Campground Review: Davis Bayou at Gulf Islands National Seashore
When we got on the road and saw that it would still be almost a four-hour drive from the end of the Natchez Trace National Parkway, we realized we couldn’t make it to Davis Bayou before 4:30pm when the office closed, meaning we wouldn’t be able to get in unless we had the gate code. We called and left a voicemail around 12:30pm, but no response. We tried again around 2pm and got through, thankfully, and got the gate code.
By the time we got to our campsite, it was dark. We set one lantern on the picnic table, put on head lamps, and had the tent set up in no time. The bathroom facilities are excellent, with flush toilets and nice showers. The camp host told us that the whole building is heated to about 68 degrees, so that was nice for showers.
The host wasn’t in the office when we drove by, but he soon came by in his golf cart to check us in and give us the parking permit and map. We were maybe the only tent campers at this campground. Lots of RVs, and most of them seemed to stay for lengthy visits, so they had gotten to know each other and had a real community. Most were older--we didn't see any other kids--and many had dogs that they walked around the circle.
The campsite had water and electricity and the bathroom wasn't far if you cut across the grass.
What was special about Davis Bayou, though, was the sense of community we felt. The host was really involved and active, stopping to talk nearly every time he drove by. And when they realized it was getting cold, one couple offered us an extra electric heater, complete with extension cord and a block of wood to set it on. Another couple stopped to talk when they saw our Ohio license plates, as they were traveling from the Cincinnati area, and we ended up connecting via social media and are following their trip as eagerly as they are following ours. Nearly everyone wanted to chat about the weather, the kids, or something and stopped on their way past when we were at the picnic table cooking or outside playing. Even though we didn't spend a ton of time at the campground, by the end of our three nights, I knew the people at half a dozen campsites by name, vehicle, and something of their travel story.
Davis Bayou was a great first campground for our trip and we highly recommend it! We have not found this sense of community anywhere else, and I credit the host with creating it. And fyi, he has the stamps for the National Parks Passports in his office, which was great since the Visitor Center was closed.
