We started our RV journey with the Coleman Road Trip LXE Portable 2 burner Propane Grill – 20,00 BTU but during a recent shopping trip we purchased the Weber Q 1200 LP Gas Grill. Since we have owned and cooked on both grills we wanted to share our pro’s and con’s list for each, along with making the above comparison video because one maybe better for you!

Coleman Road Trip LXE Grill

Pros-

• Stand and grill are attached – makes for easy set up and easy stow
• Integrated utensil hooks
• Larger grilling surface (285 sq. in. cooking surface area) – cook more food at one time ~ great for BBQ parties
• Two separate grill areas (2 burners) that can be lit separately – can cook meat on one side and veggies on the other at different heat settings
• Slide out trays
• Optional replacement griddle rack – on one or both sides
• Comes in a variety of colors (e.g. blue, red, black, etc.)

Cons-

• Heavy – we find it hard to pull the grill in and out of our bay, especially with only one person
• Lid is shallow – hard to use grill accessories
• No external thermometer
• Hard to access and non-disposable cleaning tray – small and difficult to clean
• Gas connector not in ideal location – the connector sticks out of back causing it to be easily damaged by hitting things while stored and during the stowing process. It also blocks the cleaning tray, you need to disconnect gas to get to the cleaning tray.
• Wheels on grill stand are weak – the interior of one of our wheels broke while I was stowing the grill for travel

Coleman Summary

The Coleman’s cooking ability is great, the flame/heat range can be adjusted ever so slightly, letting you get just the right cook for your favorite meal. We found it a little bulky and heavy to constantly take in and out of our coach. In all a good grill for large families and parties, giving you the ability to cook a lot of food quickly. It is also cheaper, with stand and grill attached, a good camping grill for the cost. It is currently around $140 on Amazon and in Walmart.

Weber Q 1200 LP Gas Grill

Pros-

• Strong build construction – feels like a mini weber not like a camping stove
• Extremely light and portable
• Larger grilling volume – ability to cook a roasted chicken due to the high top lid
• Traditional grill designed lid – better for grill accessories
• Exterior thermometer (not available on Weber Q1000)
• Easy clean tray – easy to access and throw away tin
• Gas connector is located under grill to the left – out of the way but still easy to access for connecting propane
• Optional replacement griddle rack – on one or both sides
• Comes in a variety of colors (e.g. blue, green, pink, red, black, etc.)

Cons-

• Stand and grill are bought separately and Weber stand for grill is not very study
• More expensive – needing to purchase grill and stand separately
• No area to hang grill utensils
• Single burner – can heat entire grill to only one setting
• Heat range is subtle – meaning the low to high heating is very similar and it is difficult to cook something on a low setting
• Finicky regulator – sometimes the regulator will go into protection mode and block the propane flow

Weber Summary

The Weber Q 1200 is light weight and extremely portable. While it was a little more expensive, currently pricing at $199, we really liked the size and style of this grill. As it is easy to pull out of your coach and start cooking. While the regulator can be ‘finicky’ and you don’t get as much versatility in cooking (due to the single burner) it still cooks a delicious meal, and you have an external thermometer to assist in cooking food at the right temperature. We found this grill to be better for smaller crowds or great for your grill aficionado. As you can purchase all kinds of grill accessories to tailor to your specific grill needs or desires.   

Want to get one too?

Below are the links to purchase one for yourself. We also included a few links on our favorite grill accessories.

• Coleman (Amazon link)
  • Extended Gas Connector (Amazon link)
  • Grill Cover (Amazon link)
  • Griddle Option (Amazon link)
• Weber (Amazon link)
  • Extended Gas Connector (Amazon link)
  • Griddle Option (Amazon link)
  • Disposable Drip Pans (Amazon link)
  • Weber Grill Stand (Amazon link)
  • Grill Cover (Amazon link)
• Our Suggested Grill Accessories
  • Grill Utensils with Case (Amazon link)
  • GCI Cook Station/ Grill Stand (Amazon link)
  • Grill Vegetable Basket (Amazon link)
  • Grill Matt (Amazon link)

Don’t like either? Here are a few other popular grill options that RV’ers and campers are also purchasing.

• Cuisinart CGG-180T Petit Gourmet Portable Tabletop Gas Grill (Amazon link)
• Coleman NXT Lite Tabletop Propane Grill (Amazon link)
• Char-Broil TRU-Infrared Portable Grill2Go Gas Grill (Amazon link)

Let us know your thoughts! What grill and grill accessories do you use?

Or better yet,  have any good grill recipes? We love trying to cook new things on our grill.

Happy chillin and grillin!

The post The Portable Grill Challenge appeared first on LivinLite.net.

Campground(s) We Stayed

We stayed at the Stone Mountain Park Campground for one week during the month of February. The campground was beautiful and allowed us to relax and enjoy the massive lake that was right next to our RV site. It has a total of 431 campsites, 202 of them are RV full hook ups and 189 are partial hook-ups (water/electric). All campsites included fire rings & picnic tables and some sites have a small deck complete with gas grills overlooking the lake. A few other amenities include; heated comforts stations, laundry facility, a swimming pool, free wifi and cable, along with a discount for passes to other attractions within the park.

Things To Do

Confederate Memorial Carving – The Civil War can be a touchy subject but for history buffs the Confederate Memorial Carving is chock full of American History. The carving is the largest relief carving in the world measuring 3 acres in size and is larger than a football field. In the summer the carving is highlighted by a massive Lasershow Spectacular provided in “Mountainvision” which we think is a fancy way of saying “with really really big lights and projectors”.  We were not there to witness the laser show since we visited off season but the pictures on the website and the reviews we read all say it is quite the experience.

Adventure Pass – If you have a family and/or want to visit more than one attraction then pickup an “Adventure Pass.” This give you access to all the attractions (depending on the season). We visited in the winter, our attractions included; Stone Mountain Museum at Memorial Hall, 4-D movie experience, the SnowZone, Tube Runers, Avalanche Alley and more.

Summit Sky Ride – A high-speed Swiss cable car takes you to the top of Stone Mountain providing great views of the Confederate Memorial Carving locate on the side of Stone Mountain. Once you get to the top there are amazing views of the park and the Atlanta skyline. Watch the video above to check out our Sky Ride experience!

Recreation and Golf – Hiking trails are located all throughout the mountain and park, along with places to have picnics while enjoying nature. If you like golf there is also a 18 hole golf course along the base of the mountain.

And More… check out the Stone Mountain Park website to see all the fun things you can do at the park!

Places We Ate

1910 Public House – During our brief stay we took a drive into Lilburn, GA where we had a great dinner at 1910 Public House. We started off with the Diavolo Mussels and Roasted Beet and Spinach Salad. Followed by the Seared Sea Scallops and Pork Chops for mains. The food was great and hit the spot after a long day of work.

Overall Opinion

We were not able to stay at this location as long as we normally do but overall we had a great time at the park. Stone Mountain and Stone Mountain Park is a beautiful place to visit any time of the year, with tons of activities for people of all ages. It is definitely geared towards families but there is more than enough for everyone, especially if you include what is available in Atlanta.  The campground is very nice with amazing views and unique sites. We were there in the winter and not a lot of people were around but I’m sure this park is very popular in the summer due to the lake and laser light show.

Would We Recommend

Yes, we would recommend going to Stone Mountain Park in Stone Mountain, GA to enjoy nature and to stay at a beautiful campground.

The post Exploring Stone Mountain Georgia appeared first on LivinLite.net.

Campground(s) We Stayed 

Within SOB is a campground called Pedro’s Campgrounds or ‘Camp Pedro’ as the locals call it. The campground has 100 full hook-up site with 30 and 50 amp options. There are BBQ grills located throughout the campground along with playgrounds, and a shower/laundry facility. The roads are decent and the front desk gave us good directions on how to pull in our big rig. There were a few tight turns for our 45 footer but we were able to get into our site just fine. We only stayed for the night but had no problems booking a reservation just an hour before stopping. There are no dumpsters, but rather trash cans located throughout the property which was a bit of a change from what we normally see.

Things To Do

There are a number of attractions at South of the Border including; rides, shops, arcades, and restaurants. The places we checked out during our one-night stay are listed below.

Hats Around the World – This is a very interesting souvenir shop; it carries every kind of hat you can think of. We had to go in and check it out, and of course try on a bunch of different hats to take pictures. I suggest having a few drinks first and then going in… it will make the experience so much more fun. Here I am with the giant camel statue in the middle of the store. Nice hat!

Sombrero Tower –  A 200 foot tall lookout tower in the shape of a Sombrero. For $4 ($2 per person) we took the glass elevator to the top were you can get an amazing 360-degree view of the park and of the North and South Carolina country side. We loved being able to see our RV in the parking lot. It looked so small from on top of the tower which isn’t the case when were driving her down the road.

Reptile Lagoon – Claimed to be the largest indoor reptile exhibit in the US, the Reptile Lagoon was very interesting. The Lagoon has a large collection of turtles, alligators, crocodiles and snakes. It’s open 7 days a week and we paid ~$12 per person to see the attraction. The attraction was clean and the animals seemed well kept (although some of the cages were small).  Several of their crocodiles are on the endangered specialist list, so a portion of every admission goes to the Crocodile Conservation Institute which we thought was pretty cool. If you aren’t squeamish of these type of reptiles we suggest checking this place out, and if you are lucky like we were you might just arrive at snake lunch time. We watched a king cobra eat a mouse; it wasn’t a fast process but it was definitely an experience I won’t forget. The photo below is actually not of a snake, its a legless lizard!

Places We Ate

Del Sol Mexican Restaurant – To stay in the Mexican spirt we decided to take a drive into the town of Dillon, South Carolina and try out Del Sol Mexican Restaurant. It had good reviews on TripAdvisor (there isn’t much around here) and we both were in the mood for some Margaritas and Fajitas. Del Sol didn’t disappoint – the food was good and the service was quick. Some Fajitas and a Margarita later we were ready to head back to SOB for a little exploring and a good night sleep at Pedro’s campground.

Pedro’s Hot Tamale – This a pretty basic place to grab a quick bite to eat. They have sandwiches, fries, fountain drinks and tamale’s, of course. It is within walking distance from the campground. We walked over and grabbed two grilled chicken sandwiches before we hit the road again, nothing special but again there isn’t much around so we were glad to have a spot where we could grab a quick bite.

Overall Opinion

We were looking for a unique, safe place to stay for the night on our drive down to Florida, and South of the Border was perfect for just that. You can tell that SOB has weathered over the years but it was still an experience to be had. If nothing else stop and get a photo or two.

Would We Recommend?

We would recommend stopping at South of the Border if it is on your way and you need/want a fun place to stay for the night.

The post South of the Border! Rest Stop & Road Side Attraction appeared first on LivinLite.net.

Name: Lone Pine Campsites – Vermont

Location: 52 Sunset View Rd. – Mallets Bay, Colchester, VT 05446

Type: RV Park

Website: http://lonepinecampsites.com/

Overview

The Campground is located right on the shoreline of Lake Champlain next to Mallets Bay. It’s a quick 20 minutes drive to downtown Burlington, VT and about 40 minutes from the Canadian border. Check out our area review of downtown Burlington here. 

The grounds are well groomed and the park has great security. We arrived after hours and their security crew was extremely nice and helped us find our site in the dark, ensuring we were all set for the evening. They have a total of 265 spots ranging from tent sites to 3-point/50 amp/pull through RV sites.

Their office with store is fully stocked with all kinds of items from soft serve ice cream to fire wood to clothes to RV needs. They are also known to be “Vermont’s Favorite Family Campground” and during our two-week stay I could definitely see why, with playgrounds, two swimming pools, pedal bike rentals and a weekly ride on their vintage fire truck, what a fun place to be a kid!

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Additional Features:

• Good Sam discounts
• Clean bathrooms
• Mini golf course
• Laundry facility
• Propane refills
• Additional dump stations
• Pet friendly

What we liked

• Friendly and Accommodating Staff
  • The staff was so friendly and helpful. We decided to extend our stay and while they didn’t have the same spot available they placed us in an overflow spot. On our move day an employee came over to ensure we had everything we needed included a picnic table and dropped of a portable fire pit.

• Exceptionally Clean
  • From the bathrooms to the grounds to the office and pool everything was clean and organized.

• Great Wifi
  • Having a good wifi connection is also a major plus for us.

• Big Rig Friendly
  • We loved that they had spacious sites along with pull-throughs. It always makes coming and going a little bit easier in our 45-footer.

What we didn’t like

• Close to the highway
  • While we didn’t really have anything we didn’t like about this campground our one ‘this could have been better moment’ was the close proximity to a major highway and the directions off the highway to the campground were a little confusing. A few more signs on the way in would have been helpful.

Overall Opinion

Overall this campground was great. With a packed calendar of events, well maintained grounds, good Wifi, and friendly staff it was a very pleasant experience all around.

Would we stay again?

Yes, we would stay again!

LivinLite.net Ratings (10 max)

Accessibility – 7

Connectivity – 9

Cleanliness – 10

Staff – 10

Surroundings (local attractions) – 8.5

The post Lone Pine Campsites – Colchester, VT appeared first on LivinLite.net.

Burlington Vermont is located right on coast of Lake Champlain. It is the largest city in Vermont and it is also home to the University of Vermont. It is 45 miles south of the Canadian border, located between the Adirondacks and Green Mountains. The city has a historic yet contemporary vibe with tons of recreational activities from boating to skiing to biking. If you what to shop, browse or be entertained there is tons of shopping, tours and events to choose from.

Campground(s) We Stayed

Lone Pine Campsites in Colchester, VT is a 15 minutes drive from downtown Burlington and 5 minutes from Malletts Bay, Lake Champlain. It is a privately owned campground with 265 campsites, providing a large variety of camping sites from 3-point hook ups to tent camping. They also hold weekly activities starting in May and ending in November. When we were there they had a classic car show in the main pavilion which was really cool.  You can checkout our full campground review here. 

Things to Do

Burlington Discover Jazz Festival – While we didn’t plan this we just so happened to be in Vermont for the 32^nd annual Discover Jazz Festival. It took place from June 5^th – 14th with a great educational cause – “To broaden awareness and appreciation of jazz through quality live performances of national and regional scope; present educational activities that illuminate the art form for students of all ages and backgrounds; showcase Vermont and regional jazz artists, including students; and create a vital city-wide community festival that contributes to the national jazz dialogue” Discover Jazz Mission.

Venues are located throughout the downtown area focused around Main and Church street. You have the ability to walk around and plan your own day of free Jazz listening events or if you want a more traditional show experience tickets are available for sale. We purchased two sets of tickets, one to see the Spanish Harlem Orchestra on the Flynn Mainstage and the second, Wadada Leo Smith’s Golden Quartet at Fynn Space. Both performances, while very different, were excellent. The Spanish Harlem Orchestra was upbeat and fun with people dancing at their seat while the Golden Quartet was deep and touching. We really enjoyed both shows as it opened our eyes to the great range of Jazz music. Next years festival is from June 3-12, 2016. We definitely suggest you plan a trip.

Church Street Marketplace – The Jazz festival definitely made our Church Street Marketplace visit a little more interesting than the average day, this outdoor pedestrian mall was filled will all kinds of shops, restaurants and outdoor entertainment. A few shops we enjoyed was… Kiss the Cook, a locally owned gourmet Kitchen store. We purchased a really nice salt and pepper grinder (gotta season our food in style). Keep Vermont Weird Clothing store, where Erik purchased a hat, and Bluebird Coffee shop a really neat coffee place that was an old ticket booth converted into a coffee and pastry shop. So Fun!

Burlington Bike Path – Per trip advisor this is the number one thing to do in Vermont and they are right! The Burlington Bike Path is a Rehabilitation Project that started back in 2013. It is now an 8-mile multi-use path in downtown Burlington that runs along the Lake Champlain waterfront. It has amazing scenic view of the lake with a paved path providing associability for both road and mountain bikes. It also has room on each side for a walking path. Don’t have a bike? No problem, there are several places to rent bike on Main Street. We went to North Start Sports, they were extremely friendly and knowledgeable with a wide range of rental bikes to choose from and only a few minute ride to the start of the path.

Lake Champlain, Malletts Bay – If you like the water than Lake Champlain is a must visit destination. It is 120 miles long and 435 square miles with tons of summer and a few winter water activities. You can rent all kinds of boats, kayaks or canoes. We were very lucky to have friends in the area with a boat – Oh yeah! We spent a beautiful Sunday afternoon in June hanging out on the lake. While it was a bit too cold for a swim it was definitely hot! Don’t forget the sunscreen!

Don’t have a friend with a boat? While we didn’t personally use any of the below here are a few lake activities you can check out:

• Northern Lights – Lake Champlain Cruises
• Let’s Go Sailing – Sunset Cruises and day sails
• Apple Island Marina – Pontoon boat, kayaks (doubles & singles), canoes & rowboats, and Pedal Boat Rentals

Places We Ate

The Farmhouse Tap & Grill … has a great atmosphere with several beers on tap and simple but yummy menu. We came for dinner and enjoyed a few of their craft beers on tap their house charcuterie board for an appetizer. Followed by their cast iron seared Faroe Island salmon and LaPlatte River angus farm beef burger for mains. The meals were great and the grilled red hen bread with the charcuterie was delish!

Citizen Cider … I am definitely a bit of a cider lover, so when one of our friends recommend going to the tasting room at Citizen Cider we had to give it a try. We got a flight just so we could taste a bunch of the ciders and one of their signature cocktails called the ‘Dirty Mayor.’ I also strongly recommend getting their citizen burger – dressed. Their motto of “Cider Loves Food” couldn’t be more on key because the cider and burger combo was amazing!!!

The Scuffer … The location was great but the food was just OK. We sat outside to watch one of the bands play for the Jazz Festival. We got the Salmon and the Surf and Turf both were just ok. We would definitely come back here for a few drinks and the outdoor seating but probably pass on a meal.

Overall Opinion

We didn’t get to experience everything Burlington has to offer such as the Burlington Brew tours, wineries, Ben and Jerry Ice Cream factory or the Vermont Teddy Bear Factory to name a few. Overall it was a great town filled with a little something everyone would like.

Would we Recommend?

Yes, we recommend visiting Burlington, VT especially in the summer. We also loved our stay stay at Lone Pine Campgrounds. We’d be happy to answer any questions you may have, simply comment below!

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