Harbor View RV Resort & Campground – Our Honest Review

Harbor View RV Resort & Campground is located at 15 Harbor View Circle, Colonial Beach, VA.

This small Thousand Trails campground has 144 sites and is located in a very historic area of the country.

It is open from the first of April through the end of November. And it’s a fairly easy park to get to.

It is located not too far off Route 3 (Kings Highway) which can be easily accesssed from I-95.

And the roads to get to this park are very easy to navigate for any size RV.

Inside the campground itself, it initially looks like the park would be hard to navigate for a larger rig.

And although it’s not super easy to do, it is definitely do-able for bigger rigs. So that should not stop anyone from trying out this RV park.

Click here for the Harbor View RV Resort And Campground map

Harbor View RV Resort Campsites

The sites themselves for the most part are fairly level. They have a concrete patio pad in many cases.

And that allows you to put a few things out and enjoy your time there.

There is 30 amp service with full hookups. FYI, 50 amp service is available at many of the sites too. But it is on a first come, first serve basis.

What is the price of these sites if you are not part of the Thousand Trails system?

They run $53 a night. And if you stay for a week instead, it averages out to about $46 a night. Of course with Thousand Trails it is $0/night.

Harbor View RV Resort Amenities

What kind of amenities are in this park? Well, for one thing, they offer a beautiful pool area.

They also have a fairly decent mini-golf course and beautiful green fields to play different sports.

There is also a nice playground for the kids. And of course, the typical horseshoes and basketball.

The bath houses, although a little older are clean and functionable.

And the laundry room is small but the park is small too, so it works out fine. It is also clean and tidy.

The Marina Next Door To The Park

The area right in and around the park is really great for walking, for those exercisers out there.

The RV park itself is pretty and well shaded with a beautiful little pond in it.

But if you head out of the park and cross the street, there is a delightful little marina there.

And you can walk down to and be right on Mattox Creek. It’s actually quite a large creek.

If you follow that creek in a boat, it will eventually flow into the Potomac River.

The views from the marina are beautiful, especially at sunset. So it’s a great little walk that is unique to this Thousand Trails Park.

Harbor View RV Resort Internet Access

How about connectivity here? Well, the RV park itself offers no WIFI.

But being in a fairly populated area there, it was easy to connect to our hotspot through AT&T.

And others were using Verizon and T-Mobile with good success too.

Historical Sights Nearby

But as we mentioned, this RV park is in quite a historical area of the country.

In fact, within a fairly short drive you can see many historical sights. And quite a few are very informative and interesting.

George Washington’s birthplace is just 6 miles from the campground.

There is also Fredericksburg, which of course contains a famous Civil War Battlefield.

But also other battlefields, such as Chancellorsville, Wilderness, and Spotsylvania. And these are located only about 35 miles away from the RV park.

There is also a famous Civil War cemetery in Fredericksburg too.

Of course, there are many shops and museums that take you back to that time period too. So it’s a great place to spend some time.

Actually Washington, DC is only 70 miles away and the same with Richmond, VA. And as you know, there is plenty to see in those cities too.

Harbor View RV Resort – Local Restaurants

As far as places to eat in the area, there are lots of mom and pop restaurants to be found.

For instance, one place we ate was called the Battlefield Restaurant near Fredericksburg National Cemetery.

But there are also all the well known chains too. So no lack of eating establishments.

Things To See In The Surrounding Area

A little closer is a lovely little town of Colonial Beach. What a beautiful little township with marinas, a beach next to the Potomac River, and quaint shops.

You’ll love the New England style beach homes, and small eating establishments.

It’s an enjoyable town to take a drive around, or park and walk through. And that is located only about 10 miles from the RV park.

If you go a little beyond the turn off to Colonial Beach it will take you to King George.

This is a little bigger town with many chain restaurants and shopping areas.

Also, on the way to King George there are state parks to explore and enjoy. King George is located about 17 miles from the resort.

Harbor View RV Resort – Local Shopping

As you can see, there is much to see. But how about places to shop and provision. Well, right around the resort it is very limited.

But about 8 miles away is a place called Halls Super Market. You can pick up groceries there but it is a bit higher prices.

A couple miles more down the road is a Food Lion though. This is a bit better priced.

And not too far from that is a hardware store if you have a need for items like that.

To have more variety though, you would need to go to King George.

They have a Walmart and a Food Lion and many more box stores. And if you want access to everything, Fredericksburg would be the closest place.

There is a Walmart, Food Lion, Weis, and many of the stores we all look for to take care of our needs there.

Our Conclusion

So how would we rate Harbor View RV park? The area we would rate as a 4.5 star. There was much to see and enjoy.

The only negative was that a good part of it required a bit of driving. But hey, if you’re on vacation, then no issue there.

The resort we would give a 3.8 star. It was a bit small to get around in. Typical roads with some potholes, etc.

And it is a little far from being able to get reasonably priced groceries.

The park itself could be upgraded just a bit. We also think it would be nice to offer their customers WIFI. Because this is something that many people appreciate.

All in all, it was a very nice experience and we would not hesitate to go back.

Thank you for a nice visit Harbor View!!!!

Shady Pines RV Park – A Small But Neat Campground

Shady Pines RV Park is located at 10010 W. 7th Street, Texarkana, TX

This delightful little RV park is located to the west of Texarkana and is a Good Sam’s Park. It is not far off route 67 and is extremely easy to get to.

The roads getting to this park are paved. And they are also paved inside the park.

So it very easy to move around the campground even in a larger rig.

Click here to visit the Shady Pines RV Park website

Shady Pines RV Park Features

This park has a total of 48 sites so it is not very large. And the cost for a campsite in 2021 was $50 a night.

But you can save 10% with the Good Sam discount.

What are the sites like in this park? They have full hookups and there are 30 and 50 amp sites depending on your rig size.

All the sites seem to be very level. And they have concrete pads with a little patio pad and a picnic table on it.

There are both back-in and pull-thru sites available. And there are some seasonal sites too.

But many of the sites are for folks like us who are passing through the area.

All of the sites are plenty long. They are close to 80 feet in length.

And there’s enough room on each side for slides to come out. That way you don’t make the folks in the next site feel like you are invading their space.

Shady Pines RV Park Amenities

How about the park itself? It is immaculate. We found it to be mowed and edged and very clean.

It is not fancy with a swimming pool and playground. But the recreation area, bathrooms, showers, and the laundry room are all very clean.

They also have a nice walking path around a little lake which is on the property.

And if you wish to fish in the lake, you can do so without a license. That’s because it is on private property.

If you need any kind of assistance with anything, the staff is so helpful and courteous too. It was a pleasure to interact with them.

Internet Connectivity At The Park

How about connectivity? Well, we were just fine with our hotspot and AT&T. But the park does offer WIFI at no extra charge.

So this may be enough for most folks, especially if you are not working online and require a lot of download speed.

The Surrounding Area

However, the park is not in a very populous area. But Texarkana is not far away.

And you can find just about everything you need there for shopping. And of course, there are the typical chain restaurants to eat at too.

Also, the few things in the area for recreation are located about 10 miles away. So, there is a little drive required, but it is not extremely far.

Shady Pines RV Park – A Perk For RVers

The is one other nice little perk at Shady Pines RV Park. And that is that it is located right next to an RV dealership and parts store.

That’s very handy if you need to pick up any specialty things related to your RV.

In fact, there is a good chance you can walk next door and find exactly what you need.

They also have an RV tech on-site which could also come in very handy in some cases.

Our Conclusion

So all in all, how would we rate Shady Pines? Well, we would give the area a 3 star rating.

It is nothing very special but it definitely has a few perks. Like access to things related to RVing that could be helpful.

But the park is a wonderful place to stop for maybe a night or two to rest up a bit.

As far as the RV park itself, we would definitely give a 4+ rating.

It’s easy to access, neat and clean, nice staff on-site, and comfortable sites.

Would we go back??? We definitely would and will as we cross the lower part of the United States again.

Verde Valley RV & Camping Resort – Our Complete Report

Verde Valley RV & Camping Resort is located at 6400 E. Thousand Trails Road in Cottonwood, AZ.

This campground is open year round and is located in a very picturesque area of Cottonwood.

It’s not far from Sedona, Cottonwood, Jerome, and of course Phoenix, AZ.

In fact, it is located about 10 miles off I-17 after exiting the interstate at exit 287 and going west on Rte 260.

You will drive through some breathtaking countryside on your way to go to the campground.

In fact, the road is very easy to travel to get to this campground. And you should have no problems navigating even in a larger RV.

As you arrive and go through the Ranger’s station, you will immediately notice the unbelievable view from the entrance.

Click here to view a map of Verde Valley RV Resort And Campground

Verde Valley RV Resort – The Park Itself

This 340 site park located on about 300 acres of property winds down into the Verde Valley.

And the park is split up into different sections as you drive the winding road. There are beautiful views around almost every turn.

A note of warning though. They keep a strict watch on your speed. And the limit is 5 mph.

But frankly, you probably wouldn’t want to go a whole lot faster anyway.

This park is part of the Thousand Trail membership program. But you can also book outside this program.

And if you do, the sites for full hook ups and 30 amp electrical service run around $50/night.

Now, if you want 50 amp hook ups, there is an upcharge of $5 to $10 a day. But this is dependent on which camping area you are in.

The newer areas near the top of the campground cost more than the ones closer to the bottom.

Verde valley RV Resort – Campground Features

They also seem to have a reasonable amount of sites for people who are traveling through.

Although there are some year round residents, it does not seem to be the majority of sites.

It is a popular park, though, so it is wise to book ahead if you want specific dates.

As mentioned, the park itself is really in a beautiful area. And the sites for the most part seem to be fairly level.

But most will definitely be on grass or dirt. There are some gravel sites, but they, as you may expect, are taken very quickly.

The Campground Staff

The personnel are OK. They did not seem to be extra helpful. And they are definitely quick to tell you if you are over the speed limit.

That can be a bit irritating. But you usually do not have a lot of interaction with them except for checking in, etc.

So if you just bear in mind the speed limit, there should be no big problems with the staff.

Verde Valley RV Resort Amenities

How are the amenities in the park? Well, they seem to be kept up and clean.

We can’t speak about all the activities because of the COVID restrictions that were in place when we were there.

But it does seem that they usually have plenty of things taking place when things are normal.

And hopefully that will all be back to normal in a short period of time.

The bath houses seemed, although being older, to be in decent shape and fairly clean.

The one thing they do not have on premises is a laundry room.

There is a large, very clean laundromat in Cottonwood though. So keep that in mind if that is something that you need to take advantage of. (The name of it is Super Clean Laundry)

Verde Valley RV Resort – The Surrounding Areas

What is there to do in the area? Lots of things. The town of Cottonwood itself is located about 8 miles away, around 15 minutes from the RV park.

It has a picturesque Main Street with lots of Native American wares. And there are antique shops, and tourist shops that would interest just about anybody.

And just a little beyond that, or about 30 minutes from the park is Jerome, AZ.

The drive to Jerome is just breathtaking. And when you get to the town itself, it has lots of small stores.

You will find artist galleries, parks, and even a gold mine that can be explored too. And with gorgeous views all through the town.

And if you want a little something to eat, a cafe overlooking the mountains and valleys awaits you. You just can’t go wrong taking a trip to Jerome.

Visiting Sedona

But if you go in the opposite direction, just about 25 miles, or around 35 to 40 minutes away is Sedona, AZ.

Almost everyone has heard of Sedona. It’s famous for its beautiful red rocks.

Also the crystal blue sky, dark green pine trees and lots of beautiful vistas.

Along with that, there are many small stores that sell their wares. And there are fantastic cafes and eating establishments almost everywhere.

Just outside of the township itself are beautiful state parks. For instance, Slide Rock State park.

It offers picnicing and rocks to slide down into beautiful water holes. And there are hiking and rock formations all through that area too.

You can even go on Jeep rides off-road in the Sedona area. Which is an amazing experience if you have never done it.

As you can see, Sedona is a place that if you are staying that close, you just don’t want to miss. It’s absolutely one of our favorite places to go.

Verde Valley RV Resort Shopping Opportunities

But are there any stores close by that are easily accessed in order to pick up provisions? The great news is YES!

Right on Route 260 on the way to Cottonwood is a Walmart, a Fry’s grocery store, and a Home Depot. These are just 6 miles or about 10-11 minutes away.

Also, right in Cottonwood itself is a Safeway. And right outside is a Tractor Supply Store and an Ace Hardware.

So you can pretty much get anything that you want within about a 15 to 20 minute drive. Not too bad!

Internet Connectivity

The last question is, how about connection to the outside world while in the park? How is the WIFI?

Well, this is the only part that could be a little disappointing.

If you are in a part of the park that has a higher elevation it definitely is better than being down in the valley.

We were down in the valley and were using our hotspot and cell booster.

And as a result, we were able to get internet. Although most of the folks around us could not.

Our neighbors also told us that the park’s WIFI was not very good either.

Now we hear that they are in the process of improving the WIFI in the park.

And if they do, I’m sure many folks will be really pleased about that. But while we were there, it was almost nonexistent without a cell booster.

Verde Valley RV Resort – Our Conclusion

So how would we rate our experience at Verde Valley RV & Campground?

Well, the surrounding area is an absolute 5+. The beauty and the accessibility to everything is just wonderful.

How about the campground? We would probably give it a 3.8. Why?

Although the park itself is very pretty, the staff could be more accommodating.

And we wish they were not so crazy about that 5 mph speed limit.

The fact that they use radar guns to track you seems a bit overly excessive to us.

The amenities, although OK could be improved on a bit. And the WIFI connectivity, which so many people need nowadays needs improvement.

That does seem to be a work in process at this point though.

Would we go back to the park? That would be a definite YES.

It was a great place to stay to enjoy the beauty of Northern Arizona.

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