RVer warns: Just because you have campsite reservations doesn’t mean they can’t change the price last-minute on you!

RV sales have slowed and fewer people are buying RVs than has been the recent trend. Has that changed campground crowding? Is it easier to find a campsite now, particularly in state and national parks? Campgrounds are changing and evolving, some for the better and some for the worse. RVtravel.com readers discuss their experiences and offer a few tips to help other campers find that perfect spot.

Here are a few observations from our readers.

Prices are so prohibitive, reader writes: “Guess I’ll just stay home and wait to die.”

Cheryl N. is feeling the pinch of the high cost of RVs. She wrote, “Campsites aren’t the only thing out of reason nowadays. The cost of any kind of RV has skyrocketed into unattainable for most people. I empathize with park owners on utility costs but more sites for those with their own power at a lower rate would be nice. Fuel prices all add to the prohibitive nature of RV adventures of late. I’m looking to get a small motorhome as my daily driver and serve as private lodging when visiting relatives scattered around the country. I’m looking to trade off my fairly new, paid-off, unused pickup but RVs are priced so crazy. Model year 1989 and with 80,000 miles is as ‘new’ as l can possibly afford for something that actually runs and functions safely. Guess I’ll just stay home and wait to die. Sucks.”

Pay half price at a national park campground

Susan R. doesn’t like barking dogs but has some good advice for cutting costs. She writes, “I agree about the complaints about campers letting their kids loose, unsupervised, and loudly screaming, but they don’t bother me as much as the people who bring two or three dogs that bark all day.

“The crowding is serious, and you can’t blame private campgrounds for having to raise prices if their costs go up. All of us are hurting by rising costs. I am a senior, so years ago, I purchased a National Park’s pass that, at the time, cost $10. I think it is now $80, but you can save so much money with it! I pay half price for sites at all national campgrounds. On average, a site with hookups is $14 to $20, and without hookups, $10 a night. So, if you are age 55 and above, get a Golden Access pass through the national park system!”

Editor’s note: The pass name and price changes from time to time. The current America the Beautiful interagency pass chart is below. They can be ordered online or in person.

Had reservations but price had doubled!

Steve D. wrote to us about getting a call that campground prices had doubled after he had reserved! “Made a reservation at Sherling Lake Park in Greenville, Alabama. Two days before we were set to arrive I received a phone call telling me rates had DOUBLED! No more weekly discount, no consideration for having made a reservation months in advance. We canceled and found another park.”

Owners raise prices to match!

Jc P. tells us about prices doubling and campgrounds calling other owners to match prices! He says, “Campground prices have doubled in the last three years. I have talked to owners who told me that other owners of campgrounds have called them wanting to know their prices so they could raise their prices to match. I used to stay for $350 a month plus electric. Now it’s $650 a month with absolutely no updates. The state needs to step in for high rates charged and state inspections need to be done once a year at any time unannounced so they can see the real problems in the campground.”

Camping falling into the “sucks” category

Mark V. writes, “Camping is increasingly falling into the ‘sucks’ category. Rigs are outrageously expensive, as are nightly rates. Spontaneity is all but gone. Group camps have vanished. Private parks have little space during the week between Memorial Day and Labor Day because of increased seasonals. Seasonals make more sense just to ensure you have a place to go, and it saves gas. But, [that’s] at the expense of traveling and seeing the good U.S. of A.

Too much drinking, like fish and partying at this RV park

Victoria S. is not going back to this RV park. Here’s why: “I stayed at a place called Reflections in Sebring, Florida. It’s my first time being a snowbird. I traveled in my RV but I never spent four months at a specific private RV Park.

“What I found was lack of maintenance on the site. Water lines were breaking all the time and there was no compensation or no offer to compensate in any way. And I found that at this park the people were a lot older. I’m only 65 years young and man, do they drink like fish and that seems to be all they do. I mean there are activities they partake in and I partake in some of the activities, but at night lots of parties and lots of drinking, not my style. I will never go back there because they overcharged for a very small site and didn’t maintain around the site.”

Municipalities treating all boondocking RVers as homeless bums

Phil A. is finding it difficult to find snowbird and boondocking sites in the San Diego area. He writes: “Class A full-timer since 2018. Three trips across USA and Route 66 both ways. I’ve seen a drop in full campgrounds in 2023, higher rates across the board, and boondocking opportunities are quickly fading away as municipalities treat ALL RVers as homeless bums, ignoring the financial impact we give to the communities we visit. Mission Bay RV Park in San Diego recently canceled many long-time snowbirds and left many seeking alternative RV parking in a city with very few options to begin with. All so they can rent to short-term aka daily visitors and charge higher rates. More coming?”

Have new people camping topped out?

Steven P. work camps and doesn’t have a problem finding sites. He thinks camping will level off and writes, “Most complaints I read are ‘RVers’ who are camping in tourist hot spots and during peak times. We snowbird in AZ, but we are workampers in a large RV resort. We travel from Wisconsin in Oct. to work there for the winter. We NEVER have problems finding campsites, and many times with no reservation. We are not looking for ‘vacation’ sites as we find great things to do wherever we are. I do believe prices in desirable locations will continue to rise, but I also think we have topped out on new campers and the numbers will level off if not fall some. Look at camper sales, they’re off considerably. If people want to complain, look at the seasonal camper taking many spots at campgrounds—they are not RVers. My take!”

Now, some questions for you:

• Are you finding campgrounds booked up? Or is finding a place to stay not a problem?
• Are campgrounds changing for the better or for the worse?
• Are you seeing more permanent and seasonal RV parks?
• Are rising costs affecting your camping style?
• If campgrounds continue to be crowded and RVing continues to become more popular, will it affect how or when you RV?
• Do you have any tips or secrets you’d like to share about finding campgrounds that aren’t as crowded?

Please use the form below to answer one or more of these questions, or tell us what you’ve experienced with campground crowding in general.

Read last week’s Crowded Campgrounds column: “Site lock” fees being added on top of campsite fees to secure specific campsites—Yikes!