Over the last several years, your complaints about campground etiquette have been growing. We know many of you blame it on the “COVID campers”—the people and families who were new to camping after the Pandemic and who maybe didn’t know exactly what they were doing or how to behave.
But sometimes it’s not just the newbies. It’s the people with the new puppy who don’t know that he barks all day while they’re gone. Or the family with the five kids who can’t quite keep track of all of them at once. Or the group of friends who ignore quiet hours and stay up much too late, leaving all their lights on with them.
Even the most easygoing RVer runs into an etiquette issue now and then, and it’s funny how those small frustrations stick with you long after the trip is over. Campground etiquette isn’t complicated, but it sure seems like more people forgot the basics this year and in years past.
Maybe the biggest issue you’ve faced is noise. There’s always that one neighbor who fires up a generator at sunrise or lets a campfire conversation stretch past midnight. Noise travels differently in a campground—especially when you’re trying to enjoy the peace you drove all this way to find. When you finally get a quiet site, it’s amazing how fast a loud neighbor can change the vibe.
Or maybe pets have been the problem for you. Loose dogs wandering through campsites, barking nonstop, or owners who “forget” to pick up after their furry companions—those things can turn a peaceful stay into a messy one. You love seeing dogs at campgrounds, of course, but only when the owners remember that etiquette applies to pets, too.
One of the most common frustrations RVers talk about is people walking straight through their campsite. There’s something about that shortcut culture that never seems to go away. You set up your campsite as your temporary home, but some folks see it as a convenient path between Point A and Point B. It’s amazing how often it happens—even when there are perfectly good roads and paths just a few feet away.
So what about you? What’s been the biggest etiquette issue you’ve run into this year? Take a moment to vote in the poll. We think you’ll find you’re not the only one who’s had to shake your head once or twice this season…
Oh, and in today’s poll, you can vote up to two times.
MORE POLLS YOU MIGHT LIKE:
- Have you ever seen the Northern Lights?
- Will you go south for the winter in your RV for at least two months?
- Do you usually winterize your RV yourself or hire a service?
- In general, do you reserve the majority of your campsites far in advance or book last-minute?
- Where (in your RV) do you most often eat your meals?
RVT1237b
I chose Other, should have had a category – All of The Above! Except for Loud Children.
I agree children are always loud. All the rest is not good neighbor’s
Another complaint…..parents who do not supervise their children at all when they definitely need it!
Our winter home is a 55+ gated long-stay RV park. The gates are open during the day. Prior to gate closure a pickup was in the park – caught by the security cameras, The truck took off in a hurry, cut through a corner campsite running over a sewer cleanout, did a U-turn and exited as the gates were about to close. No other damage or problems reported. For the record, those gates open automatically for exiting vehicles.Near as anyone can figure, the owner came to visit somebody not at home and panicked when the gate began to close.
All of the above, at one time or another, plus loud/cheap generators. And, not sure if this is ‘campground etiquette’ or not but smoldering/unattended camp fires.
Yup, that’s my “other”… all-day smoky fires
We’ve had no issues this year with rude or annoying campers. We do have a problem with campers on the highways who drive too fast and/or block the passing lane.
Campsite encroachment.
Parking vehicles blocking access or egress to my site, parking on the road making it hard to navigate.
This last year we stayed almost exclusively in State and County Parks. Just a handful of private parks (no big corp. ones).
I’ll have to say that overall we didn’t see major etiquette issues. The most consistent, however, was people not picking up their dog poop. I didn’t even find that as much as usual while walking my own dogs this last year, but there are always some that just don’t get it and probably never will.
Speeding was not uncommon. One PA state park we were in was ticketing offenders! 👍
My “other” is tobacco smoke (or cannabis smoke) wafting into my campsite from the neighbor.
Hwy.70 to close to State Park in Arkansas.
Did the highway have an etiquette issue?
A couple whom we’re friends with parked partially in our spot (he’s not a very good driver). That’s as bad as it got this year so it was pretty good!
Fellow campers who leave showers and restrooms in a shameful mess.
My biggest two were dogs off leash and people cutting through my site, but almost all apply. I would add, “Lack of enforcement of rules by management” which almost all of the ones I mentioned fell under.
Loud music playing all day…….sometimes when there isn’t anyone at their campsite!
Usually when people have music on or the tv on loud is usually a decoy to make a intruder think 🤔 🤔🤔 I’m just guessing.
Haven’t really had a complaint. We are full timers, so we are in a campground 365 days a year. Lights left on is the biggest thing for me, but it still ain’t bad enough to complain about. DW complains about people cutting through sites, I agree but it doesn’t seem to happen that often..
I choose overflowing trash bins, but that is not an etiquette problem, it is a campground management problem.
Sleeping Bear Dunes not keeping ADA Sites open for disabled campers, to many able bodied campers occupying these sites making it harder for those of us who need them to maneuver around standard sites with our walkers.
By just looking at someone you don’t know what their disability is.
One of the states we camped in (can’t remember which one) stated on the reservation website that ADA sites can be reserved if no other suitable site is available. Maybe this is the case in your area.
Loose roaming stray cats, lots and it causes my dog to bark.
I have no complaints for 2025, 67 nights in the camper for my wife and I and we were fortunate not to have any incidents of campground etiquette “violations”
Literally all of the choices apply. We have been in an RV since 1973 and never have folks been less courteous than the past five’ish years. Totally disgusting. Today we dry camp/boondock anywhere we can to stay away from the others.
All of the above.