Extra Charge for kids tent?

[hbfc6]

We just got back from a week at Pirateland Campground in Myrtle Beach S.C.They charged $54.00 per night for a campsite which is pretty high but it is a nice campground. I have a small 8' box Jayco pop up. We take a tent along and put up two cots inside.  The tent is a so called five-man tent but really only three cots can be put up in it. On one cot we put our bags so we do not clutter uo the inside of the pop up and one of our three boys sleeps in the other cot. After we were at the campground a couple of days the security man came around and said we had too many camping units on on site and had to go to the office. They told me I had to take the tent down or pay half a site fee to keep it up which was $27.00. I paid the half fee for one night then took the tent down. $81.00 a night to go camping is a little bit too high for me. It amazes me that a big Class A motor home
 come in and take up the whole site but they charge a little pop up and small tent an extra $27.00.

[campingboaters]

It is crazy, isn't it?  I think if they are charging per person, it shouldn't matter if you have a tent on the site, but there are SO MANY campgrounds that opperate this way.  MOST of the campgrounds we camp at have this rule -- which forces us (4 adults and two kids) to all squeeze in the camper when I take my parents with us.  There is one campground we have not been to, but they won't even let you set up a dining canopy (e-z up) or screen room.  If it isn't part of the camper, then you are out of luck for an awning!  I doubt I'll be going anywhere like THAT anytime soon!
 
One of the reasons I LOVE Lake Glory at Knoebel's here in Pennsylvania is that many of their sites are large enough for a camper AND a tent (or two) and as long as everyone is in the same family, they don't care.  They also only charge $32/night for full hookups no matter how many people are on one site.  Now, I can see some people taking this a little too far, but the management has been good so far about keeping everything calm and most of the people are really only there for the FAMILY amusement park, so there have been no rowdy crowds, even on holiday weekends.

[angelsmom10]

Our local SP's don't have such rules.  They say only 6 people per site, but we've seen as many as 15 on 1 site (yes I counted).  In the past when we would do a w/e teen camping trip, there'd be anywhere from 9-12 people and we had always paid for 2 sites.  Last year, just before the trip, we camped at the SP and counted at least 15 people on 1 site and it really got to me, so I just went and did 1 site and only listed 6 people.  Nothing was ever said; we had the PU, 2 large (6-8 people) tents and 1 small tent along with a dining canopy and 1 screen room.. it was a nice size site as most are at this SP.
 
This past w/e the kids did a teen thing again (OK, they called it college kids w/e).  They did take 2 sites, but 1 site had someone elses PU, and the other had 3 large tents and 2 large screen rooms.. park ranger came by and chatted with them, but nothing was said about how many tents were on the site.
 
I would never pay extra for setting up a tent or a screen room.  I'd never camp there again.

[griffsmom]

It amazes me that a big Class A motor home
come in and take up the whole site but they charge a little pop up and small tent an extra $27.00.

Maybe that's their way of trying to keep the undesirables out...hey wait, that's me! :J

[birol]

For less than that I stayed at a Holiday inn, with free hot breakfast, wireless internet, newspaper, clean room, indoor coffe, in door pool (very clean) 100+ TV. yeah not camping, but not 80+ bucks either !!!!!! And there could be four of us at that price !!!!!

These kind of prices are worrying me to be honest

[mike4947]

Now you know why we stick mainly to public campground like state owned ones or COE parks. The prices at private campgrounds/RV parks is heading skyward. Or else they get you with a ton of extra's.

[Jeffrey]

That's a scam, I cant think of any reason why they would need more money for a little tent. Except maybe a little grass seed?

I can understand they might need some limit, because some take it too far, and it can look like a junkyard, hauled into the campground.
Ive seen sites with a TT, small tent for ?, screen room, the TowVehicle, and more cars. Now thats probably what they are trying to control.

But A TV, PU and a little tent should be nothing.

It would be interesting to know why they think they need more money?

[Gone-Camping]

Having recently put together the website for Ocean Waves Campground, I noticed in their price chart that they also charge extra for a tent. I know these people are extremely protective of their tree's and probably the grass too, they are also half the cost of the bigger campgrounds so this helps their bottom line. Now if they were already an expensive place, then the tent fee would be too much I suppose. My guess is that they are just trying to limit how many people wind up on a campsite, guess I'll ask them about it next time I'm there?!?!

[birol]

So if I setup MOAT to use as a dressing room and porta potti, I gotta pay extra there even when no oen sleeps in it ?

[mike4947]

Totally depends on the specific campground. Everyone seems to have different rates, limits on vehicles/tents/campers on a site and extra charges for a variety of things.

As always even when we reserve through RA we call/email/check out their web site of any campground we haven't been to before.
Helps stop little surprises at check in.

[startx]

Hmm, guess you know why they are called "Pirate"land campground.  We try to avoid private parks at all costs.  Basically right now if we are making a trip with our entire household that is eight people, four adults, four kids, and two dogs.  I have spoken with private campgrounds that would not let me have the two extra adults even though they live in my household.  I would have to rent two sites plus per person useage fees, which just becomes ridiculous.

Thankfully the state parks will allow up to 8 people in a campsite, and we pay for a park pass once a year at $50 that covers all entry fees at any Texas state park for as many people as are in my vehicle.  No real surprises that way.  In Oklahoma most of the campgrounds are Corp of Engineer parks, and you pay your campsite fee only.  The Corp parks don't seem to charge an entry fee except for day use.

[4campinfoxes]

That's just plain crazy!  Although I am also not happy with the campgrounds where the base charge is one amount for 2 people & an additional charge each night for extras - kids that is.  I much prefer the places where they at least say 4 or 6 people max, or even one family.  But when you consider many of us are camping with families it seems a rip-off to charge extra for the kids.  Many of the cgs I frequent allow one camper + 1 tent.

Sharon

[Dee4j]

I think its ridiculous. most charge it tho. Our Oct Rally our friends are going so to me that's an extra family I don't mind paying. but when the kids get older they like to have their own space it makes them feel like "big cheeses" so they shouldn't charge. but how do they regulate? so they charge everyone. I do disagree with the 2 person rule and you pay extra. I think it s/b for 4 people.

[topcat7736]

Har matey, but we didn't need to be using the cutlass to git the gold out of yer pockets! Sail yer boat around our horn next year too! Har har