We’re no strangers to snowstorms, but tornadoes? That’s a whole new ballgame! Our plan was to cruise through the southern states of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, with a night in each state. However, Mother Nature had other plans, sending weather alerts our way. Long story short, we ended up skipping Alabama altogether, leaving our RV map looking like it had a missing tooth! But we found a safe haven for the night and rode out the storm.

I tried to extend our time at Top Sail State Park, but alas, no spots were available. Our refuge for the night? The beautiful Blackwater River State Park, located just north of Santa Rosa Beach.  Despite the wind howling through the pines, we felt pretty secure—though the lack of cell service was a bit unnerving. Plus, we realized too late that we didn’t have an emergency radio—definitely an oversight and something we’ll be adding to our checklist for next time!

Once the storm calmed down around 2 a.m., I got some solid sleep (Sam, on the other hand, snoozed through the entire storm). The next morning, we took a peaceful walk through the park and found it to be a real hidden gem. After packing up, we headed to Mississippi, where we spent the night at McLeod County Park, a delightful spot by the Jourdain River. We’ve learned that county parks can be wonderful places to camp—offering that same tranquil vibe as state parks but with the added perks of amenities like sewer, water, and electricity. The mist on the river in the morning was enchanting, and Annie even got her first swim of the trip! I was a bit worried about alligators (understandably), so we kept it brief before giving her a quick bath afterward!

Next up: Louisiana! While I didn’t manage to try the iconic beignets (next time, I promise!), we did enjoy some authentic Cajun cuisine at a Harvest Host location. We stayed at the Vermilionville Living History Museum in Lafayette, a first for us! It was a unique experience staying at a museum, and we had a blast. 

After our time in Louisiana, we made our way to Kemah, Texas. This stop ended up being our least favorite so far. While the site itself was decent, the RV park just didn’t compare to the charm of the state parks we’ve stayed at. The highlight was its proximity to the Houston Space Center, which we visited despite the heavy traffic around Houston. We had planned to explore more of Kemah, like the Boardwalk, but the cold, windy weather made that less appealing. Instead, we found solace in a Barnes & Noble, where we spent a leisurely hour getting lost among the books—one of our favorite ways to unwind.

Stay tuned for more about our visit to the Space Center and our next adventure in San Antonio, coming up in the next blog and video!

Have you ever visited the Space Center? Leave a comment and let us know what your favorite part was!