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Old 01-19-2013, 06:13 PM   #1
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Gulf Shores, AL Camping

Thinking about going to Gulf Shores mid March. Can anyone suggest a campground with beach access and other activities close enough to walk to?
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Old 01-19-2013, 07:20 PM   #2
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The Gulf State Park is located there. No shade at any of the spots after surviving a couple of big storms and fires. They do have an excellant swimming pool and evening outdoor movies for the kids. Both are free.
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Old 01-20-2013, 07:27 AM   #3
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I read a posting that said Gulf Shores Park did not have a sewer hook-up. Did they when you were there?
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Old 01-20-2013, 08:44 AM   #4
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We were at Gulf Shores SP at the beginning of November. They did have sewer hookups (at at our site). It's very much setup for big rigs and long-term stays, so I assume most if not all sites have full hookups. The beach is not (in my opinion) within walking distance. You can see the beach pavilion from the campsites, but even if there were a direct trail or path to the pavilion (which I don't think there is), it would still be a decent hike. If you are staying at the SP, then you have free parking / use of the SP's beachfront property but you need to drive to it, or at the very least bike to it.
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Old 01-20-2013, 08:57 AM   #5
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Ditto on the state park. A bit on the spares side but great beach access. A nice change from commercial sites.
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Old 01-20-2013, 09:22 AM   #6
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As close as you will be to Mississippi, the Davis Bayou portion near Ocean Springs is nicer, in our opinion.

Ocean Springs is also a beautiful town with nice shopping, old southern homes, etc.



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Old 01-20-2013, 06:34 PM   #7
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Making our first long term (one week is long for us since I am still working) trip in our first class B, I don't know how difficult it would be to disconnect and drive to a beach. I was hoping to find something within walking distance until I learn how to use this unit. Gulf Shores is 11 hours due south from our home in southern Indiana. Any suggestions for anything else with full hookups near Gulf Shores?
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Old 01-20-2013, 07:00 PM   #8
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We spent Christmas wk at Gulf SP. It is huge, clean well kept, bath houses are new and clean, there is a small nature center and several great bike/walking trails. Our grandsons had a wonderful time fishing, hiking, beaching, biking. We got a nice cabin for my daughter and grandsons that was right on a lake w a dock. The naval air museum is close and that is a wonderful day trip. The beach is very nice and near but not any easy walk, just a few minutes by car. There is a huge wonderful pier to visit and they also do tours. the sites are paved and with power, water, sewer and there was good TV reception. Not a lot of trees but that is because they did have a terrible hurricane!! They have also had several fires and are recovering from it all. There is a comunity building and they had a nice pot luck dinner when we were there. It is a good campground. My grandsons all want to go back, ages, 7, 12 and 17. There are some nice little towns in the area to visit. Walmart is outside the back gate. I have no trouble giving it a good review.
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Old 01-20-2013, 07:01 PM   #9
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I love the Grayton Beach state park, also in the panhandle, though it's in the Florida section. Beautiful beach, right next to Seaside, and gorgeous campsites, especially in the older loop...
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Old 01-21-2013, 03:35 AM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by aa9zz View Post
Making our first long term (one week is long for us since I am still working) trip in our first class B, I don't know how difficult it would be to disconnect and drive to a beach. I was hoping to find something within walking distance until I learn how to use this unit. Gulf Shores is 11 hours due south from our home in southern Indiana. Any suggestions for anything else with full hookups near Gulf Shores?
I prefer not to break camp for a day trip, either. Disconnecting your umbilicals is easy enough, but packing away everything inside so it doesn't end up on the floor if you have to stop suddenly means that you're basically doing the same thing to drive to the beach for a day as you would do to drive back home. You can shortcut the process a bit by not emptying the holding tanks and by leaving a few things behind at your campsite since you're planning to come back later in the day, but still…

That's one reason why I'm outfitting my new daily driver (a Honda Fit hatchback) as a toad. Doing it today, in fact (shameless plug for Foley RV Center, Gulfport, MS, who's doing the work)! My main reason for doing this, though, is the ability to take both vehicles with me when I evacuate for the next hurricane. The ability to explore the surrounding area without breaking camp is really just a fringe benefit.
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Old 01-21-2013, 05:35 AM   #11
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Originally Posted by aa9zz View Post
Making our first long term (one week is long for us since I am still working) trip in our first class B, I don't know how difficult it would be to disconnect and drive to a beach. I was hoping to find something within walking distance until I learn how to use this unit. Gulf Shores is 11 hours due south from our home in southern Indiana. Any suggestions for anything else with full hookups near Gulf Shores?
When we expect to be exploring an area from our campsite, we fill the fresh water tank and just plug in to electricity at night. Very easy, then, to just disconnect your electric in the morning and go. The only thing we have to move and put up in the mornings is the coffee pot. I usually do dishes and deal with the inside things while Doug does the outside chores.

You don't really need full hookups, do you, unless you expect to take all showers in the Interstate? Even then, you could just swing by the dump station on your way out in the mornings, and refill your fresh water during the same stop.

You're not going to want to have your sewer hooked up all the time, and likely the hose that comes with your unit won't allow that, anyway. Be sure you pick up a box of rubber gloves for dumping.

Once you have done the water and electric hookups a time or two, you will find them pretty simple, methinks.

Simplify a bit, you'll be fine.


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Old 01-21-2013, 05:43 AM   #12
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If you google gulf shores Alabama camping, may find something else.

You're in Indiana, I see. Might consider coming to the Moraine View rally the second weekend in June. . Not too far from you, and we're always the only Class B there.

A great group of people, nice park, good food, and lots of experienced campers to answer questions and give you any information you might need.


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Old 01-21-2013, 05:54 AM   #13
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You're not going to want to have your sewer hooked up all the time, and likely the hose that comes with your unit won't allow that, anyway. Be sure you pick up a box of rubber gloves for dumping.
If you've got a macerator pump, dumping your tanks is clean and mess-free, thanks to the valve on the end of the hose (but wear gloves anyway; I use disposable surgical gloves, that come in a box of 100). Remember to dump the black tank first, then the gray tank, so that the soapy gray water washes out the hose. Unlike with a slinky, that's the only way you get to rinse out the discharge hose. Oh, and reel out ALL of the hose when you dump the tank, even if you don't need all of it to reach the dump point. That way, you don't trap gray water in the hose where it's coiled on the reel.

And one final bit of advice on dumping, I found out the first time I did it that when you retract the hose, it retracts very fast, and if you're not careful, it will jam and burn out the fuse on the motor. Retract is slowly in fits and starts, by bumping the switch and then turning it off again in a few seconds. If it does jam, you can pull the hose back out far enough to clear the jam, and pick up where you left off. And carry spare fuses, just in case. The fuse for the hose reel is in the fusebox near the battery disconnect. Someday I'm going to wire a resistor into that circuit to slow down the motor on mine, but I keep forgetting.

Quote:
Once you have done the water and electric hookups a time or two, you will find them pretty simple, methinks.
First time you hook up the electric, on the round yellow plug where it goes into your Interstate, take a Sharpie marker and label the top of the plug. That way, next time you hook up, you don't have a problem orienting that round plug the right way. In fact, hook it up and mark it at home before you go, so that when you arrive at the campsite, you don't have to fumble with it.
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Old 01-21-2013, 06:16 AM   #14
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http://www.airforums.com/forums/f288...ns-100280.html

Moraine view link. It's a make your own reservations kind of thing, then just show up and have a good time.

Follow the rally thread here on the forums for more information.


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Old 01-21-2013, 06:17 AM   #15
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Good idea. Is it generally safe to leave some things behind, like the hitch carrier and the contents, when you make day trips?
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Old 01-21-2013, 06:21 AM   #16
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Good idea. Is it generally safe to leave some things behind, like the hitch carrier and the contents, when you make day trips?
You know, some would say not to, but we do it all the time and have never had a problem, never had anything stolen or bothered.

We tidy up, stick anything that may not want too much sunshine or could blow away under the picnic table, and leave the cord hanging on the connector box.


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Old 01-21-2013, 06:27 AM   #17
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Good idea. Is it generally safe to leave some things behind, like the hitch carrier and the contents, when you make day trips?
Most campsites are safe enough, but it's never a bad idea to stop by the main gate on the way out and let the camp host know that you're coming back and you left some stuff at your campsite. That way, the park maintenance folks won't think you've abandoned the stuff and pack it away wherever they do their lost-and-found.
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Old 01-21-2013, 12:34 PM   #18
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All Good info,we are now in Scott,La. Have been here 10 Day's. Great fun and food.
Radio Station : KBON 101.1 for Local info and Good mix of radio, IN Breaux Bridge try "Pont Breaux's" ; and "Cafe Des Amis " for a Zydeco Breakfast @ 7:30 Sat.; In Lafayette try "Randol's" and "Prejean's "; In Scott try "Fezzo's " in Mamou "Fred's Lounge " only open Sat. 9-1:30 a Wild Fun place., in Eunice try "Liberty Theater " for Sat.nite shows. Culture center next door. "Savoy Music Center" in Unice has Jam Sessions Sat. AM @ 9 . There seems to be Live music every day within an hour of our present location. Next time we will stay for a longer time, the people, music and food are incredible !
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Old 01-21-2013, 12:59 PM   #19
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Here are some photos from a few campgrounds in the area.
http://www.airforums.com/forums/f42/...era-37772.html
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