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.
Campground adds “Resort” to name and jacks up price
Dennis G. is seeing RV parks that are not a “resort” adding the name and upping the price. He wrote, “I have witnessed some RV campgrounds adding the word ‘Resort’ and jacking fees, when the facility is definitely NOT a ‘resort’, nor has anything other than the basics been added. I consider this yet another effort to extract more $ from my pocket. Personally, I avoid any RV park with ‘resort’ in the name for that reason alone, unless I have no other choice. I have always said there should be multi-level fees: if you are a tent or truck camper with need of the bathrooms and showers, dog park, swimming pool, fishing pond, playground, putting green, etc., you SHOULD pay more. But if you drive a Class A, B or C and don’t need or use the park’s facilities, the overnight fee should be $10 to $15 less, especially if just needing an overnight stay while passing through an area.”
Full-timing is still the cheapest way
Sue W. is finding that even with increasing costs, full-time RVing is still cheaper than living in a sticks-and-bricks. She wrote, “This is our seventh year as full-timers. This year we have noticed that most RV parks are not full. Our winter spot in FL has quite a few openings. Yes, parks are farming out more amenities—for instance, credit cards only, laundry facilities, and no escort or aid in getting parked. Still, it’s the cheapest way to live for seniors (even with the $70 increase where we stay) when you consider a mortgage, property taxes, inability to move when you want, etc., if you own a permanent home.”
Keep it simple and be satisfied
Steven M. is deciding between going full-time or buying a house. He said, “We are at the stage of trying to buy a house and part-time camp, or ditch the house and full-time camp. I know we will be modest in our purchase and probably both camp and hotel it. I refuse to hook up sewer anywhere and will be quite happy using other facilities. Campgrounds I have stayed in had great restrooms and showers; if not, then it’s a hotel time. I believe one should keep it simple and you will then be satisfied with the camping experience.”
Scalping campers
Jackie P. comments on RVing changes since Covid: “We have been long-term campers in TN for eight years. We loved meeting new people and connecting with other long-term campers. Unfortunately, corporations like RRM/VISTA thought the surge in camping during Covid gave them Carte Blanche to financially scalp campers. New fees for everything from parking to guaranteed sites. Last year the campground was 2/3 empty regularly, and only full on holiday weekends. I agree that the clientele also saw a big decline. We commented several times it was only a step up from a homeless compound on busy weekends.”
Third-party RV park management or, rather, mismanagement
Jim J. reports on management issues in the RV park where they winter. He wrote: “Shortly after a third-party management company started running the park where we winter, either long-term camp workers were let go, or they quit. There was an ad emailed by the company looking for someone to do the daily housekeeping in park buildings. The only pay was the site + electric (still buy own propane). 30+ hours plus 24/7 on-call. The seasonal and FT guests are mostly retired. None of us were looking for extra income. We did napkin calculations as a group and had a very hardy laugh. For fewer hours our after-tax take-home pay stocking shelves at the local small grocer would have paid much more.
“The manager two merry-go-rounds back was fired by the company because they were paying more attention to the guests and park OWNER’S long-term interests than the (save a penny, lose a dollar) interests of the management company. Those managers are still friends of the group and were quickly employed by the owners of another park about 40 minutes away.”
Nickel and dime to death
Pete C. is noticing how state parks are charging out-of-state campers much more than in-state residents. He wrote: “Just getting back into RVing after being out of it awhile. I have witnessed a variety of conditions as mentioned in one of your recent articles. One of my biggest beefs is due to new state park policies of charging out-of-staters double or more! In New England, MA started it but now RI jumped on it too. Just booked the same park I stayed at last year and it’s now double. Looks like I’ll be hitting NH, ME, and VT state parks more! The additional booking fees are also rough. I agree it’s extortion to charge you to confirm a site. Just another way of nickel and diming.”
What? A $5 per person fire protection fee!
Ian S. told us about increased costs including a fire protection fee! “We have been traveling for almost two years. Older campgrounds are not designed for larger rigs with slide-outs on both sides. We have stayed at campgrounds that have many empty sites but only a few that will fit our rig.
“We’ve stayed in about 80 campgrounds this year and have noticed an increase in extra charges. Lock-in your site charge, booking fee, using your credit card fee, and recently a $5 per person fire protection fee! And, of course, the ‘add a tip’ option on the credit card machine. These extra fees are showing up in many industries these days, so I suppose we should just assume the price of the campsite will be higher than the advertised price.”
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: No crowding, but high gas prices, poor RV and tow-vehicle quality, and “sketchy service centers” among RVers’ greatest concerns
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I haven’t yet experienced this fee for “confirming” a site. I thought that was what you did when you paid up-front for a site. Is this a new fee in addition to pre-paying?
Sounds like the same as a “lock in ” fee now an option at MOST KOA locations. You discuss a specific site on the phone then find out they moved you to a different site when you get there unless you paid the “lock in site fee” of $20 to $35. There sure are a lot of empty sites at the Galveston Island KOA Holiday where we have been since Dec 23. And STILL they are raising the monthly rates for Winter 24-25!
I have been receiving email solicitations from several campgrounds along the Texas gulf coast for two months now. Clearly they aren’t full like they used to be. If KOA raises rates, it would seem the competition offering deals will be more than happy to take the ex-KOAers in!
Dennis G.’s suggestion for charging tent campers more because they’re more likely to use the amenities makes no sense. If anything, motorhomes cost the parks more money because of all the electricity they draw to support their appliances. And how in the world would the park ensure that motorhome owners don’t use the amenities after they gave them a discount rate?
Stephen says “I refuse to hook up sewer anywhere”. I am at a loss for words.
Stephen should save his pennies and buy a tent!
Yeah…that one was good for a chuckle!
When I was a member of a Good Sam chapter back in the 90’s we had two couples in expensive Class A’s who proudly claimed they never use their bathroom for anything but brushing their teeth. We could see them heading to the bath house carrying their showering equipment even in the rain. Their logic…keep the resale value up. I told them I paid for the bathroom and I’m going to use mine.
My wife and I have watched this parade many times. Folks in these beautiful diesel pushers with every amenity known to man, and off they go, rain or shine, headed to the showers. Here we are in our lowly travel trailer using everything to the max – including the head. We even cook in our trailer – GASP!
Never understood it either. If your not going to use the shower, the toilet or the kitchen, why not just stay at a hotel? Totally missing the point of taking it all with you.
But by the same token, if you need a shower and a kitchen, why not just stay in a hotel, or home…
I guess I just don’t understand it?? My camper has a bathroom and by golly, I am going to use it! But I also know people who “flat-out refuse” to use the bathroom in their RV. Maybe RV manufacturers should produce/offer RV’s with NO bathroom for those people who will never use it.
If you don’t like the extra fees, then don’t stay. I wouldn’t stay. As for the extra credit card fee. No one complains to their congressman or senators. So the credit card companies charge exorbitant fees to the business. The businesses charge it to you to recoup the fee. Then you pay high credit card interest. Then those who make money on credit cards push for cashless society.
I can see the credit card fee. It does cost the business more to accept credit cards than it does for cash. The alternative is to offer a “cash discount”. Either way, using a credit card is going to cost more at many businesses, not just campgrounds. Daughter’s wedding is coming up, and if I want to use my credit card to pay the bills, everyone so far has been charging a convenience fee for using the card. Alternative is to mail a check. Since the service is not booked until they receive payment, I just used the card. Would not want to have a check delayed or lost in the mail, then my daughter misses the booking opportunity.
It’s just plain old American greed… kick the little people while they are down.Capitalism at it’s worst.
That dude in his 200k “camper” is “down” somehow??
The word “Resort” when used by RV parks is verbal abuse of the word.
Would be interesting to see how the campground people would monitor who uses the ‘facilities’ and who doesn’t.
I think Sue W. is missing a major point. Her depreciation compared to my appreciation or increase in real property value are incredible! The Rv depreciated right up front, 1 minute after starting the engine. My home increased in value within 6 months to a year after buying or building. To say nothing of the security. One accident in the Rv and you are homeless! Now our home was paid off some 25 years ago and we have upkeep and taxes/insurance and repairs which generally can be done by the owner. Insurance cost, while rising, is going up faster on depreciated liability than on a appreciate asset. We also have something to leave our granddaughter and her family.
My motorhome is 24 years old and actually is worth about $10,000 more than when I purchased it 13 years ago. Yes, we have put some money into updates, but no more than we would have in a house. Was top end Tropical by National in 2000. But used, quality and put in elbow grease. Let someone else pay for depreciation. Before full timing I owned a house in Fla for 22 years. Taxes, insurance, and repairs/upkeep are into appreciation profit. I’m happy with my coach. Oh, and by the way one hurricane, fire or lightning strike and you are homeless in house!!
Anecdotal, not the norm.
One road accident and you’re out of a home. Out of all of these disasters, which one happens far, far, far, far more often than the others??
And I can pretty much guarantee nobody is paying 10k for a 24 year old camper, let alone 10k over what you paid. Sounds like you have an unscrupulous insurance agent…
RV resorts, campgrounds, and public parks can charge whatever they desire, add as many fees and taxes as they desire. It is my choice of how much I choose to spend and where I choose to stay, crowed or empty. Life is a competition with everything and everyone else, competing for customers or being a customer, we all make choices. So, choose to be a happy camper or choose something else.
When traveling from our home I have altered our route to avoid high-priced campgrounds and campground with exceptionally bad reviews. A campground is base camp from which to explore. We don’t need and don’t want a campground that sometimes is a resort only in name and other times is one in fact. Except in rare occasions we avoid KOA. One good exception to keep in mind is the KOA outside Seligman, Arizona on Route 66.
I watch as folks struggle to get their 40 or 50 foot, multi-slide RV’S into “campgrounds” they expect to have more reliable infrastructure and better roads than Texas, then unload enough gear into their campsite to ensure everyone around them can enjoy their outdoor multi-media systems, golf carts, cabana parties and of course all night LED light displays worthy of Times Square. How can you expect campgrounds built for “campers” to accommodate RV’S with more lot space, electrical, sewer and water requirements these giants use without charging more? Might be time to convert abandoned big box stores into lots for these homes on wheels.
You got a problem with Texas?
Thank you, Nanci! Safe travels! 🙂
In the 23 years we were full-timing we always said the difference between an RV park and a Resort was $20 per night. Probably more now.
No campground is going to set aside large spaces for people who just want to park at a minimum fee. That’s what truck stops are for.
Most of the complaints seem to come from people who have no clue whatsoever.