Missouri, rightly known as Show Me State, has indeed a lot to show with its natural beauty like state parks and lakes, and manmade attractions like casinos and plenty of other entertainment options. No wonder, RVers, whether locals or RV enthusiasts coming to the state from outside, have a great scope here for enjoying the company of nature to the fullest. There are plenty of RV parks, sites and grounds in Missouri, each having its own unique features. Here are some of them you should not miss.

1. Springfield/Route 66 KOA Campground, Springfield

Springfield Campground offers a cool shady retreat in the heart of the amazing Ozarks. This is a landscaped, lush campground in the vicinity of lakes and an award-winning golf course. Attractions in the area include Outdoor World, the original Bass Pro Shops, a museum of Civil War Battle at Wilson’s Creek, the Dickerson Park Zoo, Fantastic Caverns, antique shops and the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame. If you take a drive along Route 66, you can see the Historic Route 66 landmarks all through the city.

The campground is big rig compliant and has long pull through sites with patios. You can also get pizza delivered at your site. In season, your entire family can also have the weekend ice cream socials fun. What’s more, you can even bring along your four-legged family members who can have fun at Kamp K-9, an off-leash park for your beloved pet child.

2. Dockley Ranch Hilltop Cabin, Ozarks, Buffalo

(https://www.hipcamp.com/missouri/dockley-ranch/dockley-ranch-hilltop-cabin)

Dockley Ranch is nestled in 80 unspoiled wooded acres in Ozarks and provides amazing RVing opportunities. You have the chance to meet the free-roaming alpacas, pastured chickens and goats, and charming cats and dogs. If you arrive in season, don’t fail to stroll next to the delightful koi pond and participate in the bounties of organically grown produce. There are also well-marked hiking trails that pass through the woods and lead to Columbine Falls down and maturing oak stands upward. Enjoy watching beautiful sunset over the rugged Ozark hills from the private Lafferty Cabin Bar along the trail. The bar is newly constructed under the roof of a 19th century log cabin.

Dockley Ranch is located 30 minutes from Ava, the “Treasure of the Ozarks” and 60 minutes from Springfield, Mansfield and Branson, and offers you astounding natural beauty and peace of mind.

The hilltop cabin is equipped with a double bed at ground level as well as in the loft and electricity. A flush toilet is just a short walk away at the pavilion bathhouse.

Every Saturday night, there is the Oldfield Opry local music and open jam session.

3. Pittsburg Campground, Buffalo

(https://www.hipcamp.com/missouri/pomme-de-terre/pittsburg-campground)

If you want some quiet moments with your family, Pittsburg Campground is an ideal place to go. You can enjoy cool shade and breezes, right along the water of a delightful lake. A great thing about the lake is that despite being so beautiful, it’s not overcrowded or has not much of boat traffic. You can enjoy water-skiing, sailing, boating or partying on a pontoon. The place is well-equipped with drinks, ice, snacks, showers, playground for kids and laundry. You can also have a little extra space by booking a family campground.

4. Selby Farm RV and Tent Camping, Buffalo

(https://www.hipcamp.com/missouri/selby-farm-horse-retirement/selby-farm-rv-and-tent-camping)

This 30-acre property offers you ACRES to yourself if you want! There is plenty of adventure and fun on the site where you can walk or trail, visit a tree house, bike or ride your horse on the country road. Just a 15-20 minute drive away, there is the famous Katy Trail, a walking/biking trail re-purposed from a railroad. Enjoy fishing at the Petite Saline creek.

If you want you can sleep in the barn loft for an added protection from weather elements. And loft doors give you breathtaking views. The loft is equipped with a small portable toilet; plus there is a Johnny on the Spot 75 yards away.

You can plug in your RV into one of the two available hookups or their new 30 amp or 110V outlets. There is high-quality water supply, and also shade if you’ve a 100’ cord.

If you are particularly looking for a woods setting, the site has an amazing view of a profoundly shaded wooded valley.

5. Red Cedar RV Park, Bolivar

(http://www.rvparkreviews.com/regions/missouri/bolivar)

This is actually a motel and RV park. The RV Park is just behind the motel and all gravel which may be uncomfortable to walk on. Also the motel transient activity may make you a bit uncomfortable to lounge outside your RV. But the park is very nice and has spacious grass pads and long pull through sites. There are security cameras throughout the campgrounds.

6. Orleans Trail Marina Inc., Marshfield

(https://www.yellowpages.com/stockton-mo/mip/orleans-trail-marina-inc-9883041?lid=401735290)

Orleans Trail is a family-owned resort on the charming shores of Stockton Lake that offers 40 RV sites with electric hookup or full hookup, boat rentals, sail boats, pontoons, fishing boats, fuel dock, scuba air station, pump out station, and more. If you want you can stay in their lavish resort.

7. Branson Campground, Branson

Branson Campground is rightly considered as the best campground of America. Their spacious pull through sits can accommodate the largest of rigs and are fully equipped with utility hookups, free Wi-Fi access and free satellite TV. There are clean and spacious laundry facilities and bathhouses at the site. There are also concrete patios and grill for each site. Plus, there is a RV/car wash, a convenience store and a huge meeting pavilion where you can bring the entire extended family.

You can have fun at a spa, pool and RV park standbys such as basketball, horseshoes, game room and playgrounds. Want to have fun outside the park? There’s Branson for you out there – the showiest place of the Show-Me State! It’s packed with entertainment and fun for your entire family!

8. Basswood RV Resort, Platte City

Basswood RV Resort is a fantastic place for RVing before heading towards the fun of the delicious barbecue of Kansas City which is less than half an hour from the site. The site is packed with amenities and you can choose the site you like. There are pull-through sites as well as larger sites with picnic tables and patios. All sites are equipped with 30/50 amp electric connections, sewer, water, laundry, showers, Wi-Fi access and cable TV. Plus there is a camp store, propane refill, pizza parlor and walking trails.

You will get plenty of in-park fun too in the form of a swimming pool, fishing, game room, large splash park and standard park fun such as horseshoes and volleyball. Also events and activities are regularly hosted by the park so you are sure to get some great family fun.

There are several attractions too such as Harley Davidson Factory, Worlds of Fun Amusement Park and Kansas Speedway.

So, which of these RV sites you are planning to visit on your next RV adventure?

 

If you have been tent camping for several years and if you are finding it more and more difficult to sleep on air mattresses and get up from them in the morning, it’s perhaps the best time to upgrade to an RV, travel trailer or a motorhome. Travel trailer camping has some distinct benefits over tent camping. But before looking at them, let’s look at tent camping.

Tent Camping

As there is a variety in types of tents, there is a great variety in tent campers too. One reason people choose tent camping is that they love being out in the rustic nature. It’s also far cheaper to take long road trips and camping than getting a hotel room every night.

Small and Big Tents

You can have small or big tents according to the size of your group. Small tents work well when you have to stay only for one night and also in high wind conditions, because their small size keeps them from waving in the wind. Find a tent that has two doors and all mesh so as to facilitate ventilation and also no two persons have to crawl over each other while getting in or out. Also ensure that the rain fly is working well. Especially when there is sand on the campsite, don’t forget to buckle down the rain fly very tight and low to the ground so that sand doesn’t make an entry inside.

Big tents might have a vestibule attachment that can allow a covered entry and a space to place your chairs in rainy conditions.

RV Camping

While you may initially be skeptical about whether you can embrace RV camping easily or not, you will actually love it. Still there are some points to consider before getting into it.

Funds

The very first point you’ll have to consider is funds, since RVs are not cheap. Of course, they come in a range of sizes and prices. If you want just a place to sleep, it’s guaranteed that you may get something for only a few hundreds or thousands. But if you want an actual house on wheels, you may have to spend several hundred thousand or over a million. But even this has a solution of secondhand camper which is pretty cheaper.

If you choose to get a full-fledged camper instead of a popup or camper van, you can still stay quite small and low-priced in the grand system of things. Whichever size of RV/camper you buy, you should know one thing that you’ll need to buy a lot more than just the vehicle itself so as to be able to use it. In short, expenses will go on adding for which you should be prepared.

Campsites themselves will also be expensive, particularly if you need sewer and cable connections. Maybe you can do without cable, but may need a sewer hookup while staying at a site for more than a couple of nights. Gas expenses will be high too. All in all, you have to consider all these costs, besides the purchase price of the camper.

Benefits of a Camper

Despite that fact that, a camper and things that come with it may be costly, camping with a camper has several benefits knowing which you may start considering to get a camper immediately.

Your Own Cool Shade

First big advantage is you get your very own cool shade, especially when you are in a large open campsite with a scanty population of trees. You just have to extend the awning or can just sit inside in the air conditioning (of course, if you have an electric connection).

Great Comfort

Campers certainly offer great comfort. The hard floor of the camper is much more comfortable to sleep on than you get in a tent. And of course, this has a great advantage in rainy conditions when you can sleep more comfortably inside the camper than in a tent.

Built-in Kitchen

You can have a built-in kitchen with a grill, microwave, oven and a stove inside the camper. So, you can enjoy cooking in any weather conditions and eat food while enjoying the natural surroundings in the comfort of your RV.

Bathroom

Another great benefit is that you will have a bathroom. Thus if showers at the campsite are dirty or if you would have to go at midnight, your situation would be much better. Of course, you will have to keep the bathroom clean; but at home too you have to do that. Moreover, this bathroom is pretty smaller meaning less time and effort are needed to clean it.

Carry Any Number of Things

Since you don’t have to carry loads on your back, you can carry more amount of luggage in your camper. You can carry any number of clothes, cooking equipment, play things, other entertainment stuff, books and more, which you cannot do during tent camping. This also means that you don’t have to pack and unpack bins and boxes every time you take a halt only for getting clothes or a dish.

Refrigerator and Cabinets

You can also carry your cabinets and refrigerator with you! This offers you more freedom regarding grocery and eliminates the need of purchasing ice every day. This will definitely save your money on grocery; plus, you can also enjoy leftovers which you cannot while traveling with a cooler.

Protection from Rain

Another benefit which is indeed great is that if it’s raining, you can stay dry in the safe spot under the awning or inside the camper; what’s more, you can cook too!

 

Great Advantage for Pet Parents

RV has the greatest advantage for those who have pets. When you don’t have an RV, you cannot always take your beloved pets with you or you have to make a lot of research to find a pet-friendly hotel and campsite during tent camping. On the other hand, an RV allows you to take your pet with you without having to leave them at a friend or pet sitter.

Easy to Tow

If you are wondering if towing a camper is hard or not, remember that towing a camper trailer is much easier than pulling a caravan. Often camper trailers are comparatively light and easy to tow. So, you don’t have to upgrade your vehicle to pull the extra load, as required sometimes while purchasing a caravan.

Go Off Road

You can go off road with a camper. If you are more adventurous than an average camper and have a passion to explore off-beat paths, you can do that with your camper and find a site that is truly unspoiled to spend your camping vacation. The dedicated 4WD camper trailers are lightweight and durable and can easily handle tougher terrains.

Easy to Store

Campers are compact which means they occupy less space when not in use. This is even more important if you have a smaller storage space at home and unless you are among those fortunate people who travel a lot, because barring your camping trips, your camper is going to spend most of the time in your home.

All in all, travel trailer camping has benefits that you cannot ignore and if you really want to satisfy your wanderlust, no other option can provide you more comfort than this. So, get one and start exploring the world with true pleasure!

by Neeta · February 12, 2018