RV Park / RV Campground – Catherine’s Landing – An RVC Outdoor Destination
Photographed and Written by Randy and Caly Behymer
There are some trips where the campground is simply a place to stay—clean showers and decent sites within a stone’s throw to your neighbor’s awning. Then there are those trips where the campground is the destination. These campgrounds define “adventure vacations” and ensure a lot of fun for the entire family with accommodations that fit every type of traveler. RVC Outdoor Destinations campgrounds have taken a step above and beyond your typical campground and redefined what a campground can offer guests. They’ve set themselves apart to create a unique experience where the campground is the destination.
We’ve heard excellent things about RVC Outdoor Resorts over the years. Recently, RVC invited us to visit Catherine’s Landing in Hot Springs, Arkansas, one of nine locations that RVC offers. We jumped at the chance and couldn’t wait for our outdoor adventure to begin. Each location is unique from the others, making these outdoor resorts and campgrounds truly special. Catherine’s Landing sprawls across 100 acres of the 500-acre site that it sits on, nestled along the Ouachita River. This park offers 211 RV sites, 19 cottages, eight yurts, four tent sites and two group tent sites. Anyone who’s attempted to set up camp (whether RV, travel trailer or tent) on an uneven site can attest to the potential marriage- and relationship-ender these types of sites can be. You have one person attempting to set up camp on a sloped lot, and the other person convinced a quick move six inches to the right would solve all the problems. Thankfully, RVC did their homework on the necessity of a flat, level pad to set up camp, saving countless relationships. Each RV site offers a large (and I mean very large), blessedly level concrete pad. We own a Class A with a front entry, and most campgrounds cater to travel trailers with a mid-entry, so the widest part of the pad is in the middle. That leaves front entry RVers walking through, at times, muddy ground to step into their RV, tracking the mess inside. Again, Catherine’s Landing to the rescue. The concrete pad was extra wide from front to back, accommodating our front entry and keeping grass and dirt outside where it belongs—details like this show that RVC goes above and beyond to make the stay at their resorts memorable. Aside from the flat and level concrete pads, the sites were extra-large and easy to maneuver. RV sites at Catherine’s Landing are back-in and pull-through. Some sites are available along the waterfront, and a few nestle back against the woods, offering more privacy.
Catherine’s Landing offers amenities you’d expect at most campgrounds—clean bathhouses and laundry facilities. But this is just the beginning of their amenities. The front office is also home to a beautiful fireplace and well-stocked souvenirs store. Next to the front office is the large pool, splash pad and playground area, laundry, bathhouse and a dog wash. Yes, a dog wash (I told you they’ve thought of everything). Two fenced-in dog run areas allow plenty of room for Fido to get out the wiggles after a long day on the road. The front desk offers a concierge level of service, with local recommendations to restaurants and attractions, as well as a place to make rental reservations for boats, golf carts, canoes and kayaks.
During our stay, we couldn’t wait to get out on the water in a pontoon. The staff was accommodating, getting us set up on the pontoon and going over all the boat and water map features before sending us on our way to enjoy the area by water. As a registered guest, you can bring your own boat and use the boat launch and docks. There’s no fee to use the dock, and they operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Keep in mind that space is limited, so plan accordingly. The golf cart rental was convenient because the park is large, and the golf cart saves time driving from one fun activity to the next. Want to try your hand at fishing? There’s a catch-and-release pond stocked with stripers and bluegill—a great place to create a new memory about the biggest fish you ever caught that put up the biggest fight you’ve ever had. At least that’s the story you can share around the campfire that night. If you’re a true adventurer and still looking for more to do, Catherine’s Landing offers even more. Tucked back behind the yurts and tent sites on the east side of the property is a 9-hole disc golf course and the beginning of one of the two hiking paths that weave their way around Catherine’s Landing. One trail is 1.3 miles, and the other 1.7 miles —substantial hiking paths for an RV park. Adventure Works, a zipline and aerial tour course, is located on Catherine’s Landing property, conveniently accessible by the cottages on the west side of the property. We booked our timeslot and spent a few hours gliding through the treetops one early afternoon, as giddy as children, ziplining through the woods. Be sure to look for the turtles on Turtle Creek as you go zipping by, and if you stretch your foot far enough, you may be able to touch the water.
As our stay at Catherine’s Landing came to an end, we spent our last evening around the campfire, reminiscing over our past few days. With the fire crackling gently against the setting sun, we shared and laughed over new memories made, the adventures we had cruising through the treetops and floating down the river, basking in the warm mid-day sun. Catherine’s Landing has created something special for its guests. A place that provides accommodations for every type of traveler, amenities that are second to none, and a caring, friendly staff that goes above and beyond to ensure that every guest feels at home. Catherine’s Landing is so much more than just an RV park; it is a destination vacation all wrapped up into one beautiful location. Click here for more information on Catherine’s Landing.
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