What is most important to you when choosing a campsite?

[RVCamp owner]

Cost? Size of the park? Privacy/spacious camp site? Location? Minimum or maximum time limits? Amenities like pools or entertainment? Wi-Fi connections? Family friendly vs 55+? Easy online reservations? Affiliations with KOA, Good Sam, etc? Public vs private ownership? Campsite vs Walmart parking lot.

Just trying to learn how other RV vacationers choose among the many options available to them.

 

[Ex-Calif]

Excited to join!!

After years in “Corporate America” I decided to cash it in and invest in a small RV camp. I’m not here to sell campsites, but I want to learn about what other RV campers want from their campsites so I can improve our site experience. Thanks in advance!

www.rvforum.net

Duplicate post...

Welcome aboard camp owner.

 

[DutchmenSport]

Welcome to the forums!

Length is most important for us. If the pad is short, then we need to make sure the tail of the trailer can over hang the campsite pad enough it will fit.

With a fifth wheel that is 41 feet long, we need something long enough, or wide enough to accommodate not only the trailer, but the truck too.

 

[SeilerBird]

Flat is all I care about.

 

[Oldgator73]

We normally stay in National or State Parks. We’re destination campers. We decide what we want to see and then try to get into the nearest State or National Park. These parks normally have much more room between sites; you aren’t packed in on top of each other.

 

[HikerBob]

Flat is important. Size does matter. But I like them near hiking trails

 

[Babe2201]

I guess it would depend on if it was just my wife and I or if we were having guests. If it was just my wife and I there might be times when a state park with no hookups would be perfectly fine. If we were having guests over then full hookups might be a priority. Once when I went camping for a golf weekend with myself and 3 other guys the state park worked great because we found a huge spot that was a very short walk to the bathroom so we did not fill up the tanks and had plenty of space to play cornhole.

 

[SeilerBird]

Flat is important. Size does matter. But I like them near hiking trails

So you like to hike but do not want to hike to the trailhead?

 

[NY_Dutch]

Like Rod, we also favor state and national park campgrounds whenever available. The sites are typically larger and spread out more than private parks trying squeeze in as many paying guests as possible. The lower prices don't hurt our budget either. All of the parks we stay at offer at least electric, which we require for my wife's medical equipment. For our "winter tour" in Georgia and Florida, all of our Georgia state park sites this upcoming winter as well as the national park site in Florida, are full hookup sites. The other Florida sites are all water and electric, and our portable waste tank makes dumping during our stay a minor issue that takes a lot less effort than breaking camp to drive the rig to the dump station. The only problem we have with state and national parks is the stiff competition for reservations at popular locations. Fortunately, I was able to fully reserve our preferred parks and sites in NY, GA, and FL all the way through to next April.

 

[Domo]

Ban campfires. Know the prevailing wind pattern and have a "no smoking" section for folks that are tired of enjoying other's weekend camping burns.

Yes, we know campfires and cookouts on flame are great, but the folks downwind have no choice and too many folks have zero concern for others.

My G! I sound like a prissy fool...

 

[RVCamp owner]

Welcome to the forums!

Length is most important for us. If the pad is short, then we need to make sure the tail of the trailer can over hang the campsite pad enough it will fit.

With a fifth wheel that is 41 feet long, we need something long enough, or wide enough to accommodate not only the trailer, but the truck too.

Do you focus on pull through sites then? Or are you ok as long as it’s clearly long and flat enough?

 

[RVCamp owner]

Like Rod, we also favor state and national park campgrounds whenever available. The sites are typically larger and spread out more than private parks trying squeeze in as many paying guests as possible. The lower prices don't hurt our budget either. All of the parks we stay at offer at least electric, which we require for my wife's medical equipment. For our "winter tour" in Georgia and Florida, all of our Georgia state park sites this upcoming winter as well as the national park site in Florida, are full hookup sites. The other Florida sites are all water and electric, and our portable waste tank makes dumping during our stay a minor issue that takes a lot less effort than breaking camp to drive the rig to the dump station. The only problem we have with state and national parks is the stiff competition for reservations at popular locations. Fortunately, I was able to fully reserve our preferred parks and sites in NY, GA, and FL all the way through to next April.

 

[RVCamp owner]

I also like the privacy of the public sites vs too many of the crammed private ones. I just hate that I have to plan months in advance to secure a spot. Takes away some spontaneity! That’s why I’m thinking about making my private site more like the things people love in the public ones - more space, more privacy.

 

[RVCamp owner]

Ban campfires. Know the prevailing wind pattern and have a "no smoking" section for folks that are tired of enjoying other's weekend camping burns.

Yes, we know campfires and cookouts on flame are great, but the folks downwind have no choice and too many folks have zero concern for others.

My G! I sound like a prissy fool...

Good point!

 

[Onyrlef]

Ban campfires. Know the prevailing wind pattern and have a "no smoking" section for folks that are tired of enjoying other's weekend camping burns.

Yes, we know campfires and cookouts on flame are great, but the folks downwind have no choice and too many folks have zero concern for others.

My G! I sound like a prissy fool...

Complaining about campfire smoke when camping is like moving next to an airport and complaining about jet engine noise.

 

[Onyrlef]

So you like to hike but do not want to hike to the trailhead?

I think he means that in a relative way. I like to hike some too but I'm not walking 15 miles to the trailhead.

 

[DutchmenSport]

Do you focus on pull through sites then? Or are you ok as long as it’s clearly long and flat enough?

Doesn't matter if it's pull through or a back in. Each one has it's different advantages.

Of course, the more level, the better. But I don't let unlevel sites "unsettle" me! It's a campground for goodness sake, not a parking spot at the Pentagon.

 

[JudyJB]

We normally stay in National or State Parks. We’re destination campers. We decide what we want to see and then try to get into the nearest State or National Park. These parks normally have much more room between sites; you aren’t packed in on top of each other.

I am like Oldgator73 in preferring national or state parks. I want scenery and lots of room to enjoy the view. I do NOT need, and frankly have never used, a campground swimming pool, hot tub, or activities. I also choose what I want to see and then look for a Corps of Engineers or state park campground nearby.

I do absolutely require electric, and prefer water at my site, but I am happy using a central dump site. And I do like paved sites, but gravel or grass will do if the location is excellent.

For big weekends and holidays, I try to find a place where other people will not want to go, meaning no lake, no boating, no pools, no kiddie games, etc.

 

[Domo]

Complaining about campfire smoke when camping is like moving next to an airport and complaining about jet engine noise.

Yeah, I know what you're saying - in my defense I did say I sounded like a "prissy fool."

But, complaining about your neighbor's smoke that is literally choking you out of your own campsite is certainly something that might need better examination when you consider common courtesy.

Even cub scouts say to build the fire so the smoke goes away from your tents when setting up a group camp out. (At least they did back in late 50's and early 60's).

 

[Wasillaguy]

I look for sites that are away from those already reserved. We often make reservations only a day or 2 in advance because we like not having a deadline to be somewhere. This often means the sites left open are not prime, but so far we've done pretty well with COE and County parks, sometimes state.