Chickery's Travels

Chickery's Travels logo. A blue-green Earth globe with continents surrounded by dots with an arrow denoting movement or travel and "Chickery's Travels" as part of the dotted circle. Next to this is a photo of their blue and white Arctic Fox 5th Wheel with the awning out.
  • Home
  • Campground Reviews
    • Alternatives To National Park Campgrounds
    • Best Luxury RV Resorts For All RV Types
    • Best Waterfront Campgrounds For Every Budget
    • Alabama
      • Gunter Hill Campground (Montgomery, Alabama)
    • Arizona
      • Best Campgrounds in Arizona
      • Aspen Campground (Payson, Arizona)
      • LazyDays KOA (Tucson, Arizona)
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, AZ)
    • Arkansas
      • Catherine’s Landing (Hot Springs, Arkansas)
      • Downtown Riverside RV Park (Little Rock, Arkansas)
    • California
      • Best Campgrounds in California
      • Crescent City Redwoods KOA (Crescent City, California)
      • Sea Breeze RV Park (Seal Beach Naval Weapons Station)
    • Delaware
      • Cape Henlopen State Park (Lewes, Delaware)
    • Florida
      • Best Campgrounds in Florida
      • Blue Angel Naval Recreation Area (Pensacola, FL)
      • Jonathan Dickinson State Park (Southeast FL)
      • LazyDays RV Resort (Tampa, FL)
      • MacDill AFB FamCamp (Tampa, FL)
      • Military Camping in Key West
      • Patrick AFB FamCamp (Cocoa Beach, FL)
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, FL)
      • Walt Disney World’s Fort Wilderness (Orlando, FL)
        • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
        • Chickery’s Travels Podcast Episode 5: Fort Wilderness Campground Review
    • Maryland
      • Cherry Hill Park (College Park, Maryland)
    • Michigan
      • Port Huron KOA (Kimball, Michigan)
    • Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
      • Boondocking Near Las Vegas
    • New Hampshire
      • Lincoln / Woodstock KOA (New Hampshire)
    • New York
      • Round Pond Recreation Area (West Point, NY)
    • North Carolina
      • Outer Banks West / Currituck Sound KOA (Coinjock, North Carolina)
    • Oklahoma
      • Oklahoma City East KOA (Choctaw, Oklahoma)
    • Texas
      • Best Campgrounds in Texas
      • Alsatian RV Resort (Castroville, Texas)
      • Maverick Ranch (Lajitas, Texas)
      • Texas Wine Country Jellystone (Fredericksburg, Texas)
    • Tennessee
      • Camp Margaritaville (Pigeon Forge, TN)
      • Crossville I-40 KOA (Crossville, TN)
      • Midway RV Park (Memphis, TN)
    • Virginia
      • Fort Belvoir Travel Camp (Alexandria, VA)
      • Harrisonburg / Shenandoah Valley KOA (Broadway, Virginia)
      • Luray KOA (Luray, Virginia)
      • Lynchburg / Blue Ridge Parkway KOA (Monroe, Virginia)
      • Shenandoah River State Park (Bentonville, Virginia)
    • Washington
      • Crescent Bar RV Resort (Quincy, Washington)
    • West Virginia
      • Harper’s Ferry KOA (Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia)
  • USA
    • Arizona
      • Apache Trail: A Crazy, Scary, Beautiful Drive
      • Lost Dutchman State Park (Phoenix, Arizona)
      • Phoenix Faves
    • District of Columbia
      • Budget Friendly Fun in Washington D.C.
      • Favorite Hikes near Washington DC
      • Indoor Skydiving and TopGolf: Just Another Day of Family Fun!
    • Florida
      • Best Walt Disney World Festivals For Adults
      • Blowing Rocks Preserve – Jupiter Island, Florida
      • Bok Tower Gardens
      • Daytona Beach – The World’s Most Famous Beach
      • Epcot International Food & Wine Festival
      • Gasparilla – Tampa’s Pirate Invasion
      • 3 Days on the Nature Coast 
      • Florida Freshwater Springs on the Nature Coast
      • Halloween at Disney’s Fort Wilderness
      • Kennedy Space Center – Cape Canaveral
      • Island Hopping at Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Parks
      • Must See Sights in St. Augustine, FL – America’s Oldest City
      • Rainbow Springs State Park & Campground (Ocala, Florida)
      • Sunny Sarasota
      • Tampa
        • Get Back to Nature in Tampa Bay
        • Take Me Out to the Ball Game – Spring Training in Tampa, FL
        • The 5 Best Beaches in the Tampa Bay Area
        • Why We Love Tampa
      • Tarpon Springs – The Gulf Coast Town with Greek Flavor
      • Top 5 Things to Do on Florida’s Space Coast
      • What Not to Do When Kayaking on the Weeki Wachee River
      • Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure
    • Georgia
      • Visiting Atlanta? Don’t Miss These Civil Rights Museums
    • Illinois
      • One Day In The Windy City – Chicago Itinerary
    • Maine
      • Coastal Maine Vacation
      • Monhegan Island Maine
      • Two Days in Acadia National Park
    • Nevada
      • Planning an RV Trip to Nevada
      • Las Vegas RV Campgrounds: Nellis Air Force Base and Lake Mead RV Village
    • Tennessee
      • Burgess Falls: 3 For 1 Waterfall Special
      • National Civil Rights Museum – Memphis, TN
      • Window Cliffs, TN – I’m Not Afraid of Heights, But I am Afraid of Falling!
      • WWII History in Tennessee
    • Texas
      • Best Eats in Fredericksburg
      • Enjoy a Bird’s Eye View of Texas Hill Country
  • RV Resources
    • 3 Simple Steps to Find the Best RV Campgrounds
    • 5 Years Full-Time RV: Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret
    • Boondocking – What We Learned From Our First Dry Camping Experience
    • Tips for Boondocking Success
    • Essential RV Gear
      • Essential RV Gear Guide
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • RV Must Have: Tire Pressure Monitoring System
      • RV SnapPads Product Review
      • RVLOCK Keyless Entry Door Handle Installation and Review
      • Shop “RV Local” With TechnoRV
      • Top RV Gadgets & Accessories
      • WeBoost Cellular Booster Review
    • Living in an RV
      • 9 Lessons From 2 1/2 Years on the Road
      • Biggest Regret Full-Time RV Living
      • Dealing with my Biggest Full-Time Travel Struggle, Missing Family While Traveling
      • Downsizing: 3 Areas That Make The Biggest Impact
      • Full-Time RV: 2019 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV: 2018 Year in Review
      • Full-Time RV Travel – 2017 Year In Review
      • How Full-Time RVers Celebrate the Holidays
      • How to Prepare for Full-Time RV Travel
      • Internet Solutions for RV Travelers
      • Learn How to RV Full-Time
      • Living in a Tiny, Traveling Home
      • Making Friends (and reconnecting with old friends) While Traveling Full-Time
      • Pros & Cons of Full-Time RV Travel
      • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
      • Short-Term RV Storage: Leaving The RV Behind
      • Top 3 Lessons Learned & Biggest Regret: 3 Years Full-Time RV Living
      • What We Wish We Knew Before Full-Time RVing
      • What You Need To Know Before Selling Everything And Moving To An RV
      • Why We Are Traveling Full-Time In Our RV
    • Maintenance Tips
      • DIY Power Upgrade – “Solar Ready” Arctic Fox Fifth Wheel
      • DIY RV Power & Solar Upgrade
      • Easy DIY Project to Protect Your RV Water System
      • An Easy Way to Protect Your RV Water Heater
      • How to Reduce the Likelihood of Tire Blowouts on your RV
      • Odor Free RV Black Tank Tips
      • RV Condensation: What It Is, What It Does, and How To Stop It
    • Must Read Books Before Becoming A Full-time RVer
    • RV Organization & Storage Ideas
    • RV Remodel
      • Planning an RV Remodel
      • RV Kitchen Cooking Videos
      • Painting Your RV Interior
      • Update the RV Kitchen – Backsplashes & More
      • Updating Your RV Window Treatments
      • RV Bedroom Makeover
      • RV Remodel Costs with Before & After Photos
      • Vintage Camper Renovation
    • RV Holiday Tour – Decorating Our Small Space
    • RV Hurricane Evacuation
    • RV Misery Can Be Overcome By The Generosity Of Others
    • RV Travelers: How to Read Books While Saving Space and Weight in Your RV
    • Slow Travel
    • Small Kitchen Cooking
      • Cooking Videos
      • Eating Healthy on Travel Days
    • Staying Healthy
      • Traveling with Fibromyalgia, Arthritis, and Other Chronic Pain Conditions
    • Trip Planning
    • Traveling with Pets
      • RVing with Your Cat
      • Traveling with Restricted Breed Dogs
    • Why I Prefer RV Travel Over Flying
    • Your Guide To Planning The Best Family Vacation This Summer
  • Travel Finance
    • 5 Tips to Save on RV Travel
    • 5 Ways to Fund Full-Time Travel
    • Full-Time RV Expenses
      • Annual Full-Time RV Expenses – The Big Three
    • Five Credit Card Strategies To Improve Travel
    • How Much Do Campgrounds Cost?
    • How Much Does it Cost to RV Full-Time?
    • How to Camp for Free
    • How to Start a Profitable Blog
    • How to Save Money on RV Fuel Costs
    • How to Save on Food While Camping
    • How We Earn A Living While Traveling Full-Time (And How You Can Too)
    • How We Paid $139,000 of Debt in 2 Years While Full-Time RVing
    • Learn How to Finance Your Dreams
    • The Top 7 Ways to Save Money While Traveling Full-Time
    • Roadmap to Financial Freedom
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report April 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report May 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report June 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report July 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report August 2018
      • Roadmap to Financial Freedom: Accountability Report September/October 2018
    • RV Purchasing
      • RV Purchasing: Understanding RV Types
      • Benefits of Renting an RV
      • Should I Buy A New or Used RV?
      • The Costs of RV Ownership
      • The True Cost of Financing an RV
      • Why You Should Attend An RV Show
    • Save Money Using the Public Library (On More Than Just Books)
  • Military Travel
    • Guide To Using Military Campgrounds
    • Health Care for Retired Military Full-Time RVers
    • Why Military Retirees Should Fly Space-A
  • Videos
  • About Us
    • RV Shows We’re Attending
    • Contact Us
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    • Why We Are Full-Time RVers

January 1, 2018 by Julie 2 Comments

Full-Time RV Travel – 2017 Year In Review

Before 2017 comes to an end we wanted to look back on the last year and share our favorite locations, campgrounds and adventures.

This year we visited 10 states and stayed in 11 campgrounds and 7 hotels. This tally doesn’t count the trips Sean went on for work alone.

Campgrounds

Our top 5 favorite campgrounds this year were:

Campground Review of the Navy's Midway RV Park in Millington, TN. See why it should be on your list of campgrounds for your family trip!

Our stay at Midway RV Park Millington, TN was an unplanned trip as a result our of evacuation from Hurricane Irma, but it ended up being a wonderful surprise. We enjoyed the quiet beauty of the local area and went on excursions to nearby Memphis.

Campground Review of the MacDill Air Force Base FamCamp in Tampa FL. See why it should be on your list of campgrounds for your family trip!

We were stationed at MacDill AFB Tampa, FL the last 2 years of our military careers, so it was like going home. Tampa is one of our absolute favorite cities, and the base is in a perfect spot surrounded by water.

Campground Review of Jonathan Dickinson State Park

Jonathan Dickinson State Park Jupiter, FL ended up being our only state park visit this year. We had to cancel a few others due to Hurricane Irma. In addition to the terrific activities inside the park itself, we really enjoyed Blowing Rocks Nature Preserve only 9 miles away.

Watch this review of Disney World's Fort Wilderness Campground

What’s not to love about Disney World? Fort Wilderness Kissimmee, FL is a massive campground with tons of activities, many of them free. If money was no object, Julie would want to live here.

Watch this video review of Fort Belvoir's Campground in Northern Virginia right outside of Washington DC.

Not only is Fort Belvoir, VA in a fabulous spot overlooking the Potomac, it is in close proximity to Washington DC.  The best part to us is that fact that our oldest son and future daughter-in-law live nearby!

Other Travel

We also travel quite a bit outside of the RV as well, primarily for Sean’s work. Our favorite trips without the RV were:

Florida’s Nature Coast

The area is often referred to as “Old Florida” because the attractions have been here long before Disney.

Kayaking on the Weeki Wachee River

At the heart of the area is the Weeki Wachee River, fed by the deepest naturally-formed spring in North America, with over 100 million gallons of crystal-clear water a day. If you want to read a funny story, check out my misadventure on the Week Wachee River here.

Mesa, AZ

We traveled to Mesa for Sean’s graduation from A.T. Still University. Then the newly minted Doctor of Health Science took me for one of America’s most scenic drives on the Apache Trail.

It is full of hair pin curves with no guard rails and not for the faint of heart. If you have a driver with nerves of steel and are up for a little adventure, I highly recommend it!

Las Vegas, NV

We love Las Vegas and visit at least once a year. This year we rented a car to spend some time away from the strip at Red Rock Canyon and Lake Mead.

Looking Ahead

We have the first half of 2018 planned. After attending the RV Super Show in Tampa, FL we are heading to Pensacola, FL for two weeks. Then we’ll make our way to Texas for a 3 month stay. We’ll be in Fredericksburg for a month, and San Antonio for 2 months. Next we’ll go to Colorado for a brief visit before driving back to Northern Virginia for our oldest son’s wedding in June.

Let us know if you think our paths may cross; we love to meet fellow travelers! This year we were fortunate enough to meet several other full-time RVers including Kevin & Maria of From Paris to Roam; Mike & Dawn from Random Bits RV; Robert & Jessica of Exploring the Local Life; and Shane and Alexi from The Simple Nomads. Let’s add you to the list in 2018!

Don’t Forget Our Books

We also added “author” to our resumes this year and wrote two books to share our knowledge and research with others.

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Filed Under: 2017 Year in Review Tagged With: Fort Belvoir, Fort Wilderness, Jonathan Dickinson, MacDill AFB, midway rv park

August 4, 2017 by Julie 2 Comments

MacDill AFB FamCamp (Tampa, Florida)

We just spent a month at the MacDill AFB Family Campground (aka FamCamp). We love its central location to tons of activities and amazing beaches! It is very large with 366 full-hookup sites (electricity, water, sewer, and cable TV). Folks staying for a few months can even get an account with the local provider and get internet/telephone service. They also have several partial hook-up spots with water and electric and a tent camping area.

Main FamCamp

The campground is divided into two parts. The main FamCamp is by the base beach on Tampa Bay. This area has two dog parks and new this year, a dog beach! The main campground also has a laundry room and bathhouse. This is really the only place with a strong Wi-Fi signal, but the drawback is that both times we have stayed at this campground, the air conditioner was out in this building.

MacDill AFB FamCamp

Base Beach and Seascapes

The water is not really deep enough to swim, but you can wade in the water or just enjoy soaking up the sun. The beach also has a volleyball net and picnic pavilions. If you prefer, you can enjoy the restaurant, Seascapes BeachHouse, which is open for lunch on weekdays and dinner on weekends. The outdoor Tiki Hut bar is also on the weekends so you can enjoy a cocktail and the fabulous sunsets. On Friday nights they have Family Fun Night with a DJ and activities for the kids.

Rainbow over the MacDill AFB Family Campground Beach

Marina

The base marina is also adjacent to the FamCamp. They have boats and kayaks for rent, as well as wet slips to store your own boat and a boat launch ramp. They also sell bait and assorted sundries. Outdoor recreation rentals are co-located with the marina and they rent bicycles, tents, and much more.

FamCamp Annex

The FamCamp Annex provides another section of full-hookup sites near the golf course. The spaces here are farther apart and most have paved parking. However, there is no additional bathhouse here, so if you need that amenity you may want to choose the main campground.

Reservations

Now you’ve probably noticed that there is a ton of space right now. That’s because it is summertime and you will never need reservations to come this time of year. If you want to come in the winter, that is another story all together. In the winter, this is a snow bird’s paradise and the only way you can get into full hookups is to make a reservation a year in advance. If you call to reserve a site arriving early in the season, say October, you will likely get one.  However, if you are trying to arrive later in the season you will most likely have to get on the waiting list.

A great source of information for the MacDill AFB campground and others is the website US Military Campgrounds and RV Parks. It provides a wealth of information including which gate to enter the installation, as well as reviews.

 

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Filed Under: Campground Review, Campground Reviews, Florida, Military Campground Reviews, Military Travel, Tampa, USA Tagged With: best military campgrounds, Campground in Tampa, campground review, FamCamp, famcamp macdill afb, Florida, MacDill AFB, macdill afb campground, macdill air force base, Military campground, military campgrounds, military campgrounds in florida, military campgrounds near destin florida, military recreation area, military rv park, military rv parks, military rv parks in florida, RV Park, tampa campground, Tampa RV Park, tampa rv parks

January 15, 2017 by Julie 1 Comment

Why We Love Tampa

We’ve enjoyed two fabulous winters in the Tampa Bay area and can’t wait to go back! From the amazing weather to the wide range of activities and its prime location for day trips, Tampa Bay is at the top of our list of winter destinations. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Activities, Botanical Gardens, Florida, Hiking, Museums, Tampa, Theme Parks, USA Tagged With: beaches, MacDill AFB, museums, nature, RV, Spring Training, Tampa

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