Where We Stayed

I’ve had some folks ask for a compilation of places I stayed during our travels, so I thought I would start a separate page for these places.

Rating Scale: ⭐️ = Scary. ⭐️⭐️ = Ok, but not great. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ = Pretty darn good. (If you’re picky, you might not like it.) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ = Great! Would definitely return. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ = Near perfection for what I like.

October 8-11, 2023: Our first camping adventure was at Giff0rd Pinchot State Park in southern Pennsylvania. PA has a really great state park system. Pinchot has a lot of water / electric hookup sites, plentiful bathrooms, and lots of trails to walk. It was our first time out, so many mistakes were made, but it was a beautiful place to camp. (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

November 16, 2023: National Road Campground. This was just a one-night stay. We arrived after dark, and it was fine. Because it was November, the bathrooms were closed, so I don’t have any reviews of those. We also left really early in the morning, so I didn’t even see this one in daylight.

November 17, 2023: Camp Reinberg. Just outside of Chicago, this was a very nice, very small RV park with concrete pads. It’s only electric and maybe a little expensive for just electrical, but it’s really the only park in Chicagoland. The bathrooms were ok; the shower curtains were a little gross, but the facilities were nice, and it was good to get a shower. (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

November 18-December 12, 2023: I stayed on the farm with my family in Minnesota. This was free electricity! Great bathrooms – always clean with fresh towels! Free food! (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

December 12-16, 2023: I traveled from Minnesota to New Mexico and really utilized Boondockers Welcome. I cannot recommend them enough. I was able to select hosts that had electricity and some even had water. All the places I stayed were hosted by really kind and generous people. On this leg of my trip, we stayed in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas.

December 16, 2023 – January 14, 2024: Coronado Village RV Park. This park was combined with a manufactured home community in the middle of Albuquerque and had concrete, spacious pads. It was very safe, and the neighbors were friendly without being nosey. The bathrooms were very safe behind a key and a personal code for each bathroom. On the night when the electricity was out, staff stayed late and kept the clubhouse open until the power was restored. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

January 14-17, 2024: Another set of great Boondockers Welcome stays on my way through Arizona. I stayed near Tucson and spent a couple of nights in Gilbert. During my Gilbert stay, the host allowed me to have a technician come to check on my heater.

January 17-February 17, 2024: We stayed in northern Arizona outside of Camp Verde at Distant Drums RV Resort. We had a really great, concrete pad at this park. The atmosphere of the park was ok. The bathrooms were good and felt safe. It was quite a trek to get to a rental car, but it was relatively close to Sedona, Flagstaff, and Prescott. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

February 17-19, 2024: 29 Palms Resort near Joshua Tree National Park. These were tight spots, so if you have a larger RV, it would probably be pretty tight. Keep in mind that Estella is only 24 feet long, 8-ish feet wide, and about 10 feet tall. There were some larger pull-through sites, so that’s definitely an option. I believe our site was gravel, but the pull-through sites may have been concrete. I don’t remember the bathrooms, but I do remember that the resort did a lot to try to create community, including a dinner and a dance. (⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)

February 19-March 1, 2024: In Morro Bay, CA, we stayed at Cypress Morro Bay RV Park. They don’t really have their own website, so you do have to call to reserve. This park was in Morro Bay, which made everything VERY walkable. The other guests were very kind and friendly. The bathrooms were good but not very private. If the other guests weren’t so wonderful, I think I would’ve been more nervous. The sites are pavers, which had a nice aesthetic, but it’s not very big. It was expensive, so we didn’t stay very long, but if I was made of money, I would stayed here for months. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

March 1, 2024: When I could, I stayed at fairgrounds. As we traveled through Northern California, we stayed at the Cloverdale Citrus Fair. This was basically a parking lot. They had water and electric, the spots were very tight, but it was cheap, and we only stayed for one night. (⭐️⭐️)

March 2, 2024: Kamp Klamath outside of the Redwood National Forest was gorgeous. I am a trees and mountains kind of person, and this place felt like you were in the middle of it. The sites were gravel, and it basically rained the entire time we were here, but it was so beautiful. I can only imagine how great it would be in the summer. Since it was off season, there were very few other campers or staff, but the staff I ran into were super nice. The road back to the park were sketchy, but I would go back in a heartbeat. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

March 3 – March 17, 2024: After traveling some very “interesting” backroads in Oregon, we stayed at Benton Oaks RV Park outside of Corvallis, OR. This park is also adjacent to the fairgrounds, but with much more spacious spots than Cloverdale. The sites were gravel and grass, and our site backed up to a tall hedgerow. I picked a water/electric site, but they do have sites with full hook-ups. It was really pretty for a fairground – lots of trees. It wasn’t very walkable, but the bathrooms were good and laundry convenient. (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

March 17-March 30, 2024: Outside of Portland, OR, we camped at Jantzen Beach RV Park. We didn’t have the best spot. We were next to the bathrooms, which was convenient, but it has exterior lights that are always on. Speaking of the bathrooms, they were fine. The ventilation could’ve been better, but they got the job done. There is airplane noise here because it’s in the planes’ flight path. It’s not a problem at night, but it isn’t quiet during the weekdays. (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

March 30, 2024: On our way to Montana, we stayed just over the border of OR/WA near Kennewick, WA, at another Boondockers Welcome host location. It was Easter weekend, so the family was away, but it was quiet and safe with water and electric. Couldn’t ask for more.

March 31, 2024: Still making our way to Montana, we stopped in Coeur d’Alene, ID, at Tamarack RV Park. Even though we were only here one night, we arrived early in the afternoon and got to enjoy our treelined, spacious spot. I didn’t use the showers here, but even though the park was mostly full, it was quiet and nice within the city limits. (⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)

March 31-April 12, 2024: Outside of Missoula, MT, we camped at Jim & Mary’s RV Park. I think almost all of the sites are pull-through and very spacious. I could’ve parked three cars and Estella in the spot. We were on the end, and it was really quiet. The bathrooms were very nice as was the laundry. It’s not walkable, but it is an easy ride to the airport to rent a car. The traffic is basically non-existent, so it’s an easy drive into town. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

April 12-14, 2024: On our way to Colorado, we stopped in Jackson Hole, WY, and stayed at Fireside Resort. When you drive into this one, there are these lovely modern cabins, and the campgrounds are in the back. The bathrooms here were some of the best bathrooms on our journey. Because it was still pretty wintery, we only had electric, but it was fine. Our space was small and dirt, but it looked like there were other bigger spots. They did have a car rental, which I thought I could take advantage of, but they said all their rentals were scheduled for service during the weekend I was there. (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

April 14-21, 2024: If you’ve read this part of our journey, you might remember that it was a bit of a trying time. We basically stayed the weekends of what we had booked at Horsetooth Reservoir because we spent a lot of time in Denver at Mercedes Benz dealership (which was VERY expensive 😂). We had a very beautiful spot on the reservoir. They didn’t have showers or bathrooms or water hook-ups, but it was so scenic. It’s beautiful, but limited services and pretty far out of Fort Collins. (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

April 21-24, 2024: I have family in Colorado Springs, so it was perfect to stop there and stay at another Boondockers Welcome home. They were really kind hosts and, like a lot of hosts, invited me to hang out in their backyard if I wanted. They also made time to talk to me and had a really great bundle of information about the area.

April 24-28, 2024: We made a stop in Manhattan, KS, and stayed at Tuttle Creek Cove. This was a really beautiful site with incredible views of Tuttle Creek Lake. The entrance was hard to find, but the views were worth it. The showers, on the other hand, were not great, but would’ve been pretty good tornado shelters if it had come to that. (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

April 28-May 4, 2024: Our next stop was outside of Kansas City in Merriam, KS, at the Walnut Grove RV Park. This RV park was right in the city, which was great for access. I could walk to a car rental place, and it was surprisingly quiet. Again, we got a great spot on the end, which appeared to be a bit more spacious than some of the other spots – like a lot more. The water went out while we were there, but it wasn’t a huge deal. The communication was just not great. I honestly cannot remember the bathrooms at this one, so it’s a bit unfair to rate it, but I’m going to anyway. (⭐️⭐️)

May 4, 2024: On our way to Minnesota, we stopped outside of Mitchell, SD, at Dakota Sunsets Campground. When I checked in, I spoke with the owner who gave me chocolate chip cookies, and we had a really, really nice chat. I would stay here again for another conversation with the owner and the sunsets. The showers were clean, and the bathrooms were nice, but the showers were run on quarters, which was a little inconvenient but not terrible. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

May 5-12, 2024: And…we’re back on the farm. More clean bathrooms! No quarters required. More free food! This time, we had water and electric! (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

May 12-25, 2024: This was my first time staying close to the Minneapolis / St. Paul area, and it was a struggle to find a place to camp for an extended period of time. My guess is because the weekends get eaten up very quickly in May, so you end up with only weekdays available, which restricts extended stays. We camped at Town & Country Campground in Savage, MN. It was relatively close to everything and easy to rent a car. The showers were clean and safe and easy to walk to, and we had a great spot under a tree. There was even a nice parking spot next to our site for the rental car. Not good or bad, but no chocolate chip cookies. (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

May 25-27, 2024: Wheeler, WI. My friends bought some property in Wheeler, and have a nice gravel pad for parking. They camped in their camper, and I had a nice spot for Estella. We ran the generator a little while we were there. The weather was perfect – not too hot and not too cold, so we were quite comfortable without electricity. (n/a)

May 27-28, 2024: This was another Boondockers Welcome stay. This time we were in Wasbasha, MN. That might sound familiar to some of you who have watched the Grumpy Old Men movies. It rained most of the time we were there, so Arthur and I just hung out and watched show on the iPad before it was time to get up and head to Iowa.

May 28-June 1, 2024: Outside of Des Moines, we stayed at Cherry Glen Campground. This was a nice park. We had a sunny spot, which wasn’t my favorite, but it was very walkable and scenic. The spots were spread out, and the bathrooms were very nice. The showers had these great push buttons for the water, which really helped to conserve water. It’s probably not for everyone, but I liked it. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

June 1-15, 2024: Our next stop was the campgrounds in Springfield, IL, at the state fairgrounds. Fair warning, there are no reservations for this campground, and supposedly, you can only stay for two weeks, which is not mentioned on their website. The bathrooms are spacious but gross, not the worst I saw, but they are not nice. I would recommend staying in one of the water / electric sites instead of the ones with the water / electric / sewer hook-up. Those spots were basically in a parking lot. The water / electric sites were in a nicer, grassy area. (⭐️⭐️)

June 28-30, 2024: We had another unplanned stopover in Chicagoland at a friend’s house, so I could fly to Florida for a friend’s funeral. She has a lovely large driveway and was kind enough to let us hang out for a couple of nights while I flew out.

June 30-July 7, 2024: We stayed in Holland, MI, at the Ottawa County Fairgrounds. When we were planning our stay in Michigan, we had wanted to stay at our next stop the whole time, but it didn’t work out that way, so we stopped in Holland first. This place was empty. In the week that we were there, I think we saw maybe 10 total other campers. There were a lot of trees, the spots were sand and not very clearly marked, and the bathrooms were clean. The only downside was that the trash seemed to always be full. I walked to the lake, but it was a trek. (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

July 7-14, 2024: Outside of Grand Rapids, we stayed at Steamboat Park, which was beautiful. We had a really nice, treed, and private spot off the main road where most of the other campers were parked. The bathroom facilities were great, and I went for multiple walks during our stay. It’s right on the river as well. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

July 14-24, 2024: We headed toward Detroit, MI, next to park at the Wayne County Fairgrounds. We had a VERY sunny spot that wasn’t quite level. It was fine, and Arthur and Estella mostly stayed there without me since I traveled for work that week. The bathrooms were exceptional. The fourth star of this one is for the bathrooms alone without those, this would’ve been a 3-star stay. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

July 24-27, 2024: Closer to Ann Arbor, MI, we camped at one of the Sun Outdoors campgrounds – Kensington Valley. This felt more like a place where you park your camper all summer long. It was pretty large, and had a couple of smaller lakes, so it was really nice to walk around. The bathrooms had a strong sewer smell, and there was a resort fee even though I didn’t stay very long. We had a good but kinda muddy spot in a cul-de-sac. It was quiet, and they had a pretty extensive camp store. If you’re staying for a week or longer, I would say this would be a good place. (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

July 27-30, 2024: I really cannot say enough about these Boondockers Welcome stays. They are perfect for when you’re in between longer term stays and fit my purposes perfectly every time. This time, we were outside of Evans City, PA. The hosts were very generous and were super kind when they found out I had tweaked my back and just needed to lay down.

July 30-August 5, 2024: Next stop was northern PA in Potter County at Crooked Creek Campground. It rained quite a bit when we were there, but our spot never got soggy. The bathrooms were clean and big, and the laundry was very convenient. We had a spot overlooking the river, but there were other spots closer to the river. I had a couple really nice walks there as well. It’s probably one of the nicest campgrounds in that area. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

August 5-18, 2024: We headed to the Syracuse, NY, area next and stayed at Oneida Shores Campground in Brewerton. There was not a lot of shade in the RV area of this campground. The tent camping area was a bit nicer though. It’s right on the lake with a lot of walking paths. The showers are located near one of the beaches, and it’s a bit of a trek. They were very large but not the cleanest. Being near the lake was great, but only electric / water sites, but there is a dump station, which is convenient. The lake really gets all the credit for the fourth star. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

August 18-24, 2024: Vermont was next on our list, and we camped at Shelburne Campground. It was just off one of the main roads, so it was walkable with sidewalks through town and to Shelburne Country Store. The bathrooms were ok. Our spot was small, and I remember some funkiness with the water hook-up, but otherwise, it was fine. (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

August 24-31, 2024: In New Hampshire, we stayed at the Apple Hill Campground. This place was like camping in a state park. So many beautiful trees! The sites were a bit soggy, and the road back was bumpy, but it was probably one of the most tranquil places we camped. The biggest downside were the showers. This one had the worst showers of any place we stayed. I’m still giving it three stars because it was so beautiful, but beware of the bathrooms. (⭐️⭐️⭐️)

August 31-September 20, 2024: We had an extended stay in Maine at Paul Bunyan Campground in Bangor, and it was just what we needed. We had a water / electric hookup site, but I believe they did have sites with full hookups. There were free range chickens! The bathrooms were clean but not large, and there was plenty of space to go for walks within the campgrounds. Our site had trees and was very large and peaceful. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

September 20-21, 2024: Our next Boondockers Welcome stay was so beautiful just northeast of Hartford, CT. The hosts were heading out on their next adventure, but they made time to visit and hear about our travels.

September 21-October 12, 2024: We ended up parking in my friend’s driveway for a little longer than expected in Columbia, MD, but it was so nice to have the time to spend with her and some MD and PA friends. The time just flew by. One of her neighbors had a bit of an issue with me being parked there, but I suppose they got over it once I was gone.

October 12-13, 2024: Because my Maryland plans changed, I only stayed one night in Virginia north of Richmond. I had planned to stay closer to Virginia Beach for a week, but life happens, so we just did one night at another nice Boondockers Welcome home. I went for a nice walk that evening as well.

October 13-19, 2024: The city of High Point, NC, has a really good campground at their Oak Hollow Park. It’s not really big, but each of the sites is very large. We were under an oak tree, so we did get some atmospheric pings on the roof as the acorns fell, but the spot was paved and the campground was peaceful. The bathrooms were good, and we were close to the city and could easily rent a car for other outings. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

October 19-24, 2024: A last minute work trip popped up, so my friend in Greensboro made room for us in her driveway for a couple of nights. She and her kids cared for Arthur, and I think he got spoiled while he was visiting.

October 24-November 3, 2024: In Georgia, we stayed in the north outside of Gainesville at River Forks Park and Campground. We had a beautiful, paved site on the lake. The bathrooms were good, but they were a bit of a hike. The picture at the top of this page is from that site. I also think, because it was fall, I enjoyed camping there. Lots of wildlife – deer, birds, squirrels – and really peacefully quiet at night and in the early morning. The camping area is gated from the rest of the park, so it felt very safe. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

November 3-10, 2024: In Myrtle Beach, SC, we stayed at Hideaway RV Resort. On our first night there, we had the worst, disrespectful neighbors that we’ve encountered during our journey. Thankfully, they packed up and left the next day. After that, it was a quiet stay and easy to get around with a rental car. The bathrooms were private and clean, which I appreciated. Lots of trees and shade, too. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

November 10-15, 2024: On Hilton Head Island, SC, my friend and I stayed at a timeshare, and I had to park the RV in a different area from where we were staying. Even though we visited Arthur and Estella multiple times every day, it still wasn’t the same as when we’re camping. Having a real bed and my own shower were pretty fantastic though. (n/a)

November 15-16, 2024: At this point, Arthur, Estella, and I had been on the road for a full year. We celebrated that feat at our 12th Boondockers Welcome host’s home outside of Fortson, GA. 🥂

November 16-17, 2024: We made a lot of progress from GA to Louisiana on the 16th and stayed overnight at an R Journey RV resort outside of Livingston. Lakeside RV Resort was a very sunny but clean and paved campground. It’s not really fair to rate it since we were there for so short of a time and didn’t really see or use any of the amenities.

November 17, 2024-January 18, 2025: Our visit to Laurel Spring RV Resort near Kingwood, TX, (outside of Houston) was our longest stay to date, and we couldn’t have asked for a nicer place. The only thing that was missing were trees. The bathrooms were private and usually very clean. The staff was friendly and accommodating. There was a bit of a panic over the freezing temps and the communication around that could’ve been better. Overall, the great outweighed the not-so-great. Really large spots with full hookups and lots of pavement. It’s in a residential area, so cell signal was great the whole time. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)

January 18-March 15, 2025: In Austin, TX, we were lucky to find Austonia. Such a great stay at this park as well. The bathrooms were brand new and very clean. The sites were very large, and I think they were all pull-through. Lots of concrete and a few trees. It was winter, so it didn’t really matter, but I could see it being pretty hot in the summer. It was close to the airport, so very easy to get a rental car. The staff was also very friendly and a lot more chill about water in winter. I don’t know if I could’ve found a better place to spend the winter. (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

March 15-16, 2025: Our 13th Boondockers Welcome home – such a blessing to have this resource!

March 16-23, 2025: In Arkansas, we stayed outside of Bella Vista at the Blowing Springs Park. The spots were concrete and kinda close together but quite long. The bathrooms were good, and there were a ton of walking and biking trails right near the campground. We had pretty good signal here, but after having four months of really great cell service, I was glad we were only there for a week. (⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2)

March 23-24, 2025: Closing out our Boondockers Welcome stays, we had our 14th and final stay in Iowa, outside of Polk City.

March 24-25, 2025: We had to stay overnight at Lichtsinn RV in Forest City, IA, due to delays in Estella repairs. It was great that they had spots with electrical hookups, so we stayed warm. Believe it or not, there were still piles of snow, and the evening was a bit too chilly to go without heat. This is a great RV service place if you have a Winnebago. They’re located less than a mile from the Winnebago factory, so it’s so easy for them to get parts.

March 25, 2025: We made it safely back to the farm in southern MN. When we left in mid-April, Estella stayed behind and took a break. She earned it. In total, we spent 520 days (17 months) living in Estella and traveling the country.

Big thanks to RV Life Trip Wizard for remembering all the places and big shout-out to my brain for remembering all those bathrooms, except one. Upon reflection, it makes a lot of sense that I am so tired.

If you plan to do something like this, just keep in mind the time to make all the plans and get the logistics in order. I know there are some folks who live this life and just go wherever the wind takes them. That’s not me; I like a plan.