Permanent campsite - good or bad idea?

gsocamper · 09-03-2012, 07:16 AM

Hey folks. Looking for thoughts about permanent campsites and if you love it or regret it. Currently we have our A-frame and enjoy the ease of towing and it suits our purpose for camping 3 to 4 times a year. However, I have come across a lakefront permanent camping site with a 30 ft Sandpiper (Forest River) at a decent price. The campsite is a yearly lease at a decent rate. Trying to decide if I would be happy going to the same place and the "upkeep" of a permanent site. Upkeep would mainly be mowing yard/removing leaves. I almost hate to pass up the site as it is about 50 feet from the water with great views and deck and roofover already in place. Also, a little concerned as the camper is a 2000 yr model with a slide and has been on location since new. Any thoughts, things to look for with a camper that has been sitting this long?

Wiscampsin · 09-03-2012, 09:21 AM

"about 50 feet from the water with great views and deck and roofover already in place. " Here's my 2 cents. Sounds like a great site, picturesque and a deck & roofover already installed. Just a thought, what is the rest of the campground like? When we were looking for a seasonal site 5 years ago we looked at many in a 2 hour radius from home. Some campgrounds were real party places which we weren't interested in. Take your A-frame to that campground are rent a overnight site for a weekend and get the 'feel' of the place. Walk around and talk to other seasonal campers. The campground we're at is a 'family oriented' type of place. Now don't get me wrong, we do spend many nights with other seasonal campers enjoying a campfire and a cocktail or two, or three, or four. But nobody gets real loud and ruins the fun for everybody else. There are many pot luck dinners and that sort of thing too. We have met and enjoy the company of many other seasonal campers. We even get together with some in Feb to attend a local RV show and do dinner after just to see each other again and catch up during the off season.

We did our fair share of travelling and now enjoy the ease of arriving on Friday afternoon, unpacking the cooler, putting out the awning, and relaxing, real turnkey. It's not alot of maintaince mowing the lawn, about 20 minutes.

Before buying the 2000 yr model you might want to have a local RV service tech take a look at it. I'm sure the campground office will have contacts. Have the roof, all systems like fridge, furnace, water heater, AC etc checked out. Kinda like having a house inspected before you buy it.

It's a big decision that requires alot of thought for each individual. We're never sorry for going seasonal. I'm sure alot of others will chime in with theisr thoughts too. Good luck with your decision.

LadyWindrider · 09-03-2012, 10:20 AM

Well, it does limit travel, and that is why we bought a camper, to go different places, else we would have bought a vacation home.

With that said, and the post above, try to rent THAT camper for a week-end. That gives you a chance to check out all the AC, fridge, furnace, plumbing, etc., and you don't have to pay a dealer to check it out. If it is covered, you won't get a check on the camper roof, but look at the roof covering the camper. As for being a 2000 model and never moving, well, it never will. Too much money for tires, brakes, bearings, just to get the wheels ready. Then slide seals, roof caulking, lights, etc. Tow able, on a dealer lot, would be hard pressed to get $2000 for it. As for mowing, now you have to carry a mower, or buy one, and gas for it, and a shed to keep it in. Lot of plusses and minuses, and you get to make the call. Good Luck.

mike54 · 09-03-2012, 10:40 AM

keep the a frame for vacations and side trips and buy the seasonal for all other weekends

OldCoot · 09-03-2012, 11:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsocamper

Hey folks. Looking for thoughts about permanent campsites and if you love it or regret it. Currently we have our A-frame and enjoy the ease of towing and it suits our purpose for camping 3 to 4 times a year. However, I have come across a lakefront permanent camping site with a 30 ft Sandpiper (Forest River) at a decent price. The campsite is a yearly lease at a decent rate. Trying to decide if I would be happy going to the same place and the "upkeep" of a permanent site. Upkeep would mainly be mowing yard/removing leaves. I almost hate to pass up the site as it is about 50 feet from the water with great views and deck and roofover already in place. Also, a little concerned as the camper is a 2000 yr model with a slide and has been on location since new. Any thoughts, things to look for with a camper that has been sitting this long?

Would look the camper over very closely for water leaks (internal & external), floors, sewer, electrical and the possibility of future removal of the trailer and just leasing the site. Also, why are the current owners leaving? Talk to neighbors about what trouble the owners were having with the trailer.

caper · 09-03-2012, 11:15 AM

I agree with keeping the Aframe for holidays and use the seasonal site as a cottage. we like the seasonal site because on long weekends you are not fighting to find a campsite. Today we are sitting in the lawn chairs watching the weekenders exodus from the CG.

jmswms · 09-03-2012, 05:12 PM

I agree with getting the seasonal site and use the A-frame for outings. It's so nice to be able just to packup some food and clothes and know that everything is setup and ready when we get there.You'll find you will camp more. We pull ours in and out for trips but you have an advantage with the A-frame.

Cowracer · 09-03-2012, 06:00 PM

I am just now in the final throes of getting my new (to me) lake lot set up for camping. Initially, I will drag the 21ssl down there when I go there. Some time in the future, I can see getting a 'permanent' camper for that spot. I will keep the Roo for traveling, of course.

The big upside to owning a permanent spot is that you can go any weekend. Around here, if you don't have reservations 3-4 months in advance, you aint getting in for the weekend. There have been about 4 times I wanted to go camping at the last minutes, and I could not find any open campsites available.

I'll throw up pictures of my lake lot after its all done. So far, I have installed a 200amp service pole and 3-30 amp underground feeders to camper locations, installed a culvert and graded most of the lot. We also cut down a few trees too. I need to get about 4 tandem loads of dirt to finish up the grading, and maybe 20 ton of gravel for the drive. As if I really needed another project, but this one is coming together nicely.

Tim

whj77372 · 09-04-2012, 09:57 AM

I have a site that I own in the UP of MI that we love. It is in such a beautyful place near the water, Lake Huron. I own it with a deed but it is run by a board of directors and each lot owner is a member of the board. The owners fees are $365 per year for every thing, water, sewer and you pay for elect service and cable TV if you want it. They cut the lawn etc. so there is nothing else to do. Because I own there are real estate taxes of just under $200 per year. It is only opened from May 1st thru October 15th each year as the weather is not all that good before or after those times. For us it works well because we love it there and the weather is just to hot were we live from mid May thru mid October, SE Texas near Houston.
Good luck.

brokenaxle · 09-12-2012, 06:31 AM

we've been seasonal campers for 5 years now and we enjoy it thoroughly. If you get tired of it your camper does have wheels and can move out. What we like is we don't have to set up and tear down every time we get to the campground. We unlock the door and turn the water on and we're camping. Also at our campground we are allowed to hav e a shed on our lot to store extra stuff like lawn chairs and bikes. It also is on a lake and they have a small marina that I keep my boat in which makes it convenient to get up and go fishing every am.

TURBS · 09-12-2012, 07:03 AM

My opinion ?
Bad but that's just me . I didn't buy a camper for it to sit in the same spot all year only to return to the same ole campsite .
I like to frequently find new places every year as well as revisit the tried and true.

My dw wanted to buy a cabin along the Mississippi and I said oh h#$@ NO.
dint want to be tied to one place and have to feel like we needed to be there .

Jmo !

Turbs

buckeyefan · 09-12-2012, 09:18 AM

When you have a trailer and a ski boat, it is hard to decide which to use in the summer. DW and I decided to use the camper as our lake home so it is now up on blocks supporting the frame at a seasonal site.

We've discussed whether or not to use it for our vacations and she decided it was to big for where she wanted to pull it. We are now looking at a second trailer to pull on those vacations..

So I would say go with the seasonal and keep the existing if you can afford it.

All told, I think having 2 trailers for us is still cheaper than owning a cabin or vacation how.... but to each his own :>).

Istylit71 · 09-19-2012, 03:41 PM

I'm glad I came across this thread. DH and I are looking to park our TT permanently at the beach. We really don't go anywhere else, and we love it there. We've been shopping campgrounds in Delaware, and we found one that's reasonably priced, the only problem is they have no sewer. They have a truck that comes around and pumps you out. Has anyone else ever had to do this, and if so, was it an issue? We plan on going down probably twice a month, but it may be longer between trips sometimes. Of course we plan on using tank additives, but for it to sit sometimes a week or 2 (in the summer) before it gets pumped, are there odor issues? I want to think about all the possibilities before we do this. Thanks so much.
Jen

realebill · 09-19-2012, 04:45 PM

we have been at the same site in Chincoteague,Va. for 8 years now and couldn't be happier. we have the ocean(Assateague Island)a short drive to the east. we bought a small boat to take advantage of being minutes away from the water. plus,being on a small island we are close to all the activities the island has to offer.
the site is a 3 hr drive from home,so its no hassle to make the drive if we make a quick decision to visit our "home down the ocean".
we are at the park in the lower rh corner of the pic.

Glockfanjohn · 09-19-2012, 05:03 PM

We have been on a seasonal site and love the fact we can have our boat there as well. The only issue I have is the clicky people; who in their own minds think they are self appointed mayors of the campground. If you can get past the petty BS you will love it.

Istylit71 · 09-19-2012, 06:23 PM

Realebill: which park are you in? My sister and BIL have theirs on a permanent site in Maddox for about 10 years now.

realebill · 09-19-2012, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Istylit71

Realebill: which park are you in? My sister and BIL have theirs on a permanent site in Maddox for about 10 years now.

small park at Taylor and Deephole rd. Shady Pine Park. its a small park, about 28 lots,the seasonal fee is reasonable and its an over 50 camp.

jmswms · 09-21-2012, 01:42 PM

Have ours at a seasonal and try to get down every weekend but doesn't always work. Use the geo method and have no problems with smell. At least you have a truck-we have to tote ours but not too bad. We use the nice bathrooms when possible and always for showers.

DannyKAK · 09-24-2012, 10:39 PM

Seasonal here, love it. Sit their every Sunday and watch the weekenders hooking up and leaving by 11:00 am. That's my two cents...

JimR · 10-24-2012, 06:03 PM

My wife and I decided to go seasonal 3 years ago and have no regrets.

Our situation is a little different though, I run my own business and it is VERY hard to get away for any length of time - it is nice to just jump in the truck and get there in 40 minutes and have everything set up. If the business needs me - I can get back quickly if needed.

I do bring my trailer home every other winter and have routine maintenance done. This year I am greasing the bearings on the tires, repairing the slide-out awnings etc.

We really like the campground we are at and get along with the staff and our neighbors just fine. It is a little expensive, but I figure with less gas, wear and tear on the truck and just to have the flat out convenience of having it there helps offset that.

I know people that say why bother buying a trailer, if it just sits there. Well I live next to the business and it's nice to get away, because even if I am home it drives me crazy watching the business - out of sight out of mind!

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