Paid-off RV still costs more than $1,000 a month; plus ‘shocking’ car, hotel costs

RV sales have slowed and fewer people are buying RVs. 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 tips to help other campers find that perfect spot.

Here are a few observations from our readers. These do not necessarily represent the views of RVtravel.com.

What needs more repairs, the RVers or the RV?

Richard C. asks the question tongue in check, but tells us how important their RV was when he was having surgery. He writes, “We are officially in our late sixties and it’s often a toss-up on which needs more repairs: us or the RV. Recently, I had outpatient surgery at an Arizona hospital and was not allowed to drive for 24 hours. I talked with the hospital security staff, who allowed us to park our rig in an adjacent lot for a few days. 6 a.m., I walked the 200 yards to the check-in. 11 a.m., I was wheeled out and walked back to the coach for 24 hours of recovery before driving back to our regular site in a local resort. Gotta love the RV life!”

When dog show days are over, they’re giving up RVing

Mike S. tells us about how high costs are affecting their RVing. He wrote, “In Northern California, we are finding campgrounds booked up and need to book in-season weekends 6-8 months in advance or stay Monday-Friday.

“Campgrounds are becoming more run-down with lots of permanent residents.

“Costs are still going up and 80 dollars a night is getting out of hand. We now limit our stays in campgrounds to twice a year. Most of the time we are camping at dog shows in fairgrounds, but that has gone up from $40 a day to $70 a day in some locations. Since the cost has gone up so much for camping, we find that when our dog showing days are over we will give up RVing. Our Class A is owned outright and still costs us about $1,000 per month to own it. That’s storage, insurance, DMV, and maintenance. It does not pencil out to own one, but the convenience of being on the shows grounds is priceless.”

RVer tried car and hotel traveling and those costs were shocking

Anthony B. tried car travel and went back to RVing. He wrote, “We are lifelong RVers—40 years over 46 states. Yes, we’ve seen rates go up and noticed an increase in campers, but we are planners so we RARELY had trouble finding sites.

“Everything has gone up. We’ve tried traveling by car and using hotels. Those increases are SHOCKING. We have eliminated some campgrounds that have jacked rates and cut services, but we have also found campgrounds where owners have improved site conditions, added reliable WIFI, and more amenities. But we plan, budget, read reviews, and get tips from other campers on the roads. We ALWAYS enjoy our trips.”

No resort but charging resort fees

D G. tells us about a $100-a-night fee with few resort amenities. “Yes, campground fees have gone up but the value has not. Does this picture of Mission Bay ‘Resort’ match your definition of the word? If both you and your neighbor have slide-outs, you can barely walk between them, yet the county is charging “resort-class” fees of over $100/night. The ‘new’ section has better spacing, but it is unpaved dirt!”

Fall and spring more locals are camping

Marie M. travels during the spring and fall when more sites are available. She writes, “We have been full-time RVers for almost three years. We stay south during the winter months, which are always booked way in advance, and travel around spring through fall. We find that during those times of the year, more local people are camping and there are more vacant sites. The three holidays in the summer are usually booked and will be hard to find a spot. The remainder of the summer months are easier to find an open site.”

COE go-to

Dennis S. finds sites when he needs them. He wrote, “We have generally found available sites as we need them. We just avoid the high-profile campground resorts. COE [Corps of Engineers] campgrounds are our go-to. Never have a problem.”

Reader says reports are not too negative

Don. M appreciates our readers’ reports and writes, “I don’t think your reports are too negative; I appreciate the honesty. It’s so hard to find RV reviews and even harder to get truthful ones. We’ve been RVing since 1992, and have had three travel trailers in that time. Two of them were great quality and one was a lemon. We only camp in spring and fall when campgrounds are less crowded and rarely on weekends. Last thing we want to do is go to a campground that is crowded. We’ve gone in November and had campgrounds to ourselves. Keep up the great work.”

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 the latest Crowded Campgrounds column:

• RVer says, ‘Goodbye, Florida’ — $150 to camp on grass?

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