To date this site has had more than 106,000 views. It's one of six Janet Groene blogs covering travel, camping, RV, boating, and cooking for campers and boaters. Place your link on all six sites for one year, one low rate. Contact janetgroene@ yahoo.com
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LET'S GO!
This blog is about places to go on American roads, near and far, sooner or later, free or fee, now and again.
FINE ARTS IN SPRINGTIME FLORIDA
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| 2025 winner Best of Show |
Admission is free to the Gasparilla Festival of the Arts, scheduled for February 28-March 1 at Tampa, Florida’s 25-acre Riverfront Park. Billed as one of America’s most prestigious fine arts and crafts shows, the outdoor festival enjoys spring sunshine and a world of noted artists, live music, galleries, art for kids, interactive exhibits and the awards showcase. Details info@gasparillaarts.com, (813) 876-1747
A ROAD TRIP FOR VALENTINE'S DAY?
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Alabama's State Bird |
Make sweet treats for Valentines Day not for your sweetie but for the birds. Be at Chewacla State Park in Auburn, Alabama on February 6, 2026 to make heart-shaped treats for wild birds. The park has modern campsites, or book lodgings in nearby Auburn and Opelika.
In the park enjoy a picnic, a large lake and bike lanes. https://www.alapark.com/parks/chewacla-state-park Separate reservations are needed for lodgings or camping and for your place at the bird food event.
Hot Air Balloon "Rally in the Valley"
Make plans now to take your Valentine to the romantic Hot Air Balloon Rally that will soar over the Nevada desert next February 13-15. The festival in Pahrump, Nevada will feature tethered balloon rides, regional food and crafts vendors, sunrise balloon launches, live music and a Valentine theme wine garden. See pahrumprallyinthevalley.com/
FAIRBANKS IN WINTER? Oh, YES!
Is this the year you'll photograph the northern nights and the golden fire of the midnight sun, ski snow slopes, go dog sledding and participate in community winter festivals? Get a free guide to Fairbanks in winter at
ExploreFairbanks.com/guide
Armchair Adventure by E-Book
The latest in the Yacht Yenta cozy mystery e-books series brings sailboat widow Farley Halladay closer to the answer of her husband's death.
Read the six cozies in any order as Farley copes, cooks and solves crimes with the help of her wacky cast of characters. You'll laugh at her frailties; cry with her as she grieves. Find it on Google Play and other ebook formats and also on Kindle, https://amzn.to/3wcf6ao
FREEDOM OF THE OPEN ROAD
Do you dream of living and traveling in a complete home on wheels? Living Aboard Your RV, 4th Edition by Janet Groene & Gordon Groene is a total guide to the full-time life on wheels. Should you sell the house or rent it out? Downsize possessions or put them in storage? Too young to retire? There’s a chapter on ways to make a living anywhere. Kids on board? We cover home schooling and also an exit strategy if and when the time comes to settle down. Order at any book store or let Amazon gift wrap and ship it for you. https://amzn.to/29XFEkq
ARKANSAS TO GET STATE OF THE ART
MOUNTAIN BIKE PARK
Soon to be the largest lift-served mountain bike park in the world, The Trails at Mena is under construction at Queen Wilhelmina State Park in Mena, Arkansas. Phase One will be a 1,200-foot drop in elevation in a range of trails from beginners to expert jump lines. Raw, technical and steer terrain will challenge advanced riders.
The facility will be open all year and is expected to draw a who’s who of international mountain bike enthusiasts. The park has a stately 40-room lodge with restaurant and a 41-site campground with Class A ,B and C hookups. (479) -394-2863
Country Music Hall of Fame Honors Dolly
Beloved country music icon Dolly Parton is featured in a new exhibit, “Journey of a Seeker”, at the County Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. Running now until September, 2026, the lavish attraction covers Dolly’s 60-year career with hundreds of items including costumes, jewelry, movies, hit records and videos. See her custom built Gibson guitar, hand-painted boots, recordings, films, mementos, awards and much more.
One-day admission is $29.95 adults and $19.95 children. Tickets are for timed entry, so plan your visit carefully. Guided tour tickets are $52.95/$42.95 and family memberships (the best buy) are $125. For information and r tickets go to https://www.countrymusichalloffame.org/
Love Sea Travel? Discover Yacht Yenta Cozy Mysteries
People are dying in Okecoochie County FL, but nobody can guess how the deaths are related. Meet Farley Halladay, a salt-cured sailboat widow who has an online charterboat booking business, dodges a wayward sister, cares for an old Navy SEAL veteran who was her late husband’s mentor and wrangles a large circle of wacky friends. She cooks, copes and solves crimes in this unusual cozy mystery series. Check your favorite e-book seller for all formats or go to Kindle, https://amzn.to/3bB5XPh
Where are all the new US and Canada campsites, RV resorts and glampsites? Is your fave campground closing? Reopening under new owners? Adding a swim-up bar? Where to find concerts that allow camping on site?
See fresh, weekly intel gathered from our local sources, then pounce on reservations to get pre-opening rates and earlybird ticket prices. See CAMPGROUNDS; GOOD NEWS/BADNEWS fresh weekly at https://solowomanrv.blogspot.com
Want a private poke when these news reports post? Contact janetgroene@yahoo.com and put NEWS YES in the topic line. Your INFO will never be sold, shared for used by me for another purpose.
Canned and packaged foods are good travel insurance. Even a day trip can turn into a longer-than-planned, hungry and even life-threatening adventure. For a book on provisioning your camper, boat, cabin or fish camp with familiar, affordable, space saving pantry foods from the supermarket see Survival Food Handbook, published by International Marine division of McGraw-Hill. http://amzn.to/1WdYqbe
MOONLIGHT MAKES MAGIC AT WATERFALL
In North Georgia, Tallulah State Park’s waterfalls and gorge are a spectacle, especially during monthly, ranger-led Full Moon hikes. You’ll start at twilight to hike to the suspension bridge, then watch the moon rise over the gorge. Dates of the full moon and start times for the hikes vary with the season. Sign-up is required at (706) 754-7981.
Go to https://createagorp.blogspot.com for easy travel snack recipes to carry in your pocket or day bag.
Where in the US and Canada to find a safe, affordable campsite? RV pad WITH FULL HOOKUPS? Glampsites? A furnished cabin in a resort? Lots of activities for kids? The newest Jellystone park or KOA?
See our exclusive weekly reports of new, future, expanding or closing campgrounds and RV parks. Go to https://solowomanrv.blogspot.com and scroll down to CAMPGROUNDS; GOOD NEWS/BAD NEWS.
See sweet and savory recipes for homemade travel snacks ( such as gorp and trail mix) for your purse, pocket, backpack, carry-on. Save money when you make a big bagful, then measure and package your gorp in snack bags for freshness and portion control.
https://createagorp.blogspot.com
Do you love sailing stories, sea yarns, cozy mysteries? Travel the Caribbean islands vicariously with widow Farley Halladay in this poignant, funny series of e-books set on sea and shore. Find it on Kindle, Google Play and all other major e-book formats. Start anywhere in the salty , six-book series, January Justice through June Jeopardy. https://amzn.to/3BH4AZK
Bucket List Alert! Hike or bicycle (trail pass required) the 34-mile-long Sparta-Elroy State Trail in Wisconsin winter or summer, when temperatures inside the long, dark, hand-dug tunnels stay the same temperature ( in the 50's and 60's) all year. It’s said to be the oldest rail-trail conversion in the United States. The railroad opened here in 1873. Campgrounds are found in small communities along the way.
Did you know that many state parks offer ranger-guided First Day Hikes on the first day of each month? It's a good way to see your favorite state park's flora and fauna in all of their seasons and secrets.
Do you need a one-size-fits-all gift for any person, any occasion? Cooking Aboard Your RV features more than 200 travel-tested, shortcut recipes for camping, RV travel, tiny homes and all cooks who love shortcuts. Amazon can wrap and ship it for you. https://amzn.to/3nNndWY
Get the week's CAMPING AND RV news from Janet's insider local sources at https://solowomanrv.blogspot.com This is hard news from local media before it hits the RV headlines. Get a head start on reservations for the coming year and beyond.
Would you like a quick email reminder each week when Janet Groene's two Camping & RV blog/newsletters go live? One is camping recipes and cooking tips. The other is a how-to feature plus weekly reports of late-breaking campground and RV park good/bad news US and Canada. Email janetgroene@yahoo.com and put CAMP Yes in the topic line. We never share nor sell your information.
