What do you look for when selecting a campground?

I'm in the process of trying to rebuild a campground outside of Cincinnati. It originally belonged to my grandparents and has been closed for 10-15 years. So I'm starting from scratch (except for the wonderful shade trees). I'm held up for at least a couple more years while I wait for the municipal sewer, so I'm going to take advantage of that time to design the best campground that I can. I'm looking at 200 sites mostly in the shade.

Our TrailManor has been such a wonderful research lab as we've traveled around this year. At the campgrounds we've visited; we've found a lot of things we liked and a lot of things we didn't. We've also tallked to a lot of campers as well as the campground owners.

I know the things that my wife and I look for when we go camping. I'd like to hear what everyone else looks for.

What is the most important thing at a campground?
What will keep you coming back to the same campground?
What will cause you to never come back?

Here's my family's answers to these questions...

The most important things are clean bathrooms, activities for the kids (2 young ones), and decent size sites.

What would keep us coming back is convenience and a well kept facility.

What drives us away is small sites, barely private showers, inadequate power.

One campground we just stayed in, last week, is in Moab, UT and we will never stay there again. It could be nice, but the facilities aren't kept up and the whole place is dirt. The only place that is paved are the access roads and everything else is dirt. No attempt has been made to put down crushed rock and everything is covered with dust as a result. The sites are small and crammed together - they'd do well to remove about 1/4 of their sites. Of course, they're renting to mostly bike riders for very short periods so they probably don't care - they get the money and don't expect people to return. The rest rooms were way too small for the number of people using them and they weren't kept clean. (Cost: $31.00, $6.00 for our two grand sons) On the other hand, the night before we stayed at a campground in Idaho where the restrooms were very clean. They were set up so they could be hosed out and the floors were spotless, mirrors were glistening, paper products were abundant. The sites each had a concrete slab for the RV and tow vehicle, with both 20 and 30 amp circuits. Around the slabs there was grass - neatly mowed - and there were trees between the sites. All the sites were drive-thru and were long enough to accommodate a large class A with its toad next to us. (Cost: $14.00)

High on my list:
A fairly wide pad or gravel area so when it rains there is space to move about without getting in the mud.

An area marked for dog potty purposes and strict enforcment. I have nothing against pooches, I just hate it when I step in what the last one left behind.

I just camped at Canyon of the Eagles here in Texas, the bath house was composed of about 10 or so individual bathrooms, each having a commode, shower and vanity. It was great and I hope to see more.

You need to decide what your focus is. When we were big rig RVers, we looked for 50 amp hook ups, poured or very flat pull through sites, good shot lines for the satellite dish, good unobstructed access roads. Now that we've downsized, we'll be looking for more rustic settings with shade and interesting woody sites which are near clean, tiled bath rooms. Because our TM is very maneuverable, we won't be as interested in wide access and won't care about pull through sites. When we had a pop up or used tents, we didn't want to be anywhere near big rigs. I suspect the same will be true of our new TM life. Once you decide who your tarket RVer is, then you can more easily provide the sort of facilties those people want. I think that big rigs probably generate more income, but they also cost more. Also, there tends to be a difference in the kind of people who drive Prevost buses and those who use tent campers. I haven't been around TM people long enough to know where they fit in. - Ted

Originally Posted by Ted Lehmann

You need to decide what your focus is.

I agree with Ted. My first time camping I was 6 months old. I've been told it was fun. Personally, I can't remember. My Dad's idea of camping was a somewhat flat spot next to a river on the side road of a side road. He was either deer hunting or trout fishing. The goal was to stay away from people.

If it were me, I'd do the same. But DW doesn't like it. So when I want solitude I leave her home and go backpacking.

We have only been out 4 trips so far this year, since we bought our first trailer, a TM 2720, as follows:

1. Parking lot of Laguna Seca race track for our son's a mountain bike race. For this trip we wanted to be on site and would put up with absolutely anything. Purpose of the trip was to be at the race.

2. Private RV park at Lake Naciemento, CA. No hookups, but hot showers were available. Since the showers/ bathrooms were clean and odor free we were happy. Had a nice view of the lake and didn't feel crowded at all. Unless someone yelled we could not hear any voices. Purpose of the trip was to camp close to San Luis Obispo so we could visit our son in college.

3. Pinecrest Lake, CA. Forest Service campground. No hookups. This was the most spacious site we have had so far. Purpose of the trip was a quiet relaxing weekend.

4. North Shore RV Park, Lake Almanor, CA. We had hookups excluding a sewer. Dump station was convienient on the way out. Forgot to ask for 30 amp service so all we had was 20 amp. That is enough to run my a/c as long as everything else is off. Very clean bathrooms, cleaned daily at 11. Gated entrance so no one was able to just drive through to look around. Nice view of the lake. Purpose of the trip was to investigate the area as possible retirement area in 10 years or so and to visit a friend with a cabin there.

The point of my long winded list is that, as Ted pointed out, you need to understand who your target customer is. Probably not me, or someone like me. For each trip out my needs were different. Every trip and destination is a compromise. It's like trying to buy the perfect trailer.

Though my needs varied with each trip, my expectations were pretty much the same.

1. Clean
2. Quiet
3. Convienient
4. At least some privacy.
5. Reasonable price. For one trip per month I'm not very price sensitive, but I do consider it.

I would think that nearly everyone wants clean and quiet. After that it depends on the purpose of the trip.

People with children probably want entertainment. Swings for young kids. Pool for the teens to hang out at.

People with big rigs probably want pull thrus.

People with tents want larger sites.

Thanks for listening.

[fcatwo]

It sounds like you are planning a "destination" campground for people who will come for the casino, fishing/swimming lake, swimming pool, golf course, water park or whatever it takes to amuse people and their kids these days. We stayed in a KOA near Albany, Oregon this past weekend that was like that and was priced accordingly.

We used none of that however and were there with a few of our local bike club members only because it provided easy access to the nearby farm roads for bike riding. We would have prefered a cheaper place with just the basics.

If you are near an interstate of other major hwy you'll probably get our business when we pass that way if you have easy in and out, clean facilities, flat pull throughs and prices no higher than your competition. We rarely stay in a campground more than one night however unless ther are historical or other attractions nearby. Does Cincinatti have those?

kozfam4

I have only dry camped in Arizona, but when we purchased our TM last Fall, we pulled it 2000 miles cross country to get it home. FWIW, I called ahead whenever possible to find cost and availability. So a phone # in a camping book got our business. I wanted a level pad with hookups for TM with TV connected. We only stayed the night using the TM facilities. One afternoon, some fine folks in a grocery store told us of a great place to stay that was not in the books.

I was really happy with the nice folks I met at the campgrounds all the way from Indiana to Az. It really makes me want to do that again!

Bob

[2manypets]

When looking for a commercial campground the first thing we consider is location. Is the campground easily accessible and is it near our destination? The second thing we are interested in is quiet. If the campground is at the end of a runway and one block from the interstate there is no way we’ll be able to sleep at night. Those are the two biggies. After that we start considering things like level sites, shade trees, cable TV, and WiFi.

The thing that will cause us never to return is noise.

We are changing from a TM to a big fiver, our needs stay the same. DW requires full hookups (water, sewer, electric - 30/50 amp, cable, free wifi, plug and go phone. I require easy in/out, long and wide (80 by 40 or larger) pull through (prefer back to back) level sites. Home style baths, meeting areas (both enclosed and open air), dog free zones.

I know this sounds very picky but your building this for the future I'm giving you today's ideal and hopeing it will be good 20 years from now. If you are in a raining area (I think you are) pavied or concrete roads, sites, and patios are a must. This is just for older folks if you want family type things then add pools, game rooms, teen lounge (juke box would be nice).

Your big trees sound nice just make sure that 14 foot high rigs can get in, out and around without worries.

The very best campgrounds I have ever stayed it have been state parks They had all of this plus widely dispersed sites, as a private person I doubt you could afford that.