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. RV Travel 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.
It’s a fun journey when going with the times
K B. hasn’t had a problem getting sites and uses the Campspot app to find them. He wrote, “We’ve never had a problem doing the RV life. We’ve been in our travel trailer for a year now and have had no issues booking sites. I use the Campspot app. Depending on where we are headed, I’ll open the app, pull up a map to know where we are, and go from there. We’ve traveled down the Washington/California Coast and cut across to Arizona staying at different campsites along the way. The cost everywhere is different depending on where you’d like to stay, but we’re at a point in life where you have to just go with the times.
“It’s a fun journey and we’ve been lucky having great neighbors everywhere we’ve stayed. We’re currently in Camp Verde, AZ, at Verde Ranch RV Resort and it’s wonderful up here. The prices range from $26-$75 depending on where you’d like to be located in the park. They have a dog park and amenities you can use (clubhouse, laundry, pool, spa, gym). The managers and staff are amazing. I recommend downloading the Campspot app to help you find campsites.”
Lock-in fee extortion
Donna C. does not like the lock-in site fee. She tells us, “I am very upset over lock-in fees. I consider this fee nothing more than extortion. After using the site’s reservation you should not have to then lock it in and be charged an additional fee. I have extensively questioned this fee only to be told “everyone is doing this”. It does not make any sense!!!! This fee is optional, but when you’re traveling a distance and meeting with other RVers you expect to have the sites next to one another. This is known to the campground, therefore I call it extortion.”
Illegal resale of electric power
Thomas E. wrote to us about his snowbird park and its resale of power. He told us, “The opposite is true for our go-to snowbird campground this year. Typically the park fills up right after Thanksgiving. This year 1/3 of the sites have been empty through December with many folks returning start of the New Year. The sad part is we miss the folks who, for whatever reason, have decided not to return.
“Plus, one new added ‘fee’ this year is a 50 percent increased electric charge compared to last year. I discovered two years back that it’s not legal for companies to resell electric at a profit. The park has illegally turned the resale of electricity into a profit center. And time allowed for cancellation without penalties has increased to 45 days. So overcrowding will not end our snowbird flight south each year. Ever-increasing lot rent, fees, plus new rules and regulations may. We’re debating whether to return south next year.”
Let the available campgrounds take you on an adventure!
Greg A. tells us about Virginia’s system of showing all State Parks at once, “We find the reservation systems are generally getting better. In Virginia, we can research all State Parks at once to determine where there are camping sites available for trailers. Perhaps too many people are feeling slighted because they cannot get a particular campground or site when they want it. Camping is about adventure. Relax and let the available campsites take you on an adventure, and don’t forget to explore the local towns nearby.”
Things are different since Covid
Robert W. mentioned how things have changed since Covid: “We traveled to Alaska this year and are now in Texas. Yes, camping is considerably more expensive, especially the cost of fuel. Many commercial parks prices have doubled in four years. RV sales and repairs is an example of gouging in the industry. The kind of folks camping has really gone downhill. They are noisy. Kids run wild. Lack of respect for others’ camp areas. Dogs off-leash and poop left wherever. We have to plan well in advance now compared to pre-Covid.”
At last, the downturn for RV manufacturers may up quality—”survival of the fittest”
Clay D. brings a positive perspective to the RV manufacturing downturn. He wrote, “The downturn in RV sales for established RV manufacturers, in addition to the appearances of new ones (e.g., Brinkley, Alliance, etc.) will only benefit RV buyers. At last, quality might improve as more manufacturers are fighting for a piece of a smaller market. In addition, these same manufacturers may finally get rid of a lot of bad workers who helped foment poor-quality rigs by slapping them together for the sake of speed. Many manufacturers tried to retire on the Covid boom by jacking up prices for second- or third-rate RVs while the rush was on.
“Now, the law of survival of the fittest will tighten quality and bring down prices for the consumer. I wouldn’t count on some of the ultra-expensive newbie rigs surviving for more than a couple of years. RVers do not seem to be one percenters. Plus, those manufacturing/construction balloon payments tend to blow up causing an increase in Chapter 11/Reorganization filings; especially in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Indiana in Indianapolis.”
Live on your own terms
Nichol J. has a suggestion for the future of RVing. He says, “The future of RVing is to buy your own land, install a septic system and well water/tank. If you want to travel, buy a second piece of land, etc. Live outside of town, no noise. Always have your animals around. Live on your own terms.”
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: High gas prices biggest complaint among RVers; Love’s overnight stops too expensive
I doubt that quality will improve, especially as consolidation in the Industry continues. The accountants will be looking for every dollar that can be ringed out of each and every RV.
Vinyl covered fake wood trim anyone?
I agree. There will always be a few outstanding premium manufacturers, but most will be sold based on bling and useless features. Any progress in quality will move at the speed of glaciers.
Pressboard roof leaking in no time with the new ones
Update since writing about our experience (above, Thomas E). We bought us a 40 ft destination trailer and will be towing it up to the Adirondacks to spend more time up there. We may return to our snowbird RV campground next year with the 5th wheel, but it most likely won’t be until after the start of 2025 & only a couple months. The park is now filling up with more newbie campers that don’t pick up after their BIG dogs. Some let their kids run wild & unsupervised. It’s just not the same place. We’ll most likely be looking for a 55+ RV campground. For some odd reason those RV parks are full-up??? And can someone tell me why pickleball? Looks like you play on a huge ping-pong table.
RE: 55+ RV campgrounds…. As our winter destination park found, you have to be careful about that. Many of the full-time and seasonal residents are grandparents and are pretty put off when grandkids can’t spend a weekend with grandma & grandpa. The happy balance is the kids (& parents) can stay here, but the park does not have a playground or other kid attraction features. So the in-park kid entertainment is mostly guest provided, adult supervised lawn games in the common green spaces or day-trips to other kid-friendly venues in the region. The full-time and seasonal residents made it clear that we have no problem with kids in the park, just unsupervised kids gone wild.
I’m over 55 don’t think I would like that never tried always a first time
Re: Donna C and Lock-in Fee Extortion. Yeah, everyone maybe doing it, but it doesn’t mean it’s right. You have a reservation system that tracks when and how long sites are going to be occupied and when they are vacant. Why then would you overbook those same dates for that site? Reserve California reservation system lets you choose a site with specific dates and doesn’t charge a lock-in fee. Again, what exactly is the “lock-in fee” for?
No shows. Obviously. California doesn’t care if its campgrounds turn a profit or not. In fact, how many times have you complained about empty campsites in fully booked California campgrounds?? And since no one forces you to camp in that one specific campsite, it’s not extortion.
If it’s illegal to overcharge for electricity then to whom do you report it to. What action will be taken? I ask this because I have had this “over the actual rate” charge come upon me many times. Any campground/park that charges more for 50A hookup or even just usage per kWh regardless of amperage hooked into, I find out the kWh rate for the location I’m in. Some places are taking us for a ride!
Many governing jurisdictions charge a sales tax on electricity utilized in commercial applications. Some also permit up to a 10% administrative fee on approved resale of electricity such as in campgrounds. Campgrounds operating within these parameters on metered sites are not intentionally ripping campers off but are pursuing a legitimate costs recovery of services rendered. Who knew that RV manufacturers would ever lower their construction costs by making everything electrical thereby passing the cost of servicing that RV on to campground operators? Times have changed.
Thank you, Nanci! Nichol J’s suggestion will not fly lots of places because of county restrictions. It likely will work where land is most cheaply bought, if those areas are not already heavily restricted by the relevant county government. “Don’t ask, don’t tell” may get you grandfathered some places, but it also may prevent you doing exactly what you want to do with your own property. Buyer beware! Have a great 2024, Nanci! Safe travels!
Friends of ours have done exactly that up in WA state. Bought a beautiful plot of land just down from a beautiful and huge ‘cliff’. I can’t wait to go up there next year and camp with them.
Sadly, the local, county, state, and national desire to constantly change the rules and exert greater control over every piece of land and structure within their jurisdiction has impacted the ability of individual choice on land use and structure choice. Yes, check with local applicable regulations before pursuing the dream.
Have to check with the local zoning boards before buying a property. They have all the power
It’s nice owning your own campsite which I do. But it’s also nice camping in state parks where to can talk and socialize with other campers. Plus I like seeing the different RV’s campers have.
Here’s the other side of “lock in fees” although a bit different. My son owns an in-demand restaurant that seats around 150. Reservations are generally weeks out with walk-ins accommodated when possible. The past year they’ve seen a significant uptick in no-show/no-call reservations, sometimes as high as 35-40%. To combat their losses (staff wages, over stocked perishable ingredients, etc) they reluctantly added a $25/person non-refundable reservation fee. They’ve taken terrible hits on social media from people dissatisfied with this new fee but oddly enough the restaurant is still at capacity. Seems complainers were the majority of no-shows without any care for the business losses.
There needs to be a negative consequence for ” not showing” or not notifying of changes in plans. People are just inconsiderate of others, and it affects everyone in many ways, some not immediately obvious. But, kindness shows:
I have noticed crowded campgrounds, but for a different reason. The campsites were designed and built for smaller RV’s, not for 50′ fifth wheels and motorhomes the size of a Greyhound bus. Many cannot/will not park on their own site, but leave on grass or the roadside.
I find this abuse of campsite RV size limits mostly being abused in public campgrounds rather than private RV parks. Sometimes it is nearly impossible to exit the campground loop by a large RV owner who thinks rules do not apply to them.
It’s hard for me to get good spots because I like a bit of privacy, bushes between spaces for my small rig and for my dog. I don’t mind if the campground is somewhat full if people weren’t so noisy and obnoxious. But they are noisy and obnoxious, non-stop screaming, barking, riding bikes and scooters and running through my space, dogs out of control, no consideration for others, throwing balls among vehicles, thievery. I assume they act the same way at home or they wouldn’t in campgrounds. I dont understand the need. Most campgrounds I go to were built before there were 40+ foot behemoth things they call “campers,” and those without hookups usually have fewer screamers, depending on where.
I agree with Greg in the above examples about going to new places for new adventures. There is a place or two I’d like to have property to return to. I already live on a few acres in the country with creek off in the bushes, so I’m somewhat camped all the time in a log home. But I like to go to various campgrounds and walk the trails with different scenery, with dog. I’m picky about spaces, so I need to be reserving now. Because I live where it is quiet, it is difficult to camp among barbarians. I also like to see what others camp in. I sometimes leave before I was planning to, just to get away from the people with no manners, all too often.
Covid ruined a lot of campgrounds. I bought a camper already set up after visiting my sister and meeting their camp family. After 2 seasons I decided to upgrade to something bigger. A month later the campground was sold to a corporation and the seasonal fee went up by $1200+ on top of now having a camper payment. If I would’ve known, I wouldn’t have done it. They lost half of their seasonal campers. We decided to try another year. They ended up closing the pavilion, no kids activities and no pool that was promised. The following August they raised it by another $1100. Most seasonal campers left and people that wanted to stay were denied. A year later they are trying to get us to come back.
Think they got greedy I stayed at a camp grounds for couple years for 180 a month every thing included pick up trash every thing really enjoyed it was it’s three times that now sucks going to find another place hopefully