When you’re at a campground or RV park, do you like to socialize with your fellow campers? Is a visit to a campground or RV park not complete unless you make a few friends, maybe sit around a campfire or meet up for a cocktail hour? Or do you generally prefer to keep to yourself?
We suppose your answer probably depends on if you consider yourself to be extroverted or introverted, but maybe at a campground, it doesn’t matter. Is it nice knowing your neighbors, after all.
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Todays Poll…….Unfortunately, there is an inverse proportion of the number of people “outside socializing” with the ever increasing size of today’s RV’s. Back in the 60’s when I camped in a tent, you were forced to be outdoors. Today in my walks around the CG’s I support, I see fewer people outside sitting at the picnic table and I see fewer people outside cooking on a grill. I, too, have a larger RV, but old camping habits die hard. I have been at a CG parked next to/close by a large Class A, Class C or 5’er and never seen the people who own them. I don’t get it.
Brad, not everyone in a RV is “camping”. For many it’s their mobile hotel room.
For me my RV is an extension of my house that I can move around to nice locations, I don’t invite passers by into my house generally, nor do I have much to do with the neighbours (I didn’t choose them after all)
When it happens “organically” it can be magical but I don’t go out of my way to “make” it happen.
It can’t be very important for campers to socialize. How many do you actually speak with ? Most pull in, set up, and disappear into their camping unit for the remainder of the day. I have invited neighbors over to sit around the campfire, just bring your chair and whatever you choose to drink. Once in a blue moon does someone take me up on the offer.
I have gotten the cold shoulder sometimes, too. Often campers refuse to interact with anyone outside their family unit, or anyone who isn’t ‘just like them’ i.e. couples with the same apparent wealth level.
I try to remind myself a lot of these folks are either traveling through, or are on a hard-won weekend trying to ‘get away from it all’ and ‘it all’ includes us. There are times when I hole up on my own too, often recuperating from too much socializing up the road.
Sorry you feel this way. We have great conversations with people with all types of RV’s. Our MH is a class A & 18 yrs old. At Daytona 500 we are parked around all sorts of MH/Class C’s/5th wheels. We have convo with all of them. Great people. We have common interest of traveling in our homes. Our “friends” I mentioned in another post have a Prevost & Essex! We had a major issue pulling into a campsite one year. Guy in a big new 45ft Entegra came right over & helped us out. Nice guy. We pay it forward if we see others in need. Don’t have to become lifelong friends or go hang out to enjoy or help others.
I like sitting outside when the weather is nice..and even when not so nice. I’ll wave at the passers-by, and if they want to say ‘hello’ that’s cool with me. But I’m also happy to be by myself, having a cold beverage and maybe a good cigar. If it happens, it’s cool, but if not, I’m good with that, too.
I always enjoy a degree of social interaction. But my main focus is relaxing and enjoying time with my wife and our pets.
I went in the middle- somewhat important to balance out my “don’t care” and my husband’s “very important”. We are camp hosts and every night we pull out chairs, light a campfire and my husband waits for folks to stop by and talk.
I don’t go out of my way to “meet and greet” but we aren’t opposed to stopping and talking to someone while out walking the dogs. We have had some great conversations with people when spontaneously striking up a conversation with a poop bag in one hand and a leash in the other! LOL
I was a new camper and having slide issues and a fellow camper told me about the fuse panel and sure enough 30 amp blown the fuse panel made no noise just a red light and location hard to get to. lucky for me my fellow camper helped me out with a fuse and helped me put a camper Tool box together properly. since then no problems. can’t remember his last name, but thank you Mr Bob….
Some of our very best friends we have met in campgrounds and have remained friends for over 25 years. You won’t meet them in a motel.
Last January I spent 30 days at a campground in Arizona, I had the same neighbours almost the whole time, talked to one of them once and the other not at all. I’m not unfriendly, I’m just not social.
If I wanted to talk to someone, I could stay in the city for that. Leave me alone. I want my peace and relaxation.
It’s sad to read some of the comments on this subject.
If you are going to just sit in your RV, why not just stay home and sit in your house. It would be cheaper.
Because we’re not sitting in our RV. We go places to go see and do things. We’re active people. Biking, hiking, touring historical areas and museums, kayaking, fishing. Never more than 3-4 days in one place. We’re not looking to make lifelong friends from a group we’ll probably never see again. Small talk while walking the dog is great, but we’ve got things to do!
It’s sad to see comments from people who think their lifestyle should be everyone else’s. your comment is rude
Rosalie, we don’t sit in our camper. In fact, we are only in it to sleep and use the bathroom. We sit and cook outside and enjoy nature. We just don’t care about interacting a lot with other people, and there’s nothing wrong or weird about that. Different people have different ways.
Our focus is having a place to sleep, eat, relax while traveling to explore new places. Other times we use the RV to stay on site at dog trials – Agility or Rally – rather than spend another $100-200/night just to “sleep” after a hard day trialing. We don’t not want to interact with other rvers, we just don’t seek it out.
It seems like we meet the nicest people as we’re packing up to leave. My husband is very extroverted and loves to talk but doesn’t go around insinuating himself on others.
We’re members of special interest groups that take care of this “need” for us. In our case, they’re Winnebago Class B (camper van) or Class B owners in general. We have lots in common. Meet up for a few days informally at various places around the country every year. A few hundred of us always show up at Winnebago’s Grand National Rally each year for the big party too. Have actually made some great friends over the years. But individual campgrounds? Nope. We’re there to go see and do things. No sitting around the campsite for us. Great to meet folks while we’re walking the dog, but we’ve got things to do!
I think if you have a dog, or dogs your walking with others to the dog park, most likely you will strike up a conversation. We travel with Dalmatians and people always ask us why they have brown spots instead of black spots. So the conversation starts. It’s always briefly, don’t ever invite them over for wine or anything like that.
I enjoy talking to fellow campers, but do not have to do so. Sometimes idle comments elicit a lengthy conversation, other times merely a nod of the head. I don’t camp to get a social fix, but sometimes getting one is an added bonus.
Same for me Neal. Well said.
👆What he said.
We are very surprised at the results of this poll. Meeting and learning about new people is a very important part of RV experience. We wonder if this poll result speaks severe divide we have in our nation? Do we not want to learn, hear other opinions and share the Joy’s of RV’ing? Very very sad!!!!
Meeting and learning about new people may be an important part of YOUR RV experience but not necessarily important to others. Why is it sad if I want to RV in my own, chosen manner? Perhaps it is people who want to force others to embrace what they themselves believe is what is creating this ‘severe divide’ you speak of…
Agree John. We RV to get away from work and stresses and just want some peace and quiet .
No it doesn’t. Husband & I aren’t social, even at home. Just our personalities. However we are pleasant & social should we meet people wherever we are. Live on an acre in neighborhood surrounded by homes, but not close. We wave when driving off property when we see them. When leaving for long trip we let our two next door neighbors know in case they see anything happening on our property. One year, fence came down, neighbor texted, said he would have his guy fix it & we agreed to split. Said to pay him after we returned. When RV’ing we strike up convo’s with our neighbors. We just don’t want to start the “how about dinner in town, or come join us”. We do have some “friends” when we go to Daytona 500 & dry camp for 10 days at track. We have hung out at our respective spots & even went for lunch/dinner a couple of times. But we’ve seen them every year for 18 yrs. Husband vintage races, & has friends he’s known for 50 years, so social there.
I guess we all RV for different reasons. We RV to travel and see different places and people. I believe the most we have ever spent is two nights in one spot. If someone wants to strike up a conversation with me it will have to be when I am out in the morning at the picnic table while I am having my coffee or later that evening when I am having my cocoa. We are out seeing the area during the day. I am a person that would get totally bored sitting in a campground. If I had to sit in a campground for a week or more, I would be looking for the groundskeeper asking if there were something I could do. I don’t sit in my RV, I am not anti-social, I am out seeing the sites that I go traveling for. That is why I answered “not important to me”. Gosh, I hope I haven’t divided our nation because I am out experiencing our nation. Oh, if you should happen to stop by during my morning coffee, I might be the guy that would talk your ear off, leaving you wondering how to get away.
That would teach ’em, eh, Kelly? 😆 Have a great rest-of-the-day, whatever you’re up to! 😀 –Diane
Ha! Ironically, at 90 + degree weather, I am in my shop trying to NOT do my own grounds keeping. However, not bored because of RVTravel. Keep on keepin’ on. Thank you! kellyR
Ugh! 90+ weather. No, thank you. I’m from the Pacific NW, and I tend to not function very well if it’s over 80. Stay cool, and have a good night, Kelly. 😀 –Diane
I don’t want to hear other people’s opinions while I’m enjoying nature or a new town. We are full time and constantly moving. We are friendly to our people we meet but if they are liberal I automatically hate them. It’s my right.
Oh, Derald — you “automatically” hate someone because they disagree with you? I cannot tell you how such a comment saddens me. That kind of attitude is exactly what is responsible for our angry world.
I once read, on the Forest River Forum, a post from a reader that when they went RVing they didn’t like people talking to them. They wanted privacy. After a few posts by others trying to offer advice one post stated that they should just stay in their RV!
Although I went with “very important” my stays are not ruined if I don’t meet a stranger. I am very social and enjoy meeting other RVers (and other people as well). If the time is right and the weather is favorable I will set up 4 chairs and sit out with a beverage of choice and see who stops by. We have several long time friends who we met just that way. If it happens it can be magic, if not I will read or chat with my wife.
Campers: Friends you make for life, that you never have to see again!
Enjoy B.S. with all you RVers. ! Not required but enjoy.
I agree with you 100%! We’ve met some really interesting people who have told us about some cool places to visit that we would have totally missed. We’ve also met some real bores who just don’t know when to shut up and go home.
We enjoy our own company at home or RVing. If someone waves or greets us, we do the same. After living a very busy and full life, just kicking back, and enjoying each other, is so wonderful. Others can be chatty Cathy’s and are happy, let’s just respect each other’s space and enjoy.
I’m an introvert, and my husband and I think of camping as a quiet time to relax and get away from the rat race. We smile and wave and enjoy brief (emphasis on brief) conversations with other campers, but we don’t care to socialize at length or look to make friends while camping.
Not interested at all. After being friendly, we end up fixing all their stuff.
Nowadays it is roving workers not campers. We are travel nursing, so we aren’t really interested in the people that are working as well. Plus after 3 years we noticed no one really wants to hang out any more. Probably because rv parks are too expensive to be able to hang out.
My husband can talk the hair off a dog, and I will talk to people who are openly friendly towards me; but we usually talk to people in a common area rather than at the campsites. We have a dog, and we have found he is a conversation point when we pass people while walking him. If there is a campground dog park or beach, the owners often strike up a conversation. We don’t go out of our way to meet people, but sometimes we just have really friendly neighbors or run into people with common interests.
I don’t socialize much at campsites..Its usually old white folks and I have found these people are very opioninated and their politics always seems to come up after a while. And I have strong opinions myself but refuse to express my personal beliefs. It becomes very awkward. So I don’t socialize.
wow, what about just dropping the stereotypes and try being a more social creature. How small of you…very sad
I have met some really nice people mostly in state or national parks. Occupants of private RV parks seem less likely to interact with others and that is fine. I can take it either way. However, if I interact with someone who brings up politics or controversial subjects, I excuse myself from the conversation. I go to the outdoors to get away from the 24 hour news cycle and enjoy nature.
A lot of the time we are on short stops. We try to take in the local sites and get rest. We do have a travel dog and conversation strikes up during walks. I have no problem meeting new folks and often talk with my neighbors for a spell. Even more so if we are staying longer.
I love to meet people at rv resorts or parks , it’s part of the experience. The RV allows me to interact with people at my own terms when comfortable or go back inside.
Yes, it’s fun to talk to other campers, but as long as my DW still is talking to me, it’s not high on my list.
I gave up talking to other campers after one nearly set nearby rigs on fire and another came through each camp saying he was trying to get Covid.
I’m finally retired and after 50 years of dealing with people coworkers bosses shippers recievers engineers and every other person that it takes the manufacturing industry go around I really just want quiet and solitude with my dog…so I try and stay away from traditional campgrounds..more of a boondocker
I like to occasionally have a conversation. Maybe find out where they’re from and if we have any thing in common. Not enough to spend time sitting around the campfire for hours.