If you’ve used your RV this year, we bet you’ve had a moment or two when you looked out your window and thought, “Wait… Are those kids cutting across my site again?” You’re not alone.
In a poll last week, we asked you about the biggest campground etiquette issue you ran into this year, and your answers painted a very clear picture of what’s getting under RVers’ skin these days.
The biggest complaint: campsite cross-traffic
Topping the list with 26% of the vote, the most common frustration was people—or their kids—walking right through someone else’s campsite. It’s a common campground annoyance, but this year it appears to be especially widespread.
Selene M. shared one reason why this can become a problem fast: “Another complaint…parents who do not supervise their children at all when they definitely need it!”
Noise takes the next two spots
Coming in close behind, 21% of you said loud neighbors—from late-night parties to rumbling generators—were your biggest headache of the year.
And combining noise with the four-legged variety, 19% said barking dogs were their top issue. Another 20% reported loose dogs or owners not picking up after them, making pet-related problems a major theme overall.
Reader Richard P. echoed the noise frustration, writing: “Loud music playing all day… sometimes when there isn’t anyone at their campsite!”
Lights, speeders, and trash
A “bright” but unwelcome trend: 19% said RVers leaving lights on all night disturbed their peace.
17% were most bothered by speeding vehicles or unsafe driving in campground loops.
Trash concerns landed lower on the list—7% of you mentioned left-behind garbage or overflowing bins—but it’s still a recurring frustration.
On the trash note, Bob commented: “I choose overflowing trash bins, but that is not an etiquette problem, it is a campground management problem.”
Meanwhile, 4% cited loud children, and another 4% picked “other,” often for reasons that deserve attention, too.
Your “other” answers reveal even more pain points
Gordon O. wrote about drifting smoke: “My ‘other’ is tobacco smoke (or cannabis smoke) wafting into my campsite from the neighbor.”
Mike raised a concern many longtime RVers share: “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 campfires.”
Rebecca agreed with Mike and said, “Yup, that’s my ‘other’… all-day smoky fires.”
Roy D. pointed out the role campground management can play: “My biggest two were dogs off leash and people cutting through my site… I would add, ‘Lack of enforcement of rules by management.’”
And Ed K. highlighted an especially serious issue at popular national park campgrounds:
“Sleeping Bear Dunes is not keeping ADA sites open for disabled campers, making it harder for those of us who need them to maneuver around standard sites with our walkers.”
Some longtime RVers say the overall culture has changed. Bret wrote: “Literally all of the choices apply… 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.”
Thank you for voting
As always, we appreciate you taking a moment to share your experiences. These poll results help shine a light on what real RVers are dealing with—and maybe, just maybe, they’ll inspire a little more courtesy on the campground loop next year.
To take one (or more) of our many (more than 5,000!) polls, click here.
RVT1239
It’s not just at CGs and RV parks/resorts. It’s everywhere in our society, now. Too many people feel entitled to the point that your comfort, feelings, and safety are of no concern to them. We, as a slice of society, are concerned about our world (CGs, RV parks/resorts) but that can only be improved by improving the whole. Find what/where you like and do that.
“Find what/where you like and do that.” To me, that statement is/explains the problem…too many individuals doing what they like, where they like with no thought as to how it affects others around them.
We all need to heed the old adage that says “Your right to swing your fist ends one inch from the tip of my nose.”
1 inch is too close for me. How about when you see them getting ready to throw it.
Yep. “The world revolves around ME ME ME” syndrome. And the perpetrators are oblivious to the condition.
It’s like the old saying “If you don’t like my driving, stay off the sidewalk”.
I was sitting in my chair not 10 feet from my camper door when 5 adults walked between me and the camper door not even acknowledging that I was there. What is wrong with people?
It’s a Narcissistic age we live in & a sad state of affairs
As someone mentioned before, folks act in campgrounds like they act at home and as campground hosts we learned that was true very quickly. People may come to fish and relax, however they continue to bring their home life styles/baggage with them. We hosted at the same state park twice. We had 113 sites – RVs and tenters. Friday evening was typically the worst time as some drove a distance while others were local but all wanted to get set up and settled in as fast as they could. We got to learn peoples patterns and many times it only took having a conversation when checking them in. If we went back a second time, might have a Ranger in tow.