August 17th, 2017 -
The Minnesota State Fair is one of the state’s biggest annual events and certainly one of the most fun. Great for families of all sizes and people of all ages, don’t miss out on heading there in your RV later this month.
The State Fair will be open from August 24 to September 4 this year, so fire up your RV and hit the road!
The Food
As anyone who’s attended a State Fair, no matter the state, can attest, they’re all about the food (especially the fried variety) and Minnesota is no exception. Each year sees zanier and tastier fried food delicacies. 2017 brings some interesting new additions, such as the Bacon Fluffernutter, Bacon Up Pup, Bowl o’Dough, Breakfast Buddy Bowl, Brown Ale and Onion-Gouda Tipsy Pie, Cheesy Nacho Corn on the Cob, Cherry Bombs, Chocolate Popover with Peanut Butter Spread, Cranberry Wild Rice Meatballs, Deep Fried Avocado, Deviation Stout Steak Taco Naan, Double Dose of Pork Belly Sandwich, Duck Bacon Wontons, Fall Guy Breakfast Panini, Honey Puffs, Italian Bomba Sandwich, Memphis Totchos, Mini Sconuts, Mobster’s Caviar, Pie’n the Sky Malt & Sundae, Pizzarito, Slow-Roasted Pork Mole Tamale, Sonoran Sausage, Spicy Thai Noodles, Sweet Corn Blueberry Eclairs, Sweety’s Churros, Swine & Spuds, Swing Dancer Sandwich, Triple Truffle Trotters, and Wild Bill’s Breakfast Bake. And that’s not even all! Make sure to come hungry.
The Entertainment
There are plenty of musical acts happening everyday, most of them free of charge and open to the public. The big headliner this year, however, is Usher, who will be performing August 31 at 7:30pm. Tickets are needed to see Usher, so buy yours here as soon as possible.
There are also exhibits and demos throughout the fair grounds.
The Rides
Don’t forget to hit up some rides along the Midway (which also includes classic carnival games and prizes). The big attraction is the Great Big Wheel, the fair’s Ferris wheel.
Visit PleasureLand RV Center
Stop by PleasureLand RV Center this summer to tour a new or used motorhome or travel trailer. Find one that’s perfect for you and your travel plans this summer. If you’re not on the market for an RV, you can still stop in at PleasureLand RV Center to schedule service, to learn more about RVing, or to shop for parts and accessories.
August 14th, 2017 -
August 27 is National Burger Day, and that means it’s time to fire up your RV grill. Plan on creating one of these two must-try burger recipes to wow your friends with out-of-this-world flavors.
Blue Moon Burgers
What you’ll need:
- 1 pound ground beef
- 4 large toasted hamburger buns
- 4 ounces softened cream cheese
- 4 slices Monterrey jack cheese
- 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
- 4 large pieces lettuce
- Mayonnaise
- 4 tomato slices
- shaved Bermuda onion
Cooking instructions:
- Beat blue cheese and cream cheese together well.
- Set mixture aside to let the flavors meld.
- Form the ground beef into four equal patties. Cook them on the grill or as desired.
- When finished cooking, add 1/4 of the cream cheese mixture to the top of each patty.
- Top each burger with a slice of jack cheese, then spread mayonnaise on the toasted buns.
- Wait until the cheese is gooey to place the burgers on the buns.
- Top with lettuce, tomato and shaved onion.
Cowboy Burgers
What you’ll need:
- 8 hamburger patties (1/4 pound each)
- 2 tomatoes (sliced)
- 8 slices cheddar cheese
- 3 onions (thinly sliced)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons A.1. Original Sauce
Cooking instructions:
- Preheat your RV grill to medium heat.
- While the grill is warming, heat the oil in a large skillet on medium-high heat.
- Stir in the onions and cook them for 5 minutes, stirring often.
- Cover the onions with a lid, and let them simmer for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Stir often.
- Grill the patties for 5 minutes on each side or until they’re cooked to your preferred doneness.
- Stir the A.1. into the onion mixture.
- Serve with one tomato slice and a burger on the bottom half of each bun.
- Cover the burger with one slice of cheese and 3 tablespoons of the onion mixture, then add the other bun.
Visit PleasureLand RV Center
Late summer and early fall are some of the best times of year to find unbeatable deals on new and used RVs at the PleasureLand RV Center. Log online to learn about all of our end-of-summer deals today.
August 10th, 2017 -
Visit Lake Shetek State Park in your RV before the summer ends for a long day of rest and relaxation. The park gets its name from the old Ojibwe word for “pelican,” a bird that visits the lake during the summer and fall.
Lake Shetek is also the largest lake in southwestern Minnesota and offers plenty of fishing opportunities. Cast your line and reel in anything from walleye and northern to crappie and bullheads..
There are hiking trails that run throughout the park and offer an array of difficulty levels, ranging from easy to strenuous. Also included in the park are a swimming beach, boat launch, campgrounds, and a scenic six-mile loop bike trail that passes through the adjoining town of Currie. Boat, canoe, and kayak rentals are available as well.
There are also some historic exhibits in the park, such as the Koch Cabin and Monument, which memorializes pioneer settlers and teaches you more about settler history. If you can be at the park by August 19, you can join the park rangers as they offer a guided bus journey back in time to August of 1862 to learn about the lives of the early settlers and Dakota people at the Lake Shetek settlement. They’ll be visiting the significant sites around the lake discussing what took place there on August 20, 1862 that changed the lives of all who lived there forever. The bus tour is $5 per person and leaves the Lake Shetek State Park picnic area parking lot at 9 am and will return approximately 12:30 pm. Reservations are required due to limited seating and can be made by calling the park office at (507) 763-3256.
The park covers over 1,100 acres and receives nearly 115,000 annual visitors. As you walk through the park, you may be able to spot white-tail deer, pelicans, fox, minks, beavers, muskrats, woodchucks, and coyotes, among other wildlife.
Visit PleasureLand RV Center
Stop by PleasureLand RV Center this summer to tour a new or used motorhome or travel trailer. Find one that’s perfect for you and your travel plans this summer. If you’re not on the market for an RV, you can still stop in at PleasureLand RV Center to schedule service, to learn more about RVing, or to shop for parts and accessories.
August 8th, 2017 -
Camden State Park is a great place to end the summer if you’ve got one last short trip before it’s back to school and business as usual.
The lake, Brawner Lake, and Redwood River are both suitable for swimming and canoeing. Fishing opportunities abound, and you can expect a chance to catch brown trout, bass, and bluegill There are also plenty of trails for hiking and horseback riding.
Wildlife enthusiasts might be able to spot mink, raccoons, songbirds, hawks, coyotes, and whitetail deer. Though much rarer than they used to be, you may also spot buffalo, elk, or golden eagles if you’re very lucky.
The park is named for the town of Camden, which sprang up in 1874 on the back of the fur trade. It thrived for a time, but ultimately declined due to the railroad skipping it as a stop. By the early 1930s Camden was all but abandoned and is today a ruin. Despite this, the area is still known as Camden and the park took on its name when it was founded in 1935.
The park sprawls over 2,247 acres and has nearly 85,000 annual visitors.
Visit PleasureLand RV Center
Stop by PleasureLand RV Center this summer before you head to Camden State Park or any other destination. If you need an RV for your travels, shop the inventory of PleasureLand RV Center and tour the units you wish to see. If you’ve got a rig and just want to ensure that it’s ready for the trip, visit our service department.
July 27th, 2017 -
If you just bought an RV from PleasureLand RV Center this summer and it’s your first time out in your new RV, you may be daunted by the idea of setting up your RV at the campsite or RV park.
We’ve got you covered – here’s everything you need to know when setting up at your destination.
Getting to Your Assigned Spot and Getting Your Rig Situated
It’s pretty standard to check-in at the campsite or RV park front office just like you would at a hotel. When you get there, you can ask if they’ve got an escort service. This serves to not only guide you to where your site is located, but they’ll be able to help you get your RV setup as well, including getting it parked and leveled.
Once you get there, regardless of an escort, you’ll need to either back your RV up or pull it through. Whether it’s back up or pull through, just make sure that your hookups are roughly aligned with their outlets at the site.
Once you’re satisfied with your positioning, apply the parking brake if you’re in a motorhome.
Now it’s time to level your RV. Not all sites will be perfectly flat, so use blocks and stabilizing jacks to get your RV flattened out. Once that’s done, chock the wheels so that there’s no chance your RV will slide or roll.
Next, go ahead and extend steps, slide-outs, and awnings.
Water and Power
Connect your electric cord to the site’s outlet that matches your RV’s required amperage and don’t forget to switch your fridge from propane to electric or you’ll run out of propane real fast.
Your site ought to have at least a clean water hookup, but many also have sewage. Ask for help if you’re unsure how to connect your RV to these hookups.
Make Yourself Comfortable
Now it’s up to you to make your site feel like home. This part is up to you, but you might want to set out some lawn furniture, mats, decorations, etc.
Visit PleasureLand RV Center
Stop by PleasureLand RV Center this summer to tour a new or used motorhome or travel trailer and to learn more about the RV lifestyle. If you’ve got questions on how to operate your RV, we’ll be happy to help.
July 24th, 2017 -
Many travelers are convinced that flying is the best way to get from one destination to another. However, RV enthusiasts know that isn’t the truth. These three reasons why RV travel is better than flying will make you want to buy or rent a comfortable and convenient RV for your next travel adventure.
There Are No Deadlines
Can you imagine a vacation without flight schedules, hotel check-in times and dinner reservations? That’s what vacation is like when you travel in an RV. You no longer have to leave home at a specific time, arrive at your destination on a certain day or wait outside of busy restaurants to eat. RV vacations have no set deadlines or plans, so you can stop and go as you please, and you always have a cozy place to relax and sleep at the end of the day.
Enjoy the Journey
When you arrive at your destination in an airplane, you don’t see any of the scenery or attractions along the way. Traveling in an RV lets you make the most of your vacation, because you get to take in all of the sights on the route to your destination. Many times, the stops you make at new and interesting places become the best parts of vacation.
You’ll Save Money
RV travel is far more affordable than air travel. When you travel in an RV, you avoid costly hotel rooms, expensive restaurant meals (unless you want them) and outrageous plane ticket prices for every member of your group. renting an RV means you pay one low price plus the cost of gas along your journey. The opportunity to cook meals in your RV kitchen and park at inexpensive campgrounds means you save big bucks when traveling as a family or group.
Visit PleasureLand RV Center
PleasureLand RV Center is the best place in the country to start your RV vacation. We rent all types of RVs, ranging from Class A motorhomes to ice houses, so your next vacation can be the RV trip of a lifetime. If you love RVing, you can cut straight to the chase and simply purchase one!
July 20th, 2017 -
Minnesota is one of the country’s best states for outdoor fun. With scores of campgrounds, state parks, and wildlife preserves, there’s always a new area to explore. Take Flandrau State Park, for example: it’s got diverse terrain, a sand-bottom swimming pond, the Big Cottonwood River that meanders through the southern portion of the park, and historic stone buildings. Enjoy landscapes of wooded river bottoms, oxbow marshes, and open grasslands.
Cross-country hiking is extremely popular in the park due to the diversity of the terrain. Visitors also enjoy swimming, nature watching, and camping opportunities. Native species include white-tailed deer, raccoons, and dozens of bird species.
The park was founded in the 1940s and named to honor Charles E. Flandrau, who helped to draft the first Minnesota constitution and was a member of the first Minnesota Supreme Court.
RVers will find a number of RV sites to use, making for a comfortable spot to set up camp and stay for a few nights while exploring the area.
Visit PleasureLand RV Center
Before you head out on any road trip this summer, it’s important to get your RV checked over by a technician to help prevent any mechanical mishaps. Stop by PleasureLand RV Center to schedule some service or to tour some new motorhomes.
July 18th, 2017 -
Minnesota is full of wonderful state parks to explore, and they’re especially lovely in the summer. Sibley State Park has something for just about everyone.
The park, located in west-central Minnesota, is a popular destination, drawing over 300,000 visitors annually. Sitting on over 3,400 acres it’s home to Mount Tom (the highest point in a 50-mile radius), forests, prairie knolls, and lakes. In the summer, visitors can expect to enjoy swimming, boating, and fishing on the largest lake, Lake Andrew. Canoe routes are charted on Henschien Lake and Swan Lake. The park also offers campgrounds, a group center, horseback camps, picnic areas, and interpretive ranger programs year-round.
The landscape is dominated by oak, red cedar, ironwood, green ash, aspen, maple, and basswood. Wildlife includes white-tailed deer, red and gray fox, coyote, raccoon, ruffed grouse, chipmunks, red and gray squirrels, mink striped skunks, badgers, and woodchucks.
Visit PleasureLand RV Center
Stop by PleasureLand RV Center this summer to tour a new or used motorhome or travel trailer. Find one that’s perfect for you and your travel plans this summer. If you’re not on the market for an RV, you can still stop in at PleasureLand RV Center to schedule service, to learn more about RVing, or to shop for parts and accessories.
July 13th, 2017 -
Situated along the beautiful St. Croix River in Minnesota, Interstate State Park is one of the better state parks in the state. The park as tons of activities and plenty of interesting features to explore.
You can climb the cliffs of the St. Croix River Dalles, canoe the flat-water, kayak on the rapids, or just relax on an excursion boat. The geology of the park is fascinating; at least 10 different lava flows are exposed around the park, as well as two distinct glacial deposits, traces of old streams, and plenty of valleys and faults. The lava flows are the result of earthquakes from 1.1 billion years ago that opened rifts in the ground and allowed magma to release. The park was hit by advancing and receding ancient seas up until 70 million years ago, which deposited plenty of fossils along the cliffs.
The park is a great place to hike and explore during the summer since the terrain is varied and provides plenty of surprises. As you hike you can view wildlife that are endemic to the region, such as white-tailed deer, skunks, raccoons, squirrels, and various birds. The park has an abundant population of owls, which you can hear if it’s quiet near evening.
Visit PleasureLand RV Center
Stop by PleasureLand RV Center this summer before you hit the road for Interstate State Park or any other destination in Minnesota or beyond. Whether you need to shop for a new motorhome to take you to all of your favorite summer vacation spots or have an RV already and need it to be checked out before you embark, PleasureLand RV Center can help.
July 10th, 2017 -
July is National Ice Cream Month, and we can’t think of any better way to celebrate than with a mouthwatering and ultra-easy ice cream recipe for your travels. Stock your RV with an ice cream maker, and your family can enjoy tasty and affordable frozen treats any time of day.
Homemade Butter Pecan Ice Cream
This homemade butter pecan ice cream recipe tastes even better than the ice cream shop and costs a fraction of the price to make.
What you’ll need:
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
Preparation instructions:
- Cook the pecans in the butter in a small skillet on medium heat. Stir the mixture constantly for 3 to 5 minutes or until they’re lightly browned. Set the pecans aside.
- Whisk the eggs in a mixing bowl and set them aside.
- Stir the brown sugar and half-and-half together in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil on medium-high heat. Remove the half-and-half mixture from the heat and gradually pour it into the eggs. Whisk constantly until the mixture forms a custard.
- Move your custard back to the saucepan and cook it while stirring occasionally. Continue cooking until the mixture is able to coat the back of the spoon.
- Remove the mixture from the heat and stir in the pecans, vanilla and cream.
- Pour your custard into the ice cream maker and freeze it according to the instructions from the manufacturer.
- Enjoy on a cone, in a bowl or however you please.
Find Hot Summer Items at PleasureLand RV Center
Whether you’re interested in a new or used RV for your summer adventures or something as simple as a few camping supplies to help you make the most of your time outside, we have all of your summer outdoor needs right here at the PleasureLand RV Center in Minnesota.
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About Me
Hi, my name is Dan Pearson and I am the Owner of PleasureLand RV Centers based out of St. Cloud, MN. We have three other Minnesota locations to serve all of you RV needs. I look forward to providing you with all your RV information from buying an RV to tips and maintenance. If you would like to contact me, be sure to leave a comment.
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By Dan Pearson