Holly Point Campground – Falls Lake SRA

We stayed at Holly Point Campground – Falls Lake SRA in Wake Forest, North Carolina. (Campground Reviews listing.)

A very nice lakeside campground, but the spring tree pollen was horrendous.

Dates:

  • Check in: 2025-03-23
  • Check out: 2025-03-30
  • 7 nights

Weather:

  • Partly sunny, a little rain
  • High temps 62-77°F, lows 37-55°F
  • Little wind, gusts to 23 MPH, but sheltered by trees

Noise:

  • No road noise
  • No train horn noise
  • Little neighbor noise
  • Regular plane noise (on the flightpath of Raleigh-Durham International Airport, 10 miles away)

Site:

  • #69 (loop 2), back-in, gravel
  • Needed to disconnect toad, parked in front of coach
  • Mostly level site; slightly high on front driver side; used hydraulic leveling
  • Gravel driveway about 60 feet long by 10 feet wide
  • About 30 feet to neighbor on passenger side
  • About 50 feet to road on driver side
  • Trees between sites
  • Picnic table
  • Fire pit
  • Lantern hook
  • Tall trees
  • Mostly clean site (one bit of trash)
  • Elevation 290 feet, front facing North

Utilities:

  • 50 amp power, conveniently located
  • 70 PSI water, conveniently located
  • No sewer; we used our tote and the dump station

Internet (in usage priority order):

  • T-Mobile: 30-35 Mbps down, 7 Mbps up, 30-100 ms ping
  • AT&T: 49-60 Mbps down, 0.25-0.75 Mbps up, 40 ms ping
  • Verizon: 5 Mbps down, 3 Mbps up, 100 ms ping (our SIM has 5 Mbps max)
  • Starlink: not used
  • Campground Wi-Fi: none

Amenities:

  • Lake
  • Dump station

Our review on Campground Reviews:

Beautiful park, but beware the pollen in spring

It turns out that camping in the middle of a hardwood forest during the week the trees come alive in the spring is a fantastic way to find out if you have terrible allergies. The pollen in this part of NC is no joke. Besides the trees trying to kill me, this was a beautiful campground. Our site was plenty long enough for our 40-foot motorhome and tow vehicle. However, some sites looked like they would have been too sloped to work, so be sure to check the details of the specific site you’re booking. Site 69 had a great view of the water through the trees and was close to the small beach/picnic area. We camped at Holly Point Campground – Falls Lake SRA in a Motorhome.

Campground map:

Falls lake state recreation area map

An interactive map:

Our site:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

View of the lake out our window; fortunately the intervening site was empty most of the week, and only used as a day-use site on the weekend (which I have mixed feelings about, taking a site from an overnight camper):

View of the lake out our window

View of sunrise over the lake from our site:

View of sunrise over the lake from our site

A peek of our site from the swimming beach, and a goose:

A peek of our site from the swimming beach, and a goose

Geese on the beach:

Geese on the beach

Boat on the lake:

Boat on the lake

Swimming beach:

Swimming beach

Swimming beach

Swimming beach

Swimming beach

Geese

We used the dump station via the tote in the back of the truck three times:

We used the dump station three times

Dumpsters at the dump station:

Dumpsters at the dump station

On the flight path, 10 miles from Raleigh-Durham International Airport:

On the flight path, 10 miles from Raleigh-Durham International Airport

Bathrooms:

Bathrooms

Lakefront:

Lakefront

Boat on the lake:

Boat on the lake

This trailer was backing itself into the site, not hooked up to the car:

This trailer was backing itself into the site, not hooked up to the car

Tent sites:

Tent sites

Tent sites

Tent sites

Other sites:

Other sites

Many not very level:

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

A very nice campground, other than the pollen. We’d be happy to be back, in the same site, at a different time of year.

Crooked River State Park trails

While staying in Crooked River State Park in Saint Marys, Georgia, we enjoyed frequent walks in the park.

Trail map:

Trail map

Info sign:

Info sign

Info sign

Alligator country:

Alligator country

River:

River

Trail:

Trail

Trail

Tortoise:

Tortoise

Another trail:

Trail

Nature center:

Nature center

Nature center

Nature center

Nature center

Boardwalk trail without a boardwalk:

Trail

The trail was somewhat flooded, but we did it anyway:

Flooded trail

Observation tower:

Observation tower

Swampy:

Swampy

The boardwalk has been removed:

Boardwalk removed

Flooded trail

Pond:

Pond

A nice park.

Crooked River State Park

We stayed at Crooked River State Park in Saint Marys, Georgia. (Campground Reviews listing.)

A pleasant stop on our way north.

Dates:

  • Check in: 2025-03-09
  • Check out: 2025-03-16
  • 7 nights

Weather:

  • Partly sunny, some rain
  • High temps 62-76°F, lows 48-62°F
  • Some wind, gusts to 32 MPH

Noise:

  • No road noise
  • No train horn noise
  • Little neighbor noise

Site:

  • #62, back-in, gravel
  • Needed to disconnect toad, parked in front of coach
  • Mostly level site; a little high on rear passenger side; used hydraulic leveling
  • Gravel driveway about 70 feet long by 20 feet wide
  • 30 feet to neighbor on passenger side
  • 75 feet to road on driver side
  • Trees and shrubs between sites providing good privacy
  • Picnic table
  • Fire pit
  • Lantern hooks
  • Tall trees
  • Clean site
  • Elevation 20 feet, front facing due West

Utilities:

  • 50 amp power, fairly conveniently located
  • 45 PSI water, conveniently located
  • Good sewer connection, somewhat conveniently located (2 10-foot pipes needed)

Internet (in usage priority order):

  • T-Mobile: 28-38 Mbps down, 9-10 Mbps up, 32 ms ping
  • AT&T: 115-127 Mbps down, 13-20 Mbps up, 50-85 ms ping
  • Verizon: 5 Mbps down, 5 Mbps up, 35 ms ping (our SIM has 5 Mbps max)
  • Starlink: not used
  • Campground Wi-Fi: not used

Amenities:

  • Garbage dumpsters
  • River

Our review on Campground Reviews:

Lovely state park

Not all campsites here have full hookups, but we were lucky enough to get a reservation for one. Our back-in site was plenty long enough for our 40-foot motorhome and tow vehicle. All the connections were good, and the campground hosts were on the ball, cleaning sites as soon as they were vacated. The campground is peaceful, with lots of nice, easy trails to enjoy. Note that the boardwalk has been removed from the loop behind the nature center, and we had to hop around some very large puddles to get around. Despite signs warning of snakes and gators, we saw neither, but we did see an armadillo, which was exciting as I’d never seen one that wasn’t roadkill. We camped at Crooked River State Park in a Motorhome. 

Tip for Other Campers: Jekyll Island (Driftwood Beach) and Fort Frederica National Monument are both worth a daytrip. Locals Dockside had excellent seafood, and historic St Marys is a cute little town.

Campground map:

Map

An interactive map:

Our site:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Utilities:

Utilities

Pollen on our truck:

Pollen on our truck

Other sites:

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Bathrooms:

Bathrooms

The first time we’ve seen a live armadillo:

The first time we've seen a live armadillo

Venomous snake country:

Venomous snake country

Little library:

Little library

Mini golf:

Mini golf

Cabins and screened picnic area:

Cabins and screened picnic area

Shelter building:

Shelter building

Dangerous cliff:

Dangerous cliff

A nice park; we’d be happy to stay here again.

Thousand Trails Orlando RV Resort

We stayed at Thousand Trails Orlando RV Resort in Clermont, Florida. (Campground Reviews listing.)

A fourth visit to TTO, the flagship Thousand Trails park. The second of two stays here this year, totaling five weeks, separated by a week in the Disney bubble.

Dates:

  • Check in: 2025-02-16
  • Check out: 2025-03-02
  • 14 nights

Weather:

  • Mostly sunny, a few rainy days
  • High temps 62-82°F, lows 38-61°F
  • Occasional wind, gusts to 31 MPH

Noise:

  • A little road noise
  • No train horn noise
  • Little neighbor noise
  • Distant fireworks from Disney most evenings

Site:

  • #6 Hurricane Road, back-in, concrete
  • Needed to disconnect toad, parked in front of coach
  • A little unlevel site; a little high on passenger side and front; used hydraulic leveling
  • Concrete driveway about 60 feet long by 12 feet wide
  • 18 feet to neighbor on passenger side (a mobile home)
  • 35 feet to neighbor on driver side
  • Just grass between sites
  • Picnic table on 22 by 10 feet concrete patio
  • Some shrubs
  • A bunch of small trash on site
  • Elevation 120 feet, front facing West

Utilities:

  • 50 amp power, conveniently located
  • 40 PSI water, conveniently located
  • Unthreaded sewer connection, conveniently located (1 10-foot pipe needed)

Internet (in usage priority order):

  • Starlink: 135-165 Mbps down, 16-20 Mbps up, 25 ms ping
  • T-Mobile: 50-67 Mbps down, 4 Mbps up, 20 ms ping
  • Verizon: 5 Mbps down, 2 Mbps up, 40 ms ping
  • AT&T: 26-49 Mbps down, 3-11 Mbps up, 75 ms ping
  • Campground Wi-Fi: not used

Amenities:

  • Garbage dumpsters only in a central location
  • Package delivery to office, for $5 per package (we got a local mailbox)
  • Pools

See our previous stays here for our review on Campground Reviews.

Campground map:

Map

An interactive map:

Our site:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Utilities:

Utilities

Birds and other sites:

Birds

Bird

Other sites

We still enjoy TTO, and will no doubt stay here again next time we’re in Orlando, whenever that may be.

Thousand Trails Orlando RV Resort

We stayed at Thousand Trails Orlando RV Resort in Clermont, Florida. (Campground Reviews listing.)

A third visit to TTO, the flagship Thousand Trails park. Actually the first of two stays here this year, totaling five weeks, separated by a week in the Disney bubble.

Dates:

  • Check in: 2025-01-19
  • Check out: 2025-02-09
  • 21 nights

Weather:

  • Mostly sunny, a few rainy days
  • High temps 45-80°F, lows 36-61°F
  • Occasional wind, gusts to 31 MPH

Noise:

  • A little road noise
  • No train horn noise
  • Little neighbor noise
  • Gas golf carts going by (on the route for maintenance workers)
  • Distant fireworks from Disney most evenings

Site:

  • #49 Hurricane Road, back-in, concrete
  • Needed to disconnect toad, parked in front of coach
  • A little unlevel site; a little high on driver side and rear; used hydraulic leveling
  • Concrete driveway about 55 feet long by 12 feet wide
  • 25 feet to neighbors on both sides
  • Just grass between sites
  • Picnic table on 25 by 10 feet concrete patio
  • No trees, one shrub
  • A bunch of small trash on site
  • Elevation 120 feet, front facing South

Utilities:

  • 50 amp power, conveniently located
  • 40 PSI water, conveniently located
  • Unthreaded sewer connection, conveniently located (1 10-foot pipe needed)

Internet (in usage priority order):

  • Starlink: 140-180 Mbps down, 12-25 Mbps up, 30 ms ping
  • T-Mobile: 25-30 Mbps down, 7 Mbps up, 35 ms ping
  • Verizon: 5 Mbps down, 5 Mbps up, 20 ms ping
  • AT&T: 0.7-38 Mbps down, 0.3-11 Mbps up, 60-180 ms ping
  • Campground Wi-Fi: not used

Amenities:

  • Garbage dumpsters only in a central location
  • Package delivery to office, for $5 per package (we got a local mailbox)
  • Pools

See our previous stays here for our review on Campground Reviews.

Campground map:

Map

An interactive map:

Our site:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

After setting up our griddle and furniture:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Utilities:

Utilities

Aerial view of our site:

Aerial view of campground

Aerial view of a long line checking in, shortly after noon:

Aerial view of long line checking in

Aerial view of long line checking in

Aerial view of campground

The new section; nicely paved sites, but don’t you dare even think about putting anything on the scraggly grass:

Aerial view of campground

Aerial view of campground

Aerial view of campground

Aerial view of campground

Aerial view of campground

A line of RVs snaking around the parking lot and road by the tennis courts, waiting to be guided to a site:

Aerial view of campground

Another view of the entry road:

Aerial view of campground

Above our loop:

Aerial view of campground

Aerial view of campground

TTO is very strict about only allowing checking in after noon. They don’t even let you line up on their entry road before then. So some people wait for noon on the highway turn lane, which risks getting ticketed by cops:

Waiting to check in

Check in line:

Check in line

Line to be assigned a site:

Check in line

Other sites:

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Most sites are back-in, but there are some pull-through buddy sites (that we’d avoid like the plague):

Other sites

Main intersection:

Main intersection

Pool:

Pool

Game courts:

Game courts

Group fire pit and benches:

Group fire pit and benches

Lake:

Lake

“Alligators and snakes in this area”:

Alligators and snakes in this area

Pond and birds:

Pond and birds

More birds roaming the campground:

Birds

Birds

Birds

Birds

Birds

Lizard:

Lizard

Lizard

A nice thing about TTO is there is a Publix grocery store and pretty good Chinese food nearby:

Chinese food

And a Japanese restaurant:

Japanese food

Japanese food

Plus Chick-fil-A and pretty much any other fast food you might want within about 10 minutes drive:

Chick-fil-A drivethru

Back to TTO soon!

Seeing hundreds of manatees at Three Sisters Springs in Florida

We visited Three Sisters Springs in Crystal River, Florida, to see manatees. These fascinating creatures spend the winter gathered around warm springs connected to the gulf, as the springs maintain a temperature of 72° F year-round.

Here’s a map of the springs:

A map on the wall of the visitor center:

Map

350 manatees counted:

350 manatees counted

Entrance sign:

Crystal River Three Sisters Springs

Manatee manners signs:

Manatee manners

One of the springs:

Spring

Lots of manatees:

Manatees

Manatees

Manatees

Manatees

Manatees

Manatees

Manatees

Manatees

Manatees

The nearby Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center:

Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center

Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center

Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center

Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center

Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center

Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center

Crystal River National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center

Florida’s Forgotten Coast

While staying at Ho-Hum RV Park, we did a few drives along the Forgotten Coast, in the panhandle of Florida. Amongst other things, we saw all four of the lighthouses on the coast.

A pamphlet for the lighthouse driving tour, with information about each lighthouse:

Lighthouse driving tour pamphlet

Lighthouse driving tour pamphlet

The first drive was west of the RV park, with lunch at the Blue Parrot Ocean Front Cafe (they have a live cam you can view, too), then St George Island Lighthouse.

Here’s the route on an interactive map:

Bridge to St George Island:

Bridge to St George Island

Blue Parrot for lunch:

Blue Parrot

Blue Parrot

Blue Parrot

Blue Parrot

Blue Parrot

Blue Parrot

Blue Parrot

St George Island Lighthouse; unfortunately the museum was closed when we visited:

St George Island Lighthouse

St George Island Lighthouse

St George Island beach:

St George Island beach

Further west, the Cape San Blas Lighthouse in Port St Joe:

Cape San Blas Lighthouse


The second drive was east of the RV park, to St Marks National Wildlife Refuge, St Mark’s Lighthouse, and Publix groceries on the way back.

Here’s the route on an interactive map:

St Marks National Wildlife Refuge:

St Marks National Wildlife Refuge

The refuge visitor center, with info about the lighthouse too:

St Marks National Wildlife Refuge visitor center

St Marks National Wildlife Refuge visitor center

St Marks National Wildlife Refuge visitor center

The wildlife refuge:

St Marks National Wildlife Refuge

St Marks National Wildlife Refuge

St Marks National Wildlife Refuge

St Marks National Wildlife Refuge

St Marks Lighthouse:

St Marks Lighthouse

St Marks Lighthouse

St Marks Lighthouse

St Marks Lighthouse

St Marks Lighthouse

St Marks Lighthouse


The third drive was to have lunch at The Fisherman’s Wife restaurant in Carrabelle, then visit the nearby Crooked River Lighthouse.

Here’s the route on an interactive map:

The Fisherman’s Wife; we wanted to eat here last year, but they were closed for the holidays. They were closed again most of the time we were at Ho-Hum this time too, but opened a few days before our departure:

The Fisherman's Wife

The Fisherman's Wife

The Fisherman's Wife

The Fisherman's Wife

The Fisherman's Wife

Crooked River Lighthouse, the tallest of the four:

Crooked River Lighthouse

The old lighthouse keeper’s house, now a small free museum:

Crooked River Lighthouse

Crooked River Lighthouse museum

Crooked River Lighthouse museum

Crooked River Lighthouse museum

Crooked River Lighthouse museum

Crooked River Lighthouse museum

Crooked River Lighthouse museum

Crooked River Lighthouse museum

Crooked River Lighthouse museum

Fascinating stuff. We really enjoy this area of Florida; much more laid-back than the more touristy and populated parts.

Ho-Hum RV Park

We stayed at Ho-Hum RV Park in Carrabelle, Florida. (Campground Reviews listing.)

Our second stay here, again over the holidays. Still one of our favorite RV parks.

Dates:

  • Check in: 2024-12-22
  • Check out: 2025-01-12
  • 21 nights

Weather:

  • Mostly sunny, some drizzle
  • High temps 50-69°F, lows 33-62°F
  • Some windy days, gusts to 39 MPH

Noise:

  • Some highway noise
  • No train horn noise
  • Some neighbor noise: dogs, and some kids (this is really not a place for kids, but weekenders will be weekenders)

Site:

  • #45A, pull-in, gravel
  • Needed to disconnect toad, parked beside coach
  • Somewhat level site; high in front and passenger side; used hydraulic leveling
  • Gravel driveway about 55 feet long by 22 feet wide
  • Just gravel between sites
  • Picnic table
  • One tree
  • Clean site
  • Elevation 10 feet, front facing SE

Utilities:

  • 50 amp power, conveniently located
  • 30 PSI water, conveniently located
  • Good sewer connection, conveniently located (less than 1 10-foot pipe needed)
  • Dangerously fluctuating power for a day due to a corroded connection; used generator until fixed

Internet (in usage priority order):

  • T-Mobile: 27-55 Mbps down, 11 Mbps up, 35 ms ping
  • Campground Wi-Fi: 7-11 Mbps down, 0.5-3 Mbps up, 30 ms ping
  • Verizon: 5 Mbps down, 5 Mbps up, 55 ms ping
  • AT&T: 6-28 Mbps down, 0.05-0.12 Mbps up, 90 ms ping
  • Starlink: not used

Amenities:

  • Garbage dumpsters
  • Waterfront (gulf)
  • Package delivery to office

Our review on Campground Reviews:

Hidden Gem on the Forgotten Coast

This was our second stay here, and I would happily come back again and again. There’s no better view than watching the water and gulls from the front of our coach. The atmosphere is laid-back and inviting, and the staff is helpful and friendly. There was a power issue part of the way through our stay, but they kept us updated on the status of repairs and understood when we needed to run our generator during the outage. This is not the beachfront place for partying and carrying on; it is the beachfront place for quiet contemplation and chilling. We camped at Ho-Hum RV Park in a Motorhome.

Campground map:

Map

An interactive map:

Our site:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

With RVs on either side, as it was most of the time (often a trailer on the driver side, which is preferred over a motorhome, since their living area is away from us; fortunately we didn’t have a trailer on the passenger side, which would have been facing us):

Our site

View from our site:

Our site

View out our windshield:

View out our windshield

We enjoyed watching the various birds, including sandpipers, pelicans, cranes, ducks, and others:

Birds

Birds

Birds

Birds

Paddling:

Paddling

Gentle waves:

Waves

Waves

Foggy:

Foggy

Sunset:

Sunset

Sunset

Night

Night

Partway through our stay (on New Year’s Eve) our Power Watchdog reported electrical issues, saying the voltage was dangerously low or high (actually both), and neutral reversed:

Electrical issue Electrical issue

I wasn’t sure if it was just us or a wider issue, but talked with some neighbors who also had the issue. So after further diagnostics and talking with the RV park owners, I unplugged the power, and we used the generator. The next evening (New Year’s Day), the electrical company came out and repaired a corroded pigtail; hazards of a waterfront RV park!

Electrical repair

The seawall and sandy strip in front of our site:

Beach

Other sites:

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Dog park and beach area:

Dog park and beach area

Entrance:

Entrance

Bathrooms and such:

Bathrooms and such

Laundry room:

Laundry room

Activity center, where packages are delivered:

Activity center, where packages are delivered

Fishing pier:

Fishing pier

Fishing pier

Fishing pier

You can see our coach near the center:

Fishing pier

We’d be happy to stay here again in the future.