This past fall we were jonesing for a camping/RV fix - we are really missing our Class B Leisure Travel van! We travelled to the Florida Gulf Coast, rented a 25-ft Class C from Cruise America and got a taste of camping in a larger unit. The 25-ft was the smallest size in their rental fleet.
A few things we noticed:
We love the RV experience, but we are definitely Class B people. Easier to park, drive, etc. We liked having the extra work surfaces for writing, etc in the larger unit. But overall, still Class B at heart!
The beaches and camping along the Florida Gulf Coast are great. We especially loved Koreshan State Historic Site just outside Fort Myers. An “Old Florida style” camping experience is the best way to describe it.
The Canadian loonie may be dropping but the gas prices in the U.S. are as well. On the drive down we paid as little as $1.73 USD/gallon. In Florida the prices were generally just under the $2 mark. RVing is an economical way to stay - we cooked our own meals, napped during the day and enjoyed the wonderful state parks.
Florida still has lots of natural space to explore. We really enjoyed the cypress virgin forest at Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary (about 45 minutes from Fort Myers and worth every mile).
After we returned, we published the following piece in the Toronto Star travel section:
Travels With Rigby is for web surfers who are looking for practical information on frugal RV travel, travelling with your dog (our pooch is Rigby), finding irresistible eats and sussing out music destinations. We’ve clocked the miles and visited the sights and these are the best from our travels: the who/what/when/where/why highlights for those that love music, food and the camping life.
You’ll find tips and info on:
Music trails and destinations.
Best ways to travel with your dog.
Foods we found irresistible.
Practical ways to travel by small RV.
Campsites and parks we’ve loved.
Planning realistically for gas costs, cell phone coverage, etc.
About us . . .
Travel writers. Foodies. Music lovers. Can’t go anywhere without our dog. Josephine Matyas works full-time as a freelance writer, specializing in travel and food. Craig Jones has got street cred: lots of miles on the road crisscrossing Canada as a professional musician, followed by just as many years tapping away at a computer keyboard.
It’s been an experiment: Taking her expertise (travel writing) and his experience (on the bandstand, teacher and writer), stirring it together and seeing what happens. Add a camper van (a 20-foot Leisure Travel Class B, for those who need the specs), an easy going Border Collie (Eleanor Rigby), a file full of maps and a GPS nicknamed “Hal” that sometimes toys with us (we prefer the maps).
Several times a year we pack up High Cotton (the Class B RV), take the dog for her trim, top up the gas tank and hit the road for a month or two at a time. We post links to articles we’ve published (see Words) and blog short bits and pieces while we are away from Home Base (Ontario, Canada).
LISTEN TO JO’S CBC RADIO INTERVIEW ON TRAVEL IN CANADA!
