Thousand Trails Chesapeake Bay

We stayed at Thousand Trails Chesapeake Bay in Gloucester, Virginia. (Campground Reviews listing.)

A fairly nice Thousand Trails campground.

Dates:

  • Check in: 2025-04-01
  • Check out: 2025-04-13
  • 12 nights

Weather:

  • Mix of sunny, cloudy, rainy
  • High temps 52-83°F, lows 34-67°F
  • Some wind, gusts to 32 MPH

Noise:

  • No road noise
  • No train horn noise
  • Lots of neighbor noise

Site:

  • #B65, back-in, gravel
  • Needed to disconnect toad, parked in front of coach
  • Fairly unlevel site; high on passenger side and front; used hydraulic leveling
  • Gravel driveway about 60 feet long by 25 feet wide
  • 30 feet to neighbors on both sides
  • Trees between sites
  • Picnic table
  • Fire pit
  • Tall trees
  • Clean site
  • Elevation 30 feet, front facing NW

Utilities:

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

Internet (in usage priority order):

  • Starlink: 56-177 Mbps down, 10-30 Mbps up, 25 ms ping
  • Verizon: 5 Mbps down, 5 Mbps up, 70 ms ping (our SIM has 5 Mbps max)
  • AT&T: 82-111 Mbps down, 0.75-1 Mbps up, 127 ms ping
  • T-Mobile: 1.5 Mbps down, 0.2 Mbps up, 50 ms ping
  • Campground Wi-Fi: none

Amenities:

  • Garbage dumpsters
  • Pool
  • Ice cream shop
  • On-site cafe

Our review on Campground Reviews:

Nice place for a longer stay

This is a fairly typical Thousand Trails park with 50A full hookups. Our site was mostly level, but look out after it rains, because they have some drainage issues. It was nice to have a restaurant on site that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Like most Thousand Trails, they have now switched to assigned sites, which I like. Also, like most Thousand Trails, they no longer accept packages. The local Post Office does General Delivery, and the nearest Amazon Locker is in West Point. We camped at Thousand Trails Chesapeake Bay in a Motorhome.

Campground map:

Map

What’s new and burning law:

What's new and burning law

An interactive map:

Our site:

Our site

Our site

Our site

Our site

Utilities:

Utilities

Some rainy days, and a little surface flooding:

Rainy and flooding

Rainy and flooding

Flooding

Pavilion:

Pavilion

Cafe:

Cafe

Menu

Menu

Dinner:

Dinner

Breakfast:

Breakfast

Another menu:

Menu

Pizza, mac & cheese, brownie:

Pizza, mac & cheese, brownie

Camp store (featuring ice cream):

Shop

Seasonally closed swimming pool:

Closed swimming pool

Dog park:

Dog park

Dumpsters:

Dumpsters

Other sites:

Other sites

Other sites

Other sites

Piankatank River:

Piankatank River

Piankatank River

Piankatank River

We’d be happy to stay here again.

Travel from Charleston, South Carolina to Wake Forest, North Carolina

We drove our coach 301 miles, about five hours of driving, from Charleston, South Carolina to Wake Forest, North Carolina.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading north:

Route map

An interactive map:

Preparing to leave our site:

Preparing to leave our site

Nice looking but mildly concerning trees overhanging the road:

Nice looking but mildly concerning trees overhanging the road

Approaching Charleston:

Approaching Charleston

Roadworks:

Roadworks

Exit to I-95 North:

Exit to I-95 North

Rest area, unusual in that truck parking is through the car parking:

Rest area, unusual in that truck parking is through the car parking

Paladin looking at Lake Marion bridge:

Paladin looking at Lake Marion bridge

Petro fuel stop:

Petro fuel stop

$206.27 for 57 gallons of diesel before discount:

$206.27 for 57 gallons of diesel before discount

Iron Skillet lunch:

Iron Skillet lunch

Back to our coach:

Back to our coach

Hello fellow Tiffin Allegro Bus:

Hello fellow Tiffin Allegro Bus

South of the Border:

South of the Border

Welcome to North Carolina:

Welcome to North Carolina

Sleepy Paladin:

Sleepy Paladin

Rest area:

Rest area

An interesting building:

An interesting building

Arriving at Holly Point Campground in Falls Lake State Recreation Area:

Arriving at Holly Point Campground in Falls Lake State Recreation Area

Entrance station:

Entrance station

Arriving at our site:

Arriving at our site

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park

We visited Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in Spring Hill, Florida. Famous for its live mermaid shows.

Statue

Peacock:

Peacock

Peahen and young peacock:

Peahen and young peacock

Lunch:

Lunch

Mermaid statue:

Mermaid statue

Gift store:

Gift store

Spring water park:

Spring water park

Can’t really see them, but there were some manatees over by the bank:

Manatees

River boat tour:

River boat tour

River boat tour

River boat tour

Bird

Eagle nest:

Eagle nest

Kayaks on the river:

Kayaks on the river

Mermaid theatre:

Mermaid theatre

Mermaid theatre

Mermaid show, performing a variation of the Little Mermaid story:

Mermaid show

Mermaid show

Mermaid show

Mermaid show

Mermaid show

Mermaid show

Mermaid show

Mermaid show

Mermaid show

Mermaid show

Cheesy fun.

Travel from Disney World to Clermont, Florida

We drove our coach just 26 miles, about half an hour of driving (plus killing a little time at a Love’s truck stop), from Disney World to Clermont, Florida.

It’s a little awkward, as check out time from Fort Wilderness is 11:00, and check in at TTO is noon (very strictly enforced), but the drive time between the two is only about half an hour. We considered waiting for a bit in the overflow area at Fort Wilderness, but it was full. We also considered going to a rest area to kill some time, but we noticed a Love’s truck stop on the way, and figured we could spend some time there. Love’s doesn’t usually have parking that works for us, but what with a long time to get through the intersection and a few minutes at the pump, it used up enough time.

Here’s a map showing our route, heading west:

Map

An interactive map:

Toading up on the way out of the campground:

Toading up

Leaving Disney World (how sad):

Leaving Disney World

Exit to I-4 East:

Exit to I-4 East

Disney-shaped power pylon:

Disney-shaped power pylon

Love’s truck stop:

Love's

Joining the very long line to enter TTO; this was at 12:07 on a Sunday:

Joining line to enter TTO

Almost to the entrance, at 12:18:

Almost to the entrance

Finally on the entrance road, at 12:20:

Entrance road

We knew it’d take a long time to get in, so I made some lunch while we inched forward:

Making lunch in the line

Paladin on the dash:

Paladin on the dash

Welcome:

Welcome

Almost to the entrance gate, at 12:54:

Entrance gate

But wait, there’s more: joining the line to get a site, at 12:56:

Line to get a site

People watching the line:

People watching the line

Almost to the front of the line, at 13:22; I waited in the truck after we untoaded:

Almost to the front of the line

Getting guided to our site, at 13:36:

Getting guided to our site

So yeah, arriving shortly after noon on a Sunday, finally getting to our site an hour and a half later. One day we’ll learn and arrive mid-week, when it isn’t so busy, though we prefer to travel on weekends to avoid impacting Jenn’s work.

Disney World: Epcot After Dark

We visited Epcot within Disney World during their After Dark special event.

This was unique in that it was the first time we’ve driven to a Disney World park; previously we were staying inside the bubble at the Fort Wilderness campground, but we did this visit when back at TTO.

Entering Walt Disney World

Epcot parking entrance:

Epcot parking entrance

The After Hours info:

After Hours

We thought it a little odd that the map cut off halfway around the lake… but later found that they blocked off that, which was disappointing; we enjoy walking around the lake:

After Hours

The Spaceship Earth globe:

Spaceship Earth globe

Spaceship Earth globe

Spaceship Earth ride:

Spaceship Earth ride

Lime dole whip snack:

Dole whip

Luminous show:

Luminous show

Luminous show

Luminous show

Luminous show

Luminous show

Looking towards France:

Looking towards France

Ratatouille ride:

Ratatouille ride

Minnie Mouse:

Minnie Mouse

Looking across the lake:

Looking across the lake

Mexico pavilion:

Mexico pavilion

Norway pavilion:

Norway pavilion

Frozen ride:

Frozen ride

Selfie:

Selfie

The Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind ride had a somewhat long wait; it seemed like it was going extra slow:

Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind

Guardians of the Galaxy Cosmic Rewind

Guardians of the Galaxy

Spaceship Earth globe

Definitely the least fun of the three After Dark experiences, between not being able to go around the lake and longer lines. But still enjoyable.

Disney World: Magic Kingdom

We visited Magic Kingdom again, during regular hours (and on Valentine’s Day).

Train station and train:

Train station and train

Castle:

Castle

Tiana’s Bayou Adventure:

Tiana's Bayou Adventure

Tiana's Bayou Adventure

Tiana's Bayou Adventure

Tiana's Bayou Adventure

Ferry to Tom Sawyer Island; a generally boring area, but we had to visit it, as it will be going away soon, to be replaced with a Cars-themed land:

Ferry to Tom Sawyer Island

Ferry to Tom Sawyer Island

Tom Sawyer Island

Tom Sawyer Island

Tom Sawyer Island

Tom Sawyer Island

The river and riverboat will also be going away, unfortunately:

Riverboat

Riverboat

Pirates of the Caribbean ride:

Pirates of the Caribbean

Pirates of the Caribbean

Snack:

Snack

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train ride:

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Seven Dwarfs Mine Train

Video:

It’s a Small World ride:

It's a Small World ride

It's a Small World ride

The traditional picture of the massive New Zealand representation:

It's a Small World ride

Tron Lightcycle Run ride:

Tron Lightcycle Run ride

Tron lightcycle run

Video:

Snack:

Snack

Carousel of Progress ride:

Carousel of Progress

Carousel of Progress

A new activity is making a custom tiara from a selection of frame styles and crystal colors, which Jenn did:

Custom tiara

Custom tiara

Jenn with her new tiara:

Jenn with her new tiara

Haunted Mansion ride:

Haunted Mansion

No one poses like Gaston:

No one poses like Gaston

We had dinner at the Be Our Guest restaurant on Valentine’s Day:

Be Our Guest entrance

Be Our Guest restaurant

Be Our Guest restaurant

Be Our Guest restaurant

Be Our Guest restaurant

Be Our Guest restaurant

Be Our Guest restaurant

Be Our Guest restaurant

Be Our Guest restaurant

Castle

Disney World: Epcot

We visited Epcot within Disney World.

Epcot

Epcot

Epcot

Epcot

Epcot

Epcot

Chalk art:

Chalk art

Chalk art

During the Festival of the Arts they have special food booths, and some dishes to collect stamps for a prize, which Jenn enjoys doing. Here are all of the things we ate as part of that:

Food

Food

Food

Food

Food

Food

The prize last year was a plastic glass that Jenn still uses; the one this year was a rather unpleasant rice cake thing (at top, on the collection booklet); disappointing:

Food

Another collection thing that Jenn did was the World Traveler Passport, where she got a stamp and handwritten message from each of the world pavilions, from someone from each country:

World Traveler Passport

World Traveler Passport

World Traveler Passport

World Traveler Passport

World Traveler Passport

World Traveler Passport

World Traveler Passport

World Traveler Passport

World Traveler Passport

World Traveler Passport

World Traveler Passport

Mexico pavilion:

Mexico pavilon

Mexican duck

Frozen ride:

Frozen ride

Frozen ride

Frozen ride

Character

Germany pavilion:

Germany pavilon

Italy pavilion:

Italy pavilon

Japan pavilion:

Japan pavilon

Morocco pavilion:

Morocco pavilon

United Kingdom pavilion:

United Kingdom pavilon

Living with the Land ride:

Living with the Land ride

Living with the Land ride

Living with the Land ride

Living with the Land ride

Paint by numbers:

Paint by numbers

Flowers:

Flowers

Guardians of the Galaxy ride:

Guardians of the Galaxy ride

Spaceship Earth ride:

Spaceship Earth ride

Spaceship Earth ride

Spaceship Earth ride

Spaceship Earth ride

A custom video based on our answers:

Journey of Water:

Journey of Water

Journey of Water

Epcot

Disney World: Hollywood Studios

We also visited Hollywood Studios in Disney World.

Entrance

Main street

Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge area:

Stormtroopers

Oga’s Cantina for lunch:

Oga's Cantina for lunch

Oga's Cantina for lunch

Oga's Cantina for lunch

Oga's Cantina for lunch

Oga's Cantina for lunch

Oga's Cantina for lunch

Oga's Cantina for lunch

Oga's Cantina for lunch

Posed photo

Posed photo

Galaxy's Edge

Galaxy's Edge

Galaxy's Edge

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride:

Galaxy's Edge

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance ride

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance

Toy Story Land:

Toy Story Land

Spinning Saucers ride:

Spinning Saucers ride

Slinky Dog Dash ride:

Slinky Dog Dash

Toy soldiers drummers:

Toy solders drummers

Some food:

Snack

Toy Story Land

Toy Story Land

Toy Story Mania scores:

Toy Story Mania scores

Hollywood Tower of Terror ride:

Hollywood Tower of Terror

Hollywood Tower of Terror

A video:

Pandora store for a couple of charms for Jenn:

Pandora store for a couple of charms for Jenn

The Brown Derby for dinner:

The Brown Derby for dinner

The Brown Derby for dinner

The Brown Derby for dinner

The Brown Derby for dinner

The Brown Derby for dinner