Our Travels, where they have taken us

In this section we are listing where we have stayed.  Not in depth reviews just some simple comments on what we thought.  Links will be included in case you want to check them out yourselves.  We are not getting any reimbursement or discounts for listing things here.  Should that ever happen, we would clearly state that up front.  Check back throughout the year as we will update it with our new stays as they happen.  Scroll down to see notes on our past trips.  

We are now at our winter escape from the cold and snow.  We found a great place near Silver Springs, FL. We fell in love with our spot as soon as we got out of the truck.  I wrote a blog entry about this location so just click on this link to read about our stay 

We spent long weekend with a motorcycle group here.  We didn't ride bikes due to the weekend being a rainout, or at least most of it was.  We made the best of it and caught up over cards and did some local shopping.   

As out last trip, the grounds were immaculate. Very nice campground.  The weather was a detraction. The campground wifi wasn't working well, if at all so that also was a negative. There just isn't much to do in the area on a rainy weekend.  Their policy on late cancellations kind of forced us to go, we would have lost two nights fees cancelling at the last minute. We all know how inaccurate weather forecasting is so how do you cancel far enough out for weather reasons to get your deposit back. 

We made the best of it and had a good time and we will go back there. I do wish they would rethink their refund policy a bit, give you credit for next year or something. My reasoning is that they are an outdoor activity type place, and with inclement weather it pretty much shuts you down.   

There is a lot to do in the area and the campground, it’s a large diverse campground with ample sites for tents to class A’s they even have some hotel rooms on the property.  There are playgrounds, large open areas for any field games you enjoy and they have canoes, kayaks and bicycles for rent.  The site is right on the Root River so access is a few steps away. 

As most campgrounds do now, they have seasonal sites, but this place is unique in that the seasonal campers are in the minority when you look at the overall number of sites. Currently they have no plans on changing that.   The site we were on had seasonal sites on the outer rows.  We found the few people  that were there were very welcoming and even though we were only there a few days they took the time to say Hi and get to know us.  From the staff to the regulars we felt very welcome.

So, while this seems negative, its was related to weather and  we will be staying here again. 

This was a reunion of several families that used to camp together 30 years ago. What made it fun is our adult children were able to make it as well with their kids.  It was really good to have some time around the campfire catching up with everyone.  If you have kids this is a great place to come. They have many things to do for all ages.  Their daily activity sheet is full of fun things for everyone.  The sites are OK in size and there is only 30 amp service in most of the park so that could be an issue for the bigger rigs in the heat of the summer.   Everything is well maintained and the staff is very pleasant to work with.  It is a popular spot for families so if you want to give them a try, book early.  Kiesler's Campground

We stayed here for an overnight on the way home from Sturgis, SD.  Its been a regular overnight stop for us on several trips.  Its a nice place to stay.  Clean, close to Interstate and shopping.  We will definitely be here again when our travels take us through the area. If you are looking for a longer stay, they have a pool, and nice shady sites.

Bismarck, ND KOA

We stayed here for a week with a group of friends that come here every year for the motorcycle rally. Its a very nice campground, spacious spots, concrete pads, well kept grounds. Walking distance from downtown so there is plenty to do.  We were here the week before the rally but things were already started.  Just not as many of the bikers that attend during the actual rally.  A good time was had by all.  It was a great base to ride the area roads.  It was hot here this week, and that was a detraction. We will come back, maybe not in the summer, to ride and see the sights and would definitely stay here.  

Sturgis RV Park

This was an overnight stop on our way to Sturgis, SD.  It was a good choice, shaded spots, easy in and out, close to the freeway with no real highway noise.  They do have a pool for anyone needing to cool off.  Just a few minutes from town if you need anything.  Whether for a longer stay or an overnight we would stay here again.  Rate was under 40 bucks.   

Dakota Campground

After a rough start to the day with a flat tire on the rig we did make it to Adventure Bound campground.  A little later than we hoped but still plenty of the day left . It is great to have the entire family here with us.   With everyone on different schedules and kids sports programs we all don’t get together very often.  It means more to have them all here to Pat and I then it does to them, but they don’t openly complain about it.   We all gathered for a photo opportunity and then ended up having S;mores by a campfire.  It was nice to see the kids all playing together and the adults catching up.  

We had two full days here before the kids head home. Pat and I  stayed another night and headed to South Dakota for our first Sturgis experience.  Pat is driving the rig while I am following up with the motorcycle.

The first  day was spent with the guys doing some golf, and the kids spent most of the day in the pool.  By the time sunset arrived there were some showers passing through so we all hung under the awning and had a great time with the kids and each other.  Pat was glowing with joy. 

Day two was the girls day to head into town, pay back to the dads.  Again, a majority of it was spent in the pool. A few rounds of Kube with the entire group involved rounded out the day.  It was heartwarming to see the kids and adults playing together.  By the end of the day the kids were running out of gas for the most part and it was a much earlier evening as they had early starts the next day to head home. 

We all had a great time, saw some interesting things from everyone. We really enjoyed the grand kids all playing together, with a blended family it isn’t something that happens all the time but all of the grand kids played well together and we saw more of the same with the adults too. 

Adventure Bound Campground was a good choice for us this year.  Their camp sites are good size with quite a few cabins for those that prefer more comforts of home.  Lots of activities:  a swimming pool, water slides, bounce pad, Mini Golf to name a few.  Daily activities include a train ride, inflatable water slide and panning for rocks. The nice thing is that the activities were free, or at least they are midweek.  We saw signs requiring wristbands but didn’t have any and were never asked to show one. A couple years ago we stayed at a KOA with similar activities in Hayward, WI, the pool we free  but everything else had a fee. It  is  an older campground and its age is starting to show but the staff seems good to work with. It needs some maintenance in the pool area and some sprucing up.  Some of the seasonal folks seem a little outspoken on what they thought was acceptable behavior when we first arrived but I am sure they are used to it being quiet all week after a busy weekend.  Which is exactly why we choose to camp midweek.  Fewer people so we can enjoy the quiet and if we get a little loud once in a while while playing a game, we don’t offend too many people. It would not have been a good place for us on a weekend.  During our stay the kids could ride bikes and run without worrying about cars or offending people.  We had room to play yard games and throw a football or two that we would not have been able to do during a weekend stay.

The more we do midweek camping the more I realize that it is the only way to go.  I can’t see us doing much weekend camping anymore unless it's a special occasion.  

We spent a couple days here with a couple of the grandkids.  There is a lot to do here, horseback riding, bicycling, hiking and there is a water park.  There is also a golf course for the adults.  Its in the Twin Cities metro area so quite popular but our mid week trip made getting a stie easy and there were open sites in the park.  The water park was a big hit with the kids and we spent most of the day there.  If you have kids its a good campground to have a variety of things to do.  Bunker Hills Regional Park

We spent a weekend here.  It wasn't a RV trip but a motorcycle ride with some old friends.  They had stayed here in the past and spoke highly of it and not we do too.  Rather than repeating myself, just check out our Blog entry on the place.  Needless to say, we enjoyed our stay there and had a wonderful weekend of motorcycling and sightseeing in the area.  I would highly recommend you check them out.   Blue Highway Lodge, Hillsboro, WI     

We spent the 4th of July at the Grand Marias Municipal Campground.  We’ve been here before and will likely be back again. It’s an older established campground so the sites are closer together than the newer parks. Not bad but the more space the better in my book.  The facilities are clean and well maintained. You regularly see the city maintenance people coming through.  

It’s a popular destination and hard to get into on weekends.  They’re very good about working to fill cancellations so if your looking for a last minute getaway try giving them a call.  The sites are a mixture of pull through for large rigs to tent sites. They’re not sectioned off so you will see tents right next to a large RV.  The sites are worn but not worn out. Being a popular destination and open year round takes its toll.   There are open areas for group play and a softball field. No pool, but a beach on Lake Superior, for those willing to swim in the cool waters.  

The campground is ¼ mile from downtown Grand Marais so everything you need is within walking distance.  The local area offers fishing, hiking, biking, golf, mini golf, local art and craft shops, micro brewery as well as canoeing, kayaking, sailing or just sightseeing.  The views along the North Shore are spectacular, plus the Gunfiint trail starts in Grand Marais.  We highly recommend this location for anyone seeking a interesting and restful place to send some time.    

We spent a Tuesday-Friday at Eagle Cliff Campground near Lanesboro, Mn this week.  This is the most well kept campground we’ve stayed at in years.  Clean sites, well kept grounds and structures.  

We did the midweek camping again and I am falling in love with it.  The grounds were probably less than 40% capacity which is fine with us.  Much quieter than a weekend which makes it that much more relaxing. 

The sad thing is that the fuel prices are having an effect on the number of people canceling their stays.  We talked with the owner during our stay and he told us that he is regularly getting calls from people canceling due to the high cost of fuel.  A good size traveling group that was scheduled to stop by on their annual 4,000 mile camping circuit (for years now) has canceled. Fuel costs are to blame.   

There is a lot to do in the area and the campground, it’s a large diverse campground with ample sites for tents to class A’s they even have some hotel rooms on the property.  There are playgrounds, large open areas for any field games you enjoy and they have canoes, kayaks and bicycles for rent.  The site is right on the Root River so access is a few steps away. 

As most campgrounds do now, they have seasonal sites, but this place is unique in that the seasonal campers are in the minority when you look at the overall number of sites. Currently they have no plans on changing that.   The site we were on had seasonal sites on the outer rows.  We found the few people  that were there were very welcoming and even though we were only there a few days they took the time to say Hi and get to know us.  From the staff to the regulars we felt very welcome.

We spent our days on the Root River trail with our e-bikes and had a great time.  Good weather helped. Just don’t plan on shopping or dining out at the local shops on Wednesday’s.  They are all closed. We’ve learned to plan accordingly on future midweek trips.    We will be staying here again. 

Our second trip of the season.  Being recently retired we decided to do more mid week camping than weekends.  So, here we are for 4 nights, a Mon through Friday at Burlington Bay Campground.  

We like this campground, great views of Lake Superior, right on the edge of town so most everything is close by.  Except 30 lb propane re-fill service.  Our first night here was cold, in the 30's.  Even with the electric heater going the furnace came on quite a bit.  Well, it emptied one of the tanks overnight.  No biggie right?  well in Two Harbors it is.  No business in town refills propane bottles. They do exchanges on 20lb bottles is all.  In a town that rely's on tourism you would think it would be a good idea to meet peoples needs.  There are campgrounds all around here and most rigs use 30 lb tanks.  

We had a great trip, rode bikes from Gooseberry Falls to Split Rock Lighthouse, had a great mean at the Rustic Cafe, and went back to Split Rock for an open house and to see them light the light.  Fantastic. 

We had an electrical issue the second day that had me baffled for a bit but we worked through it and its worth reading about. You can find it in our blog, the posting about working the problem 

We did have a great time and will be back here again, just with full propane tanks. 

Our first trip of the season.  After a long winter and anxious to get out and do some camping Pete's Retreat is where we headed.  We have been there several times and are hoping to get a seasonal site there soon.  

This first trip is just to check out the camper, makes sure it made it through the winter ok, which thankfully it did.  It gave us an opportunity to test out some new equipment we bought over the winter months. If you want to read more on that check out our blog. 

We had a great trip.  Campground was very quiet, the seasonal people were showing up to open up their rigs for the season.  We really enjoyed ourselves and took it easy.  Our friend Joe and his sone were passing by so they stopped in to say hi and we met a couple that has the exact same camper and tow vehicle that we do,  what are the odds of that happening.  

We did learn on thing.  If the weather app says rain chance is at 100% the next day, and you have to be out by 11, go home the night before.   I will leave it at that.  We will definitely be staying here again.   

 We have been going to south Florida since 2006.  Something pulls us back each year and this year was no different. This year we were fortunate enough to spend our trip in our favorite house, Casa Cielo on FMB.  You can look it up on Airbnb, we like it as it's simple, clean, close to the beach and walking distance to the grocery store. 

 Today is our first day and I got to go for my morning walk on the beach.  It's my meditation.  I am usually the first one up and like to go out for a walk.  It's a good walking beach, the sand is packed enough to walk without feeling like I am walking through 4 inches of fresh wet snow but soft enough to see the remains of yesterday's sandcastles and testaments of love waiting to be washed away by high tide.  The walks are peaceful. I have walked this same beach for over 10 years now.  It's miles long and often 100 yards from water to the sand grasses. I can walk and do nothing more than take in what's going on around me.  

Today was a beautiful morning, not too hot, sunny, a light breeze allowing the pelicans to float a foot off the water looking for breakfast.  The silence is temporarily interrupted by an ultra lite cruising the coast taking in the view.    As I walk along I see families setting up chairs and umbrellas for the day, a small girl being coaxed by her brother to come in the water as she shrieks about being eaten by a shark.  I see a grandfather and grandson slowly looking for shells on a day when the beach is unusually barren. I see familiar faces walking that never say hi, and others that say hi but don’t stop to chat.    I chuckle as I see the serious work out people running the beach being passed by people on electric bikes getting their workout in.   

A few years ago, I was walking the beach very early one morning, not many people out yet.  There were two people walking towards me and I adjusted my path to avoid running into them, they adjusted their path to be in my path.  As we closed this happened two more times.  I finally stopped and stood there, thinking that I can’t believe I am about to be mugged on FMB.  They stopped in front of me both in their 70’s, and one of them said “You’re new here”, which I replied well yes but I am just visiting to which they replied, we want to know your intentions, I replied excuse me, they repeated they wanted to know my intentions, and went on to say that there aren’t enough women on the beach as it was and didn’t want anymore competition in this stretch.  After I stopped laughing I assured them I was happily married and would not be bothering them in search of their conquests.  We chatted for a few minutes and went our separate ways.  I have seen one or both of those guys a couple times on the beach since then.  We wave, chuckle and sometimes chat a bit when it happens.   As I walk back I look forward to tonight's sunset, which was spectacular as always. I will be doing it all over again tomorrow,  looking for the two beach bullies protecting their turf. Back at the house, breakfast is done and the chatter over this year's jigsaw puzzle calls me in.   

We stepped away from the puzzle yesterday and rented some Jet Ski’s.  Bit of a change from last year in that the vendors are no longer allowed to drop in at Lovers Key Boat Ramp.  The only rides available near FMB are guided tours.  We have done too many of those and tried an on your own rental last year and found that was the only way to go.  We used Ski Ft Myers last year and they now go out of Horton Park in Cape Coral, so we thought we would give it a try.  It was great being on our own but the area you ride in is a pretty wide part of the Caloosahatchee River and wasn’t as much fun as the inter-coastal area around Ft Myers Beach. We could have gone there on the skis but thought we would try something different.  Kurt and his guys at Ski Ft Myers are great to rent from, informative on where to go and what the local area has to offer, their equipment is well maintained.  We will go again in the future but explore other options on where to get in the water with them.   We had a partly cloudy day, water temp was good as well as the air temp.  We had sunscreen on and Pat and Travis still got burned pretty well.  It's amazing how strong the sun can be in 4 hours of exposure.   Mini Golf and Ice Cream treats are part of the tradition as well as stopping by Hammond Field to see the Twins workout as well as take in a couple spring training games.  The Mini Golf and Ice Cream continue, but MLB is locked out and nothing will be going on during our stay this year.  More time for other things.  

We spent a day on Sanibel, stopped at The Bubble Room for lunch, a must stop if you check out Sanibel, great food in an eclectic site full of fun memorabilia.  We also lucked out and got to watch several Manatee's doing their thing in the slip area of Tarpon Bay.  They were there for close to an hour.  We are going back to kayak and try out some electric bikes before returning home. 

 If you get the chance, spend some time in the Fort Myers Beach area, you will be glad you did.      

Here are some pictures we took.