Any Suggestions for Places to Stop Between Florida Panhandle and Wisconsin - RV-Dreams Community Forum

K & E · RV-Dreams Family Member

Any Suggestions for Places to Stop Between Florida Panhandle and Wisconsin

igotjam · RV-Dreams Family Member

Have gone that way quite a few times and the above suggestions are good ones. We go about 200 miles/day so we have stopped at lots of them. If you go by Knoxville, TN spend a few days in Sevierville or Gatlinburg. Lots of great parks between Knoxville & Lexington KY. Like Bill says. Memphis is great and Tom Sawyers is a good park. Chatanooga is one of our favorites...do the aquarium downtown and the towing hall of fame....Rock City and the Ruby Falls are cool the first time too.

My only concern for you is the weather. IMO Gulf Shores, Panama City, Destin etc are really cold in the winter.

-- Edited by igotjam on Monday 24th of June 2013 07:16:29 PM

scrappy · RV-Dreams Family Member

Well, if you find yourself near Chattanooga, the KOA Lookout Mountain WEST is where we are..........and its a nice place, right off I-59..........quiet, roomy, nice pool, lots to do in the area.

but if you look it up, make sure you are looking at Lookout Mountain WEST, there is another KOA Lookout Mountain and you do not, repeat, do not want to go there. The place must be a nightmare according to campers we have met lately that went there accidentally.....

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

Memphis has a lot to offer and Tom Sawyer's in West Memphis, AR, is a great place to stay, being right on the river. Many of the attractions of Memphis are closer to Tom Sawyer's than the other campgrounds, except Graceland, if it matters to you. Beale Street, Sun Studios and the Gibson Guitar factory were all fun stops for us. We did watch the ducks at the Peabody Hotel, which is close to Beale Street.

K & E · RV-Dreams Family Member

Thanks for the suggestions. We are going on a cruise out of New Orleans in January. We figured since we would be in Louisiana, we'd just head east along the gulf shores for the winter. We'll be staying in Biloxi, Gulf Shores, Alabama and Destin. We know it will be colder than some of the other snowbird destinations, but we'll deal with it for one winter to see those areas. Next year back to Arizona.

Technomadia · RV-Dreams Family Member

Driving along the Natchez Trace is both historical and beautiful! It's closed off to commercial traffic, so nice easy no-stress driving. It'll take you into Nashville, and there's even some nice free national park campsites along the way (Howenwald, TN is one of them.)

From there, following the Mississippi River up The Great River Road is pretty - with lots of nice state and federal campgrounds to stop at with waterfront spots. Should keep you pretty much on track into Wisconsin.

- Cherie

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

Sorry Kevin and Evelyn, haven't been that way in a while so no good recommendations...

I love Destin, even when it's chilly!

2riker2go · RV-Dreams Family Member

K & E wrote:
Thanks for the suggestions. We are going on a cruise out of New Orleans in January. We figured since we would be in Louisiana, we'd just head east along the gulf shores for the winter. We'll be staying in Biloxi, Gulf Shores, Alabama and Destin. We know it will be colder than some of the other snowbird destinations, but we'll deal with it for one winter to see those areas. Next year back to Arizona.

Hey, we're planning to spend a week in New Orleans in January. smile Maybe we'll end up there at the same time! When is your cruise?

K & E · RV-Dreams Family Member

2riker2go wrote:

Hey, we're planning to spend a week in New Orleans in January. smile Maybe we'll end up there at the same time! When is your cruise?

We're arriving at Jude Travel Park on Jan. 17th and staying for a month. The cruise is Jan. 26 to Feb. 2.

2riker2go · RV-Dreams Family Member

That's cool, maybe our times will overlap. We are working at Amazon in KY and then heading to the Atlanta area for Xmas. Then we are going to mosey along through LA on our way to TX. Timing is still up in the air. :)

OldGrayMare · RV-Dreams Community Member

If you find yourself in the Mid West Georgia area check out Callaway Gardens & FDR State Park. Callaway Gardens is known for the beautiful 'azalea'season' each year and has world known golf courses, walking trails, fishing, zip lines, etc. FDR State park has a campground and there is also another in Pine Mountain---the nearby town.

Ckerr · RV-Dreams Family Member

2riker2go wrote:
That's cool, maybe our times will overlap. We are working at Amazon in KY and then heading to the Atlanta area for Xmas. Then we are going to mosey along through LA on our way to TX. Timing is still up in the air. :)

Since ymaking going as far as Port A in Texas (snick a peak at your blog) you need to head a little further west and come see me in Mission, TX. April is great here. Kevin and Evelyn were here in January last year which has the potential to be chilly like most places.

should be able to get reservations in April. There are still people around, but it's just past prime season so rates are lower and there are more openings.

Loki · RV-Dreams Family Member

At the coast, I stayed at the Gulf Coast State Park in Ala, a little west of Pensacola, Fl. Very nice and spacious sites, many of them pullthroughs.
And I second the Natchez trace recommendation. If you are interested in antebellum mansions, then Nottoway Plantation is a must, between New Orleans and Baton, as is a stopover in Natchez itself. There is a nice RV park on the other side of the river, River View RV park, where we stayed on night. I also second the previous recommendation, to visit Memphis, and the Tom Sawyer campground on the AR side of the river.

wxtoad · RV-Dreams Community Member

We spend most winters in the southeast and have documented our travels and campground stays at Toad Hall. We much prefer public campgrounds such as Corps of Engineers, state, county and municipal locations. A great source for locating them is The Ultimate US Public Campgrounds Project . Have a great trip!

Ted H.