Why Elks lodges are a great alternative to campgrounds

RV sales have slowed and fewer people are buying RVs. Has that changed campgrounds? 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.

Difference in permanent RVers and transient RVers

Martha C. has seen more parks with permanent RVers and has made this observation: “I have seen in the last couple of years that a lot of parks are filling with permanent RVs. I have nothing against that except that there is definitely a different vibe. I would like to see parks put the permanent RVers together and the transient RVers together. We like to interact with our neighbors, and permanents like to chill on their own inside after work.”

What “days of traveling without reservations”?

Christina M. suggests owners of family-owned parks have more pride in their park. She wrote, “Started RVing in 2021, so I’m not familiar with the days of easily traveling without reservations. I do find reservations when I need them, but sometimes it is a long process and I use a lot of State Parks and Army Corps of Engineers sites.

“My recommendation regarding finding good RV Parks is to select family-owned and operated. They don’t usually increase rates as much as corporate in my experience. Plus, they usually take more pride in the park. That may be obvious, but it’s just my two cents.

Better to make reservations in Arizona

Bobbie K. knows that campgrounds fill up fast and wrote, “I camp a lot in Arizona, which is a big destination in the winter. Campgrounds are pretty expensive here, mostly $65 a night for resorts. They do fill up fast and it’s better if you can make reservations.”

Call ahead in the morning and never a problem

Gary B. has only had to reserve ahead with Thousand Trails. He wrote, “We traveled across the country and back. For Thousand Trails, we made sure to have reservations well in advance. Otherwise, we would call ahead in the morning and never had a problem staying that night. A large preponderance of stays were at Elks lodges that had RV camping. They were often closer to areas that we wanted to explore than campgrounds, if they existed. As a bonus, we sometimes camped when the Elks were serving meals that we could buy into. We avoid fancy campground resorts. We want either a place to stay overnight or a Basecamp from which to explore.”

Learn more about staying at Elk’s lodges here.

They just call themselves “resorts” to raise prices

Kathleen I. says that a lot of RV parks call themselves “resorts” just to raise prices. She wrote, “It’s not necessarily that we prefer RV ‘resorts’ over campgrounds, it’s that many ‘campgrounds’ are now calling themselves resorts to justify raising their prices, but sometimes the only thing they have going for them as a ‘resort’ is an unheated pool or a grassy ‘family play area.’ Meanwhile, they still have unlevel dirt/gravel sites and aged facilities.

“Our class A (40′) won’t fit in most government parks. We look for FHU, wide streets, and sites wide enough for slide on both sides and sit outside w/o being on top of neighbors’ sewer. That usually means we are paying $55 to $95 a night!”

Kathleen happily sent us a picture of their new coach. She’s a beaut, Kathleen!

Bye bye, favorite park

Earl B. shared his favorite RV park with us but it will be their last time there. He writes, “One of my favorite RV places in southern California was the Pechanga Casino RV Resort in Temecula. We have been going there once or twice a year. I just found out last month when I made my reservations for this November that they no longer accept Passport America. The only reason I made my reservation was I had a couple of days of credit there from earlier in the year, but I had to cancel due to illness. We will be there in November, but sadly it will be our last trip there due to higher cost.”

Good sites are still available

Gary M. had no problem making reservations, even at state parks. He wrote, “We have made two trips in the last few weeks on a moment’s notice. The first was seven days with stays at two state parks and one private park. We had no problem making reservations a few days ahead at two state parks, and the private campground upgraded us to a premium site for three days. Just made a reservation for two nights with FHU at a state park yesterday for this coming week. Shoulder season seems busy, but good sites are available.”

Now, some questions for you:

• Are you finding campgrounds booked up or is finding a site not a problem?
• What do you like best about RVing?
• What are your pet peeves?
• Are you seeing more permanent and seasonal RV parks?
• Are rising costs affecting your camping style?
• Do you have favorite campgrounds or RV parks?
• What is the most memorable experience you have had RVing?
• Do you have any tips or secrets you’d like to share?

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: RVer notes RV site infrastructure wearing out; money going towards glamping areas

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