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.
Notes from Nanci (me!)
This week, temperatures have plummeted in Minnesota, and our hosting job has relaxed a lot. Even the hardy Minnesotans aren’t fighting to get sites. There is plenty of room and not many folks to talk to. Because it is cold. At least cold to me—a not-so-hardy ex-Minnesotan coming back up from Arizona.
So while we really do have an incredible site (huge, tree-covered, great staff with full hookups and close to our kids and grandkids), I am thinking that the perfect RV site may be a fantasy…
But, and this is a huge but, we can be with our son, who is having a complicated and painful surgery on Friday. And we can be here from the comfort of our heated RV, cold or not outside. So I guess maybe there is a perfect RV site. It just depends on the need.
Here are a few observations from our readers. These do not necessarily represent the views of RVtravel.com.
Leesa always gets the right site, especially now!
Leesa G. says, “My husband and I ALWAYS visit the site in person, or have a local guide check it out for us before we put down any deposits. Pictures on websites can be fake. Also, ask about their weed abatement and insecticide policy. Flying rocks and breathing insecticide are no fun. We finally bought a property! Yeah! No more barking dogs, late-night beer parties, or worries about trailer dings.”
Allen advises visiting the site, too
Allen T. has a similar recommendation: “Both my wife and I have a campground membership. Over the years, we have noticed that many campgrounds have sold permanently established sites. This practice reduces available sites for the membership, making reservations impossible most of the time. Campgrounds now look like refugee centers with sheds, bars, gazebos, and broken cars in one case. Parties into the late-night hours with music and hollering, trash, and drunks lying about.
“You don’t even have enough space for your unit, let alone a car or your tow vehicle. Your permanently camped neighbor has expanded into your site with the two additional family cars or the family campfire circle.
“When considering a camp membership, take a tour during peak seasons, see if it looks relaxing or if it looks like a frat party. Paying membership fees for an unusable membership is not the way to go.”
Marybeth camped for 37 years, when it was more fun
Marybeth C. shares, “We have been camping as a family for over 37 years, when it was more fun. Now, you can’t get a spot during prime season without overcrowding, overpricing, or not enough availability for transients. Ever since COVID, it has been like this. It is not fun like it was when you could phone a resort on a Wednesday for a reservation that Friday and get in, which you can’t do now. We are spring and fall campers now!”
Becky says to read the reviews, particularly about KOAs and resorts
Becky C. writes, “We have found that a lot of KOAs are not what they show you on their website. Some are more rundown and/or have half the park full of people living there year-round.
“I always read reviews before we book a stay with ANY campground or resort. Speaking of resorts, some of these places calling themselves ‘resorts’ are not what most would consider one. They are campgrounds with no amenities within. We stayed at a place that had no working pool, no clubhouse, no store, all that they claimed were provided, and it was in a trailer court. We stayed one night, needless to say.
“Pet peeve: people walking through your campsite or, as we have experienced, standing in our site’s grassy area letting their dog do number two first thing in the morning when they are three sites away and have their own grassy area. Who does that?”
Never had a bad KOA experience… except one…
Mitzi & Ed G. share: “I know it’s fashionable to diss KOA, but I’ve never had a bad experience in one, save for one.
“At his KOA in SW VA, he had stepped spaces without any sort of guard rail to keep you from backing off your site into the one below. He was trying to help us back into a site with an occupied site below, got mad at me when I stopped and hopped out to check things, yelling to just keep backing. We were only 3-6 inches from backing into the occupied space below. All other KOAs were fine places.”
Tom hung up the keys after 56 years
Tom M. says, “We have finally hung it up and quit camping after 56 years. The high cost of campgrounds, having to make reservations a year in advance, and the high cost of canceling a reservation in case of a medical problem are part of the problem, along with bad knees and old age.
“We really enjoyed camping, especially before all of the corporate types got involved and started raising prices, so that now even the small campgrounds raise their rates just because they can.”
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: Ah, the off-season: RVers find peace in campgrounds again
RVT1226b
Visit before you buy? absolutely. Visit before taking a seasonal spot? If at all possible, but certainly take the time to do some research. Visit before taking a monthly, weekly, or overnight spot? It better be close to your home base or a site you are already in.
We did visit and looked carefully at sites (both for us and what others’ looked like), and the amenities before moving to a 55+ long-stay site. We leave our seasonal trailer on site year around and are able to store our small TT at the park when in residence for ‘outings’.
Those who talk about visiting a site first. That is very difficult if you’re doing a trip to an area not close to home.
Nanci…enjoy the 80°F and higher temps we in Minnesota are having this weekend and into next week! 🙂
I own a small RV Park in a tourist destination. My wife and I have fought about allowing long term campers. I have been against it and my wife want’s to allow it. I hear from guests all the time that they love the fact that we don’t have long term guests. I had said from day one, that I wanted to be an RV park, not a mobile home park. And to Tom about the cost, if you knew the cost of mortgage, electric, water, trash, cable, internet, taxes, insurance, maintenance, improvements and all the other little things that go into a park, you would understand. We really try to keep the prices as low as possible.
I find Nancy’s Campground Crowding posts as “wah,wah,wah…..
And, KOA’s, never use them, most to expensive comparatively.
Thank you for the compilation, Nanci! I do wish folks would include the states or part of the area pertaining to their comments. Our part of the world (East and Middle Tennessee, northern-half of Alabama, northern-half of Georgia, and Kentucky) seems much easier for us to get sites than lots of commenters seem to be able to do wherever they are. Have a great day and safe travels! I pray your son’s surgery goes (went? not sure which Friday you meant) well.
Hi, Neal. I think the surgery was yesterday. Have a good night. 😀 –Diane
Thank you, Diane! Have a great afternoon!
Oregon is still too crowded in state and national forest campgrounds, and most especially at the coast, even with kids back in school. I don’t know about RV parks. It’s hard for me to plan six months out because one cannot count on the weather.