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
Permanent residents or RV parks will close!
JD D. doesn’t always like long-term RV park residents but understands that parks have to make a profit or close. He wrote, “Yes, campsites are more expensive, but then what isn’t? One has to remember that RV parks are a business and will make a profit or go out of business. I think permanent residents are helping with the shortfall. Not thrilled with permanent or long-term residents either, but it beats a lot of parks closing up, making less availability and choices.”
No-go for no-protection
Dana L. writes about legally protecting oneself. “Campgrounds are changing for the worse and are more expensive. Re: crime and unrest, I won’t travel to any state where I can’t legally protect myself.” (Dana is referencing last week’s column here.)
Can no longer afford the high prices
Paula S. misses camping because of the high prices and writes, “I am in New England (NH). We love Maine, VT, and MA. Most campgrounds have become seasonal with few weekly/overnighter sites and are asking $100 or more per night. We can no longer afford this and have camped only a couple times this year. I miss it. The campgrounds are offering very few amenities, as well. We are afraid to venture as it is a safety risk when you don’t really know the areas. Getting a reservation is difficult to go with all of this. I’m sad with how this has become.”
Putting off longer trips for a couple of years
Corrina T. wrote that the cost of everything is affecting their camping. She wrote, “The cost of RV campgrounds is not affecting our decisions to camp, but we are not full-timers. The cost of gas, groceries, and everything else certainly has though! If everything goes up, campground prices will too. We are putting off our longer trips for another year or two.”
Not all campground owners are greedy
Leonard R. wrote about his experience at an RV resort in Yuma when he had to cancel. “I realize that this particular forum topic is mostly for complainers. I get it. My story is how an RV resort in Yuma, AZ, kept my $200 deposit after I had to cancel at 85 days out as their policy was no refunds within 90 days of arrival.
“The Del Pueblo RV Resort general manager gave me his cell number and asked that I call him if I wanted to book in the future and he would apply the $200 to a new reservation.
“I was skeptical, but my plans did bring me back to Yuma for this winter. I called him, refreshed his memory of the situation, and had ZERO issues with my new booking! A man of his word, my $200 ‘lost’ deposit from 2023 was applied to my new 2024 reservation.
Sometimes, it isn’t always the ‘greedy owners’!”
Changing retirement plans
Ann R. had to change her retirement plans because of prices. She wrote, “Have to give up parks and having a large/medium rig because of the prices. It’s down to a mini or van fitted with a bath and kitchen. Retirement is not going to be what I expected, but a significantly different scenario now. My heart is saddened, but we survive, right?”
$148 to golf plus a $50 reservation fee
Leonard R. wrote about not just the high cost of campgrounds but the high cost of golfing and reservations fees. “Are there concerns with RV traveling? Obviously prices continue to rise and in some cases, service continues to decline. Whether we like it or not, this is capitalism at its ‘finest’. Booking early and what is in our price range works well for us as we spend 4-5 months every winter in the Southwest.
“One note on price gouging that I just encountered. As we are going to be in San Diego over the Christmas holidays, I decided to treat myself to a round of golf at Torrey Pines. A nonresident fee of $148 was fine, but I was a little miffed that when I went online to book it, there was a $50 reservation fee! Yes, $50 for the privilege of going online to book a round of golf. As a further FYI, there are NO phone reservations allowed! So I am paying $200 to walk Torrey Pines at Christmas. This is what I call one of my ‘first-world problems’. I literally can’t wait!
“Don’t even get me started on my Canadian dollar exchange which sits at $1.35 CDN for a USD $1.00. Life is short; let’s all just enjoy the RVing while we can!”
Campground crowding is overstated
Keith M. did a lot of RVing this summer and had almost no problem getting a site. He wrote, “We did 9,500 miles this summer. While some state parks were busy, we always managed to find sites. We don’t plan, yet with only one exception we found someplace to stay. We have an off-grid travel trailer so we occasionally boondock. Prices ranged from $15 to $60, but we usually paid less than $50. As far as crowding goes, I think it’s overstated.”
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: ‘Crime and civil unrest affecting RV travels.’ Plus, long-term RVers turning RV parks into ‘mobile home parks’
##RVT1178b
Try to equate this article with others about entrepreneurs or existing businesses who would like to invest in a new campground or RV park, but who give up or are turned down. The accumulation of regulations from city, county, state, and federal bureaucracies makes it next to impossible to develop anything new. With the years of waiting for approvals and permits (if they ever can be obtained), the legal costs, permitting costs and taxes makes it very difficult or next to impossible to develop new campgrounds or any business for that matter. Our governments have made it so difficult and costly, it’s a wonder anything new gets done. No wonder the costs per night are high.
Most likely the reason is below.
The 15-minute city is an urban planning concept that aims to make essential services and amenities within walking distance or a short public transit ride of most residents. The goal is to reduce the need for cars and long-distance commuting, and to create more sustainable, equitable, and connected cities.
The 15-minute city concept is based on the idea that cities can be more effective if residents can access their daily needs within a 15-minute radius. This includes services like work, shopping, education
Equity. Equitable. Everyone lives the same miserable lifestyle.
The 15 minute city concept is the height of elitist arrogance.
Agree, but how many times do we hear our citizens, even here on this forum, repeat the common phrase “There should be a law against that!!!” 🙂
I guess we get what we’re asking for. 😕
My issue with campgrounds are that yes they need sometimes to host full timers. What I hate is that they mix them with nightly /weekly ones. Full timers /seasonals are not the cleanest people. The longer they are there the more crap they gather up. The sites end up being a trash heap.. management should but do not enforce any rules with them.
They should section off full timers and nightly into different areas.
I think you have a misunderstanding of a full-timer vs long-term residents. We’ve been full-timing in our motorhome for five years. Sometimes we stay in the same place several months other time shorter stays. Wherever we are, we keep our site clean and neat and our rig clean and in good repair. It’s over 20 years old, but is often mistaken for new.
Contrast that with campers both long and short term whose sites are littered with “toys”, trash and other stuff, haven’t washed their rig in years and neglected maintenance.
Many long-term residents have known hard times and It’s all they can afford. The failure is the campground owners that don’t require neat sites and clean, safe RVs.
There is no campground crowding. All articles like this due is get people upset and divide them for no reason. Find something else to write about.
Or.. hear me out. Find something else to read and not click the link.
Corporate greed.
Thank you, Nanci! Have a great weekend and safe travels!
NONE of this discussion about overcrowding, permanent residents, high prices, and corporate greed has anything to do with “campgrounds”! It is referring to private “RV parks” and “RV resorts”. We stay in public CAMPGROUNDS, not private RV parks, and have none of those problems. If the public campground has no hookups, we “survive” because our RV, likely nearly everyone’s RV, is equipped wirh propane, batteries, a fresh water tank, waste holding tanks, a 12v furnace and WH, a kitchen, and a bathroom. Yesterday we left a FREE public cg. in Colorado that had 20/30/50A electrical hookups and a dump, but no water, so we brought our own water. The cg. had 23 RVs/tents in its 51 campsites!
Just got back from a 5,000 mile trip. I stayed at 23 campgrounds ranging from State Parks to KOAs to private campgrounds. Everywhere were nice people and good accommodations. I have RV’d for over 40 years and still enjoy it and have never had any of the problems mentioned. I realize I am lucky but like online reviews, people with a complaint post more than those who do not.
“…people with a complaint..”
Or they have an agenda.
Outfit your rig for boondocking/dry camping and skip the private RV parks…solar, lithium batteries, inverter, adequate fresh water. The OLD days aren’t coming back…move forward.