WANTED:

A GOOD TIME FOR THE FAMILY

FOUND AT: TOMBSTONE, ARIZONA

If you have never been to Tombstone, Arizona, what are you waiting for?  Now, you may want to wait for fall or spring when the weather is a little cooler. We stayed there from July 14 to 18, 2025. It was definitely warm, so worth the extra sweat. 

We stayed at Stampede RV Park, https://stampederv.org/. It is a smaller RV park, with lots of room for the smaller rigs (30 feet or smaller).  There were a couple of spots for the larger rigs. When you book online, you can pick your space, and I picked Space 1, and we fit into it snugly.  We were right next to the laundry/Restroom, but it was not that busy.  The best part of the park is that we were able to walk down the street, and in 5-10 minutes, we would be right in the action of Tombstone.  The staff is extremely nice and helps you get in and out, clean bathrooms/showers, laundry, and the delicious Shotgun Cafe (breakfast and lunch) that delivers to your site. If you need a package delivered from UPS/FedEx, they will accept it and keep it at their office at no extra cost! The post office is just a block over for regular mail delivery service.

We began our tour of the town by taking a tour of the Good Enough Silver Mine and then a trolley ride around the town. After you sign in for your tour and get your hard hat, you can walk around and see the goats, horses, and donkeys. Our tour guide walked us to the entrance of the mine. He was so kind and informative, and it was helpful that we were on the entire tour, so I think we got some extra nuggets of information (no pun intended). The trolley ride was a slow meandering around town, the driver was sweet, and with his Scottish brogue, we got a lesson on the history of the Earps and the cowboys, and all the colorful characters that made up this town. Another reason to go in the fall or spring: the trolley is not air-conditioned, so it was a little stuffy. https://goodenoughsilvermine.com/  

Just down the street from the mining company is the Old Tombstone Western Town.

   This is the place for the kids and kids at heart. You have a gun show, but it's more on the fun comedic range. You get a fun story with good guys vs. bad guys, and they always want you cheering them on or booing for the bad guys. After the show, you can mine for gold or for Reagan and Ben; they mined for gems. During their time at the station, a nice gentleman was there telling us the history of Tombstone. The kids were more interested in the water, sand, and gems, but I loved hearing the stories of the 1800s. There is a mini golf course, a cantina, and a "jail" to take photos. Everyone is so friendly and plays the part as if we are in the 1800s era. This company is also associated with another trolley company, so there is another way to check out the town and hear stories. https://tombstonegunfights.com/attractions/    

Walking towards Allen Street (the main street of Tombstone), there are a lot of shops, smaller museums, and restaurants. As you walk down the streets, depending on your time of day, there will be sheriffs or cowboys on the street trying to entice you to come watch their gunfight shows. Walking up and down the street, you will come upon many signs telling you what happened at that place or what was there before. Campbell and Hatch's Saloon—the sign is the only thing that remains. It is now a souvenir shop; this was the place where Morgan Earp was murdered. We found our way to the Longhorn Restaurant for some sustenance. Large restaurant, family-friendly, and serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Glenn and I had the rib-eye, and Reagan and Ben had burgers. Both tasted good. https://thelonghornrestaurant.com/

The next gunfight we saw was at the O.K. Corral. This is the historical version. You will get 20 minutes of talking about what led up to the gunfight and then 10 seconds of shooting. The time around the area where the show went on was really fascinating. They had the actual area where the gunfight occurred cordoned off and had mannequins set up in the time right before the first shot. Two outbuildings gave us a taste of what things looked like, from kitchens, bedrooms, gambling areas, clothing, and general life. The kids were able to try to rope fake bulls and ride in a saddle and wagon. With your ticket price, you get a free copy of the local newspaper and watch the movie next door about the town and the people.  

The last gunfight show we watched was at the Oriental Saloon (https://orientalsaloon.com/), which has the history of being partially owned by Wyatt Earp. This shows you sitting inside the bar/theater area at tables and chairs. You can order drinks from the bar (adult and kids). They have two shows about 10-15 minutes in length, broken up by a 5-10 minute intermission. They tell more fun stories about the times of the sheriff vs. cowboys and how they behaved towards each other.  

Next door, we went to have lunch at the Crystal Palace Saloon. The restaurant is family-friendly with lots of things on the menu, and the waitresses are all wearing fishnets and bustiers. I had the BBQ ribs, and they were fall-off-the-bone delectable; Reagan and Ben devoured their burger and fries, and Glenn enjoyed his buffalo wings and Old Fashioned. 

On our last day, we had to do the experience of the old-time photoshoot, and that was such a blast. I had never done that before, and I was not disappointed from start to finish. Everyone was helping us get dressed, figuring out what scene we wanted to do and placement. Tombstone Photo (there are two places, one further up the street). I loved how the lady treated us. Ben fell in love and did everything she said. Reagan was stoked to be a showgirl. They have so many outfits and scenes. It is very reasonable pricing, dressing, and photography, and one photo for a family of 4 was $34.Of course, they take two poses and have fun frames, so we had to get one of each shot and in a frame. We just asked her to take the glass out of it, and it worked perfectly.

Big Nose Kate was Doc Holliday's girl, and she smartly opened a saloon/restaurant.Great food, drink, and atmosphere. You step into the restaurant and are greeted by the maître d', and we walk by the talented guitar singer playing the classic country songs that I grew up with (I am an '80s kid). You can, for an extra fee, get dolled up by one of the employees, who just gave out feather boas, and after already doing our photoshoot, we opted out. They had a S'more martini that was out of this world, dangerous, and delicious. Their chili burger, "The Arizonan," was great. She didn't have a tried-and-true kids menu, but anything with a sheriff's badge could be made "kid-sized."Reagan opted to try the calzone (she had a few bites but was ok with it; I tried it later and it was so good). Ben got the hot dog, and that was yummy as well. Glenn had "The Stampede," their BBQ burger. Definitely worth it. Down a very slender spiral staircase is their gift shop, and you can see what used to be one of the mine shafts. https://bignosekatestombstone.com/ 

Birdcage Theater: The theater ran for 8 years (1881-1889) 24/7, 365 days/year, with a wild and rambunctious history. You can walk through it at your own pace and see the original theater style, the gambling areas, and where the gamblers rested with special women of the night. There are several articles of furniture that are from that time frame; some scenes look like we stepped back into 1881 and are waiting for our whiskey to be poured and our cards dealt. There is a gift shop with all kinds of trinkets giving the 1800s feel, from wanted posters to Doc Holliday's cup. They are open daily 9-6, $16.50 for adults, and $15 for children 8-18, plus tax. https://tombstonebirdcage.com/

If you are jonesing for a coffee of any style, run, don't walk, to Undertaker's Espresso Bar. The barista we had that day was fabulous; she would make any Starbucks, Dunkin', Peet's, or Dutch Bros. barista cry. They have goodies, bagels, muffins, and pastries—nothing to write home about, but the coffee is where it's at. 

Right across the street from the Birdcage is Hotel Tombstone, where they have a storefront serving ice cream, pies, and pizza, plus a ton of memorabilia from movies and TV shows. We got apple pie on one day, delicious, and on our last day, ice cream. Their espresso coffee milkshake is divine. https://hoteltombstone.com/

Boothill Graveyard is a great place to see a small portion of the past; so many people are buried there, including the McLaurys and Billy Clanton, who were shot and killed by the Earp brothers and Doc Holliday. It's a small cemetery, and it was only used from 1879 to 1884; they had to build a larger one several miles away. It costs $6 per person to walk the area. The gift shop is fun, including a very eclectic employee who has a lot of fun stories to tell. https://discoverboothill.com/  

Ed Schefflein's resting place: Ed Schefflein is the man who discovered and created Tombstone. He found silver in the mountains of Tombstone and began opening up mining companies across the area. When he passed away, his final resting place was created on West Schieffelin Monument Road, on the right when traveling west. West Schieffelin Monument Road is an extension of West Allen Street. The monument is about 2 miles northwest of town on a dirt road. There is a private road nearby.  

The time we spent in Tombstone made us want to return as soon as possible.  If you love history or even just love a good show, it is a must-visit. 

Travel days can be tough, especially for the kids. When you’re towing an RV, a two-hour trip often turns into four or five hours. Traveling with a trailer means you have to go slower, make more fuel stops, and take more bathroom breaks. The upside is that we’ve got our own bathroom, so we just need to find a rest stop, unlock the door, and go (literally).

Food is important on these trips. We always pack several snack bags filled with raisins, fruit snacks, Cheese-Its, Goldfish, applesauce pouches, and popcorn. Most of our fuel stops are at truck stops, which offer plenty of food and drink options, as well as fast food. Occasionally, we also stop at a rest area and put out the slides to make lunch that we can take on the road—very convenient!

For entertainment, the kids enjoy using their tablets, but they also have coloring books and toys. Ben always brings along several of his trucks and cars to play with. We listen to music and enjoy singing along to the tunes.

Reagan often asks how much longer we have until we arrive, and thankfully, we have GPS, so we can give her an answer—sometimes with a groan! On particularly long days, when we’re in the car for 7 to 8 hours, we let the kids move around a bit more in the RV and treat them to some extra snacks.

Travel days can be rough but so worth it when you arrive at your campground. 

If you are an RVer, you have probably heard of Thousand Trails. I only learned about them in August 2024, thanks to Glenn. Initially, I thought their services were expensive for camping, considering the high upfront costs and annual dues. However, this is just a small part of the overall picture. There are various options available with Thousand Trails, making it a convenient way to camp. Once you pay your dues, you can sign up to stay at their many campgrounds for free. While there are rules and regulations, and sometimes you may find yourself shut out of parks due to high demand, the benefits can outweigh the drawbacks.

In September 2024, when we decided to become full-time RVers, we opted for the lifetime Adventure membership. This allows us to stay up to 21 days and camp at different parks without additional costs. We have a 90-day booking window for certain parks and a 180-day window for others. You might think a 180-day booking window would be sufficient, but that was not the case in the Florida Keys during winter. We struggled to get any reservations there, so we explored many other campgrounds in Florida. Each campground is unique, but most are well-maintained (though some may be better than others). 

If you're part of any Thousand Trails Facebook groups, it's important to remember that everyone has different experiences and opinions, so take them as they are someone else's feelings/viewpoints. 

What are the different membership levels offered by Thousand Trails?

Camping Pass  These are broken up into five camping regions.  You can buy a single zone or up to all five of them. Northwest (Canada, OR, WA), Southwest (AZ, CA, NV), Midwest (IL, IN, KY, MI, OH), Southeast (AL, FL, NC, SC TX TN, VA), Northeast (ME, MA, NJ, NY, PA). There are limitations to this pass and you have only a 60 day advance reservation window.  You can camp 14 days but then you must be out of the system for 7 days before you can stay at another location.

In Arizona, there are many Encore campgrounds, but most of them are age-qualified (55+). Members must be 55 or older, so families with kids should note that kid-friendly amenities are not available.

Memberships: All campgrounds available. 21 days max stay, travel park to park, 2 or 4 year options.

Journey  120 day advance reservation, ability to extend 2 weeks extra time at park, 1 holiday reservation, cabin week rebates, up to 50% off cabin rentals, family benefits, Resort Parks International (RPI) Travel and Camping Reciprocal Program, and The Trails Collection Reciprocal Program.

Explore 150 day advance reservation, ability to extend 2 weeks extra time at park, 1 holiday reservation, cabin week rebates, up to 50% off cabin rentals, family benefits, Resort Parks International (RPI) Travel and Camping Reciprocal Program, and The Trails Collection Reciprocal Program.

Adventure 180 day advance reservation, ability to extend 6 weeks extra time at park, 2 holiday reservation, cabin week rebates, up to 50% of cabin rentals,  family benefits, Resort Parks International (RPI) Travel and Camping Reciprocal Program, and The Trails Collection Reciprocal Program * and The Trails Collection Plus Reciprocal Program.

Cabin Pass If you don’t have an RV, Thousand Trails has you covered with their Cabin Pass membership, which allows you to stay in their beautifully maintained cabins. With a 60-day booking window, you can reserve a stay ranging from 2 to 7 days, with a maximum of 14 days. Many campgrounds also offer various accommodations, including tents, yurts, cottages, tiny homes, cabins, and even RVs.

The campgrounds vary from place to place; some have basic amenities like laundry and shower/bathroom facilities, while others offer more options. Here is a list of possible activities that could be at a campground near you:

If you have any questions about what we enjoy about Thousand Trails, please feel free to email me. I’m happy to share any information I can. If you're interested in learning more about Thousand Trails, please fill out the form below. You will be contacted by friendly Thousand Trails representatives who will explain everything and assist you in obtaining a membership.

**Boondocking: What You Need to Know**

What is boondocking? Where can you do it? Is it safe? How long can you boondock? These were some of the many questions I had when we first started our RV journey. 

Boondocking is camping without hookups (electricity, water, or sewer). You can find many locations for boondocking, including state parks, rest areas, truck stops, welcome centers, and campgrounds. However, most people commonly associate boondocking with places like Walmart, Cracker Barrel, and Cabela's. **Always do your due diligence when considering a location; if you see a "No Overnight Parking" sign, move on.** If you’re uncertain, it’s best to go inside and ask the manager.

During our first RV trip while Reagan was a baby, we boondocked at several Walmart parking lots (note that some states, like Massachusetts, do not allow overnight parking at all). From various RV travel blogs, we learned to be cautious about parking at Walmart. Often, after parking, you'll go into the store to shop; which we did.  Be aware there are people who may follow you in and out, which can lead to a potential robbery.  Luckily this never happened to us. We experienced a scary incident at one Walmart however, where a car parked behind us and played loud music at 2 AM, intermittently leaving and returning, and running their headlights as well as the loud music.  We did not get much sleep that night. After that, we decided to stick to truck stops and campgrounds.

Cracker Barrel is an excellent option for RVers. They actually devote a portion of their parking lot to large vehicles to come and use their restaurant as well as sleep overnight.  The area is usually in the back of the restaurant and there are signs to direct you.  Now we had an interesting situation when we decided to boondock at a Cracker Barrel in Buckeye, Arizona. This was an unusual situation as this particular location was in a strip mall with other stores and restaurants. To be sure that is was okay to park there, I went inside and confirmed with the staff that boondocking was allowed. After we parked and ate, more RVs had parked there. However, the parking lot was tight and very challenging to maneuver due to our large size. I wouldn’t recommend that particular Cracker Barrel unless you have a smaller RV.  When you boondock at Cracker Barrel, it is customary to dine at their restaurant to show appreciation for the free and safe spot to sleep and since we love their food and it is kid-friendly, this isn’t a difficult requirement for us.

Regarding Cabela's, if you plan to boondock there, always double check that it is not a Bass Pro Shop. Although they are the same company, we’ve only found Cabela's locations allow for overnight parking. Cabela's website features an icon for RV parking. We enjoy visiting Cabela's. The kids love to look at the aquarium and the animal displays.

Truck stops like Love’s, Flying J, and Pilot often have limited parking for RVs, with priority given to truckers. If you can find a spot, take it. Love’s has recently started their Love’s RV Stop, which offers full hookups; however, this is not considered boondocking and does come at a cost, with only a limited number (6 or so slots) available. 

Several apps can help you navigate the boondocking world: Allstays, Campendium, Harvest Hosts, and Boondockers Welcome. I have used all these apps with great success, as they offer more than just boondocking locations. 

Harvest Hosts are businesses like distilleries, breweries, farms and golf courses that allow you to stay on their property, although you do not pay a camping fee, they do expect you to patronize the business so it could cost more than a campsite sometimes but the convenience of the area and supporting a mom and pop business helps offset the cost.  In contrast, Boondockers Welcome, of which we are a part of, allows you to park on private property. In our case, we offer water and electricity and ask for $5 per day to cover electricity costs, but that is not mandatory. Both Harvest Hosts and Boondockers Welcome could have hook ups but don't always count on it; it's a safe place for an overnight visit. 

Fortunately, we have only experienced that one uneasy incident while boondocking, otherwise we have always felt safe. However, it's essential to trust your instincts. If something doesn’t feel right, leave. Always conduct research before arriving at your next spot; it's better to be safe than sorry.

After Christmas in Tennessee, we hit the road towards Florida. Glenn is the planner of our trips, and he started using the app RV Life Trip Wizard. This app allows him to plan multiple trips by inputting fuel stops and where we will be staying each night. I love that I can check the app to see where we're stopping, whether it’s at Love’s, Pilot, Flying J, or TA. Truck stops are fantastic when we are hauling our RV since all the stalls have diesel, and most also have DEF. When traveling with our rig, our diesel and DEF levels deplete quickly.

I enjoy looking up our next campground to see what amenities are available. After leaving the last campground, I checked our next stop: Moody Air Force Base, Grassy Pond in Lake Park, GA. However, their website stated they were closed due to damage from Hurricanes Idalia and Helene. We quickly found an alternative at Casey Jones RV Park in Lake City, Florida. Although it was a longer drive, it took us into Florida. Thankfully, when I called the park, they had a site available. When we crossed into Florida, we saw the welcome center with the sign stating Free Citrus Juice.  Of course, we had to stop and give it a try.  The welcome center is huge!  We got to choose between Orange or Grapefruit juice.  The lady gave us 3 orange and 1 grapefruit (me) and it was delicious.  The area was massive and full of brochures for every town and activity possible and had fun statues that represent the state. 

We also stopped at another welcome center because this one said they had baby gators!

Fresh from our quick rest stop at the Welcome Centers, we approached Casey Jones, just off the main road.  Upon checking in, the owners of the property were friendly and welcoming; they escorted us to our site.  All the sites are very close to each other, open space, and no protective areas.  All sites are pull-thru (my favorite) and full hook-ups (another favorite). After getting set up, I did not want to cook and we noticed a Wendy's and Little Caesars pizza nearby.  We decided on Little Caesars.  We walked over and ate inside the restaurant: friendly staff, full menu, but very sparse inside with only a few tables and chairs, but it was hot and hit the spot.

We had a nice, easy night. The next day, we packed up, hooked up, and headed out to TTO!

On our way to Florida, we made several stops along the journey. Traveling for multiple days can be tiring, but our visit to Pennsylvania for a few days worked out perfectly. We had the chance to reconnect with friends from a former homeschool co-op.

We stayed at Thousand Trails Timothy Lake South in East Stroudsburg, PA; the only year-round campground in the area. It can get quite chilly, and we witnessed two RVs having water issues due to freezing temperatures; including a frozen waterfall coming out of their campers. The campsites are fairly close together but are open and sunny. It’s a lovely medium-sized campground that features a pool (which was not open), a playground for kids, and an indoor area with games, books, tables and chairs, and a TV. That indoor room was a lifesaver; the kids would play on the playground for a while, and then we would head inside to warm up and play games.
                            

During our visit, we experienced a bit of rain, which, with two young kids, meant lots of puddles for them to jump in and enjoy.  

While staying at Timothy Lake South, we met our friends in Easton, PA at the Crayola Experience.  It was so much fun! You learn a lot about Crayola while the kids have plenty of opportunities to make crayons, create art, and enjoy melting crayons into spin art or shaping them into fun forms like cars or seahorses. There are also plenty of coloring stations available.

Each ticket includes two tokens and one voucher for a Scrubbie character. With the tokens, you can name your crayon (you get a label with a picture and any text you choose), receive a bag of magic clay, or make your own marker. The cost of the ticket and the option to turn it into an annual pass was a no-brainer! We've made good use of those passes, visiting the Crayola Experience in Orlando three times!

How did we get here as a full time family on the road?  Let's rewind our story.

It all started with Glenn and I wanting to leave California, where we could buy a house with land, and have the opportunity to enjoy our lives without the hustle and bustle of city life. 

After a serious search, we decided to move to New Hampshire. For that move, we had to travel all the way across the country.  For that cross country trip, we bought a 2019 Grand Design Reflection travel trailer. We needed to live in it while we looked for a house. Before we made it to NH, we stopped in South Dakota where we registered as residents due to South Dakota allowing us to be residents while living in our RV.  America's Mailbox in Box Elder, South Dakota set us up with an overnight campsite, DMV appointment for our Driver's license, and assisted us in transferring all of our vehicles from California to South Dakota.

Once we arrived in NH, we found the most marvelous campground in Ossipee called Beaver Hollow Campground.  The staff were incredibly welcoming and helpful as we transitioned from California to New Hampshire. We knew we wanted to settle somewhere with enough space to raise chickens, and we were fortunate to find our home in Tamworth, which sits on 2.5 acres and includes the house and three outbuildings. The neighborhood was perfect for our child, Reagan, and we soon met our friends Sam and Jen, along with their son Sammy and Jen's son Dominic. Before long, we became close friends, and to this day, they feel like family.

Glenn got to work building a chicken coop, and soon we had many egg-laying hens. As we embraced the homesteading lifestyle, we also started butchering meat birds. Before we knew it, we were discussing the idea of bringing pigs onto the property. However, we realized that our current space wasn't big enough, so we decided it was time to start searching for a bigger piece of property and a larger house.  We were now full-fledged homesteaders!

In the winter of 2022, we discovered a property in Grafton. It consists of 103 acres, a farmhouse from the 1700s, multiple outbuildings, and even a stream with a waterfall. We moved in August and soon found out we were expecting another baby. By Halloween, we had settled in and were able to attend a trunk-or-treat event, where we met our next set of friends/family: Heather, Aurora, and Selena. In January 2023, Benjamin joined our family.

During our time in Tamworth, we decided to start renting out our trailer during the summer months. This turned out to be very successful, and we were able to meet many lovely people and even had some repeat customers. While in Grafton, we continued to rent out our trailer until Sam and Jen wanted to move closer to his parents and their property. We offered our trailer for them to live in while they figured out their next steps.

Since we still had rentals happening, we couldn’t just contact them and cancel those reservations. So, what did we do? We bought a brand new 2024 Grand Design Influence fifth wheel! Yes, we are that adventurous. The summer went off without a hitch, but we decided to take advantage of the RV we were paying for and blocked off a weekend in September to test it out ourselves. 

Before the camping shake-down, Glenn and I had several conversations about taking our family full-time on the road. I was excited at the prospect—dreaming of a life without snow. As we worked out the logistics of what to do with our property, our friends Sam and Jen generously offered to move into our house and take care of it while we were away.

We moved out of the house and into the trailer a week before Thanksgiving; just as Sam and Jen were settling into our home. We initially planned to leave on December 15th, but after several inches of snow fell, we decided to leave a week earlier.

On December 8th, we departed from Grafton and spent the night in our church parking lot. The following morning, we set off on our adventure—Florida or bust!