Meteor Craters to the RV Lifestyle

50,000 years ago an asteroid decided that Winslow, Arizona looked like the perfect place to crash into Earth and create a crater that is about one mile across, 550 feet deep, and 2.4 miles in circumference. All to crater, err...cater to the RV Lifestyle. Today this area is known as Meteor Crater RV Park. The park has 71 pull-through RV and camping spaces, private restroom and shower facilities, plus two designated ADA and special needs accessible restroom and shower rooms. The park is also fully fenced with a secure gate. Pets are allowed and there is also a laundry room. Meteor Crater RV Park is in a great location. 

It is close enough for visitors to take day trips to the Grand Canyon - a must see for anyone within visiting range.  It is after all one of the seven natural wonders of the world!

There’s also the Navajo and Hopi Nations Tour  where you can experience the mysteries of the ancient past and unique modern culture of Navajos and Hopis who share more than 25,000 square miles of striking desert and mesa country.

Or take a trip over to the fascinating remains of a forest turned to stone to the Petrified Forest National Park. The 94,000 acre park includes a visitor center, restaurant, gift shop and scenic drive with parking areas and interpretative signs to help visitors understand this rare geologic phenomenon. If you don’t feel like venturing into town, you can always take a walk over to the visitors center at Meteor Crater Park, where there’s an 80 seat wide screen theater, an indoor crater viewing area, crater trail access, interactive discovery center, artifacts and exhibits, gift shop, and Subway restaurant.

You’ll want to be back at the RV Park by night fall and you’ll definitely want to set up your chairs outside, grab a drink and maybe a snack and prepare for one of the most amazing sites you may ever see.  The open sky full of bright stars is truly amazing and the possibility of witnessing a falling star is likely. The sunsets and sunrises are also one of the beautiful, natural experiences you won’t want to miss. While there is a lot to do away from the park, there are certainly plenty of reasons to stay.

If this sounds like an ideal spot for you, be sure to call ahead to make reservations and check on line for their admission prices and holiday hours.

Happy stargazing!

Fall Foliage You'll Fall in Love With

One great thing about our beautiful country is that we have the freedom to go wherever we want, whenever we want. It's like the song says “This land is your land, this land is my land” and if you live in a state that doesn’t get to see much fall foliage (ahem...Florida) why not pack up your RV and head out to somewhere you can witness the colorful miracle that is the Autumn changing of the leaves?  To make the trip even sweeter, how about a visit to some of the most amazing national parks the good ol' USA has to offer! Here are some of the prime parks you won't want to miss this Fall:
1. Whiskeytown National Recreation Area - Peak colors expected middle to end of October. On October 18, a hiking event to Whiskeytown Falls offer a perfect way to view the foliage during the peak season.
2. Curecanti National Recreational Area - Peak colors begin in late September and run through the end of October.
3. Natchez Trace Parkway - In middle to late October, the maple, hickory, oak and other hardwood trees begin to change colors.
4. Glacier National Park - The bright yellow and gold colors on the aspen and larch trees run through mid-October covering the trails around the park, but particularly along Summit Trail. For more information on the best trails to see colors or view photos of the fall colors, visit Glacier’s Facebook page.
5. Flight 93 National Memorial - The trees across the Flight 93 National Memorial begin to turn around mid-October. Check out the Honor Flight webcam today to find instant inspiration for a trip to the site or to take a virtual fall foliage tour.
6. Great Smokey Mountains National Park - The Great Smokey Mountains boast over 130 different tree species, many of which  produce breathtaking Autumnal colors. Peak foliage viewing depends greatly on the various levels of elevation found within the park, but overall, the Smokies’ foliage shows run from late September through October.
7. Zion National Park - Peak foliage colors appear at the end of October and into the first few days of November.
8. Shenandoah National Park - Peak colors in the upper elevations begin early to mid-October with lower elevations peaking at the end of October into November.
9. Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park - Rich with sugar maples and 400-year-old hemlocks, this site boasts outstanding fall foliage each year.  This year’s prime viewing is expected from mid-October through early November.
10. Apostles Islands National Lakeshore - Peak foliage viewing various depending on inland or coastal location, however the foliage show runs from late September through October.  Additionally, many bird species are migrating through the park right now, so foliage seekers get an extra show from Mother Nature.

Special thanks to the National Park Foundation for providing us with this amazing list of parks, and their prime time for Autumnal viewing! Remember to share your stories and pictures either by submitting your story or on our Facebook wall.

Happy RV’ing!

Thomas & Deborah - Road trip bucket list!

Friday July 29

Deborah here. We are having a blast! If you haven’t gone on a road trip before you simply MUST add it to your bucket list. Really… Never, ever had so much fun… ever. We slept blissfully on the Comfortaire mattress that came with the Monaco Executive, enjoyed a delicious breakfast, then headed off to cross the majestic Rocky Mountains. We’ve cruised, and traveled round the world, yet never have enjoyed ourselves more than sitting side by side watching God’s glorious creation pass by our window.

We crossed into Nebraska shortly before dusk and enjoyed the open plains and corn fields as we ate a light dinner in the coach. Then off again to drive a bit farther and feast upon the golden hues of the setting sun. Spectacular day indeed!

The photos really can’t do justice to the splendor of the Rockies. This is a great way to see the country; it’s like having a luxury apartment on wheels. (At the risk of sounding corny, they really do sell fun at Paul Evert’s RV Country!)

Tomorrow we continue across the Great Plains. Remember: add a road trip to your bucket list.

RV Country Road Trippers, This is For You!

Hello fellow road trippers!  We all love to get out and hit the open road, see the sights, explore, and go where we have never gone before... Below you will find 7 different road trips mapped out for you with all the pertinent highlights and not-to-be-missed attractions, according to CNN Travel.  It's just about time to head out for your summer adventures, and we wish you all happy and safe travels!


Pacific Northwest to Montana
This big loop is all about National Parks, National Forests and some of the most unique terrain and wildlife anywhere in the world. Taking anywhere from 2 to 4 + weeks, you can go from the coastal rainforest of the Olympic Peninsula all the way to the alpine montane, geysers, and hot springs of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.
*STARTING POINT: Seattle, Washington or Portland, Oregon
*Follow Highway 101 to the Olympic Peninsula
*Try camping along the Wild Coast
*Special stops: La Push, Washington (for good camping, hotels and a classic Washington surf spot), Hoh Rainforest
*Take the ferry from Kingston to Edmonds, Washington, and back to Seattle
*From Seattle, take I-90 East to the Missoula, Montana area (7 hours) with good camping along Clark Fork River near Alberton
*Go from Missoula to Yellowstone National Park via Livingston ( Highway 89)*On the return trip, head back from Yellowstone via 287 along the Madison River
Matador: Road trip planning -- staying sane, well-fed and entertained

Nova Scotia Loop
This trip is a great choice for people who don't like long driving days. All the stops are close to one another, and the loop features local towns and roads as opposed to interstates.
Nova Scotia is "Canada's ocean playground" -- a land of salty old towns, friendly locals and stretches of wilderness coastline along the North Atlantic.
*STARTING/ENDING POINT: Halifax
*Take Coastal Highway 3 to Peggy's Cove
*Stop in Mahone Bay. Check out the LaHave Bakery, which also doubles as a hostel in peak season
*Visit the port town ofLunenburg, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Outstanding folk art galleries and veggie-friendly cafes are scattered between the seafood restaurants and tiny B&Bs.
*From Lunenburg, cut inland via Bridgewater to Kejimkujik National Park for world-class canoeing and camping
*Follow Highway 8 north from Keji to Annapolis Royal
*Detour west along the Annapolis Basin to Bear River
*Head east on Highway 1 to Kentville and then north to Cape Split for a classic day hike
*Highway 1 will take you back east and south to Halifax
Notes: This loop could be extended by following Highway 3 west from Lunenburg all the way to Yarmouth, on the western tip of the peninsula, where it connects to Highway 1.
Tourism Nova Scotia offers further detail about both routes -- check out The Lighthouse Route (south shore) and The Evangeline Trail (Fundy shore).

Southern Appalachia to the Sea
The south starts warming up nicely come May. You can also find sweet tea and chefs that know how to cook collard greens and black eyed peas. This loop has a good mix of local towns / culture as well as varied terrain and wilderness from the coast to the sea.
*STARTING/ENDING POINT: Atlanta, Georgia
*Special restaurant mention: Greenwoods in Roswell. Fuel up for your trip at this Southern eatery
*Take 85 N to 316 to Athens
*Follow 441N from Athens through Clayton, Georgia to Franklin, North Carolina
*The Nantahala National Forest offers excellent camping options
*Continue to Asheville via 74 / US 40 (Special brewery mention in Asheville: Pisgah Brewing)
*Take the Blue Ridge Parkway north from Asheville
*Stop at Linville Falls (there's outstanding backpacking in Linville Gorge)*Continue North via Skyline Drive into Shenandoah National Park or take I-64 East to Charlottesville, Virginia
*Head back south through Richmond to Raleigh. The coastal North Carolina city of Wilmington is just a couple of hours from Raleigh on I-40.
*For another coastal drive, head south to Charleston, South Carolina
Notes: For an alternative loop that leaves out Athens but takes you through Nashville, Tennessee, and moves faster, take I-75 North from Atlanta through Chattanooga to Nashville, then reconnect to Asheville via I-40.

Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada's wild western frontier offers some of the most intense but still accessible wilderness on the planet. It's also among the coolest road trips, temperature-wise, during the summertime.
From the innumerable coves off the coast, to the high peaks of the coastal range, a summer BC road trip is all about exploring the pacific northwestern terrain.
*STARTING/ENDING POINT: Vancouver
*Take Highway 99 to Horseshoe Bay ferry terminal, then hop a ferry to Vancouver Island
*Head west until you reach the coast, then head up Hwy 4 until you hit the surf town of Tofino. Spend a day on the waves (bring your wetsuit)
*Horseshoe Bay. Head east to the ferry terminal and ride it back to Vancouver
*Whistler. Drive north again on Hwy 99 until you hit Whistler, home to some of the best trails in the world for mountain biking, hiking and camping
*Head north from Whistler on Hwy 97
*The mountains will give way to gold miner's country in Cache Creek, followed by Kamloops (the tournament capital of Canada)
*Stop in Kelowna, the center of Okanagan wine country. Special Mention: tour of Summerhill Pyramid Winery. Props if you can spot the mysterious Ogopogo, BC's version of the Loch Ness monster, said to live in Lake Okanagan
*From Kelowna, head west. Don't miss Hell's Gate for a tram ride over the abyss
*Continue until you join up with Hwy 1 (Trans-Canada) and make your way back to Vancouver
Matador: Top 20 microbreweries in America

Front Range to Montana
The high passes of the Rockies fill up during the summer with RVs, motorcycles and everyone else enjoying the mountains, rivers and open stretches of highway.
This loop features two major National Parks and true cowboy towns.
*STARTING/ENDING POINT: Denver metro area (including Boulder, Ft. Collins)*Take 287 N. through Wyoming (Chief Joseph Highway)
*Check out some truly off the beaten path exploration options (backpacking) in Wind River range
*Near Lander, Wyoming, Sinks Canyon is an excellent campground / first night's place to stop if making a big push to Yellowstone or the Tetons
*Continue on 287 N to Tetons *Special Mention: Dubois -- a true cowboy town. See if you can spot a local who isn't driving a pickup truck
*Teton National Park
*Yellowstone National Park
*Drive Bear Tooth Scenic Highway -- Hwy 212 winds its way over the spine of the Rocky Mountains at 10,970 feet, linking Red Lodge to Cooke City at Yellowstone National Park's Northeast Entrance
*Stop at Little Bighorn Battlefield for a reenactment of Custer's last stand
Notes: Additionally, Jackson, Wyoming (known by non-locals as "Jackson Hole") -- is less than an hour south of Teton National Park, and totally worth the detour.
Jackson is one of the most unique towns in America, and has some of the most hardcore communities of skiers, snowboarders and adventure athletes in the world. Check the local terrain and you'll know why.

Best of the Southwest
This road trip is one of the hottest on the map, but visitors will be surprised how much the temperatures cool off in the desert southwest, especially at high elevation. Bring layers.
More than any other loop, the Best of the Southwest has a high concentration of National Parks. Give yourself several extra days for camping / local options around the Grand Canyon. This loop could easily be extended for an entire month or more.
*STARTING/ENDING POINT: Phoenix, Arizona
*Head north on I-17 through Flagstaff on to the Grand Canyon
*Follow 89 N to the North Rim and Marble Canyon
*Various loops are possible using 89 and 191 to visit Glen Canyon, Canyonlands, Archesnational parks and recreation areas
*To visit Mesa Verdetake 491 South to 160 East into southern Colorado via Durango
*Stop at Pagosa Springs for an excellent family hot springs experience
*Head south into New Mexico via Chama, to Santa Fe
*Drive south on 285 through Roswell to Carlsbad Caverns
*Head south into Texas through Guadalupe Mountains National Park and farther south to Big Bend National Park
*Then go northwest through El Paso to White Sands National Monument
*To get back, head west on 10 to Tucson, then back up to Phoenix

Northern New England Loop
The Northern New England Loop is all about cooler temps, short driving days on winding country roads and local hiking in the Appalachians. This is a great choice for families with young kids or those looking for an easier road trip.
*STARTING/ENDING POINT: Burlington, VT (or surrounding area)
*Take 89 south through Waterbury, Vermont
*Take Route 100, a great winding country road, south past Warren Falls swimming hole
*Go east on 4 through Woodstock and cross into New Hampshire at Hanover, where Dartmouth College is located
*Drive east to New Hampshire's Lake Winnipesaukee and continue to Portland, Maine
*Follow Route 1 along the coast past beaches and art towns, through Camden, to Acadia National Park
*Then head north through Bangor and up to Baxter State Park
*Turn west through nowhere-land to the Moosehead Lake Region
*Cross back into New Hampshire after Grafton Notch State Park
*Continue into Northeast Kingdom, Vermont and back to Burlington via Stowe

Summer is Here!

Today marks the official start of summer! To help kick off the season, National Parks are waiving the entrance fees to 394 parks! After all, it is the longest day of the year, and what better way to enjoy it than by visiting a National Park, grilling up some hot dogs and enjoying the great outdoors? Visit an old favorite, or visit a park you haven’t yet been to. Either way some good old fashioned outdoor adventure is just what mother nature ordered.

A nature hike through a beautiful forest trail is always fun. Younger children can have a blast looking for different bugs and animals, while older ones may enjoy being in charge of capturing the memories on camera. Don’t forget about those classic childhood games like Red Rover, Hide and Seek, and Freeze Tag! It's time to make your first day of summer plans... So get out there and enjoy some fresh air!

Beat the Crowds at Yosemite This Year

Want to visit Yosemite National Park, but you feel overwhelmed by the masses of fellow tourists? Good news! There are tips and tricks to help you beat the crowds and explore further into some of the less popular, and often more amazing sights, trails, and attractions. Here you go, solace seeker. Enjoy!

Avoid weekends, particularly beyond the summer months. Nearly half of last year's 4 million park visitors arrived during June, July and August. And year-round, many of those visitors are "weekend warriors" from such key markets as San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles. By coming midweek, you'll also increase your chances of landing a lodging reservation: while most rooms are booked a year and a day in advance (when they first become available), about 30% are booked within one month of arrival because of cancellations.

Get out of Yosemite Valley. About 95% of park visitors head straight for Muir's "incomparable valley," with good reason. But many would argue that the best of Yosemite lies beyond — in such places as Hetch Hetchy, the Mariposa grove of giant sequoias, and Tioga Road. Only open in summer (this year, thanks to prodigious snowfall, it probably won't be till mid or late June), it leads to the park's vast high country and some of its finest hiking.

Be an early riser... Since Yosemite Valley faces west, notes Phil Hawkins of Yosemite Landscape Photography Workshops, most shutterbugs congregate here in late afternoon and early evening. That, coupled with the fact that vacationers tend to sleep in, means that "if you get out there by 9 a.m. or 10 a.m., you're guaranteed to beat the crush," even on such high-traffic trails as Lower Yosemite Falls.

...or a night owl. After a long day of exploring, most visitors head to bed. But, notes guidebook author and photographer James Kaiser, Yosemite is located in a remote, high altitude area free of light and air pollution, and local astronomy clubs offer occasional free programs at Glacier Point.

Take the right hike. The park's marquee hiking routes, such as the aptly named Mist Trail that leads to Vernal and Nevada falls, are rarely uncrowded. But the 13-mile former bridle path known as the Valley Floor Loop Trail takes you past Yosemite Falls, the base of El Capitan, and Bridalveil Fall— and often, "you'll be all alone," says ranger Scott Gediman.

Pack a picnic lunch. Pick up a sandwich at Degnan's Deli (the best sandwich shop in Yosemite Valley) or assemble your own picnic at the Yosemite Village grocery store. Best of all, says Kaiser, "you can enjoy it at a beautiful viewpoint while everyone else is waiting in line." Washburn Point offers views of Half Dome, Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, and the snow-capped peaks of the High Sierra— with a fraction of the crowds at nearby Glacier Point.

Slow down. "Yosemite is not just another stop between Disneyland and Las Vegas," says Ron Kauk, a rock climber who has been exploring the park for more than 30 years. "Drive slowly, walk softly and take the time to find a place to sit by the river and forget the clock for a while."

Happy Trails!