I took our 32-foot travel trailer to White Oak Shores RV Resort in late May. My husband came, the kids came, and our old beagle, Daisy, snored the whole drive. We wanted water, space, and a place where we could slow down. You know what? We got most of that.
Getting There and Checking In
The park sits on the White Oak River, a short hop to Swansboro and about 25 minutes from Emerald Isle. We rolled in on a Friday at 3:10 p.m. The office was small but tidy. Ms. Linda checked us in with a smile and a paper map. She circled our site and warned me, “Mosquitoes get bold at dusk.” Noted. If you decide to split your stay between the resort and an in-town base, the By the Bridge cottages in Swansboro sit right on the water and keep you close to downtown shops.
She also told me the pool hours (9 a.m.–8 p.m.), where the boat ramp sits, and that quiet hours start at 10 p.m. It felt friendly, like someone’s aunt was running the front desk.
Our Site (B12) and Hookups
We had back-in site B12. Gravel pad. Two shade trees that actually gave shade, not just tree shadows that miss your rig by a foot. The site was pretty level; I needed two Lynx blocks on the passenger side, which is normal for us.
- Hookups: 30/50 amp, water, and sewer.
- Voltage: My little meter showed 120–121v at noon and 119v at 7 p.m., with the A/C humming.
- Water pressure: 55 psi on my gauge. I still used a regulator.
- Pedestal: Newer-looking, with a clean cover. Breakers snapped firm.
We had a sliver of river view if I stood by the picnic table and leaned a bit to the left. A row of tall pines kept the wind down. I liked that. The kids liked that there was just enough space to throw a foam football without scaring the neighbors.
The Water Stuff (Where Time Slows Down)
This park shines near the water. There’s a private boat ramp and a long dock that has a wide “T” at the end. On Saturday at sunrise, I carried coffee down there in a travel mug. A blue heron stared at me like I owed it rent. The water is brackish, so you can smell a hint of salt when the tide yanks it in.
We launched our two kayaks from the little sandy edge by the ramp. The current pushed, but not crazy. We paddled past a string of reed beds, and my son spotted two jumping mullet and one turtle that kept popping up like a prank. Back at the dock, a guy named Wes was catching small croaker on cut shrimp. He let my daughter reel one in. That made her day.
If you have a small skiff or a jon boat, this place makes sense. The dock gets busy in the morning but not wild. Everyone seemed polite and sort of unhurried, which felt rare.
Pool, Playground, and the “Is the Wi-Fi Real?” Question
- Pool: Clean, not huge. On Saturday at 4 p.m., it had five kids, three dads, and a float shaped like a donut. Water felt cool, not cold.
- Playground: A simple set—swings, a slide, and a climbing dome that squeaked a bit. My kids gave it “fine” which translates to “We’ll use it for 15 minutes then ask for snacks.”
- Bathhouse: I peeked and tried one shower stall. It was bright and smelled like lemon cleaner. Hot water in 20 seconds. The floor stayed dry by the door but got splashy near the drains. Bring shower shoes.
- Laundry: Four washers, four dryers when I checked Sunday morning. $2 each. I ran one load of towels, and it took 48 minutes to wash, 60 to dry. Bring quarters. The change machine was “out” that morning.
- Wi-Fi: It worked fine for emails and a short YouTube clip at noon. It crawled at 8 p.m. when everyone was streaming. I hotspotted off Verizon then—three bars and steady.
Campground evenings can slow to a crawl once the sun dips and the Wi-Fi does its nightly fade. If you or your older teens like to hop on Kik to share memes or spark up new conversations while the crickets sing, you might enjoy browsing this directory of Kik girls—it lists active public usernames so you can find friendly chat partners fast, adding a little extra entertainment when the mosquitoes chase everyone indoors.
For road-trippers who plan to swing through South Texas after leaving the Carolina coast, it’s handy to know where the local social scene gathers offline; the revived classifieds at Backpage Harlingen connect travelers with friendly locals, real-time event postings, and discreet meetup opportunities that can make a simple overnight stop feel a lot less anonymous.
The People Vibe
A good mix: weekend families like us, plus a chunk of seasonal folks with tidy lawns and porch lights that look like little lighthouses. On Saturday night, someone made peach cobbler in a Dutch oven and waved us over. You can’t plan that. It felt like camping years ago, before everyone sat behind screens. Quiet hours were real. I heard low voices, a far-off laugh, then crickets.
What I Loved
- The dock at sunrise. Simple and lovely.
- Stable power and water. No guessing.
- Friendly staff and neighbors who actually say hi.
- Close to the beach but not beach chaos. We drove to Emerald Isle for two hours, ate shrimp baskets, and came back calm.
What Bugged Me (A Little)
- Mosquitoes at dusk. They clock in like it’s their job. Bring spray and maybe a Thermacell. We used both.
- Some sites have tight turns with trees right at the edge. I watched a fifth-wheel take two tries. Go slow, and you’ll be fine.
- Wi-Fi at night is meh. Plan on a hotspot if you must stream.
- Laundry change machine was empty on Sunday morning. I know—that’s small. But wet towels are loud.
Small, Real Moments That Stuck
- Daisy found a patch of sun by the picnic table and snored so hard a chickadee jumped.
- My son measured a crab with a tape and whispered, “He’s short,” then let it go like a pro.
- I met a retired Marine who told me the best time to fish this river is right before a summer storm. He was right; the water felt alive before a little squall.
Quick Tips If You’re Going
- Ask for a site along the river row if you want a view. We liked B12, but B18 had a better angle.
- Bring bug spray, water shoes, and quarters for laundry.
- If you’re hauling a big rig, call ahead and ask which sites have the widest swing.
- Hit Swansboro for dinner. The waterfront is sweet and close, and the hush puppies taste like summer. For a plate of shrimp and grits that locals swear by, try the Saltwater Grill overlooking the river.
Who It’s For
- Families who want water time and calm nights.
- Boaters and kayak folks.
- Pet owners who like shade and easy walks.
It’s less ideal if you need blazing fast Wi-Fi, a huge playground, or a park that runs like a theme park. This one hums soft. It suits people who like coffee on a dock and the sound of a screen door.
Bottom Line
White Oak Shores RV Resort gave us a slow, happy weekend. The water felt close. The sites worked. The staff cared. Bring bug spray, a sense of ease, and maybe a fishing rod. I left with clean towels, tired kids, and sand in my shoes—which is how I know it was good.
If your travels eventually point west toward the Tennessee mountains, Log Cabin Resort and RV Park offers a peaceful lakeside atmosphere that mirrors the unhurried spirit we found here.