Is there such a thing as a high quality RV Campground?

[TampaDave]

Originally Posted by Capt Steve

I can't comment on the first two KOA's you mentioned but Flagstaff, seriously???

I was thinking about Circle Pines, technically in Williams I guess

Doubt most of us have trouble finding a place, you learn how to read reviews and analyze geography (love the Google Earth suggestion, right on the money. For that and potential fuel stops also)

When you're first staring though it can be bewildering, and to give KOA credit they do a good job with their brand identity, you pretty much know what you're getting at a minimum (at a minimum, safe, clean professionally run). No terrible vacation-ruining surprises and the occasional delightful surprise.

What we all learn eventually is, to be confident and to trust in serendipity. Sometimes you have to bite that off a little at a time.

[YC1]

Brand new park in Auburndale Fl. 5 star place for sure. We live within 5 miles so just stopped in for a look.

Once they are fully open they may enforce their ten year rule but not yet. They are still building.

At $100 a night it will sort any long termers out for sure.

It is a beautiful park.

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by YC1

Brand new park in Auburndale Fl. 5 star place for sure. We live within 5 miles so just stopped in for a look.

Once they are fully open they may enforce their ten year rule but not yet. They are still building.

At $100 a night it will sort any long termers out for sure.

It is a beautiful park.

Is it sunlight resorts? My computer has blocked the website so can't view it but it gave a few words.... Park Models will be there. Therefore, there will definitely be long-term residents. Why opposition to long-term residents if that's the way the park is set up?

[YC1]

Long termers tend to spread out, adding buildings etc and as the parks ages many often take roots and are there for life.

If you want 5 star, you will pay for it.

[Winemaker2]

I have found a number of city. County and regional parks that have been above average for value.
The prices are below private, sites are larger and many have full hook up or water & elec as a minimum.
They are not as well advertised but can be found with searches and some of the online review sites.

[Fiesta48]

I only read the negative reviews. These are the ones that tell you they are next to the tracks, at the end of a runway, next to a busy truck business, in bad neighborhoods, on top of a interstate. Most pics are useless. Got to read between the lines.
Many PA parks are declining looking for more business. Govt campgrounds are noisy and full on weekends.

[Souljourner]

My husband and I drove near an RV park in our car that I had been thinking about visiting with our RV so decided to stop in to take a look to see if the mediocre reviews were warranted. It was a huge park with mostly long term seasonal renters who had moved in and spread out. Poorly maintained sites with outbuildings and junk and sites close together. I couldn’t understand why anyone would want to spend a season there, let alone a night.

We then continued down the road and stopped at a Harvest Host restaurant we had also been eyeing. Pristine, spacious, clean farmland with plenty of space to spread out, hiking trails, quiet, good food at reasonable prices. Boondocking is starting to look better and better to me. But that’s another thread!

I guess what I’m learning is “each their own,” and that there’s a right place for everyone. The secret is to identify your own needs and wants and then go camping at places that meet them.

[Gladie]

I believe there are many, many high quality RV campgrounds! We have stayed at many in our 10 years of RVing. I use campgroundreviews and search for the four and five stars. We prefer state, National and COE campgrounds but have nothing against RV parks. We have stayed at those lots of times. Have travelled across the country twice, Alaska, and have had only three “not so good” experiences at campgrounds. And it wasn’t the fault of the facility, it was obnoxious neighbors.

What fits my Description of high quality of an RV campground is location, safe area, clean facilities, pleasant check -in personnel, quiet, enforced rules. It doesn’t have to have pools, dog walks and play areas. I guess everyone requires different things to be high quality.

[Cumminsfan]

Almost every state has some good high quality CG's/RV parks. For us though I have a hard time spending more than $45 a night to just park my RV and then hit the road the next day. Paying $65-$100 is even more ridiculous.
We try and stay at places that offer more than FH and cable TV. We want something to do like biking, hiking or site seeing.
FH's are nice but parking 10-15' away from your neighbor is not my idea of a high end RV resort and certainly not a fun way to spend time.

[jrollf]

Really depends on what you consider a 'high quality RV park'. Differnt RV'rs have differnt wants.

Me.. I don't really like the traditional RV Parks like KOA or Thousand Trails. They look like parking lots with rows and rows of RVs stacked on top of each other. I might as well stay in a hotel.

My ideal RV Park is really none at all... Boondocking is the top of my list.

My other favorites tend to be COE (Army Corps of Engineers) campgrounds, and other state parks, National Forest, and some National Park campgrounds where there is decent space between campers and while in an RV still 'in the wilderness'.

Another source to look at is 'Boondockers Welcome'. It's a service that list a wide range of property owners that will let you stay for free, some charge small fees for use of electricity, etc. Unlike Harvest Hosts these are not business owners where you are 'expected' to spend money.

[mdcamping]

Originally Posted by Souljourner

So my question is - what's the deal with RV "Resorts"? Are they all as awful, overpriced, crowded, noisy, and poorly staffed and maintained as the reviews seem to indicate? Or is it that only those with negative experiences take the time to leave a review?

Why not look into some of the small mom & pop campgrounds? there's a bunch of well maintained campgrounds in the northeast that get excellent reviews

https://www.campgroundreviews.com/re...ampground-3007

https://www.campgroundreviews.com/re...ampground-9499

https://www.campgroundreviews.com/re...cottages-14823

https://www.campgroundreviews.com/re...ampground-1355

https://www.campgroundreviews.com/re...ampground-1785

LOTS more that I would call very good and would have no problem returning, research & review.

Some of the state campgrounds here in the northeast are nice but somewhat "overated" with smaller sites, bathrooms not cleaned.

Mike

[LETMGROW]

Originally Posted by YC1

Long termers tend to spread out, adding buildings etc and as the parks ages many often take roots and are there for life.

Seriously, what's wrong with that? A campground we often go to has several seasonal sites. Some of those sites have been occupied for several years by the same campers. One in particular camped in this campground the first weekend the campground opened in 1971. They liked it so well they still have the same site and spend their entire summer there. Before they retired they would drive 90 miles to come to the campground on a Friday and go back to their home on Sunday afternoon. They have a built on screened in porch and a storage shed to keep their lawnmower, golf cart and outdoor gear in. The site is always neat and tidy. There are several other seasonal campers who have outbuildings, fences around their sites and some even have roofs built over their campers. The CG owners don't allow trash laying around or anything else unsightly. When Our kids were growing up we had a seasonal site for 18 years. We too had a small storage building and an outside refrigerator with an enclosure around it with a lock on it. We had a hand hewn rustic fence around our site and an outdoor fireplace I also built. I also had a sidewalk I mixed and poured the concrete for with the help of my wife and kids. I didn't consider us a 'Trailer Trash'.
Quite often you could find me on one of the campground tractors picking up gravel from their gravel pit and filling in a low spot in a road. We also helped build a shed for the owners to store equipment in, horseshoe pits and a ball field among other projects.
It almost seems strange as some city folk visited the campground for the out in the country experience while some country folk visited the campground for the closeness of others around them. I know we made several lasting relationships and our children are still friends with a lot of the kids they grew up with in the campground when we were seasonal there.
The first time we camped in a camper trailer was Memorial day 1976 at this same campground. We have reservations to go there this coming Memorial day.

[Souljourner]

Originally Posted by mdcamping

Why not look into some of the small mom & pop campgrounds? there's a bunch of well maintained campgrounds in the northeast that get excellent reviews

https://www.campgroundreviews.com/re...ampground-3007

https://www.campgroundreviews.com/re...ampground-9499

https://www.campgroundreviews.com/re...cottages-14823

https://www.campgroundreviews.com/re...ampground-1355

https://www.campgroundreviews.com/re...ampground-1785

LOTS more that I would call very good and would have no problem returning, research & review.

Some of the state campgrounds here in the northeast are nice but somewhat "overated" with smaller sites, bathrooms not cleaned.

Mike

Thank you, Mike! That was awesome that you took the time to do that! Right in my backyard - when your backyard is the northeast!

I especially liked Grandview Resorts in Modus, CT and Fransted Family Campground in Franconia, NH. I've just added them to my list.

I just created an 8 night trip traveling north in New York to the Canadian border, then back down through VT and NH. I was finding one overpriced mediocre RV "park" after another. It was very disappointing. I've been a state campground camper for most of my life, and ended up choosing those, with a couple of private sites and Harvest Host properties added.

And the free membership I was given with Thousand Trails........... Sheesh! I didn't find one that I would want to stay in - even for free!

[mdcamping]

Originally Posted by Souljourner

Thank you, Mike! That was awesome that you took the time to do that! Right in my backyard - when your backyard is the northeast!

I especially liked Grandview Resorts in Modus, CT and Fransted Family Campground in Franconia, NH. I've just added them to my list.

I just created an 8 night trip traveling north in New York to the Canadian border, then back down through VT and NH. I was finding one overpriced mediocre RV "park" after another. It was very disappointing. I've been a state campground camper for most of my life, and ended up choosing those, with a couple of private sites and Harvest Host properties added.

And the free membership I was given with Thousand Trails........... Sheesh! I didn't find one that I would want to stay in - even for free!

Grandview has lots of history, the grounds had a hotel just like in the movie Dirty Dancing. They had to take down the hotel but renovated all the cottages, playhouse and the rest of the buildings along with adding campsites and new camp store, all this in the past 8 yrs or so. The family that owns the campground has really taken pride in their establishment and it shows in the reviews.

Mike