Ho Hum RV Park in the Florida Panhandle is a wonderful spot to relax, listen to the ocean and explore the laid-back atmosphere of the Forgotten Coast. The beach-front sites provide front-row seating for amazing sunsets.
Key Takeaways:
Book this park early to get a beach front site
Private access to a 250-foot fishing pier
Dog friendly with beach access
Our second stay at this park and we’ll be back
Campground Review:
Don’t look for a pool or playground at Ho Hum RV Park. This park best attraction is the ocean. With full hookups and level sites and an awesome location on the Gulf, this park is a hidden gem. Book early for beachfront sites. Very dog friendly.
What to do:
Take the dogs to the nearby Carrabelle Beach for long walks on a beautiful uncrowded beach. Explore the historic village of Apalacicola. Visit St. George Island for shopping and waterfront restaurants. Enjoy local seafood at the Blue Parrot Oceanfront Cafe on St. George Island. Visit The Fisherman’s Wife Restaurant in Carrabelle, a local favorite. Walk miles of unspoiled beaches in the area.
Chili & Cedar’s Review:
We love Ho Hum Campground! There is a small dog park and everyone was friendly. We especially liked relaxing by the RV and listening to the ocean — great napping park!
Campground Rating: 4.7 PAWS
We walk Carrabelle Beach everyday when we stay at Ho Hum. It was cold during our stay but we still romped in the ocean.
The Engineer RV Park & Campground is located on Lake Tholocco, a 640-acre lake just minutes from Fort Rucker in southeastern Alabama. This lake-side RV park with a rustic setting and low nightly rates is available to active duty or retired military and DOD civiliians.
Key Takeaways:
Available to authorized patrons – active duty or retired military and DOD civilians
50-amp and water – no sewer
Rustic setting on a beautiful 640-acre lake
Nice winter stay with lots of open spaces
Close to Fort Rucker facilites and attractions
Dog-friend with open spaces to walk; no dedicated dog park
Campground Review:
Engineer Beach RV Park is a nice stay near Fort Rucker. The dogs liked the open spaces and would have liked a romp in the lake if it wasn’t so cold during our stay. We’d expect that summer months are very busy in this family friendly park. No sewer, but a dumping station is on site. This park is located on the Fort Rucker installation.
What to do:
Visit the Fort Rucker Aviation Museum. Mike remarked, “You know you’re getting old when all the helicopters you flew in the Army are museum relics.”
Chili & Cedar’s Review:
December weather in Alabama is just fine for us, even if it was in the teens. Lots of green space in this park. Next time we visit, we’re swimming in the lake!
Known as the “best little German town in American,” Helen, is a fun place to explore in Northeast Georgia. The German architecture, quaint shops and Bavarian restaurants provide the full Bavarian experience. Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains, the area provides numerous outdoor activities.
Key Takeaways:
Helen, Georgia is a fun town to experience the sights, smells and fare of Bavaria, all in Northeast Georgia
Surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains and Chattahoochee River offer plenty of outdoor activities
Several dog friendly restaurants, beer gardens, wineries and breweries in the area
Numerous hiking trails in the area
Yonah Mountain Camping Resort is a convenient campground to all the local attractions
Campground Review:
Yonah Mountain Camping Resort is located in Cleveland, Georgia, just four miles from Helen. The transient sites were level with 50 amp, sewer and water. The campground is dog friendly but there was no designated dog park or trails. The location and amenities were fine for a short stay. The weather was very cold during our December stay so we couldn’t experience all the resort amenities.
What to do:
Explore the town of Helen, taking in the quaint shops, beer gardens, Bavarian restaurants and German architecture. Several locals recommended the Bodensee for authentic German food.
Check Helen, Georgia’s website for festival dates to include the annual Octoberfest and Christmas Market
Explore the many wineries and breweries in the area. We enjoyed the Frogtown Cellers near Dahlonega, but they did not allow dogs.
Take the dogs on a hike to the Anna Ruby Falls, located in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Go early to beat the crowds!
In warmer weather, take a trip down the Chattahoochee River. You’ll find numerous outfitters throughout the area.
Chili & Cedar’s Review:
This campground is okay for a short stay. We took walks around the park and found some green space, but it did lack trails and a dedicated dog park.
Campground Rating: 3 PAWS
We loved our walk to Anna Ruby Falls – lots of dogs and dog-friendly people. We didn’t go to the town of Helen, since it was too cold to sit outside – there were several dog-friendly restaurants.
Custer State Park surprised us as the best park to view wildlife. Our South Dakota RV stay at Hidden Lake Campground & Resort in Hot Springs offered the perfect location to visit the Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park, Needles Highway and Mount Rushmore.
Key Campground Takeaways:
Great location to explore Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park, Needles Highway and Mount Rushmore
Full hookups, level pull-through sites
Dog friendly with walking path around Hidden Lake
Swimming lake for people and dogs
Natural setting, “unplugged” campground
Our Campground Stay:
Our South Dakota RV stay at the Hidden Lake Campground & Resort provided a great location to explore all the local attractions: Wind Cave National Park, Custer State Park, Needles Highway and Mount Rushmore. The park had all the amenities we needed – full hookups, level and spacious sites, dog-friendly with walking paths and a swimming lake.
Swimming at Hidden Lake Campground Hidden Lake Campground
What to do:
Visit the Wind Cave National Park. Start at the Wind Cave Visitor Center to learn about the park and buy tickets for the ranger-guided cave tours. Drive through the park to experience the rolling prairie grasslands teeming with wildlife. Take the dogs on two dog-friendly trails located near the visitor center: Prairie Vista Trail and Elk Mountain Campground Trail.
Wind Cave National Park Coyote at Wind Cave National Park
Drive through Wind Cave National Park to Custer State Park in the Black Hills. Enjoy the bison, burros, elk, pronghorn antelope, deer, big horn sheep, prairie dogs throughout the park. Stop for the bison traffic jams and watch these amazing creatures traverse the 73,000-acre park.
Bison Traffic JamCuster State Park BisonsBurros Custer State ParkCuster State Park Burros
Spend a day at Sylvan Lake in Custer State Park. Pack a lunch, take the dogs, hike the Sylvan Lake loop, stopping along the way for a picnic lunch. You’ll find several spots where the dogs can take a dip.
Sylvan Lake Custer State ParkSylvan Lake Park Loop Trail Custer State Park
Take the Needles Highway, on the north end of Custer State Park. Enjoy the 14-mile scenic, winding road with spectacular views of the needle-like formations, rock tunnels and scenic overlooks. Keep the RV at the campground for this drive!
Needles Highway Custer State ParkNeedles Highway Custer State PrkNeedles Highway Custer State ParkCedar on Needles Highway
Visit Mount Rushmore – a must see national monument just north of Custer State Park. Note: dogs are not allowed past the entry point to the monument. You can take pictures of the monument from the parking lot and take turns entering the monument area. Be sure to take the President’s Trail behind the amphitheater offering a unique perspective of the faces.
Mount RushmoreMount RushmorePresidents Trail – Mount Rushmore
Stop at the city of Custer, a quaint, western town with plenty of shops and restaurants. Enjoy some brews at the dog-friendly Mount Rushmore Brewing Company.
Mount Rushmore Brewing Company, Custer, SD
Chili & Cedar’s Review: 4.8 PAWS out of 5 PAWS
YAY! Another campground with a swimming pond – score! Lots of green space in the Hidden Lake Campground and the swimming pond was perfect after a hot day. We loved our ride through Custer State Park – lots of funny animals to watch. And a visit to the Mount Rushmore Brewing Company was fun too!
Custer State Park South DakotaChili at Hidden Lake CampgroundCedar & Donkeys – Custer State Park
We loved our stay in Jackson, Wyoming, surrounded by the Grand Tetons. The beauty of Jackson Hole is incredible. The Virginian RV Park is close to all the area attractions and offers resort style amenities. The Grand Teton National Park offers numerous scenic drives, hiking trails and mountain lakes. The Jackson Hole area has several dog-friendly walking paths, hiking trails and swimming lakes. The majestic Grand Tetons provide a stunning backdrop for the Jackson Hole area.
Key Campground Takeaways:
-Close to Jackson and Grand Teton National Park
-Pet Friendly – adjacent to National Forest trails
-Full-Hookups
-Lodge with pool and restaurant
-Walking distance to Fairgrounds/Rodeo
Our Campground Stay:
The Virginian RV Park has everything you need for a fun and relaxing stay in the Jackson Hole Area. The town of Jackson with amazing shopping and restaurants is within walking distance and the Grand Teton National Park is a short drive away. Surrounded by mountains, the scenery is spectacular, and the park has easy access to bike and walking trails. The trailhead for the dog-friendly Josie’s Ridge Trail is adjacent to the campground. With resort style amenities, the Virginian RV park offers a lodge swimming pool, restaurant and saloon (coming soon).
Virginian RV Park, Jackson, WyomingHiking Josie’s Ridge Trail
What to do:
Take a day to drive through the Grand Teton National Park. Start at the Craig Thomas Discovery and Learning Center to learn about the park and plan your visit. Stop at the Jenny Lake Visitor Center for spectacular views of Jenny Lake and the Tetons. Hike the trails around the lake or take a pontoon ride to Hidden Falls and Inspiration Point. Continue the drive North to Colton Bay Visitor’s Center on Jackson Lake. Pack a lunch to enjoy at one of many overlooks and picnic areas.
Jenny Lake/Grand Teton National ParkGrand Teton National ParkJenny Lake/Grand Teton National Park
Continue north through the Grand Teton National Park to the south entrance of Yellowstone National Park. From the south entrance, you can visit many of Yellowstone’s attractions.
From Jackson, drive Moose-Wilson Road into the Grand Teton National Park. Go early morning for best wildlife viewing.
Momma and cub on Moose-Wilson Road, Grand Teton National Park
For a fun day with the dogs, drive north from Jackson into the Grand Teton National Park. Follow the Antelope Flats Road to check out the Mormon Historic District. Continue south to Gros Ventre Road and drive through the Bridger-Teton National Forest until the paved road ends. Park at the Atherton Creek Campground and let the dogs swim in the Lower Slide Lake. Bring chairs and a picnic lunch. On the way back to Jackson, look for elk in the National Elk Refuge.
Mormon Historic DistrictBridger-Teton National ForestSwimming at Lower Slide LakeLower Slide Lake/Atherton Creek
Take the dogs to Emily Stevens Park for a hike along the Snake River. Many dogs were off-leash and there are several places for dogs to jump into the river or the swimming pond. Our dogs loved the flat hike, just a few miles from Jackson.
Bike the Jackson Hole area. The area is very bike friendly from the town of Jackson to the Grand Teton National Park. The bike trails in Jackson are also dog friendly!
Chili & Cedar’s Review: 4.9 out of 5 PAWS
We’re going to let you on a little secret . . . Most national parks are not dog friendly and the Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park are no exception. But we did take a drive through the parks and found lots of dog-friendly activities around the parks. Our swim in Lower Slide Lake in the Bridger-Teton National Forest was amazing! We also liked our walk and dip in the Emily Stevens Park. Jackson is a very dog-friendly town – we’re coming back for sure!
Chili & Cedar at Grand Teton National ParkChili & Cedar at Yellowstone National Park
