Fort DeSoto Campground is located in Fort DeSoto Park, 3500 Pinellas Bayway So., Tierra Verde, FL. And it is near St. Petersburg, FL.

It’s a county park in the county of Pinellas. Florida has a beautiful state and county park system that allows you to see the beauty of the state.

Fort DeSoto itself is a very nice state park. And it has a sought after campground located within it. In fact, many of the sites in the campground sit right on the water.

So needless to say, the salt water views are beautiful and the sunsets are to die for.

Fort DeSoto Campground Features

But let’s talk a little about the campground first. This campground has 236 sites and it is divided into 3 sections.

Click here to view the map for Fort DeSoto Campground

There is a section with 85 sites that accommodates tents, vans, pop-ups and RV’s that are up to 16 feet long. At the time of this writing they run $37.86/night.

If you want one located on the water, it costs a little more at $42.38. These prices include taxes, etc.

Their next section, sites 86-164, is for those folks that have pets. The last section, sites 164-236, is for folks with no pets. And both of these two sections can accommodate RV’s of any size.

These campsite prices run $43.51/night. And if you want waterfront, the price is a little more at $48.03 including tax.

These sites have either 30 or 50 amp electric and water. But there is no sewer hookup, as is the case with most of the state parks in Florida.

They do have two very nice dump stations that can take care of those needs though.

Fort DeSoto Campground Sites And Reservations

One word of caution about Fort DeSoto Campground though ….book early. They fill up fast!!

Our experience is that they have a very pleasant office staff. They are actually Florida park rangers, who are extremely helpful.

And the campground also has a camp store where you can pick up a few things, including firewood.

At certain times of the year, it also has a little snack bar in it too. And it even has chairs on the porch that overlook the water.

What are the sites like? Well, they are dirt sites. And most of them are fairly level. But they do have some pull-through sites too.

They are definitely nestled in native Florida foliage and each one gives you privacy. The ones on the water are gorgeous. But as you can imagine, are a little more difficult to secure.

The ability to navigate the park is easy, even if you have a bigger RV. The roads leading to the park are very spacious and it is easy to get to the campground.

Fort DeSoto Campground Amenities

The park doesn’t have many amenities though. It has a couple of small playgrounds. And of course, bath houses with showers. They are older but clean.

But quite honestly, with the ocean as your backdrop to this campground, you don’t need much else. That being said…let’s talk about Ft. DeSoto Park.

Things To Do Nearby

The park itself is just wonderful!!!! It is 1136 acres of unadulterated Florida land with beautiful wildlife and landscapes.

It has 5 interconnected islands or keys. And two of these have ferries that you can take, so you can explore them.

There are beach plants, mangroves and 328 species of birds, plus much more wildlife.

And there are 7 miles of oceanfront. About 3 miles of which are white sandy beaches with designated swimming areas.

There is also one beach that is a dog beach, if you have a furry friend who likes the water.

Anything else in this park??? Definitely!!! There are pavillions to picnic at. And two fishing piers (must have a fishing license), a snack bar and a souvenir shop.

Why a souvenir shop? Well, this was a fort at one time. And the fort is still there to explore along with a small museum. So yes, you can find a little bit of history at this place too.

Boating And Hiking Opportunities

There are also places to launch your boat if you desire, to explore the area or fish. In fact, there is a really cool 2 1/2 mile canoe trail, if you like to canoe or kayak.

There are also trails that can be used for biking or walking. And local businesses rent wind jammers and other aquatic equipment too. That way you can enjoy your time on the ocean.

If you want to just get into the park, it is only $5. Of course, if you are camping in the campground, your entrance fee to the park is included.

Fort DeSoto Campground – Shopping Nearby

What is nearby for provisioning? Well, there is a Walmart about 10 miles away. But there are plenty of other grocery stores in between too.

Publix is a huge grocery chain in Florida and they are just about everywhere. But there are also hardware stores and big box stores as well. So there is not a problem provisioning.

Local Restaurants

What about places to eat? Well, you are near bigger cities and eclectic townships.

So not only do you have the normal chain restaurants. But plenty of Mom and Pop restaurants that are unique to the area.

And if you want seafood, just throw a rock. They are just about everywhere you go. So you can please any taste and everyone will be happy with something close by.

As far as things to do….you are on the ocean. Plenty of water activities, botanical gardens, etc. And just hanging out on the beach enjoying the shelling and the sunshine.

The area offers way too many things to even mention. But if you visit the area, you are sure to find something to do!!!!

Our Conclusion

So how would we rate the area and the Fort DeSoto campground? The surroundings is an absolute 5 stars. This is just a very nice part of Florida to visit.

How about the campground??? Well, we would give it a 4.5 stars. The campground area itself is very serene. And the beauty it brings for everyone to enjoy is outstanding.

The facilities we would give a 4 star rating. It is a little older and could use some updating and there are not a ton of amenities.

But once again, given the area, you don’t need much. Especially when you are staying at a beautiful place right on the ocean.

So all in all, you may definitely want to put this on your agenda if you are visiting the St. Petersburg area.

Thank you Fort DeSoto for the lovely stays we have had there. We look forward to many more!

Mesa Spirit RV Resort is located at 3020 East Main Street in Mesa, AZ.

This RV resort is located in a very populated area of Mesa, AZ. And it’s near many restaurants and stores in the area. It you like that kind of thing, then Mesa Spirit is a very good option for you.

This particular resort is a participator in the Thousand Trails membership system. And if you are part of that system, you can also be part of the Trails Collection too.

The Trails Collection allows you to stay for 2 or 3 weeks for $0 a night. Depending on your Thousand Trails membership.

But this park can also be used even if you are not a Thousand Trails member. Then the cost for an RV site, as of this review is $73 a night. And if you stay for a week it averages out to $63 a night plus tax, of course.

But they also offer longer stays at reduced rates if you wish to stay in the area longer. Just call for those prices to find out what the cost and availability is for your needs.

Click here to view the Mesa Spirit RV Resort map

Mesa Spirit RV Resort – Age Qualified?

Now we have to mention that this is a 55+ age qualified park. But there are younger folks who also stay there too.

We questioned them about this. And they said that if they have availability, that very often the resort will let younger families in.

But you must contact the office to make those arrangements. Or if you are part of Thousand Trails, contact them directly to check on availability.

It’s nice that they offer this on a limited basis. Especially since many of the RV parks in the area only cater to the 55+ crowd.

Mesa Sprit RV Resort Amenities

So what is the park itself like? Well, this park offers many amenities. There are 2 pools and hot tubs.

And they offer many other activities that are associated with RV resorts. Like tennis, pickleball, shuffleboard, a nice little 9 hole mini-golf course. And all kinds of events and workshops.

So there is a lot to keep you busy if you enjoy these kinds of activities. The people that stay in the park are very friendly and accommodating too.

And we found that the full time people that stay there, are very helpful as well. So it makes for a homey feeling even though you are in a large RV resort.

Mesa Spirit RV Resort Features

But talking about large, how big is it? Well, the park itself has 1667 sites and is open all year long. Most of the sites have either a dirt or gravel site.

But they offer a concrete pad beside it for parking your tow or towed vehicle. And for setting up your outside area as you like. So, it works very well.

The sites all have 50 amp service. So be sure if you have a 30 amp RV that you bring an adapter. Or they also offer them for purchase at the office area.

Can a big rig navigate the park fairly well? Most definitely. We have been here a number of times.

And we have had no problem getting to our spot and then backing into it. So having a larger rig should not stop you from enjoying this park.

The management also keeps everything neat and clean throughout the park. But the campsites themselves are not extremely spacious. However, they offer enough room to set up everything that you need.

And they are large enough to allow you to enjoy your time in the beautiful Arizona weather. Especially if you are there through the winter months! 🙂

How About Internet Access?

One other amenity that we all think about a lot these days is connectivity. Well, the RV park does offer free WIFI throughout the park.

As we all know, this can sometimes be spotty and sluggish. It does seem to be much stronger near their main buildings though. For instance, their clubhouses and office area.

If you are not having success with that, they also offer a cable internet service. It’s through Dish Network, if you have a compatible modem. And the basic service for that is free.

If you have issues beyond that, you can contact the office. And they will put you in touch with a Dish Network technician that services the park. They can work with you on further options.

We had no need of that because we work with T-Mobile and Verizon hotspots. And we have no difficulties connecting and using their services in this area of Arizona.

So as you can see there are a number of available options for internet connectivity. It all depends on your needs.

Activities In The Area

How about activities in the area? Well, you are in the middle of the state of Arizona. So the options are endless, depending on what activities you enjoy doing.

Of course, Arizona is known for gorgeous hiking trails. And there are so many around.

If you access the All Trails app on your phone, you will see the many options that are available. They range from easy paved trails to more challenging mountain climbs.

But there are gorgeous drives through beautiful canyons nearby. And some nice lakes in the bottom of some of those canyons.

You are also only a little less than 2 hours from Sedona. A place with beautiful red rocks and a charming town. There you will find plenty of offerings for food, drink, and shopping.

Also if you want to go into the desert, there are well known Jeep tours for that. Or if you have a Jeep, plenty of trails to ride and explore.

Now in the Phoenix area itself, there are well known basketball, football and baseball teams. And don’t forget spring training games that you can attend too.

If you enjoy gardens, they have botanical gardens and desert gardens nearby. If you are into more indoor activities, they have museums and historical places in the area too.

Open air flea markets are very common. In fact there is a great one about 15 minutes from the Mesa Spirit park.

Shopping Nearby To Mesa Spirit RV Resort

And if you enjoy retail shopping, there are plenty of places to go and do some shopping. Also, Tucson is only about 1 1/2 hours away. And that opens the door to many other activities. We could go on and on about things to do in Arizona, but this should be enough for now.

But how about places to provision? Not a problem here. There are 3 grocery stores within about 5 minutes from the Mesa Spirit park.

There’s a Safeway, Albertsons, and Fry’s. There is also a Walmart about 10 minutes away. And Home Depot is just down the road, if you need those kind of supplies.

And there is either a Walgreens or CVS on about every other corner in the area. There is also an actual mall about 10 minutes away as well. So as you can see, plenty of places to get anything you may need.

Conclusion

So what is our overall opinion and rating for Mesa Spirt? Well we would give it a 4 out of 5 stars.

We really do enjoy the park very much. It has an overall homey appeal as we mentioned earlier in this review.

We have stayed there a number of times. Because we like to spend our winters in Arizona for the most part.

So why did we not give it a higher star rating? Mainly because we have been to other parks in our travels that have a little larger sites.

Or perhaps full concrete pads on which to park your rig. Or maybe more amenities that some may be looking for.

But we feel that this is a very nice park and we certainly enjoy its location. We also like the gated safety it provides, and the warm feeling we have when we visit it.

Thank you Mesa Spirit for offering a nice option for places to put down roots for a little while when visiting the Phoenix-Mesa area.

The Oaks RV Resort at Point South is located at 1292 Campground Road in Yemassee, SC.

This 93 site RV park is located right off the I-95 at Exit 33 in South Carolina. And it is part of the Thousand Trail membership program.

But as with most of the Thousand Trails parks, it can be booked without being part of this program.

The cost if you are not part of the program is $75 a night. Or if you want to book it on a weekly basis it is about $65 a night.

Click here to view The Oaks RV Resort campground map

The Oaks RV Resort Features

The RV park features include full hookups with both 50 amp and 30 amp service. And the very best feature of this park is that it is so close to the highway. That means that it is easy off/easy on and it is accommodating to big rigs too.

The general appearance of the park is nice. It is nestled in oak trees and the sites are fairly level for the most part.

Another great plus is that they are mostly pull thru sites too. So that makes it very nice. Especially if you are there for only a night or two and want to stay attached to your tow/towed vehicle.

The staff is very pleasant to work with and accommodating too. And the amenities in this park are adequate.

The Oaks RV Resort Amenities

The RV park amenities include a small swimming pool and a clubhouse where they offer some activities. They also have a nature walk around the park that has a couple of small ponds. And you can fish in them if you wish.

When we were there, the ponds were quite overgrown with algae. Most likely due to the time of year when we visited. But they still provided a nice, quiet place for a walk.

There is a pavilion for picnics and each site offers a picnic table and fire ring.

The bath house is nothing spectacular. But it is adequate and kept clean. They also offer a laundry room that is clean and reasonably priced too.

The campground does have cable but it costs extra. And they offer free wifi, but only at the clubhouse though.

We did not take advantage of either of these things because we use our own internet hotspot. And with both AT&T and T-Mobile we were able to have connectivity and were able to stream TV.

The Oaks RV Resort – Nearby Activities

How about things to do in the area? Well, most things are a little bit of a drive to get to. But they would make good day trips.

About 45 minutes away are both Hilton Head and the Atlantic Ocean. And when you get in that area, there is quite a variety of things that can be done.

If you go about 45 minutes in the other direction, you can visit the historic area of Savannah, GA. Once again, this has quite a variety of offerings. That’s because of not only being historical, but quite a tourist area too.

Nearby Restaurants And Shopping

How about places to eat and provision? Well about 15 minutes south on the I-95 is a little town called Ridgeland.

This had a place to eat called Eats and Sweets that is right on Main Street. It had some delicious food. And of course, as you can tell from the name, some tantalizing deserts and sweets.

There were also a couple of other different restaurants in the area that offered seafood and Mexican food. And they have a few of the normal chain restaurants too.

The town also has a Piggly Wiggly where you can pick up groceries, if you wish to as well.

If you want to travel toward the east from the RV park, you can go to the city of Beaufort, SC. It is about a 30 minute drive.

There you will find most of the normal restaurants that we all see in our travels. They also have a Walmart, a Publix and a Food Lion to get groceries.

There is also a Home Depot and many of the normal box stores there too. So if you need other things besides groceries, you should be able to find what you need in Beaufort.

Our Conclusion

So what did we think of The Oaks at Point South? The Oaks best feature is its proximity to the main highway.

The ease of getting on and off the highway make it very desirable to RV travelers. The park itself is adequate and provides what you need as you journey through the state of Georgia.

It is quiet and clean. But it really is not near a lot of things to do though. So it might be good to be sure to have most of your provisions before you get there.

We have found it to be a good place to stop as we are going from the Northeast to Florida.

We have already stayed here a couple of times. And we usually stay just a few days to rest and recuperate before we again move on our way.

It works really well for us in that manner. So we would give it a 3.5 star rating overall.

It is not outstanding, but it definitely fits the bill for what we need. Which is to rest for a few days and then move on again in our travels.

Thank you to The Oaks RV Resort at Point South for a quiet and relaxing few days in our RV journeys!