New RV park builder

[Kelby]

Hello, my business partner and I are building a new RV park! We are excited in this new adventure and are looking to set ourselves apart from other parks, maybe offer something different. We would like to hear from new and experienced RV owners on your likes and dislikes on the parks you’ve stayed at, what are some amenities you look for or something new you would like to see offered during your short or long term stays? Any information will be a huge help! Thank you for your participation!

 

[Neemer]

Hi @Kelby. Welcome to the forums. Where are you looking to build your park?

 

[AbdRahim]

Welcome. If you have continually clean, up to date bathrooms and level, non grass sites, with good wi-fi, and good working full hook ups, you will be ahead of most. If you are within 3-4 miles of a grocery, hardware store, and pharmacy, you are golden (for those without a toad). Sites with some shade is always good. A good stocked camp store and cable are also helpful. The trick is to offer these at an affordable price.

 

[Kelby]

We have purchased 8 acres north of Gilmer, TX

 

[Kevin D Pem]

This advice may sound bad but the intention is good. An RV park is an extension of the owner. Your reason for building will not escape your customers view, and thus the reason people will return or stay away. If you want to know what people are looking for and how receptive people are to your ideas it may be time to look at this thread.
Building a small RV park.

Years ago I got a good piece of information (advice if you will) that went like this:

If you are in it for the money forget it.
If you are in it because of passion than you have something to offer and you will likely do well.

By this advice I would say that @Jim will have a smashing success. I am hoping you have the same passion because more quality RV parks are needed around the country.

 

[Kelby]

Absolutely! This is what we have recognized as we visit parks, they’re all full! And the demand is high but the quality of many parks are low. We want to change that! And yes it appears we will be spending more money than we first thought we would Thank you for the tuff advice! It is real and nessessary and that is the information we are needing to help us make a good business decision.

 

[MapNerd]

1. Level sites (gravel, concrete, pavers or well maintained asphalt)
2. Big rig friendly
3. Full hookups with 50 amp service, though no sewer is not a deal breaker for me if you’re near a nice attraction
4. Good wifi or cell coverage from one of the big three carriers
5. Dog park
6. Kid friendly
7. A pool is always nice but not required

These are the things I look for

 

[JRW-NAW]

MapNerd has it pretty well covered. I would add sites that have some space between them and well maintained.

 

[Kelby]

Most of the parks we’ve visited have an average of 36’ between the meters poles. What is a comfortable space for you?

 

[redbaron]

Being in Gilmer, expect to get a lot of vehicles towing offroad atvs, trailers with jeeps, etc. Ample space and parking will be crucial for your location.

You will have to decide which crowd you want at your park. Price too low, and you are full all the time with people that will bring down the quality.

Price too high, and you will lose potential income and have empty spots.

I personally would love to find a weekend getaway in Gilmer for my RV and jeep that wasn't infested with drunken rednecks. Bad enough dealing with those fools on the trail, don't need to deal with them in the park too.

 

[MapNerd]

I think of appropriate site size and spacing a bit differently than distance between meters.

to me, each site should give you a minimum of 20’ of space on your passenger side, and another 15’ on your driver side, this does not include the width of your pad, which should be a minimum of 12’ but for obvious reasons, 16-18 is much nicer.

In terms of length or depth, having a big rig and towing a car, I typically need a minimum of 55’ and feel most comfortable when I can get a 65’+ site.

landscaping between sites is also a very nice luxury when possible. Too many parks cut down all the trees and bushes, when really they just need to be trimmed and kept a reasonable distance from the actual pad and road.

That is one thing that drives me absolutely nuts about so many RV parks whether private, local, state or federal - free tree trimming services courtesy of my fiberglass sidewall. If you do nothing else, keep the trees trimmed and let me get into my site unmolested.

 

[JRW-NAW]

For more than an overnight stay, 40ft. Lots of off road vehicles running around the park would discourage us.

 

[Kelby]

Welcome. If you have continually clean, up to date bathrooms and level, non grass sites, with good wi-fi, and good working full hook ups, you will be ahead of most. If you are within 3-4 miles of a grocery, hardware store, and pharmacy, you are golden (for those without a toad). Sites with some shade is always good. A good stocked camp store and cable are also helpful. The trick is to offer these at an affordable price.

You prefer non grass sites? Could you elaborate on that.

Being in Gilmer, expect to get a lot of vehicles towing offroad at some, etc. Ample space and parking will be crucial for your location.

You will have to decide which crowd you want at your park. Price too low, and you are full all the time with people that will bring down the quality.

Price too high, and you will lose potential income and have empty spots.

I personally would love to find a weekend getaway in Gilmer for my RV and jeep that wasn't infested with drunken rednecks. Bad enough dealing with those fools on the trail, don't need to deal with them in the park too.

We will be 5 miles from Barnwell mountain. That’s one of the reasons we chose this property.

 

[MapNerd]

You prefer non grass sites? Could you elaborate on that.

We will be 5 miles from Barnwell mountain. That’s one of the reasons we chose this property.

I think he meant the pad should be non-grass. IE. Gravel, concrete, pavers or asphalt

 

[redbaron]

You prefer non grass sites? Could you elaborate on that.

We will be 5 miles from Barnwell mountain. That’s one of the reasons we chose this property.

Let me know when you are open. We go there 2-3 times a month.

 

[Kelby]

Let me know when you are open. We go there 2-3 times a month.

What are your thoughts on storage for RV or ORV? For someone that goes there often would there be value in storing your RV/ORV nearby the attraction?

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I think that if most people had their choice drive thru sites are tops.

 

[AbdRahim]

You prefer non grass sites? Could you elaborate on that.

We will be 5 miles from Barnwell mountain. That’s one of the reasons we chose this property.

Gravel or concrete parking pad.

 

[FL-JOE]

Having been full time now for awhile, and traveling in two different combination of rigs, I'll give you my wants for the perfect campground.

When we were in our 43' pusher pulling a long enclosed trailer we only targeted parks with 100' pull through spots. We stayed in many without such sites and used back-in spots, however they had places we could easily drop our trailer, like a large open lot. With our current 44' fiver we really don't care if the site is a pull through or back in as long as it is actually big enough and I don't have to cut across mud to get into it.

Sites have to be as close to level as possible. Along with that there needs to be two sewer drops and they need to be the exact same level as the pad. We have visited several parks where the sewer drop was actually a little higher than the pad. One night at a park like that and we never returned.

Work campers and other RVers make the best office workers. They will understand your customers better and relate better. We use a wonderful county park up north about every summer on a local river. It is an inexpensive great little place but they insist on hiring local retired non-RV office help. They are impatient and rude, being there just for the part time gig.

The other requirements we look for in a good park are the obvious ones that have already been mentioned, like good working hook-ups, etc.

An understanding and forgiving money refund policy is also a huge plus. If someone makes a reservation and has an issue on the road don't be money hungry and keep all or part of their money. If a customer lets you know by 6pm or so that they can't make it then refund their deposit or funds in full and ask them to consider you next time.

 

[RKins]

One thing I can add is have someone on-site during check-in periods that can fix bad pedestal power (circuit breakers, receptacles) that new arriving campers find as they hook up.
Also, don't advertise something you don't have or can't provide and keep your website up to date..