Campgrounds good bad and overpriced

[timothy clancy]

Two weeks ago my wife surprised me and said she made a reservation at a campground on lake hart well in South Carolina using rv on the go. The Tuesday before we left I asked her to call and confirm the sight number and to make sure her 110.00 for fri to sun was a full hook up ect ect.. After several attempts she finally got a person who told her that her reservation dosent secure a sight with full hookups and that it was first come first serve and basically we were guaranteed a sight but that was it. I was not taking chances driving two hours with a 35 foot tt and with my luck all that would be left would be a tent sight. Told her to cancel while I sat at work and searched for other campgrounds my wife was at work trying to get a refund. Having stayed at the koa last year ( not Worth the money ) I called and they had one deluxe for 65 a night same sight I had last year and not what you would expect for the money. So I happen to call lake hart well camping and cabins . Who also had one sight left a pull through with full hookups $30 a night yes I said $30 a nigh so I booked It paid $64.00 in full not expecting much but better than a crap shoot. Once we go their I was extreaml pleased. Our sight was huge although they are tiered their was plenty of room shaded and cozy. Unlike the koa this campground is on the lake as well and has an in ground pool along with mini golf,basket ball,tennis and a huge playground and volley ball court. Having been a member of KOA I will say it's no worth the money anymore to have a membership although some are beautiful ( a select few ) others are just as highly priced and so not worth 65-70 a night.


Clancy vibe272bhs

[davel1971]

phew. Glad you got all that off your chest. Campgrounds come in all different types, sizes, styles and prices. Everyone has different wants, needs and expectations. You just have to research and pick what fits you.

[lbrjet]

The deluxe patio sites are always expensive. A 30 amp FHU pull thru is 40 bucks and 45 bucks for 50 amp at the Lake Hartwell KOA. Doesn't sound too out of line to me. If you found a great FHU pull thru for 32 bucks keep going there because you won't find many cheaper than that.


2010 F250 5.4L 3.73
2011 Flagstaff 831FKBSS
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[Ledzeppelin72885]

Holy crap. For $65 a night. I'll stay at a hotel. I think we pay like, $17 a night at Pomona state park, which is where we usually go. Of course, this is with just water and electric.


2015 Cherokee Wolf Pup 16BHS
'94 Ford F350

[Jim34RL]

Originally Posted by Ledzeppelin72885

Holy crap. For $65 a night. I'll stay at a hotel. I think we pay like, $17 a night at Pomona state park, which is where we usually go. Of course, this is with just water and electric.


2015 Cherokee Wolf Pup 16BHS
'94 Ford F350

That is not to high of a price for a campground site. When you have a 37+ 5th wheel or class A, that you want a level cement pad with full hook-ups and 50 AMPS for. You could end up paying that much or more.

In fact I found a couple of campgrounds in Destin FL. one is called Destin RV Beach resort these sites start at $69 and go up to $90 a night depending what time of year. Than there is Camp Golf that has sites on the beach for a $160 a night.

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by Jim34RL

That is not to high of a price for a campground site. When you have a 37+ 5th wheel or class A, that you want a level cement pad with full hook-ups and 50 AMPS for. You could end up paying that much or more.

In fact I found a couple of campgrounds in Destin FL. one is called Destin RV Beach resort these sites start at $69 and go up to $90 a night depending what time of year. Than there is Camp Golf that has sites on the beach for a $160 a night.

Myrtle Beach in season area campgrounds rates run around $80-$85 per night concrete pads near the ocean (walking distance), full hookups, several campgrounds, have water parks and more..... or you could get a motel for $200 plus a night.....

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by Ledzeppelin72885

Holy crap. For $65 a night. I'll stay at a hotel. I think we pay like, $17 a night at Pomona state park, which is where we usually go. Of course, this is with just water and electric.


2015 Cherokee Wolf Pup 16BHS
'94 Ford F350

no motels around here for $65 a night haven't seen them that cheap for 10-20 years........ Wow $17 with no add ons ???? In Virginia state parks start at $30 water and electric then there are the add on pricing..........

[tbln930]

You can get a nice motel here for under $60 in some rural areas here. Our parks are $24 per night with 50 amp service.

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by tbln930

You can get a nice motel here for under $60 in some rural areas here. Our parks are $24 per night with 50 amp service.

Wow nice just not anywhere in Virginia. If the motel is under $60 they also hand you a can of bug spray at the counter and you take your own cleaning supplies ........... And as I mentioned You for $30 get a state park site 25 feet long 30A service ( If you are lucky). and charge you for any extras. We stopped going when a state park cost us $45 a night but we can get a newer cleaner park 50A full hook up large site no extras for $30.

[ilmor]

Originally Posted by Oaklevel

Wow nice just not anywhere in Virginia. If the motel is under $60 they also hand you a can of bug spray at the counter and you take your own cleaning supplies .

You got that right. I travel on business quite a bit and these days anytime you dip below $120 / night you greatly increase the risk of grossness.

[ShermanD]

The cost of a site is going to be based on the amenities the County Park, State Park, Army Corp of Engineers Park. RV Resort, etc, include. If you want a 5 star resort, you're going to pay the price and most likely have a newer RV. If you like primitive camping in a National Forest, you can get by really cheap.

Unless your expectations are unreasonable, you can get nice sites for a reasonable fee.

Fathers Day weekend, we went to a Motorcycle Rendevous at Blaney Park in the Michigans Upper. Camping was free, it was primitive, but you could spend the whole week if you wanted to.

Most every Michigan State Park Campground offers electric only sites for around $26 a night, if you want a premium site you're going to pay extra and for weekends you need to book two nights.

Most of Michigan's county park campgrounds are about the same price.

This coming weekend we are going to Stafford Park, Huron County, Electric only Lakeview site $26 a night, two night minimum on weekends

Next weekend it is Otsego Lake County park, 30 amp electric site that will handle a 40 footer is $26 a night, two night minimum on weekends

Labor Day weekend we are heading to Chain O Lakes State Park in Indiana, a nice electric site that will handle a 40 footer $111 for the weekend including all fees.

We are heading to Tennessee for on October 12 staying at a private campground on the way down, visiting several state parks during our stay, and culminating with 4 nights about 7 miles out of Nashville. We will be heading home on on October 24. Total cost for 12 nights of electric campsites under $300 with most being pull through sites.

The deal of the trip is Nashville, senior rate for a standard electric site $11 a night. You will need to do your own homework if you want to find that deal.

[tbln930]

This is a very nice motel near Branson, MO which is a popular tourist city in Missouri. Take a peek at the rates but there are some discounts on top of those too and a breakfast is included. We are going overnight to see Jeff Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy soon there.

Twelve Oaks Inn - Branson Missouri

We just went to Ray Behrens Core of Engineer park on Mark Twain Lake last weekend. The campsites are huge. Very wide (over 50' to the next camper on each side) and ours was 82' deep paved with full hookups and 50 amp service for $18-$24 for electric.

http://www.recreation.gov/camping/ra...O&parkId=73362

Missouri is packed with excellent parks. Over 100 state parks alone.

Originally Posted by Oaklevel

Wow nice just not anywhere in Virginia. If the motel is under $60 they also hand you a can of bug spray at the counter and you take your own cleaning supplies ........... And as I mentioned You for $30 get a state park site 25 feet long 30A service ( If you are lucky). and charge you for any extras. We stopped going when a state park cost us $45 a night but we can get a newer cleaner park 50A full hook up large site no extras for $30.

[spock123]

Originally Posted by Oaklevel

Myrtle Beach in season area campgrounds rates run around $80-$85 per night concrete pads near the ocean (walking distance), full hookups, several campgrounds, have water parks and more..... or you could get a motel for $200 plus a night.....

We like Myrtle Beach but we go after January, we can't pay those prices. In all the time we have been camping we have never paid 85 bucks a night. We don't go to Ft Wildness for that reason, prices just to high. All we use at a campground is the FHU, the bathroom and pool and other stuff we don't use. All we need is a spot to put the camper at and water, electric and sewer


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[RangeMaggotBob]

Originally Posted by Jim34RL

That is not to high of a price for a campground site. When you have a 37+ 5th wheel or class A, that you want a level cement pad with full hook-ups and 50 AMPS for. You could end up paying that much or more.

In fact I found a couple of campgrounds in Destin FL. one is called Destin RV Beach resort these sites start at $69 and go up to $90 a night depending what time of year. Than there is Camp Golf that has sites on the beach for a $160 a night.

Maybe for you that's not too high a price, but for me-never. Maybe at that Disneyland place, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't stay there either.

[SeaDog]

The cost of a campground regardless of who runs it is what the traffic will bear. This is true of federal campgrounds also. In Idaho you will find one camp ground is 12.00 a night with a concert pad while another (busier) is 23.00 gravel site both with no hookup just a camp site.

[gspot01]

Originally Posted by tbln930

Missouri is packed with excellent parks. Over 100 state parks alone.

Shhhh.

(A neighbor)

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[dieselbobcat]

Experience here in the northeast has been $28-32 (once reserve america gets their fees) for state parks no hookups...

Private CGs with FHU anywhere from $46 to $90 depending on amenities...

Castaways in MD is $100+ peak season...$60 in the off season
Gardiner NY Jellystone ranges from $55 in the off season to $115 peak...
Moose Hillock in Lake George NY is $60 in off season and $86 peak...
Promised Land State Park in PA is $47 for full hookups...

Not to say that there are not a few gems that can be had for cheap, and other places that are more expensive... but average cost is $30 for a no hookup and $55 or so for FHU... Add a water park or major attraction/event and it goes right to $90...

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by SeaDog

The cost of a campground regardless of who runs it is what the traffic will bear. This is true of federal campgrounds also. In Idaho you will find one camp ground is 12.00 a night with a concert pad while another (busier) is 23.00 gravel site both with no hookup just a camp site.

Exactly.................. Myrtle Beach Campgrounds are booking up for next summer now and will be full by March. At $85 per night and over 800 sites in one, they will be full. Prices drop some after Labor Day but most of the fall is or is close to booking up too.

[tbln930]

Our state public campgrounds are not-for-profit entities and are set by state committee and only are a partial cost recovery. The rest comes from our taxes. The prices are not set by the market as someone suggested. The private campgrounds are market priced but are forced down by the local state and Federal parks which are set pretty low here.

[SeaDog]

In my earlier post I said federal campgrounds I should have posted US Forrest Service Campgrounds in ID. quick example look up Big Flatt and then Shaghen or Mann Creek.