Palmetto Island State Park, 11/19/2017

This 1,300-acre state park is located Betty's RV Park in Abbeville, LA. Established in 2010, it has a campground with 95 sites with electric and water, but no sewage hookups. There is a dump station, however, in the park. Additionally, there are six two-bedroom cabins available for rent. Admission to the park is $2/person, but free for seniors (age 62 and older). 

The Nature Center was closed when we visited. And the splash pad next to it was, of course, closed for the season. Nearby is the Palmetto Nature Trail (we came here to do some hiking).

The loop trail passes through a forest with cypress trees, hardwoods and loads of dwarf palmettos before reaching lovely Evangeline Pond.

Picnic sites with tables and grills can be found near the pond. We continued on the loop trail back to the Nature Center. Our sweet doggie, Sadie, thoroughly enjoyed the hike and so did we! 

There are three ponds in the park plus a portion of the Vermillion River; all are connected by canoe trails. Canoes can be rented and are located at the canoe launch on Eagle Pond.

The third lake is located near the campground. There were lots of kids there enjoying the outdoors. 

Also near the campground is the playground.

Our last stop at the park was the boat launch along the Vermillion River. The Aquatic Pavilion is located next to the launch and provides an overlook to the river. 

We walked down to the river banks, but it was very muddy due to recent rain.

The Lagoon Trail is located at the west end of the parking lot. Although we had hiked here the last time we visited the park in 2015, this time there were no annoying bugs and it was a beautiful day. The limbs of many trees are covered in ferns and other air plants. 

This is a great park to visit for some hiking or canoeing this time of year...really enjoyed it. Here is a link to my earlier post from 2015 on the park (windsofdestiny-rvlife.blogspot.com/search?q=Palmetto+island+state+park).

For additional information about accommodations and pavilion rentals at the park, go to www.crt.state.la.us/louisiana-state-parks/parks/palmetto-island-state-park.

Cajun RV Park, October 17-November 17, 2017

Rating:  4.0 on a scale of 5

As you can see, the sign at the entrance to the park sustained damages due to the last hurricane that hit the area. 

The front of the park has gravel sites while the rest of the sites are grass. The office (two story building) is located near the rear.

Location: This was our first visit to Biloxi, MS, and we selected this park due to its location (Beach Blvd) within walking distance to the beach. Also, many restaurants and shops are within walking distance. It proved to be a great home base for exploring sites to the east and west of Biloxi along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The park is, however, located next to a Super 8 Motel and an entertainment center, so if you are looking for a more secluded park, this place is not for you. 

Lot size: Our lot (#29) was of sufficient size for our motor coach, car, and tow dolly. We were able to put our rug out on the grass that made for a nice sitting area.

Sturdy picnic tables are provided at each site. There are cement pads for the picnic tables at some sites. 

Amenities: This park has lots of amenities including wifi and cable TV. There are two lighted pavilions and a large gas-fueled fireplace where guests can gather to socialize. 

A guest lounge is located in the same building as the office where morning coffee and pastries are provided. And the laundromat and bathrooms are also in the office building. We did our laundry here during our stay as there were at about 8 washers and dryers. 

A lovely swimming pool is located near the office. On the opposite side is a volleyball court and horseshoe pits.

A fenced, off leash, dog park is available. And, there is a large field behind the office used for RV storage where many guests take their large dogs for a run. Our sweet doggy, Sadie, got to meet a miniature Australian Shepherd that looked just like her! They weren't quite sure what to think of each other...

A complimentary shuttle provides transportation to/from Treasure By Casino for those interested in gambling. There are lots of other large casinos along Beach Boulevard. 

Cost: $715/month; electric included

Management: The folks in the office were great. This is a very well managed park. The property is well maintained and we saw staff working on the grounds almost every day. 

General Comments:  A positive for this park is its central location in Biloxi. A negative is the noise from the trains that can be heard multiple times during the day and night on tracks located nearby. We got used to it, but they blow their horns in this area and it is loud. Also, we could hear music on the weekends from the entertainment center next to the park until about 1 or 2 am. Despite this, we would definitely stay at this park again.

During our one month stay, we walked to dinner at three restaurants from the park: Woody's (www.woodysbiloxi.com) is a great place to watch sporting events with American food at good prices (and I had a fantastic margarita there for just $5); The Reef (www.thereefbiloxi.com) where we tried the Boudin Balls appetizer and I had the Gulf Grouper (grilled) that was divine; and, Slap Ya Momma's (www.slapyamommas.com) that was right next to the RV Park where we had BBQ, of course. 

We also stopped in to play some air hockey. Miniature golf and go carts are also available on the grounds.

Website: www.cajunrvpark.com