Well, it finally happened. In our frequent visits to the great state parks scattered throughout the United States, we finally stumbled across a park we didn’t really like. Sure, we’ve enjoyed some parks more than others and could easily list a few favorites without much consideration. But we’ve never really disliked a location until our recent visit to Buccaneer State Park in Waveland, Mississippi.

To be fair, let’s first lay a little groundwork before getting into the specifics. We visited Buccaneer over a holiday (Easter) weekend for a Friday and Saturday night, knowing that we were only passing through and really just looking for a quick stop on our way along the Gulf Coast. Many parks were already booked when I was planning this leg of our route, so this was one of only a handful of options available without spending too many miles veering off course. We went into the park assuming it would likely be crowded, but we’re used to weekend and holiday campground crowds at this point in our travels.

Buccaneer is located just outside of Waveland along the Mississippi Sound, ground zero for Hurricane Katrina’s landfall in 2005. The town was nearly obliterated by the storm surge, and residents are still in the process of rebuilding.  The buildings in the park were destroyed in the flooding and have since been rebuilt to withstand severe weather. The facilities are in good shape and the park offers a wide variety of activities including a short nature trail, a playground, a disc golf course, an activity room with arcade games, a pool and waterpark, an amphitheater, and picnic pavilions. The campground features 206 full hook-up sites, 70 “beach” Gulf view sites, and 25 primitive camping sites. The park has laundry facilities and three bathhouses, and we noticed public WiFi in certain locations throughout the camping loops but we didn’t use it and it didn’t reach our loop.

All of this sounds perfectly fine and you’re probably wondering what could we possibly not like about the park. We were checked in to our reserved spot quickly – possibly the least amount of time spent in a state park office upon arrival – as the employee verified our reservation, handed us a map, and pleasantly wished us an enjoyable weekend. Using the handy map as reference, we navigated Cecil to the Royal Cay loop located in the rear of the park.

Knowing we were going to spend a few weeks in Texas after this stop in Mississippi, I had already outfitted the RV with a cattle catcher guard on the front bumper, reminiscent of a locomotive from the Old West. Little did I know it would come in handy as we firmly but gently nudged our way through the horde of feral children blocking the road looping around Royal Cay. Armed with sidewalk chalk, Razor scooters, and pointy sticks, the unruly mob overflowed the campsites and turned the entire loop into a scene from Lord of the Flies. And rightfully so – kids should absolutely be playing, especially in a park on a holiday weekend. Undeterred and putting the cattle catcher to good use, we intrepidly plowed through the horde and found our spot. Other visitors arriving later in the weekend simply honked their horns in futile attempts to scatter the mob. Bet they were longing for a cattle catcher guard as they watched helplessly while the feral children ignored the blaring horns.

The park website indicated our site would have a gravel parking pad, which generally means a hard-packed stone driveway of varying length but usually long enough for our RV with plenty of room to spare. Our site (171) had a loose scattering of gravel, just enough to indicate where the site could possibly be located, and lots of soft, squishy grass and standing water behind the rocks. With no rain in the forecast for the weekend, I wasn’t overly concerned about getting stuck in the mud, so we backed into the site but kept the front tires on the gravel just to be safe. On the plus side, the site was even enough that we didn’t need to use our parking blocks.

The sites in the Royal Cay loop are very close together, so much so that it’s hard to tell where each site ends and the next one begins. This wouldn’t be unusual for some private RV parks, but we’ve come to expect spacious or at least well-defined sites in state parks simply based on past experience. Every place is different, of course, and there’s no reason that state parks will be similar across the country, or even within each state for that matter. After parking, we decided to take a walk around the rest of the campground to enjoy the cool spring afternoon and stretch our legs after the short day of travel.

So our site was a little tight and muddy, with no real outdoor space around the RV, but we were only spending two nights at Buccaneer and living the nomadic life is about expanding mental boundaries and working on personal flexibility. We set out on foot to explore the park, first to the activity building and restrooms before venturing around the other camping loops. The activity building was closed during our visit, but it looked nice from the outside. The activity pool just outside of the Royal Cay loop was also closed, but the weather was too cool for swimming anyway. We continued our tour into the Treasure Cove loop. You may be noticing the pirate theme at this point – the infamous smuggler Jean Lafitte used this area as one of his home bases in the 1700s, living in a house not far from what is now the park.

After seeing the other camping loops, I was feeling a bit pirated myself at this point. Each site in the other six loops had a paved parking area, not to mention space between sites and in some cases, even trees and shrubs creating physical separation and the illusion of privacy. This wouldn’t be a big deal if the sites in the Royal Cay loop were described accurately on the website. I should also point out that it wouldn’t have mattered anyway, since I didn’t make reservations early enough and had only the Royal Cay loop from which to choose a site. Two of the smaller loops (Long John Silver and Blackbeard – more pirates!) were fairly open and didn’t offer much separation between sites, but the other four loops resembled a state park layout we’ve come to expect.

The Royal Cay loop is more like an open field with RV hook-ups. The difference in site quality is apparent, which should also be reflected in the rates, but a tiny, cramped gravel/grass site in the Royal Cay loop costs the same as a shaded, semi-private paved site in the other loops. The description of the Royal Cay sites on the park website does mention that this loop doesn’t have picnic tables or fire rings at each site, but you are welcome to set up your own during your stay. Depending on which site you occupy in the Royal Cay loop, you might have to put your picnic table on your RV roof due to lack of outdoor space. Thanks to the tight quarters in the Royal Cay loop, we got to enjoy the sounds of a televised night baseball game from the comfort of our own bed, as our elderly neighbor put his outdoor entertainment center to good use but apparently neglected to turn up his hearing aids. We were also treated to a brief afternoon of true crime documentaries as the outdoor television watched itself with no owner anywhere in sight.

Buccaneer also offers what they describe as premium beach sites overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, at a hefty price of $45 a night. While you do get a view of the Gulf, these are certainly not beach sites as you are parked in a grassy field across the road from a small beach area. Unlike Gulf State Park from our last post, which features an expansive beach across the road, Buccaneer’s beach is tiny and the “beach” sites are certainly not worth the premium price. Fair warning for future visitors, if it matters to your stay. The beach has enough space to relax on the sand and even swim in the water, but the surf was filled with green algae during our visit. Not sure if that’s seasonal or year-round.

One of the main attractions to Buccaneer State Park, if not for the beach area and access to the Gulf of Mexico, is the Buccaneer Bay Waterpark featuring a wave pool, over 300 feet of waterslides, a splashing pool for younger kids, and a snack bar. Since we visited in early spring, the waterpark was not yet open for the season so I don’t have any first-hand knowledge of the facilities other than what is clearly visible behind the fence to all visitors. Some online reviewers mentioned that they didn’t know state park visitors and campers had to also pay to access the waterpark. The waterpark admission rates are listed in the printed park map, but not on the park website. Here’s a photo of the posted rates from the waterpark sign during our visit in early April.

We took a spin around the nature trail to view the marshland on Saturday afternoon, and I played most of a round of disc golf on the park course. The first five holes are located in and around the playground, and I only knocked two or three kids unconscious with errant throws as they played on the swings and ran around the jungle gym. Only kidding – I skipped these holes because the playground was in heavy use, as was the picnic pavilion which was the site of an Easter egg hunt. The disc golf course has challenging holes requiring both precision and accuracy, neither of which I possess when it comes to throwing a plastic disc. But it was still fun, and a nice way to spend a couple of hours away from the packed Royal Cay loop.

We don’t often see lots of golf carts at the parks we visit, but Buccaneer was an exception. Apparently golf carts are so popular in the park, and maybe in that area of Mississippi in general, that an entire section of the park map is devoted to golf cart rules. Maybe this is common at other state parks as well, but this is the first we’ve seen so many in one park. I probably could’ve played two rounds of disc golf if I had a handy cart of my own. The carts might also be a convenient way to visit the casino down the road, but I didn’t see any leaving the park during our visit so this is only speculation on my part. Speaking of the casino, they also offer a small RV park for patrons – which might be a consideration for visitors to the area if you aren’t interested in staying at Buccaneer State Park, and likely an option for us if we’re passing through this area in the future. These sites are also described as “beachfront” and “on the beach” but even at the casino RV park the sites are separated from any beach area by the road. Maybe it’s just me, but a beach site means on the sand by the water with no separation between your door, the sand, and the open sea.

Just because we had a less than ideal experience at Buccaneer doesn’t mean the park wouldn’t be a pleasant visit for other potential campers. Unless you’re camping with a large group and would prefer an open shared space to relax with friends and family, I would avoid the Royal Cay loop when making reservations. Also be aware that the premium “beach” sites aren’t actually on the sand and certainly aren’t worth the increased rate, in my opinion. If you’re visiting with your family in the summer and looking forward to using the waterpark, remember that your camping fee does not also offer access to the waterpark. I do think Buccaneer could be a ton of fun at the right time of year if you enjoy waterparks, the option to visit a sandy beach area, and the energy of a crowded state park. We likely won’t visit Buccaneer in the future, although I would consider a spot in the Treasure Cove, Pirate’s Cove, Barataria Bay, or Jean Lafitte loops if we decide to give the park a second chance.

So until next time, ye scurvy dogs, we’ve hoisted the mainsail and plotted the course for our next stop along the Gulf Coast. Stay tuned for the third and final installment in this series!