There is something about sitting along the Gulf Coast, watching the sun disappear into the water, that makes you wonder why you ever bothered buying a winter coat.
Of course, living in Michigan, we know better. That winter coat isn’t going anywhere!
Last week, we shared three possible snowbird destinations along Florida’s Gulf Coast. This week, we’re continuing our journey westward, looking at two more possibilities. One is tucked away in Gulf Shores, Alabama, while the other sits across the road from the beach in Biloxi, Mississippi.
And before anyone asks, no, we haven’t packed the fifth wheel and headed south for the winter. Not yet, anyway.
As I’ve shared before, our responsibilities here in Michigan keep us close to home during the winter months. But that doesn’t mean we can’t dream a little, research a few campgrounds, and start putting together plans for the day when spending a winter somewhere warmer becomes a possibility.
Besides, we’ve discovered something about ourselves over the years.
We enjoy planning our travels almost as much as we enjoy taking them.
The planning gives us something to look forward to. It also introduces us to places we might otherwise overlook.
And sometimes, those overlooked places turn out to be the best Cooper Shortcuts of all.
A Little Farther West, A Lot More Possibilities
When people talk about spending the winter along the Gulf Coast, Florida usually gets most of the attention.
Understandably so. Florida has beautiful beaches, plenty of RV resorts, and a long history of welcoming snowbirds.
But what about Alabama and Mississippi?
Both states have stretches of Gulf Coast that deserve consideration, especially if you’re looking for something a little different from the familiar Florida winter destinations.
Alabama offers the white-sand beaches of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, along with quieter communities where the pace of life feels a little less hurried.
Mississippi has its own coastal personality. You’ll find long stretches of beachfront, historic communities, waterfront restaurants, casinos, and some beautiful places to watch the sun settle over the water.
And here’s something worth remembering when planning a winter escape.
The Gulf Coast isn’t tropical.
January and February can bring chilly mornings, windy afternoons, and occasional freezing temperatures. You might find yourself wearing shorts one afternoon and reaching for a jacket the following morning.
Coming from Michigan, that doesn’t sound particularly discouraging to us.
After all, a chilly morning with a view of the Gulf sounds considerably more appealing than scraping ice from the windshield!
Still, our fifth wheel needs more than a pretty view.
We need room to maneuver, dependable hookups, somewhere to walk Cash, and a campground that feels comfortable enough to call home for several weeks or perhaps a few months.
With those considerations in mind, let’s look at our first possibility.
Island Retreat RV Park: Gulf Shores, Alabama
Sometimes the best place to stay isn’t directly on the beach.
There’s something appealing about the idea of waking up in Gulf Shores, Alabama, with no particular place you need to be.
Maybe we’ll make breakfast in the fifth wheel, enjoy another cup of coffee, and eventually decide whether we’re heading to the beach or spending the morning doing absolutely nothing.
I have become rather good at that last part since retiring!
One campground that caught our attention is Island Retreat RV Park, located along Fort Morgan Road in Gulf Shores.
It’s not directly on the Gulf, and that might actually work in its favor.
The campground sits a little less than three miles from the public beaches, putting the sand and surf within an easy drive without placing us in the middle of the busiest beachfront activity.
For a weekend getaway, being right on the water might be our first choice.
For a winter stay lasting several weeks? A quieter campground with a little breathing room starts sounding pretty good.
Can We Fit Our Fifth Wheel?
Anyone who has followed our camping adventures knows that we don’t exactly travel light.
Our 45-foot Rogue Armored toy hauler isn’t something you casually squeeze into a campsite designed for a 25-foot travel trailer.
And then there’s Silver, our Chevrolet Silverado 3500 HD long-bed Duramax.
Together, they make quite a combination.
Island Retreat advertises 173 RV sites, including 17 pull-through options, with accommodations for larger rigs. Some sites are described as capable of handling setups up to 100 feet.
That certainly gets my attention!
The campground has paved interior roads, and sites generally feature concrete or a combination of concrete and gravel. Full hookups include 20-, 30-, and 50-amp electrical service, along with water and sewer.
For our fifth wheel, having 50-amp service is important, particularly if we’re planning to stay long enough to settle into a comfortable routine.
But here’s something we’ve learned from experience.
Just because a campground advertises big-rig accommodations doesn’t mean every site will work for your particular RV.
A 45-foot fifth wheel has different maneuvering requirements than a 45-foot motorhome. Add a long-bed pickup, and suddenly those turning angles become rather important.
Before making a reservation, we’d want to confirm the actual site length, the width of the approach, and whether we’d have enough room to park Silver without interfering with the roadway.
I’d also ask about tree clearance.
Trees are wonderful for shade, but they’re not nearly as wonderful when you’re trying to maneuver a tall fifth wheel beneath them.
Fortunately, Island Retreat offers a variety of site configurations, giving us something to work with.
A Campground That Feels Like a Neighborhood
One of the things that caught our attention wasn’t the swimming pool or the clubhouse.
It was the campground’s winter community.
Island Retreat welcomes seasonal guests and offers activities throughout the year, including gatherings geared toward snowbirds.
Now, my bride and I enjoy meeting people, but we also appreciate having time to ourselves.
That’s one of the advantages of RV camping.
You can join your neighbors around a community fire pit, participate in an activity, or simply return to your campsite and enjoy a quiet evening.
There’s no requirement to be entertained every minute of the day.
The campground has a swimming pool, playground, clubhouse, laundry facilities, bathhouses, and areas for outdoor games.
For a longer stay, those conveniences become more important than they might seem during a weekend visit.
We can certainly manage without a clubhouse for three nights.
Three months is another story.
And while we have our own bathroom and laundry arrangements, having campground facilities available provides a welcome backup.
The park also offers Wi-Fi and cable service, although we’d still rely on our own connectivity equipment when necessary.
Our Starlink has become a valuable part of our travels, especially when we’re keeping up with the Cooper Shortcut Camping Journey.
What About Cash?
Cash would probably argue that his needs should have been discussed before ours.
After all, he is an important member of the traveling crew.
Island Retreat welcomes dogs and provides a dedicated dog run and pet stations.
There’s also a paved public walking and biking trail along Fort Morgan Road.
That gives us an opportunity to get outside, stretch our legs, and enjoy the coastal air without necessarily driving somewhere.
Of course, we’d still follow the campground’s pet rules and check the leash requirements before heading out.
One thing we particularly like is the campground’s proximity to Little Lagoon.
Across Fort Morgan Road is the area around Mo’s Landing, where boaters and kayakers can access the water.
I’m not suggesting we’ll suddenly become professional fishermen, but I wouldn’t object to spending a quiet morning watching someone else try their luck.
Especially with a cup of coffee in my hand.
One Detail Worth Checking Before Booking
Island Retreat has advertised an RV age restriction requiring incoming RVs to be less than ten years old.
Our 2024 fifth wheel wouldn’t have a problem meeting that requirement.
Still, policies can change, and it’s always worth confirming the current rules before paying a deposit.
I’d also ask about monthly winter rates, electricity charges, cancellation policies, and whether a particular site is available for the entire length of our stay.
Moving the fifth wheel halfway through a winter reservation isn’t exactly how I envision spending a relaxing afternoon.
And while we’re asking questions, I’d want to know how close the neighboring rigs are.
We enjoy meeting our neighbors.
We just don’t necessarily want to hear every word of their television programs!
Gulf Beach RV Resort: Biloxi, Mississippi
What if we traded a quieter campground for a front-row view of the Gulf?
Now we’re getting into something a little different.
Imagine waking up, pouring that first cup of coffee, and walking toward the water as the morning sun begins to brighten the Mississippi coastline.
No long drive.
No searching for a parking space.
Just a short walk from the campground to a view that makes you forget what day of the week it is.
That’s part of the appeal of Gulf Beach RV Resort in Biloxi, Mississippi.
Unlike Island Retreat, which sits a few miles inland from the beach, Gulf Beach RV Resort is located directly across Beach Boulevard, also known as Highway 90, from the Gulf.
And that difference changes the entire camping experience.
Concrete Pads and Room for the Big Rigs
One thing that immediately caught my attention was the campground’s layout.
Gulf Beach RV Resort offers concrete pads, paved interior roads, and full hookups.
The advertised pull-through sites extend up to approximately 64 feet, while back-in sites vary in length.
Now, 64 feet sounds pretty generous.
But remember, we’re traveling with a 45-foot fifth wheel and a long-bed pickup.
We’d want to confirm whether that length includes room to park the truck after unhitching.
It’s a question I’ve learned to ask rather than assume.
The resort provides 30- and 50-amp electrical service, water, sewer, and internet connectivity.
For an extended winter stay, those are the essentials.
The campground also advertises television connectivity, which might be appealing to anyone who enjoys keeping up with their favorite programs.
Personally, I’m more interested in having dependable internet service so we can continue sharing our travels.
Although I wouldn’t complain about watching a little football now and then.
A Swimming Pool With a Gulf View?
Now that’s an interesting combination.
Gulf Beach RV Resort has two swimming pools, including one positioned near the front of the property with views toward the Gulf.
There’s also a large elevated deck overlooking the coastline.
I can picture my bride and me sitting there toward the end of the day, watching the colors change across the water.
And if you’ve spent much time along the Gulf Coast, you know that the sky can put on quite a performance.
Some evenings are filled with brilliant orange and gold.
Others bring soft pinks, purples, and blues that seem to stretch forever.
The wonderful thing about those moments is that you don’t need an admission ticket or a reservation.
You simply need to be there.
The resort also offers a clubhouse, laundry facilities, private shower suites, a small fitness room, and designated areas for pets.
Those amenities make it easier to imagine spending several weeks rather than just a few nights.
And there’s a Waffle House next door.
I probably shouldn’t admit how appealing that sounds.
But after years of traveling, I’ve learned that having breakfast within walking distance can be a pretty nice luxury.
Especially when somebody else is doing the dishes!
The Beach Is Close, But There’s a Catch
Before anyone starts picturing themselves walking directly from their RV onto the sand, there’s something important to understand.
Highway 90 runs between the campground and the beach.
And this isn’t a quiet little two-lane road.
It’s a busy coastal highway.
That means reaching the beach requires crossing traffic, preferably at an appropriate designated crossing.
It’s certainly manageable for many visitors, but it’s something we’d want to consider before booking.
We also wouldn’t expect the same beach experience that we might find along the Alabama coastline.
Biloxi’s beaches are attractive for walking, relaxing, and enjoying the scenery, but the Mississippi Sound has different water conditions from the open Gulf beaches farther east.
Barrier islands, shallow coastal waters, and changing weather conditions influence the appearance and clarity of the water.
For us, that wouldn’t necessarily be a dealbreaker.
We enjoy walking along the shoreline, watching birds, taking photographs, and finding a comfortable place to enjoy the view.
And if the water isn’t particularly inviting for swimming, well, that’s what the campground pools are for.
The Trade-Off: Convenience Versus Quiet
There’s one concern I’d want to investigate before making a reservation.
Traffic noise.
Because Gulf Beach RV Resort sits along Highway 90, guests staying closer to the road may hear passing vehicles throughout the day and evening.
For some campers, that’s simply part of staying near the beach.
Others might find it distracting.
We tend to appreciate quieter surroundings, particularly when we’re staying somewhere for an extended period.
I’d probably ask about sites farther from the highway, even if that meant giving up a little of the Gulf view.
The campground also has relatively close site spacing, with limited shade and privacy between some RVs.
Again, that’s not unusual for coastal RV resorts.
Land near the beach is valuable, and campgrounds often make the most of the space available.
The question isn’t whether the campground is good or bad.
It’s whether the campground fits the kind of experience we’re hoping to enjoy.
And that’s a distinction worth remembering.
Two Campgrounds, Two Different Ways to Spend the Winter
As we’ve been looking at these two campgrounds, I’ve found myself imagining two very different winter routines.
At Island Retreat, I picture mornings spent walking Cash, perhaps riding our bicycles along the nearby trail, and deciding whether we feel like heading to the beach.
There might be an afternoon spent exploring Gulf Shores, followed by an evening visiting with other snowbirds.
Or maybe we’ll simply stay home, prepare dinner on the Blackstone, and enjoy the quiet.
At Gulf Beach RV Resort, the routine might look a little different.
We could start the morning with a walk along the Biloxi waterfront, return to the fifth wheel for breakfast, and spend the afternoon exploring the Mississippi coast.
Perhaps we’d visit a local restaurant, discover a little history, or simply find a comfortable spot to watch the boats.
Then, as the sun begins to settle, we could wander over to the elevated deck and enjoy the view.
Neither sounds particularly unpleasant, does it?
But there’s another consideration.
Winter Weather Doesn’t Stop at the Florida State Line
We’ve spent enough time camping in different parts of the country to understand that warm weather isn’t guaranteed simply because you’re south of Michigan.
Alabama and Mississippi can experience cold fronts during the winter.
Temperatures occasionally fall below freezing, and coastal winds can make an otherwise pleasant afternoon feel considerably colder.
That means we’d still prepare our fifth wheel for the possibility of cold weather.
Our heated wet bay, protected plumbing, and other cold-weather precautions wouldn’t suddenly become unnecessary just because we’re parked near palm trees.
I’d also want to know how the campground handles freezing weather, whether water connections require protection, and what procedures are in place during severe storms.
Speaking of storms, we’d want to understand each campground’s emergency procedures.
Although the Atlantic hurricane season officially ends November 30, coastal storms and strong weather systems can occur outside that period.
We don’t plan our travels around worrying about everything that might happen.
But we do believe in being prepared.
That’s one of the lessons that comes with traveling in an RV.
A little planning today can save a great deal of frustration tomorrow.
Around the Campfire: Questions Worth Asking Before We Book
Whenever we begin researching a campground, I find that the questions we ask are just as important as the answers we receive.
And I suspect some of you are wondering about the same things.
Would we choose Alabama or Mississippi for our first winter stay?
That’s a tough one.
If our priority were a quieter campground atmosphere with convenient access to Gulf Shores and its beaches, Island Retreat would be a strong contender.
If we wanted to spend more time looking out over the water and exploring a coastal city, Gulf Beach RV Resort would certainly deserve consideration.
I wouldn’t eliminate either one without first checking availability and monthly rates.
Are these campgrounds suitable for a large fifth wheel?
Both advertise accommodations for larger RVs, but we’d confirm the exact site dimensions before booking.
Our Rogue Armored is 45 feet long, and Silver needs somewhere to park.
A campground’s description of a big-rig-friendly site is a good starting point, not a substitute for asking a few questions.
Would we need a vehicle to explore the area?
Absolutely, and that’s one reason we enjoy traveling with our pickup.
Island Retreat is several miles from the Gulf beaches, making a vehicle particularly useful.
Gulf Beach RV Resort is closer to the shoreline, but we’d still want transportation for grocery shopping, restaurants, sightseeing, and exploring nearby communities.
What about monthly snowbird rates?
That’s one of the first things we’d investigate.
A campground’s nightly rate doesn’t necessarily tell you what an extended winter stay will cost.
Some parks offer discounted monthly rates, while others charge separately for electricity or have different rates during peak winter months.
We’d request a complete estimate that includes taxes, additional fees, deposits, and cancellation terms.
And we’d want everything in writing.
Could we bring Cash?
Both campgrounds advertise pet-friendly accommodations and designated dog areas.
We’d still confirm their current pet policies, including any restrictions or additional fees.
Cash may be small, but he’s an important part of our travel plans.
Would we stay in one location all winter?
Now that’s an interesting question.
Knowing us, probably not!
We’ve always enjoyed exploring, and part of the appeal of planning these winter destinations is discovering what lies beyond the campground.
We might spend a few weeks in Alabama, move west into Mississippi, and eventually continue along the coast.
Or perhaps we’d find one campground that feels so comfortable we wouldn’t want to leave.
That’s the beauty of traveling with our home behind us.
We have options.
And sometimes the best option is the one we hadn’t originally considered.
Final Thoughts: The Planning Continues
As I sit here thinking about these two campgrounds, I’m reminded that our camping adventures have never really been about reaching a particular destination.
Sure, we enjoy beautiful beaches, scenic drives, historic communities, and the occasional spectacular sunset.
But those things are only part of the experience.
What stays with us are the mornings when we have nowhere to be, the conversations with people we didn’t know yesterday, and the unexpected discoveries that happen when we decide to take a different road.
Grandma Cooper understood that long before I did.
Her Cooper Shortcuts weren’t necessarily the quickest way to get somewhere.
Sometimes they weren’t even the shortest.
But they had a wonderful way of turning an ordinary trip into something worth remembering.
And I suppose that’s what we’re doing with these winter travel plans.
We’re looking ahead to a time when we might be able to trade Michigan’s snow-covered driveway for a campsite somewhere along the Gulf Coast.
Maybe that campsite will be in Florida.
Perhaps it’ll be in Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Or maybe we’ll find ourselves watching the sunset from Biloxi, Mississippi.
We don’t know yet.
And I’m perfectly comfortable with that.
For now, we’ll keep researching campgrounds, studying maps, comparing possibilities, and imagining where the next chapter of our camping journey might take us.
Because the planning isn’t simply something we do before the adventure begins.
Sometimes, the planning is part of the adventure.
And when the day finally comes to hitch up the fifth wheel and point Silver toward warmer weather, we’ll be ready.
Or at least as ready as two travelers and a little dog can be!
After all, we’ve never been particularly interested in taking the fastest route.
We’re not trying to get there first. We’re trying to enjoy getting there.
Until our next Cooper Shortcut,
The Cooper Shortcut Camping Journey Trio 😊 PlusOne!
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