Casino Queen RV is located in East St. Louis, IL on the Mississippi River as part of the Casino Queen gaming complex. The entrance into this rv park from I55 is wide and easily handled in a 45’ motorcoach with a tow vehicle. After entering the gate be sure to slowly approach the welcome center building, as well as the exit due to a severe dip in the road; it would be advisable to raise your coach up to avoid bottoming out. The park layout on one side is for rv’s under 38’ and is replete with asphalt pads with stone and blossoming trees between sites; the other side, a little more stark, is for those over 38’ and consists of long pull thru paved pads separated by gravel (their on-line map will display those sites able to accommodate your length). Guests have the full use of the casino’s amenities and restaurants. Also, be aware that the FHU post and sewer connection are set at the very rear of the pad making for a long run. We had to use two sewer hoses to reach the connection. The pads are not level and slope up and back from the front. At one time (back in 2013) the reception building was active and housed the welcome office, and vending machines. Today this building is shuttered (the building continues to be well maintained even though it is closed) except for the bath/shower and laundry sections which they do keep clean. The casino apparently has abandoned this amenity since they have migrated to an automated on line reservation system with no need for human intervention. They are only one of very few rv parks that have embraced on line reservations where a particular site can be chosen and reserved; it is quick and easy. The feature we especially like is choosing a particular site and reserving it on line; once completed an email confirmation is received and a few days later the gate code to enter the rv park. Although the welcome center building is no longer manned security makes the rounds every half hour 24/7. Good FHU and stable 50 amp service that actually supported our continuous 60 amp draw. The free WiFi handles email with aplomb, however streaming a movie can be frustrating as the broadband is limiting. Located directly across the Mississippi River from downtown St.Louis, MO provided us with numerous HD channels on our OTA (over the air antenna). The convenience of being so close to St.Louis, MO, the Gateway Arch, and other attractions cannot be overstated. At the far end of the casino parking lot, next to the River concrete dike, is a train station which will whisk one directly to the Arch depot and downtown St.Louis (the casino also provides a free shuttle to the casino itself and to the Metrolink station).
The Takeaway: an urban rv park; location, location, with convenient rail access to the Gateway Arch and downtown St.Louis, MO. Easy access from I55 to the rv park; long pull thru paved sites, albeit not level, wide streets and turning radii. The on line reservation system is a breeze and permits the reservation of a specific site. Visited April 2018 and May 2019. Go to www.rickpicks.com for other reviews, critiques and essays with links to area attractions, etc.
Worlds of Fun Village is located 9 miles NE of Kansas City, MO and a short distance from I435. It is part of and adjacent to a large amusement park named Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun which offer food, dining options, shows and entertainment. The Village is the rv park with paved streets,concrete pads with patio, and picnic tables offering pull thru’s, back-ins and a large buddy circle. This is a relatively small rv park with 82 sites. A cautionary note, although the streets and pads offer ample turning radius, even with a 45’ motorcoach with tow, the entrance at the top of the hill is narrow. For some reason the signage on the asphalt directs rvs to enter to the extreme left of the kiosk booth which our 106” width left no room between the booth and concrete curve(a decidedly poor design); attempt to avoid this and instead enter between the two kiosk booths which is a double lane; it may have cones blocking this path but we stopped, removed them and proceeded thru(note that the booths were unmanned so not an issue).
Although the rv park is located on a sloping hill the pads are level and the green space between sites is lush lawn with ample space between neighbors. Landscaping is nominal and unobtrusive not interfering with our motorcoach and there are no trees nor overhangs. The FHU is suitable and the 50 amp electric stable. WiFi is included and streaming movies was possible with little buffering amid a full park.
The registration/welcome center houses guest check-in, a small store, bathrooms and showers all which were clean and modern. Adjacent is the large pool and hot tub; although not yet open for the season the pool facility looked fine, clean and included ample pool furniture.
The Takeaway: a modern clean rv park with well maintained grounds located within the grounds of a true resort in the country’s heartland. There are more than enough dining choices in the nearby Worlds of Fun Park with amusement rides, a water park, roller coasters, etc. The rv park bathrooms were spotless and spacious with an adjoining laundry room. All paved roads with adequate turning radius coupled with concrete level pads add to the ambiance of this campground. Visited April 2018 and May 2019. Go to www.rickpicks.com for other reviews, critiques and essays with links to area attractions, etc.
SouthernShrimp owner, Eddie Corley, has had his shrimp trailer at this location for 20 years; we have been patrons for 15 of those years. Located on Savannah Hwy. (next to Red Top Feeds) in a little vacant lot Eddie parks his red shrimp trailer, white coolers outside and a sign advertising jumbo fresh shrimp for sale. Every customer gets treated to Eddie’s effervescent southern personality as he pulls fresh shrimp out of his coolers. Every Thursday thru Sunday he is there selling the freshest shrimp this side of Shem Creek where the shrimp boats dock. The shrimp come from his cousins shrimp boat working the waters off the SC/FL coast. Go to www.rickpicks.com for other reviews, critiques and essays with links to area attractions, etc.
Riverview RV Park& Resort is located in Vidalia, LA on the mighty Mississippi River. This
campground (not a resort) is a necessary hiatus in your journey for it provides
fascinating views of River barge traffic, and is located just across the River
from historic Natchez, MS with its blocks of restored 18th century
homes. Sitting on the bank of the Mississippi River is
captivating as long barge
trains full of grain, soybeans, coal, etc move up and down the River
piloted by river
barge pilots familiar with the currents and shifting shoals. The close
proximity of the rv park to the river bank also causes the park to occasionally,
in Springtime, close due to flooding so be sure to call ahead and check the River
stage numbers. Along the bank of the MS River in this rv park is a paved
walk/bike path that offers a picturesque walk to the Vidalia Civic Center and
River Park. On the high bluff across the River sits historic Natchez, MS, seemingly
caught in a time warp, with blocks of restored homes dating from the 1700’s.
The Natchez
Walking Tour is a great way to experience the historical buildings and
explore the historic district. In addition to the aforementioned there are
numerous other historic attractions
nearby.
The campground is located on the River side of the dike and
offers beautiful vistas of the Mississippi River. The office/welcome center is
a large steel open span structure nicely finished out and includes a store,
bath/shower facilities, a laundry room, a large open social room (with
fireplace, kitchen area and relaxed seating) facing the pool and hot tub and
beyond the River thru expansive glass panes. The sparkling clear pool has a raised
hot tub adjacent to it and the large pool deck is complimented by lounge chairs
and patio furniture. The building is well maintained as are the clean bathrooms
and showers. Maneuvering thru the park in a 45’ mototrcoach with tow is easy as
the gravel roads provide wide turning radii. The sites offer level concrete
pads or level grass sites with thick grass on a compacted surface so our 27 ton
motorcoach did not sink in even as we were there during a rainy period. The
trees are all trimmed up and back from the roadways so there was no issue with
our 13’ height. The pictures on their website are representative of existing
conditions. The FHU is in working order and the 50 amp service was stable. WiFi
is provided and works reasonably well, however the constant buffering when
streaming may spoil the movie experience. We supplemented the park’s WiFi with
our phone as a hot spot. Numerous
local channels using our OTA
(over the air antenna), some in HD were received. Their website does not
include on-line reservations so a phone call is necessary. This park
demonstrates what engaged and proactive park owners can proffer and we
encourage this type of entrepreneurial spirit in the rv park industry. It need not
be a resort, just basic amenities, well groomed grounds, clean facilities,
clubhouse and a pool makes the stay enjoyable and relaxing. We continually return
to this rv park due to the service, amenities, and maintenance of this jewel of
a campground with the bonus of watching MS River barge traffic and exploring
historic Natchez.
The Takeaway: a well maintained and
landscaped rv park located on the banks of the Mississippi River affords
beautiful vistas of the mighty River and the barge traffic traversing its
waters. A bonus is historic Natchez, MS located high on the bluffs across the
River. WiFi is included, however lack of broadband capability limits streaming.
We visited June 2017, October 2018, and May 2019. Go to www.rickpicks.com
for other reviews, critiques and essays with links to area attractions, etc.
French Quarter RV Resort, New Orleans, LA is located on the edge of the French Quarter. It is by no means a ‘resort’ as it does not offer many of the amenities that define a resort, i.e. large pool with a pool deck and many lounge chairs, broadband WiFi, a restaurant or at least a café offering cooked to order food, a clubhouse with amenities, etc.
‘Our streets are our mental wards’, a quote from the Times-Picayune March 2018 regarding the homeless plight in New Orleans.
We have stayed in FQRV every year since 2013; our last stay was in 2017. While the FQRV is nice it is an urban rv park with the accompanying issues-crime, and the homeless. The park is located on the edge of the French Quarter practically under I10 so highway noise is a real fact of life. In addition the tent cities existing under I10 at the Claiborne Avenue overpass right behind the park contributes to safety concerns. The tent city, infested with rats and human waste is a constant issue. Again, the trade–off is location, location, albeit one would still not want to walk the few blocks to the French Quarter and instead opt for a taxi. That being the case within 30 to 45 minutes away are beautiful upscale rv parks that are not as small and offer more amenities, i.e large paved sites, large family pool, adult only pool, lazy river, poolside cabanas, tiki bar, fitness center, an on-premises Sonic, and a restaurant, etc. After all, my wife and I spend a few hours in NOLA each day so a short drive back to larger lots with green grass and other amenities is a welcome respite after a day in the Big Easy.
Many reviewers have commented on the pricing and lack of WiFi. For our part we would expect streaming quality WiFi at this given price level; we had our own Sprint hotspot so this was not an issue; still the park should provide working WiFi at this price point break.
In years past the park was newer and as of 2017 has started to look its age with no attention being paid to routine maintenance nor to maintaining its aesthetic appearance. The cleanliness of the bathrooms is questionable, and again we used our own shower in the coach as is our usual custom. The pool/hot tub are thimble size, which is a given based on the small footprint of the park.
One other point is the FQRV pricing strategy. We wanted to book during a NOLA festival and were told the price increase was from the daily $110 rate to a whopping $250/night. Interesting business model. However if one is not interested in a Saints game, nor any other NOLA festival then you need to block out those dates on your calendar to avoid the steep price increase.
Again, location; if one appreciates the proximity to NOLA and ignores some of the shortcomings of this park then this is your place.
The Takeaway: Location, location, however at the expense of proximity to crime and homeless just outside the walls of this rv park. Not in any sense a resort, this postage stamp sized park provides 52 sites with questionably clean showers and bathrooms and a thimble sized pool. The steep pricing strategy is a deterrent implemented to enhance the bottom line while not offering amenities like WiFi, an adult sized pool, a clubhouse with a café, etc. We opt for booking at a real class A rv resort 30 minutes North of New Orleans at a fraction of the FQRV price. We stayed in 2017.
