Snowbird dreams on the Atlantic shore.
Believe
it or not, after all the years that Karen and I have been
enjoying the RV lifestyle, we have never really been “Snowbirds”.
Yes, we have traveled thousands of miles, from one coast
to the other, but we have never traveled south in the
winter for longer than four weeks. To be a snowbird, you
must go south in the month of October, and bask in the
sunshine through to April – by definition, RV Snowbirds
stay down south for three months or longer.
Our planning for our annual RV excursions usually runs
in a yearly cycle. At the end of the camping/RVing season,
when the true Snowbirds start heading south, we start
preparing for the RV Shows. The shows run from November
through April, and during this period we would lead our
Wagon Train Tours to a number of interesting destinations,
and come home to exhibit at a series of RV Shows right
across Canada. One week we would be in Calgary, the next
week we would be in Toronto. Year after year, our schedule
was predicated on the RV Show season -The Motor Home &
Trailer Show in Toronto was always the last weekend in
February, and when it ended on Sunday evening, we would
pack our motorhome and the next morning we were ready
to head south for three or four weeks. This would be our
winter holiday.
Our RV Adventures always started with one trip at the
end of the camping season (late in October) and another
early in the spring (late April or early May). By splitting
our annual RV adventures into two separate trips we could
escape winter by dashing to the sunshine, and enjoy another
trip in the spring. This pattern always seemed to give
us a longer summer and it sure helped winter to go by
faster.
In 2006 we planned a two-week RV adventure to Myrtle Beach,
South Carolina, from October 4 through October 16. We
led a caravan down and back for those who wanted to travel
together, and we added several couples who preferred to
travel on their own, and meet us in Myrtle Beach. This
is a very popular destination, along a favourite route
for Canadians living in Ontario and Quebec, Here’s
a taste of RV touring as part of a group.
Myrtle Beach Adventure
Our Caravan started at the Westfield/Lake Erie KOA in
New York State. Fifteen units joined us there, as we prepared
to travel to the warm sunny skies of Myrtle Beach. On
the way south we stopped overnight at the Hagerstown/Antietam
Battlefield KOA in Maryland, and at the Smithfield KOA
in North Carolina.
When we arrived at Ocean Lakes Family Campground in Myrtle
Beach, South Carolina we were directed to our ocean site
campsite, oh was it beautiful! We could smell the warm
salt air and hear the waves coming ashore. Our program
began with a welcome dinner in the Ocean Lakes Recreation
Hall, and this was a perfect opportunity to meet everyone
and go over our agenda for the week.
The next morning our coach buses arrived, and we where
off to Georgetown to visit the Kaminski House, a pre-revolutionary
war era landmark. Here we learned that the great appeal
of this house is its collection of fine antiques, including
a magnificent 15th century Spanish wedding chest and a
Chippendale dining room table. The house has been home
to three of Georgetown’s mayors, including John
Keith and Harold Kaminski. We had time to stroll the shops
of Georgetown before we loaded the buses to go for our
Canadian Thanksgiving dinner.
Our dinner destination was the Mansfield Plantation, established
in 1718 on the banks of the Black River in Georgetown,
South Carolina, The Mansfield Plantation is widely recognized
as one of the best-preserved antebellum rice plantations
in the United States. Waiting for us was a Canadian Thanksgiving
feast, served in the main dining room surrounded by 18th
century family portraits. It was a dinner fit for a King.
After dinner, we went to the Alabama Theatre and enjoyed
“One for the Show”, Voted #1 by Myrtle Beach
visitors. This was a fast-paced musical show in a beautiful
theatre. After the show we headed back to the campground,
where we took a very relaxing stroll on the beach.
Bright and early next morning we were off to Charleston
City for a full day of touring, shopping and a visit to
Boone Hall Plantation and Gardens. Built in 1936, the
current Plantation house is indicative of the lifestyle
of Charlestown’s planter elite.
If you had been watching the TV Show “Wheel of Fortune”
you would have seen Boone Hall Plantation, when they featured
South Carolina, as they were filming this episode during
our visit.
We started our next day with a breakfast at our campsite
and everyone came hungry as they knew this would be a
long day. We were going shopping at the “Broadway
at the Beach Mall” in the morning and in the afternoon
it was off to the Show of Shows, “Legends in Concert”.
To top off the day we went to dinner at the Yamato Steakhouse
of Japan in the evening. If there is one thing we are
famous for on our rallies and caravans, it is that we
all eat very well.
The week was going by fast, but there was still more to
see.The next day we were off to the Low Country and the
Brookgreen Gardens, boasting the world’s largest
collection of American sculpture in an outdoor setting.
We also had time for shopping at Pawleys Shops, and that
evening we had dinner at the House of Blues Murder Mystery
Dinner Theatre. Sorry, we won’t tell you who did
it.
On our last day in Myrtle Beach we headed for Camping
World and more shopping at one of the largest shopping
malls we have ever been in. The ladies had a great time.
That evening we had dinner at Dick’s Last Resort.
If you plan on going to Dick’s Last Resort for dinner
and a few drinks, let us warn you now. Dick’s Last
Resort is a little WILD and a fun place to eat. 99% of
our people had a great time, 1% were stick in the muds.
We finished off our final day with a great show at the
new Carolina Opry Show Theatre and what a show. Everyone
enjoyed it. We finished off the day with our final stroll
along the beach.
After a wonderful trip to Myrtle Beach, it was time to
head for home. We decided to explore a new route through
a very scenic area. On our first night on the road we
stayed at the Newport/I-40/Smoky Mountains KOA in Tennessee,
and then set course for our second stopover at the Wapakoneta/Lima
South KOA. On October 16 we crossed the border at Sarnia,
Ontario and headed for home.
If you are planning on going to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina,
we would like you to know that Ocean Lakes Family Campground
is a beautiful RV resort and the staff will treat you
royally. Watch for us if you visit because we are planning
to return real soon.
We have moved and we now live in Petrolia, Ontario. This
winter, if we have the opportunity to be Snowbirds, we
will be three hours closer to the south!
Take Care & Happy RVing,
M.B. and Karen Wilson
The Wagon Masters
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