J Chickery

December 16, 2022 by J Chickery Leave a Comment

Round Pond Recreation Area (West Point, NY)

If you’re traveling near the West Point Military Academy, Round Pond Recreation Area is a great place to stay for eligible military-affiliated patrons. Set around a beautiful pond, this seasonal campground is open from April to November and offers plenty of activities for those who enjoy the outdoors.

Campsites and Cabins

The campground offers a range of sites including 28 RV spaces, 4 pop-up spaces, 10 log cabins, and one rental cottage. All of the RV sites have water, electricity, a fire ring, a charcoal grill, and a picnic table. We stayed in site 16, which is farther from the pond, but we enjoyed the tranquil environment. It was also an easy walk from the site down to the main recreation area and beach.

The tent sites are all in their own wooded section of the recreation area. They don’t have any utilities, but they all have a fire ring, a charcoal grill, and a picnic table. They also aren’t far from the bath house.

The cabins have electricity, a mini-fridge, a table with chairs, a double bed, and bunk beds. Outside they also have a fire ring, charcoal grill, and picnic table. The rental cottage has electricity, plumbing, a kitchen, a bathroom, and a bedroom with a queen bed. There are also two futons for additional sleeping spaces.

activities at Round Pond Recreation Area

Campground Amenities

As you can imagine by the name, there are a lot of recreational activities here. You can rent boats and kayaks or fish from the shore. Guests can also enjoy the designated swimming area and beach, playground, sand volleyball court, and nature trails.

While the sites don’t have sewer, there is a bath house with showers, as well as a dump station. Patrons can also choose to pay extra for the honey wagon service that will pump out their tanks.

Make Your Reservation

As previously mentioned, this is a military campground. Learn more about eligibility in our Guide to Military Campgrounds. The campground books up fast for West Point home games and graduation, so be sure to plan your trip in advance and make reservations.

December 4, 2022 by J Chickery Leave a Comment

2022 Year in Review

We had another great year of travel and family adventures! From local camping to a road trip to New Hampshire, we continue to revisit old favorites and explore new destinations.

Camping with Family & Friends

Collage of photos camping with friends and family

We just love when our friends and family can join us on our camping trips! This year two of our sons, our daughter-in-law, and our grandson were able to join us on our first trip of the year to Colonial Williamsburg.

Then I went on a series of camping & hiking trips with her best friend in Shenandoah National Park. One trip was even in a tent! For the other three tips, I took the RV up to the park to have a little more comfort. The sites in the national park don’t have any hookups, but the Arctic Fox and our solar system served us well.

We stayed at the Harper’s Ferry KOA in West Virginia to complete a 5k race. The race course went right through the campground and a historic farm in the Harper’s Ferry National Historic Park.

In the summer, we went to New Hampshire’s White Mountains and stayed at the Lincoln / KOA Holiday for two weeks. We absolutely loved the area and want to go back for a longer stay.

We wrapped up the summer with our first visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park and had an absolute blast at Camp Margaritaville in Pigeon Forge, Tennesse. It has easily become our favorite campground!

Our last camping trip of the year was to Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness Campground in Orlando, Florida where we met up with our good friend, Kenny & Sabrina. We love Fort Wilderness and Disney, so it was only natural to want to share it with Jax.

photo collage of a family's Disney World Vacation

This trip could be used in the dictionary to define Murphy’s Law: Sean & Jax both ended up in urgent care with RSV and associated sinus infections, our gray tank sprung a leak, and a tropical storm forced Disney to evacuate the campground. Even worse, the tropical storm closed the airport and our son, Justin’s flight was canceled. Still, we made the best of it, and ended up having a good time.

Other Travel

We went on a few other trips without the RV: Tampa, Florida for the RV Super Show; Tucson, Arizona for the FMCA Rally; and Las Vegas, Nevada just for fun.

While in Tampa, we took a trip to the beach. In Arizona, we visited Saguaro National Park and Mount Lemmon. Richie joined us for a few days in Vegas and we went horseback riding in Red Rock Canyon. Julie also managed to get in some hiking at Mount Charleston just 45 minutes outside of Las Vegas.

The Epic Retirement Bucket List

Julie also wrote a book this year: The Epic Retirement Bucket List: 150 Globe-Trotting Ideas To Inspire Your Next Chapter. The ideas are divided into five chapters: Go Exploring; Eat, Drink, and Be Merry; Embrace New Experiences; Give Back; and Challenge Yourself.

November 18, 2022 by J Chickery Leave a Comment

How To Experience Florida Like a Local

For many of us seasoned travelers, experiencing a destination as much like a local as possible is the ultimate aim. While visitors can never truly feel what it’s like to live somewhere, they can make an effort to see any destination through the eyes of the local people. One of the most popular tourist destinations in the US is Florida. While it’s strongly associated with theme parks, there’s a lot more to explore outside of the large parks too. If you want to experience Florida like a local, there are many places to see and things to do.

Pick One City

Florida is 160 miles wide and 500 miles long, which means there are plenty of different places to visit around the state. It can be tempting to try and squeeze in as many destinations as possible, especially when you’re on a long-haul trip. However, this will mean you don’t really have time to take everything in. It can often be better to pick one place to stay and spend your time really getting to know it. If you want to see anything else, there’s still the option of taking day trips. Pick a town or city that looks right for you, whether it’s Miami, St. Augustine, or Tampa. If you’re having a hard time picking just one city, consider a region like the Nature coast where you can swim with manatees in crystal clear waters.

Choose the Right Accommodation

Two photos: One shows an Arctic Fox 5th wheel with its awning out, parked on grass. Blue sky and deep blue water in the background. The second photo shows a beautiful orange sunset over the water with palm trees in the foreground.

The first thing you can do if you want to experience Florida like a local is to choose the right accommodation. One option is to travel by recreational vehicle (RV) as we’ve often done. This gives you a wide range of affordable state parks, as well as high-end RV resorts. Here’s a list of our favorite campgrounds in Florida.

Other options for extended stays are rental homes. You can find great deals at Ocean Florida for villas, which provide more amenities like kitchens. You won’t feel like you’re isolated from the real world and you can even cook for yourself too.

Ask for Local Recommendations

Who can help you to experience Florida like a local better than the locals? Asking local people for recommendations can help you to find the best places to eat, drink, or have fun. There are several ways to do this and discover the best places to go. One option is to ask the concierge at your hotel if you decide to stay in one. They can offer advice on where to go and what to do. Alternatively, consider looking online (we like TripAdvisor) for the best tips. You can ask on online forums or look for websites recommending local attractions, events, and businesses.

Try Local Food

Enjoying local food and drink is often the best way to experience somewhere new like a local. Florida has some great food scenes in various places, from delicious Cuban food to beautiful seafood. Whether you’re trying a Cuban sandwich or tucking into a slice of key lime pie, you can explore the state through your taste buds. You can discover some great breweries in places like Tampa too, and you can also discover some wineries that produce great wines. Get recommendations for the best places to go from local people if you want to make sure you eat and drink the right things.

Attend Local Events

Local events can be one of the best ways to get to know somewhere new. It gives you a chance to see a destination at its best, often with the local community coming together. If you’re looking for fun events in Florida, you can find amazing options all year. There are events celebrating all kinds of things, from food and drink to music and history. We love the annual pirate invasion of Gasparilla in Tampa each January! Anywhere you visit in Florida is likely to have something happening, but what exactly is available will depend on the time of year.

Go to the Islands

Florida has some great cities and towns, but sometimes you want to get away from it all. Florida’s islands are a great place to get some peace and enjoy the slower pace of life that many local people experience. Some of the top-rated Florida islands include Anna Maria Island, Honeymoon Island State Park, and Sanibel Island. The islands can offer opportunities to spend hours on the beach, go kayaking, fish, and much more.

Get to Know the History

Your average Floridian might not know a huge amount of local history, but they may know more than you. Getting to know the history of the state is a way to get closer to the culture of Florida and how it has become what it is today. Visiting museums is a good way to explore the state’s rich history, and there are some great ones to choose from. You might like to visit the Museum of the Everglades, the Museum of Science and Industry in Tampa, or the Kennedy Space Center.

The options to experience Florida like a local really are unlimited. Choose what works best for your interests and you are bound to have a wonderful time!