We are looking for a place for spring break in March '09. Something family oriented (i.e. no party spots) with a 4 and 6 year old. My grandfather use to take me to St. Andrews SP every year but I understand they don't have sewer hookups which sounds like a pain since we fill up the Grey every other day. We will be traveling with our 35' TT w/2 slide outs so I also want to make sure there is enough space between sites. Thanks to all the great info here I've narrowed it down to:
Topsail Hill SP
Camping on the Gulf
Emerald Beach RV
Navarre Beach CG
We'd like the following amenities
Full Hookups
Short bicycle ride to the beach (~1mile)
Fishing within the park
Swimming Pool (nice to have)
Campfires allowed for nightly marshmallows
We may eat out a night or two so restaurants within a couple of miles would be nice
I was looking in the Gulf Shores/Destin area since we're coming from St. Louis and would like an easy overnight drive (~12 hrs). Personal opinions welcome ... THANKS!
DW and I have been to CotG and Topsail but not the other two. CotG was a little on the expensive side (for us) @ $50.00 per night and a little tight. Topsail is very nice and I don't think anyone who has been there will disagree. It's more isolated than the others but if you have other transportation, not too bad, just a couple of miles outside of Destin. Topsail has a private beach and the grounds are very clean.
CotG is right on the beach but the waterfront sites don't have some hookups but I can't remember which. We were in one of the sites just off the beach with full hookups and had a good view of the water, around the big rigs on the beach sites that is.
We love Navarre Beach Campground, basically because we despise driving in or around Destin ESPECIALLY during spring break. They have a community fire pit and they supply the wood. Nice pool, they have their own small beach (although it is on the innercoastal), a short hop over to Navarre Beach if you want emerald coast, a pier where you can fish, and some of the nicest people running the park. Their sites are not as spacious as Topsail but you could not pay me to stay in Destin. They are extremely dog friendly, too.
1984 Sportscoach Pathfinder 33'(purchased 7/02)
Me (Pam)
John (husband, campground wedding 8/02)
Ian (14 yrs)
Ben (12 yrs)
Quincy (spoiled rotten Jack Russell)
Chloe (very lucky rescue furkid)
Spike (Iguana)
Topsail.Topsail.Topsail! Except no campfires there. We just got back & I'm already missing it...even swimming w/the sharks last Sat!! You couldn't pay me to camp at Camping on the Gulf. You are in your neighbor's face & sooo expensive! As far as fishing goes, there were people fishing just out in the ocean where we were swimming. Kind of spooky....wonder if that what was up w/all the sharks? Henderson Beach St Park is nice too. But, I don't think they have sewer hook-ups. Better make those resv. for Topsail fast. They get booked up quickly. We made resv. in Feb. for last week & still had to move once to stay all week!
We stayed at Topsail for first time this year and really liked it. The path (more like 1 lane road) to beach is about 7/10s mile. We rode bikes and I towed a small bike cart with beach stuff in it. This seemed to be the norm for most everyone biking down. There were lots of beach stuff left under the board walk over sand dunes each day but we never left anything ourselves.
I believe they have a no campfire rule??? It was WAY too hot and humid for us to even want a fire. Not sure if you can use the portable fire pits or not.
I believe it mets rest of your criteria.
Also, no clotheslines or stakes in the ground (due to underground utilities & sprinkler system). You can hang towels, etc. on awning arms, chairs, portable drying racks, rear ladder, etc. Just can't string up any lines.
We rode by CotG several times but never went in. Was too much like a parking lot for my tastes...I'd rather just bike the distance to beach. It looked mostly full so there are folks that must really like that environment.
We stayed 6 nights at St Andrews last summer. To help with no sewer situation we used the shower houses. As campground showers go, they were nice and usually no long waits. We had a blue tote with use and did end up dumping 1 time.
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For pulling...2005 Chevy 2500HD LT D/A and 1998 Dodge Durango SLT 5.2L
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Anyone know anything about these Topsail sites?
2,4,5,6,7,9 - all 34' length
11, 87, 146 - 35'+
We've been in some tight spots before and since we're staying a week wanna be comfortable. We'll have a Chevy 2500 crew cab/long bed and 35' (overall length) TT to park
n8dawg wrote: Anyone know anything about these Topsail sites?
2,4,5,6,7,9 - all 34' length
11, 87, 146 - 35'+
We've been in some tight spots before and since we're staying a week wanna be comfortable. We'll have a Chevy 2500 crew cab/long bed and 35' (overall length) TT to park
There really isn't a bad site at Topsail at all. The only thing is, the sites 2-17 are up in the front and there is ALOT of activity because that is the only way in and out of the campground. 87 is a good site, I have stayed there and ANY sites in the 100's is good!
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Sharon-ME
Cameron-DH
Chris-20-DS
Kayla-16-DD
Panama City, Florida FSUSEMINOLES
WE just got back the 7th of July from this area, we stayed 2 nights at Emerald Beach RV park It was a nice park $122 for 2 nights(pricey cause charge for kids) the beach was great but the water was terrible too warm and dirty and smelled bad, we went out to Navarre Beach SP to swim. Then spent 7 nights in Gulf Shores SP ($150) and we would go back there.
Me, Wife, 3 kids and a dog
2006 Dutchmen 28H-SSL
2005 GMC Crew Cab 4 wheel drive.
Topsail Hill is the place you wanna go to. Short ride to the beach, restaurants within a 10 mile rage = ~100, fresh and salt water fishing, huge sites, clean, reasonably priced. the only drawback is no campfires - although we did witness some people using their kettle grills for this!
We were there for this past spring break, made reservations in July '07 and were lucky to get the three sites we had.
Good luck!
If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?
Have you driven in Destin at spring break. You actually don't drive, just park on the highway....Here's a good option, Luxury RV Resort in Gulfshores Alabama. Much quiter, more laid back...two blocks from the beach....nice sites for big rigs. if you really want Destin...Topsail is beautiful and a nice bike ride to the beach....or Henderson State Park...also nice.
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