Camp Site Prices --SOUNDING OFF!

[WDW]

It would seem to me the frequency of $50 to $100+ nightly camp site rates is growing.

In our case were not there for horseshoes, simple design mini golf (a recent KOA in Ohio wanted $5.00 per person) or even the pool. A decent laundry is nice.

We do want E3W. Stable (50 amp) electric, water (pressure / treated), waste connections (designed by someone with a clue) and WIFI that works.

We are among those that travel to tour. We're not in camping to recreate the pioneer experience.

Sometimes I'm beginning to think we should have bought a B+ or a very small C. No toad, easy parking, a place to nap, a lav when traveling and then use a decent hotel that offers free breakfast.

With the industry producing RVs at an all time record pace, I think sites are more difficult to find and pay for what they are worth. Wally's parking lot is beginning to look pretty good.... I


2016 Coachmen Mirada 35 BH
2015 Jeep Roadmaster AT. tow bar with RVI2 supplemental.

Taking in the sight wherever our Trolley takes us...

[dpinvidic]

Yup....I just booked 2 nights in San Diego for $150.
The reservation showed two sites available, so I "booked" one of them.

Then during checkout, they wanted another $25 to gaurantee I would actually get the site number that I booked.

I did not pay, so I might get put next to the dumpster

Dan

[JFXG]

WDW..... Unfortunate but inevitable. It's S/D and Opportunity Cost that drive the pricing trend. Swimming pools and mini golf are just marketing tools. Any CG within 50 miles of a destination attraction or city will keep going up in both retail price and property value. When the owner can see a better long term return by closing the CG and building condos, the CG will go.


John & Diane, fulltiming since '12 02 DS, FL, Cat330, '04 Element NHSO RVM103

[DebbieMH]

Hotels at destination areas are also expensive. Again, supply and demand. There are campgrounds out there that offer no frills and very inexpensive - but they are not near where you want your end destination to be. IMO

[Trapper2022]

WD I feel your pain. My only saving grace is I full time and stay at locations for a month. Gives me a small break in price. While in Utah by Zion I saw several RVs stay in WM for multiple weeks straight. Not for me. They even had slides out with legs down. Hard to believe.

Take care

[Big Dude]

It is getting a little on the ridiculous side but as long as we keep paying, there is no reason for campgrounds not to keep raising.

[Dennis Dean]

While i can certainly see the complaint from many long time RV'ers, as a New to me world i see no real issue with what i generally pay for a RV "SLOT" at a decent park. My example i use a lot is French quarter park. It is small, well maintained, fenced and security and cost Off season around $85 a night. It is also 4 blocks from Bourbon Street and the French Quarter. A hotel in that area (not even close to everything i have in my RV) is 2 to 3 times that price per night. I gladly pay the $250 for 3 quality nights there and the treat of being close enough to walk or bike the French Quarter. To me Fort Wilderness is the same deal, 12 nights there this coming summer for our trip is about $1000, I could not get even a Disney property for that price and have all the amenities of my coach, much less the room i have for Three of us in one of their rooms. I'll pay the higher price for some venues because that is still way cheaper than a hotel in that venue area. Then like many i enjoy the state parks and national campgrounds which are still relatively cheap to stay in for the Wilderness experience.

[sprayman]

look around, at times a campground may not have the best rating, checkout the

reason for their rating, we found out on our trip to SC, even those with a low rating

were more than adequate. we found them for $35-50m per night.

Understand if its near an attraction, your gonna pay. Myrtle beach was

$600 per week, not for us.

Jim

[ArmandV]

Originally Posted by dpinvidic

Yup....I just booked 2 nights in San Diego for $150.
The reservation showed two sites available, so I "booked" one of them.
Dan

I have a good idea on the campground you booked at. We went to one back in February in San Diego. I had a recall matter to take care of, so we spent one night at a Mission Bay campground for $104.00.

While the location was nice, for the price we paid we were disappointed that the park amounted to a little more than an asphalt parking lot with hook-ups.

[twogypsies]

I think it's your expectations that is upping your choice and price of RV parks.

There are many, many more reasonable options.

We full-timed for 16 years and traveled constantly to the 'big name' places - the national parks and even a whole summer in Alaska. We have never, in 16 years, paid over $30 for a campsite and that was very rare and only in cases to purposely visit someone and having a need to be that close to their home. Our typical fees were free to $20-$25. The majority of time under $15 or free. Our Senior Pass got us 1/2 price on public campgrounds. We didn't need full-hookups or pools or golf, etc. That's where the price jumps.

If we had to pay the prices you're talking about we could have never afforded to go full-time and really see this awesome country of ours. That is 5,840 nights!! We full-timed for a LOT less than living in a stick house so we actually saved a LOT of money by RVing.

Try getting off the interstates and using secondary roads. There are terrific national parks - even with full hookups -, state parks, national forest campgrounds (yes, some even with hookups), Corp of Engineer parks, county parks (the greater Phoenix area has terrific ones), city parks, especially across the Plains states.

[chuckster52]

Originally Posted by Dennis Dean

While i can certainly see the complaint from many long time RV'ers, as a New to me world i see no real issue with what i generally pay for a RV "SLOT" at a decent park. My example i use a lot is French quarter park. It is small, well maintained, fenced and security and cost Off season around $85 a night. It is also 4 blocks from Bourbon Street and the French Quarter. A hotel in that area (not even close to everything i have in my RV) is 2 to 3 times that price per night. I gladly pay the $250 for 3 quality nights there and the treat of being close enough to walk or bike the French Quarter. To me Fort Wilderness is the same deal, 12 nights there this coming summer for our trip is about $1000, I could not get even a Disney property for that price and have all the amenities of my coach, much less the room i have for Three of us in one of their rooms. I'll pay the higher price for some venues because that is still way cheaper than a hotel in that venue area. Then like many i enjoy the state parks and national campgrounds which are still relatively cheap to stay in for the Wilderness experience.

Dennis.....Very well said.....Chuck

[hayward3411]

just returned from a 4 week trip, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Maine and Nova Scotia. We didn't pay more than $35.00 per night. I agree that camping prices have been creaping up, especially the campgrounds that added resort in there name, like Hershey Park Resort in Pennsylvania it's up to $90.00 a night, won't be returning there.

[HavingABlast]

Originally Posted by dpinvidic

Yup....I just booked 2 nights in San Diego for $150.

The reservation showed two sites available, so I "booked" one of them.



Then during checkout, they wanted another $25 to gaurantee I would actually get the site number that I booked.



I did not pay, so I might get put next to the dumpster



Dan

Wow! Our S&B is just north of San Diego. Who is getting $150 for two nights? That is outrageous.


When we have visiting friends, I recommend Santee Lakes (In Santee, CA). It is very centrally located. The SD Zoo or the beach are just 20-30 minutes away. Their rates are $43-$53 per night week days.


Another friend stays at the Del Mar Fair Campground. It is 5 minutes from the Pacific Ocean. It is just a parking lot with 30a FHU's. I think he pays$40/night.

http://www.delmarfairgrounds.com/ind...ties.rvparking


Lastly, I've stayed at Pechanga RV a Resort. It is 40 minutes north of San Diego. Very clean. Adjacent to the Pechanga Casino, a spectacular golf course (Journey), and the vineyards of Temecula.


https://www.pechanga.com/rvresort


I hope that you enjoy your visit to San Diego. There is so much to see and do here. PM me if you have any questions. I will do what I can to answer them.


- Jerry

[Superslif]

Try $55 -$60 for a gravel parking lot site with full service in many Alaska private campgrounds. Location also has a bearing on pricing.