Community Forums

traveldawg · 01-03-2019, 07:22 PM

I saw something in another thread that caused me to pause and think out my feelings/position on RV Rental companies and RV Caravan companies reserving locations/campgrounds.

I'm trying to reconcile my bad feelings toward these entities with tolerance. I'm not sure that's headed in a good direction as the years and personal experiences pass.

I've been traveling for a lot of years. In the 4 or 5 years I've noticed a big increase in the higher and higher number of RV Rental RVs and RV Caravan companies in campgrounds. I've been effected by both when trying to get reservations in advance and on short (or no) notice.

On the caravan companies....
I felt the they were getting an unfair advantage with campgrounds in that CGs tend to favor booking so many sites for such a long time as the caravans keep cycling through during all the best travel times. I always considered what I'd do if I owned a CG and tolerated the situation. I guess I still do - but when I saw them taking up space in national parks in Canada I began to really dislike that even more. I haven't seen this in the USA national parks - yet.

On the rental companies...
Is it true those companies reserve sites and then rent their RVs with sites included? I always thought they just rented RVs. I really don't like rental companies anymore as I find those renting RVs to be unfamiliar with campground courtesy, parking and traveling. I find too many to be noisy, parked illegally while sightseeing (since they don't pull a toad), and in general not such the best drives on roads (too slow, too fast, too indecisive, etc.).

Whew - writing this I am disliked these entities more-and-more. Help!

So that brings me back to why I started this thread.... How can I continue to be tolerant of such things knowing that those folks are just trying to have a good time the same as I am? How can I have a more positive viewpoint? So far I find that I just book and travel in lesser populated area, especially those which are too frequented by caravans and bus tours.

steve52 · 01-04-2019, 07:52 AM

Not sure I see the issue... but a private campground can run their business as they see fit. Most aren't going to care if the customer is a rental company, a seasonal camper, or a nomad looking for a one night stop. All money is green.

How does it matter if the folks occupying these sites own their rig, or rent it? Would you feel differently if the individuals rented the sites, rather than the rental company?

Campgrounds everywhere are full of newbies these days, who don't know much about how to camp. Most are not renters.

BillJinOR · 01-04-2019, 07:59 AM

Many of these rentals are foreign travelers who are unsure of how to book or where. I’m sure rental companies package their rental with pre selected sites. Tours if you would. I see no difference than us as foreign travelers in their country unsure and looking to explore the sights. When we travel in Europe /Asia I’m sure the locals have similar concerns but we’ve always been treated well.

MarylandRich · 01-04-2019, 08:23 AM

Most of this is just 1st come, 1st serve. They booked the site be for you did, so they get the site. The CG just wants to be as full as possible, so they stay in business, and are available for all of us next year. We have a 42’ rig, so we book as far in advance as possible ( the bigger you are the less spaces that will acomidate you). Truthfully that is how we are anyway, we book vacations 2 years in advance. On an occasion it does cost us the deposit when plans change, but that is the way it is. As the CGs get more crowed, advanced booking will be the best way to insure you have a spot, like it or not.

RickNC · 01-04-2019, 10:01 AM

My observation has been that 90 percent of RV'ers seem to be fighting each other to get into 10% of the campgrounds. I would rather camp 30 miles outside of a crowded national park and commute in rather than hassle with a crowded park campground full of weekenders and rentals.

Russ Silber · 01-04-2019, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RickNC

My observation has been that 90 percent of RV'ers seem to be fighting each other to get into 10% of the campgrounds. I would rather camp 30 miles outside of a crowded national park and commute in rather than hassle with a crowded park campground full of weekenders and rentals.

In 15 yrs of rving, never have found an rv park that didn't have a spot to over night. Usually call ahead for next days stop. If staying longer usually make res months ahead or weeks ahead to get a shady spot etc. Must be just lucky, haven't camped next to anyone who was over the line noisey or out of control[emoji33]

Stinkielee · 01-04-2019, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarylandRich

Most of this is just 1st come, 1st serve. They booked the site be for you did, so they get the site. The CG just wants to be as full as possible, so they stay in business, and are available for all of us next year. We have a 42’ rig, so we book as far in advance as possible ( the bigger you are the less spaces that will acomidate you). Truthfully that is how we are anyway, we book vacations 2 years in advance. On an occasion it does cost us the deposit when plans change, but that is the way it is. As the CGs get more crowed, advanced booking will be the best way to insure you have a spot, like it or not.

OMG you are the first I have seen that books 2 years in advance! Is that what we are coming to? We have a 22' class C rig, so maybe that matters in our favor. But seems that more and more we can't get the good sites if booking just 2-4 weeks in advance. We thought it was because so many parks have full-timers staying for lengthy stays.

Superslif · 01-04-2019, 04:06 PM

I have seen sites "saved" in Yellowstone for the Rental RV companies. When we were in Yellowstone, the camp host said the sites with the orange cones, were saved for the rental RV companies because they were level and easier to back into for the inexperienced RVer customer

Also during our Alaska trip in Seward which is a city owned waterfront campground. One whole section is reserved for the caravan groups. And "other" individual sites and again orange cones with the rental companies name on it are placed at a number of sites thru-out the campground...Even with the whole campground being a "First-Come / First Serve" place.

Another reason we left the lower 48 to go to Alaska in 2016 during Memorial Day Weekend, was to stay ahead of all the caravan groups. From what I gathered, we stayed 2 weeks ahead of many of scheduled caravan groups.

twogypsies · 01-04-2019, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinkielee

OMG you are the first I have seen that books 2 years in advance! Is that what we are coming to?

I can understand that some folks are just are leery of the unknown. That doesn't mean you have to do so. We rarely made reservations for our 40' motorhome. Of course, we weren't picky about where to stay. We preferred public parks or boondocking on public lands. If you need full hookups in a popular area that's probably different. We even got into the popular national parks without reservations and some park campgrounds don't even accept reservations. There are options out there.

Regarding the 'orange cones' in Alaska. We never saw that. We did stay at the city park in Seward. Perhaps that happened in another area of the park. We didn't use RV parks on the Alaska trip.

MarylandRich · 01-04-2019, 10:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stinkielee

OMG you are the first I have seen that books 2 years in advance! Is that what we are coming to? We have a 22' class C rig, so maybe that matters in our favor. But seems that more and more we can't get the good sites if booking just 2-4 weeks in advance. We thought it was because so many parks have full-timers staying for lengthy stays.

Sorry for any confusion. We book vacations ( cruses, and other non RV trips) 2 years or so out. Camp grounds as soon as we know, sometimes several months out, but we have already booked our site outside Yellow Stone next summer. Did that the day it was available. I have read they fill up fast.

RoadDogYVR · 01-06-2019, 10:17 PM

I may have been the personal that related the original anecdote in the other mentioned post. It truly is enough of a problem here in British Columbia Canada that our Tourism department was instructed to do a comprehensive study. The issue is that RV Rental companies are purchasing blocks of campground sites to be handed out to their renters. This is in Provincial and Federal parks/campgrounds as far as I know. Parks our tax dollars largely fund. The "fix" is in long before most of us can even get access to the booking sites. I've long been a Crown Land (kind of like the US National Park Service...) boondocker but it sure would be nice on occasion to be able to book something in a park and be a tourist in my own country.

TMan59 · 01-07-2019, 10:19 AM

I would suggest the op buy into a campground like thousand trails or similar.
Or buy lots in places you’d like to stay.
Complaining about a private campground trying to make a living renting to whoever they see fit for their business purpose sure comes off as a bit self serving.

RoadDogYVR · 01-07-2019, 11:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TMan59

Complaining about a private campground trying to make a living renting to whoever they see fit for their business purpose sure comes off as a bit self serving.

Up here it's the Provincial and Federal Parks funded by taxpayer dollars. Not self-serving at all...

M2D · 01-07-2019, 12:56 PM

I understand Road Dog IVR. I have been trying to puzzle out my feelings about this very thing. If the customers of rental rvs had to make their reservations just as we do at the same time reservations are available to the rest of us it might not bother me.

I appreciate also that people from other countries are fascinated by the national parks in Canada and the US.

The part that bothers me is that a privately owned business is using a publicly funded resource to add to their profit margin. True, they are paying for the rv sites just as the rest of us do. One can only hope that if customers do not materialize for the spots they have reserved that they release them to the general public. It could happen that if you want to stay say at the Banff rv park your only recourse might be to rent one of that companies rvs rather than stay in the one you already own?

DH and I were blessed to be able to get a reservation in Banff early last May. Many thanks to our Canadian friends for the beauty of your Park and the pleasure we had driving the Ice Fields Parkway.

Michele and Mark