Saturday, February 18, 2012

MY VIEW

I would like to save my observations and opinions on the Louisiana State Parks until I have visited all of them, however I will say this.  I have noticed that some parks seem to have placed their RV campgrounds away from any views that would enhance a visitor's stay.  It's almost as if the sites were placed as an after thought.  "Oh, here is a good place to add RV sites... way back here at the very end of the campground."  If you want to see anything you'll have to walk miles or ride a bike as some campgrounds have trails not streets that lead to areas of interest.

Other parks have given RV sites their primary attention and placed them next to great views showing off the beauty of their park.   Of course, these are my favorites.

My rating system is geared for my particular tastes but I'm sure RVers will agree that parking your recreational vehicle in a site that allows for fantastic views ranks high on your list.  My next preference was for space between sites.  I don't want to be so close to my neighbor that I feel like I'm in a mobile home park with 10 feet between me and the next RV.  Some of these parks consist of hundreds and hundreds of acres so why not use the space wisely.  My next concern is how level the site is.  I don't care if it is on grass, or gravel, or asphalt as long as it is high and level.

Personally, I don't care what the bath house looks like or how many washers and dryers there are available or if there is a swimming pool or a sauna or a playground for kids.  I purchased an RV with a bathroom and shower and I use them.  The dump station is our friend.  I'm a part-time traveler so I don't need a laundry room.  If and when I do take an extended trip I will be using a laundry room.  However, if need be I can wash by hand in the sink.

I was told by a park ranger that the further north I travel in the state the less crowded the State Parks will be.   On this trip I experienced both extremes.  Out of the 6 parks I visited, one park had only a few sites available and another was almost empty.  You would think that traveling in February they would all be almost empty.

I pushed myself on this trip in order to visit all these parks in such a short period of time but I considered it a recon mission for future visits.  I'll take my time on the next leg of this adventure.

Check out my route map and cost of trip at the bottom of the page.

I know I've said this before but it bears repeating.  It's so good to be back home.

7 comments:

  1. That's a great picture there at the end! I'll probably never get to LA but I still like to read about parks.

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  2. I love that pic of you and Xi too.....you should totally make that you new Facebook photo!

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  3. Hi Donna and Chris ... Thanks for the compliment on the photo. It's hard to get her to look at the camera. One of these days I'm going to have a professional photo done of us but I want to wait until her hair gets longer.

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  4. I like the photo of you and your puppy it looks just as good as a professional. You sure have been busy with all the park visits, but a great job of listings.

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  5. Hi JoJo... Thanks for the compliment. It was tiring to visit 6 campgrounds in 10 days but I'm glad I did it. Now I need a week or two to rest up for the next trip. Driving the RV is exhausting for me. I keep thinking it's going to get easier but it doesn't.

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  6. I am enjoying your tour. I have never heard of some of these state parks but I never just looked to see where they all are. Your observations about the different parks is interesting. I never though much about how some are laid out. Some are definitely better than others. The people that work there makes a difference too. I'm sure they get tired of answering the same questions over and over. Some are very helpful and others act like you are bothering them.

    Martha

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  7. Hi Martha... Yes, I agree with you on the people who work these parks. I experienced both extremes in that area as well. Some extremely helpful and pleasant and some downright rude and condescending.

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