RETIRING THIS YEAR!!! 1st long trip - Gulf coast of FL, AL, MS

[D&Ro]

Hello all,

WOOHOO!!! I'm retiring in December 2018 and DW & I want to start planning our first "Snowbird" trip to get out of cold, snowy weather up north. Will be on the road for about 6-8 weeks, sometime in Jan-Feb-Mar 2019.

We plan to visit relatives in Charleston, SC for about a week, then want to head west, getting to I-10 and taking it along the Gulf coast of FL, Al & MS. Pretty sure we want to go west quickly, but I know we can't do Charleston to Pensacola in a day. After a month or so down south, we'll finally head north (maybe on the Natchez Trace Parkway), then east to home.

We're NEWBIES to long-term camping. (A 16-day trip in the 1990's to the western states - with the kids - has been our longest trip; most trips lately have been 4-7 days.) Looking forward to finally seeing some of AL and MS! From what we can see on the forum, Gulf Shores AL is a pretty nice area.

Any suggestions as to campgrounds (we prefer state parks over RV resorts, but like the resorts, too), points of interest, must-see's, restaurants, etc are appreciated.

I hope it's not too late to book accommodations for sometime in Jan-Mar 2019. We've never gone south for the winter before, so really have no clue.

Thanks for your help! Hope to bump into some of you in 2019!!

[dblr]

Congrats and enjoy!!!!!!! Also we like pictures especially for those that still have to brave the cold

[merrykalia]

If you plan to spend winter months in Florida or around the Gulf, you will need to make your reservations NOW! Most people make their reservations before they leave there in February or the first of March.

We LOVE Gulf Shores and Gulf State Park in Alabama. It is large, with more than 400+ sites, many bike and walking trails, lots of fresh seafood and you are within a couple hours drive of New Orleans, Pensacola, Mobile, and several other larger areas.

We are both retired, but our kids are still in school and my mother has Alzheimer's. She can still live by herself, but things are changing all the time with her, so we can't take off and get out of the winter weather. Looking out of our windows at our fifth wheel today, which is covered with snow makes me really want to get out of this white nastiness.

[lacrawgator]

I second Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores,Al. Buccaneer State Park is really nice in Waveland, Ms. If you make it to New Orleans try and see the WWII museum. The Natchez Trace is beautiful. Tishomimgo State Park is a must see, esp if you like hiking. I live around New Orleans and have been to many of the parks in La and Ms. Let me know if I can help. Your trip sounds like so much fun.

[camper70]

I am doing the same trip right now for the first time. I have a thread going on here which may give you some ideas. MerryKalia is rightif you want to be anywhere long term. I have managed to find places for 1 to 3 or 4 nights without much trouble. Longer than that is a problem. I could not find anything longer than 4 nights in St Augustine in Jan. and the same with Tuscon AZ. and I found 10 nights in Tx Hill Country. You also need to consider spring break in late March or Easter whenever it falls. Check out my thread or send me a PM.

[My17Ram]

Congratulations on retirement! Son and I spent 3 days motorcycling the Natchez Trace Parkway in Oct. '16. Can't speak for camping, but you will enjoy the serenity and beauty of the parkway. Many sights to see, including Meriwether Lewis burial site, and hiking portions of the Old Trace.

[D&Ro]

Originally Posted by camper70

I am doing the same trip right now for the first time. I have a thread going on here which may give you some ideas. MerryKalia is rightif you want to be anywhere long term. I have managed to find places for 1 to 3 or 4 nights without much trouble. Longer than that is a problem. I could not find anything longer than 4 nights in St Augustine in Jan. and the same with Tuscon AZ. and I found 10 nights in Tx Hill Country. You also need to consider spring break in late March or Easter whenever it falls. Check out my thread or send me a PM.

I've been following your posts, camper70, and already have much of your information in my spreadsheet!

[nc-canuck]

We are currently at Fort Pickens. Loop A has some great campsites and we are really enjoying the area. They book for the next 6 months. So in Sept you can begin booking March 2019. Many other great places in the panhandle area. Our other favorite is Top Sail Hill State Park.

[jackconn]

We are relative newbies, just a year in the RV world and about 1.5 years into retirement so I understand your much-justified excitement about getting on the road. Congratulation!! We just finished a similar trip from here in Raleigh and you can get all the gritty details (including some campground descriptions) in the blog we keep at www.jackandaprilblog.wordpress.com. We also prefer state campgrounds for a variety of reasons and stumbled on some fantastic spots.

While I agree there are many snowbirds on the road, we didn't make reservations for our late-Jan through early-March trip until we were on the trip. We had hoped to do what many others do and take a more-flexible trip without reservations but abandoned that after just a few days. I don't recall anywhere we couldn't get a site, but in some cases there weren't many left. Maybe we were just lucky. Note that the weather is predictably unpredictable and it can be quite cool or cold that time of year. It's easy to think of the sunny south as warm and it usually is...but not always.

The sequence of the last few stops on our trip turned out to be particularly interesting: St. Augustine, Savannah and Charleston and you might think about the same in reverse rather than immediately head west from Charleston. The depth and breadth of history and culture was fascinating - many similarities but many more differences.

Enjoy!!!

[TonyShope]

Not far from Gulf Shores just back North is the town of Greenville AL. They have a top notch city park for RV's.

It is run by the kindest volunteers you ever met. Plenty of space between sites and dirt cheap. Just a thought. I know it is not as far south as you mentioned but I would let my 78 year old mom who detests camping sleep in a tent here. Safe, beautiful and friendly.

[CDRJML]

Don’t miss: St Joeseph Peninsula State Park near Port ST Joeseph Fl and Alabama Gulf State Park.
Enjoy.

[aceinspp]

Congrats on your upcoming retirement. Enjoy and Later RJD

[BandJCarm]

Gulf State Park
Pandion Ridge
Sugar Sands
lots of them, some not easy to find out about

if it's really cheap there, it's really cheap..........my two cents.

P.S.
We just left. There's no shrimp left. Sorry.

[thomanddebbie]

Super Congrats. June 01, 2018 is our retirement date. We live in Columbus Ga so our first month or so long venture will be "North" up around Ohio, Michigan and the Great Lakes this summer. Roller Coasters at Cedar Point !! If time permits...and it should you're retired, visit Columbus Ga....about 1-1/2 hours SW of Atlanta as you head down. You can take Route 280/431 South toward Panama City and the beaches after a stop over in Columbus. Not only are we part of Fort Benning Military reservation, it is also home to the National Infantry Museum. FANTASTIC display of military history and memorability. All built with private funds..voted best museum last year by USA Today. Plus Columbus has a fantastic river walk...over 8 miles long..Whitewater rafting, zip lines across the river into Alabama...., Historic District, Springer Opera House..the State Theatre of Georgia..take the haunted backstage tour. You get the picture. You can stay at Lake Pines RV Park. Nice place...clean and friendly staff and basically close to all. Others are right....it can get cold down here in the winter....day highs of 50s - 60s with night time lows into the 30s sometimes...just depends. We have spent Christmas day in shorts around the BBQ some years with all the windows open....other years in a sweater around the fireplace !! Safe travels....

[tomrob1161]

Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores is a great place, if your want to be close to the beach & other activities, 43 restaurants within walking distance, 3 block off the beach, check out Luxury RV Resort. But as said earlier, make your reservations now!! All the snowbirds from the northern US & Canada take all the good sites.

[markb422]

James Island County Park at Charleston. If you can get as far as GA. Fort McAllister State Park is a little south of Savannah. Then Big Lagoon State Rec Area just west of Pensacola.

[jandacamping]

I live in Mobile, and spend as much time at Gulf Shores as possible. My favorite place is Luxury RV. It is in the middle of town. You can walk to the beach, and many the shops and restaurants. My favorite time is September through November. Your problem will be finding a site. They get booked a year in advance. All area campgrounds are full December through April. Snowbirds are staying later than they used to. Some never leave haha. The state park is great also, but there is no cable or onsite wifi. If that does not matter, then Gulf State Park may be what you want. Don't waste your time in Mississippi unless you like slot machines.

[Campahedu]

Congrats on your retirement! My DW retires in ... 7 days!!! Like you, plan on visiting the South sometime in January 2019. With Friends in Myrtle Beach and relatives in Ocala, FL, we see plenty of reasons to spend 4-8 weeks down there. Not sure what to do with our house up here (Any body want to go skiing ). I have a summer job in Wyoming (YNP) as I am trying out Workamping. DW is just going to read, hike,and enjoy life . I need to follow camper70's thread. I notice Jackconn does a blog. BigDnRo, you might want to consider that. I do one at campahedu.com and it is a great way for others to follow your travels. It also doubles as a personal journal. So congratulations and enjoy the new adventure!!

[D&Ro]

Originally Posted by Campahedu

Congrats on your retirement! My DW retires in ... 7 days!!! Like you, plan on visiting the South sometime in January 2019. With Friends in Myrtle Beach and relatives in Ocala, FL, we see plenty of reasons to spend 4-8 weeks down there. Not sure what to do with our house up here (Any body want to go skiing ). I have a summer job in Wyoming (YNP) as I am trying out Workamping. DW is just going to read, hike,and enjoy life . I need to follow camper70's thread. I notice Jackconn does a blog. BigDnRo, you might want to consider that. I do one at campahedu.com and it is a great way for others to follow your travels. It also doubles as a personal journal. So congratulations and enjoy the new adventure!!

Thanks, everyone. Campahedu, I checked out your blog and your "About" sounds a lot like us! We went from a tent to a pop-up while camping with our kids. Then we passed the pop-up to our daughter and her family (who live in MN!) and we got a small hard side camper for Grammy & Papa to use. 3 years ago we traded up to our current Coachman Apex, which is just the right size for us.

We also have the goal to hit all the states. Camped in all the east coast states, as well as central western states, with the kids. Now we're on an adventure (not all in one trip) to camp in the southern states, up the west coast and to Montana and North Dakota. Then we'll have been everywhere except Alaska and Hawaii!!

I look forward to reading your blog about Maine. That's one of my very favorite places! We might just start our own blog, as you've suggested.

Happy travels!

[D&Ro]

We've got our reservations made (for the most part) for February. Spending a week in Pensacola, so we welcome any ideas for there. Will definitely hit the Naval Air Museum, as DW's brother was a Naval top gun pilot in the 70's/80's.