Camping Confidential: Blue Water RV Resort

Just like every family is unique, so is your travel style. We have met numerous families that also travel full-time, and each one seems to have a different methodology as to how and when they move. For example, some families move around to see family and friends, while others are trying to visit the lower 48 or all the national parks.

For us, we are drawn to mountainous terrain and water. We prefer to leave our travel plans open for opportunities and not fully commit ourselves too far in advance. That being said, we also like to stay in an area for a month at a time. Since our son is young and we work while traveling, a monthlong stay really lets us enjoy the area, explore, work and rest.

Recently we had the opportunity to see family on the East Coast and add a Battle Born lithium-ion battery system to our rig. After our install in Florida, we planned on heading west to New Mexico and Arizona. While planning our route and talking with others, a few families recommended stopping in Galveston, Texas. Not being too familiar with Galveston, we did a bit of research and found it located on the southeastern side of the state along the Gulf of Mexico. There are numerous campgrounds and rentals in the area, as well as dry camping on a few of the beaches.

After deciding to visit the area, I called several campgrounds, only to find that Galveston is similar to Florida and Arizona as a popular destination for many winter snowbirds. Most of the campgrounds were completely booked or had a random night or two available in the month. I happened to share this information on our social media channels, which prompted a few folks to suggest we look into Surfside or Freeport, Texas, which were only a few miles down the coast from Galveston.

One family specifically recommended Blue Water RV Resort, so we called, and they did indeed have a few monthly sites available. We were able to secure a reservation and visited for a month between February and March.

Blue Water RV Resort is situated right between the Gulf of Mexico and Christmas Bay just 45 minutes west of Galveston, giving you the best of both saltwater and freshwater fun. They offer their guests both beach- and bay-view sites with full hookups and even have colorful beach cabins elevated and overlooking the bay for rent. We chose to stay on the beach side, but in hindsight we would have preferred bay side along the channel. The beachside sites do have a view of the gulf, but the main road is between the resort and the beach, so they’re not directly on the beach. Guests staying on the bay side were treated to some of the most spectacular sunsets. Of course, we could easily walk over to enjoy them, too.

The resort is marketed as an all-inclusive RV resort, and they really do provide practically everything you could want or need during your stay. They have on-site laundry facilities, a pool, playground, dog run with washing station, dock for fishing, kayak rentals, boat ramp to launch your own boats or other watercraft, recreation room with games, TV and tables for working, and an entertainment deck with a bar above the main office and resort shop.

If you find yourself hungry, they have snacks and essentials at the resort shop and locally scheduled food trucks visiting the campground throughout the week and weekend. If you need to do a bit of grocery shopping during your stay, there are grocery stores and a Walmart in Galveston as well as the town of Freeport, which are both about 20 to 30 minutes away. One thing to note, though: There is a $2 cash-only toll each way to go to/from Galveston.

For entertainment, Blue Water hosts weekend activities such as crafts, games, potlucks and live music. And, of course, you are surrounded by water fun! Just across from the resort is the gulf, where you can sunbathe, fish, picnic, jump waves, bike or even go for a drive on the beach. Yes, that’s right! On most of the beach areas you can drive your vehicles on the sand and even beach camp in designated areas, too. Another thing worth mentioning is their sand is much harder and compact versus the soft sandcastle sand you might be used to. But that’s what allows bikes and vehicles to be on the beach without getting stuck.

If you like to get daily exercise, the campground itself is fully paved and perfect for walks with your dog, biking or even going for a run. At the back end of the campground there is an unpaved nature trail that follows along the channel out to the bay, where you can walk or bike to the end overlooking the bay or fish along the shoreline.

During our visit we actually spent a lot of time at the campground enjoying the amenities and entertainment. We happened to be visiting during Mardi Gras, and the resort hosted numerous Mardi Gras-themed activities like mask decorating, cookie painting and a golf cart parade. They also brought in some delicious Cajun food truck vendors for guests to enjoy. On the weekends we would join others on the entertainment deck to listen to the live musical performers and play games. Thankfully we had good internet service at the resort, which allowed us to work on-site. We would either work in the rec room or on one of the covered outside sitting areas. 

We traveled to Galveston a few times while in the area and took our son to the iconic Pleasure Pier for an evening of rides and carnival food. The town did seem to be a bit touristy but in a very proud and local way. It was clean, and many of the novelty shops, touristy experiences and restaurants were owned locally, and some were even famous for being in the area for decades. Mardi Gras was in full swing for Galveston, too! For two weekends the town was abuzz with daily activities, entertainment and parades. Some folks told us that Galveston’s Mardi Gras celebrations are listed in the Top 5 biggest for the country! While we didn’t get to partake in Galveston’s Mardi Gras fun, it sounded like a blast and is certainly worth keeping in mind for the future!

If you are heading to the Galveston area, be sure to check out Blue Water RV Resort. They have a great location and offer travelers so much fun and relaxation during their stay.