Table of contents for Issue 1: July 2020 in RV Destinations Magazine

Our next RV destination takes us to north central Arizona. If you find yourself in Grand Canyon National Park and have a few days to spare, a quick side-trip to Page Arizona is worth its weight in gold. Page sits on the Arizona/Utah state line in north central Arizona and on the south side of Lake Powell. This small town of a little more than 7,000 residents is a perfect home-base for touring many amazing geological features in the area. Frankly, Page Arizona is one of my favorite spots in the southwest. From Grand Canyon National Park, drive east on Highway 64, then turn north on Highway 89. After a couple-hour drive, you’ll arrive in Page Arizona. The drive from Grand Canyon to Page passes through beautiful scenery of large…

Although the weather may not have been ideal for a typical Key West day, it made for the perfect excuse for us to visit the Ernest Hemingway house. We’d been in Key West for several days already, and persistent high winds and scattered rain showers kept even cruise ships from docking—which meant it was as good a time as any to visit one of the usually crowded tourist destinations. At times, the line to get into the Ernest Hemingway house can stretch halfway around the block, so it’s crucial to plan your visit wisely. As luck would have it, though, there was only one group of people ahead of us in line the day we visited. The museum is open 365 days a year from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.…

Nestled amongst the swaying palm trees and southern sun on Front Street in Key West, Florida is the Harry S. Truman Little White House. Though originally built on a submarine naval base as housing for naval officers in the late 1800’s, the home was later used by a few well-known others, including Thomas Edison, Edward Hayden and six U.S. Presidents: Taft, Eisenhower, Truman, Kennedy, Carter and Clinton. Truman “lived” in the house the longest, spending 175 days of his presidency there from 1946 to 1952. After finishing 19 months in office, an exhausted Truman was ordered to take a warm vacation, and Key West was the perfect location. Truman, like so many others who have visited the area, fell in love with the warm breezes and constant sunshine. He vowed…

One of the top RV destinations in Canada, Banff National Park, is a mecca for the outdoor enthusiast. The park is roughly 2,600 square miles, 96 percent of which is wilderness. On the bucket list for many RVers, we were excited to spend our summer exploring this natural wonder. Best Time to Visit Banff National Park The best time of year to visit Banff will depend on what you enjoy doing outdoors. If you yearn to see blue turquoise lakes and go hiking in Banff, then the best times to visit is from June to mid-September. Of course, summertime tends to mean more crowds, higher demand and, therefore, higher prices. If you enjoy skiing, ice skating and ice fishing, then December to mid-April is a perfect time to visit. Summertime…

A good friend of mine once asked me, if you could only take a single DSLR lens on a big bucket list trip, which lens would it be? This is a great question. And if you ask 10 photographers, you’d likely get 10 different answers. Personally, I have several lenses in my camera bag that are both fast and super sharp. I love each lens independently, as they each serve a specific purpose in my work. However, if I were forced to bring only one lens, it would have to be my Sony G-Master 24-70 F2.8. Most camera bodies have a version of the 24-70 F2.8 lens. This medium range lens is a great all-purpose lens for portrait work, group photos and landscapes. I’ve toted mine to weddings, photographed models…

Tucked away in the heart of Navajo Nation on the eastern border of Arizona and Utah lies an area famous for such movies as Stagecoach, She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, Forrest Gump and Back to the Future. Many will recognize the tall sandstone buttes rising from the valley floor, as they’ve been featured in many early western films. Few, however, know the Navajo name of this unique place—Tse’Bii’Ndzisgaii, or Ojato-Monument Valley. If you’re like me and occasionally enjoy turning off your computer, stepping out of your cubicle and escaping modern luxuries, I can’t think of a better place to get unplugged than Monument Valley. Situated in the middle of the Navajo Nation, this 28-square mile tract of desertlike land is situated in the Colorado Plateau. The exposed and weathered iron…

If you ever find yourself looking for something a little different to do in Key West, then visiting the Dry Tortugas is a must. Located just 70 miles due west of Key West, this National Park is one of the most inaccessible National Parks in the United States. You can reach the park by sea plane or sea ferry. Or, if you have a large enough boat and an adventurous spirit, you can make the trek yourself. Whichever way you choose to get to the island, I promise you won’t be disappointed. We chose the sea plane route. While more expensive than the sea ferry ($356 per person for 4 hours as of December 2019), it was worth every penny. We departed out of the Key West Airport and boarded…

RV Destinations has had the distinct pleasure of spending the past four Christmas and New Year seasons in Key West, Florida, and all four years we have spent our holidays at Boyd’s Key West Campground on Stock Island. Boyd’s is located on Maloney Avenue off A1A, just before crossing the small bridge into Key West. Prices are at a premium in this slice of tropical paradise, so be prepared for some sticker shock. We stayed in a waterfront site by the boat ramp, and it was roughly $189 per night for full hook-ups (as of December 2019), which is why many campers and RVers choose to stay just a night or two before moving on. Whether you stay a night or two, several weeks or even the winter season, Boyd’s…

In the desolate landscape west of the Tucson Mountains, you’ll find Gilbert Ray Campground. This unique campground is in such high demand that campers line up for hours every morning hoping to secure one of the 130 camping sites. But with no reservation system, no water, no sewage and only 30-amp electric service at each site, is it worth the hassle of waiting in long lines with nothing more than a hope and a prayer of getting a spot? An arid landscape surrounds Gilbert Ray Campground. Saguaro cactuses, reaching upwards of 40 feet tall, scatter as far as the eye can see. In this land, nothing but Gila monsters, scorpions and snakes frequent the terrain. Coming from the lush hills of Kentucky, this was completely foreign to us. However, the…

Upper Peninsula Michigan is dotted (dotted being the operative word because cities are sparse up there) with seven cities, the largest of which is Marquette—our destination for four days in October 2019. We had been on the hunt for the perfect campground. Let me just say that finding a good campground is much like an Easter egg hunt. You pick up the plastic egg with excitement, give it a quick shake and just know that this is the Easter egg above all others, holding the mother lode of candy for sure. We go into the “Great Campground Search” with much of the same anticipation, combing over websites and Google reviews in hopes of choosing the mother lode of campgrounds. There were only a couple of campgrounds in the area we…

The goal in my life is having new experiences within the safety net of my routine comforts. This is where RV traveling is a wonderful home away from home. That being said, I’d explore a place I haven’t yet been. Maine in the spring or fall sounds intriguing, as does staying along the Cape, with perhaps day trips or overnight stays to Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard. I believe you can ferry a car and RV over with proper planning. However, they do have RV rentals so you can still enjoy an RV without the expense of ferrying your own over. An extra could be enjoying the Daffodil Festival in late April, along with the obvious allure of fresh seafood. —F. Breeding, Floyds Knobs, IN RV Destinations: We agree with you that…

Mile Marker 0 Several years ago, my husband and I hosted an Italian exchange student for her Senior year of high school in America. What an incredible experience it was! One of the first questions we asked her when she arrived was, what states would she like to visit while in America? While we couldn’t promise to see them all, we would do our best to check off some boxes for her. One of her requests was to see Florida. Her request turned into an annual tradition that we followed for years – Key West Florida for the Christmas and New Year’s Holidays. Coming from the balmy (uh-hem) northern Kentucky area, getting as far south as we could for the holidays was a welcome reprieve. For those of you that…

During our trip to Key West, I was eager to visit not one, but two museums dealing with old Spanish shipwrecks: Key West Shipwreck Museum and Mel Fisher Maritime Museum. Having recently completed several books on 17th and 18th century naval exploration, I was familiar with some of the wrecks and the daily risks these sailors faced. It was pouring down raining one morning, so it provided us a great opportunity to visit both. Key West Shipwreck Museum The Key West Shipwreck museum sits between Duvall Street and Malory Square on Whitehead Street in downtown Key West. You can easily spot the museum by the 65-foot wooden tower, which provides amazing panoramic views of Malory Square and most of Key West. After paying admission ($16.11 per adult and $9.66 per…

The tune of an old western theme song fills your head as you stroll through the center of town. You kick a rock, and a tumbleweed rolls through the dust-laden street in front of you. A horse and wagon pass by, kicking up a cloud of dust. This is when you decide if you want to follow the sound of laughter and music to see some cancan dancers or head over to the mercantile to pick up a few necessities. A passer-by tips his hat at you—a common wordless greeting in this old town. You haven’t traveled back through time into the old west, although that’s what it feels like when visiting Old Tucson Theme Park. Located near Saguaro National Park in Tucson, Arizona, Old Tucson is a wild west…

My love for the open road, new places and gorgeous scenery has finally led me to the world of RVing. I’ve always loved long road trips, exploring historic sites, camping, and checking states and countries off my list as I go. My desire for a life of freedom and adventure, yet retaining a modicum of comfort, have all brought me to the beginning of my RV and travel journey, and I couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to share my experiences with you all here. Join me each issue to see “Where in the World Is Hailey” as I grow from simple “SUV RVing” to bigger setups and farther destinations from my home state of Colorado, all with my trusted co-pilot, Pip the Chihuahua-mix, by my side. As a…