The Secrets Of State Parks

04 Wednesday May 2022

Posted by Coach-Net in The Great Outdoors, Travel Destinations

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Florida State Parks, RV Camping Near Me, State Park RV Camping, State Parks, State Parks Near Me, Texas State Park, Texas State Park Camping, Washington State Park

As full-time RVers, we have always made a point of seeing national parks during our travels. Who wouldn’t? These parks are some of the most beautiful places in the country and are probably some of the most popular destinations for RV travelers. This is for good reason, of course, and we 100% recommend seeing as many national parks as you possibly can during your travels.

That said, we also highly recommend weaving some state parks into your adventures.

Oddly, we’ve been on the road for 6 years now and have only just begun to dive into the magical world of state parks. Sure, we’ve visited a few of them here and there during our adventures, but I don’t think we really realized how amazing state parks can actually be until a couple of years ago. Since then, we have made a point of visiting state parks in almost every state we’ve visited, and we will continue to do so for as long as we continue to explore.

Read on to learn why we will do this, and why you should too.

Beautiful Places

As mentioned above, our country’s national parks are absolutely stunning. They are definitely some of the most beautiful places in the US, and possibly even the world. That said, state parks—which are often completely missed by travelers—can be just as beautiful.

From gorgeous beaches to magical wooded areas, we’ve seen pretty much every landscape you can imagine during our state park adventures. Some of our favorite hikes have been hidden away in these lesser-known parks, and some of the best views we’ve ever encountered were discovered in state parks.

If you are a fan of beauty in nature—and we’d say most RVers are—state parks absolutely need to be on your list of things to do as you travel.

Affordable Attractions

We travel full-time. While we definitely like to see and do new things as we travel, we cannot live like we’re on vacation 24/7. This means we have to find affordable places to visit as we explore.

Often, we do this by using reciprocal museum memberships or theme park passes that work nationwide. We also have an “America the Beautiful” pass that allows us to visit national parks without paying entrance fees. State parks have made excellent additions to our list of free or inexpensive things to do. Best of all, there are state parks everywhere we go!

We’ve found that most state parks charge under $10 for a vehicle full of people to enter, and some are totally free. Sometimes, if we are in a state long enough, we will even invest in a state park pass that gives us access to all of the state parks without paying entrance fees. This was an excellent investment for us in both Washington and Texas in particular.

State park activities vary based on the natural landscape. Most have some hiking trails and many have a swimming beach of some sort. Several state parks also offer Junior Ranger programs, which are fun and a great way to get the kids engaged and learning during your visit. (We love using Junior Ranger programs in our road-schooling curriculum.)

Other activities we’ve enjoyed in state parks include sandboarding, kayaking, and bouldering, but these are far from the only options you’ll find.

Inexpensive Camping

In addition to providing us with inexpensive entertainment, state parks also tend to offer inexpensive camping options.

Now, for the most part, we try to stay in the Thousand Trails system, and whenever we leave that system, we will stick to free campgrounds and boondocking locations. That said, when none of these options are available, state park camping can be incredibly helpful.

Some state parks will charge as little as $12 to $15 a night for camping, but we’ve found the average cost per night at a state park is closer to $25 or $30. In some cases, it makes sense to purchase an annual state park pass in order to save on camping fees, but you really have to look at each individual state and situation to know if this option is right for you. We’ve purchased state park passes to save on camping fees in Texas, and we know that the New Mexico State park pass is an excellent deal for campers.

All of the state park campgrounds we’ve stayed in have been lovely and well kept. Some provide electric and/or water hookups and most have a dump station. During our stay in Louisiana, there were even laundry rooms available and there was no charge to use the machines!

Other amenities that a state park may or may not have can include a playground, a dog park, a swimming beach or pool, showers, and toilets.

Clearly, state parks are a wonderful addition to any RVer’s travels. Why not give one a try on your next big adventure? We’re betting you’ll fall in love just like we did!

About the author: Chelsea Gonzales

Chelsea has the amazing opportunity to take part in full-time RV living and traveling with her tiny tribe. She homeschools her five-year-old son as they travel, and takes full advantage of their unique situation by using the entire world as her son’s classroom. A group of total Disney fanatics, Chelsea and her family often find themselves in the Orlando area in order to visit the Disney parks, but they have also visited over 25 of the 50 states with plans to see many more along the way. No matter where her travels take her, Chelsea enjoys riding bikes, gazing at beautiful sunsets, finding new coffee shops, Irish dancing, and sitting around a campfire with her family.

You can join her adventures through her blog, Wonder Wherever We Wander.

Ramzi S. ~“You guys really made me feel safe, taken care of, and took the matter seriously. Resolved the issue within a couple hours, amazing. Thank you!”

Coach-Net Camping: Halloween At Ray Roberts Lake State Park

01 Wednesday Dec 2021

Posted by Coach-Net in We Love It. We Live It.

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Camping In Texas, Coach-Net Camping, Coach-Net RVing, First Time Campers, Ray Roberts Lake State Park, Texas Camping, Texas State Park, Texas State Park Camping

Ever since Coach-Net purchased an RV for it’s employees to use, my parents have been asking me to take them on a camping trip. Both sets of my grandparents had RV’s at one point or another, so needless to say, they were excited when I let them know I’d take them out on the company Airstream over Halloween weekend!

However, they’re not too adventurous, so we stayed relatively close and booked a 2-night stay at Ray Roberts Lake State Park, which is only about a 45 min drive from us.

The drive wasn’t too bad. It’s not exactly scenic, but once we got off the highway, it was nice to drive through some of the winding roads surrounded by large ranches. It’s always great to get out of the city and into the country a bit. We did have some high winds and I could feel its effect on towing the trailer. This wasn’t too much of an issue, especially with the sway bars we had connected to the trailer, however, it did still make me a little nervous given that it was my 2nd time taking it out.

Once we arrived at camp, we got the Airstream backed onto the pad, leveled it out, and chocked up the wheels. As I went to hook up the water and electrical, I had a difficult time finding the 30 amp power chord. So, I called my friend and Coach-Net’s Learning Program Manager, Joseph Kaminski to see if he could help me locate the chord over the phone. Well, it turns out that as I was getting ready to leave, I unplugged the power chord and left it at the office assuming there was a second one in the back on the Airstream. What a bone-headed move. Thankfully, Joseph offered to bring it to me! This meant he drove all the way back to the office, picked up the chord, and drove through traffic to drop it off at my campsite. (Well over an hour and a half drive time) He’s the real MVP of our trip! Now that the biggest hiccup was over, we continued to enjoy our weekend! We spent the evening around the campfire, cooking hot dogs and burgers and listening to classic rock jams it was time to hit the hay.

The next day we spent an hour or so in the morning fishing. I didn’t have much luck that day but I did get 1 pretty aggressive bite, I just missed it. (Texas fishing for ya) After breakfast, we went on a hike/walk through some of the designated trails. My dad wasn’t a huge fan of the “taking a hike” idea but he pushed through like a champ after my mom nudged him a few times.

We spent most of the afternoon hanging outside of the Airstream watching college football on a TV we hooked up to the RV. This was accompanied by some brats my dad proudly cooked over the fire he paired with some kind of mustard dip concoction he came up with. Soon after the brats, when Texas Tech was losing to OU by 21, one of us took a big nap to rest up before dinner.

We spent the rest of the afternoon/evening around the campfire, cooking dinner in the Airstream, eventually roasting up some s’mores (which the wife was happy about) and busting out a bottle of the good stuff. A perfect way to end the night.

Sunday morning, we packed up our gear, cleaned up the campsite, and rolled out! To top a great weekend off, we stopped for lunch at a Babes Chicken Dinner House right down the street. We’ve done this several times after camping, at this point it’s becoming a tradition and I’m okay with that.

My parents are already thinking about renting an RV for their next adventure and heading to the same spot! Dad keeps telling mom that’s how they’re going to retire but she’s not having any of that. We’ll definitely be booking another RV trip with them (hopefully this time in separate RVs)! It was great to get away, spend time with family, and have nothing on the to-do list for the weekend. It very may well be the best way to vacation.

Lance C. ~ “My first experience with Coach-Net service, and wow was I ever pleased!”

Coach-Net Camping: Cooper State Park

09 Wednesday Sep 2020

Posted by Coach-Net in We Love It. We Live It.

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Coach-Net Camping, Coach-Net RV, Cooper State Park, RV Camping, Texas State Park, Texas State Park Camping

Kristen is the Director of Accounting here at Coach-Net and has been an invaluable member of the Coach-Net family for almost 20 years! She, her husband, and her two boys go on camping trips every year, but this year they were able to take the Airstream out to Cooper State Park! Check out their RV experience!

Where Did You Go?

We took our first RV camping trip to Cooper State Park last Fall (October 2019). Our family has gone camping with the same 3 families for the last 10 years. All our kids have grown up with each other and our camping trips have definitely become a highlight every year. We enjoy making these special camping memories with our children. It’s wonderful to see them have a good time and detach themselves from their electronics for a couple days.

How Long Was Your Trip?

We spent 3 nights and 4 full days at this beautiful Texas state park. In the past, we have always tent camped so this was a new and enjoyable experience. The RV was very comfortable and made it easy to relax with some of the same comforts as home. I found that camping with the RV was much more relaxing because the set up was easier and faster. Being able to sleep on a bed instead of the ground made the world of a difference!

Did You Find Anything Challenging About Your RV Trip?

My husband attempted backing the RV in several times without much luck. After about 30 minutes of trying, a very nice couple from another campsite came over to help us out. Once we were able to get the camper backed in, we worked at getting it leveled and set up correctly. That was much easier!

What Was Your Fondest Memory Of Your Trip?

The fondest memory from this trip would probably be learning the ins and outs of Rosie the Airstream.

Where Would You Like To Go Next?

My family is very excited about our next RV trip in October. We have booked a site at Fairfield State Park in Texas!

Why Do You Love RVing?

I enjoy being away from the city for several days. It’s a great way for me to re-charge and disconnect. We usually find time to go for several family bike rides, hikes, fishing, and canoeing.

Micheal H. ~ “Troy was our roadside agent and he really went above and beyond to help us! He wasn’t happy until we were completely taken care of! Outstanding customer service! A+!”

Camping In Texas State Parks

23 Tuesday Jul 2019

Posted by Coach-Net in RV Information

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Dinosaur Valley, RV, RV travel, RV Vacation, Summer Travel, Texas, Texas State Park, Travel Destination

Looking for an awesome place to take your RV this summer? Why not head down to Texas? Texas is an amazing place to explore, and because it’s so big, there is a lot to see and do. One of the best ways to experience Texas in an RV is by camping your way through the state’s incredible state parks.

Texas has some of the best state parks around, offering guests amazing views, awesome recreation opportunities, and even surprisingly clean bathrooms. Not only that, these parks are also incredibly diverse, featuring everything from mountains to beaches, as well as some seriously awesome caves (among other things).

Still not convinced? Read on to learn more about these state parks and why you simply must visit them.

Texas State Parks We Love

Let’s begin by discussing some of the parks we’ve visited and fallen in love with. These particular parks were simply outstanding, and we 100% recommend them to anyone with the time to work them into their travel schedule.

Dinosaur Valley State Park

Located in Glen Rose, TX, Dinosaur Valley State Park is a dino-lover’s dream come true. Here, visitors can see actual dinosaur tracks and walk in the footsteps of these amazing creatures.

Summer is the best time to visit, as the tracks can be covered by water during other times of year, so be sure to plan accordingly. Additionally, you will want to make sure to bring good hiking gear, as some of the tracks can be a bit difficult to reach.

Galveston Island State Park

Everyone loves a good old-fashioned beach day. What if you could spend several days in a row on the beach? At Galveston Island State Park you can do exactly that.

While several of the park’s campsites are located across the road and about a mile and a half from the beach, there are a few sites that are sitting right by the water and a quick two-minute walk will have you at the beach and ready to play. What could be better than that?

Just be aware that this park does book up quickly in the summer!

McKinney Falls State Park

The location of this park simply couldn’t be better. McKinney Falls State Park is located within Austin city limits, meaning you can easily drive into the city during your stay and experience all the music, barbecue, and fun Austin has to offer.

That said, the park is secluded from all this hustle and bustle, and gives campers a great place to escape at the end of a long day of exploring. Hiking is a wonderful way to spend a day in this park, and the gorgeous falls are wonderful to look at. Best of all, the water in this park is nice and cool—perfect for swimming on a hot Texas summer day.

Other Bucket-List State Parks in Texas

While we have seen quite a few of the Texas state parks, we have yet to visit them all. For that reason, a few of these parks are still sitting on our bucket list. These are parks that we’ve heard about from traveling friends, and based on what we’ve heard, we highly recommend you add them to your list of things to see as well:

Big Bend Ranch State Park
Palo Duro Canyon State Park Colorado Bend State Park
Longhorn Cavern State Park

Saving Money While Camping in Texas State Parks

One of the very best things about using Texas state park campgrounds is the fact that these campsites are so well kept, yet so inexpensive. We’ve visited state parks all over the country, and feel these parks are far better than most—and yet in our experience, their rates range from only $18–$25 a night.

That said, the parks do charge campers their day-use fee on top of the camping fees. This can add up quickly, especially if you take your whole family camping, and will easily eat up any savings you may have had by staying in a state park over a private park. Luckily, there is a way around this issue.

The Texas State Parks Pass is an annual membership that allows you free entry to all of the parks, as well as waived day-use fees when camping. On top of that, those who own a Texas State Park Pass will receive half-off their second night of camping, saving you even more money.

We think this pass is well worth the $70 investment, and found it paid for itself in almost no time. Therefore, it is definitely something you’ll want to look into if you plan to camp in these parks often.

About the author: Chelsea Gonzales

You can join her adventures through her blog, Wonder Wherever We Wander.

Kari W. ~ “We were locked out of our vehicle with groceries. The service provider was quicker than the quoted arrival time and we were on our way in seconds. Just sign and drive which makes me happy and my husband was relieved I purchased Coach-Net, because yes ….these things happen.”

Coach-Net

~ Travel and Adventure Blog

Tag Archives: Texas State Park