First experience with a long term stay at a Mega RV Park - feeling claustrophobic
NWescapee said
11:46 AM Feb 7, 2015
So, we're here at one of the HUGE RV parks in the Phoenix area for a month. It was actually a well thought out plan, or so we reasoned before we got here. We're flying out for a cruise vacation, made sense to find a location where we could park for a month, have our pet sitter come in and take care of the cat, have easy access to laundry facilities before and after the cruise, etc, etc,
Not liking it, wall to wall RVs, looking out my back window to siding from the back of a park model 5 feet behind us, RVs on either side, park models across the narrow street, etc. etc. So, obviously not our kind of place. Nice, friendly people, beautiful facilities, but feeling way too closed in.
Oh well, off for a hike at a local state park to regain our sanity. Just trying too think through a different plan / approach for the next time we have a flyaway trip and need to be close to an airport.
Any suggestions, for those of you that don't like the traditional RV parks, what do you do on the flyaway trips?
Barbaraok said
12:20 PM Feb 7, 2015
We really enjoy the parks in Mesa. Off course, with a MH you are looking out onto the street with all the hustle and bustle of a small town going on. We watch people come and go, sit with coffee and chat with people going by, walk around and visit old friends, meet new people, etc. Head out in the morning for breakfast, then geocaching in a local park, maybe into the Superstitions for the afternoon, maybe go to be concert in the evening, etc.
Now this wouldn't have appealed to us years ago when we were moving every 2 weeks in the winter, but it does now.
Barb
NWescapee said
06:35 PM Feb 7, 2015
Barb, totally understand that at some point in time this might appeal to us. Right now we're not retired so working M-F which limits the social activities / interactions, of which this park has LOTS of opportunities. We actually went hiking in the Superstitions today and I finally felt like we had room to breathe.
My favorite Mesa area to stay is Usery Mountain Park, love the huge sites and room between sites, but not practical for a stay where we needed our pet sitter to come in and when we were flying out for 12 days.
Hdrider said
08:44 PM Feb 7, 2015
We tried a Mega Park during our first year on the road just to see what we would think. And we felt like you described LOL!! We knew there was a horizon out there or a sunset someplace but we couldn't see it because we were smack dab in the middle of a bunch of park models.
Like you said, nice people and lots to do but not our thing. But maybe in your current situation with the upcoming travel we might belly up and make due if it was the most convenient . It's only a month in the big scheme of things.
bjoyce said
07:51 AM Feb 8, 2015
I am not sure if there are any private parks in the Phoenix area that will give you what you want. Happy Trails in Surprise has some larger sites for rent, but they charge more. Same with Superstition Buttes in Apache Junction.
We enjoy Val Vista Village, like Barb, but we are retired and Diane loves the quilting group there. We also love Usery Mountain Regional Park and stay there when we are in town for only a few days.
The Bear II said
01:01 PM Feb 9, 2015
DW loves the mega parks.... I prefer a park with no other RVs within 100 feet. She wins...most of the time.
NWescapee said
08:57 AM Feb 10, 2015
The good news is that we both share the same preferences in parks, both of us like to have more space between RVs. So, we leave for vacation tomorrow, pet sitter will take care of our kitty and then we'll escape to Quartzsite a few days after we come back to get some breathing room. We never really thought we would like a mega RV park for a long period of time, we've now confirmed that and will make different plans in the future.
Just not sure what those plans will be if we have another fly away trip.
Barbaraok said
10:45 AM Feb 10, 2015
Don't say never to anything. You might be surprised at how your ideas of a place to be change as the body starts to let you know that you are aging.
Barb
dianneandsteve said
12:19 PM Feb 10, 2015
We're with you Ruth. Tried a couple of those places and it's not for us. ) We've stayed a few times at http://www.eagleviewrvresort.com just outside of Fountain Hills when flying home for Christmas. We'd put our rig into their RV storage then take the airport shuttle. I don't know about pet sitting though.
Have a great cruise!
NWescapee said
07:03 PM Feb 10, 2015
Thanks Steve and Dianne, will you guys still be in Quartzsite by the end of February or will you be heading north before that? I think I'll be "stalking" your blog on your journey north since you guys always find the good boondocking spots and we'll be heading north after you, at probably a little slower pace.
dianneandsteve said
08:48 PM Feb 10, 2015
We'll be here in Q until Feb. 25th with Red and Pam. Then we're all heading to Yuma until the 29th...got another tooth issue that requires another visit to Los Algodones then the Yuma Air Show on the 28th. Then a week at the Midland BLM in Blythe the first week of March, then onto Lake Mead. Then we begin our journey north to our work camping job at Monck Provincial Park on Nicola Lake near Merritt , BC.
We also have done the HUGE RV parks. Hated it, plus we really did not like the desert. We have settled on Texas for winter. For a small, hill country park our favorite is http://www.skylineranchrvpark.com/ or if you want a bit more facilities, we spend the winter here. https://www.rancherovillagetx.com/home.html
Jim
Bill and Jodee said
11:03 PM Feb 13, 2015
I can't imagine ever liking those mega parks but am so glad that lots of folks do like them! I wouldn't want all of us piled up at the same places no matter how wonderful we all are
The pet sitting is probably the issue for your ideal location. Otherwise you can store the rig at several parks in most larger cities. Sounds like your hiatus to Q is a good option for some space in between!
So, we're here at one of the HUGE RV parks in the Phoenix area for a month. It was actually a well thought out plan, or so we reasoned before we got here. We're flying out for a cruise vacation, made sense to find a location where we could park for a month, have our pet sitter come in and take care of the cat, have easy access to laundry facilities before and after the cruise, etc, etc,
Not liking it, wall to wall RVs, looking out my back window to siding from the back of a park model 5 feet behind us, RVs on either side, park models across the narrow street, etc. etc. So, obviously not our kind of place. Nice, friendly people, beautiful facilities, but feeling way too closed in.
Oh well, off for a hike at a local state park to regain our sanity. Just trying too think through a different plan / approach for the next time we have a flyaway trip and need to be close to an airport.
Any suggestions, for those of you that don't like the traditional RV parks, what do you do on the flyaway trips?
Now this wouldn't have appealed to us years ago when we were moving every 2 weeks in the winter, but it does now.
Barb
My favorite Mesa area to stay is Usery Mountain Park, love the huge sites and room between sites, but not practical for a stay where we needed our pet sitter to come in and when we were flying out for 12 days.
Like you said, nice people and lots to do but not our thing. But maybe in your current situation with the upcoming travel we might belly up and make due if it was the most convenient . It's only a month in the big scheme of things.
We enjoy Val Vista Village, like Barb, but we are retired and Diane loves the quilting group there. We also love Usery Mountain Regional Park and stay there when we are in town for only a few days.
Just not sure what those plans will be if we have another fly away trip.
Barb
We're with you Ruth. Tried a couple of those places and it's not for us.
) We've stayed a few times at http://www.eagleviewrvresort.com just outside of Fountain Hills when flying home for Christmas. We'd put our rig into their RV storage then take the airport shuttle. I don't know about pet sitting though.
Have a great cruise!
Cheers!
I wonder if this new Technomadia entry was prompted by this discussion - http://www.technomadia.com/2015/02/finding-luxury-wherever-you-are/? The philosophy in it is close to our own.
We also have done the HUGE RV parks. Hated it, plus we really did not like the desert. We have settled on Texas for winter. For a small, hill country park our favorite is http://www.skylineranchrvpark.com/ or if you want a bit more facilities, we spend the winter here. https://www.rancherovillagetx.com/home.html
Jim
The pet sitting is probably the issue for your ideal location. Otherwise you can store the rig at several parks in most larger cities. Sounds like your hiatus to Q is a good option for some space in between!
Safe travels.
Jodee