Chickery's Travels

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        • Chickery’s Travels Podcast Episode 5: Fort Wilderness Campground Review
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May 18, 2021 by Julie Chickery Leave a Comment

Lynchburg / Blue Ridge Parkway KOA (Monroe, Virginia)

The Lynchburg / Blue Ridge Parkway KOA is my favorite KOA in the state! Located just minutes from the Blue Ridge Parkway and the James River, it has fabulous views all around the campground, not to mention all the recreational opportunities.

Watch the short video review below or continue reading for more details.

Sites

As you know, one of our favorite thing about KOA campgrounds is that they offer a range of campsites to allow everyone to pick the best one for their budget or preference. In addition to having several different site types, we loved how all the campsites in this campground were grouped together, away from the activity area. There was also plenty of space and trees between the sites.

  • Deluxe Patio Sites – These are full hook up pull through sites with a dining table, extra seating area with lounge chairs, patio swing, and fire ring. If these had not of been fully booked on our stay, we would have selected one.
  • Standard and Premium Sized Pull Thru Sites – We had a standard full hook-up pull thru sites that come with a picnic table and fire ring. As you can see, they were very spacious.
Large RV campsites at the Blue Ridge Parkway KOA
  • Back-In Sites – We really loved the back in sites that were around the outer edges of the campground. They all backed up to trees and made for a cozy area around the campfire. 
  • No RV? No problem! They have tent sites and cabins to enjoy. The tents sites had power and water and were located down by the catch and release fishing pond. The cabins came in three types: Deluxe with a queen bed, sleeper sofa, and a sleeping loft for the kids. It also has a full bathroom with shower and a kitchenette with mini-fridge, stovetop, and microwave. The Studio Deluxe Cabin has a queen bed, bunk beds, full bathroom with shower, and a mini kitchenette. Finally, the rustic camping cabins have a full-sized bed, bunk beds, but no bathroom or kitchen. They do have fire pits with a grill and are located close to a bath house.
KOA has several different types of camping cabins.

Amenities 

This campground has a lot of amenities to keep the whole family happy during your stay. They had a playground, foos ball and ping pong tables, basketball courts, and a jumping pad all located near a large open area for the kids to run around. There was also a swimming pool and a fair sized camp store. Located on one end of the campground was a dog park large enough for our dog to run around off leash.

Another great amenity was the huge catch & release fishing pond and several interconnected nature trails. It felt like a state park campground, but with KOA amenities!

Local Area 

The Blue Ridge Parkway, known as America’s Drive is managed by the National Park Service. The Parkway’s 469 miles spans the southern and central Appalachians through Virginia and North Carolina. An access point near mile 60 of the Parkway is located only a mile from the campground. I went hiking to a fabulous waterfall at Apple Orchard Falls.

Blue Ridge Parkway overlook and hiking trails

Another nearby destination is the Lynchburg Riverwalk and Percival’s Island. The RiverWalk first travels through historic downtown Lynchburg. This section of downtown has become a truly unique area with a children’s museum, shops, bicycle rentals, and restaurants. The multi-use trail crosses onto Percival’s Island, a beautiful natural area with waterfront views.

The village of Appomattox Courthouse is only a 40-minute drive away. Managed by the National Park Service, this is the historic site of the surrender of General Lee and the Army of Northern Virginia on April 9, 1865. There are several historic buildings and a ranger-led tour of the McLean House where the actual surrender took place.

Book Your Stay

Whether you are looking for a quick get away or family vacation, you can’t go wrong with this amazing KOA campground! Click here to make reservations and don’t forget to sign up for the rewards program to get 10% off every KOA stay. We love the rewards program because you also earn points to use towards discounts on future stays. We were able to get $50 off our weekend here using accumulated rewards points.

Interested in learning more about what KOAs have to offer? Click here to listen to Sean & Kenny’s interview with the President and CEO of the company.

Learn About Other Great Campgrounds in Virginia

Virginia has a lot of great campgrounds for every type of camping style. From state and national parks to luxury RV resorts and everything in between, Virginia has got you covered. Here are a few that we have personally enjoyed:

  • Fort Belvoir Travel Camp – If you’re fortunate enough to have access to military bases, this campground is situated along the Potomac River. It is also close enough to Washington DC to serve as a base for your visit to the nation’s capitol.
  • Harrisonburg / Shenandoah Valley KOA – We love this quiet, wooded campground with easy access to Shenandoah National Park.
  • Luray KOA – This immaculate KOA campground is nestled between the Massanutten range and Shenandoah National Park. It’s also a close to the renowned Luray Caverns.
  • Shenandoah River State Park – Fabulous state park with 5 miles of riverfront access. The river is only a 2-minute walk from the campground which boasts huge sites and water / power hook ups.

Sharing is caring! Feel free to share this review on social media and save the image below to Pinterest.

The Blue Ridge Parkway KOA near Lynchburg, Virginia is the perfect campground for your family's next RV trip! With large sites, plenty of trees, and tons of amenities, everyone will be a happy camper.

Filed Under: Campground Reviews, Virginia Tagged With: Blue Ridge Parkway KOA, KOA Campground Lynchburg, Virginia KOA Campground

April 11, 2021 by J Chickery Leave a Comment

Luray KOA (Luray, Virginia)

We visited the Luray KOA this spring and loved it! Nestled between Shenandoah National Park and George Washington National Forest, it has fabulous views all around the campground, not to mention all the recreational opportunities.

Watch the short video review below or continue reading for more details.

Sites

We love KOA’s because they offer so many different types of sites to suit any budget or preference, and this one was no exception. In fact, the Luray KOA had some of the most unique site offerings that we’ve seen.  

  • Deluxe Patio Sites – These are full hook up pull through sites with a dining table, extra seating area with lounge chairs, umbrella and fire ring. We stayed in these sites as you can see from the image above. We loved how the fire pit area had its own little patio too.
  • Standard Pull Thru Sites – There were standard full hook-up pull thru sites that come with a smaller concrete patio, picnic table, and fire ring.
  • Back-In Pergola Sites – These sites were so cool, we want to stay in one next time. They have a picnic table under the pergola, which is situated at the rear of your RV. Then just below the pergola, there is extra seating area with lounge chairs, a fire ring, and mountain views. 
The Luray KOA has the most unique campsites including these pergola mountain view campsites. The pergola has a picnic table and extra seating, then below it, you have a fire ring and more seating to enjoy the mountain views.
  • Other Back-In Sites – As usual, there are a variety of back-in sites based on RV length accommodate small campers and big rigs. The extra long back-in sites were probably the longest I’ve seen! Another bonus of the back-ins is that they are all situated around the edges of the campground so you have greenery and views behind you — not other RVs.
The extra long back-in sites at the Luray KOA can fit the largest RVs. They also back up to greenery and views of Shenandoah National Park.
  • No RV? No problem! They have tent sites, cabins, and yurts to enjoy.

Amenities 

This campground has all the amenities you’d expect, but we thought they were nicer than most. For example, they had two swimming pools, a playground with a large open field for the kids to run around in, and the largest dog park we’ve ever seen.

Another great amenity was a camp kitchen with sinks and a long counter behind the bath house. This is a terrific place for those staying in the tent sites to do their dishes.

Local Area 

Luray Caverns boasts the largest caverns in the Eastern United States. They have well-lighted, paved walkways that lead visitors through cathedral-sized rooms with ceilings 10-stories high, towering stone formations, and natural wonders at every turn. With so many fabulous formations, I can’t name them all, but here’s one of my favorites: Dominating Giant’s Hall at 47 feet in height, this column is the tallest and one of the most spectacular formations in the caverns. The Double Column is a classic example of the two basic cave formations the stalactite and stalagmite coming together as one massive wonder of nature.

Luray Caverns is the largest caverns in the eastern United States.

Hawksbill Greenway consists of two miles of trails along a quiet creek. It’s a great place just off downtown Luray to ride your bike or go for a stroll. Downtown Luray has several shops, restaurants, and a great little ice cream place. If you’re looking for an inexpensive afternoon, do some window shopping, ride your bikes on the Greenway, and treat yourself to an ice cream cone.

Book Your Stay Now

Whether you are looking for a quick get away or family vacation, you can’t go wrong with this amazing KOA campground! Click here to make reservations and don’t forget to sign up for the rewards program to get 10% off every KOA stay. We love the rewards program because you also earn points to use towards discounts on future stays. We were able to get $50 off our weekend here using accumulated rewards points.

Interested in learning more about what KOAs have to offer? Click here to listen to Sean & Kenny’s interview with the President and CEO of the company.

Sharing is caring! Feel free to share the image below on Pinterest.

We visited the Luray KOA this spring and loved it! Nestled between Shenandoah National Park and George Washington National Forest, it has fabulous views all around the campground, not to mention all the recreational opportunities.  It's a family friendly campground for all ages.

Filed Under: Campground Reviews, Virginia Tagged With: Campground near Shenandoah National Park, KOA Campground in Luray, koa camping, Luray KOA, Luray Virginia Campground

October 20, 2017 by Julie 2 Comments

Indoor Skydiving and TopGolf: Just Another Day of Family Fun!

If you’ve been following my blog, you’ll know that one of the biggest struggles for me about full-time travel has been missing my 3 young adult sons. Guess how happy I was when Sean had a business trip to the Washington DC area where our oldest son and future daughter-in-law live? I bought that ticket quicker than you can answer the question!

We were only there for 4 days, but we packed in as much fun as we could: indoor skydiving at iFly Loudon, TopGolf craziness, gorgeous fall Northern Virginia hiking, and Markoff’s Haunted Forest.

iFly Loudon

My son has been watching my crazy YouTube videos (you know the zip line, SUP, and drowning ones), and felt he needed to up the ante. When he first recommended the indoor skydiving adventure, I was a little leary, but my boys know how to manipulate me. So, yeah, I caved, and went for it!

iFly Julie and Richie

They have a video training session, and then take the time to answer all your questions before you suit up. I will admit that I went last in our group of 4 and was still quite terrified when it was my turn! IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! There is no free fall, you have the wind pushing against you immediately, and a trained guide with you at all times. The suits actually have hand holds for them so you don’t fly up and away!

We bought the package that included 2 flights each. On the second flight, we opted for the “high flight” which you can see in the video below. It was incredible and I “highly” recommend it!

After that adventure, we headed right across the parking lot for lunch and a fun golf game.

TopGolf

I actually enjoyed this more than I though I would! About 20 years ago I won a set of golf clubs and promptly took a handful of lessons. However, I sucked and just as promptly gave up the sport. Still, Top Golf was a lot of fun! You don’t have to be a golfer to enjoy it. They have a lot of games, and luckily one of them required little to no skill. My kind of game! They also have a bar & restaurant with service to your golf booth. The veggie burger and tater tots were spot on!

Top Golf booth
Top Golf swing
Top Golf Food

Stayed Tuned

We also visited my top 5 favorite hiking spots over the next three days! I  took waaay too many pictures, but the leaves were changing and it was just so beautiful. I’m in the process of going through them now, and then I’ll share are all about these amazing spots with you!

 

Filed Under: District of Columbia, Virginia Tagged With: iFly, indoor skydiving, northern Virginia, Top Golf, wind tunnel

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