Latest / Inspired Travels With Patti / Fall Camping Is Here: Hidden Gems, Scenic Drives & Last-Minute Campsites

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Fall Camping Is Here: Hidden Gems, Scenic Drives & Last-Minute Campsites · Inspired Travels With Patti

0:00
SPEAKER_00: It's not too late.
0:01
SPEAKER_00: Summer is over, but camping is not.
0:05
SPEAKER_00: My guests and I don't want you to miss one of the best times of the year to go camping.
0:11
SPEAKER_00: Vanessa, we are already into September.
0:14
SPEAKER_00: Is it too late to plan that camping trip?
0:17
SPEAKER_00: Oh my gosh, how is it already September?
0:20
SPEAKER_02: My mind is blown.
0:22
SPEAKER_02: No, it's never too late.
0:23
SPEAKER_02: In fact, this is my favorite time of year to camp and to travel.
0:28
SPEAKER_02: The kids are back in school, which means the crowds slow down, and that's exactly where we pick to be.
0:34
SPEAKER_02: Where the crowds are a little bit lower.
0:36
SPEAKER_02: So, in a lot of ways, in the weather gets a little bit cooler, so it's more comfortable to sit outside and have a campfire or go hiking.
0:44
SPEAKER_02: The fall is like the bees knees for camping, at least to us.
0:53
SPEAKER_00: For my listeners, thank you so much for watching Inspire Travels with Patty.
0:58
SPEAKER_00: If you're new here, I created this channel to inspire you to live life more fully.
1:04
SPEAKER_00: And this is a podcast, or you could go watch us on the YouTube channel.
1:09
SPEAKER_00: And my whole purpose, my whole idea of living life more fully for me is through adventure.
1:16
SPEAKER_00: It's those unique experiences, exploring new places, and certainly meeting incredible people.
1:23
SPEAKER_00: Vanessa and I met probably five or six years ago, just randomly in a campground, and here we are.
1:31
SPEAKER_00: And I am so grateful to have Vanessa Russell on this podcast because she just has so much experience.
1:40
SPEAKER_00: Vanessa and her family, her husband and her daughter, have spent about nine years on the road.
1:47
SPEAKER_00: I can't believe it.
1:49
SPEAKER_00: 11.
1:49
SPEAKER_02: We're celebrating 11 years of full-time.
1:52
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
1:52
SPEAKER_02: On the on September 11th, which is in a couple days, is our 11th anniversary.
1:57
SPEAKER_00: Nomadiversary, right?
1:59
SPEAKER_00: Right.
1:59
SPEAKER_00: Nomadiversary.
2:00
SPEAKER_00: So 11 years.
2:02
SPEAKER_00: I am behind.
2:03
SPEAKER_00: And I'm behind you.
2:06
SPEAKER_00: And you've been full-time exploring the country, visiting national parks, sharing your adventures with your audience through the Adventure Detour.
2:17
SPEAKER_00: And we're going to talk about how to find all things, the Adventure Detour, and Vanessa Russell and her family.
2:25
SPEAKER_00: So we're going to jump in.
2:27
SPEAKER_00: Okay.
2:28
SPEAKER_00: We're going to just jump in.
2:29
SPEAKER_00: First of all, tell us a little bit about how your RV journey started.
2:34
SPEAKER_02: So we had no plans of ever doing anything like this.
2:39
SPEAKER_02: We had never camped before.
2:41
SPEAKER_02: Not tent camps, not RV camps, never been in a campground, none of it.
2:46
SPEAKER_02: And I had a friend, and this was, we're talking 2014.
2:50
SPEAKER_02: So this was before young people living on the road was a thing.
2:55
SPEAKER_02: This it wasn't.
2:56
SPEAKER_02: And it was before all these online resources existed for you to see what that lifestyle looked like because Instagram was still photos and we didn't have all this yet.
3:04
SPEAKER_02: And so I had a friend of mine that's like, you know what?
3:08
SPEAKER_02: I'm gonna sell my house.
3:09
SPEAKER_02: They had this beautiful home, and she had a family, two little kids, and she's like, My husband's quitting his job, and we're gonna buy an RV and we're gonna travel.
3:17
SPEAKER_02: And I said, What?
3:20
SPEAKER_02: What do you mean?
3:21
SPEAKER_02: What about your income?
3:22
SPEAKER_02: What about your kiddos?
3:24
SPEAKER_02: What about school?
3:25
SPEAKER_02: What about a million things?
3:26
SPEAKER_02: I peppered her with questions.
3:27
SPEAKER_02: I had never heard of such a thing before.
3:29
SPEAKER_02: And the next thing I knew, without warning, my brain, my wheels were turning, right, Patty?
3:35
SPEAKER_02: Could we what does this look like?
3:37
SPEAKER_02: Could we do something like that?
3:39
SPEAKER_02: And at the time we were your typical suburban um family.
3:43
SPEAKER_02: I was a stay-at-home mom for my daughter, and my husband worked full-time, and we were just your normal picture.
3:50
SPEAKER_02: And without having any camping experience, that seemed pretty far off.
3:53
SPEAKER_02: But the next thing I knew, the for sale sign was in the yard and away we went and never looked back.
4:00
SPEAKER_00: Oh my goodness.
4:01
SPEAKER_00: And I hear stories on the podcast all the time from people because I love to hear what started the journey.
4:09
SPEAKER_00: And so many of us, like, like I started during COVID.
4:13
SPEAKER_00: We were in cheap down, you know, we couldn't really work.
4:17
SPEAKER_00: And at that time, my husband said, Let's sell everything and get an RV.
4:21
SPEAKER_00: And I know I had no experience either.
4:25
SPEAKER_00: So after doing all the research, because there was a lot of online information, all the research, three whole months of research I did, and off we went.
4:36
SPEAKER_02: Yes.
4:36
SPEAKER_02: Okay, so we had nothing back then.
4:38
SPEAKER_02: There was like a Facebook page, it was all that existed back then about working age people RVing.
4:44
SPEAKER_02: And I copiously took notes in a notebook like, how do you RV?
4:48
SPEAKER_02: What do you even do?
4:51
SPEAKER_02: And like that's how it was.
4:52
SPEAKER_02: Yeah.
4:53
SPEAKER_02: But today there's a ton of resources for folks that want to get started.
4:56
SPEAKER_02: So that's really helpful.
4:57
SPEAKER_02: And we try to be a resource for people that want to get started as well.
5:01
SPEAKER_00: And I will say, you guys are an amazing resource.
5:04
SPEAKER_00: And we are going to lead people to the adventure detour.
5:07
SPEAKER_00: You have a website, you are just out there and really helpful.
5:11
SPEAKER_00: So when I thought about this idea of fall camping, yes, traveling, I thought of you guys because I know you've done it living in an RV 11 years full-time.
5:24
SPEAKER_00: And I'll be honest, while I was full-time for over three years, I didn't get to see the fall leaves.
5:31
SPEAKER_00: Like we never made it to the northeast in the fall.
5:34
SPEAKER_00: We were in a panic, heading south, making sure we stayed in warm weather.
5:39
SPEAKER_00: So I saw touches of it.
5:41
SPEAKER_00: And this year I am super excited because I always saw the pictures, the people sitting around the campfire bundled up a little bit and enjoying the pumpkin spice, whatever it is, people drink.
5:55
SPEAKER_01: Everything, yeah.
5:56
SPEAKER_00: Pumpkin everything.
5:57
SPEAKER_00: Yes, yes.
5:58
SPEAKER_00: So I thought, okay, this year I'm doing it.
6:01
SPEAKER_01: Yes.
6:02
SPEAKER_01: That's awesome.
6:02
SPEAKER_02: I can't wait to find out what your experience is because it's so beautiful.
6:07
SPEAKER_00: Yes, and we will give an update after.
6:10
SPEAKER_00: So what paint is a little bit of a picture.
6:12
SPEAKER_00: I have this picture in my mind of fall camping.
6:15
SPEAKER_00: Paint is a little bit of a picture.
6:18
SPEAKER_00: So many people think of camping.
6:20
SPEAKER_00: They think of, you know, the warm weather, the swimming pool, the water activities.
6:25
SPEAKER_00: What does fall camping look like for you and your family?
6:29
SPEAKER_02: Well, we have evolved over the years to in the early years, we would go to the hot spots of where, you know, everyone said, This is where you want to be in this season, this is where you want to be in that season.
6:40
SPEAKER_02: And of course, like you said, the northeast is the hot spot for fall foliage and the scenery.
6:46
SPEAKER_02: But in our more recent years, we have adapted away from that completely because that's where all the crowds are.
6:54
SPEAKER_02: And I I just love experiencing the national parks and nature and campgrounds and all the things when it's all very quiet.
7:03
SPEAKER_02: So the last couple of years at least, probably more than that, we have kind of gone off the beaten path and have been on a mission to find more less crowded hidden gym type of places to enjoy in the off season.
7:17
SPEAKER_02: That's still doable for an RV here.
7:19
SPEAKER_02: I'm not going for like a foot of snow and skirting and you know, heaters under the RV.
7:26
SPEAKER_02: I'm not, I'm not into it.
7:27
SPEAKER_02: I want hookups and I want things to not be frozen, right?
7:31
SPEAKER_02: So we've kind of pushed the envelope a little bit to skirt the season and see places without all the crowds.
7:38
SPEAKER_02: And we've seen most of these places in peak season, but now circling back and seeing them in the off season, it is like magical, Patty.
7:48
SPEAKER_00: I love it.
7:49
SPEAKER_00: So we are gonna jump in for my listeners to all things places that you could go to see the fall leaves.
7:56
SPEAKER_00: Now, I also want to point out the camping is very different.
8:01
SPEAKER_00: So when we are talking about camping, for those of you like me who don't have the RV, so I was full-time for three years.
8:08
SPEAKER_00: RV travel was the way that I, you know, traveled and went into the campgrounds, but now I don't have the RV anymore.
8:18
SPEAKER_00: So I don't want anybody listening to get discouraged.
8:21
SPEAKER_00: If you don't have the RV, if you're already thinking about winterizing it, you can still enjoy the fall and we're gonna talk all things cabins, rentals, yurtts, clamping, all of that.
8:34
SPEAKER_00: So let's get into it because this year, I'll be honest, I am gonna go up into the northeast.
8:41
SPEAKER_00: I talked about it for many years being up in the northeast.
8:45
SPEAKER_00: As some people may know, I took a position with Happy Grounds.
8:50
SPEAKER_00: It is a group of 18 campgrounds that has those campgrounds in the Northeast.
8:56
SPEAKER_00: So there are states Vermont, New Hampshire, New York, let's see if I can rattle them all off Massachusetts, Connecticut, where we have campgrounds.
9:07
SPEAKER_00: And it is for me the place that I want to go to explore the fall leaves.
9:13
SPEAKER_00: But you're gonna give us the hidden gems as well.
9:17
SPEAKER_02: We just discovered what would be for glamping or for camping, both a really great hidden gem.
9:23
SPEAKER_02: So we had been to Rocky Mountain National Park before, and most people have, but they all stay on the east side of the park in Estes Park.
9:32
SPEAKER_02: And Estes Park is an amazing little town, obviously, at the entrance to the national park, but it's a circus.
9:39
SPEAKER_02: Let's be honest, it is a complete zoo.
9:42
SPEAKER_02: The traffic, the parking, the crowds like it's evolved over the years to be extremely crowded, and that's not really our jam.
9:50
SPEAKER_02: So this year we decided what would the west side of Rocky Mountain National Park look like.
9:56
SPEAKER_02: And so we went up there and we actually we just left.
9:59
SPEAKER_02: Right now is so quiet, but it is the perfect hidden gem.
10:03
SPEAKER_02: So on the west side, you have Grand Lake and you have Gramby, and those towns see like a tenth of the visitors of that Estes Park sees.
10:14
SPEAKER_02: It's so quiet there, and it's equally as beautiful.
10:18
SPEAKER_02: There's waterfalls, and every time you go in and out the west side, I saw moose every single day that I went in and out that entrance.
10:27
SPEAKER_02: But what we discovered was um Sun Outdoors Rocky Mountain, which was on that site in Gramby, and they have Glamping.
10:36
SPEAKER_02: So you can enjoy there's some other places too, but that one's got the wagons, the cabins, and all the uh the little Conestoga wagons and the airstrooms to rent.
10:47
SPEAKER_02: So they have tons of rental opportunities, but we loved it so much on that quiet side of the park that we were supposed to go for two weeks, then we extended two more weeks, then we extended another month.
10:59
SPEAKER_02: We ended up being there for over two months, Patty.
11:03
SPEAKER_02: Wow.
11:04
SPEAKER_02: Isn't that crazy?
11:05
SPEAKER_02: And that's wild for us because I get antsy after a couple weeks and need to move on, but we loved it so much.
11:10
SPEAKER_02: And so when we just left, the place was dead as a doornail because the kids went back to school, and you know, it's still beautiful weather, like you know, in the 70s every day, and the crowds are gone.
11:23
SPEAKER_02: So that is not your fall foliage location, but that's a wonderful glamping national park location.
11:30
SPEAKER_00: I love what you're talking about.
11:31
SPEAKER_00: A lot of people don't want to deal with the crowds.
11:34
SPEAKER_00: There are places whether you're wherever you are.
11:39
SPEAKER_00: Obviously, the north is gonna see a lot more of the leaves sooner.
11:43
SPEAKER_00: We're gonna talk about timing of those leaves.
11:46
SPEAKER_00: Actually, I'm gonna do a separate episode on the timing of how and where to see those leaves.
11:51
SPEAKER_00: There's so many resources because in different areas you're gonna see the the changing colors right now.
11:59
SPEAKER_00: Right now, the trash trucks are actually outside the house.
12:02
SPEAKER_00: So I'm not sure if people can hear that.
12:05
SPEAKER_00: Welcome to real life.
12:07
SPEAKER_00: Um it never fails.
12:10
SPEAKER_02: Um so and I've got a secret spot uh also for fall foliage if you're interested in that.
12:17
SPEAKER_00: I'm all about it.
12:19
SPEAKER_00: I'm going up to the Northeast this fall, and I cannot wait.
12:23
SPEAKER_00: Again, like I said, beginning, you look at the pictures, and I'm every year I think it's just spectacular.
12:31
SPEAKER_00: There's no other word for it than spectacular.
12:33
SPEAKER_00: It looks like something out of you know, walking around Disney and something Disney would have created.
12:39
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, and I just a postcard.
12:43
SPEAKER_00: And I just keep saying, I've got to go and check it out.
12:46
SPEAKER_00: And for people who just want to take a drive and a day trip who don't want the crowds, you could do that.
12:53
SPEAKER_00: All right.
12:54
SPEAKER_02: You can take the train up there, which I think is an epic adventure that I would like to do at some point.
12:59
SPEAKER_02: Take the Amtrak train and go up to the northeast, which we've taken different legs of the Amtrak up there, but you can literally go all the way up on the Amtrak, which I think would be another function.
13:10
SPEAKER_00: That's an amazing suggestion.
13:12
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, so then you don't have to worry about parking.
13:14
SPEAKER_00: You know, you just navigate the way.
13:17
SPEAKER_00: Oh, that sounds great.
13:18
SPEAKER_00: I might do that.
13:20
SPEAKER_02: We've hopped on each little leg between the big cities, you Philadelphia to DC to New York to Boston, all on the Amtrak.
13:29
SPEAKER_02: We've done that before, but never the complete route uh once.
13:34
SPEAKER_02: But it's it's such a relaxing experience to do that.
13:37
SPEAKER_00: So, yeah, that's a fun little trip.
13:39
SPEAKER_00: That sounds incredible.
13:40
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
13:40
SPEAKER_00: So there's the Amtrak, you could drive, you could be in your RV.
13:44
SPEAKER_00: Let's talk about.
13:46
SPEAKER_00: I have so many different directions I want to go in right now.
13:50
SPEAKER_00: Um just let's talk a little bit about camping.
13:54
SPEAKER_00: You talked about crowds, so let's go down that road of it's already September.
13:59
SPEAKER_00: Let's say I want to go up there next week.
14:02
SPEAKER_00: Will I be able to get a campsite, whether it's in the private campground, the group, you know, the sun outdoors type campgrounds, the, you know, the mom and pop campgrounds.
14:13
SPEAKER_00: Let's talk about that.
14:14
SPEAKER_00: Am I gonna be able to get those spots?
14:18
SPEAKER_02: Well, that's kind of why we like to go to the non-peak locations, like in the where you're at in the northeast, it's gonna be a challenge to get last-minute campsites because that's where everyone is heading to.
14:31
SPEAKER_02: I do have a resource, and I'll talk about that here in a little bit at the end on our website that is how to book sold-out campsites, and that's a great opportunity because when you go to those peak spots, those will likely be completely reserved.
14:46
SPEAKER_02: But you can look for cancellations, and that's the resource that we have for free on there.
14:51
SPEAKER_02: Um, but that's why I kind of tend to go where the crowds aren't and find locations that people have already left for the year, you know, and then you can scoop it up for the for yourself.
15:04
SPEAKER_02: The coolest fall foliage place that no one knows about that I found, and it's even rated, I think, number three in the country, but no one goes there, is on the West Coast, and it is on the other side of Yosemite National Park in Mammoth Lakes, California.
15:21
SPEAKER_02: And so this would be the eastern Sierra Nevada mountain range.
15:25
SPEAKER_02: And very few visitors ever go there except for ski season.
15:29
SPEAKER_02: It's it's a huge Mammoth Lakes is known for its skiing, right?
15:34
SPEAKER_02: But when it's not ski season, it's kind of dead as a doornail.
15:37
SPEAKER_02: And we went there last year at the beginning of October, and the fall foliage of the aspens, they're very heavy into aspens, bright yellow along these mountain-lined lakes.
15:50
SPEAKER_02: I mean, I've been all over, knocked my socks off, and there was no one there.
15:55
SPEAKER_02: You can take any campground the next day and check into it, there was nobody there.
16:00
SPEAKER_02: And it's skirting the season.
16:02
SPEAKER_02: If you stay too late in October, you're gonna get snowed on.
16:05
SPEAKER_02: But the beginning of the month, oh my gosh, it was a hidden gym.
16:10
SPEAKER_02: So the trick to this is most people go to Yosemite and they stay in the valley and they stay on that side.
16:16
SPEAKER_02: You have to take, if you're coming from the Yosemite side, you have to take Tyoga Road over the mountain pass to get to Mammoth Lakes.
16:24
SPEAKER_02: Tyoga Road will close due to snow later in October.
16:28
SPEAKER_02: So you have to time it just right, but you want the very beginning of the month anyway for the best foliage, and it is magical with no crowds.
16:37
SPEAKER_00: And that brings up a good point because while where you're talking about is going to be the beginning of October, so people need to plan and and you know, make that plant now, yeah, or even the very end of September, yeah.
16:52
SPEAKER_00: Right, right.
16:53
SPEAKER_00: And so getting up there, and if you're in an RV or you don't like the snow getting out, there is also like again, I'm gonna say the northeast because I'm more familiar with that area, giving people other options.
17:06
SPEAKER_00: You probably have until into November before you have to be concerned.
17:12
SPEAKER_00: Now, yeah, that depends.
17:14
SPEAKER_00: I don't like the cold, I don't, I don't like the really cold weather, I don't like traveling in the snow.
17:22
SPEAKER_00: No, we don't do it, no snow, especially in the RV.
17:26
SPEAKER_00: So you want to make sure you're planning those trips based on weather and based on your comfort.
17:34
SPEAKER_00: You don't want to be sitting somewhere and all of a sudden gets snowed in, unless, of course, you're looking for winter camping, which is a whole different problem.
17:43
SPEAKER_02: We're not winter campers, we're not snow campers.
17:46
SPEAKER_00: No, I never was either.
17:48
SPEAKER_00: But even in the northeast, there are winter camping.
17:51
SPEAKER_00: Some of our campgrounds are going to be doing winter camping.
17:54
SPEAKER_02: But again, I'll Yeah, and that's a good point about campgrounds too.
17:58
SPEAKER_02: They close early.
18:00
SPEAKER_02: So in the Northeast, a lot of the campgrounds close by October 15th.
18:04
SPEAKER_02: Correct.
18:04
SPEAKER_02: Uh, especially in Maine.
18:06
SPEAKER_02: So you need to figure out your game plan, get it at the beginning of the month, and then plan to head south because it, yeah, they'll close on you.
18:14
SPEAKER_00: And that is a really good tip for people.
18:19
SPEAKER_00: Plan, look at when those campgrounds close.
18:22
SPEAKER_00: Most of our campgrounds for happy grounds, I know Spacious Skies is also up there.
18:27
SPEAKER_00: There are a thousand trails up there, just to name a few.
18:31
SPEAKER_00: Um, a lot of them will close.
18:33
SPEAKER_00: Now, surprisingly, some will be opened all year round.
18:36
SPEAKER_00: Don't those are hardy campers.
18:39
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
18:39
SPEAKER_00: Oh, for sure they are hardy campers.
18:41
SPEAKER_00: Some of our campgrounds are going to be doing winter camping.
18:45
SPEAKER_00: So if you're looking to, you know, be up there in the fall past October, check it out.
18:52
SPEAKER_00: Um, some of the thousand trials stay open all year round, not a lot of them.
18:56
SPEAKER_00: And I'm not sure about the spacious guys.
18:58
SPEAKER_00: So the point is check out the individual campground to see how late they stay open.
19:05
SPEAKER_00: But October 15th is pretty much that date.
19:08
SPEAKER_00: I'm thinking, like in the Northeast area, you're still going to see some beautiful fall leaves past that.
19:16
SPEAKER_00: So you can plan and you can make it work.
19:19
SPEAKER_00: I'm all about, you know, looking at the challenge and figuring out how to get it done.
19:24
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
19:25
SPEAKER_00: Yeah.
19:25
SPEAKER_00: Right now, I'm I'm doing a lot of traveling.
19:28
SPEAKER_00: I'm I'm getting ready to head to the Hershey RV show and then planning my travels up to see the fall leaves.
19:35
SPEAKER_00: So you gotta you gotta do some planning.
19:38
SPEAKER_02: You do have some planning.
19:39
SPEAKER_02: And what we do is we have an exit plan.
19:41
SPEAKER_02: So if you're skirting the season, like what we like to do, have an exit plan.
19:44
SPEAKER_02: So when we were in Mammoth Lakes, California, it's very easy to skirt out of Mammoth Lakes south through Nevada and end up in Valley of Fire or Las Vegas, where it is extremely a lot warmer than it is, and you don't have to worry about the snow.
19:59
SPEAKER_02: So, say, say you're skirting the season there and you're enjoying the fall foliage, and then they said, Oh, it's supposed to snow at the end of the week.
20:07
SPEAKER_02: Have an exit strategy to get out of there into a warmer area that's at lower elevation, and then you don't you can enjoy it and you you have a plan.
20:16
SPEAKER_02: And that's exactly what we did.
20:17
SPEAKER_02: We stayed up there, it was gonna snow because we stayed more till toward the end of October and it shut the campground down.
20:24
SPEAKER_02: We loved it so much, and then it was time to go.
20:26
SPEAKER_02: It was gonna snow, so we skirted down into Nevada and carried on.
20:31
SPEAKER_02: So having a plan is definitely helpful.
20:33
SPEAKER_00: Excellent tip.
20:34
SPEAKER_00: And so I spent time in Oregon and Washington, and that was that was probably the end of the summer.
20:44
SPEAKER_00: The the fall leaves were starting, but I love that idea of having a plan.
20:49
SPEAKER_00: We were in Washington.
20:50
SPEAKER_00: Now, this was in February, uh, February, I think it was, which is not the best time to be in Washington.
20:57
SPEAKER_00: Not really, but maybe it wasn't February, but I think so.
21:00
SPEAKER_00: And there were, I woke up in the morning and there were snowflakes, and I'm like, time to go pack up, out.
21:06
SPEAKER_00: And like you said, a lot of times Las Vegas was our stopping point because that's where we launched from, is Las Vegas.
21:15
SPEAKER_00: So there's like me, there's Thousand Trails there, there's there's other, there's some beautiful RV resorts there.
21:22
SPEAKER_00: Believe it or not, there's a RV resort, I believe, right off the strip.
21:29
SPEAKER_00: It's more south, I want to say.
21:32
SPEAKER_00: I'm getting a little, yeah, it's south, but it's right off the strip.
21:36
SPEAKER_00: So it was a great place to stay full hookups.
21:39
SPEAKER_00: You could still enjoy the pool.
21:41
SPEAKER_00: And yeah, that having that plan so important.
21:46
SPEAKER_02: It is, yeah.
21:47
SPEAKER_02: And if you said like what you talked about in the Northwest, if you are in Washington and Oregon, which I I've also skirted this season and stayed up there through November before, it's very easy to just.
22:00
SPEAKER_02: To the coast.
22:01
SPEAKER_02: Most people don't realize this, but if you go down the coastal drive of Washington and Oregon, especially Oregon, they don't get snow on the coast.
22:10
SPEAKER_02: It can get like really windy, really foggy, really damp and cold, but it usually stays above 40 degrees at least throughout the entire winter.
22:19
SPEAKER_02: So all you've got to do is skirt to the coast and you're out of it.
22:22
SPEAKER_02: And you could go down the coast that way.
22:24
SPEAKER_00: Right.
22:25
SPEAKER_00: And have a plan.
22:26
SPEAKER_00: Like you said, you talked about in the beginning having, you know, resources that you had minimal when you guys started out 11 years ago.
22:37
SPEAKER_00: Today there are tons of resources, even more than there was six years ago, almost now when I started.
22:45
SPEAKER_00: Check your facts, though.
22:46
SPEAKER_00: A lot of stuff out there.
22:47
SPEAKER_00: Check your facts.
22:48
SPEAKER_00: Find those resources that you know are good resources.
22:52
SPEAKER_00: The other thing is whatever area you're going into, there are also great resources for the best places to see the fall leaves, the best time of the year, campgrounds to visit.
23:05
SPEAKER_00: So I know again in the Northeast, there is uh North County Chamber of Commerce.
23:12
SPEAKER_00: I'll put it in the show notes.
23:14
SPEAKER_00: There is Camp New York.
23:16
SPEAKER_00: They are all talking about fall leaves and the best places.
23:19
SPEAKER_00: And sometimes if you park the RV and then you, you know, take the car and you drive and you take that drive, that works too.
23:27
SPEAKER_00: If you're trying to avoid the crowds, might be a little harder, like you said, in the Northeast.
23:33
SPEAKER_02: Ask the people at the campground.
23:34
SPEAKER_02: So our big tip is to always ask locals once you arrive because you'll do your research and you'll come up with your list of must see things in a location.
23:44
SPEAKER_02: But then when you show up, talk to the person at the campground desk or even talk to people that you meet out and about that work at the, you know, the visitor center or work at a place that you visit and say, hey, you know what?
23:55
SPEAKER_02: Where are some hidden gym type of places that are located here that I that I should not miss?
24:02
SPEAKER_02: And those will be the places that are really off-beat, amazing spots that usually don't have all the crowds.
24:09
SPEAKER_00: Yes, that is a great suggestion.
24:11
SPEAKER_00: And when I go into an area, I do the same thing.
24:14
SPEAKER_00: So I go to the visitor centers, I go into the local stores and start chatting with the person.
24:20
SPEAKER_00: And if I'm looking for a restaurant or a place to go or activities, any of that kind of thing, I do just that.
24:27
SPEAKER_00: As a matter of fact, I was in Lake George a couple months ago, and I wanted to, Lake George is a busy, popular area.
24:35
SPEAKER_00: It was still a little bit before the season, totally open, so it wasn't crowded, but I wanted that restaurant that the locals go to.
24:43
SPEAKER_00: And I found the restaurant, it was just amazing, low-key.
24:47
SPEAKER_00: So I love doing that.
24:49
SPEAKER_00: That is a great tip.
24:51
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, that info is always gold every time.
24:53
SPEAKER_00: Absolutely, absolutely.
24:55
SPEAKER_00: And even as we share these things, some people say, Oh, you're gonna you're gonna ruin it, it's gonna become popular.
25:01
SPEAKER_00: Well, there's plenty of places, so anybody listening, you're getting some secret tips here to enjoy.
25:09
SPEAKER_00: Yes, the fall we're all friends here, yes, we're all friends.
25:12
SPEAKER_00: So tell me what that fall camping looks like for you.
25:18
SPEAKER_00: Paint the picture.
25:19
SPEAKER_00: So there is going out exploring and seeing the fall leaves.
25:23
SPEAKER_00: But whether I'm staying in my cabin or you're at an RV site, whatever it is, paint that picture for people.
25:30
SPEAKER_00: Because here's why I'm saying this: I am so excited about the fall, which I'll be honest, that was not necessarily my favorite season.
25:40
SPEAKER_00: I always loved looking at the color of the leaves.
25:42
SPEAKER_00: But for me, yeah, for me, it was always it's the end of summer, I've got to go back to work because I was a teacher.
25:49
SPEAKER_00: It's gonna get cold, which I never really loved.
25:51
SPEAKER_00: The cold.
25:52
SPEAKER_00: So for me, it's really a mindset shift of hey, there are wonderful, amazing things to do.
25:59
SPEAKER_00: And I know there's so much I am looking forward to in the fall.
26:04
SPEAKER_00: And I want my listeners to think now what they can embrace for the fall.
26:10
SPEAKER_00: So, what are those things other than the fall leaves?
26:14
SPEAKER_02: I love the scenic drives.
26:16
SPEAKER_02: That's kind of my jam.
26:19
SPEAKER_02: You know, everywhere that we go, even in any season, I'm looking for the best scenic drives to take.
26:26
SPEAKER_02: And that's what I often get from locals that I don't necessarily find in my research.
26:31
SPEAKER_02: But scenic drives with fall leaves just take kicks it up to a whole, you know, another level.
26:38
SPEAKER_02: And I love to stop off and take photos and mountain passes with fall leaves.
26:43
SPEAKER_02: And I love that part about it.
26:45
SPEAKER_02: I also love like the crisp air at night, and we're not usually huge campfire people the rest of the year, but like the fall season, something about that is just screams like take time to slow down, relax a little bit.
26:59
SPEAKER_02: The hustle and bustle of summer and summer activities come kind of wind down and sit by the campfire and just kind of connect with the people that you're traveling with and just enjoy yourself and your time.
27:13
SPEAKER_02: And I love that part about it.
27:15
SPEAKER_02: But I would say the the drives really, really get get it for me, you know?
27:21
SPEAKER_02: Like so pure, so pretty.
27:22
SPEAKER_00: I have to agree 100%.
27:25
SPEAKER_00: I've been driving a lot up into the northeast.
27:28
SPEAKER_00: I keep saying that, but that's where my focus has been all summer and just seeing things and trees and beautiful scenery that I have never seen.
27:39
SPEAKER_00: I've spent my whole life in the Philadelphia area.
27:42
SPEAKER_00: I would go to New York when somebody said New York.
27:44
SPEAKER_00: I thought New York City.
27:46
SPEAKER_00: You talk about big hustle and bustle.
27:48
SPEAKER_00: No, there's so much more to these areas.
27:52
SPEAKER_02: Oh my gosh, there's so much upstate New York is like another planet.
27:56
SPEAKER_00: The the Aniron deck and the cat skills, and just I'm really embracing the fall.
28:04
SPEAKER_00: And like you said, just taking a drive.
28:06
SPEAKER_00: So if you can't go camping, take the drive.
28:09
SPEAKER_02: Yes, take the drive.
28:10
SPEAKER_00: Yes, but I am looking forward to, I can't believe I'm saying this, pulling the sweaters out and the blanket, sitting around the fire, toasting the marshmallows.
28:21
SPEAKER_00: For me, it's cappuccino or hot chocolate.
28:24
SPEAKER_00: I don't do any of the pumpkin spice type things.
28:27
SPEAKER_01: Um, what are you totally are missing out?
28:30
SPEAKER_00: I know.
28:30
SPEAKER_00: I don't, I'm sorry.
28:32
SPEAKER_01: I don't I've got pumpkin in my coffee right now.
28:35
SPEAKER_00: Yeah, no, I've never, never, but to each his own.
28:39
SPEAKER_00: Um so I am so looking forward.
28:43
SPEAKER_00: So, are there any final thoughts before we wrap this up that you would tips, suggestions for my listeners?
28:54
SPEAKER_02: In your area specifically, I love Vermont.
28:59
SPEAKER_02: I love the Finger Lakes, I love Maine and New Hampshire, but the New Hampshire White Mountains and then Vermont, like green mountains, like you that's tough to be.
29:11
SPEAKER_02: That's tough to be.
29:12
SPEAKER_02: But just think outside the box.
29:14
SPEAKER_02: You don't always have to go where everyone.
29:17
SPEAKER_02: My tip would be you don't always have to go where everyone else goes.
29:21
SPEAKER_02: You do, however, need to do your research like we talked about if you're going to skirt the season and go away from the crowd so that you don't wind up in a blizzard and a mess.
29:31
SPEAKER_02: And so that's you, as long as you're down to do the research, uh, you can find hidden gym places all over the country, even in the Midwest.
29:40
SPEAKER_02: You can go up to Michigan and enjoy the fall foliage.
29:43
SPEAKER_02: Oh my goodness, Michigan in the fall.
29:45
SPEAKER_02: And um up there is really the Great Lakes region, is another really like Door County.
29:52
SPEAKER_02: Oh my gosh, in the fall with lighthouses and the Great Lakes, and that's another hidden spot.
29:58
SPEAKER_02: You just need to watch the weather, pay attention, right?
30:01
SPEAKER_02: Because things can change, and have a plan in case it does.
30:05
SPEAKER_02: But yeah, there's a lot of great places you can go for fall trips.
30:09
SPEAKER_00: So, Vanessa, I have to tell you, I was excited about the fall leaves and getting my head wrapped around the fact that it is fall.
30:17
SPEAKER_00: This is being recorded the day after Labor Day.
30:19
SPEAKER_00: So I was sad about the summer and I felt like I missed it, and it just whirled by.
30:24
SPEAKER_00: But after this conversation, I am even more excited about the fall and the fall leaves and everything.
30:31
SPEAKER_00: There is the cooler weather, pulling my sweaters out and all of that.
30:36
SPEAKER_00: I just I'm now super excited.
30:38
SPEAKER_00: Maybe fall becomes my new favorite season.
30:42
SPEAKER_00: I hope it does.
30:43
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
30:44
SPEAKER_00: Tell people how they can reach out to you, how they can see some of the resources you've talked about.
30:50
SPEAKER_00: You give so much incredible information about travel and RVing and RVing with the family and homeschooling, and so much, so many questions that people often have.
31:04
SPEAKER_00: How could they get all of that information?
31:07
SPEAKER_02: Yes, so we are The Adventure Detour, and you can find us on all of the social platforms YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok.
31:17
SPEAKER_02: We also have a website, the adventuredetour.com.
31:21
SPEAKER_02: On the website or on our bio of any of our socials, you'll find our free guide to how to book sold-out campsites.
31:29
SPEAKER_02: And that's a super helpful resource because it's very frustrating when you're planning a trip and you're like, oh my goodness, I want to stay in this national park or I want to stay in this beautiful state park, and of course, they're always booked.
31:41
SPEAKER_02: But we stay in them all the time, and our tricks are in there for free.
31:45
SPEAKER_00: Wow.
31:45
SPEAKER_00: And that is awesome.
31:47
SPEAKER_00: So again, anybody thinking, hey, it's already September, I'm not going to be able to get those campsites, whether I'm on the West Coast, the East Coast, in the middle of the country, there is still a chance.
31:58
SPEAKER_00: Don't give up and definitely check out your resource on finding those campsites that are quote unquote sold out.
32:06
SPEAKER_00: There's always a possibility.
32:08
SPEAKER_02: So you can snag those cancellations, and we've stayed the full 14 nights in the state park or a national park by doing that.
32:16
SPEAKER_00: So that's great, great secrets you're giving away right now.
32:20
SPEAKER_00: Yes.
32:21
SPEAKER_00: I want to have people reach out to you.
32:25
SPEAKER_00: Please hit the follow button, the like button.
32:27
SPEAKER_00: It doesn't cost anything, but it is very supportive to Vanessa and her family as she travels and shares information.
32:34
SPEAKER_00: And certainly, if you're enjoying the podcast, hit the follow button, hit the subscribe button.
32:39
SPEAKER_00: You can reach me on Instagram, Facebook.
32:41
SPEAKER_00: I'd love to have you message me, ask questions, give me ideas for topics.
32:47
SPEAKER_00: I love the feedback on what you're looking for, questions you have, all of that.
32:53
SPEAKER_00: We both want that.
32:54
SPEAKER_00: And Vanessa, thank you so much for taking the time.
32:57
SPEAKER_00: I know how busy you guys are.
33:00
SPEAKER_01: Thank you for having me.
33:01
SPEAKER_01: I appreciate it.
33:02
SPEAKER_01: Yeah, today's a travel day.
33:03
SPEAKER_01: So you get me in the morning before we hit the road.
33:06
SPEAKER_01: Wow.
33:06
SPEAKER_01: Nobody ever does something like this on a travel day.
33:10
SPEAKER_01: So I'm truly honored.
33:12
SPEAKER_01: Thank you so much.
33:13
SPEAKER_01: Thank you, Patty.
33:14
SPEAKER_01: I appreciate it.