My RV Adventure: North Carolina to Virginia

Written by Nancy Carter, Making My Own Lane

Overall I spent almost a month exploring the coast of North Carolina, and I was now about a third of the way of my trip to Bar Harbor, Maine.

Moving my way up the east coast, I spent 3 nights in another Thousand Trails campground, Twin Lakes RV & Camping Resort in Chocowinity, North Carolina.

My neighbors here were also full-time RVers with a Thousand Trails membership, and 3 kids!

The best way to explore a campground

I have been scootering around all of these campsites. It’s a great way to get around within the park. Some of these parks are very large, with up to 1200 plus campsites, and having another form of transportation, other than walking, helps me to not feel as isolated. And when I finish my ride, the scooter folds down and fits right in my RV without taking up too much room. It takes up less space than a bicycle and it's easier than putting a bike on a bike rack every time I move.

Speaking of walking, I walk ... a lot. The dogs and I walk and hike a lot. I have lost about 10 pounds since quitting my job, and the dogs are a lot less hyper because they are so active.

Then I drove on to a night at another Harvest Host, Serendipity Meadworks in Smithfield, Virginia.

Yes, I was slowly making my way north, and taking the time to stop and explore places I would probably never have stopped otherwise.

Up until this time in my life, I really had no idea what mead was, other than reading about ancient mariners drinking it and hearing about it in Broadway shows.

Well, let me tell you, mead is good. Very good.

Serendipity Meadworks

At Serendipity Meadworks you could learn about mead making and have a mead tasting experience. You didn’t have to stay here to do a sampling, as they offer mead tastings by appointment, but it was nice to not have to drive after sampling 14 meads, because … mead is also very potent, with an average 18% alcohol content.

The 3 kinds of mead

Mead, which is made from honey, yeast, and water.

Metheglin, where they use honey made from fruit and add spices.

Melomel, a fruit only honey.

I spent well over my expected $20 here, but sharing mead with people on the rest of my trip made it well worth it.

Thousand Trails Chesapeake Bay campground

I spent the 4th of July, and 9 days total at another Thousand Trails campground, Chesapeake Bay in Gloucester, Virginia. Someone along my way had told me I might not like this park, but I did not leave this park for 9 days! I had another Thousand Trails park as a back up just in case. However, I have learned to always give a campground a try because what’s not right for someone else might be perfect for you.

A lot of it may depend on the other people at the campground, which changes every day. And speaking with other Thousand Trails members and listening as they share their own unique experiences is a great way to learn a lot about RV life and get encouragement about your own concerns, especially when you first start out. All you have to do is ask, so don’t be shy!

There were a lot of Thousand Trails members here, and I really enjoyed meeting them and learning more about the Thousand Trails full-time lifestyle, as well as tips on how to feel more comfortable driving Daisy.

There was enough to do to keep my busy, including a 4th of July golf cart parade, food trucks, a sip and paint activity, wine tastings provided by local vineyards, local bands on the weekend, nice walking trails, and a camp store with the best ice cream!

I also took this time to clean my RV, Daisy, and get rid of even more stuff that I decided I didn’t need. Everything I get rid of gives me a little more living space in my tiny home. I also caught up on laundry and basic RV maintenance things. It was a nice, relaxing time.

How to meet people while camping

If you want to meet people, go to the activities. Another great place to meet people is the dog park, or even the laundry room.

I have stayed in parks where I spent a lot of time meeting people, sharing meals, and sharing campfires. And I spent time in campgrounds where I pretty much stayed to myself because I just didn’t feel like being social! The choice was mine.

Thanks for reading and joining me along this journey from Florida to Maine.

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