Seasonal Camping YAY or NAY??

BigPatCal · 09-09-2015, 12:27 PM

Wanted to start a thread to see what folks on this forum think of seasonal vs. doing a weekend or week here and there in different places.

I have 25+ years of camping under my belt - many in a tent, and about 12 years in a pop up. This year made the plunge and switched up to a TT. I also switched it up and went seasonal. Initially I always felt that I wanted the freedom to try new places and didn't want to be "trapped" anywhere. Turns out that I loved it and don't think I'd ever switch back. The luxury of driving up and unlocking the door anytime - day or night with NO SETUP is about as nice as it gets. I'd say I spent 4X the nights i would have normally spent camping if I were hauling each time. Also, no specific time to check out. When everyone else is scrambling to clean up and hook up to pull out by check out time, I'm enjoying another whole day and an empty pool, leisurely lunch and check out whenever I feel like locking the door and driving off.

I have to say that in my book it doesn't get any better. Not to mention making great new friends that you get to see every time you go. Best experience I've ever had and if you can find the right campground I'd highly recommend it if you are on the fence.

EastlakeRoo · 09-09-2015, 12:49 PM

YAY to being Seasonal. Agree with everything you posted:

1) "The luxury of driving up and unlocking the door anytime - day or night with NO
SETUP is about as nice as it gets.
2) No specific time to check out.
3) When everyone else is scrambling to clean up and hook up to pull out by check out time, I'm enjoying another whole day and an empty pool, leisurely lunch and check out whenever I feel like locking the door and driving off.

I love the reduced set up time. Turn on the Water, open doors, deploy awning. About as simple as it gets.
I have to say that in my book it doesn't get any better. Not to mention making great new friends that you get to see every time you go. Best experience I've ever had and if you can find the right campground I'd highly recommend it if you are on the fence.

**bikendan** · 09-09-2015, 01:53 PM

We would NEVER be seasonal campers.
RVS have WHEELS, which means they're for being moved.
We would be absolutely bored out of our minds if we had to go to the same place all the time.
Might as well get a cabin.
We bought our RV to see all the beauty North America has to offer.
Not to sit in the same campground all the time.

aceinspp · 09-09-2015, 02:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bikendan

We would NEVER be seasonal campers.
RVS have WHEELS, which means they're for being moved.
We would be absolutely bored out of our minds if we had to go to the same place all the time.
Might as well get a cabin.
We bought our RV to see all the beauty North America has to offer.
Not to sit in the same campground all the time.

X 2 and on top of it when do you plan to service the camper? Wash/wax and keeping it clean. Pretty hard to do at a fixed site as most will not allow you to wash campers on site. I paid good money for my camper and not about to let it decay sitting at one site. I've been to a lot of camp grounds that have seasonal campers and it's not pretty site. Later RJD

**ependydad** · 09-09-2015, 02:04 PM

Same as Dan- we like going different places.

Ford Idaho · 09-09-2015, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aceinspp

X 2 and on top of it when do you plan to service the camper? Wash/wax and keeping it clean. Pretty hard to do at a fixed site as most will not allow you to wash campers on site. I paid good money for my camper and not about to let it decay sitting at one site. I've been to a lot of camp grounds that have seasonal campers and it's not pretty site. Later RJD

Spent labor day weekend in just such a place, I dislike the attitude "we are here all the time we do what we want" that I got from one couple.

Seasonal?

NO, NO Heck NO!

BigPatCal · 09-09-2015, 02:31 PM

Wow - a lot of passionate responses here! I love it.
Anyway, some good points. However, I still think if you find the right place it would be a different experience. In regard to servicing and cleaning, you can do it on site or just move it as needed. I have not experienced bad attitudes from the seasonals around me. The sites where I stay, especially the seasonal ones are really done up and kept nice. Rock, mulch, the whole 9 yards.

aceinspp · 09-09-2015, 02:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigPatCal

Wow - a lot of passionate responses here! I love it.
Anyway, some good points. However, I still think if you find the right place it would be a different experience. In regard to servicing and cleaning, you can do it on site or just move it as needed. I have not experienced bad attitudes from the seasonals around me. The sites where I stay, especially the seasonal ones are really done up and kept nice. Rock, mulch, the whole 9 yards.

If that's the case how does one move to clean?

Later RJD

**bikendan** · 09-09-2015, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigPatCal

However, I still think if you find the right place it would be a different experience.

NOPE! much of the attraction to RVing, is exploring and seeing the country.
the romance of traveling is what much of RVing about, not going to the same plance all the time.

even if we found the perfect spot, still wouldn't sway us to only stay there.
we would just visit it now and then.

Ford Idaho · 09-09-2015, 02:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aceinspp

If that's the case how does one move to clean?

Later RJD

One moves the junk to a pile then apply the correct amount of napalm for complete combustion of the offending objects.

Or.

youroo · 09-09-2015, 02:53 PM

Maybe F/R needs to start calling some units MOBILE PARK UNITS!

I bet they would be BIG sellers!

See the USA get out of the Trailer Parks oh excuse me RV Resorts!

Youroo!!

shughey00 · 09-09-2015, 02:57 PM

Also depends on why you seasonal.

My wife and I stay in NH or Maine as a seasonal to see our grandaughter and kids for siz months. There is not a huge selection of nice campgrounds within 40 miles of them and the cost is way more to go week to week or month to month verses seasonal.

Plus as I said...a lot of campgrounds to me around here...are dumpy. I come from the west and we travel and just think that we have some of the lousiest campgrounds going and so when you find one that has a decent affordable seasonal site why would I move around...the selection is just poor.

Now when we head to Havasu in the winter we toodle around...way more nice campgrounds to choose from and I agree..why stay in just one.

So kind of depends on what each persons situation is. I wish we had a better selection here but just not so...just a lot of run down muddy uneven sites.

aceinspp · 09-09-2015, 03:02 PM

That would work Ford Idaho

Later RJD

aceinspp · 09-09-2015, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by youroo

Maybe F/R needs to start calling some units MOBILE PARK UNITS!

I bet they would be BIG sellers!

See the USA get out of the Trailer Parks oh excuse me RV Resorts!

Youroo!!

They do have some. Had one at Gosen Later RJD

heavynlori · 09-09-2015, 03:05 PM

We have had three 5ers since 1997

Started out doing the weekend thing, packing and leaving Fri for weekend then pack up to come home Sun

Did it for many years with groups of 6-12 campers on more than one trip and always a good time - got to see lots of places

Did a trip to Orlando to see the Mouse too - left Ohio in an ice storm even !! We stayed at Tropical Palms RV resort first year they opened - parked our old Dutchmen right in with the $500k plus Prevosts

In 2005, we went seasonal about 2 hours from home - absolutely love it - we leave our tourist town on Lake Erie to getaway - much nicer to pack a few things, open the door and awning and ENJOY - we have had some awesome neighbors during this time and we all take pride in our units and upkeep is a part of it - we have had people sent to look at our spot to promote seasonal sites - we take care of our own lawns, flowers, parking, sheds and are allowed to wash/wax rig anytime we want

The seasonal life is not for everyone but it works for us ! We can pull out anytime to go travel and go back to our spot anytime also, we are NOT stuck there - we still have a truck to pull it !

Happy Camping 👍

**Iwritecode** · 09-09-2015, 03:14 PM

We started seasonal camping when I had a job where I didn't get home on Fridays until 7PM or later. So if we ever wanted to go anywhere it had to be close to home and we still wouldn't get there and get set up until 8 or 9 at night.

The other problem was that I got zero vacation time. I got holidays off (unpaid of course) but that was it. My wife on the other hand was getting 2 weeks of vacation time.

So we decided to go permanent at a CG we had frequented for many years. When vacation time rolled around, we would all spend the week at the trailer and I would just drive to work in the morning from the CG. It actually shaved about 30 minutes off my commuting time.

Since then my parents and my wife's parents have joined us as seasonals. So it's nice that we get to spend pretty much every weekend together. Plus we've made many new friends that we get to see every week.

There are times I miss not being able to travel to other CGs but I also don't mind not having to worry about owning and maintaining a TV to pull our trailer either.

seigell · 09-09-2015, 03:24 PM

Is "Going Seasonal" really "Camping"?? Or just a "Short-term Commitment" to a "Small-ish Single-Wide"??

My Mother and Step-Father left the Tongue and Wheels on their Single-Wide while trying to get the Financing together to Build their Dream Home on a Country Property. Well, both the County and the State deemed their Abode a "Residence" and Taxed them Accordingly...

BigPatCal · 09-09-2015, 03:29 PM

@Iwritecode : almost identical situation here. Works great for us for that reason aside from all the other benefits. I am glad I haven't run into many of these bad or dumpy properties. Maybe just lucky I guess. I also research where I am going before I go. Id rather stay home than camp at a dump. We stay at Moose Hillock in New Hampshire - its a beautiful place. We have also stayed at Danforth Bay (also in NH), that's another place I would not hesitate to stay seasonal at.

heavynlori · 09-09-2015, 03:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seigell

Is "Going Seasonal" really "Camping"?? Or just a "Short-term Commitment" to a "Small-ish Single-Wide"??

My Mother and Step-Father left the Tongue and Wheels on their Single-Wide while trying to get the Financing together to Build their Dream Home on a Country Property. Well, both the County and the State deemed their Abode a "Residence" and Taxed them Accordingly...

Is having an RV any less "Camping" than having to stay in a tent????

Our camper has proper license plates to travel if we desire. It is still on wheels and totally portable if we desire

This is just like asking gas or diesel, Ford or Chevy, etc.....

To each their own 😃

**Iwritecode** · 09-09-2015, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seigell

Is "Going Seasonal" really "Camping"?? Or just a "Short-term Commitment" to a "Small-ish Single-Wide"??

It's just as much camping as anything else. The biggest advantage is that I get to leave a lot of my stuff at the CG instead of having to haul it with me every time. All of my firewood, clothes, games, tools, bikes, chairs, cold drinks and basic food stuff are all waiting for me when I get there.

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