We left the blazing hot temperatures of New Orleans for the blazing hot temperatures of Pensacola! Yay! It was actually not too bad in Pensacola. We ran late getting there on the first day- going to Walmart and Camping World…and then Walmart again haha! So we didn’t get in until 6pm. We ended up just setting up, having a nice 4th of July dinner, walked to the beach to see some fireworks, and put those kids to bed! Unfortunately, we had some camera issues (forgetting to put the memory card in before a trip, forgetting the camera, or running out of battery) combined with the loads of fun we had (and simply forgetting to use the camera) means we didn’t get a lot of footage in Florida or Georgia. Despite not documenting our fun, we had great fun!
Check out the video below to see us in Pensacola, Savannah, and Charleston:
We had such a nice time, we decided to stay two nights at Oak Grove RV Park on Pensacola Naval Air Station (only $23/night). For all you military folks, this is a great place to stay. They have tent and RV sites as well as cottages for rent. The RV park has its own beach which is beautiful and being here on the 4th and 5th (Monday and Tuesday), the beach is not crowded. The bathhouse is nice and very clean, and the laundry is only $1 to wash and $1 to dry, plus the washers and dryers are the cleanest and newest that I’ve seen so far. The Wifi is wonderful here and reaches out to all the RVs. The only downside (just an fyi for those unfamiliar with the area like us), the exchange is off base and there are NO rental car companies that will pick you up on base (even the enterprise that is on base….they just won’t pick you up), so we were stuck here without a car when we had planned to visit the beach and exchange that were off base. Just as an fyi so you don’t get frustrated like us. Get that rental car before you drive on base!
Big Lou is ready for the 4th
The beach was lovely, we spent sever hours out there swimming and building sandcastles. If you haven’t been to Pensacola, FL, you’ll want to experience these crystal clear waters and bright white sand that squeaks when you run on it (seriously, it’s squeaky sand). So much fun here! I would highly recommend coming to Pensacola in July. The breeze on the beach and the surprising coolness of the water will keep you from getting too hot. Unfortunately, the afternoon and evening sun wreaked havoc on our RV temperature and left us sweating while the kids too their post-beach-nap. Another sight to see that within walking distance of the Oak Grove RV Park is the National Naval Aviation Museum.
Getting the perfect sand for sandcastles in Pensacola, FL
While there, we decided to insulate the ceiling vents. Camping World didn’t have any of those foam things that you can wedge up there, so we made our own out of a $9 egg shell foam mattress topper from Walmart. So far we think they really do make a difference. When we get settled into our new home, I’m going to make some fabric covers that will blend into the ceiling and add those anti-slip drawer liner things along the sides so they will stay in place a little better. I’ll be sure to post about that later.
Our next stop was Brunswick and Vidalia, Georgia to visit my family. But along the way, we needed to flush out our black water tank (the sensor got all gunked up) so we decided to stay in a state park instead of a parking lot. And boy am I glad we did! We stumbled upon the Stephen Foster Folk Cultural Center State Park, which is a lovely place to visit, and located not far from I-10. It’s in a tiny town with a couple shops that looked like they were worth a peak. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay long the next morning because we were trying to meet up with my family. But we did do a little walking around and exploring, and as always, we hit up the gift shop for a pin, some maple syrup, and a couple little cookbooks. We’re not big into folk music….like…at all. But if you are, you NEED to check this place out. There was a museum, gift shop, and little craft shops for jewelry making, quilting and croquet, pottery, and even a blacksmith. Electric and water hookups, free dump station for those staying, nice bath houses, laundry, and WiFi in the gift shop all for only $20/night. Worth a peak if you’re in the area.
After visiting with family, we swung through Savannah for a quick visit. We didn’t stay long, but what I can tell you is to park your RV at the visitors center off of MLK Blvd. It’s only $8 for the entire day, and there are RV spots you can back in to that were long enough for our 32” Big Lou. If your RV is longer, they don’t mind that it hangs out into the aisle since it’s an area dedicated to RVs. Be sure to swing into the visitors center to get a map and brochures. The historic district is so spread out, you probably don’t want to just wander- you’ll want a destination in mind, especially if you have kids and/or it’s a hot day (it was a high of 101 the day we went). We explored Market Square on our way to the water front, which is a lovely pedestrians only street filled with all sorts of shops and restaurants. We stopped at Savannah’s Candy Kitchen for some ice cream that was awesome!!! And I picked up a big, white, floppy hat from a cute accessory store called Twinkle Time.
Finally, we walked along River Street, which is full of parks and historic buildings, down to The Pirates House. It’s a great restaurant for the family or the childless-folk who are interested in history or just uniqueness. The Pirate’s House has a long, rich history dating back to when it was an inn for seamen in the 1700s. Now it’s several old homes and buildings that have been combined into one awesome restaurant. The food was good, the atmosphere was fun, and you can tour around the entire restaurant to check out the history of the place. OH! And the kids’ menus can be turned into paper pirate hats and costumes- FUN!
Next stop! –Charleston, SC. This was a city we were looking forward to. Stu has been there a few times for training nearby, but this would be the first for me and the boys. We had a great time. We picked up a rental car (cost us about $150/night) before pulling into the RV park on Charleston AFB– only $23/night- and drove into the city each day (I know the website says it’s on Joint Base Charleston, but if you’ll note…the address says Charleston AFB- HUGE DIFFERENCE, go to Charleston AFB). It was a bit tricky checking into this RV campground, because you have to check in and pay the park host, even when the Outdoor Recreation Center is open- just FYI.
Cannon on Ft. Sumter, Charleston, SC
Charleston is beautiful. There are great boutiques, hand crafts, gift shops, and restaurants right around the Market Street area, and there is plenty of public parking in the area as well. The first night we just browsed the area and picked up treats from The Fudgery to bring back to the RV. But the second day, we toured Fort Sumter first. It was great. It costs $19/adult (but there is military discount, so we paid $17/adult), $12 for kids, and Rowan (3 and under) was free! There’s a small museum where the ferry picks you up, and it’s about a 35 minute ferry ride to the island. It was a lovely ride with beautiful scenery and bountiful Pokemon available for those who play Pokemon-Go…. And yeah…we did get a few Pokemon on the ferry ride along with the dude and his girlfriend sitting across from us. The dude also gave us some helpful tips, so thank you, Poke Master Friend!!!
Fort Sumter is really neat. It’s only partially there now since it was attacked during the Civil War…actually it was the first battle of the Civil War in April of 1861. The fort was badly damaged during this first battle, so it’s a couple stories shorter now than back then. And in 1899, a magazine was added (a large black building in the center of the fort). Ft. Sumter was used in coastal defenses all the way through WWII before becoming a national monument in 1949. The sights around the fort are great and the views over the water are really neat- lots of water fowl and waves crashing along the sand bar that the island was built on. Really neat, totally worth visiting while you’re in Charleston.
We ate at 5Church just off Market Street and had a great time there discussing Pokemon Go with the waiter and bar tender (it was a slow time at 3pm when we finally got lunch). We got the classic burger and Cubano with fries- AMAZING! The building where 5Church is located is a historical Episcopal Church for sailors of all denominations. It was converted into a restaurant in the mid-20th century, but the unique architecture remains, which gives it an unbeatable atmosphere.
Finally we finished off the evening with dinner at Sticky Fingers, which is on Meeting Street, a super short walk from the Market area. This barbeque joint was not the best restaurant experience, but we didn’t order any barbeque- we had the potato skins and summer salad. The staff was friendly, but the food was only OK.
We’re heading out of Low Country and heading up North again.
What have your personal experiences been in Pensacola, FL, Savannah, GA, and Charleston, SC? If you’ve been to more than one, which was your favorite place to visit?
For all you military folk, do you typically stay on military installations? If so, where have your best experiences been?
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After visiting with family, we swung through Savannah for a quick visit. We didn’t stay long, but what I can tell you is to park your RV at the visitors center off of MLK Blvd. It’s only $8 for the entire day, and there are RV spots you can back in to that were long enough for our 32” Big Lou. If your RV is longer, they don’t mind that it hangs out into the aisle since it’s an area dedicated to RVs. Be sure to swing into the visitors center to get a map and brochures. The historic district is so spread out, you probably don’t want to just wander- you’ll want a destination in mind, especially if you have kids and/or it’s a hot day (it was a high of 101 the day we went). We explored Market Square on our way to the water front, which is a lovely pedestrians only street filled with all sorts of shops and restaurants. We stopped at 
