The Best RV Resorts for Glamping

When it comes to RVing, there is no such things as one size fits all when you’re talking about enjoying your vacation.
Different strokes for different folks
We don’t always agree on the types of things we want to do and experience.
I like a more off the grid and rugged experience with a lot of outdoor backcountry adventures.
Danielle likes to experience luxurious camping with all the Resort Amenities.
We’ve found that RV Resorts near rugged areas are the perfect compromise for us. Here’s a few of the RV Resorts we LOVE!
Lake Conroe RV Resort, TX
They had countless amenities and they were all newly redone however one thing that really stood out is their gym. They had free weights! It’s such a joy to find free weights in RV Resort Gyms.
Staying fit has never been more of a concern with campers. We want to extend our life as far out as possible. We know that working out helps achieve that so more and more RVers want to workout while they travel.
Boating & Fishing
Quite a few of the campers had boats parked on their docks to head out during the day and catch the big one. The people I talked to said they had good luck fishing on this lake.
The Resort also has 2 stocked fishing ponds so you could go fishing without a license and have increased odds of catching something.
We had a campsite that was backed right up to one of the stocked ponds so I could toss a line out from the back of the RV.
The Heated Pool
The pool was incredible. The entire area around it was equally spectacular and created a wonderful area to relax at the campground.
Thousand Trails Orlando, FL
TTO, as it’s more commonly called, is a VERY LARGE RV Resort in Orlando, FL. It’s so close to Disney that at night you can see and hear the fireworks at night from our camper.
It feels like Thousand Trails puts a lot of resources into this Resort compared to most others, probably due to the huge numbers of campers that come to stay here. We’ve seen this massive place absolutely jammed packed on multiple occasions and times of the year.
It’s so large that you can get a workout or scenic walk/bike ride every day by heading down the roads within the campground. They also have hiking trails back in the woods near the lake, so you can mix it up from a people watching walk or a secluded woods stroll.
Heated Pools at the RV Resort
Centrally and conveniently located at the campground are the pools. They have a kids pool, a general pool, and an adult pool, all are heated and nice. The hot tub is a popular gathering place in the evening.
Family and Dog-Friendly
They have a good amount of amenities to keep you busy while you’re staying here and of course this place is very dog-friendly. That’s a big challenge for many people who retire and want to travel, but they find out that most hotels and time shares in popular vacation areas don’t allow pets.
Since it’s near Disney, it’s also a great spot for families who have pets who want to be able to head over to one of the theme parks in the day and relax as a family at the campfire with a home cooked meal in the evening.
Fishing and Boating on the Lake
We’ve seen a lot of people successfully fish from the dock and also from boats over the years. They have a stocked pond near the pool also so you don’t need a license to fish when you come here.
The kayaks are FREE to use for the campers! We’ve taken them out a number of times and it’s always been nice calm water. I like the calm water mainly because Danielle doesn’t like to paddle so it’s easier for me to cut through the water.
That’s a big plus from having to pull out our inflatable kayak and get it set up. Plus there are a good amount of Alligators on this lake and the thought of having one of them bite an inflatable kayak makes me uneasy.
Community Events
The campground often puts on events for its campers like this concert. Rock on! We’ve seen swap meets, church services, ice cream socials and even meat raffles here. They have a good consistent set of events to keep you busy.
North Myrtle Beach RV Resort, SC
This brand new and state of the art RV Resort rocks. They spared no expense in creating a high-end camping experience on the Intracoastal Waterway.
An incredible spot to relax. At night they have the sounds of crickets playing all throughout the campground. What’s most impressive is while we were here they were building a 150 ft mountain with a water slide overlooking the Intracoastal waterway.
We love walking the docks in the evening. It’s so calm and beautiful. They have docks for their campers to park, walk or fish from. We kept seeing fish jump out of the water.
Great Staff
The staff is incredible, possibly the best we’ve encountered for an RV Resort They also have a good sized retail and convenience store. Everything you need to have an enjoyable day out on the water or at the campsite.
Incredible Food
There are over 10,000 restaurants in this area. That’s INSANE! Many of them are waterfront restaurants either on the Ocean or the Intracoastal Waterway. We found a few fantastic places just down the waterway from the Resort. Fish so fresh that they were caught that day and you can watch the fisherman bring in their catch for tomorrow.
Rent a Golf Cart
They have Golf Carts to rent so you can zip around the campground with your buddy riding shotgun.
Sometimes we like to cruise the campground and check out how everyone has their campsite set up.
It’s an easy way to quickly head to the water if you have a site that’s on the other side of the campground.
Rent a Boat on the Intracoastal Waterway
You NEED to rent a Pontoon and take it out on the Intracoastal Waterway.
They pull the boat out of their huge dry storage and put it in the water right in front of you.
We went appetizer hopping, made it to North Carolina and the ocean! It was incredible and an experience everyone should have when camping here.
Newport Dunes RV Resort, CA
Go ahead and think about the best location you could be in to soak in the sun on a kid-friendly body of water on Newport Bay, minutes from basically anything you could ever want/need.
Located near the John Wayne Airport directly on Newport Bay is the Newport Dunes RV Resort. The sites are nice and wide. The Campers staying here are VERY active in outdoor activities and soaking in the California Sun. In fact, when we got here it felt like everyone was outside enjoying the outdoors.
Shopping
Danielle LOVES being able to visit malls all over the country as we travel in an RV. The Fashion Island Mall here is a beautiful outdoor mall with all you need to feel like you’re from So-Cal. It’s also just a few blocks away. If that doesn’t do it for you there are other great malls not far away.
The Beaches of Newport
This place is near INSANELY AMAZING beaches. In fact, one could argue that Newport Beach is one of the top surf beaches and has one of the strongest surf cultures in the world.
The waves are excellent. The vibe is excellent. The beach is excellent. The sunsets are excellent. The bars/restaurants are excellent.
You’ll want to check the surf report online before selecting your beach. Ultimately you need to ask yourself what you want to experience because there’s a HUGE variety of beaches in Southern California with a nearby proximity to this campground.
If you’re not sure exactly which beach to visit here’s a quick guide.
- Newport Beach Pier
- This is the main spot to experience Newport Beach. It has great restaurants/bars, and if the surf is good you’ll find it packed with surfers. You also are able to find shops that give lessons or will equip you with the gear you need.
- The Wedge
- 2 miles down the boardwalk from the Newport Pier is the Balboa Pier. Keep heading in this direction and when the road stops you’ll find the world famous The Wedge. This place will often see 25-foot waves and if you’re lucky enough to be here during a good session, you’ll be able to witness the best skim, bodyboard and surfers in the world take on this beast.
- Huntington Beach
- Coined “Surf City USA” this town is just 6 miles down the road from the RV Resort. It has a nice pier, great restaurants/night life, awesome beach and a ton of shopping.
Walk the Newport Boardwalk
One of our favorite things is to walk the Newport Beach boardwalk. The Newport Pier to the Balboa Pier is 2 miles and is gorgeous the entire way. You’ll also see other people out getting some exercise and be able to listen to the crashing waves as you head along the path.
Biking While Camping
The Resort is directly on Newport’s back bay. There’s the back bay trail that takes you from the RV Resort on a beautiful biking, hiking, and running trail. The sunsets are pretty amazing facing west on this trail.
You can experience one of the best bike rides in the world while you’re here. We recommend getting dropped off in Malibu at Sunrise and heading the 72 miles along the coast on the trail all the way to the RV Resort in Newport Beach off the famous California Highway 1.
That bike ride will allow you to experience a bunch of world-class beaches, filled with top-notch people watching and incredible views.
Community Events
They have a packed schedule year round of fun events for all ages. While we were there we did a painting activity at the Back Bay Bistro but they often have ongoing events such as this water aerobics class for their campers.
Kid Friendly
This resort has things for all ages but has a lot to offer for kids. The playground is right on the water which means the parents can sit back with their feet in the sand and watch their kids safely play no the equipment.
Day Trips to the Big Cities
Both Los Angeles and San Diego are easy day trips from here. They’re also both excellent places to spend a day.
LA has more to offer than most people can handle. Make sure you do the touristy stuff like Hollyweird, Santa Monica, and Venice Beach. If you get the chance head up to Malibu or hike up Mt Hollywood.
The John Wayne Airport is near the RV Resort so you can easily have guests fry in and meet you at this paradise filled location. The LAX isn’t too far also.
Beautiful Beaches
The area is absolutely gorgeous. The beaches are well taken care of and on an beautiful sunny day it’s paradise.
The San Diego RV Resort, CA
This was a very cool urban camping experience. Being able to be in the city with full access via the trolley to head anywhere without driving was a big draw.
The resort itself is nice. Geared towards an older crowd of campers who are looking to relax and enjoy sunny San Diego.
Biking Mission Bay
Biking Mission Bay is a great nearby adventure. This is the largest aquatic park in the country. It’s a loop trail that you can enjoy the scenery along the bay.
You’ll see quite a few other people using the trail and others playing in the water. There are also a few Campgrounds on this path too. If you go during the spring when the wildflowers are blooming you’ll see them covering the landscape.
The RV Resort Gym
I LOVE LOVE LOVE when an RV Resort has a good gym. Staying fit and healthy to extend the quality and life itself is important. This gym has free weights which is rare for an RV Resort. The view while you workout is great also.
Taking the Trolley Downtown San Diego
This is one of the best parts of the RV Resort, it’s connected directly to one of the train stations so you can head all over San Diego without ever driving out of the RV Resort.
We took the train downtown and spent the day exploring areas like Little Italy and the Gaslamp District. Make sure you plan on eating at one of the great restaurants downtown.
Community Events
It’s always nice to get to know your neighbors and community. Most of the RV Resorts we’ve visited have community events that they offer to bring people together. While we were here the San Diego RV Resort put on a nice big breakfast for all of their happy campers.
Nearby Attractions
Sea World, Legoland, and many more attractions will keep you and your kids busy while you’re in the area. Danielle ended up getting an unlimited month-long pass to Sea World while we were here and took Ella here to learn about the Marine Life.
Great Restaurants
Of course, anytime you’re near a major city you’ll find great restaurants. Due to the incredible year-long whether you’ll be able to experience a lot of outdoor eating.
San Diego not only has great food but ocean views for many of the restaurants.
The Beach
Sunny San Diego is a great place to head to the beach. There’s a lot of options when it comes down to picking a beach but they’re all going to have the California Beach Vibe!
Fiesta Key RV Resort, FL
This is possibly the best RV Resort experience we’ve ever had. It’s an absolute tropical paradise with everything you could want to do in the Florida Keys available at your fingertips.
The Campsites
The sites were a good size and easy to get into. They have a good staff to help you with anything you need while you get settled.
Watch for Sharks at the RV Resort
Multiple times as I was walking at the waters edge or fishing Nurse Sharks would swim by. Sometimes they came right where people were snorkeling probably seeking out the same fish as the campers.
One time I was fishing and unfortunately, the hook caught its eye and it was not going to make it. After swimming around bleeding for less than 5 minutes a good size nurse shark showed up and attacked it! I was even able to capture it on video with my GoPro.
Snorkel at the Campground
This place is fantastic for snorkeling in many different areas of the RV Resort. It’s not uncommon to hear about iguanas swimming out to snorkelers here and climbing on their back to try to get a ride. Didn’t happen to us but we saw a guy right after it happened and it was hilarious because he freaked out when he was completely calm and relaxed in the water watching the coral and fish swim by when something large climbed up on his back lol! We all enjoyed a good laugh about it.
Enjoy Manatee in the Marina
We saw a manatee on multiple locations at various parts of the RV Resort but most of the time we spotted them in the RV Resort Marina.
They truly are gentle sea cows and it’s a bucket list experience to have them come right up to you and hang out for 20 min. Unfortunately, all of the ones we saw had propeller scars on their backs.
Get Some Work Done at Sunrise
The warm temps of the Florida Keys means that you can pull out your portable desk, laptop, coffee and get to work while the sun comes up.
This is personally my favorite time of the day. My company does social media for over 50 RV Dealerships and Campgrounds and I like to get at it before my competition is out of bed.
It’s also easy to provide an authentic top notch service when you live the life you’re selling.
Go to the RV Resort Restaurant
When we got here and found out there was a restaurant I figured because of how nice this place was that it would be priced for people who are on a vacation budget. Since we’re full-timers it’s been a challenge to throttle back the spending when there are so many amazing places to see and eat at.
We were blown away when we found out the quality of the food is good and the prices are incredible. In fact, they have happy hour food and drinks that make it tough to not come every day (we did most days). Cheapest beer in the keys, great appetizers, and awesome pizza but the main draw here is the view!
Imagine sitting down to eat while live music is playing after you order your food you get up and walk 5 steps to the water where you get in and go snorkeling until your food arrives… That’s this place!
While we were eating we’ve seen sharks, dolphin, manatee, lobster, crabs, boats, paddleboarders, jet skis, speed boats, kayaks and more to keep us entertained.
This is a bold statement but after full time RVing and eating at restaurants all over the country, this is my all time favorite ever!
Catch Fish for Supper
While I was here I was fishing em in every day. I’d get up early and get work done. When the sun would come up I’d grab my rod, slap a shrimp onto my hook and within minutes would have fish on the line. It was insane, seriously insane.
Non-stop action every single day just steps from our 5th wheel! I couldn’t believe it. I would fish either until I ran out of shrimp or Danielle would call me to come to have breakfast with the family. I even caught a tarpon one evening!
Swimming in the Florida Keys
Who doesn’t want to take a dip on a warm Florida Keys Vacation?
If the heated pool overlooking the ocean just isn’t cutting it for you just head on down the steps and get in the ocean itself!
Maybe while you’re at the restaurant waiting for the food you want to float around in the salty sea.
We also went swimming by stopping the boat and jumping in. It’s crazy how clear the water is here.
Soak in the Sunset
I’m not sure what it is about sunsets here but they were often awe-inspiring. There were a few times where we were just finishing up at the restaurant and the sunset literally stopped all conversation in the entire place…
Many of the campers here gather on the western most spot of the resort for the sunset. It’s a great way to grab some wine and come hang out with like-minded travelers who are all having a good time. Share some stories and make new friends.
Swim in the RV Resort Pool
I’m not sure who was enjoying themselves more, Ella being able to tell stories and play with all the grandmas or the grandmas being able to listen to and play with Ella?
A heated pool steps away from the RV and the Restaurant with views overlooking the ocean makes it tough to not have an enjoyable time.
They also have a 2 ft kid pool which is AMAZING to be able to watch your kids in a shallow relaxed environment where you can easily watch over them.
Feed the Tarpon in the Keys
This is at the absolute top of the list of the coolest things to do in the Florida Keys. At Robbie’s Marina, you’re able to eat at the restaurant and head out to the docks and feed the ancient and massive Tarpon Fish. These beautiful fish are powerful sport fish and you’re able to set a fish just above the water to have them leap out of the water and take it from you. Just watch out for the pelicans, they know they can snatch and grab too. Oh and keep an eye out for Manatee as we saw them on multiple occasions here.
Rent a Boat in the Florida Keys
Quite a few of the Campers brought their boats and kept them at the RV Resort Marina. I even have a friend who bought a boat while he was here and took me out shark fishing!
While our good friends Bill & Leighanna came to visit us we rented a boat to explore the keys! We visited a place just down the road from the RV Resort and the rates were very reasonable to take it out for the entire day.
There’s a lot of dangers in the keys for boaters but with the GPS technology, it was easy to navigate exactly where we should and shouldn’t be boating.
While we were out we swung into the RV Resort Restaurant to grab a bite to eat!
Of course, we stopped to jump in and play around in the warm salt water.
West Glacier KOA, MT
Everyone I’ve talked to who has visited Glacier National Park has had been blown away at the natural beauty of this area. It’s one of a kind and rivals any other place in the country.
One of the challenges is that it’s highly seasonal, meaning you have to time it just right t get the best RV Vacation experience here. The West Glacier KOA is located directly outside of the National Park entrance.
The Campsites
It’s easy to wake up full of excitement for your day when you wake up to this view of the mountains. All the sites have incredible views, spacious, have full hookups and a variety of other camping options.
If you prefer to tent camp, RV or even stay in cabins they have you covered. Another plus is this park has been newly renovated so everything is state of the art and up to date.
The Pool
You will not find a more scenic pool experience ever, period! Relaxing at the pool staring at the green mountains with snow-capped peaks, paradise! One of the big perks for us with full time RVing is that most of the RV Resorts have heated pools.
Keeping The Bears Out
When we first get to a new campground I like to get the rig setup and then head out and explore the campground. Sometimes with the truck, sometimes with the bike but usually on foot so we can take our time and really check the place out.
I didn’t understand at first why there was an electric fence surrounding our campground, I found out later that it’s to keep everyone safe from Grizzly Bears.
Getting Supplies
With any National Park or remote area, it’s best to make sure you fill up on supplies before you come as you’ll find better variety and pricing in the cities. But if you come here and need things you’ll find supplies not far away inside the part at West Glacier.
This same area has a lot of excursions and gear rental so you can make sure you’re all set to head out on your adventure. Don’t forget your bear spray!
Renting a Boat in Glacier National Park
Renting a boat in a National Park is a crazy adventure. This one offers you a few options. There’s an hour-long boat tour that takes off from the Lake McDonald Lodge where you can sit back, relax and take in the scenery.
Another incredible option is to take matters into your own hands and rent a boat either at West Glacier or at the Lake McDonald Lodge.
Visit the Lake McDonald Lodge
Lake McDonald Lodge is the main spot to hang out in Glacier National Park. It has a restaurant with lake views, boat rentals, excursions, and park rangers to ask questions and get information. This is also a great area just to hang out and meet other like-minded people who enjoy the outdoors.
Go on a Hike
There are COUNTLESS hikes in Glacier National Park. Hiking at the RV Resort is nice but if you venture just a few minutes down the road you can really find some incredible hikes.
Avalanche Lake was a great hike we did with Ella strapped up to my chest. Make sure you bring your bear spray. The entire hike is scenic but the lake will wow you.
Go on a River Hike
We’ve never seen such beautiful rivers as are up here. The watercolors mixed with the forests are just unbelievable. I mean pure natural beauty!
There were a few people who were fly fishing on the river when we were hiking on the trail near the campground. It was neat to watch them consistently reel in fish.
White Water Rafting
There are a lot of outfitters just down the road from the campground to take you on all kinds of adventures. White water rafting is one of the top excursions in this area. The KOA has a few that they recommend to get you all taken care of.
Biking the Going to the Sun Road
Before camping season kicks off into full motion this jaw-dropping road isn’t open yet to vehicles, but they DO open it up for Bikers. It gives you a rare chance to ride a bike on one of the most scenic roads in the world without having to worry about traffic.
Incredible post! So much practical information! Thank you for taking the time to get this post out!!! ~Kim
You Betcha.
Ya’ you betcha!😉
I’m curious how many of these places have that stupid rule that excludes rigs over 10 years old?