Southern Palms RV Campground Resort

The word I'd use for this RV park is harsh. We were in the Pines Section, across the highway from the main section, Sun. Getting to the main park Sun meant walking across busy Rt 44 or driving. Shopping and plenty of restaurants were conveniently close, but our site had a lot of problems. The grassy open area was being used as a dog bathroom, and there was no picnic table. Grass hid uneven spots that could cause falls, and cigarette butts were scattered around. Swarms of non-biting midges got into our vehicle and RV even when the wind was strong, and empty sites were right beside us. The checkout rules were a shock. At check-in, staff went over the welcome packet with us and said every 15 minutes past the 11am checkout would cost $30. Many RV parks say early arrival or late checkout may incur a $30 fee, but this was presented as a charge for every quarter-hour. Well before 11, staff drove by several times in a golf cart with a clipboard, checking things off. I hoped we wouldn't have trouble getting out, such as nonfunctioning levelers. They also asked us to sign an acknowledgement of the rules and return it to the office across the highway. I didn't sign it.

It's become a weed-filled, rude and inconsiderate park, which is a shame because this place used to be great. The site manager has poor people skills and sends problems up to corporate. If that's all they do, what's the point? The office says there's nothing they can do, which is a joke. They charge $30 for every 15 minutes you're late. I understand that for people who abuse it, but this is an RV park. We drive houses that go through earthquakes every time we move them, so sometimes things go wrong. Don't expect the place to be the same as it was over the years. Just my opinion.

It's a huge Thousand Trails campground, and finding your site is easy with street names throughout. The paved roads made walking the dogs nice and clean, each site has grass, and the grounds are regularly manicured around a pretty pond with a fountain and big trees. The laundry room is the largest I've seen at an RV campground. It's quiet and relaxing, with daily activities like bingo, shuffleboard, karaoke, complimentary happy hour, dinners, ice cream socials and swimming aerobics. Office staff are very friendly. Our site was much too tight. We were nearly touching the RV behind us, with only 12 inches to spare, and there was less than eight feet total between us and the neighbors on either side. Once the slides were out, it felt even tighter. Cabins for full-time residents are mixed in among the sites, and the cabin beside us was pretty trashy. We'd come back, but I'd ask for a different site if it were like the one we had last time. We couldn't request a change this visit because the office had closed early and wouldn't reopen for two days. We arrived Saturday at 3 PM, though the posted hours said it stayed open until 5. There was no envelope with our name in the after-hours box. A very helpful maintenance man got us checked in and said the office thought we'd already checked out since we'd stayed there the week before, even though we'd made this reservation months earlier.

The bathrooms are about the nicest and cleanest I've seen at a campsite, though there aren't many and they close for three hours a day for cleaning. I felt very safe here. It's close to downtown Eustis, with good-sized sites, friendly people, and activities every day.