How do you choose a campsite?

[RVCamp Owner]

I’m trying to learn how other people choose where to stay in their RV among the thousands of potential options. If there was a website or app that could help you select a site that had exactly what you wanted, what other selection criteria would you add?

 

[Neal]

Are you a campground owner? If so, which one?

 

[RVCamp Owner]

I haven’t called it anything yet. I bought a 50+ acre plot of flat, wooded land outside of Nashville and am boondocking for now. I plan to build out an RV camp to help pay the bills and serve eventually as a “home base” where I live and manage the camp but can leave from time to time to travel elsewhere. A way to help pay for the lifestyle. I know what I like, but I want to know what others are looking for so I can make my site a destination people want to come to. If I’m going to do it, I want to do it right!

 

[RVCamp Owner]

I haven’t called it anything yet. I bought a 50+ acre plot of flat, wooded land outside of Nashville and am boondocking for now. I plan to build out an RV camp to help pay the bills and serve eventually as a “home base” where I live and manage the camp but can leave from time to time to travel elsewhere. A way to help pay for the lifestyle. I know what I like, but I want to know what others are looking for so I can make my site a destination people want to come to. If I’m going to do it, I want to do it right!

Are you a campground owner? If so, which one?

Are you a campground owner? If so, which one?

 

[RVCamp Owner]

Maybe I’ll call it RVForums.com Village. I’ll sell you the naming rights!!

 

[Neal]

When the time comes I welcome you to join as a Commercial member as other campgrounds owners have done and you're welcome to continue to share the path ahead to building out your dream campground. For details visit the link below. To upgrade your account to Commercial membership when ready click here.

Announcement - Commercial Members Guide to participating on RVForums.com

RVForums.com launched early November 2019 and with this community my goal is to provide a friendly community where everyone involved in the RV Lifestyle can communicate and participate. In this era of social media, particularly Twitter X, it's very easy to reach out to a company and ask a...

rvforums.com

 

[Kevin D Pem]

I haven’t called it anything yet. I bought a 50+ acre plot of flat, wooded land outside of Nashville and am boondocking for now. I plan to build out an RV camp to help pay the bills and serve eventually as a “home base” where I live and manage the camp but can leave from time to time to travel elsewhere. A way to help pay for the lifestyle. I know what I like, but I want to know what others are looking for so I can make my site a destination people want to come to. If I’m going to do it, I want to do it right!

I consider level #1. Many only want pull through sites.

Consider that my opinion will not effect your end game, as I stay off grid, so would never take advantage of what you put together!!!

 

[LMHS]

You left out "Pet Friendly". And that description doesn't mean a park only accepts pets under 2lbs. I have a 40lb rescued Spanish Greyhound (Galgo). If she's not welcome, then I don't stay.

I don't stay at "Adult" parks.

I don't stay at parks that refuse entrance to RVs that are over 10yo or have an RV age rule.

I don't stay at Class A only parks or most of what people call "resorts".

And I don't pay a lot of money to stay in a park. I'm self contained and don't need a bathhouse nor do I need a clubhouse, playground, swimming pool, etc.

The only "membership" I use is Passport America. I really don't care about Good Sam or AAA or any of the others. I remember when you could buy a favourable rating from some of Woodall's Campground Directory "inspectors" and the young family who were so shocked when they were informed by the Woodall's inspector that if they wanted a good rating, it would cost them. I haven't trusted a "rating" since. I really don't even trust opinion reviews. I've been in too many parks that the reviews do not match the park.

This means that there are a lot of parks that I would not stay in. But there are a lot of parks out there to stay at. No park suits everyone. And I have criteria that is different from the typical "RVer". But then I don't consider myself an "RVer". I'm likely not your target customer.

I travel mostly on US Highways and try to avoid the Interstate Highways. I look for parks near to where I am going (rvparky). I check them out online with campendium/rvparky reviews plus their websites (I hate the Facebook only places). If I can't find their rates, park rules and policies online or they don't meet my personal criteria, they get ignored. I build/maintain my own personal POI campground file for Google My Maps. That is what I use to plan my routes.

 

[Trav_lr]

Here's a picture of what I don't want! Also don't need bathrooms. showers, play grounds, pools or clubhouses, activities, wi-fi or fire pits. Just a reasonably priced, level (within +/- 2°) 50 amp site with access to water, a dump station and a small patch on the patio side where we can sit and enjoy a glass of wine without having to look at nor smell the neighbors sewer. Actually, don't really need electric, water or sewer as long as I can fill & dump as needed.

 

[AbdRahim]

Clean bathrooms, weekly and monthly discounts, grocery store, restaurants within easy bicycle range, level site, camp store, wi-fi, decent cell phone service, big rig friendly.

Usually check campgroundreviews.com

 

[lahad1]

For us, it mostly depends on where we are going and what we are doing. I prefer Recreation.gov when possible. Next I will look at State Parks. I'm mostly looking for clean, spacious lots. We prefer pull thru when possible. That dolly is a ton of work! I will choose a private campground as a last resort. We don't need all the amenities that a "resort" offers, so I don't tend to look for those. Something that I would like to see in a private campground would be no utility sites that you could spend one or two nights at a fraction of the cost of the other sites. Helpful if you are just passing through.

 

[Jim]

Something that I would like to see in a private campground would be no utility sites that you could spend one or two nights at a fraction of the cost of the other sites. Helpful if you are just passing through.

So you're looking for a place to just park? No Wifi, no water, no power? Just a place to park?

 

[LMHS]

Something that I would like to see in a private campground would be no utility sites that you could spend one or two nights at a fraction of the cost of the other sites. Helpful if you are just passing through.

If I am overnight parking with no utilities, then I end up in a parking lot at Sam's Club or Cracker Barrel (rarely Walmart) with a restaurant within walking distance. If I'm doing without utilities (and the weather would have to be cool for the dog to do without air conditioning) then I ain't cooking! And since I'm planning the route and doing the driving, then I get to choose where and when we stop.

 

[lahad1]

So you're looking for a place to just park? No Wifi, no water, no power? Just a place to park?

Yes, sometimes. We are getting ready to take our longest trip, and we have long stretches that hubby just wants to "not drive" for a full day. So I have a couple of 2 night stays. Can't and don't want to spend 2 nights at a WalMart. We will see if this works. Maybe better to drive shorter days?

 

[MemoriesByTheMile]

#1 - site size, 90’ plus
#2 - location close to the area we want to explore
#3 - full hookups for rig, don’t want or need showers, bathrooms, no fire pits (but laundry is a plus) - we want a base camp to explore nature, the campground is not the destination for us
#4 - clean
#5 - wide maneuvering space (see #1)
#6 - good pricing, considering we don’t want or use those extra resort amenities. Weekly or monthly rates. We like to stay in a campground for a month or 2 to explore an area.

 

[old timer]

Enforcement of quite hours, including cars and trucks. Its a fine line too many rules are not fun eather.

 

[sheridany]

Need good access roads and a good sized lot to fit big 45 foot coaches or fifth wheels. No trees that can scratch paint please.

 

[Neal]

Need good access roads and a good sized lot to fit big 45 foot coaches or fifth wheels. No trees that can scratch paint please.

 

[J&JD]

I’m trying to learn how other people choose where to stay in their RV among the thousands of potential options. If there was a website or app that could help you select a site that had exactly what you wanted, what other selection criteria would you add?

I look for a clean, big rig friendly park with good space between level sites, and hopefully good wifi. I avoid parks where the sites are dirt. I would include some pull through sites. Also, place the utilities so that customers do not have to use extra black/grey lines. Judy D

 

[AbdRahim]

COST! COST! Almost all long term stays fir me.
Full hookups are a must!

1) Clean bathrooms
2) gravel or concrete sites,
3) grocery store, pharmacy within bicycling distance (depending on lenth of stay
4) decent size sites - big rig friendly
5) Camp store is a plus