# Where To Burn One Night Camping On Way Down To Destin



## Lofty Dreams

We're doing our annual trip from the Milwaukee'ish area to the Panhandle and we have one extra night on our way down.
Any recommendations for an overnight stop?

It's basically Highway 65 south all the way from Gary Indiana to southern Alabama

I wouldn't mind checking out the smokies, but I don't really want to drive through the Gatlinburg area... Chattanooga wouldn't be that far out-of-the-way though.
We thought about Nashville but don't know how exciting that would be for the kids.
Basically I'm looking for any suggestions along that route going through Nashville, Birmingham, Montgomery etc. so anything close... of course the farther south the better


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## mike

we have done that trip many times. Stay away from the yogi in nashville. Birmingham had a decent big campground. But all we did was send the kids to the pool and i relaxed as I did most of the driving. Have safe travels. Are u going to Topsail?


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## Lofty Dreams

Thanks for the tip about Yogi in Nashville. We are leaning towards staying in the Chattanooga area or possibly driving to New Orleans for our first night.

This year we're staying right on the beach at the (over-priced) Camp Gulf in Destin for the first time.

Previously we have stayed at Campers Inn in Panama City the past few years in our pop-up. It was cheap, in the middle of all the action and we always had friends on the west end of town (much nicer area) staying at the Calypso so we went down there for our beach days and also took advantage of the new Pier Park quite a bit.

We actually found the whole FL Panhandle area by complete accident when we pulled into Smokey Mountain National Park on a Thursday one year and it was booked, ON A THURSDAY! So we just kept driving south and have been going there ever since


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## mike

If u have the time check out Topsail hill state park. It is tough to book and you have to book it early in the booking window. But it is by far the best state park we have ever stayed at. Full hookups, even sprinklers for the lawns in some campsites. A small inground pool. shuffle board. A .75 walking/ bikeing path through the state park to three miles of undeveloped beach. Plus there is a trolly if u don't want to lug coolers chairs, etc. Plus its a lot cheaper. It is close to destin and the three miles of undeveloped beach is awesome. Also I recommend a drive to pensecola. U can google the blue angels. That is where they practice and if they are in town they have bleachers on the tarmack where u can watch the planes up close. have a good trip


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## Lofty Dreams

We went to NOLA for a night instead and stayed at a cool RV park called Ponchartrain Landing that was WAY off the beaten path on a canal in an industrial area but very nice, very safe and still very close.
Glad we did that and finally saw New Orleans even if it was only for one night.


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## mike

Glad u had a good time, We are heading to Yogi Caledonia for a shake out trip with the new motorhome the weekend of 5/9. They are also having a 5k run that my daughter and I are running in. Should be a good weekend.


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## 1coolhall

I see you have already gone and probably back by now. if you have never been to the hunstville space and rocket center you should visit.14 miles of I-65.they have camping there. I have never been in that campground. there is a state park not far called montisanto mt. park. it is very nice.just look up ala. parks


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