TRIP: Hot Springs, Arkansas

Drop what you are doing and go now! Holy cow this place was so many things...beautiful, historic, kid friendly, what more could you want?! 

Hot Springs is just a two-hour drive from Queen Wilhelmina so we drove over after breakfast and arrived close to lunch. We stayed in the Hot Springs National Park - Gulpha Gorge Campground. It was literally surrounded by mountains with tall pine trees and the Gulpha creek running through it. 

Let me also tell you my friends, this park has FULL HOOK-UPs woohoo! After staying on top of the Rich Mountain in 20-degree icy weather using tank water that froze several times, this was a major luxury. The only draw back we could possibly find was that you cannot make reservations in advance, it's first come first serve which is pretty scary when you're driving to another state. There were plenty of spots this time of year, but we're thinking it's probably a popular place in the summertime. Just look at this gorgeous river!:

The downtown area of Hot Springs is only 5 minutes down the road from the campground which was really awesome when we had to stop for naps in the middle of the day. Did I also mention both my older daughter and my husband came down with the flu on this trip?! Anyway, there are 43 thermal hot springs with a couple of them "on display" on the main street. The water comes out of the earth at 147 degrees Fahrenheit so you can't get in the water or drink it until it cools or it can be fatal. But you can reach in and touch it! 

Bathhouse row is a historic line of bathhouses with a few still in operation (we got a mineral bath/massage package!), one that has been restored into a museum and another transitioned into a gift shop/visitors center. 

Probably my most favorite part of Hot Springs were the numerous fountains located downtown that you can fill up jugs full of this amazing bountiful water. We took home three gallons and let me tell you, this was NOT enough, wah! 

Other activities we did while in Hot Springs included:

• Superior Brewery - They make beer using the hot spring water! Nate got a flight and thoroughly enjoyed! 
• Bathhouse Row Winery - I did a wine tasting and bought a bottle of the Merlot. These were mostly sweet wines, but they had a few dry varieties. I also want to note that this winery is kid friendly and they make juices as well that the kiddos can sample!
• Mountain Valley Water - Their national headquarters is located here! Its a beautiful building with sparkling and flat water to buy!
• Angel's Italian restaurant - Delicious homemade Italian food. The staff brought out two small pizza pans and dough for the girls to play with. Then they baked their creations in the pizza oven and stuffed them with chocolate so they could eat them for dessert! Highly recommend. 
• The Arlington Hotel - This is a historic hotel built in 1875 with a bar inside the lobby. Its worth just going inside to take a look around if nothing else. 
• Fat Bottom Girls Cupcakes - As seen on Cupcake Wars! Delicious! 
• Hot Springs Mountain Tower - This is a large lookout tower on top of the city that you can see incredible views of the town and mountains for miles. 

If you are keeping track of our camping journal, I will share that we rated the campground and overall trip experience at a 4.9 out of 5. That's even with two of us down with the flu, one with an ear infection, two days of rain, and one day of ice. We REALLY like to camp, huh? Can't WAIT for the next adventure, I just have to finish Lysol-ing basically everything in the camper first!

TRIP: Cossatot River State Park, Arkansas

While we were camping at Queen Wilhelmina SP in Mena, we decided to take a day trip to another state park just to see more of Arkansas. Just a little over an hour was all it took to get to Cossatot River State Park-Natural Area. It is almost hard to describe how incredibly beautiful this park is.

We did get a little lost on the way there ending up at the north river crossing instead of the south. My persistent husband took us down an unpaved road to get to the right spot. See the red line on the map below for the path we took. 

It ended up being a really pretty drive in the tree processing Arkansas countryside and some well maintained gravel roads. It shaved a good amount of time off our journey had we taken a highway to get to the falls it would've taken much longer.





When we finally arrived to the correct part of the park we were blown away by the beauty of the rocks and boulders, the crystal clear water, the tall pine trees and rolling hills that completed the scenery. It was quiet and peaceful while we were there, only seeing two other adventurous souls out there aside from our family. We climbed, skipped rocks, and hiked around taking oodles of pictures.

There are no RV sites available at Cossatot SP, but there are primitive tent sites available (I'm too spoiled for that now) so the day trip worked out just fine for me! Our only regret was not packing a picnic to share at the cozy picnic areas nestled around these rapids. Maybe one day soon we will return in the summer when we can wade in these beautiful Arkansas spring waters.

TRIP: Queen Wilhelmina State Park, Mena, Arkansas

Ya'll. We just spent six amazing last minute days in Arkansas and oh my gosh it is beautiful there, even in the middle of winter!

We kicked off the trip at Queen Wilhelmina State Park in Mena, Arkansas because we read that the views are incredible. We were not disappointed either as the park literally sits on top of a mountain and has views for days.



We arrived at sunset on the first day just in time to capture this lovely shot above with snow still on the trees and mountains in the distance. There is a nice, newly remodeled lodge at this state park which was impressive considering it held a distinct hotel feel. The lobby was large with floor-to-ceiling windows displaying the natural artistry that is the Ouachita mountains and a huge log burning stone fireplace with cozy couches nestled nearby. The park also has putt putt golf, a small train for children that goes around the ridge, an antique steam engine, playground, and a restaurant on site.

A little surprisingly, we were the only campers outside of the lodge with 30ish spots to choose from. This time of year, the park had turned off the water to the bathrooms so we had to fill up the water tank and use the pump to get water. No big deal for us...it's still luxury camping in my book when you can be a little more self sustaining! It stayed in the 20-30 degree range while up on top of this mountain for a couple of days, and looking at the below picture, I guess I can see why we were the only crazies camping in this weather.



Our trailer heater works wonders, even after 6 full days of camping and leaving the propane on around the clock, cooking and using it to heat the water, we didn't even drain one tank. We passed the time by reading while the girls played with Play-doh and marker kits I found on clearance at the grocery. I will admit as well, that once you drive down the mountain and into Mena, the weather is much more accommodating, up into the 40 degree range and no fog or wind chill.



We passed the time exploring Mena, which was a cute little railroad town. There was a great place for coffee at Ouachita Roasters...I'm talking true artistry here...see the below picture for my cardamom vanilla bean latte (swoon!):



There's a cute little visitors center at the old train depot which contains brochures for nearby things to do and some history about the area. Some very kind Mena locals worked inside the visitors center and recommended the Skyline Café for lunch, which was delicious home cooked southern food - I had chicken fried steak, and the hubby got a pork chop with fried egg on top - it did not disappoint.

Queen Wilhelmina State Park is an absolute must and is only about 4 hours from Dallas - crazy! I want to go back in the summer time and see it with all the buzzing activities. I could totally picture our in-laws coming because they could "camp" in the beautiful lodge and meet up with us by the campfire at night. 

Next up...I'll share details about our time at Cossatot State Park in Arkansas - just a short day trip from Mena. 

Journal it

One the things we decided to do early on, was collect our thoughts after each camping trip in a journal. This way, we could go back and reminisce on our time in the park but also use those experiences to determine going back. 


The journal was nothing special, just a freebie that I received at work actually. I took it with us on our first trip and decided that it makes the most sense to leave it in the glove compartment of the truck so we never forget it. It's also right there for me (I ride shotgun) once we get back on the road it is the first thing I reach for while our memories are still fresh. 

 

We've used it for three years now, and I was tired of looking at the logo on the front of it, so I put a big sticker on it and painted it! 

Much better, right? I've noticed that right after we camp is when we are the most excited and motivated to book the next trip. So I keep a copy of a Texas State Parks book with it so we can explore what other park we might want to do next. It fits perfectly up against the journal too. 

On the inside, I jot down:

• Park name
• City/State
• Date of trip
• Amount of time it took us to drive to the location 
• 5 star rating scale
• Activities at the park or nearby
• Thoughts/memories/things to remember for next time

Here are a couple of example pages:

This journal is a really great resource for us. If you can't tell from the pictures, we are brutally honest when describing our thoughts and experiences, which is important to highlight. Trust me, in two years' time when you look back, you won't remember what you really thought about it all.

I've also discovered, they make camping journals now that are pre-planned out for you and all you have to do is fill in the blanks! If that is more your bag, here are a couple of super cute options on Amazon and here are a few on Etsy.

Whichever way you decide, I highly recommend recording your experiences! 

What Kind of Camper are you?

This is a LOADED question. There are SO many different ideologies on camping from whether you are full-time or part-time, your packing style - simplistic or glamper, and your outlook on electronics - no phones/TVs/computers purist or all the modern luxuries. But one of the most-asked questions about camper style that I hear from friends, is where do you go?

As far as I can tell, there are really two types of campers when it comes to the "where." Either you go to the same place every time, or you go to a different place every time. Yes, there are some folks who are little in between, but for the most part there are some pretty consistent campers out there doing one or the other.



Same Place-RVers

Same place RVers are those who like to book the same park and many times the same site every time. These are pretty meticulous folks who have tested their camping style from several angles and know what works from certain spots, or tried one and just REALLY liked it.

Usually, same place RVers meet other same place RVer friends and arrange to camp out at the same time - which is pretty magical if you think about it. It's like the equivalent of online dating for campers but its all done the "old fashion" way. As far as I'm concerned...if I meet a friend while camping who actually wants to see me again after getting a REAL dose of who I am sans makeup, clean clothes, not caring when my kids run around screaming and who enjoys my deep conversations over a smelly campfire...they are definitely a keeper!

Camping bonds people together in a really special way. We have several friends who book the same lakefront spot at the same lake every holiday weekend of the year. They love it and there isn't much convincing them to go anywhere else. I say do what works for your family and hold true to it. Once you start following the pressures of others, you start to lose sight of why you started camping in the first place and fun starts to be work.



Wanderers

My husband and I definitely fall into this category, mainly because of our love of history and constant desire to learn. Life is too short to see the same things over and over again especially when there is so much out there. We are consistent with this mindset too, when it comes to books and movies we hardly ever watch or read the same one twice. We have been to almost every state park in the state of Texas, and have started branching out to RV parks and LCRA land as well as out-of-state camping to keep it interesting.

Wanderers have an insatiable craving for adventure and usually do really well with change and being amenable to most situations. "This site doesn't have an even concrete pad? No problem, we can just stack blocks to teeter the camper to *just the right* angle to not fall out of bed."




We also try to pair our camping location with really neat nearby festivals, museums, or towns to explore. Of course, this can backfire on us when family or friends want to go to a park that we've been to before. In which case, we may bend a little for the good of the group and see the same place again.

The heart of the matter is that we LOVE traveling. Before kids, we left the country once or twice a year and pretty consistently spent weekends in other cities and states. Today, however, as those of you with young families know, this is much harder to accomplish with toddlers on a nap schedule who have to be fed every few hours and can't be confined for too long on airplanes. Wandering with our camper has become our way to continue travelling while exposing our littles to new and different areas, ideas and concepts. Our RV trailer feels like a second home with all of our creature comforts and makes it easy to travel without feeling a lot of the pressures of air travel with perfect, quiet children (does that really exist?!).

Now, if someone can help me, I'd love to convince my hubs to travel a little further out, like maybe South Dakota or Maine...I haven't accomplished that quite yet but there's still time!

Let's talk about SLEEP!

We've had a lot of conversations about sleep and comfort of the mattresses that come with the camper. Let me tell you, we started tent camping and literally sleeping on the ground so this is kind of funny to think about, BUT, we currently have a queen size bed with not one, not two, but three mattress pads on top. 

Our camper came with a mattress that is thinner than some books I have read...seriously, wish I would've held a book next to this picture for comparison. 

Not to mention, its a spring-loaded mattress so you can kind of feel every spring in it when you lay down. We went on approximately one camping trip with this bad boy before we started buying mattress pads. 

So, we started with this green 2" DreamFoam Memory Foam topper (found here on Amazon) because it looked good and it was less than $100. Unfortunately, we still needed a little extra something. In hind sight should have opted for a 4" pad and just coughed up the money to begin with but you don't know until you try.

A few months later, we ended up with this 2-inch Lavender Memory Foam Mattress (found here on Amazon) which had great reviews and was infused with Lavender so it truly didn't smell like chemicals when we unrolled it. The scent dissipated after a month or so, but together, the two definitely got closer to what we needed in a pillowtop mattress and we still barely spent over $100 for both. 

Now, the trick is that queen mattresses in campers are the same width but are "short"  in length, meaning they are approximately 5 inches shorter than a standard queen mattress. As you can see from the above picture, mattress pads are then several inches too long. Good news is, you don't actually need any special tools to shorten them. I just used sharp kitchen shears and voila!

Sleeping on these pads can sometimes be hot so I thought one more layer would do the trick. We bought this Utopia quilted fitted mattress topper (found here on Amazon) to help smooth the edge of the mattress and provide a teeny bit of bonus cushion. Look how thick that mattress is now! Sleeps like a dream! 

We then add a fitted sheet, flat sheet, coverlet, the original comforter that came with the camper on the edge of the bed for colder winter nights. All-in-all it's a pretty great night sleep - and on a budget!

Here is the finished product with the bed made: 

What do you think?!

Just call us the Griswolds!

Camping with us is definitely full of fun and misadventure...yes I did say misadventure, ha!

We have had our share of crazy experiences including the time we put a giant hole in the front of our camper with a kayak...on our first trip out!

We've also forgotten to lock the hitch securely on the ball and the camper came unhitched on the road and slammed into the back of the truck.

Or there was the time that we stopped for breakfast tacos at the beginning of a 14-hour journey and used the opportunity to lower the jack on the camper in order to adjust our new weight distribution hitch. When it was time to go, we took off, tacos in hand, forgetting to raise the jack back up and subsequently dragging it about 6 feet until we officially destroyed part of the street and successfully rendered ourselves immobile. A very kind Texas gentleman came to our rescue after noticing us from his nearby business and ended up having to saw off the jack so we could get back on the road again. We decided to stop at a Tractor Supply store and buy a manual jack so our 10-day trip wouldn't end the first day it started. See the proof below:





Other times, we inadvertently dragged the side of the camper up against the iron gate in our driveway (twice!) breaking the tail lights and water connection off in the process.

We have also left the weight distribution "key" on the bumper of the truck and lost it somewhere on the road on another trip. That was sure a fun exercise in creativity to try and get the weight bars off the truck.

Another mishap developed after we were starving and the only thing in sight was a Burger King with the inside closed for renovations. Our toddlers were sound asleep in the back seat, and if you have kids, you understand why we didn't want to open and shut any doors waking them up mid slumber, so we tried to make it through the drive-thru. That didn't go well because there are these height restriction bars we had never noticed until this day that won't allow a large 10-foot high camper from going through. Not only that, but a line of cars made their way behind us and the dumpsters on the property kept us from being able to get out of the situation by pulling forward. We ended up getting out and asking all of the cars behind us to back up and get out of the way so we could vacate the premises! Thankfully there was no damage done.

For some reason, on one of our earlier trips to a Texas State Park, we didn't think to check our confirmation email for details on late arrivals prior to heading out. We learned the hard way that most of the parks lock their gates past a certain hour of night. This park was approximately 7ish hours away and since we left after work on a Friday, we didn't show up until close to 11 p.m., arriving to some very locked gates and very low cellular signal to check our email. Not knowing any other options, we parked in a church lot down the street, and opened the windows for airflow. A few minutes after we settled, a large aggressive-breed dog began incessantly barking directly outside our camper over and over long into the night, as if to *not-so-kindly* inform us that we are parked in his church parking lot.



To make matters worse, what started as a cool breeze ended up being a very chilly night without any heat. By morning we hadn't slept at all, and when we got to the park entrance in the morning, the ranger said, "why didn't you use the gate code we provided in your confirmation email?" OH MY GOSH, are you serious?! I can hardly remember what park that was or what we even did because we were so sleep deprived for the rest of the weekend. But we did snap a picture of what we now call THE church as we started home on Sunday.

Needless to say, we have been through some pretty interesting camping adventures. But hey, it makes for great stories, and looking back I'm confident we will be stronger for it. Never again will we try to go through a drive-thru with our camper, or ignore our reservation confirmation email, and we will always use our departure checklist (found here!) before leaving anywhere that we've stopped along our journey. But just in case, I always say a prayer and hold my breath a bit before we hit the road (no pun intended!).