Is it just me???? RV PARKS

[THEPILL]

Why on earth would anyone stay in a RV park? All bunched up next to each other. No Privacy. I understand an overnighter to get to a destination or a Rally,<well not even a Rally> but my gosh most that I have seen are just an open lot. Not something I'd be into. Are there people who actually leave their home and load up stay at these places? I have stayed at NAt'L parks and State Parks even a city owned Park<looks more like a state park> and just can't fathom Rv parks being a getaway.

Opinions, or is it just me? Or I haven't seen the "good ones, yet.

Don't beat me up, Still a newbie.

Shane

[TBRich]

It's not just you. Private places usually try to get the most out of their real estate, so sites are more cramped and there is less privacy. Many are nothing but glorified trailer parks ...or trailer parks who call themselves RV parks so they can get the travel traffic in addition to long term residents. We much prefer public parks and campgrounds and boondocking where there is more privacy with rigs not stacked in, etc. Having said that, there are some very nice private RV parks/resorts with lots of amenities, however— usually high-end ... it just depends on what you are looking for.

[mouth012006]

Well not all of us are into Boondocking....I am a RV park fan and happen to like some of the RV park/resorts that are out there. Don;t need to spend the weekend in nature to relax....you can have fun in an RV park too! But again that is just MY opinion! I happen to like pulling in and pulling into a nice power point turning on my a/c and hooking up my water. But to each their own.

[Boondocker]

If you want to know where I come down on the issue, just read my screen name.

[mouth012006]

Boondocker, nice answer!!!!

[moosetags]

It's just a matter or preference. Lucy prefers RV parks. Most of our 600 nights in Lucy have been spent in various RV parks throughout the country We like the comforts of home. We like having five point hook-ups. That's why we have an Airstream in the first place. We really appreciate all of the RVers who stay in the woods or along side of the road because that leaves a spot for us in the RV park.. To each their own.

Brian

[THEPILL]

Originally Posted by mouth012006

Well not all of us are into Boondocking....I am a RV park fan and happen to like some of the RV park/resorts that are out there. Don;t need to spend the weekend in nature to relax....you can have fun in an RV park too! But again that is just MY opinion! I happen to like pulling in and pulling into a nice power point turning on my a/c and hooking up my water. But to each their own.

Well, I can get all the above at a state park. Nat'L Park for 18-20 dollars a night. With electric and water hookups.


Shane

[mouth012006]

Well Shane I have to go with moosetags, enjoy your spot in Nature/state parks while I am chillin by the pool at my RV park. Remember each person has their own AS for different reasons. If I loved nature that much I would be a backpacker!

[moosetags]

Originally Posted by THEPILL

Well, I can get all the above at a state park. Nat'L Park for 18-20 dollars a night. With electric and water hookups.


Shane

Like Fishing Bridge at Yellowstone where the sites are so close together you can't put out the awning, and you can't cook outdoors. We stayed there two nights and it was awful. We went to an RV park in West Yellowstone.

Brian

[sempi2]

We've been to both rv parks and state parks so far. We have been to some rv parks that are more like state parks. But also were at one where it was like a parking lot, but the park put us in a place outside a very busy city that we did not want to drive aroung with the trailer. Keep an open mind. One of the best places we stayed was right on the Rogue River in Grants Pass, OR. Backed right upn to the beautiful river and felt like we were alone, although we were in a rv park.

[Jammer]

1) Some RV parks are better than others, and in particular some are more spacious.

2) Travel is about change. My stick home is half a mile from the nearest neighbor, and so isolation is not something I seek out while traveling to the extent that it was when I lived in the cheap part of Atlanta (I was younger and tended then to disappear into the Big Frog wilderness for days at a time with a backpack and a sleeping bag).

3) Much of the purpose of RV parks is to provide amenities. I have kids. It is more relaxing for the adults if the kids have a swimming pool and maybe a playground, at least some of the time, on some trips.

4) Much of the purpose of RV parks is to provide destination services of one kind or another. For example, I have a fishing trip planned to a resort/campground where they provide a boat, dock, and guide services.

5) With longer trips and more people the availability of 3 point hookups becomes a more important consideration.

6) With summer weather the availability of air conditioning is sometimes a big deal.

- =O=-

Campgrounds differ and their character changes over the course of the seasons. With travel and experience people develop their favorites for different kinds of trips. There are some places that book up months in advance. There are some places that really mostly cater to seasonal campers. There are some where it's all about a beachfront location and everything else is secondary. There are some that are nothing fancy but they're in the middle of nowhere and you get lots of room.

[THEPILL]

Dang, so much to learn.

What I'm getting at is, it just seems safer to take a chance on a state park than a rv park you've never been to.

Shane

[eubank]

I think it boils down to hookups (and amenities in some cases).

-Electrical hookups are relatively easy to install, though somewhat expensive nowadays (thanks the cost of copper). The holes don't need to be that deep, and variations in level don't make a difference. The electrical stands can be a bit costly to maintain because folks tend to muck with them.

-Water systems can be pretty expensive. Up here, for example, everything has to be six feet down (a very long, very deep hole), and freezing is a major issue.

-Sewer is also quite costly, depending on the lay of the land. On very flat ground, you have to start really, really deep and end pretty shallow, depending on distance. Undulating land can be a major, expensive headache.

These pretty much explain why state parks don't have many hookups, especially water and sewer.

Do we like to live with hookups? Yes, I guess so. It depends on where we're going and why we're there. If it's to be smack in the middle of nature, you can't beat a place like Deadhorse Point State Park, for instance. But if we're basically there so that we can tour the broader area in the truck, then I'd prefer hookups, especially if we're going to be there for a week or so. A good example of this kind is the hookups park at the Grand Canyon.


Lynn

[Elvie]

Our thing is to be happy and have fun wherever we are. Variety is the spice of life.

[SilverRanger]

While I agree with you that this type of RV park holds little appeal, I guess it depends on the mindset of the owners, and the intended use of their Airstreams. We tend to stay away from the RV/Resort type parks when traveling unless it's necessary to be near a specific location, and there's no other choice. For some, an RV park is the destination. Last year we did a lot of traveling and stayed exclusively in state and national parks. Most are significantly less expensive, better maintained, and are far more visually appealing, but you may have to venture a ways off the interstate to get there. Don't get me wrong, we like the hook ups, we just don't like being near other campers.

I worked over 30 years in a state park system which had a range of campgrounds. Some had no hook ups and spacious, quiet sites, while one had full hook ups, yet resembled a drive-in theater without the screen, to everything in between. Ironically, the least attractive one with the hook ups was, by far, the busiest in the system... solely based on the location. It was 4 miles from a busy summer resort, 250 yards from the Atlantic Ocean, and only 50 yards from an inlet which boasted some of the best fishing on the east coast, and booked up months in advance. During the park's heyday, it also had two other large adjacent campgrounds which had no hook ups, so it wasn't uncommon to have a combined population of over 2,000 happy campers. Not my cup of tea, but many of our visitors saved up all year to experience this phenomena for two weeks.

That being said, our next trip is to Washington, DC, and we'll be spending a couple of days at a National Park campground (Greenbelt), just off the Capital Beltway. We love it there, especially in the off season - $16 a night. Then, in order to be with some friends from our club unit (WDCU) we'll spend a few days at Cherry Hill Campground, which is also just off the Beltway. It's one of the most well kept and managed commercial campgrounds we've experienced. During the height of the season they have two swimming pools, hot tubs, sauna, gym, restaurants, one of the best camping supply stores I've seen, outdoor theaters, etc. I guess we can tolerate the high prices,amenities, and hoards of tourists - $58 a night, to party with the gang.

Those two campgrounds are about the closest you'll get to Washington, DC. I guess it all depends on where you need to be.

[mike rogers]

We love any place to camp depending on the situation.

Boondocking on a college campus for a tailgater is fun. (a blast)

State Parks are a bargain

RV parks give you great ammenities

In the woods is peaceful

Have fun, have good friends to camp with, when you want. and, Stay thirsty my friend!

Mike

[sempi2]

Just make sure that wherever you go, you have your happy hour ingredients with you. May not be able to get them at a nat'l, state park or rv park.

[Bluto]

Originally Posted by THEPILL

Why on earth would anyone stay in a RV park? All bunched up next to each other. No Privacy. I understand an overnighter to get to a destination or a Rally,<well not even a Rally> but my gosh most that I have seen are just an open lot. Not something I'd be into. Are there people who actually leave their home and load up stay at these places? I have stayed at NAt'L parks and State Parks even a city owned Park<looks more like a state park> and just can't fathom Rv parks being a getaway.

Opinions, or is it just me? Or I haven't seen the "good ones, yet.

Don't beat me up, Still a newbie.

Shane

Shane, be happy that everyone is not in your favorite state park every weekend. Think of what a mess that would be. Talk about wall to wall RV's. I'm glad everyone does their own thing. Sometimes it's impossible to get into state parks now. Please don't convert anybody.

[THEPILL]

Originally Posted by Bluto

Shane, be happy that everyone is not in your favorite state park every weekend. Think of what a mess that would be. Talk about wall to wall RV's. I'm glad everyone does their own thing. Sometimes it's impossible to get into state parks now. Please don't convert anybody.

Wall to Wall RV's, BLAH!!!!

But wall to wall airstreams.....Now your talking!!



Shane

[Aage]

Here's the view from where I sat in Henri (our TT) in an RV park we stayed at for a week last November...



And here are a couple of Henri enjoying the beach and warm weather...





Here are Flora and Fauna, our trailer pets.



Taken in Navarre, FL on The Emerald Coast.