips and salsa were meh. The beer was ice cold though!

We camped at Jetty Park right near the Port. We stayed site 100 – an ok site considering the park maintenance shed was immediately behind it.

What we liked about Jetty Park

The campground is right next to the beach and you could see cruise ships coming and going there as well. The beach was also a great walking beach and really flat so you didn’t have to walk on a slant. The campground had nice hot water and plenty of it! People were nice and there were quite a few well-shaded camp sites. One thing I especially look for in a campsite is recycling – This campground recycled!

What we didn’t like about Jetty Park

Mostly it was the laundry facilities. There were not enough machines for the number of campsites – 4 washers and 4 dryers. One washer was down so . . . Then if you attempt to do laundry in the evening or morning before the camp store opens, you find out you need tokens, only available at the store! They were also very dirty. Luckily, there was a local laundromat not too far away that was clean and even offered free coffee – Cape Laundry.

Finally, we would come back to Jetty Park Campground should we be in the area!

Central Florida Jaunt

We had a beautiful drive from the Florida Panhandle to central Florida. Next stop Wildwood for a night at the Rail’s End MH and RV Park. Oh boy.

We pull into Rail’s End in Wildwood, not far from our friends Tim and Kim that we had planned to catch up with. The sign says to park on the right and go to the office. If only, the sign told you where the office was . . . Luckily, a passerby in a golf cart gave us directions to the office. It wasn’t a far walk, just down the road a few units down but no visible sign from the entrance.

We get to the office and find it closed – it’s a Sunday and I get it. But there is no board outside to pick up your site and park info. Now mind you, I had called a couple days ahead of time and the manager didn’t offer any of this information. Thankfully a nice couple passing by offered assistance and went to find the manager for us.

The manager quickly comes and tells us our site (doesn’t provide any other info or map). We discover the park doesn’t take credit card or cash – only money order or check. As luck would have it, we happened to have our checkbook with us which is highly unusual. The manager directs us to our site and we get settled in.

We take off in the Jeep to Tim and Kim’s place, not even a mile away at the Continental Country Club Park. We hop in their golf cart and take a tour; it looks to be a nice golf course and a really great 55+ retirement community. Located right near Lake Okahumpka, with canal access, wetlands surrounding and opportunities to see a lot of wildlife – including gators. We saw baby gators near the course and stopped to catch a photo. When we stopped and talked, we saw mama gator peek her head up within seconds! Needless to say, we did not get off the cart, but immediately took off.

We then took off with Tim and Kim for dinner in Brownwood at The Villages. Had a great visit and enjoyed some live music in the square afterwards.

Wildwood was a quick stop on our way to Orlando to catch up with Wisconsin neighbors John and Kathy and explore that area. They’ve told us that the Orlando area offers so much that we had to check it out.

A short drive away is Deland, off the beaten path. The scenery there reminded us of the Midwest with all the trees and waterways. We loved their cozy place near the St. John River. It was great to get out on a boat and tool around on a warm sunny day in March! We stopped for an outdoor lunch at The Swamphouse Grill. Good food, cold drinks and tons of caterpillars falling from the trees! We were told these are the kind that sting so we did our best to avoid them though one was determined to get me by crawling up my bar stool leg!

Boating on the St. John River – similar to the Wolf!
Clear water on the St. John River
Birds drying off after bathing

A beautiful sunset completed the day!

Sunset on the St. John River
reminded me of an octopus

Not sure why but we fell down taking pictures during our stint in Orlando. Maybe because we just relaxed more and weren’t on a mission to see specific things. We let John and Kathy be our tour guide and show us some of their favorite haunts like Burton’s, The Waterfront, and Johnny’s – all very casual, local establishments which we love. We also explored downtown Orland and Winter Park. We liked both very much and would go back to visit for sure.

Art in Thornton Park, Orlando

One of the best things about Orlando was that I got to meet up with two cousins who I haven’t seen since maybe I was 4 or 5? We met for lunch and had a great visit though it’s hard to catch up on that long of a time span! We did talk a lot about family history which filled in a few gaps for me. Hopefully we can meet up again soon!

Me with cousins Paul and Theresa

As always, we felt like there was more to explore in Central Orlando but It was a nice reprieve to stay off CC for a few days in John and Kathy’s lovely home. Though I’m quite sure Harris didn’t enjoyed it as much as we did! He wasn’t quite sure about their two dogs though he still would rather be with us. At least we think so?!

Florida Panhandle Spring 2022

Spring 2022, we set out on our maiden journey with the Winnebago Adventurer we picked up earlier this year. This rig is 30 feet, 4 feet longer than our previous Winnebago View and a foot wider. The extra space is fantastic for longer trips – and so much easier when traveling with a cat! Prior to leaving, we had installed a Safe-T-Plus steering stabilizer. It took a little bit to get used to driving it but we both adapted pretty well and the stabilizer helped immensely. Bill and I (and Harris) started out a little later than planned as we were waiting for a new water filter for CC (our adopted name for the motorhome). Delayed delivery by FedEx and a quick install by Bill, got us on the road about 12:45. First stop the KOA at Benton, Illinois.

Harris settled in faster than in the past, no doubt a little CBD oil helped. He found his little cubby to settle in. He still isn’t loving it when we’re moving but at least he didn’t meow the whole time. In fact this first day was a bit more than 9 hours on the road and while he did really well, at about 8.5 hours, Harris let us know he was done for the day by meowing and talking up a storm! I also recently discovered Comfort Zone Pheromone Spray to help create a calming environment and I believe that worked!

We pushed off the next morning and saw flowering trees and other signs of spring – a welcome change! As is common, traffic around Nashville was slow and at times a parking lot, putting us behind schedule by at least an hour. Harris was tolerating another travel day ok. Checking weather along the way, we saw tornado warnings throughout Alabama. At 5pm we were near the Tennessee/Alabama border in the town of Pulaski. We had reservations to stay at a Harvest Host site – Goat Island Brewing Company, in Cullen, Alabama, but called them to let them know we weren’t going to make it with the storm/tornado warnings. They were gracious and understood our hesitation.

We didn’t see any nearby campgrounds to hunker down in Pulaski to wait out the storm. We ended up going to Sarge’s Shack, a local restaurant with a huge parking lot. The manager gave us the go-ahead, without hesitation, to camp overnight in their parking lot. Of course, we went in for dinner to try out their popular marinated ribeye and chicken as a courtesy for our complimentary stay. Our stay there was uneventful and Carl, the owner, said we were welcome anytime to camp overnight for free!

The next morning we discovered the water pump was shot. Bill of course had a spare pump so we decided to push on to Pensacola, our next stop, where we had water and deal with it there. We had stayed at Pensacola Beach RV Resort last spring and liked it so much, we had booked again back in October when we put this trip together.

The travel day was longer than originally planned so we opted to eat out rather than cook. Shaggy’s on the beach was a great casual choice. The mahi mahi tacos and red snapper were delicious – we would return for them!

The next day Bill planned to take a half hour (guesstimate) to swap out the water pump. You know how those plumbing jobs go – two hours later, we were ready to take on the day.

Last year we loved the Santa Rosa Gulf Island National Seashore Beach so much, we took the Jeep to the other side where Fort Pickens still stands on the Gulf Island National Seashore. You could bike there but the trail does not extend all the way like it does on the Santa Rosa side. If you have a national parks pass, you can get into Fort Pickens for free, otherwise it is $25 per car or $15 per biker.

This beach was just as nice as the Santa Rose side with sugar white sand that squeaks as you walk on it! A few more people were here probably since it is closer to town. Regardless, Pensacola definitely is one of the nicest beaches on the Emerald Coast! White sand, emerald water and less people than other beaches. Perfection!

On our drive back to the Pensacola RV Resort, we stopped at the Landshark Landing right next to the Margaritaville Hotel. Landshark opens at 3:00 and we hit it perfectly. I had a Paloma (tequila, grapefruit juice and a little simple sugar) for a change of pace – very refreshing!

With so many restaurant options offering fresh seafood, it was easy to find a highly rated place for dinner. Last year we had gone to Flounders and while many people rave about it, we though it was just meh. Grand Marlin got our business this time and they did not disappoint. The Grouper Picatta and Grilled Mahi Mahi were delicious.

We traveled 98 along the Emerald Coast for a more scenic drive to Carrabelle.
Along the way, we spotted Camp Gulf in Miramar Beach area that looked like a good camping option to try. We stopped in one of our favorite little towns, Port St. Joe, for lunch at the Uptown Raw Bar and Grille. They have a delicious grouper sandwich and a serve-yourself drink cooler!

Immediately upon arriving at Carrabelle Beach RV Resort, we were greeted by a couple from Michigan who traveled there every year with 7 other couples. Once we got settled into Site 12, we grilled dinner and relaxed with a cocktail. We did a walkabout of the park and met our immediate neighbors Betty and Randy. We learned that the RV park is a not-for-profit and all sites are owned by individuals. Carabelle is a small town, and a little distance from the RV park. After talking with several couples, we discovered that because the area is not busy at all and you’re driving to go anywhere for anything, is why they come back year after year and they invested in a site. They pick the dates they want to occupy their pad and the park rents out the other dates for them. Pretty sweet deal and the quiet beach is right across the street!

We drove into Apalachicola on Saturday to the farmers market for some fresh produce. On the way, we stopped at Taylor’s Hardware Store in East Point to pick up a few things. They really had a phenomenal selection for such a small town.

Tip for those seeking the farmers market in Apalachicola, the one with produce is every other week and rather than being downtown, it is near the marina. We picked up some produce and walked around, checking out several shops and hit the Oyster City Brewery where I had the delicious blackberry blond ale. With temps about 72, we sat outside, sharing a table with an unknown couple. We quickly got to know Annie and Richard and discovered we had a lot in common and a few hours passed! They had just bought a second home there and shared all kinds of nuggets of information with us about the area.

After parting ways with Annie and Richard, we drove out to St. George Island and stopped at Paddy’s upon their recommendation. We snacked on the tuna dip (OMG so good!) and took in the surroundings. We had such a limited time to spend on the island, we definitely need to go back – looks very cool with some great biking and hiking. On our next trip this way, we plan to check out St. George Island, the Dwarf Cypress Boardwalk in Tate’s Hell State Forest, an Apalachicola airboat excursion, the Station Raw Bar and the Dockside Gulf Shell, as suggested by Annie and Richard.

Saturday night at the park was low key – another reason we discovered our neighbors liked it there. If you want hustle and bustle and like to be entertained, Carabelle may not be the place for you. If you are seeking a peaceful area to enjoy what nature has to offer – put Carabelle and the Florida panhandle on your list!

Here are gas prices just for fun to look back upon: Illinois $4.49, Kentucky $3.85-3.99, Alabama about $4.05-4.09, Florida Panhandle $3.99-4.19, Mexico Beach $4.39. We use the GasBuddy app to find easy access stations and better prices so consider that when traveling – give it a try! Waze also has updated gas prices by its’ users.

Road Trip to Glacier

at St Mary Glacier KOA in our Winnebago View 21V

Glacier National Park was absolutely breathtaking. 360 degrees of majestic beauty. While we didn’t have the best weather in September (windy, 60’s and 40’s up near the top), we made the most of it. The first day we drove from East to West Glacier, up on over on the Road to the Sun – the only road through the park.

The next day we left early and were able to park at Logan’s Pass, at the Continental Divide, (got there by 8:15 and only a couple spaces left). We planned to hike the Hidden Lake trail but it was closed due to bear sightings in the last couple days. Instead we ended up hiking the Highline Trail which is very popular even though more difficult. Walking along the ridgeline was not as bad as I expected. The pictures don’t do it justice but at points on the trail, you’ve got about 18 inches between the mountain wall and steep drop off – guessing 1000 feet or more.

After hiking that day, we NEEDED to stop at the Cantina right near our campground. Whew!

We had pre-booked the Road to the Sun Tour on Wednesday with Jammer Andy as our tour guide. Very knowledgeable tour guide and would highly recommend! We learned there are 750 miles of hiking trails in GNP, some of the most spectacular in the US! There are 25 glaciers left in GNP and receding. However about 10,000 years ago there were none and then in 1850, another ice age created glaciers – now melting again- Jammer Andy indicates a repeating cycle.

Road to the Sun Tour

We also went to Lake McDonald Lodge, and the lake is known for those colored rocks. St. Mary’s Lake had that aqua blue water (featured in the movie The Shining) and Forrest Gump ran over the bridge on that lake also. To be continued . . .