One of the most delightful aspects of RV ownership has been discovering the variety of environments in which we can camp. We’ve camped in friends’ driveways and in Wal-Mart parking lots. We’ve camped in national, state, and city parks. We’ve camped in public and private campgrounds. We’ve camped in the mountains, we’ve camped alongside majestic canyons, and yes, as today’s video demonstrates – we’ve camped on the beach.
When we first started shopping for our travel trailer, Kristy and I were motivated by the prospect of college football tailgating. In the Deep South, tailgating has been raised to a high art form; the well-equipped RV is its ultimate creative expression. Little did we realize that so many purposes other than tailgating would emerge. Ironically, although we’ve done an outrageous amount of camping, we have yet to take our Airstream to a football game! But after more than a year of ownership, we’ve taken our RV just about everywhere else.
This video showcases a spectacular beach camping site in Destin, Florida. Camping on the beach is as enjoyable as you might imagine. You can’t get any closer to the Gulf of Mexico. Every evening you are serenaded to sleep by a backdrop symphony of crashing ocean waves. And that white powder sand that gets scattered throughout every nook and cranny of your RV? In the months to come, you’ll see it and smile, since it serves as a reminder of those fond memories.
Filmed in late December 2007, this video also spotlights the spirit and optimism that accompanies a new year. As of today’s posting, the year 2008 is almost exactly half completed. How have you done so far this year? Have you kept your resolutions? Have you “seized the day” and made the most of every opportunity? Have you used your RV, or have you let it gather pollen and dust? Are you busy converting some of your dreams into reality?
Folks, we have six months left before this year is in the bag. I’m starting a new tradition and making a “mid-year resolution.” I’m going to sit down with my wife and make plans for the remainder of our year. The details will be subject to discussion, but rest assured that very soon, our RV will be kept very busy.
When making plans for the future, always remember: a little bit of the future arrives every day.
I have been watching your blog since you made your move to this location. I love it. I am interested in buying a old airstream and fixing it up. I would love to see you post a “nickel tour” of your Airstream. Maybe that can be a upcoming episode.
Scott, thanks for your comment. Our blog is a constant “work in progress” but at least there is some progress being made. 😆
Great idea on the nickel tour. If you check out the right sidebar, you’ll see an old and somewhat haphazard video tour I put together last year. But it’s certainly due for an update.
As for the vintage Airstream, go for it! Kristy and I were ready to pull the trigger on one last year, but we got impatient (with our wedding date set) and ended up buying a more recent model. I’ve always thought the vintage units are the best deal in RVing. The exterior styling is timeless, and the interior you can customize to whatever specs you want.
Thanks again, and stay tuned. We’ve got some fun stuff planned!
I am really looking forward to it. My problem is I have champagne taste on a beer budget. 😥 Not sure if I can afford the newer ones. Still waiting for the right one to come along. I’m a bargain shopper.
Keep up the great work.
I understand. I am also a bargain shopper. If you are a “do it yourself” kind of guy, you could pick up an old donor Airstream, polish the exterior, gut the interior, and finish it at your own pace. That would obviously be a MAJOR undertaking, however. I would be overwhelmed.
There are firms out there who do nothing but restore vintage Airstreams and travel trailers, customizing them for clients. I think that by the time you total it all up, you’ll end up spending $25k or more for one of these. It all depends on how extravagant you get with the finishings.
Perhaps the best deals are for “new-ish” (ie. 1990s and up) Airstreams on the resale market. Although they hold their value pretty well, Airstreams depreciate like everything else. In the current market climate, I bet you can find a nice deal.
Folks – – –
I stumbled across you Bloggings tonight (and that was difficult to do sitting in a office chair), but I just finished installments #47, #48 then #1 thru #5. I happen to be from Destin and enjoyed the view.
I just want thank you for the refreshing take/attitude you both generate on your travels so far and sir . . . You are sooo lucky to Walk About with the lovely flower on your arm.
May I ask (1) What video setup you have (great clarity, composition and good editing) and (2)what the both of you do for a living. I am 63 still working in St Augustine, FL which is pleasant, but you both seem to have gotten smart and are enjoying life early in life.
Again, thankew for your efforts.
Guy Rivard
RivardRV@gmail.com
Guy, be careful when stumbling across bloggings…they can be dangerous.
We love Destin. In fact, it’s sort of a “home away from home” for us. If you think that fellow riding his bike along Highway 30A looks a lot like me, that’s because it probably IS me!
We shoot our blog in 1080i high-definition (although they are displayed at 720P here on the site) using two Canon HV20 cameras, and one older Sony HC3. I edit using Sony Vegas Pro software. Thanks for your comments about clarity and composition. These blog videos actually require a lot of effort to produce, but they are also a lot of fun.
As far as what we do, about ten years ago I started developing Internet content…which is a fancy way of saying we built websites. A couple of years ago, I developed an interest in digital filmmaking, so we eventually started this honeymoon blog as a means of exploring it. And here we are still doing so, today. If all goes well, we’re going to really grow our “online show” in the near future. Thanks for checking us out, and please stay tuned! 😎
Would love to know the name of this campground in Destin (or the names of any of the campsites you guys stay in).
The Destin campground is called “Camping on the Gulf.” It’s privately owned and (frankly) pretty expensive. But it is unique, and if you can score one of the beachfront campsites the view is tough to beat!
There are some other campgrounds in that area worth checking out. Grayton Beach and Topsail are both state parks. They are more reasonably priced, but reservations are harder to come by.
If you ever make it down to Key West, check out Bluewater Key. Again, it’s private and expensive, but the ambiance is heavenly.
Hi Sean and Kristy,
This video brings back many good memories about camping on the beach. There are a number of places to camp along the Gulf Coast. One area that we are familiar with is the North Padre Island area, south of Corpus Christi, TX. In case your travels take you that way, I’ll tell you about some areas we know about:
The town of Port Aransas offers camping right on the beach, with a charge to buy a vehicle sticker. I think there is something like a 3-day limit. This area can get crowded and a little bit funky in the summer.
If you go just a few miles south to Mustang Island State Park, you can camp right on the beach for $16. ($4 per person admission, and $8 camping fee) There are no hookups on the beach, but it tends to be less crowded. They also have campsites back away from the water with partial hookups, for an additional fee.
There is also the Padre Island National Seashore, several more miles south. The admission fee is $10, good for 7 days. You can get a free camping pass to park down on the beach, or for an additional fee, there an RV parking area with no hookups back further from the beach. The price is right, and this is probably the most scenic area; but their regulations and rangers do have a slight feeling of National Park “look but don’t touch” officiousness. Watch your speed there, they like to give out speeding tickets for even slightly over the limit, on the beach as well as the road.
South Padre Island, more than 100 miles to south by road, used to be our favorite place to camp on the beach. It used to be possible to camp for free on the beach there. I think it is still technically legal to camp on the beach; but the local authorities there seem to be discouraging it now days. There is a large, fairly reasonably priced, somewhat older municipal campground “Isla Blanca”, mostly back away from the beach. There is also a somewhat expensive campground on the bay side.
I think there are several other places to camp on, or at least near the beach, between Florida and Corpus Christi, but we haven’t personally seen them. I had heard there are also some places around Freeport and Galveston in Texas.
Usually we decided to move inland after a few days. About 5 days right by the water are usually enough. Sand gets into everything, anything metal begins to rust, and the wind can start to become annoying. But there is nothing like waking up to the sound of shorebirds, stepping right out the door of your RV, and walking right down to the beach.