Campgrounds versus RV Parks

[Civil_War_Buff]

This is a reprint of a post that I made on a TrailManor site and I figured that it might be useful here too.....enjoy.

Campground or RV park?

I read an interesting thread on another site and it got me to thinking (rare) about the differences that exist and peoples perception versus expectations about what constitutes a good or bad place to spend a weekend.  I read the "Reviews" sections and see that people have differing ideas about what a campground should look like and offer as opposed to an RV park.  

Sometimes I too fall into this as I think my expectations are following my intentions.  By that I mean if I want to spend a quiet relaxing weekend away from home but close to the TrailManor, I will seek a campground.  Where as if I am travelling or want a base camp to have ready with all of the umbillicals then I would gravitate  toward an RV park.  Which is where individual interpretation comes in, that being what is a campground, and what is an RV park?  

I have read two reviews of the same place and find them diameterically opposing each other and realize that what I am seeing is a classic campground vs. RV park dilemma.  One will say "there are full hook-ups and cable TV available", and someone else will respond with "yes, but the sites are concrete pads and close together". In the first review, the person was looking at the RV park, the second was responding to the absence of what they consider a campground.

So, I guess the point that I am trying to make is this:  If you are looking for a place to spend a weekend and you are relying on a "review" to pick a place, make sure that the criteria that you are using is consistent with information supplied.

I like staying in campgrounds and RV parks, but it does depend on what I am looking for at that time to decide which I want.


Any other thoughts?

Larry

[NightOwl]

Larry, GREAT POST!  And wonderful food for thought.   You have articulated so well the same thing many of us have grappled with when we go "camping"  There are those outdoor lovers  who completely disdain "RV parks" and those who use them.  And yet, just as you say, it all boils down to the  basic "purpose"  of your "camping trip" and how much time you have and what you intend to do during that time.

I have to say that my misty-eyed recollections, like many of our friends here, are of tenting or popup camping with my DH and  our two girls in CAMPGROUNDS with a total lack of hookups.  We never missed them--the  smoke of the campfire curling upward in a lazy spiral, the sound of the birds, the view of the star-filled  sky, the absense of  sounds from the industrial world--they all more than made up for the  fact that we had to tote water, take make-do showers,and often use a primitive outhouse.

And yet, I'll be the first to admit that the Smokey Mt area RV Park where we had our first Eastern Rally in summer of '02 was a PERFECT  venue for what our large crowd wanted to do--things like share  meals and  experiences and  the chance to visit and become personally acquainted and still feel a part of the "outdoors".  


My conclusion from  what you have written is that you are still  sometimes finding an "us versus them" attitude  in some  camping philosophies and your post fits in very well with what so many people have said when giving advice to novices right here at PUT.  and that is: "whatever works best for your  family is the best decision to go with."  (And as your needs change, of course, it's only sensible to  change your  actions to suit those needs.)

Thanks for sharing your  thought-provoking remarks.

[4campinfoxes]

This fits right into this post I think.  Here's a report I read on the travel site on CNN -

http://www.cnn.com/2004/TRAVEL/09/14/mansions.on.wheels.ap/index.html

Hope you can get this to open, I've had mixed luck with weblinks in my posts! Anyway, found it interesting, the boom of luxury RVs and now the emergence of luxury RV Parks.

Sharon

[gsm x2]

Larry,

Good to see a post from you.
 
As we move through our third year of PU ownership, there is one constant and one variable.
 
The constant is that I like water, electricity and sewer in that order.  I can do without, but I like with.
 
As far as setting, there are three scenarios to consider:
  Just us
  Just a few of us
  A whole lot of us
 
If just G and I are camping, I like a campground setting where the hammock can go out and we just laze around.  The further the campsites are from each other the better.
 
Just a few of us: same campground setting, but the spaces can be closer together.
 
A whole lot of us: I'll take the RV setting.  Line up 15 popups in a row and there will be plenty of space before the next NON-PUT campsite.
 
Scott

[garym053]

I don't think our wants change much with the circumstances- We always prefer campgrounds to RV parks. That said- this time of year I do look for campgrounds that offer electricity. Don't use much water and I'm fine with the majority of the showers and bathrooms in a CG, after all how much time is really spent there? I bring my own water for drinking no matter where I go, and my Blue Tote only holds 5 gallons of grey water so going to the spigot gives me exercise and cuts waste.

I don't camp for the social aspect of it although I enjoyed meeting and talking with Genef and his wife at Umbagog, and I would like to meet all of you in person sometime! I don't want to spend all my trips in potlucks, and learning how to make straw hats or going on hayrides. I want to see nature, experience the awesome beauty, and just relax. ( I hope that comes out tactful enough in print, as I don't mean to insult anyone)

In our defense, we still like TENT camping, so that probably explains a lot!

[tlhdoc]

I agree that the purpose of the trip dictates what I want in the camping facility.  I like private sites and don't need hookups, but I do like have electric in the summer so we can run the AC.  If it is a group trip I am more tolerant of having others close by, but I would not want to camp in a "parking lot" style camping facility.  The only time we have camped in private campgrounds has been on group trips.

[sandykayak]

I dread the thought of having to camp between huge RVs and having to listen to their generators and much prefer to be close to tenters who probably don't want to hear my ac!!  

In my defense (and i still tent camp, too!), I'll run the a/c in the daytime but always shut it off (and unzip the canvas) when i'm ready to sleep.  This is another reason why I don't always want anyone to camp with me - cos they may want the ac on all night and i want the breeze and stars.  (The other reason is that they might want to do a lot of talking and that interferes with my reading!)

This week I've been watching some Travel Channel shows on the upscale, million dollar RVs...

I chuckled when the visiting couple took off their shoes in order to see the inside of the host couple's RV.

[garym053]

A/C?? Here in Vermont, we usually need HEAT in July and August, especially this past summer! A/C is being able to stay warm enough with the roof vent opened!!!

I agree, I don't mind generators, or anything that makes noise, BUT once it's quiet time I expect the noise to stop. Don't have A/C and haven't camped near one that was running to know how noisy they are though.

Although my first preference is State or National Parks, I have stayed in some private parks that were more quiet come quiet hours than some of the state parks I've visited!

[Dee4j]

wow great post..thats a difficult question. I like RV parks for the ammenities, the Bathrooms usually are cleaner and most the time are quieter, but spaces are close together which I don't mind when I'm with a group of PUer's. Campgounds are great for then extra space, seems more back to nature, but there seems to be more tendency for hords of people to cram in one spot and play music that THEY think the entire campground wants to hear. and some pretty gross things appear in the bathrooms.. of coarse this is a generalized observation and does not apply in ALL cases.

I just say; get a big group together, camp together, and love thy neighbor :p

[griffsmom]

This week I've been watching some Travel Channel shows on the upscale, million dollar RVs...
 
I chuckled when the visiting couple took off their shoes in order to see the inside of the host couple's RV.

I saw that too and laughed b/c I take off my shoes before going into my PU!
 
We like cgs that resemble campgrounds, but we have never camped without water and electric.  (I know; we're spolied.)  Sewer is nice but not mandatory.  My dh LOVES if cable is available.  My 3 y/o is beside himself if a pool or beach is available.  I'm hoping as my little one gets older, we won't need to have electricity since we won't need to use the tv as much to keep him occupied while we try to prepare a meal or break down the camper to go home, and we can look at more dry camping options.  
 
So I guess for right now, we want to camp at a place that has the amenities of an RV park but looks like a state campground.  For us, that means San Mateo cg in So Cal.  

[fishinful]

I'll put my two cents in. While amenities can be much less at a state campground, I have found better security at State run parks. Park rangers have guns and the ability to summon back-up quickly.

Just in the last year I have wittnesed Three such incidents. The first was a situation that got out of hand pretty fast. One ranger turned into six and got rid of the campers in question. Then animal regulation came to haul away the vicious dogs and impound took care of the vehicle.After 20 minutes it was if they where never there.

The second was when my daughter became terribly lost. Rangers closed the enterance to the park right away .They then drove my wife around to all the sites they felt contained riff-raff.They searched these sites looking for evidence,her wetsuit etc. Rangers new exactly where to go, what to do, and how to execute their plan. (We found her)

The third was when a tree almost fell into some sites. All occupants were removed and the Arborist was dispatched.Done deal in a few hours.

I am not a big fan of law enforcement, but they have their place.It has been my experience that they have the resources to take care of things right now. The bottom line is that I feel safe.

Private campgrounds also have many advantages, most or all have been mentioned on this thread. When it comes to security police are dispached and they have to recieve permission from the owner or manager. Sometimes They can be reluctant to do so. However I think the need is less because campers at pc's tend to be a little more experienced in ettiquite.