Region 3 Rally in Lakeland FL
A road trip to the Region 3 Rally in Lakeland, Florida, included stops at Tropic Hideaway for a concert by White Tie Rock Ensemble and finally at Fun-n-Sun Rv Park for the rally. The rally featured seminars, vendor booths, and social events, with highlights including a potluck tasting and open mic night. The trip concluded with a drive back home, with plans to attend the 2027 Region 3 Rally in Sevierville, TN.
Saturday, February 28, 2026 – Tropic Hideaway
We hit the road around 7:30, on our way to Foley, AL, and Tropic Hideaway. The traffic on Hwy 49 & 98 was surprisingly smooth, and we were traveling along to Mobile without any Issues. Then, our GPS decided to take us on a detour we weren’t expecting. Turns out, there was a wreck on I-10 near Buc-ee’s, and the traffic was backed up for a few miles. So, we skipped the Buc-ee’s stop and took Hwy 59 south instead. It only added a few minutes to our trip, but it was a much better way to avoid the traffic jam.
When we finally arrived at Tropic Hideaway, we had enough time to set up camp, take a quick rest, and then head over to the OWA Theater. This afternoon, we’re planning to catch a concert at 3 p.m. featuring the White Tie Rock Ensemble, who are playing Boston, Aerosmith, and Journey at the OWA Theater. They’re known for their great music. After the concert, we had dinner at Wolf Bay and then drove to The Wharf. There was a car show happening that afternoon, but it had already ended when we got there. We’d heard that The Wharf had been updated, but we didn’t notice any changes.
Foley AL
Sunday, March 1, 2026 – Lake City, Florida.
We left at 7:15, setting off on a 6-hour trip to Lake City, where we’d be staying at Sharrah’s RV Park. It wasn’t the most luxurious park we’ve ever been to, but it was easy to get in and out of. It was clean and tidy, perfect for a quick overnight stay. We had a pull-through site, so we didn’t have to unhook our trailer. We had hamburgers for dinner and could open the windows in the evening.
We spotted 15 Airstreams on the road today!
Monday, March 2, Davenport, Florida, Orlando Southwest KOA Holiday
We arrived at 8:15 a.m. It was a smooth travel day, only about 3 hours. We’re meeting 10 rigs from the SC Coastal Airstream Club. When we got there, two others were already there. More rigs were expected to arrive later this afternoon.
There are so many Airstreams here, but most aren’t with our group. We had happy hour at Henry’s, and several joined us.
We saw 10 Airstreams today.
Florida
Tuesday, March 3, 2026 – Blood Moon – Sunrise
We started our day with a Blood Moon and then Sunrise. Unfortunately, the sky was a bit too cloudy to catch either. The clouds didn’t clear up during the day, and the wind picked up, so I didn’t get to enjoy the pool.
We had breakfast and then went to the grocery store for a few essentials. On our way back, we stopped to wash the truck. It’s been a while since it’s been cleaned.
For lunch, we had fajitas, and for dinner, we had ribs. We also had several rigs join us today. We had happy hour and a travel meeting this afternoon for the mini caravan heading to Lakeland, FL, Sun-n-Fun RV Park for the Region 3 Rally. That’s a total of 10. It wasn’t a very busy day; we’re just enjoying our time!
Wednesday, March 4, Lakeland, Florida – Sun-n-Fun RV Park
Our mini caravan set off at 8:00 a.m. It’s about 25 miles, but it took about an hour to travel and find a spot. Traffic wasn’t too bad, and we managed to stay together. We’re in a great location, right by the runway at the airport. It can be a bit noisy with Amazon Prime Jets taking off and landing, but the views are fantastic.
Amanda and Jason found us, and we had a great time hanging out together! They arrived a bit later, so they didn’t get to park with us.
Jack spent the late night listening to the flight tower and watching all the planes arrive and take off on FlightAware. He had a blast!
Thursday, March 5 – Region 3 Rally – Day 1
Today marks the official start of the rally! We attended the opening ceremonies, then explored the vendor booths and admired the Airstreams on display. We picked up some valuable information and a few items from the booths.
Jack attended a workshop, while I enjoyed some sunbathing. We had wings for lunch. Afterward, Jack worked on the TPMS system. It hasn’t been working since we got the new rig, but the transmitter was replaced last week. He got started but didn’t finish, so we’ll tackle it another day.
After lunch, Amanda and Jason joined us in downtown Lakeland. We spent a couple of hours shopping and then had dinner at Harry’s. It was delicious, and we enjoyed the early bird menu and happy hour specials.
Later that evening, I used the Buc-ee’s bags to cover our seats and displays on the bikes before the evening rain arrived. It worked perfectly.
Fun-n-Sun RV Park
Friday, March 6, 2026 Region 3 Rally – Day 2
We had several seminars today. We learned about RV and Tire maintenance, Dexter Brakes, Dashcams with on-the-road photography, and a SkyMed presentation.
So far, we’re doing great with our tanks. We’re close to the public bathrooms, so we can easily use them. We attended a seminar and then cooked lunch.
We needed to pick up some water at the grocery store. Jason and Amanda went with us. We ended up at the liquor store and got some bourbon for the potluck tasting at Grapes and Grains.
While we were sitting around, an older model bi-wing plane taxied right in front of our rig. They got through the gate and headed to the runway. There were a lot of flights arriving at that time, so they had to wait about 45 minutes before they could take off.
Dinner was an Italian buffet, which was delicious, complete with margaritas and a band. We came back to our rig with Amanda and Jason. Later Steve and Mike joined us for a bit. It was just great hanging out together.
Region 3 Rally
Saturday, March 7, 2026 – Region 3 Rally – Day 3
The last full day of the rally! There are still some things planned, but most of the fun stuff, like the seminars, has already happened.
Jack is almost all set with the TPMS system, though he’s still working on getting it perfect. He’s determined to figure it out because he knows it works.
The flea market was a fun to hang out at. Jason and Amanda sold all their high-ticket items, and Melinda sold a good amount of jewelry.
The potluck alcohol tasting wasn’t really our thing, but we did get to spend time with Dale and Sandi. She’s been a bit more open to us this time, which is great. Sometimes we’re not sure where we stand with her, but we’re working on it.
Dinner was smoked pork, and it was good. Then came open mic night. To be honest, it was a pain. We didn’t win anything with our raffle tickets tonight, but we did win something the afternoon before.
Late evening, we got ready to travel. It should be an easy hookup and go on Sunday morning.
We’ve had so much fun with our new and old friends.
Sunday, March 8, 2026 – Region 3 Rally – Day 4
We’re heading to Mobile, Alabama, today. It’s a long drive, but not too bad. We had just the right amount of stops for fuel and bathroom breaks. We arrived at Maeher State Park around 2:00.
When we got there, Jack was able to hook up and flush our tanks, and we had a nice breeze coming off Mobile Bay, so it was cool. We cooked steaks and potatoes for dinner and just relaxed the rest of the evening.
Monday, March 9, 2026 – Home at last
We’re up early, and with one more tank flush, we’re ready to go. We left earlier than planned, even with the time change. Once we get home, there’s lots to do, and we’ll be getting ready for work tomorrow.
Great trip to the Region 3 Rally! They’ve announced the 2027 Region 3 Rally, which will be in Sevierville, TN. I think this is going to be a hot ticket to get.
Travel Information
Region 3 Rally – Lakeland FL
2/28/26 – 3/9/26
Miles and Cost Info
| Miles | 1622 |
| Avg Fuel Cost per Gallon | 4.19 |
| MPG total | 12.47 |
| Fuel Gallon | 130.03 |
| Cents per Mile | .32 |
| Total | 523.15 |