Birmingham South RV Park - Birmingham, Alabama (June 2026)

We stayed in this park seven years ago. Last time we arrived as it was getting dark and left before sunrise. We didn't have an opportunity to actually "see" this campground. This time we arrived in the early afternoon and actually got to see the park.

This was an independent park, but it had the look and feel of a KOA campground.

The office at this campground

We were surprised at the nightly rate of this campground. I guess we are used to camping in Corps of Engineers parks, state parks and military FamCamps where the camping fees are more reasonable. 
I guess because we questioned their fee structure, we were assigned a 30 amp only site, which was cheaper than 50 amp sites. 

Rosie in this campground

Our first Airstream trailer was a 30 amp unit, so we know how to do 30 amp math. For example, you cannot run the air conditioner and the microwave at the same time because you will exceed 30 amps and blow a fuse. The AC units on Rosie are more efficient than our earlier RV and we decided to experiment by running one AC and the microwave at the same time. It was working until the electric hot water heater turned on and blew the circuit breaker. We switched off the hot water heater and I went outside to reset the breaker. I think 50 amp Rosie has spoiled us. 

Another view of Rosie in this campground

Since we arrived in the early afternoon, we had time to walk around and look at the park. Our verdict was this is a really nice and well maintained park. We were glad we stayed in the Birmingham South RV Park. 

We noticed that several campers near us followed our lead and didn't unhitch. That told us we were not the only people spending the night there while on the road. 

We got up a little after 4 am the next morning, dumped our black and gray tanks and disconnected the utilities. We quietly left the park and were on the road before 5 am. Our goal was to be home before the heat of the day. 

Here are some specifics about this campground:

• Our site was a pull thru
• Our site was gravel and required a few leveling tools 
• Our site had 30 amp electrical service 
• Our site had a water connection 
• Our site had a sewer connection 
• Our site had a cable TV connection We did not connect to the TV cable system
• The park had WiFi service. We were not there long enough to use it
• AT&T placed four bars of 5G service over our site for voice and data 
• The park had restrooms and showers; We did not check these out
• We did not scan to see if Rosie's antenna could pickup TV stations from Birmingham
• According to Apple Maps, here were restaurants and shopping nearby
• This was a pet friendly park 

Rock Island State Park - Rock Island, Tennessee (June 2026)

Rock Island State Park is less than an hour away from the previous campgroun, so we took our time arriving for our next camping adventure. 

On the way into Rock Island State Park

Sign at Rock Island State Park

We followed the check-in procedure at the previous Tennessee State Park. We drove to our site and set up Rosie, our Airstream trailer. After unhitching our truck, we went by the park's Visitors Center to get a campground map. There we learned that this park wants campers to check in first then head to their sites. 

Rosie in our site at Rock Island State Park

Speaking of our site, it was one of the few in this campground that had very limited shade and was in full sun during the afternoon. We were thankful that our site had reliable 50 amp electrical service and that Rosie's two air conditioners worked to cool off the trailer. 

Waterfall in the park

There was a significant amount of poison ivy around our site and the campground. We didn't remember that from the first time we camped here. 

We were thankful that the park provided usable WiFi service in the campground. Our iPhones had trouble finding a usable cell signal. We were able to use the "WiFi Calling" feature on our iPhones to talk to our family members. 

Another waterfall in the park

The building we call Rapunzel's Tower

We drove to Franklin, Tennessee one morning. There are a couple of stores there that Becky enjoys visiting. I read a story about the best ice cream stores in the region and one of the highlighted shops was close to Franklin. It took much longer to get to that shop, but we saw the historical district of that community and the ice cream was good. 

Suzy enjoyed seeing the historical district of Franklin, Tenn

The main reason we were in this campground was to rest and Rock Island is a perfect place to do that. 

We were puzzled while walking around the campground to hear sounds typically associated with a basketball court. We ended up walking across a parking lot to find basketball and tennis courts hidden down a steep hill. 

Selfie in Rock Island State Park

We were scheduled to camp in this park for another week but the weather forecast for home and the park convinced us to leave early. Temperatures were mostly in the low to mid-80s during the afternoons while there. The temperatures were predicted to rise into the high 90s with triple digit heat indexes for both the park and at home. We didn't want to hitch-up, drive in and unload Rosie at home with temperatures that high, so we left while the temperatures were still decent. Our plan was to camp south of Birmingham, Alabama, then to arrive home during the morning hours the following day. 

I had it in my head that we wanted to get to I-24, drive towards Chattanooga then get on I-59 and hit I-65 south of Birmingham. Apple Maps kept arguing with us over this route. We should have listened to Apple Maps because I-24 was stop-and-go traffic and the road condition of I-59 was horrible for about 50 miles. I should have listened to Apple Maps. 

Here are some specifics about this campground:

• There were multiple loops in the campground
• Our site was a back in
• Our site had very little shade
• Most sites had some space on both sides
• Our site was paved with asphalt and we had to use leveling tools to correct a left to right lean
• Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service 
• Our site had a water connection
• Our site had a sewer connection
• There was a dump station in this park 
• The trash dumpsters were near the dump station. It was easy to walk there with your trash
• There were several bathhouses in the campground. The bathhouse closest to Rosie was outdated but clean
• The park provided WiFi service. We measured 21.27 mbps download and 15.22 mbps upload speeds
• AT&T provided maybe one bar of 5G voice and data service over our campsite 
• We were unable to pickup any TV stations using Rosie's antenna 
• There were restaurants and shopping nearby
• This was a pet friendly park 

Sign directing traffic into the campground

Rosie in Rock Island State Park

Fall Creek Falls State Park - Spencer, Tennessee (June 2026)

We have visited Fall Creek Falls State Park a handful of times both in Rosie, our Airstream trailer, and during our tent camping days. In fact, I remember the old restaurant in the park and its legendary seafood dinners on Saturday nights. 

Sign at Fall Creek Falls State Park

The new lodge

The new restaurant at Fall Creek Falls

The old restaurant was replaced several years ago with a new and much more modern one. We ate there twice on this trip, but I missed the seafood night. 

The last time we camped in this state park, we could not find the campground office and ended up going  straight to our campsite. This time we called before we arrived and asked how to check in. They said they didn't have a formal check-in system and we should drive to our campsite and park. I didn't know we checked in properly last time we camped in Fall Creek Falls State Park. 

Rosie at Fall Creek Falls State Park

We had to hurry to set up Rosie before the rain started. According to the weather app on our phone, we had about an hour before the rains started. I was optimistic and opened the main awning. As expected, a heavy rain storm with wind started and I had to bring in the awning during the storm. 

We were surprised by the number of kids in our camping loop. Many of the children were on motorized bikes which we had to dodge while on our walks. 

We were also surprised by the number of tent campers in this campground. We remembered how miserable tent camping could be during thunderstorms. 

Another surprise was the number of sites with campfires. We must be spoiled by military FamCamps where there are few campfires. The smoke from the multitude of campfires kept us inside Rosie during the evenings. 

We learned about a Mennonite community near Fall Creek Falls State Park. The park's Visitor's Center was able to give us directions to their produce stand. We bought peaches, squash, tomatoes, cookies and banana bread. All were delicious. 

Visiting the area we call "The Swimming Hole"

Fall Creek Falls

We were able to see multiple deer while camping in this park. 

Here are some specifics about this campground:

• There were multiple loops in the campground. They were separated from each others by separate entrances from the main park road 
• Our site was a back in
• Our site had a little shade
• Most sites in this campground had some space on both sides. Our site was in the “A” loop
• Our site was paved with asphalt and we needed to use leveling tools to lift one side of Rosie more than five inches correct a side-to-side lean. 
• Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service 
• Our site had a water connection
• Our site had a sewer connection 
• There were trash cans throughout the camping loops 
• There was a bathhouse in all of the camping loops. The one near Rosie was inadequate for the number of tent campers in that loop. It quickly because dirty and wasn't maintained 
• The park provided WiFi service. We averaged 8.78 mb download speed 
• AT&T provided 2 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite 
• We were able to watch only PBS using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channels seen were only the ones from PBS
• There were restaurants and shopping about 30 minutes away 
• This was a pet friendly park 

Driving thru the park

Junior Rangers

Another water fall in the park

A trail in the park 

Meaher State Park - Mobile, Alabama (May 2026)

 It seems like every time we camp in this Alabama State Park, we see some improvements designed to make the campground better. We noticed this time that their staff had been busy planting trees in the new camping loop. 

Our site was in the original loop along Mobile Bay. We always find it entertaining to watch the traffic backup on I-10 leading to the tunnel under the Bay. 

Rosie's site in Meaher State Park

We were surprised at the number of empty sites when we arrived. A park ranger assured us that the campground would be packed over the weekend. 

One of the boardwalks in Meaher State Park

The primary reason we picked this park was that it was close to our son's home. This gave us an opportunity to visit his family and watch our grandson play baseball. 

Visiting our son at his house

Here are some specifics about this campground:

• There were multiple loops in the campground
• Our site was a back in
• Our site had some shade
• Most sites had some space on both sides
• Our site was paved with asphalt and we needed to use leveling tools to correct a side-to-side lean in Rosie
• Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service 
• Our site had a water connection
• Our site had a sewer connection 
• The trash dumpster was in the middle of the campground. It was easy to walk there with your trash
• There was a bathhouse in the campground 
• The park provided WiFi service 
• AT&T provided 3 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite 
• We were able to watch ABC, CBS, NBC and PBS using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channels seen were Antenna-TV, Comet, Charge!, ION, Grit, ME-TV, Rewind, Roar and Story
• There were restaurants and shopping nearby
• This was a pet friendly park 

Rosie in Meaher State Park

Rosie's site with a view of I-10 over Mobile Bay

You can rent a canoe, but we saw too many 
alligators to fall for that!

Blue Angels Naval Recreation Area (U.S. Military FamCamp) - Battleship Row, Pensacola, Florida (May 2026)

Our next camping trip of the season was to the Pensacola Naval Air Station’s Blue Angels FamCamp.  There are two separate camping areas in this park. Anchor Cove is more rustic and some sites are very close to the bay. Battleship Row has paved sites with full utilities. Since we planned to stay at this campground for a couple of weeks, we reserved a site in Battleship Row for Rosie, our Airstream trailer.

Battleship Row at Pensacola Naval
Air Station's Blue Angels FamCamp

Reservations used to be similar to a hunting license. Individual sites were not reserved and you simply hunted for the best spot available.

Things are different now. You make reservations for Battleship Row or Anchor Cove and the office assigns your specific site a day to two before you arrive. We felt like we won the lottery when we checked in because our site was on the front row overlooking Perdido Bay.

Sign directing us to Battleship Row

Our site "on the front row!"

It looked like an Airstream convention on the front row as we were the third Airstream there when we arrived. In fact, our site was next to another Airstream trailer. We enjoyed talking to our Airstream neighbors. He recently retired from the U.S. Marine Corps and his family was living full-time in their 30 foot Airstream trailer. To make that couple more interesting, they had six children living with them in that small space. We guessed the oldest child was 10-12 years old and the youngest was barely one year-old. We could not imagine how eight people lived in that small space. 

Half of the neighbors children outside
during the presentation of "Colors" 

To the parent's credit, all six of the children appeared to be well behaved and helped with the chores around the campsite. 

Rosie on Battleship Row

We had about three days of rain while camping in this park. We had projects to keep us busy. I wondered how our neighbors kept their children entertained during the prolonged rain periods. 

We normally see deer when camping in this FamCamp and we were not disappointed this time. In addition to deer, we saw raccoons, dolphins in the bay and baby herons in their nest near Anchor Cove. 

Raccoon in a tree near the trash dumpster

Heron nest

Baby heron bird in the nest

We always enjoy visiting Johnson Beach while camping at this FamCamp. The beach was beautiful and we enjoyed being there. 

Entrance to Johnson Beach

Boardwalk to the shore

Becky along the Gulf of Mexico

He is probably dreaming about the fish he can eat

No trip to Pensacola Naval Air Station is
completed without a fly-by from the Blue Angels

Here are some specifics about this campground:

• There were two campgrounds (Battleship Row and Anchor Cove) and multiple loops in each campground

• Our site was a back in

• Our site had shade

• Most sites had some space on both sides

• Our site was paved with asphalt with a concrete pad. This site was level.

• Our site had 20, 30 and 50 amp electrical service 

• Our site had a water connection

• Our site had a sewer connection 

• The trash dumpsters were near the two laundry buildings in both campgrounds 

• There was a bathhouse in the campground 

• The park did not provide WiFi service 

• AT&T provided 2 bars of 5G voice and data service over our campsite 

• We were able to watch ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC and PBS using Rosie’s TV antenna. Digital channels seen were Antenna-TV, Bounce, Charge, Comet, Court-TV, Cozi, Dabl, Grit, ION, LAFF, ME-TV, Outlaw and Rewind

• There were restaurants and shopping nearby

• This was a pet friendly park 

Sunset along Perdido Bay

A break in the rain clouds

Selfie along the many trails in this campground

Selfie along Perdidio Bay

We found a battleship that was once part of a
putt-putt course. A hurricane destroyed that course.