Arriving really late the night before checkin.....

[DKSABS]

Oops. Double Post. Sorry.

 

[DKSABS]

We went ahead and made reservations at O'Leno State Park, which looks like it's not too far off I-75 between Lake City and Gainesville, so we'll be able to plug in and turn on the air conditioner and open the slides and get some sleep. We won't be as close as Lake Louisa, but will be able to travel more than halfway from home after work on Wednesday night and won't have as far to travel on our check-in day (Thursday, May 11). We originally planned to drive all day Thursday and not get to FW until late afternoon/early evening, until I saw all the recommendations on here about arriving early for the best chance of getting a better site assignment. I like knowing we'll actually get there in time to enjoy the fort on check-in day instead of getting there late and going straight to 2 days in a row in the parks without getting to explore the Fort. Thanks for all the suggestions!

 

[bama_ed]

We went ahead and made reservations at O'Leno State Park, which looks like it's not too far off I-75 between Lake City and Gainesville, so we'll be able to plug in and turn on the air conditioner and open the slides and get some sleep. We won't be as close as Lake Louisa, but will be able to travel more than halfway from home after work on Wednesday night and won't have as far to travel on our check-in day (Thursday, May 11). We originally planned to drive all day Thursday and not get to FW until late afternoon/early evening, until I saw all the recommendations on here about arriving early for the best chance of getting a better site assignment. I like knowing we'll actually get there in time to enjoy the fort on check-in day instead of getting there late and going straight to 2 days in a row in the parks without getting to explore the Fort. Thanks for all the suggestions!

Always wanted to try O'Leno.

Please tell us how it is. It does look close to I75. Get off one exit and head south to O'Leno then when leaving continue south and catch I75 at another exit.

Sounds like a plan.

I like Florida State Parks for the most part.

Bama Ed

 

[DKSABS]

I'll definitely let you know how it is. They had plenty of availability still for next week, and it's only $18 per night to camp there. Not bad at all!

 

[pjpoppins]

We lucked out our last time there then....
We planned to boondock somewhere on the way down, prob SC or GA. I said "screw it, lets see if we can come in late tonight". We called WDW reservations and the CM said sure they have a site you may have to change it in the morning and it will be full price. I planned on not even unhitching, just plugging in for the AC and water. Well after driving another 7 hours and getting there about 1:30a the front desk said they absolutely had no sites and asked who I talked to. I said I didn't know but it was the reservation system. Luckily they let us park in overflow. I worked third shift Sunday night and then we left Monday night and drove straight through about 24 hours. I think I would have cried, lit the truck and camper on fire and walked away had we had to leave. It got down into the 70's that night which was good because we didn't have a generator.
In retrospect I guess we shouldn't have but we put the awning and chairs out in the morning while we waited for our site to be ready. There was plenty of space and we wanted to take a pic for our friends who were coming down a few days later to say we got a prime spot.

 

[tiggerdad]

We lucked out our last time there then....
We planned to boondock somewhere on the way down, prob SC or GA. I said "screw it, lets see if we can come in late tonight". We called WDW reservations and the CM said sure they have a site you may have to change it in the morning and it will be full price. I planned on not even unhitching, just plugging in for the AC and water. Well after driving another 7 hours and getting there about 1:30a the front desk said they absolutely had no sites and asked who I talked to. I said I didn't know but it was the reservation system. Luckily they let us park in overflow. I worked third shift Sunday night and then we left Monday night and drove straight through about 24 hours. I think I would have cried, lit the truck and camper on fire and walked away had we had to leave. It got down into the 70's that night which was good because we didn't have a generator.
In retrospect I guess we shouldn't have but we put the awning and chairs out in the morning while we waited for our site to be ready. There was plenty of space and we wanted to take a pic for our friends who were coming down a few days later to say we got a prime spot.

You got lucky on that one. Usually it's a flat "no", but glad to hear they didn't do you that way and let you park in overflow.

I have to admit, I'd probably of put out the awning and chairs for a quick picture as well just to have one in the overflow.

 

[FortForever]

We went ahead and made reservations at O'Leno State Park, which looks like it's not too far off I-75 between Lake City and Gainesville, so we'll be able to plug in and turn on the air conditioner and open the slides and get some sleep.

We live about 15 minutes from O'Leno. It's a nice park, but be careful of ticks there. If you hang out outside at all, be sure to use DEET to keep them off. And don't trust their "swimming area." We have photographed many, many alligators just yards from the swimming pier. Never ceases to amaze me that people swim with alligators in Florida. There is no barrier to keep them out of the swimming area, and even if there were, alligators can get out of the water and walk over and get back in the river wherever they want.

 

[PaHunter]

Well, slightly similar. Like yours, when slides are in there's no getting to the bathroom. There is an exterior entrance to the bathroom which is handy when you need to take a quick bathroom break while going down the road.

View attachment 234703

Man, bathroom access on the road is a requirement on my purchase list. Our current has direct door access as it is in the rear. All new ones we consider, fifth wheels, that is a must, which ruled out a few.

 

[peg110]

Man, bathroom access on the road is a requirement on my purchase list. Our current has direct door access as it is in the rear. All new ones we consider, fifth wheels, that is a must, which ruled out a few.

That's my DW's requirement as well.... While ours does also have an "Exterior Door" (Well really the door is to the back bedroom, but you can get into the bathroom easily from there), we usually just push the main slide out enough to get in. It's not been that much of an issue for us. The biggest issue is when we are stopped boondocking for a night. We don't put the slide out while we sleep (as it's "Poor Form") and I won't leave it out just a little because if the weather changes, it will let rain (and bugs) inside the TT.

 

[DKSABS]

We live about 15 minutes from O'Leno. It's a nice park, but be careful of ticks there. If you hang out outside at all, be sure to use DEET to keep them off. And don't trust their "swimming area." We have photographed many, many alligators just yards from the swimming pier. Never ceases to amaze me that people swim with alligators in Florida. There is no barrier to keep them out of the swimming area, and even if there were, alligators can get out of the water and walk over and get back in the river wherever they want.

Thanks for the info on O'Leno, and the warning on the ticks and alligators.