Winter Paradise

Winter Paradise is located in Hudson, FL at 16108 US-19. They don't have a website so their phone number is 727-868-2285.

We really had a hard time locating a RV Park in Hudson. We found one called the Floridian but when we arrived there at 4:00 a.m. Dave didn't like the way it looked and refused to stay there. There were a lot of mobile homes set up and it did seem a little run down and overgrown. Of course at 4:00 a.m. after driving for 18 hours we were pretty tired.

We started driving trying to find an RV park but most of the ones we found were too tight for us to get in. We finally arrived at Winter Paradise at 7:00 a.m. The office did not open until 8:00 and there was no contact number so we found a place to pull in to wait.

There were not many spaces open and even fewer that we could fit in. We finally found a spot and got set up. The park was very nice and quiet and well kept. The site was only 30 amp but by this time we didn't care and only wanted a place where we could get some sleep.

The people were very nice in the office and also the ones living at the park. Everyone I met was dog friendly and the park was big enough that we could take some nice walks.

One of the surprising things is that there was a strip club in front of the park. We were a little concerned about this but never had any problems or even interacted with any of the patrons.

We did enjoy our stay here and would stay here again if we are ever in Hudson, FL.

Tradewinds Mobile Home Park

Tradewinds Mobile Home Park is located in Cocoa, FL. This is a mobile home park that has a few RV spots when you first enter the property.

Dave was sent to do a job in Cape Canaveral when the space shuttle was scheduled to launch. All of the RV parks were booked up with people coming into the area to watch the launch. We were very lucky to have found any place to stay at all.

I called Tradewinds before we got there to make sure they could fit a 40' 5th wheel and was told they had plenty of room. They had a paved area in front of the office where they rented RV spots. We did not fit into one of these spots but since they did not have them all reserved, we were able to park by taking up 3 spots.

Tradewinds was not really set up very well for an RV park. They did not provide garbage service so Dave had to take the trash to the job site with him. They did not allow the dogs to be walked in the mobile home part of the park so we had to walk outside the park. Fortunately there were wide sidewalks along the street so we could walk without fear of getting hit by a car.

The coolest thing about this park was that I was able to watch the space shuttle launch while sitting on my couch looking out the window. It was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget.

Fay's RV Park

Fay's RV Park is located in Holiday, FL at 1421 Calvary Road. This is a small family owned and operated RV park. They do not have a website but if you would like to reserve a spot their phone number is 727-942-2487.

Fay's RV Park is full of large old oak trees so most of the sites are shaded and the lots are large. There are only 16 sites but the park is large enough that you can take a nice shady walk and enjoy the country atmosphere.

The park is bordered on 2 sides by housing areas which were very quiet and pleasant to walk through. The people living in and around the park were extremely friendly and gave me directions to an old cemetary where I could let my dogs play off leash.

I know a lot of people are uneasy about going into a cemetary but this one was old and very well cared for. It is always interesting to read old headstones and get a feel for the people who have passed.

We really enjoyed our stay at Fay's RV Park and would definitely stay there again!

FamCamp McDill AFB

The first RV park we stayed at in Florida was at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. To camp at McDill you have to be either active military or retired military so it is not open to the public.

The FamCamp is located at the back of the Base and is right on the ocean. Unfortunately they do not allow dogs on the beach but they do have 2 fenced off-leash areas and doggy bag dispensers were located in several places around the campground.

They have a walking trail that runs along a canal on one side of the park. The park did not have many trees so there were no shaded lots.

The sno-birds make their reservations a year in advance in order to stay at the same campsite all season. If you manage to get a space during the winter without a prior reservation, they have a weekly rotation they will do. You will do one week at full hook up, one week at water and electric only, one week at dry camp where you have to use your holding tank for water and generators can only be used during certain hours.

Dave and I had been married 4 years when we stayed at MacDill and I had never lived on a military base before so I was not used to the protocol. There were flags at various campsites and every afternoon you were expected to face one of the flags if you were outside and stand quietly while Taps was played.

I was always a little intimidated being on the base. The people were very nice and friendly but I was afraid I was going to accidently break some military rule. We were there for 2 weeks and I managed to get through it without messing up too bad.