Exploring 7 National Parks on an Unforgettable Adventure
- Kelly Miller
- Jun 4
- 15 min read
Our RV travel for 2024 happened rather spontaneously. We had our 5th wheel at a consignment dealer in Texas with the intention of selling it. The RV didn’t sell and so mid-summer we decided to go get it and bring it back to Florida. We thought that, if it was still in great condition after sitting at the dealership for several months, we might do some traveling on the way back. We loaded up a U-haul with a shortlist of everything that we would need for travel in the 5th wheel and took off. I had booked no sites ahead of time other than close by the dealership so we could assess the RV and make a decision about traveling in it again. As soon as we stepped into the RV we knew we were home.
Once we decided that we were going to make the most of what was left of the summer and fall before heading back to Florida, I started booking our adventures. We decided that our goal would be to see a few of the National Parks that are a little more out of the way- Specifically Gateway Arch, Voyageurs National Park and Isle Royale National Park and take advantage of the timing to also see the UP of Michigan. At the end of that portion of the trip we were having such a good time we chose to add on a fall trip to Cuyahoga Valley National Park, New River Gorge, Shenandoah and Congaree. We also hit quite a few other sites that were on our list. Here is our route and my reviews of everywhere we went.
This campground is in between San Antonio and Austin, TX. And, most importantly to us, a short drive from Lockhart, TX, the smoked meat capital of Texas. The campground was great, full hookups, a concrete pad, easy in and out for our large, 43' rig, plus a beautiful swimming pool. If in the area, we would definitely stay here again.
Northside RV Resort is located south of Dallas, TX. This park had a beautiful pool and friendly staff. We had full hookups and a concrete pad. This was a quick stop for us on our way out of Texas towards Oklahoma. Super easy in and out.
In all of our State Park Camping experiences, we have never been in such a large campsite. The paved driveway was 87 feet long and we had full hook ups. The green grass and shade trees were refreshing. Deer casually fed on the grass of the frisbee golf course that winds through the campground.
We took a drive to explore the relatively deserted park and happened upon a section with the ruins of decommissioned bathhouses (now home to thousands of wasps nests). Around a bend in the road, a large building like a 70’s style hotel or resort stood on a point overlooking the lake. It’s huge dark windows with heavy drapes hanging haphazardly made us think of an abandoned horror film location. We assumed that the several run-down cars in the overgrown parking lot might belong to squatters who might’ve taken up residence in the haunted looking building. Upon further investigation we saw that there were people working on a section of the roof. A little google research revealed that this building is an active drug rehab center operated by the Church of Scientology.
We aren't sure why this park was so empty, perhaps because it was back to school season? Whatever the reason, this was a nice place to stop for the night.
Joplin was a quick overnight stay for us. We stayed at the Joplin KOA Journey where we had full hookups and a gravel driveway. The site was tight but big enough for our 43' fifth wheel.
Bennett Springs is a fisherman’s paradise! We feel very lucky to have gotten a spot for an overnight stop at this park. The park had concrete pads, full hookups and internet! Jonathan grabbed a fishing license and his fly rod, for a great time playing in the river. We also enjoyed watching other people reel in the large trout that are stocked at a rate of 2.5 fish for every license purchased at the park. The daily limit is 4 fish, and since most anglers are catch and release, there is an abundance of trout in the water. We even watched trout swimming in the shallows behind people standing and casting in deeper water who were after bigger quarry.
Although this KOA is located in Illinois, I am adding it to Missouri as well. It is right across the river from St. Louis which gives it a super close location to see the Gateway Arch National Park. We had full hookups and a grassy pad. I saw some online debate about whether this is a safe place to stay but, for us, it was totally fine for the couple of nights that we were there. Certainly felt more secure than many boondocking spots we’ve overnighted in before. The dog park was overgrown and the park could use some TLC but again, the proximity to the Gateway Arch overrode any of our concerns.
Starved Rock State Park- Oglesby, IL (Chicago-ish)
Located about an hour west of Chicago, Starved Rock State Park is a natural paradise. The camp sites are spacious with plenty of shade. We were able to get a 50 amp electric spot. Water and a dump station are available in the campground. For advice on hiking in the park, click here. For Chicago pizza recommendations click here.
The location of this park in relation to The Wisconsin Dells couldn’t be better. Our site had full hookups and a gravel pad. The Wisconsin Dells KOA has a lot of fun activities and a nice pool. Lots of kids running around having a great time. The sites were a little close together but they were able to accommodate our large 5th wheel. Click Here for our Wisconsin Dells adventure.
Willow River will always be special to us because it is where we finally found the elusive Northern Lights! We also really enjoyed the waterfall hike. We had full hookups, a very private campsite with a gravel pad. In Wisconsin, we are careful to make sure we have an electric site because they do not allow generator use without a special use permit.
We took the Willow Falls Hills Trail from the Willow Falls parking lot to the falls. When they warn of the hill they are not joking! But this is totally doable and is the shortest distance to the falls at only .4 miles each way.
Itasca State Park in North Central Minnesota ended up on our list of places to visit because it is the Headwaters of the Mississippi River. We had full hookups and a wooded and gravel site. Click Here for a review of the hikes we did in the park.
Within Voyageurs National Park, there are 3 visitors centers. We found the Ash River area, the furthest south, to be a great jumping off point to explore Voyageurs National Park. We had full hookups, a crushed gravel pad and the park was able to accommodate our larger 43' 5th wheel. There is a boat launch right across the street from which you can row or motor up to an amazing waterfall about 2.5 miles upriver. The rumor is there will also be a bakery at the boat ramp area- coming soon! We rented a pontoon boat from nearby Voyageurs Sunrise Resort and had a great time exploring the various points of interest in Voyageurs National Park.
Located in Duluth, MN, just across the lift bridge. This is more of a parking lot at a marina next to a Fairfield Inn. The sites were plenty deep and just wide enough for our RV and Truck. We had full hookups. A popular thing to do is to walk or bike across the lift bridge to the shops and restaurants in the walking district. We took off in our truck and did 2 days of waterfall hiking.
This campground and marina is a true gem. Because we did our trip planning on the fly and at the last minute, most of the campgrounds that I wanted to stay at near Apostles Island National Seashore were already booked up. Saxon Harbor is a city park and we couldn’t have been happier with the location as well as the overall ambience of the park. We had water and 50 amp electric. While we were there, we did the Black River National Scenic Byway 5 waterfall drive. We took the Apostle Islands Grand Boat Tour and especially enjoyed Devil’s Island with all of the sea caves and rocky shoreline. We also did a bakery taste test.
The location couldn't be better for taking the ferry out of Copper Harbor over to Isle Royale National Park. The sites were tight and the hook ups were located at the front of the site which was a bit awkward. We had water and electric and the dump station was easy to navigate.
We were booking our trip at the last minute and were able to get a full hook ups spot at Pictured Rocks RV Park. This is a no frills park. We chose a gravel spot but for an additional charge you can get concrete. The location was great for us and we were able to drive to Marquette and do some errands and see Presque Isle Park. We did a waterfall drive through Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore to Sable Falls. We also took a Pictured Rocks Boat Tour.
Northland Outfitters was a happy accident of a campground that we found in Germfast, Michigan. Hidden in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan along the mysterious Manistuqye River is one of Thomas Dambo's famous trolls, Benny the Beard Fisher!
This campground is a true campers paradise offering day trips down the river. At this campground we had water and 30 amp electric only. The dump station is not super convenient since it is a back in spot off the busy main road. But our shady and private location was totally worth having to be careful about dumping. Around the corner is the Seney National Wildlife Refuge and we highly recommend an early morning or late evening marshlands wildlife drive. This central spot also provided easy access via a 30 minute drive to Kitch-iti-kipi Spring in the Palms Book State Park. Finally, we used this location as our jumping off point for an hour drive to Tahquamenon Falls State Park. From there it was just another 30 minutes to Whitefish Point and shipwreck museum.
This state park campground lives up to its name. Sitting areas with small sandy beaches framed by trees, provide stunning views of the sunset over a pristine aqua blue lake. Many of the sites back up to a boat basin that is ideal for small boats, with first come first serve parking, and a small boat ramp near the center of the campground. There was a beaver snacking on lily pads in the inlet to the basin, and many ducks and loons around. The park provides nice flat open spaces with solid galvanized/concrete fire rings and picnic tables at each site. Our site was 30amp, but there are many 50amp sites as well. If you have a large camper you will want one of the 50 amp sites at or near the entrances to the campground loops so that you will have more space for backing in. The sites along each loop are at 90-degree angles from the single lane one-way paved road, so the narrow road, other campers, and parked cars along the edge of the road make it challenging to get into those spaces with a larger vehicle. The people across from us were very nice and offered to move their vehicle so that we could pull forward into their space enough to back into ours when we were setting up. Watch out for all the goose poop in the grassy areas; and if you’re used to camping in wooded state park campgrounds, be prepared for full sun because the campsites are mostly exposed with full sun. While here we took a day drive to Petoskey State Park.
As we travel, we try to find locations where we can park our 43' RV and then spend the week exploring. For the northish westish part of Michigan, we chose Traverse City State Park as our stop. This is a fully wooded park with electrical hookups only. There are some 50 amp connections however, because of our on the fly booking, we ended up with 30 amp. The spaces are full dirt with a concrete fire pit that we were unable to move. We had some trouble getting into our spot and had to travel backwards on the one way street in order to avoid the trees on the narrow road as we maneuvered into our spot. Once In our spot we made an agreement that we would do whatever it takes to conserve water so that we could last the 6 days without having to dump or add water. By taking camp showers and using the state park facilities we were able to accomplish our goal and only had to use the dump station on the way out.
The Traverse City area is a hub of tourism in the Spring, Summer and Fall months. The downtown area has made the most of their popularity with cute shops and delicious restaurants. We had breakfast one day at Bubbies Bagels where we enjoyed The Nosh which includes Louie’s bacon, scrambled egg, cheddar, and scallion on a Za’atar bagel. I would highly recommend this delicious sandwich which was definitely big enough to share.
We had dinner in the downtown area one night at Mama Lu’s- A Modern Day Taco Shop. We ordered the local Psychedelic Cat Grass IPA which went great with the nachos and our side of street corn. This was a big enough meal to share and have street corn leftover for the next day.
We also spent a day at Sleeping Bear Dunes which is a place not to be missed. One the way back we stopped in at the famous Moomers Homemade Ice Cream. All of the ice cream is made on site and we really enjoyed the Cherries Moobilee Ice Cream which has won awards. Since Traverse City is the “Cherry Capital of the World” we couldn’t pass up an opportunity to taste their local award winning dessert.
If wine tasting is more your style, you might enjoy a trip up Hwy 37 toward Old Mission Peninsula. There are countless wineries to stop at along the way and the Mission Point Lighthouse is a great place to stop and see Grand Traverse Bay.
As entrepreneurs and business owners, we particularly enjoyed our night with other like-minded business people at the Traverse City New Tech Pitch Competition. We heard pitches from RV City Hosts, Wave Lumina, Berry Bot Soap Maker and Vetr Health. All 4 have great ideas and are making strides in their respective industries. It was super interesting to hear the innovative ideas that drive commerce.
Dutch Treat Campground is a nice spot in a great area. Just a few minutes from Holland, Michigan and less than 30 minutes from Grand Rapids, the location is very convenient. This park has full hookups and wifi that was good enough for streaming. The layout of this park made for an easy pull in and set up. The pad is gravel and grass and there are plenty of shade trees. There is a nice pond, a playground and a pool. This park is a mix of full time and transient spaces. Overall it is a quiet campground that we enjoyed. We took the time to take a day trip to Windmill Island in Holland, MI. We also enjoyed an adventure with Sagatuck Dune Rides.
Located just south of Detroit, this State Parks is a favorite among the locals. It has beautiful view of Lake Erie. We had full hookup and plenty of space. There are many walking trails. We used this park as a home base to take a quick trip across the border and explore Point Pelee National Park in Canada.
We chose this RV park due to its location and convenience to Cuyahoga National Park. The park is large and we had no problem getting into our gravel site. We had full hook ups but the cell service was only ok and the internet didn't reach our site. We would stay here again if we were visiting the park.
If Hocking Hills State Park isn't on your to do list, it should be! For our visit, we stayed at Hilltop Resort and Campground. This campground is in a great location, only about 15 minutes to the park and just a couple minutes from the town of Logan, Ohio. The roads in the park are narrow but it was manageable and we got into our very long site with no problem. The wifi in the park works well. There are a lot of activates to choose from in the park and plenty of options for the kids.
This RV park is conveniently located in Fayetteville, WV, right next to the north end of New River Gorge National Park. We had full hookups and a gravel pad. Our site, number 12, was shaded and very easy to get in and out of. There are a ton of things to do nearby including Camp Creek State Park, Hawks Nest State Park, Babcock State Park and the Gauley River Rafting. We would also love to complete the West Virginia Waterfall Trail one day!
We chose this spot because it was convenient to visit family in Johnson City and Knoxville, TN. The sites are a bit tight but we had full hookups and they have a nice pool and recreation area. They have a nice multi-boat slip/dock across the road that some people use for fishing in the lake. We would stay here again when we are in the area.
We would highly recommend a stop at Silver Springs Vineyard. We pulled in as the owner was cleaning up. He directed us to park anywhere in the gravel parking lot and we were welcome to use our generators. I purchased some wine from him and we chatted about Italy and his vision for his vineyard and restaurant. He gave us a bunch of treats. We enjoyed the pastries and the wine while we sat outside our camper enjoying the beautiful scenery.
Trying to find camping near Woodstock or Marietta, GA can be problematic. Victoria Campground is easy to navigate and is close for our visits with many of our Georgia family and friends. We had water and 50 amp power. This is a seasonal campground and typically closes mid-October and doesn't normally open back up until mid- March.
Dumplin Valley was a quick overnight stop for us. We had full hookups on the grass. It is close enough to stores to provide some convenient options for restocking items we were running short on. We probably wouldn't stay for any length of time but it was perfect for a night.
We completely lucked out to get a spot at Hungry Mother State Park. They had just reopened the park when we made our reservation at the last minute. This park is dazzling and we would highly recommend as a fall leaf tour destination. There are a variety of types of hookups within the campground and if you book ahead you can get full hookups with 50 amp power! We used this location as a base camp to explore Cascade Falls which is an amazing trail.
Booking near Shenandoah National Park at the last minute proved to be a challenge and a reminder of why I love to book in advance. For days I called around and searched the web looking for a spot to camp during the peak fall leaf season near the Shenandoah. I finally found a spot at Misty Mountain. This is a value add resort with many events. The regular campers were in high gear preparing for the annual Halloween decorating competition. We had some nervous energy making up the winding single file road to our campsite. We pulled in and barely fit but once there we were happy with our full hook up spot.
This was a quick stop over for us on our way through to Congaree National Park. We had a full hook up, shaded pull through site. Very convenient to the expressway with no highway noise.
I had this park on my list because it seems like the closest to Congaree National Park. This RV park is huge. We had no problem getting a site at the last minute and no problem navigating the rv park roads to our site. They have a nice dog park and we had full hook ups.
We lucked out in getting a fantastic spot at Skidaway Island State Park. This was a quick stop for us late in the season on our way back to Florida for the winter. We had a spacious 30 amp site with water. There are 50 amp and even sewer sites if you can book ahead and get them. There are a lot of nice trails that you can access from the campground. We would love to stay longer and venture into Savannah when we come back again.
This is our go-to spot to be close to The Villages, FL which is our home base. These spots are spacious, concrete pads with full hookups. They offer a fair price for a monthly rate. There is a pool and pickleball courts and they have scheduled events throughout the high season if you’re looking for an active, over 55 spot with comfortable weather where you can ride out the winter.
We really enjoyed our late summer trip around the Great Lakes and the fall addition of the some mountain leaf peeping. I hope this helps as you plan your RV adventures!
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