Kentucky Horse Park Campground

The Kentucky Horse Park and Campground is located in beautiful Lexington Kentucky. Lexington is famous for its rolling hills and beautiful horse farms. This campground is situated in the middle of it all! Offering 260 sites with water and electric. They have a large playground, basketball courts and an Olympic sized pool. This place is huge!

We stay here in June for just one night passing through on our way to Canada. We stayed here on site #10 in our pop-up camper. The site was paved with grass separating the sites. There was no privacy between the sites. Our site backed up to a wooded area so at least we didn’t have anyone behind us. We had a picnic table and fire ring on our site.

Kentucky Horse Park Site #10

Kentucky Horse Park Site #10

We pre-registered prior to arrival so check-in was a breeze. The store here was well stocked and the staff was pleasant. Prices appeared to be reasonable and we indulged in some ice cream purchased from the store.

Kentucky Horse Park Campground Store

The roads throughout the campground were paved making biking riding an easy way to get around. In fact, I would recommend bringing your bikes if you plan on staying a few days. The bathroom, pool, horse park, playground, etc. can all be accessed via a bike.

Kentucky Horse Park 1 of 2 Bathrooms

There were only two bathhouses located at this campground but they were very large. However, from our site it was a bit of a walk to get to the closest bathroom. You enter/exit the pool through the bathrooms. This caused the bathrooms to be extremely wet. The floors were soaked the entire time we were here. Other then wet floors, the bathrooms were clean.

The pool was huge and kept clean. There were plenty of chairs surrounding the pool so it was easy to sit back, relax and watch my children enjoy themselves.

The Horse Park (which is right up the road) is an equine themed park. There is a museum, gift shop, restaurant, barns, dressage complex and so much more! You will pay an additional fee to get into this section. We did not visit but was told it was well worth it if you have a love for horses!

Highlights of this trip: Paved sites, large pool, proximity to the Horse Park, quite campground

For more info: http://kentuckystateparks.reserveamerica.com/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=KY&parkId=90800

White Oak Creek Campground

White Oak Creek Campground is located in Eufaula, AL on the banks of the Walter F. George Lake (locals call it Lake Eufaula). The campground is operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers which is the “Nation’s number one federal provider of outdoor recreation” according to their web-site. With 640 miles of shoreline and beautiful historic Eufaula, Alabama just minutes up the road, this a wonderful place to spend a couple of days.

They offer 129 sites with electric and water hookups. Flushing toilets, laundry facilities and showers were conveniently located on each loop.  We stayed here in a pop-up camper in April. The weather was warm during the day but got cold at night. We even put the heater on in the camper to take the chill out of the air.

Site #103 White Oak Creek Campground

Reservable sites were located in the Oakwood and Creek View section of the campground. We had initially reserved site #29 hoping to get a nice, private site. The site was private but we saw so many other sites that we would prefer. We requested to move sites to a non-reservable site. We were granted permission to move only because we were checking in on a Wednesday. They do not allow switching of sites closer to the weekend.  We headed to the Mallard Point loop first.  These sites seemed smaller and wide open to each other with little privacy. These would be great sites for families and groups that want to camp close to each other.  Most of the sites were full and appeared to have boats anchored off shore. Lots of boats! 

We then headed over to the River Chase loop.  Instantly feel in love with this section! Large sites on the lake with a lot more privacy between them.  We settled on site #103. It was set further up into the tree line but still had a view of the lake. It seemed like the perfect combination of privacy and view. The site was equipped with a wooden work table in addition to a picnic table. Ants seem to be everywhere! I sprayed the legs of the picnic table with bug spray… slowed the ants down a little… but we might have eaten a few by accident…  The loop roads were paved making it easy for biking and walking. The bathrooms and showers were clean the entire visit.

Site #103 White Oak Creek Campground

White Oak Creek Campground, Alabama

There was a large grassy area between our site and the lake that was used by a couple of the sites to play ball. Beyond the grass was a small sandy beach. We set up beach chairs here and enjoyed the view while our boys swam. The water was extremely shallow during our visit. I cannot speak of how safe the swimming is here when the water level is higher… use extreme caution and good judgment when letting kids swim here as there are no lifeguards. There were a lot of boats and jet skis anchored here as well. Did I mention there were a lot of boats at this campground!

If you walk around to the other side of River Chase loop, behind sites 121-115, you will find a beautiful, grassy area set up as a fishing spot.  The fishing area did not have benches but did have fishing pole holders! We fished but did not catch anything. We used worms which we purchased from a small general store right outside the park entrance.

 

 

We also purchased firewood outside of the park from a super nice guy in the area.  If you turn right when exiting and follow signs for firewood, you will stumble upon a small trailer.  We pulled in and quickly had our truck loaded and loaded and loaded with firewood! Way more then we could burn in one trip! We paid the man double $ for the wood because we felt he should have charged more for the amount of wood he gave us. Not sure if this is a seasonal service he runs so you will need to check when you visit this park.

Highlights of this trip: super clean campground, lake views, lake access, historic downtown Eufaula.

Phone to Campground: 334-687-3101 Reservations: 877-444-6777 website: www.recreation.gov

We are not associated with this campground nor were we compensated to write this review. These are the opinions and experiences of the author. Please read "Legal Stuff" for more information regarding this site's responsibilities and liabilities.

Fort McAllister State Park and Campground

 Fort McAllister State Park and Campground

This beautiful campground is sandwiched between the Ogeechee River and the Redbird Creek.   The name of the campground within this state park is Savage Island Campground.  It is about a mile drive from the park office through a salt marsh to enter the campground.  It has 65 tent or RV sites.  All sites have electric and water hookups, picnic tables and fire rings.  There are two bathhouses with showers and flushing toilets.  Laundry was also available.

We stayed here in July and needless to say it was hot and humid.  We stayed on site #11. Our site backed to the marsh and was across from the restrooms.  It was a pull through site and made it very simple to set-up our pop-up camper.  Our site was very large and had abundant tropical vegetation providing lots of privacy.  Beautiful live oak trees draped in Spanish moss were located throughout the campground.  Hiking trails could be found from both the campground and the main park entrance.  We did not hike on this trip as it was simply way too hot! There is also a boat dock and fishing pier located in the campground.

Fort McAllister, Savage Island Campground Site #11

Fort McAllister, Savage Island Campground Site #11

The bathrooms were large and kept clean the entire length of our stay. However, the path to the bathhouse was not lit and very dark at night. Banana spiders hung from the trees, large bugs on the ground and crabs darting across the path made the walk to the bathroom spooky at night.  Of course, my kids thought it was cool.

If you are going to camp here you’d better love Mother Nature and all that comes with her! At night, little crabs came up out of the marsh behind us and invaded our site.  The first night, we were a little freaked out by this. You could hear them clicking around on our outdoor straw rug. We nervously stepped out to view the show. After screaming a few times, it became somewhat entertaining. The next night, my kids made it a game by leaving a few crackers out to see what the crabs would do… and sure enough that night, the crabs found them and engaged in a mighty battle to claim the prizes left by my boys.  Word of advice, do not leave shoes out overnight or you might have a stowaway the next morning.

Ok, I need to talk about the spiders… not just any spider… Banana Spiders!  They are also called golden orb-weavers or giant wood spiders. They are BIG, yellow and black spiders! They make huge webs and seem to be hanging from every tree! They are creepy and every little girl’s nightmare! But conversely, they are every little boy’s dream!!   From inside the museum (at the entrance of the park), you can see them hanging from the roof. They also hang all the way down the covered causeway leading to the historic fort. We asked a Ranger why they weren’t removed and he said they weren’t hurting anyone and this was a habitat for them. Again, I won’t lie when I tell you they completely freaked me out! They are completely harmless, so I am told…

Fort McAllister

Fort McAllister

Fort McAllister State Historic Park, GA

One of the coolest things about this campground is its proximity to the historic Fort McAllister.  It is located back behind the office at the entrance of the park. I would not recommend trying to walk to it from the campground as it would be a super long walk round trip.  This fort is the “best preserved earthwork fortification of the Confederacy”.   Union Ironclads had attacked the fort several times but the mud and sand earthworks held.  In 1864, during General Sherman’s famous “March to the Sea”, this mighty fort finally fell.  The history alone here make this trip worth the visit! But being able to walk around the fort, wander into the earthen structures and being able to touch the cannons made camping here unforgettable.

Fort McAllister State Historic Park, GA

Inside the Fort

 I cannot write this review without mentioning Savannah.  This campground is located about 25 miles from downtown Savannah and this historic city should not be missed! Savannah is an amazing, historic town!  During the Civil War, General Sherman was in the practice of burning everything in his path as he marched the Union Army toward the Atlantic Ocean.  After setting fire to Atlanta, he marched on toward Savannah.  Upon entering Savannah, Sherman was said to be so impressed by Savannah’s beauty that he could not burn her.  He was so taken by its beauty; he offered it to President Abraham Lincoln as a Christmas present… and Savannah is beautiful!

Savannah, GA

Savannah, GA

Savannah, GA

Savannah, GA

You might also enjoy a day trip to:  Tybee Island, Fort Pulaski and Skidaway Island while staying at this campground.

Highlights of this trip: private campsites, clean bathrooms, Fort McAllister, proximity to Savannah.

For more information contact: Fort McAllister Historic Park, 3894 Fort McAllister Road, Richmond Hill , GA, 31324  Web-site: http://www.gastateparks.org/FortMcAllister/

We are not associated with any State Park nor were we compensated to write this review. These are the opinions and experiences of the author. Please read "Legal Stuff" for more information regarding this site's responsibilities and liabilities.

Teaching A Lab to Swim

Teaching a Lab to Swim 

Pictured below: Bo, Koda and Bear

Teaching a Lab to swim. No kidding… I had to teach my Lab to swim! First, her name is Koda (middle, right side of picture above). She is a five year old chocolate lab that has never learned to swim. I've owned Labs in the past and couldn't keep them out of the water! My beloved Yellow Lab named Bo (pictured above who has since passed away) couldn't resist a rain puddle! When we took Bo swimming… we had to tie rope to him to make sure he would come back… we were afraid he would just swim away (and one time he almost did)… anyway, back to Koda… We have taken her many times to the lake… she wades in, drinks the water and then backs out if she feels her feet start to float. We threw sticks, balls, her favorite toys but nothing worked.

We went camping this weekend down at West Point Lake (GA) and tried again. We went through the same antics but still could not get Koda to swim. Finally, I had a brainstorm (yikes)… I asked my husband to carry our 95 pound Lab out into the lake and then let her go… assuming of course that she would swim back to shore. After my husband shot me the look “you’ve got to be kidding me”, he quickly realized that I was not…

To our surprise, when she was released, she swam as quickly and as awkwardly as she could back to me standing on the shore. We did this a few times and even drew the attention of other campers who where shocked (understandably so) that we had to teach her to swim. Anyway, after about 6 times, she really started to get comfortable. She even retrieved our kid’s water toys we threw into the lake. It was like watching your child take their first steps!! (almost)

By the end of our camping weekend, my husband needed Tylenol, my kids needed new water toys (thanks to Koda chewing them after retrieving them) and I needed to get air fresheners for the tent… I don’t think the “wet dog smell” will ever come out!
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I wrote this article a few years back and just wanted to share it again. Enjoy!
(original post from July 2008)

Cloudland Canyon State Park Campground

Cloudland Canyon State Park, GA

 Cloudland Canyon State Park Campground  is located in Rising Fawn, Georgia.  It is approximately 45 minutes south of Chattanooga, Tennessee and about 2.5 hours north of Atlanta, Georgia.  The campground is located on the western edge of Lookout Mountain and overlooks a deep gorge.  Elevation climbs from 800 feet to over 1,980 feet which makes driving to this park not for the faint of heart. We approached the park from Trenton, GA on route 136 which makes a long, twisting climb to the top of the mountain.

Cloudland Canyon State Park Campground

There are two different campgrounds within the park to choose from. However, you cannot reserve a specific site when making reservations.  The West Rim Campground has 43 RV sites (some pull-thru) with power, electric and sewer.  These sites are quite large with lots of trees and plenty of privacy.  The loop road was paved making it nice for our young bike riders.  The two bath-houses had showers and flushing toilets and were kept clean during our visit.

We camped here in a Pop-up camper in early April.  The trees were still bare and the weather was cool but not cold.  We purchased firewood from the camp hosts and were able to get ice from the ranger station/camp store located back at the front entrance. This campground was full the weekend we were here but it was quiet and relaxing.  Again, this campground was heavily wooded; therefore there was no view of the canyon below. The star gazing at night became the highlight of this trip! We walked every night around the loop road glancing up to view the gallery of stars! A short drive to the main overlook would have made for fantastic, unobstructed views of the night sky.

The second campground located here is the East Rim Campground.  It is located closer to the Interpretive Center and closer to the scenic overlooks this park offers.  East Rim Campground sites were much smaller with no privacy at all. The sites were closer together with unobstructed views of your neighbor’s campsite.  Now, this type of camping is not for me but these sites would be perfect for large groups of people traveling together or families that want to camp and be close to each other.  The best advantage of the East Rim is that you are only a few steps away from the amazing views!

Cloudland Canyon State Park, GA

There are miles of hiking trails here but I like this hike: From picnic Shelter #1, you can take a hiking path past the Interpretive Center and around the rim.  The views from here are breathtaking! And yes, you are very high up for those of you afraid of heights.  For those that are even more adventurous, stay on the path past the cottages and continue down into the canyon on the Waterfalls Trail.  Hiking down is strenuous and slippery at times.  This should only be attempted if you are in good physical health. Oh, almost forgot to mention the steps… That’s right, stairs! Sounds like an easy way to get down doesn’t it? It’s the getting back up that’s the challenge! At a point on the stairs you are given an option to see Waterfall #1 or #2.  #1 is the closest, therefore the easier of the two to see. But make no mistake, it doesn’t mean it is easy to get to.  Follow the stairs and stay on the path and you will be rewarded with a magical water fall! Remember, know your limits!  You need to get back up!

Lots and Lots of Steps!

Waterfall #1

The highlights of this trip:  amazing scenery, privacy of the campsite, star gazing, views from the rim and the magical waterfall that awaited us at the bottom of the canyon! This park was one of the most scenic we have camped at in Georgia!

For more information contact: Cloudland Canyon State Park,  122 Cloudland Canyon Park Road, Rising Fawn, Georgia  30738
Phone: 706-657-4050,  Reservations: 800-864-7275
Web-site: www.gastateparks.org

We are not associated with any State Park nor were we compensated to write this review. These are the opinions and experiences of the author. Please read "Legal Stuff" for more information regarding this sites responsibilities and liabilities.

Big Bone Lick State Park and Campground

Big Bone Lick State Park, Kentucky

Big Bone Lick State Park campground is located in Union, Kentucky.  Before I go any further, I feel the need to tell you how the park got its name.  Webster’s Dictionary defines the word “Lick” as a “natural salt deposit (as a salt spring) that animals lick.”  Millions of years ago, very large animals like mastodon, mammoths and bison came to these springs to ingest the salt and minerals they needed to survive. These very heavy animals would get stuck in the soft ground around the springs and ultimately die in the swamp. Natives and early explorers discovered “Big Bones” in the area which had been amazingly preserved…ok, I think you get the picture. Make sure you buy a t-shirt from here, it is the perfect conversation starter!

Big Bone Lick State Park, Site #30

There are 62 sites with hookups, and fire-rings.  There is a pool, playground, flushing toilets, showers, mini-golf and store.  We camped here in a pop-up camper in July. The campground was full but quiet even though I think every site had children.  We stayed on site #30. Nice, wide, long site. Not a whole lot of trees for privacy but the sites were far enough apart to offer some privacy. The only problem was our water hose did not reach the spigot. The spigot was located on the opposite side of our site between our site and the one next to us. To make the connection, we would have needed an obnoxious amount of hose. So we opted to wash our dishes at the spigot instead of inside our camper.

Big Bone Lick State Park

The pool was small, clean and thoroughly enjoyed by my kids. The camp store had the basics but was expensive. A small pint of milk set me back $3. The bathrooms were not convenient to our site. It was a long walk up-hill to get to them from our site. I even drove to them once or twice. The bathrooms were painted dark brown with little natural light. There is only one bath/shower house for all 62 sites. Bathrooms needed to be cleaned more often to keep up with the volume of people camping here. This may sound like I am complaining but I am not... the bathroom was not a deal breaker and I would definitely stay here again!

There are numerous hiking trails throughout the park. We really enjoyed the hike down to the lake. There is also a short trail from the Nature Center to view the bison herd located at this park. The highlight of this trip was defiantly the museum and nature center and should not be missed.

Rabbit Hash, KY General Store

I can’t write about this campground without mentioning a small town about 10 miles from here called Rabbit Hash, KY.  It is something out of a movie! Old antique shops and a general store complete with an old man on the front porch accompanied by a dog. But not just any dog, this Border Collie’s name is Lucy Lou and she is the town’s mayor. That’s right, I said mayor! My kids had a blast playing with the dog and tossing sticks into the river for her. This was an amazing little place full of charm and character.

Lucy Lou, Town Mayor

Rabbit Hash, KY

Inside the General Store at Rabbit Hash, KY

Highlights of this trip:  quiet campground, pool, museum/nature center, and the town of Rabbit Hash.


For more information contact:  Big Bone Lick State Park, 3380 Beaver Road, Union, KY 41091 Phone: 859-384-3522; web-site: http://parks.ky.gov/parks/recreationparks/big-bone-lick/default.aspx

We are not associated with any State Park nor were we compensated to write this review. These are the opinions and experiences of the author. Please read "Legal Stuff" for more information regarding this sites responsibilities and liabilities.

Greek Style Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps

Greek Style Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps

Who says you can't eat luxurious while camping? This simple, fast recipe is not only delicious but easy gourmet camping food!

2 large Portobello Mushroom Caps
1/4 cup Feta Cheese crumbles
6 chopped Kalamata Olives
1 diced large fresh tomato
1-2 TBS chopped roasted peppers
1/2 TBS Capers (optional)
2 TBS olive oil

Combine chopped olives, feta cheese, tomato, capers and roasted peppers. Clean ribs from mushroom caps and wipe caps down with a damp cloth.  Brush both sides of mushroom cap with 1 tablespoon olive oil each.  Place on grill rib side down and grill for 5 minutes.  Turn caps over and fill with olive mixture.  Grill about 8 more minutes or until warmed all the way through.


Helpful Tips:  Chop Kalamata Olives and Roasted Peppers and place in zip-lock baggie with Capers prior to camping. Place in cooler or RV refrigerator.You could also clean Mushroom Caps and place in a separate bag as well. This will help speed up prep time.  You could chop tomatoes ahead of time but I prefer mine freshly chopped in this recipe.