RE: What s the beef about private campgrounds?

[angelsmom10]

 C. Hains

 

ORIGINAL:  C. Hains
 
 

Let us know when you would like to try East Fork and we ll try to schedule a trip also.

 I will take you up on that sometime -- perhaps this fall!  Thanks for the invitation.
 
 To all of the rest of you who responded -- thanks.  It is good to get other perspectives -- it helps to fill in some of the many blanks I have about camping issues!!
 

Great just let me know about 1 1/2 week earlier if possible, if not, we ll swing it.
 

[vjm1639]

 C. Hains
If you like to read...try the following books about women who camp or RV travel for a little inspiration. []
 
 RVing North America; Silver, Single, and Solo  by Sharlene Marshall (she has several other good ones also)
 
 How Can I Be Lost When I Don t Know Where I m Going?  by Barbara Thacker
 
 RV Traveling Tales - Women s Journey s on the Open Road by Jaimie Hall (Editor)

[garym053]

 C. Hains
You ve had a lot of great replies, let me add my two cents:
 We camp in State Parks because wildlife, site s are usually larger, people " usually"  don t cut through your site to the BR & Showers, NO PLANNED activities, Quiet time MEANS quiet time, usually closer to the hiking and paddling we want to do. I could go on & on. No planned activities is a big one!
 Even when we convince our children and their families to join us, we do the state parks. They have all the " Planned activities"  they need at home in NJ and AZ, they need to get out into nature and experience all the beauty that they probably overlook every day.
 I have never felt unsafe either from wildlife or Wild Life in a state park. I have heard a lot of noise and drunkeness at many of the private campgrounds we have visited. There have also been private CG s that are every bit as quiet and beautiful as the state parks.
 I think it just boils down to the " mode"  you go into when camping. Nature, hiking, biking, paddling, etc types seem to head for the state parks, social, entertaining types seem to go more for the private parks.
 Like I said, just my two cents.
 

[Dayton Dave]

 C. Hains
Well... Here is my two cents worth.  It ain t much so don t gripe if you don t get your moneys value out of the reply.
 
 When we bought out camper, we got the proverbial free stay at a 1000 Trails resort.  Now we made the decision many years ago that we did not want the condo time share type of thing.  But camping was a different thing.  We liked the idea of a large private " preserve" .  Just about every site was secluded, there was at least one pool, or lake or both.  All had horseshoes, putt-putt courses and playgrounds.  Many have other things as well.  All are a gated environment. The price was a little steep, but we were thinking that we would use it for many  many years to come.
 
 About one month after I joined 1000 Trails, I was doing some searching on the WEB for campgrounds and such.  I found a site called Travel Resorts of America.  They are affiliated with the Coast to Coast system.  I asked for information and was contacted by a broker out of Columbus OH.  TRoA is in N. Carolina and they have a sister park at Gettysburg, PA.  It turned out that the broker had a membership to resell for $0.00 dollars.  All I had to do was pick up the yearly membership.  After that when I visited the campground I could activate the C2C membership reciprocal program.  We did that this summer.
 
 I wish I had found the second outfit before I signed up for the 1000 Trails.  don t get me wrong, I really like the 1000 Trails, but we just have not been able to use it as much as I wanted to right now.  Maybe later on we will.
 
 All this said, there are wonderful State parks here in Ohio and surrounding states.  I have spent many of camping nights in them.  I have had good and bad experiences at all.  Most do not afford the privacy that I really enjoy.  It seems that many have been clear cut of trees and pads put down.  That makes a very hot visit.  I love the trees the most.  And I seem to have gotten that in my own private memberships.  
 
 Now, I will not go to a KOA unless there is nothing else on God s green earth.  
 
 Just my two cents worth....
 

[4campinfoxes]

 C. Hains
We camp at both types of campgrounds - public & private.  It usually depends on where we are going, what amenities they have, how long we are staying and what we plan to do.  For trips longer than a long weekend we usually go with a private CG - they usually have more for the kids to do (swimming pools, etc.) and elec/water hookups.  For weekend trips it s usually a state park or Army Corps park which is nearby.  We especially like places with hiking or bicycling opportunities. We prefer to have at least electric hookups whichever place we stay.
 
 As others have said, it depends on what you are looking for.  I like the feeling of being in nature that you seem to get more in the state parks than you do at the commercial campgrounds.
 
 Either way - it s all about enjoyment!
 
 Sharon

[C. Hains]

 C. Hains

If you like to read...try the following books about women who camp or RV travel for a little inspiration.  
 
 RVing North America; Silver, Single, and Solo by Sharlene Marshall (she has several other good ones also)
 
 How Can I Be Lost When I Don t Know Where I m Going? by Barbara Thacker
 
 RV Traveling Tales - Women s Journey s on the Open Road by Jaimie Hall (Editor)

I LOVE to read -- I will get these books and read them.  Thanks for the suggestion.
 Thanks again to everyone for your " two cents"  worth!  You will get NO complaints from me -- all the comments are enlightening.[]

[jaycocamprs]

 C. Hains
We mostly camp at public parks. We like the fact that they are usually more scenic, and have larger more private sites. Most of these trips are just weekends, but sometimes longer. But there are times when we really just want to use the camper as a portable hotel room. For these times the private campgrounds work well. They are often nearer to a major metro area, or are centrally located between other tourist things we want to see or do.

[vjm1639]

 C. Hains

I LOVE to read

 So do I!!!   []  If you enjoy these, I have many more suggestions!  LOL