Rainbow Springs State Park, Dunnellon, FL

Date of Stay:  Friday November 16 - Monday November 26, 2012 (10 nights)

Rate:  $16/night (Gin’s disabled FL resident discount)

Website:  Rainbow Springs State Park (FL)
   18185 SW 94th Street
   Dunnellon, FL 34432
   352-465-8550

Description:  Paved roadways with sand/pea gravel parking pads.  Newly renovated so all sites are 50A FHU.  Laundry in the bathhouses.  We stayed on site 31 which is a pull-thru.  Nice paved tram road for morning walks and bike riding.  The tram only runs during the summer when tubing in Rainbow River is popular.  Nature trails and canoe launch onto the Rainbow River which is spring fed keeping it at a constant 72* year round.  Crystal clear water in the river.  The other side of the river is private homes but the State owns the Headsprings Park which was a private attraction during the 1930’s-1970’s.  The waterfalls there are man-made but still beautiful and jungle-like. Notice: the address for the campground is different than the one on the State’s website.  I have given the correct one on 94th Street.  Our site 31 and 3 are both pull-thrus that can handle any size rig.  We also like sites 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 16, 18, 21, and 22 which are all back-ins.  Site 15 is a nice handicap accessible site.

Activities:  We enjoyed biking around and actually saw our first Gopher Tortoise munching on grass on the edge of the ditch on the tram road.  We also had our first close encounter with an armadillo when one stood up and crossed the sidewalk in front of us leading to the boat ramp.  We went to the Headsprings Park and enjoyed the lush jungle atmosphere.  We met a woman that swims in the headsprings every day.  That’s cold water!  We took the SeaEagle out a couple of times, first time up to the headsprings and later, down stream some.  Gin said that it was like floating on an aquarium.  The State owns one side of the river and there are homes on the other side.  Several people were on personal pontoon boats.  I think the motors are limited to 10 hp so they were respectfully slow and not all that loud.

Trash and Recycle:  Dumpster near the office building and a can for aluminum cans only at the office.

 

 

 Typical site                                        Office

  

Enjoying the waterfalls at the Headsprings Park

  

 

Wildlife along the Rainbow River

 

Floating on an aquarium                             Our shadows

 

Crooked River State Park, St. Mary’s, GA

Date of Stay:  Tuesday November 13 - Friday November 16, 2012 (3 nights)

Rate:  $30/night

Website:  Crooked River State Park (GA)
   6222 Charlie Smith Sr, Hwy.
   St. Mary’s, GA 31558

Description:  Reviewed earlier here.

Activities:  Since it wasn’t raining this time, we enjoyed riding our bikes around and walking some trails.  We stayed in the newer section again but on site 59 this time.

Huntington Beach State Park, Murrells Inlet, SC

Date of Stay:  Monday October 29 - Tuesday November 13, 2012 (15 nights)

Rate: $32/night

Website:  Huntington Beach State Park (SC)
   16148 Ocean Hwy
   Murrells Inlet, SC 29576
   843-237-4440

Description:  We have camped here many times before.  Just south of Myrtle Beach but very natural ocean front setting.  Nice nature center, hiking trails, undeveloped beach, Atalaya Castle and paved bike path next to Hwy 17.  Paved roads with sand/gravel/grass parking pads.  Most sites are water and 30A electric while there are a few FHU sites.  We stayed on site 19.  The causeway leading to the campground always has beautiful migratory birds this time of year and an occasional alligator.  I could sit for hours just watching them.  The paved bike path is a great place to ride through the woods.  All this and it’s right on the ocean!

Activities:  Lots to do here!  We came here to join several friends for the Second Carolina Clan Gathering.  We all met each other at an RV-Dreams Rally.  It is a great bunch of folks and we had a great week!  Many of us have SeaEagle kayaks and we went to a local boat launch and spent the day on the Waccamaw River Intracoastal Waterway.  Since this was such a big group of folks (about 40), many people did their own things during the day, going out for lunch with other couples, going hiking together or things like that before getting together for a campfire every night.  Our second week here was much quieter since most folks went their separate ways with smiles on their faces. 

Trash and Recycle:  Dumpsters at the exit near the dump station.  Full service recycle bin there also.

 

Causeway to the park

 

 

Campfires and the Carolina Clan… smiles all around!

 

 

Beautiful day on the Waccamaw River Intracoastal Waterway

 

  

 

Wildlife at the Causeway