Grayton Beach State Park ~ Santa Rosa Beach, Florida

Description: Grayton Beach consistently ranks among the most beautiful and pristine beaches in the United States. The beach provides an idyllic setting for swimming, sunbathing and surf fishing and is the backdrop for golden sunrises and silver moonlit evenings. The nearly 2,000-acre park features a boat ramp that provides access to the lake's brackish waters for both freshwater and saltwater fishing. There is a total of 80 sites: 52 FHU sites with 30/50 amp service; 1 site tent only; 27 cabins.

Date of Stay: August 19th, 2011 (we stayed 14 nights)

Weather During Stay: Hot & sunny with a few scatterd rain storms

Site Description: The roads into the park are all paved as is the two loops for the RV sites. Sites are gravel with W/E/S with 30/50 amp service. There are several sites that you can see the lake from with the rest being in the wooded area. Most sites are open for TV reception. They have picnic tables and fire rings on each site.

Favorite Sites: We stayed on 39 which was plenty big for Tassie and also 38 next to us was really nice. Both sites were level.

Rate: The price of the sites are $30 per night but if you are a Florida resident senior it is half price. To find out more info click here .

Phone/TV/Internet: We had very good service on both Verizon & AT&T; we had good satellite TV with our on roof Direct TV dish; Excellent internet service with our Verizon MiFi card.

Elevation/Landscape: Elevation is at sea level and a salt marsh ecosystem. The forest palmettos, scrub oaks and magnolias stand, bent and twisted by the salt winds. Typical Florida beach landscape.

Lighting/Noise: Very dark at night and quiet.

Hiking/Walking/Biking: Visitors can paddle a canoe or kayak on scenic Western Lake to get a closer look at a salt marsh ecosystem. A nature trail winds through a coastal forest where scrub oaks and magnolias stand, bent and twisted by the salt winds. Hikers and bicyclists can enjoy more than four miles of trails throughout the pine flatwoods.

Things to See & Do: There are not very many things to see & do in this area except visit the little coastal towns and enjoy the beach area.

Rating/Comments: (8) A nice quiet park near the beach but not close to anything else. If you're looking to get away and just enjoy the peace & quiet of the Gulf of Mexico, ride your bikes and take nature walks then this is the park for you. There is occasional wildlife that meanders through especially at dawn & dusk.

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㊅Gulf State Park ~ Gulf Shores, Alabama ㊅

Description: Gulf State Park offers a 496-site improved campground with modern clean bathhouses. The campground is approximately 1/2 miles from the Gulf beaches. All camping pads are paved with larger lots for RV's with pullouts. Tents are also welcome in the campground. They also have tennis courts and a large swimming pool.

Date of Stay: August 15th, 2011 (we stayed for 8 nights)

Weather During Stay: We had several huge thunderstorms but mostly it was around 90+' and sunshinny.

Site Description: All sites are FHU with 20, 30, 50 amp service. Sites are all paved and they are not close to each other and most of them very long. Plenty of room for slideouts even if you have 4. They have both pullthroughs and back-in sites. All sites have a grill and picnic tables.

Favorite Sites: We stayed on sit 291. It was a pullthrough right on the canal. Our passenger side was facing the canal. All the sites are pretty much nice and wide open.

Rate: We paid $41.49 per night which includes the 11% tax fee. Prices vary between $30 dollars thru $40 dollars depending which site you pick out. There is a 15% discount if you are over 62. You can make reservations to hold a spot for you and when you get there pick out the site you want. To make reservations on line. Click here

Phone/TV/Internet: We had great reception with both AT&T and Verizon phone service. Since all most all of the sites have no trees Satellite TV is excellent. We have Direct and had no problems. I am sure you could get regular TV from Pensacola which isn't to far away. Our Verizon Internet card had 4G service in this area... was very fast!

Elevation/Landscape: Elevation is Sea Level and the area is surrounded with Marshlands, scrub oaks, palmettos and grasses. Typical beach look!

Lighting/Noise: It is dark at night and the noise is pretty much quiet even with other campers in the area.

Hiking/Walking/Biking: They have a very good trails systems for biking or walking. Plus just 1/2 mile away is the beaches where you can walk for miles. With over 400 sites the roads inside the park are and excellent place for walking & bike riding.

Comments: We loved this park and will visit it again. It is a little pricey if you stay on a water site but well worth the money. During our visit here in mid August it was not busy at all as you can see in the photos.

Things to See & Do: The park is centrally located to shopping, restaurants, beach and any activity in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach. There are 2 very interesting Restaurants in the area. Lambert's Cafe "Home of the Hand Throwed Roll" in Foley and LuLu's right hear in Gulf Shores. It is owned by Lucy Buffett... yes she is Jimmy's sister. Also if you are a birder there are plenty here for you to watch not to mention the Alabama Birding Trail is near here. Also not to far is Fort Morgan and the USS Alabama in Mobile.

Rating: (9.8) This park has it all ~ I would have given it a 10 but I like a few trees and there weren't to many. We will be coming back here!

sunset from our campsite




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Gulf Islands National Seashore ~ Fort Pickens Campground

Description: This park is great! It has wonderful hiking trails, swimming beaches, and boardwalks. There were also numerous picnic areas. Pets are welcomed in the park, on all of the hiking trails and boardwalks but not allowed on the beaches. When we were here the mosquitoes & bugs were not bad at all. They also have a lot of beach areas for swimming along the intercoastal waterway. The swimming areas were long narrow white sand areas, and there were plenty of shallow areas for wading and splashing around. Bathrooms were always clean. Firewood, ice, and soda machines available at the bathhouse areas or the campground host areas. There is a little store where you can get limited groceries, and a few lunch items. Also in that building is a laundry facilities. There are 2 washers/ dryers . Staff was nice and knowledgeable. Binoculars for birding (free for check-out), canoes, and kayaks for rent at the office. Also they have a pretty extensive activities program run by the rangers.

Date of Stay: July 29th (14 nights)

Weather During Stay: Mostly sunny with occasional rain storms. Temps around 88-90' and 70 at night.

Site Description: There are 4 loops in this campground which fit anything from tents to big rigs. There are a lot of sites that are plenty big for big rigs especially in the A loop. Just check recreation.gov for site descriptions & length. All sites & roads are paved with 50 amp electric and water. Each site has a fire rings & picnic tables.

Favorite Sites: We stayed on A47 and it was a very nice site. Just a little unlevel, low in the back. It had some grass and sand mix with a few trees. Behind the site is Marsh land, scrub oaks and Palmettos.

Rate: $20.00 per night unless you have the National Park Senior pass then it is $10.00

Phone/TV/Internet: We had great service from both Verizon & AT&T service out here. Our roof satellite picked up TV with no problem on the site we were in. Also Verizon Internet 4G service was very good with our Mifi card.

Elevation/Landscape: 33ft' above sea level with a typical Florida & seaside vegetation. Scrub oaks, palmettos, sea oats, marshlands. A lot of sand

Lighting/Noise: It gets pretty dark and quiet at night... and while we were here there were no rowdy campers.

Hiking/Walking/Biking: There are many miles of beaches, trails and roads to walk or ride bikes on.

Comments: We will be coming back to this campground over & over again!!!! It is a wonderful place to relax and enjoy.

Things to See & Do: Right here in the park is Fort Pickens built in 1836. It is a great fort for exploring and one of the largest we've seen. Also if you are a bird watcher there are many osprey and othe sea faring birds to watch here. You can go to Historic downtown Pensacola, the Pensacola Naval Air Station and Naval Aviation Museum, the Pensacola Lighthouse and other historic sites. Also at the Naval Base is Pensacola National Cemetery. There are miles & Miles of the beaches of the "Emerald Coast" of the Gulf of Mexico and Pensacola Bay. Plus many good restaurants & nightspots.

Rating: (9) This park for us is a ideal place to spend a couple of weeks and having fun in the sun... if you like the beaches it can't be beat. It doesn't have sewer or it would rate a 10 in my books.

Come & Enjoy beautiful sunsets

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