Is traveling and experiencing amazing new things a part of your New Year’s resolution list? Then 2019 is sure to be an exciting year for various reasons. Check out this list of awesome new experiences and places opening across the United States. Thrillist recently posted their choices for coolest new things coming to America this year, and that got us thinking. What else is on the horizon and where are the closest Good Sam parks?
So, get ready to chart out an epic road trip as we explore the awesome new properties, venues, and experiences coming to the States this year and the best campgrounds to stay at near each one.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge –
Disneyland, Anaheim, CA and DisneyWorld, Orlando, FL
Expected to Open: Summer at Disneyland in California and Fall in Disneyworld in Florida.
Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge / Photo: Disney/Lucasfilm
Star Wars fans have been freaking out for quite some time now as the 70’s space opera came roaring back to life in 2015 with the release of J.J. Abrams’ record-breaking Star Wars: The Force Awakens film. Since then, Disney has continued to advance and evolve the brand by releasing a Skywalker cannon film each following year and announcing their largest “land” ever built into one of their theme parks – Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge. Within the new land coming to Disneyland Resort and Walt Disney World Resort, you will be able to live out your very own Star Wars story, complete with a lifesize Millennium Falcon. The new attractions take you to planet Batuu, where you will experience Star Wars like never before. Disney has been trying to prep the park for the upcoming 2019 grand openings of their highly anticipated new areas by constructing new parking, a hotel deal that fell through in Anaheim, changing the season pass rates for California and Florida residents and more. One thing is for sure, the whole galaxy seems to be excited about this one!
Where to Camp: Anaheim RV Park
For your Disneyland trip to Anaheim, California – we recommend the Good Sam top-rated Anaheim RV Park; so close to Disneyland that you can watch the fireworks from your campsite. Offering first-class facilities that are close to all the many highlights of the city, you can park your rig, and then walk or hop on a shuttle to the theme park.
The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures –
Los Angeles, CA
Expected to Open: Winter
Academy Museum rendering / Photo: Academy of Motion Picture Arts
If you live in the Los Angeles area of Southern California, it’s impossible to have missed the enormous concrete and glass globe going up in LA’s Mid-Wilshire neighborhood. This giant sphere, even though it looks exactly like a certain space villains evil lair, is, in fact, the all-new and much-needed museum of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences dedicated to the history of cinema. Visitor’s will get the opportunity to experience all sorts of memorabilia, history, and never-before-seen clips of films that span the history decades of history of film and television.
Where to Camp: Orangeland RV Park
To experience this amazing new museum and maximize your stay in LA, we recommend the Good Sam top-rated Orangeland RV Park in Orange, CA. Centrally located in between Los Angeles and San Diego, it’s a perfect place to park the rig and take your tow-along or an Uber to so many awesome SoCal attractions.
W Hotel: Aspen –
Aspen, CO
Expected to Open: Summer
Chill out and warm up at the same time / Photo: W Hotel Aspen
Fashioned as a posh mountain lodge, settled slope-side on Aspen Mountain, W Aspen puts a fresh & playful spin on the Alpine adventure. Guests are welcomed into 88 guest rooms, suites & 11 residences that feature custom-tailored furnishings influenced by the lifestyle of the 70’s & Aspen’s cultural-rich history. Allowing guests to choose their own adventure, W Aspen offers just as much for the mind, body & spirit as those looking to detox, retox, repeat. See and be seen at the WET Deck, an all-weather rooftop retreat featuring a live DJ & a fire pit to keep it hot! Refuel at the Living Room Lounge & walk-up terrace, the ultimate Après Ski destination for hotel guests & locals to show up & show off, enjoy beats from local DJs & nosh on curated sips & bites. Want to stay & play? Retox at 39 degrees, an underground nightclub where you can dance the night away. Ahead of the pack, W Aspen is the freestyle front-runner, a place where boundaries are limitless, & abundance runs wild.
Where to Camp:
For this one of a kind experience, we recommend parking the rig at a nearby Good Sam camping ground, hop in the car, shuttle or an Uber ride over to the hotel and enjoy this hotel for a couple of nights with your family and friends. Hit the slopes, enjoy some snow play, relish in the romance of the small-town setting of Aspen and then head back to the rig and onto your next adventure when you are done.
The Park MGM –
Las Vegas, NV
Expected to Open: Now Open
Rendering of the new Park MGM hotel / Photo: MGM
We are just gonna cut to the chase here, the Park MGM hotel in Las Vegas, NV may be the most future-thought Vegas opening in years! Almost every single square inch of it is exciting and revolutionary. Located in the skeleton of the old Monte Carlo Casino, the hotel has collaborated with truly unique and powerful brands and partners. Roy Choi’s Best Friend is burning up spicy Korean food, Eataly is adding a food-hall to their previously fine-dining only experience which will introduce the only counter-to-table concept in the largest Italian marketplace with restaurants chain in the world, the NoMad team offers hipster geared next-level hospitality while Guinness World Record, American Music Award, Billboard Music Award, 6-Time Grammy, 2-time Golden Globe-winning and BAFTA, Emmy, and Academy Award-nominated Lady Gaga‘s ongoing residency has sold out every night so far and proven that not just has-beens can light up the Vegas strip anymore. In addition to the 23 dates in 2019 of her Enigma show, Lady Gaga also has four jazz + piano engagements that are extremely intimate and stripped down versions of the greatest pieces of her legendary and controversial songbook.
Where to Camp: Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort
To check out all the amazing attractions in the Park MGM and the whole of the Vegas strip, we recommend the top-rated Good Sam Oasis Las Vegas RV Resort, in the heart of Vegas. You’ll be able to experience all the Vegas action, casinos, and nightlife, as well as the beautiful Red Rock National Park and Hoover Dam, all while keeping your rig parked in this resort style, RV Park.
The Vessel and New Neighborhood at Hudson Yards –
West Side New York City, NY
Expected to Open: Spring
Photo: Hudson Yards
The crowded and majestic Manhattan skyline gets a major facelift in 2019 with the arrival of Hudson Yards. Developed on the West Side, it is an all-new concept on the high-end neighborhood. In addition to the uniquely shaped, 15-story art monument called The Vessel (where visitors can climb over 2000 steps which equate to a mile long walk each way, onto 80 different landings with new vantage points to engage with the city below) the Yards will feature new luxury condos, a school, tons of new restaurants and eateries, nightlife, and a huge new public plaza.
Where to Camp: Black Bear Campground
To take in all the luxury of this truly revolutionary development and witness the new Vessel exhibit, we recommend the top-rated Good Sam Black Bear Campground in Florida, New York. In addition to in-season NYC tours, the campground is also near Lego Land and West Point NY Renaissance Faire.
SoundWaves at Gaylord Opryland –
Nashville, TN
Expected to Open: Summer (Some facilities now open)
New indoor water park opening soon / Photo: Soundwaves
SoundWaves is a four-acre, three-level high-end indoor/outdoor water attraction that will take your stay in the hot and humid Nashville to the next level. The indoor section is already open and operational, but when SoundWaves finally opens in-full this summer, it will offer more than 200,000 square feet of pure water-based awesomeness! A 45-foot high water slide, lined with LED lights (because, why not, right?), a huge 315,000-gallon wave pool with enormous movie screen and speakers everywhere, and adult-only areas like swim-up bars and more.
Where to Camp: Nashville Shores Lakeside Resort or Two Rivers Campground
A family-friendly campers’ paradise on Percy Priest Lake, just 10 minutes from downtown Nashville, when traveling to visit the new SoundWaves water-park we recommend the top-rated Good Sam Nashville Shores Lakeside Resort. With a convenient downtown shuttle, full waterpark of its own with wave pool, lazy river & slides, and an awesome ropes course, the park is perfect to entertain your family before and after your full day exploring Nashville.
Our geographically closest Good Sam park to SoundWaves is the beautiful land top-rated Two Rivers Campground in Nashville, TN. Located within a mile of SoundWaves, and next door to a Camping World to fulfill all your repair and RV needs, Two Rivers has over 100 spacious RV sites with full hookups, laundry, bathhouses, a playground and game room for the kids and a beautiful layout to enjoy Nashville from.
Asheville Art Museum Remodel –
Asheville, NC
Expected to Open: Spring
Photo: Asheville Art Museum
For those of you who read the Good Sam Blog, we are big fans of Asheville, NC here and just featured one of their beautiful campgrounds. The town has exploded over the last decade as it’s place in the arts community has boomed quickly. In 2019, the Asheville Art Museum is finally going to catch up to that growth as they open the long-gestating remodel. Initially, the museum was only able to display 4% of their total exhibits at a time due to space restrictions, but after the remodel it will be vastly expanded to reflect the true depth and breadth of Asheville’s arts and culture community.
Where to Camp: Asheville Bear Creek RV Park
Extremely close to the Biltmore House (So close, in fact, you can see it from the campground), and driving distance to the beautiful Asheville Art Museum, this top-rated Good Sam park, the Asheville Bear Creek RV Park is the premier camping destination in North Carolina. Stay at their huge, level concrete sites and enjoy free WiFi, and sightseeing across the landscapes of North Carolina.
Statue of Liberty Museum
New York City, NY
Expected to Open: Summer
A new way to experience Lady Liberty / Photo: Statue of Liberty Museum
Coming this year will be an entirely new way to experience Lady Liberty. For the first time since September 11, 2001, everyone will have the chance to experience profound artifacts and develop a deeper understanding of the statues vivid history and what she stands for. When this new museum opens, it will be the most monumental addition to Liberty Island since the Statue herself. More than that, it will allow millions more visitors to enjoy the Statue of Liberty experience and be inspired by her history and message of freedom and opportunity.
Where to Camp: Black Bear Campground
Black Bear Family Campground makes camping complete with outstanding amenities, and NYC tours (in season). Black Bear is near West Point, New York Renaissance Faire and Woodbury Common Premium Outlets and LEGO Land and within a quick public transit trip into the bustling city of New York City to visit the many highlights of one of the worlds most exciting cities.
Memphis in May International Festival
Memphis, TN
Happening: Spring
Enjoy tons of great music in Memphis / Photo: Memphis Music Festival
While this isn’t new, the International Festival will honor Memphis on the 200th anniversary of the city’s founding with awesome new attractions and acts. Memphis will take center stage during the 2019 festival in correlation with the city’s bicentennial celebration. Recognized by USAToday as the “Most Prestigious Barbecue Contest,” the Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest is a four-day competition sure to tantalize your taste buds and give some great outdoor cooking ideas. More than 16 TONS of meat was smoked during the 2018 World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest. That’s a lot of meat. The 42nd competition is set for May 15-18, 2019. Memphis will take center stage during the 2019 festival in correlation with the city’s bicentennial celebration. And if that’s not enough, the Beale Street Music Festival is a three-day, four-stage event also taking place in the birthplace of rock ‘n roll. Past acts included Jack White, Queens of the Stone Age, Ben Harper, Neil Young + Promise of the Real and Beck.
Where to Camp: Memphis Graceland RV Park & Campground
Memphis Graceland RV Park & Campground sits on 19 acres just off Elvis Presley Blvd across from Elvis Presley’s Graceland & The Guest House at Graceland Resort Hotel! And it’s just 10 minutes from Beale Street & downtown Memphis. Enjoy their biking and walking trails or take a dip in their pool after a busy day at the festival.
Be on The Look-Out in 2020 in Los Angeles!
There are two big places opening outside the 2019 timeframe in Los Angeles that will have huge cultural impacts of their own, that we just had to mention.
New Chargers/Rams Stadium in Los Angeles / Photo: Los Angeles Chargers
Future home of the Los Angeles Chargers, the Los Angeles Rams, and the 2021 SuperBowl, the all-new LA Stadium is being built along-side the legendary Forum and Hollywood Park venues and is scheduled to open in time for the 2020 NFL season.
Artist Rendering of the Lucas Museum / Photo: Lucas Museum
It has not been confirmed if the new Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, a museum founded by film creator and director George Lucas (Star Wars, Indiana Jones) and will hold paintings, photos, illustrations, cinematic and digital art from Lucas’ private collections, will be opened by 2020 or 2021. This sanctuary of groundbreaking artistic vision will be situated in Exposition Park, Los Angeles, near the Los Angeles Collosium and USC.
Based on an article featured in: Thrillest
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