Sometimes while traveling in your RV, you just need a quick stop off the highway. And, occasionally, that place you stop ends up being the one you stop at every time you are remotely close to that area. Firefly Meadows RV Camp and Cabins in Wood River, Nebraska, is becoming that sort of spot for many travelers thanks to significant upgrades and renovations by Jon Myers and his partners. “We are a clean and budget-friendly RV park,” Myers says, “We have 30 total RV sites, 21 are full hookups, including water, sewer and electric. We have 30- and 50-amp sites where the customer can pull through and back up.
Myers originally worked with his Dad in HVAC until branching out on his own by buying condos, renovating them and renting them out month to month. "With the market as it is, it has become too difficult to find a lot of properties to renovate," Myers says, "So I started looking for other investments. He, along with 3 others, found a property off I-80, exit 300, which had a rundown motel and an old campground on it. "We crunched the numbers and it seemed like we could do pretty well with it," he says.
The property was really, really rundown. "I mean it was scary," Myers says, "The buildings on the property had bullet holes in it and it was just in terrible shape." The campground wasn't in use by the previous owners, so the camping spots were overgrown and ignored. They bought the property in January of this year and had to wait to renovate until March because of frozen ground and flooding, but, once started, Myers hit the ground running renovating enough to open a few spots in May and opened the rest in June.
Firefly Meadows RV Camp & Cabins owner Jon Myers. [Photo Credit/Jon Meyers]
Besides cleaning everything up, Myers made major upgrades to the bathhouses, which are sparkling clean with great amenities. "We figured that people love a clean bathroom and would probably take pictures and review the place positively with a great bathroom," Myers says. The bathhouse has private showers, subway tiles, large rainfall heads and tiled floors that are heated and cooled. They look fresh, modern and inviting. A recent review says, "The managers are extremely friendly & helpful. The campground has a new owner with a vision for the park so it is a work in progress. It is conveniently located off I-80. The best part...the bathrooms & showers are very clean! We will make this a regular stop on our way to California!"
Of the four abandoned motel buildings on the property, three of them were taken down because of their dilapidated condition and the other is being renovated and has the camp office in it where people can check-in, borrow DVDs or purchase a shirt or a hat. The foundations of the old buildings were used to make a basketball court and playground, which were a summer addition to the campground.
Originally, the customers were people that were passing through on the 2,900 mile long I-80: however, with these added amenities, Myers has started to advertise to the locals. "Before, I thought if they stayed here they would just be twiddling their thumbs," Myers says, "But now there are some things to do and we will continue to add more." There is a pond on the property which they are going to repair and stock with more fish. The plan is to continue to add to the campground and improving it. Eventually, they'd like to have some sites that are more in the glamping sphere - big tents, retro cabins and RV's - for rental.
Besides the natural beauty of the prairie, there are a couple of events that give travelers a reason to stay a while at Firefly Meadows. The Nebraska State Fair happens in neighboring town Grand Island at the end of August. In the spring, Sandhill Cranes make a stop in the area on their northward migration. In fact, approximately 80 percent of all the sandhill cranes come to the Platte every spring. In March, one can see a group of over 100,000 Sandhill cranes feeding in the area and getting ready for the rest of their migration.
A great place to see them is the Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center in Wood River. Cranes, buffalo and other wildlife are readily seen there. One review says, "In the short amount of time we could explore, we saw a number of songbirds, snow geese, Sandhill Cranes, buffalo, red fox, and even cows actively giving birth! It was a very fun time!" Many reviews echo this, along with commenting on the friendliness of the employees.
“I love taking old, cruddy things and bringing them back to life,” Myers says, “And the locals that stop by to tell us how happy they are to see this property coming back and that is a great motivator.” With the upgrades and plans, locals and travelers alike are coming away satisfied and happy with their stay. Check out more here.