How do you choose a site??

[GoneFishin]

Campsite that is. When you arrive at a campground how do you decide on a campsite? What are your top 2 or 3 priorities for choosing your site?

Let's say you've driven hours to get there, maybe it's a campground you've been to before or maybe it's a new campground. Maybe you drive a motorhome or maybe you pull a trailer. How do you select your site? What's important to you?

I'm assuming you get to choose and sites are not assigned by the campground owner or host. We have our preferences, but I'd really like to know what you consider important. Thanks!

[GoneFishin]

Campsite that is. When you arrive at a campground how do you decide on a campsite? What are your top 2 or 3 priorities for choosing your site?

Let's say you've driven hours to get there, maybe it's a campground you've been to before or maybe it's a new campground. Maybe you drive a motorhome or maybe you pull a trailer. How do you select your site? What's important to you?

I'm assuming you get to choose and sites are not assigned by the campground owner or host. We have our preferences, but I'd really like to know what you consider important. Thanks!

[AKBrick]

Hi Mic,
First, how easy is the space to get in and out of?

The surrounding space is the most important for us. Length (we're 41 feet), Height of the tree limbs and width for the slides and the awning. The awning is not extremely important unless it's at a real hot or rainy place.

Then there's the view out the windows.

How close to the campground's amenities?

Hook-ups, full or partial, depending on the length of stay and how spoiled we're feeling at the time. Electric is the most important hook-up to us.

Also, depending on what type of campground it is, we like privacy.

Happy camping,

Tom

[Route 66]

1. No trees, as I have 2 satellite dishes on the roof.

2. Enough room to get the rig into and level. IE trees, obstacles, etc.

3. Full hookups.

4. Away from the activities so it's quiet and private.

[SeeTheUSA]

Once I've determined the "utilities" are okay . . . then:

1. Will my rig fit? (rarely an issue)

2. Is space void of mud/ruts? (I'm a clean freak)

3. Will my satellite dish work? (mounted top rear)

4. Do the neighbors seem reasonable? (no barking/loose/pooping dogs, trash, loud music, etc.)

5. When there's conflicts in all of the above, I'd rather have an otherwise poor site and no TV rather than poor neighbors --- it's always a crap shoot!

[read & learn]

We agree with the other posts, but when we call ahead of time, the big question that we have after telling them what our needs are:
Which site do you feel is the best for our needs.
How many sites do you have available.
When we get there can we look at other sites that are available.
Our next move is in about a week and we have booked a site that the CG recomended with the condition that we can move to another available site.
In 2 years with 21 months of that on the road we have changed only once. The site was beautiful, but we arrived after a rain storm and the site was a slow draining one.[too level]
Most CG know where the RVer will be most happy from previous RVers. Remember they want you to come back or recomend thier CG.

[Digital Boy]

I don't remember the last time I chose my site. My site is always assigned by the campground staff.

My only request is that (a) the site be relatively level, especially front to back; (b) that the site be large enough for my rig; (c)that the utilities be in good working order.

[tmitchell]

I have been to many CGs where they assign the site. On quite a few I have gone back to the office and asked for and received a different site. Some of the sites I was too far away to connect to their WiFi or could not get a signal on my in-motion satellite. Others were because the site wasn't as level as some empty ones or the site didn't have proper drainage if it rained.
I always hook up to and check the electricity first. If my surge guard doesn't let the juice through to the MH I switch sites to one that will. I have had to do this several times.
Tom

[GraciesMom]

I'm with Lew. I don't remember the last time I got to choose a site. If I did get to choose, I'd want something separating me from the neighbors - hedge, fence, something ideally. Don't get me wrong - I love to socialize with other RV'ers, but I've had too many experiences of being right up next to someone with loud teens (in Alaska, these two kids went in and out of their RV all night long and slammed the door - 4 feet away from my bedroom window!!), young kids or yapping dogs. Right now I'm not using my satellite dish so I like a tree. I don't want to be near the bathrooms and showers, the pool or any other public usage area. I like my privacy and I like QUIET. I have "pooping dogs" but I still don't want to be near the dog walk or dog run - it just keeps my dogs jumping all the time when they hear or see the doggies coming by. The nicest sites I've found are in city parks . . . the one in Soldotna, Alaska was wonderful. No hookups but trees separating you from the neighbors. It was dry-camping heaven! So that's my priorities - rarely get what I want but I tell the folks at the campground when I'm making a reservation or when I arrive that I want PRIVACY. Sometimes I get it, sometimes I don't. If the price of gas stays where it is or goes up, I'll be getting it. The Campgrounds are not filling up like they did when I first started RVing in 2006.

[Lorna]

FL was the only place we've camped that we were assigned a site. It was a private campground. We like level site, not too far from bathhouse but a comfortable walk. Situated so that headlights won't shine in the windows at night. Big enough site so that all our vehicles will fit in the drive (we dislike parking in the grass or along side the drive as it damages the site when rainy). Afternoon shade. Privacy. We try not to park in a "pathway" (look for a beaten track). Also we used to try not to park next to someone with a pet as we used to have both a dog & a cat. Basically we try to leave at least one campsite empty between us and another camper. Not everyone is that considerate...or they are afraid of the dark(?). We used to tent camp and tent walls are very thin. It is just a mindset that we developed early on and we tend to rate camprounds with that in mind.

[GoneFishin]

I love reading all the different responses. The reason I asked the question is that I often have a difficult time deciding on a site. After driving a few hours (or more sometimes), I just want to get settled. But if we are going to stay for more than a couple nights I want "the perfect site" for the duration.

AKBrick, you mention being able to fit and being able to get in & out, which I think is critical. (Anyone been to Thousand Trails Palm Springs? Tight!) I'm surprised you didn't add being near the 1st tee.

[GoneFishin]

There were a couple mentions of being level and hookups working properly. We found a great site overlooking the Columbia River with a great view, but our front wheels would have been 2 feet off the ground. And we test the hookups before getting settled in with slides out and jacks down.

We don't have a fixed satellite dish (we use an Accu-Dish mount) so I'm pretty confident Rick will find the signal. So far no problem with it. A few trees are good, but I've learned satellite TV is easier without too many trees.

Lorna, I like your thinking! Close enough to amenities, but not too close. We've been on the pathway to the bathhouse and you see some interesting folks on the way to & from the showers.

GraciesMom, <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">If the price of gas stays where it is or goes up, I'll be getting it. The Campgrounds are not filling up like they did when I first started RVing in 2006.
</div></BLOCKQUOTE>
We've been almost 2 months at our current campground and are very happy with the site we chose. For the past few days we've been the only campers. Most of the past 2 months there have been 3 others at any time. An empty campground for sure. We could have our pick of any of the sites.

We also like privacy and try to leave an empty space in between RVs. We don't care to be too close to the pool, store, or activity center either. But I know that's important to some.

I've learned a few new tips. Thanks!!

[AKBrick]

Hi Mic,
Hmmmm......good point, we were however camped by the eigth green. I was green with envy of the people with their own or rented golf carts to drive to the golf clubhouse.

I see from your blog that you are camped by the first trout!

We're currently hangin' out at the Whaler's Rest TT resort that we got for three nights free from Gauranty RV when we bought our coach.

Tie one on and catch one for me!

AKBrick

[GaryKD]

For me, the site preference depends on the length of stay.

For an overnight stop or just a couple of days, all I need is:
1. pull through, long enough so the toad can stay connected to the coach
2. 50 AMP electric
3. easy in and out for a big rig

I always call ahead and ensure the CG has what is required.
If I am staying longer, the requirements are:
1. 50 AMP full hookup.
2. no trees (for SAT TV)
3. WIFI
4. level site