Lazy Daze Owners' Group

RVing across the south: LA to Tampa

December 31, 2009, 03:45:43 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 108861

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OK. This spring, I'll be making this trip and am searching for suggestions.
 I should explain that the purpose of this trip across the south is not the end in itself. It is merely to "get there." Therefore, I won't be stopping for a few days at quaint woodsy campgrounds along the way to soak up the ambiance. Once I've had Big Foot levelers installed in Lakeland, FL, Nam will fly out to meet me in Miami, and then we'll begin the real trip up the east coast & mountains from Key West to northern VT. That part of the trip I've got a pretty good idea of where we're going & why.
 But it's that first leg from LA to Lakeland that I'm concerned about. Suggestions & ideas most welcome. I'd thought of doing it mostly I-10 (Phoenix-Tucson-San Antonio-Houston-Baton Rouge-Mobile-Tallahassee) & down to Lakeland. But as I'm checking out RV parks across coastal LA, MS, AL & FL panhandle, the reviews (rvparkreviews.com) for many of them are pretty grim (filthy, noisy, unreliable w/reservations, unkempt accommodations, rude hosts, etc). And many that were previously GoodSam parks are no longer so... seem to have lost their accreditation. I'm wondering if the hurricane devastation of recent years is the cause of all this. Those of you who know this area: any thoughts? Would I be wiser going across further to the north on I-20 and then cut down into FL after Montgomery? Waddayatink?

David

Re: RVing across the south: LA to Tampa

Reply #2 – December 31, 2009, 04:18:34 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 108863

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David,
 Since the purpose of your trip is to "get there" interstate travel is the fastest. And along with fast you will get whatever is the opposite of "soaking up the ambiance". It would be torture for me.

I10 is an excellent fast route west of San Antonio.
We avoid I10 from Houston to Mobile.
East of Mobile, I10 is again excellent.
I prefer I20 to I10 for crossing Texas, Louisiana and Mississippi.
If you cross Dallas mid-morning the traffic is bearable.
I can not say the rv parks along that stretch are any better on I20 than on I10.
As you have noted, you can get back to I10 on US231 or US82, I75. Both are four-lane most of the way. I like US82 a little more.

Cheers, Don

RVing across the south: LA to Tampa

Reply #4 – December 31, 2009, 06:41:12 pm

Yahoo Message Number: 108866

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David:
 We've made several round trips East Coast-West Coast and this year it was not a gentle drift, but rather we took a month to get to Santa Barbara from Maine (we prefer a much more leisurely amble)...after getting out of the way of a hurricane and visiting our old home in Hattiesburg, MS, we dipped down to I-10 in MS-LA, and followed it across.
 We "did" Houston and San Antonio in one day, either a Saturday or a Sunday...it wasn't a problem whatsoever. We attribute it to being a weekend day and to the Recession, of course.
 We then followed I-10 right into El Paso across NM and into Tucson up to Casa Grande where we picked up I-8 into El Centro, then popped up I-15 to Riverside. We have also done the connection in Gila Bend to west of Phoenix and picked up I-10 west.
 Can also tell you that Tucson this November was problem...last season it was the absolute pits, but this year, fairly clear sailing along I-10.
 I keep notes on all the CGs we stay at and would be happy to share, but not clog up this group with them...but happy to share with anyone who PMs me.
 I can tell you that rvparkreviews is pretty good once you get the hang of what's being said and "who" says it. In all, it's what I tend to use 99% of the time.

Happy New Year!

TinaP Hanging at Grover Beach, CA...and heading down to the water for the sunset NOW! 2006 MB Silver NELD 59 LD 2967

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RVing across the south: LA to Tampa

Reply #6 – January 01, 2010, 09:35:08 am

Yahoo Message Number: 108874

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David,

We've gone across the Gulf coast a couple of times in recent years, and had no problem finding nice CG's.  We've also wintered in FL for a few years now and I have a little hobby of doing comments and pix of the CG's we visit.  We tend to avoid private CG's, preferring public ones - federal, state, county and city.   Check out my web site:

Toad Hall http://www.wxtoad.com/>

Click on : "CG's and Camping Info" in the left menu and then select the state of interest.

You can also download my public campground POI lists (West, Central, East) to put in a GPS system.

When you get up to New England, get in touch with me - maybe we can get together, and I'll certainly be happy to share my thoughts on what to see in New England.

Ted H.  NE-13

@ Mayport Navy Station, FL

David wrote:
 as I'm checking out RV parks across coastal LA, MS, AL & FL panhandle, the reviews (rvparkreviews.com) for many of them are pretty grim (filthy, noisy, unreliable w/reservations, unkempt accommodations, rude hosts, etc).

then we'll begin the real trip up the east coast & mountains from Key West to northern VT. That part of the trip I've got a pretty good idea of where we're going & why.

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