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.
Nanci’s notes
It is with sadness that I read earlier this week that reader Al S. is upside down on his RV loan and will be forced to sell it at a huge loss due to health problems.
We are lucky enough to have paid off our RV, but that doesn’t stop the demoralizing trend in depreciation. There were a few months during COVID when we could have sold at a profit, even after four years of owning it! However, we were full-timing, and that would have left us without a home and paying inflated prices to get another RV. Besides, we had already fixed everything!
Are there others of you who are upside down on an RV loan? Have you been forced to sell at a loss and are still paying on a phantom RV? Please fill out the form below with your comments/story.
Selling at a big loss
Al S. says, “We, like others, are upside down on our RV loan. Bought in 2022 for more than $120,000, and now we are getting offers to purchase at only $40,000!!!!!! It’s in perfect shape with only 19,000 miles. We had to make the difficult decision to sell due to health problems.
“When deciding to sell or not, consider your loan costs plus your storage costs, and your insurance costs, and realize that selling at a loss may be the best decision for you. Time matters! In just two weeks, the market value of our rig went down $10,000! We’re crying all the way home.”
Still need Plan B
Susan B. writes, “We work on the road in the summer, the same circuit every year. I book early, and it works out. Every seven years, I get shut out of one park due to a state fair, but I come up with a Plan B. During spring and fall, I tend to throw the dice, but early to different places we vacation. We are more open to trying different places.”
Rural, vacant lots, anyone?
Steve M. asks, “Would like to know if anyone has looked into renting rural vacant lots from their owners in order to camp overnight or so. You wouldn’t need any utilities, just a boondock and dry toilet.”
Older sites are harder to accommodate larger RVs
John M. says, “RV parks are so costly nowadays! State parks are beautiful and still the best value. The thing is, they have trouble accommodating big RVs, the reason being that their sites were built a long time ago. RVs were smaller then with no slides. Winding roads in mountain areas are narrow and risky. Even so, we love nature, love camping, and are RVers for life.”
Really nice, reasonable RV park in Florida
William A. shares: “We found a nice RV campground in Bushnell, Florida. Over 55. Decent-sized lots. Friendly staff and people. Great activity director! All for $950 a month if you spend three months or less (plus electric), less if you spend six months or more. It’s called Breezy Oaks.”
RVing is getting very difficult to enjoy
Sue G. writes, “I have been RVing for 45 years. It has become very difficult to enjoy anymore. The costs for sites have gone out of sight and are very difficult to get. The parks have not been upgraded in any way and are not even well-kept. It’s become a real rip-off for campers. Our favorite park is a state park and takes six months in advance for reservations, and you still can’t get dates you need.”
From horrible to wonderful
Michael S. says, “We have done the 5K trip a couple of times (WA-OK-NE-TX round trips). RV campgrounds are so diverse and range from horrible to wonderful. RV resorts were normally the worst and had full-time trailers that were quite rundown. National parks and BLM locations were the most enjoyable, with state parks our third choice.
“The issue is that many Midwestern campgrounds do not have any hookups and oftentimes no water. RV resorts were our 4th choice and rated from a ‘dump’ on a rutted gravel parking lot to a beautiful and well-maintained park with many amenities (it came with a price, however).
“We love RV travel, especially because we do so with our two golden retrievers. We plan our stays as we go, being flexible due to weather, time wanting to drive, and sites we would like to visit longer. This makes it more difficult to find overnight stays, but my wife is an amazing navigator and copilot, never failing to find the perfect night’s stay each day.”
Get a lot more use out of their camper if parked
Ella C. says, “We have had difficulty finding sites, but have always been successful. We do prefer a permanent site we can visit at will very easily. Found a new one for the future, starting in spring. Get much more use out of the camper if it is parked.”
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: A secret to finding sites in Florida, plus good advice: ‘Stay away from the grumps!’
RVT1236b
My heart breaks for Al S since health issues are forcing him off the road. He has good advice:
I have seen too many people hang on to something they can’t or aren’t using because “It was expensive.” Keeping it might cost you more in the end. Don’t stay attached to something because you will lose money on it. Figure out the total cost for keeping it and make a financial decision, not an emotional decision.
To Steve M. on boondocking on privately owned rural lots:
Steve, it is a great idea but for one thing- it isn’t all that easy to identify the property owner(s) , make contact, and quickly gain permission. Our home is in such an area. Most of these properties have no posted owner identification. Yes you can contact a taxing authority and figure it out. And then, even as a local, it can be tough getting permission unless you are a ‘friend of a friend’ so to speak. Your best bet would be to start the process a few months before you arrive. Think of it as a reservation system that might take multiple phone calls.
“…Have you been forced to sell at a loss and are still paying on a phantom RV?…”
I can’t imagine that any bank lets one sell an RV with a bank lien on it without first paying it off.
If the owner did not have enough cash to pay it off, they would have to borrow against another asset or use another form of credit, like getting cash against a credi card.
This is a great example of why, in the heat of “RV Passion,” paying way too much and taking long term loans on a depreciating asset is a bad idea.
RVs depreciate worse than automobiles, nearly as fast as milk. How many articles have we seen here about people who financed 10 years or more? Over their ownership, they literally never get on the positive side of the loan-to-value curve. Financing toys is usually a bad financial move.
I think William A’s site (right next to busy I75) for $950/month ($2,850 for 3 months) + electric is exorbitant. I consider $400-600/month as a good deal, $600-800 as reasonable, & anything over $800 as exorbitant, unless it has out of this world features & benefits you would actually use & want. We’ve been fulltime for 16 years in $100K+ rvs, but rarely stay in campgrounds because of the prices. The few times we do stay while travelling, we never pay more than $35/night or $175/week. We have a seasonal (6 month) site in Michigan, on a small lake, while we visit our children each summer, that is $2,800 ($466/month). Even if we only spend 4 months there, it’s $700/month.
Sounds like a great lifestyle and seasonal program you have going Fred. Well done, Sir.