Tag: Carolina Shores RV Resort

Four Glamping Trips to Help You Spring into Summer

Glamping is great any time of year, but there is something about a summer glamping trip that checks all the boxes. The weather is nice, festivals are in full swing, beaches are open, hiking and biking trails tend to be drier, and flora and fauna are everywhere. Here are some great summer glamping ideas:

Cabin at Carolina Shores RV Resort
Cabin at Carolina Shores RV Resort

Coastal Summer: Feeling the warm ocean breeze, walking miles of beaches, and hearing the sound of the ocean is an ideal way to spend summer. Coastal cities to consider when glamping include Miami with a glamping accommodation at Encore Miami Everglades; Bar Harbor, Maine with a glamping accommodation at Mt. Desert Narrows Camping Resort or Narrows Too Camping Resort; Carolina Shores RV Resort in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina or Oregon’s Thousand Trails Whalers Rest which is located just 150 yards from the Pacific Ocean!

Cabins at Thousand Trails Wilderness Lakes
Cabins at Thousand Trails Wilderness Lakes

Theme Park Summer: Before you say “oh no, too crowded” take note that we are not talking about the major themes but instead the still fun, smaller ones like Knott’s Berry Farm in Buena Park, California (book a stay at Thousand Trails Wilderness Lakes); Pennsylvania’s Hersheypark (book a stay at Thousand Trails Hershey) or New Jersey’s Storybook Land (book a stay at Thousand Trails Sea Pines).

Cabin at Thousand Trails Pio Pico RV Campground
Cabin at Thousand Trails Pio Pico RV Campground

Festival Summer: Nothing says summer like a good festival whether it’s for food, music or just plain fun. San Diego welcomes Comic-Con July 24-27 (glamp at Thousand Trails Pio Pico); Maine’s Lobster Festival is scheduled for July 30-August 3 (stay at Thousand Trails Moody Beach); while the Washington State International Kite Festival in Long Beach is set for August 18-24 (stay at Thousand Trails Long Beach).

Whitewater Summer: If you’re looking for a great water adventure, consider a whitewater rafting expedition on some of these waters near our glamping locations: Book a stay at Thousand Trails Yosemite Lakes and take to the Tuolumne River; glamp at Lake George Escape Campground and whitewater raft on the nearby Sacandaga River, a tributary of the Hudson River; or take on the Vermillion River in Illinois while glamping at O’Connell’s RV Campground.

Cabin Rentals at O'Connell's RV Campground
Cabin Rentals at O’Connell’s RV Campground

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Best Campgrounds for Biking Adventures

May is the month to enjoy life atop a two-wheel vehicle, aka a bike, because it’s National Bike Month. This special honor was established in 1956 by the League of American Bicyclists to highlight the benefits of bike riding. Bike riding has plenty of benefits from improved mental well-being to improved cardiovascular health. Plus, it’s low impact so it is good for all ages and fitness levels. Here are some options for taking a spin this month when glamping with us:

Aerial view of Carolina Shores RV Resort
Aerial view of Carolina Shores RV Resort


Bike a Boardwalk: Boardwalks became popular in the US in the late 19th century and continue to be popular spots for long strolls and bike rides. Of course, the boardwalk in Atlantic City, New Jersey is one of the most popular and iconic boardwalks in the US. Book a glamping cottage at Thousand Trails Sea Pines and take the drive to Atlantic City to enjoy a bike ride along one of the most historic boardwalks in the country. If you’re glamping at Carolina Shores RV Resort, the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk is great for a quick (1.2 mile) bike ride with ocean views! Please note these boardwalks have specific biking hours, so be sure to check them before you go.

Cabins at Narrows Too Camping Resort
Cabins at Narrows Too Camping Resort


Bike a National Park: Many of our national parks have bike trails so if you’re camping near Maine’s Acadia National Park or California’s Joshua Tree National Park, bring your bike with you! Book a glamping stay at Thousand Trails Palm Springs and head to Joshua Tree, or more specifically, the Covington Flats section of the park. While mountain bikes or fat tire bikes are recommended for this trek, regular street bikes work as well. Thanks to the 45 miles of the Park’s carriage roads, exploring Acadia atop a bicycle is an option when glamping nearby at our Mt. Desert Narrows Camping Resort or Narrows Too Camping Resort. Again, check before you go as inclement weather can close certain bike trails.

Cabin at Thousand Trails Medina Lake
Cabin at Thousand Trails Medina Lake


Bike the Big City: Several of America’s big cities are noted for having greenway systems to accommodate cyclists. San Antonio has over 100 bike-friendly miles in their greenway system so plan a glamping stay at Thousand Trails Medina Lake to explore this historic Texas city. If you’re planning a glamping trip to enjoy a stay in a tiny house at Oregon’s Mt. Hood Tiny House Village, plan a day to take a drive into nearby Portland and tour the city via bike. Portland is one of the most bike-friendly cities in the country and as such has plenty of different routes that are great for doing the tourist thing while bicycling.

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5 Things to Do in Myrtle Beach, SC

Why visit Myrtle Beach, South Carolina? For one, there is more than 60 miles of wide beach peppered with charming beach towns to explore as you wind your way through the sand. Another reason is the fabulous glamping location that is Carolina Shores RV Resort where the vacation cottages provide the perfect accommodations for a beach vacation. On-site amenities include a swimming pool, a lazy river, mini-golf and beach access. And here are just a few don’t miss things when visiting the area:

Lazy River at Carolina Shores RV Resort
Lazy River at Carolina Shores RV Resort

1. Myrtle Beach State Park: Developed by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the early 1930s, this 312-acre state park was the first state park to open in South Carolina. Since 1936, visitors have been fishing for flounder, mackerel and trout, to name a few, and catching glimpses of native wildlife. Several hiking trails will lead you to the beach while the Sculptured Oak Nature Trail will take you through a maritime forest. Swimming, birdwatching, geocaching and bike riding are also great activities that can be done here.

Beach at Carolina Shores RV Resort
Beach at Carolina Shores RV Resort

2. Broadway at the Beach: If you can’t find something you like to do at Broadway at the Beach, then you might not know what fun is. And if that is the case, you will definitely find the meaning of fun out here. The question here is not “what can I do here?” but more “what can’t you do here?” at this 350-acre entertainment venue that has everything from ziplining adventures to live theater. Shopping, restaurants, escape rooms, the Ripley’s Aquarium and more can be found here. Check out broadwayatthebeach.com for details.

Brookgreen Gardens in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, SC
Brookgreen Gardens in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, SC

3. Brookgreen Gardens: Initially built as a retreat for his ailing wife, the founder of the gardens, wealthy industrialist Archer Milton Huntington later turned Brookgreen Gardens into a place with a mission to exhibit and preserve American figurative sculpture; to exhibit and preserve the plants of the Southeast; and finally, to exhibit and preserve the animals of the Southeast. Visitors today can stroll through the Botanical Garden which features Live Oak trees dating to the 1700s, the Sculpture Garden with over 2000 works on display, and the Lowcountry Zoo. For hours of operation, visit brookgreen.org.

Charleston, SC - The Historic District at Twilight
Charleston, SC – The Historic District at Twilight

4. Day Trips: A longer day trip would include the 90-mile drive to Charleston to see the historic Charleston City Market, Fort Sumter or take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the city that highlights the antebellum mansions, the beautiful gardens and the city’s landmarks. A 75-mile drive will put you in Wilmington where the USS North Carolina, the World War II battleship that earned 15 battle stars, resides. The Wilmington Railroad Museum is also here. You could also take a drive to Pawleys Island, which is about 30 miles from Myrtle Beach and home to some of the best hammocks you can find at the Original Hammock Shop, which has been making comfortable hammocks for over 130 years. And even closer, and apparently, a seafood lovers’ haven, is Little River, which is great for fishing, eating seafood and visiting the La Belle Amie Vineyard, the local vineyard and winery.

5. Stroll the Boardwalk: While the original boardwalk dating to the 1930s is long gone, a casualty of age and weather, the new boardwalk was completed in 2010 and has been ranked #3 in the country by National Geographic and #2 by Travel and Leisure. Running a little over one mile along the ocean with lovely views and plenty of shops and restaurants, a stroll on the Boardwalk is a must. And there is also the SkyWheel, which stands 187-feet tall featuring 42 glass-enclosed, temperature-controlled gondolas and a spectacular vantage point!

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Where to Stay for a Butterfly-Watching Getaway

Did you know that there are more than 20,000 types of butterflies worldwide or that butterflies taste with their feet? If you didn’t know these fun facts, you might be interested to know that March 14 is National Learn About Butterflies Day. In addition to reading up about butterflies or watching the documentary “Wings of Life” to celebrate the day, you may also consider visiting some of these wonderful butterfly sanctuaries located near our glamping locations.

Vacation at Encore Miami Everglades
Vacation at Encore Miami Everglades

Butterfly World, located in Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, Florida has thousands of live butterflies for visitors to see among six aviaries filled with tropical plants and flowers. Butterfly World is considered the largest butterfly park in the world and has tropical birds and lorikeets there that visitors can feed! Choose your glamping accommodations from cabins, bunkhouses and lodges at Encore Miami Everglades and visit butterflyworld.com for more details on hours of operations and exhibits.

Cockrell Butterfly Center
Cockrell Butterfly Center

Set within the Houston Museum of Natural Science, the Cockrell Butterfly Center is a beautiful immersive walk-through butterfly habitat in a rainforest setting complete with a 50-foot waterfall! More than 1500 butterflies make their home here and in the Chrysalis Corner visitors can see butterflies emerge from their chrysalis and take their first flight. Book a glamping cabin at Thousand Trails Lake Conroe and visit hmns.org/cockrell-butterfly-center for more details for your visit.

Cabin at Thousand Trails Hidden Cove
Cabin at Thousand Trails Hidden Cove

At the Huntsville Botanical Garden in Huntsville, Alabama, the Purdy Butterfly House, is a lovely open-air butterfly habitat home to more than 1000 butterflies unique to the southwest. Plan a stay at a glamping cabin or cottage at Thousand Trails Hidden Cove and visit hsvbg.org for more details or plan ahead for a spectacular butterfly release event coming in May!

Cabin at Carolina Shores RV Resort
Cabin at Carolina Shores RV Resort

In Moncks Corner, South Carolina you will find Cypress Gardens which is home to the Butterfly House, a large greenhouse filled with live butterflies as well as birds, an arthropod exhibit and an observation beehive. If you’re glamping at Carolina Shores RV Resort in nearby Myrtle Beach, take the drive to learn about the amazing pollinators that can be found at Cypress Gardens and the Butterfly House.

If you are glamping in the Florida Keys (book a colorful cottage at Encore Fiesta Key or a perfect tiny house at Sunshine Key Tiny House Village), the Key West Butterfly & Nature Conservatory in Key West has roughly 60 varieties of butterflies, numbering in the thousands flying freely in a rainforest-like setting. Plus, the Learning Center not only has an interesting 15-minute video full of butterfly facts, but there are also other exhibits that detail interesting information about the world of butterflies. For details, go to keywestbutterfly.com.

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