Hidden Cove RV Resort is located at 687 CR 3919 in Arlely, AL.

This little hidden gem of a campground is in Northern Alabama and located on Lewis Smith Lake. But it is affectionally called just Smith Lake.

It is part of the Thousand Trails campground system, but can be booked online independent of Thousand Trails. And the cost for an RV campsite is about $50 a night if you decide to book it that way.

Click here to view the Hidden Cove RV Resort map

Hidden Cove RV Resort Features

This campground offers not only 30 amp but 50 amp sites. In fact they just put in a new loop, Loop C, which has nothing but 50 amp sites.

These sites offer not only back-in spots but also pull-through if that is your choice. And with their addition of 80 new spots it is a great option to stay.

Some of these spots back up to overlook the lake, but most of those sites are hard to get. And that is because they are snatched up right away.

There are some annual sites there also, but not all are just for the annual residents.

Of course, these newer sites are wonderful in many ways. But don’t forget that there are also some great campsites located in the older loops as well.

For instance, in Loop B which is mainly 30 amp, and then Loop A which offers 50 amp sites.

Most of the campsites in this park tend to be fairly level and offer water and sewer as well as electric.

A real plus is that pretty much all campsites are accessible for rigs of all sizes. And the roads seem to be fairly well cared for too.

A Warning For Those With Larger Rigs

But there is one situation that you do need to be aware of. And that is if you are trying to access Loop B and Loop C there is a small bridge to cross first.

And when you leave the office after check in, you may choose to take the left hand road at the fork.

But the left turn to go over the bridge to get to those loops is very narrow and sharp. We almost got ourselves in a tough spot trying to do that.

So if you have a bigger rig it would be best to take the road to the right at the fork instead. Then drive through the dump station and take the next left.

That will give you a more gentle bend and you will be able to go across that bridge easily. Mainly because you will be entering it straight ahead instead of at a sharp angle.

Then leaving the area, if you reverse the direction, it will work just as well. Of course, if you have a smaller rig, you can probably make that swing just fine.

So it will be up to you if you want to do that or follow the route that the bigger rigs would find better to navigate.

Hidden Cove RV Resort Amenities

The park itself is very well cared for though. The bath house and laundry room, especially in the new section, was very up to date and clean. Laundry was reasonably priced also.

The bath house in the older part of the park was very clean too. Although it could use some upgrading at some point in the future, it’s still very usable.

The park also boasts some enjoyable amenities too. For instance, they had just redone the mini golf area.

And there was a playground for the kids, and a pool that was not open yet when we were there. This is because it was just being finished.

All of these areas and the clubhouse will be a definite plus when the restrictions of Covid are lifted.

But let me tell you that the real beauty of the park is the access that you have to Lake Smith. In fact, if you own a boat, it is a boaters paradise.

There is a really nice boat ramp and dock onsite. And it even has a floating fishing well which is really cool and we saw many campers using it.

So if you like to fish, this RV park is absolutely a must visit. But even if you are not into fishing, just walking the park is very enjoyable.

Its many views and the observation deck with a free-to-use paddle boat are just amazing. And if you wish to just go swimming off the rocks, you can do that also.

This is not only a great place to do things with the family though. It’s also a good place to get some quiet personal rest and relaxation if that is your choice.

What About The Surrounding Area?

What about the area around it? Well, there are so many things to do. We stayed for about 10 days and enjoyed the beauty of the surrounding area.

There was a natural bridge fairly close by with surrounding trails and trickling brooks.

And there was a really cool covered bridge with hiking trails not far away too.

Also, if you are interested in the history of the Civil War, there is a wonderful little museum that we found.

It has interesting war memorabilia that is privately owned by a unique gentleman that is a wealth of information. All of these things add to the uniqueness of the area.

But seeing you are kind of out in the middle of nature, do you have to go far to provision? Well there is an adorable little town of Arley only 5 miles away.

The town has a grocery store that is not too high priced for being in a smaller town.

And there is a really delicious diner and cafe in Arley as well. They are both reasonably priced for a nice breakfast, lunch or light dinner.

There are also some Mom and Pop restaurants not far away that serve up some delicious seafood and other cuisines.

Hidden Cove RV Resort Shopping Options

If you wish to go to a small city with more options for shopping, Jasper is only 25 miles away. And it has at least a Walmart and Aldi’s, as well as other known brands for general shopping.

You will also find a Harbor Freight and other stores where you can find just about anything that you need.

If you go in the other direction, there is the city of Cullman which is about 30 miles away. And it offers very much the same opportunities for shopping.

So you definitely have plenty of shopping options to choose from in the area. We feel that you can stay in the area for a period of time and have everything that you really need.

Campground Internet Access

But there is one last thing that most of us travelers want to know. And that is how is the connectivity in this park for cell phone and internet access?

Well, we had Sprint cell service at the time for our phones, and it tended to be a bit spotty.

But when we accessed the internet through our hotspot which was with AT&T, it was a different story. In fact, we had enough signal to easily work online and stream videos if we wished.

The RV park does offer wifi, so I am sure you could get some access through that method too. But I am not sure what the cost is as we did not need to access it.

Our Conclusion

So is this park a good option?? Oh my goodness yes.

It is a bit off the beaten path but what a wonderful place to stay. We enjoyed it so much that we have plans to go back again later this year.

Our rating for this little hidden gem is definitely a 4.5.

Thank you Hidden Cove RV Resort for a great visit the first time and we look forward to seeing you again this year!

Thousand Trails Orlando RV Resort is located at 2110 Thousand Trails Blvd, Clermont, FL

Oh my what a wonderful RV park!!! We thoroughly enjoyed our time there as we stayed twice during our time in Florida this year.

And although this is a Thousand Trails Park, they also offer sites just by booking online.

For a regular site which includes electric water, and sewer, they start around $70 a night. However, if you want a 50 amp hookup, sometimes there is a $5 a night upcharge.

Of course, these charges do not apply if your site is reserved through the Thousand Trails system though.

Click here to view the Thousand Trails Orlando Park Map

Thousand Trails Orlando RV Resort Accessibility

First off, let’s just say that Thousand Trails Orlando RV Resort is an easy park to get to. Located right off Route 27 in Claremont, it is a straight shot up US 27 after getting off I-4 at the Davenport exit.

During that 15 to 20 minute drive, you will pass many stores that could be extremely
handy for handling any purchases you may need to make while camping there.

There are Publix grocery stores, Walmarts, eating establishments, and many others. In fact, there is a Publix located at the next light on Route 27, right after your turn into the campground.

The entrance and the ability to navigate through this park is good for smaller RVs and also the big boys. We saw plenty of both and it was accommodating to everyone who came in. And you can’t say this about all RV parks.

Secondly, if you are looking for a location that is a short drive to sightseeing, including Disneyworld, this is your place.

Disney’s Animal Kingdom is located just a little over 12 miles from the RV park. So if you are a Disney fan, this is a super place to stay!

As far as other things in the area, there are way too many to mention. But let’s just say that it is the perfect place to visit the many things the Orlando area has to offer.

The RV Resort Features

But what is the Thousand Trails Orlando RV Resort really like? Super nice! It is very large. They just opened a brand new RV area in late November, and now there are well over 1,000 sites.

When we first arrived at the guard shack, we were greeted by a very friendly and helpful employee. They made sure that we had a little direction on how the park is laid out.

This is important because the park is BIG, really BIG!! But the staff is eager to help so that you can head in a direction that would be the most helpful for you.

And we have to say that the sites in this park are generally well laid out. Of course, there is definitely an older section of the park.

But they are working to upgrade the older sites with more gravel or even concrete pads. Even so, most of these sites are generally pretty level.

But let me tell you the new section of the park is really fantastic!!! It boasts asphalt roads, concrete driveway and pads, picnic tables and plenty of room between sites.

And the newer section also has spots that back up to trees and even a couple of ponds.

In fact, we came in the day after they opened this section of the park. And we got a beautiful spot right on a pond!

We Enjoyed The Beauty Of This Park

We enjoyed the sun setting over the pond and sand hill cranes strutting through our site. And there was even gopher turtles with habitats that are protected by the park employees.

It was such a restful relaxing place to stay, and we loved it!!!

There is also a beautiful lake that you can walk down to that has a fishing pier. And there was a bench that we enjoyed daily at the end of that pier.

Sitting there, we were able to sit and drink up the beauty of Lake Hancock.

And certain times of the day are very special there too. In the evening, we enjoyed the soft lapping of the lake. And the hawks and owls begin calling to each other.

It transports you to the way Florida used to be many years ago, quiet and restful. It was truly a beauty we enjoyed almost everyday.

The Park Staff Is Very Helpful

As always in Florida though, the weather is constantly changing. And we found ourselves facing a hurricane that was coming up the west Florida coast.

In fact, its path was right where we needed to drive for our next destination. And we became very worried to make the drive through that kind of bad weather.

So we decided to check with the park management to see if we could extend our stay until this bad weather passed by. Happily, they were more than happy to work with us, and within minutes our stay was extended.

Their support was fast, efficient, and they were very understanding. You certainly can’t ask for more when you are dealing with a tense situation.

They solved our dilemma in no time. Thanks so much for all you did for us guys!!!

Thousand Trails RV Resort Amenities

But what about amenities in the park? While we were there, they had just finished upgrading the pool and the surrounding areas.

The clubhouse is big and has a well stocked camp store in it and a mail room that is like none we have ever seen. You can receive mail, UPS parcels, FedEx packages, and can drop off letters to be mailed as well.

It was really a well run operation. We were impressed because many RV parks and resorts don’t offer that kind of service. Even those in the Thousand Trails system.

The trash is located in only one area of the park. And a compactor is used to take care of the trash that a park this big generates daily.

It was a plus because noisy trash trucks were not running through the park in the early morning hours.

And sprinkled through the park are bath houses and a few laundry rooms that we used as well. We found them to be clean and neat.

However, we thought the laundry was a bit expensive at $3 a load for both wash and dry. If that is not for you, don’t worry, there are laundromats nearby that we understand are cheaper.

And there are other park amenities like mini-golf, bocce ball, shuffleboard, etc. And they are kept in good shape for your enjoyment if you wish.

Connectivity At The Resort

Being that the park is in a fairly urban area, cell phone coverage was certainly very good. Both T-Mobile and Sprint worked well, and our AT&T hotspot brought in a very strong signal.

There is wifi in this park, except in the D section. And they make sure you are aware of this before you head out to find your campsite.

Thousand Trails Orlando RV Resort – Our Conclusion

There is just so much good to say about this park. Frankly, we wish all Thousand Trails parks were run like this one.

We have to say that Thousand Trails Orlando RV Resort is maintained very well overall. And they also continue to upgrade and improve the park on a regular basis.

Their staff is friendly and accommodating. And they work hard to help take care of the wildlife in the park. That was truly unique, and we appreciated their efforts in this area.

Would we return to Thousand Trails Orlando???? In a heartbeat.

So the next time through the area we will definitely take some time to stay at this park again.

Our rating…4.8 stars!!! Thanks to Thousand Trails and the staff for an awesome stay both times we were there!