Seasonal Camping YAY or NAY?? - Page 2

oldsmasma · 09-09-2015, 03:58 PM

To date we have not tried seasonal mainly because we love our beautiful Ontario Provincial Parks. Some offer seasonal sites but the ones reasonably near to us have a five or six year wait list for an unserviced site. The closest we have come was a two month stay in a Florida "resort" last winter. We have not ruled the option out as a possibility in the future if we get to a point where we no longer enjoy the journey and just want to enjoy the destination while still taking our dog. Options. Always one of the beautiful aspects of rving.

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BigPatCal · 09-09-2015, 03:58 PM

Agreed 100%! Very convenient.

riznfall · 09-09-2015, 03:58 PM

Wow. Some pretty wide spread comments. I say to each their own. If traveling the country suits you, great. And the same goes for those who choose to be set up permanently. We all bought our rigs to enjoy the outdoors and to get away from hustle of every day life. I've been thinking about buying another camper to set up at a seasonal site.

Tim
2015 Ram 3500 CCLB dually
2015 39R12 Vengeance touring edition.

larryo · 09-09-2015, 05:27 PM

I've tented for the better part of 40 years. Then we got a pop up and had a seasonal for 1 year. For us the seasonal was a little too "urban ". Call me crazy, but I enjoy the set up and tare down. We enjoy moving around but each to their own.

itat · 09-09-2015, 06:05 PM

We prefer to travel for the variety. We live in a beautiful country and we like to travel to see as much of it as we can. We can't travel a lot but I think I'd be stir crazy being tied to the same place all the time. Now that we've moved to a TT and basically have a second set of everything for the TT, packing is reduced to little more than clothes and food. For me the only advantage to a seasonal would be not having to fuel a V8 engine as a daily driver because the TT is the only reason I need a pickup.

aceinspp · 09-09-2015, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by itat

We prefer to travel for the variety. We live in a beautiful country and we like to travel to see as much of it as we can. We can't travel a lot but I think I'd be stir crazy being tied to the same place all the time. Now that we've moved to a TT and basically have a second set of everything for the TT, packing is reduced to little more than clothes and food. For me the only advantage to a seasonal would be not having to fuel a V8 engine as a daily driver because the TT is the only reason I need a pickup.

X 2 Besides I do need a pick up for hauling things besides a tt. Later RJD

nomad297 · 09-09-2015, 06:32 PM

For us, we got a seasonal site about 2-3/4 hours from our home in the Washington, DC Metro Area. The cost of a seasonal site wasn't much more than the cost of uncovered storage near home. Our site is basically just a waypoint for us en route to campgrounds in the north east -- we always seemed to pass right by or through this area on our way to just about everywhere we went, so it makes sense. It is also our storage site. We are at a very nice campground, well-known to many -- where all seasonal campers are required to wash their RVs at least twice a year, but encouraged to do it as often as they please.

It is very handy for those weekends when you have no plans, to just drive up there, turn on the water, extend the awnings and set out the chairs and take it easy in the woods. We keep our seasonal site looking like a normal, transient campsite without all of the crazy stuff that some tacky seasonals have. Nobody would know we are seasonal campers unless we told them.

Our Windjammer is ready to hit the road at any given time. We have not grown roots at our seasonal site like most seasonal campers do.

Bruce

CNYCamper · 09-09-2015, 06:37 PM

My seasonal site is my own backyard. Invested in a pool, fire pit, screened porch all so I could pretend the family was on vacation when I came home from work. We love lakes and rivers and tent camped, but could only get out 2-3 weeks a year. Now retired and with an actual RV we are enjoying exploring the country. We've been talking about downsizing from our house, but the 3 now grown kids all stayed local and now the grandkids are enjoying my "seasonal" site - just getting to be too much work.

newhitney · 09-09-2015, 07:12 PM

Seasonal for now. It will be our second year at the same place. (Moose Hillock in N.Y.) Great spacious sites and 45 minutes from home. Works for us now. Stay weekends till school is out and then there most of the time.

Cfritts · 09-10-2015, 12:29 PM

Interesting. I see both sides here. We kept our travel trailer after buying our Forester and my husband suggested we park the trailer somewhere monthly and go in between motorhome trips. Lol. Guess that's both worlds. I just sold a house in Mexico and do not want to be tied down to only one place ever again.

Fuzzy164 · 09-10-2015, 01:03 PM

We are seasonal and love our resort (Happy Hills Embro Ontario)It's about 11/2 hours away from home and has everything we need a short 20 min drive from our trailer's front door.
Our granddaughters spend most of the summer with us up there and have made a lot of friends. We can wash the trailer thru the week and keep our site neat and tidy. We bought a park model (Wildwood 402 QBQ) last week and plan on staying seasonal for a very long time. To each their own I say.

mtnlvr · 09-10-2015, 01:16 PM

I bought a small 25' RV so I can be as spontaneous as I want. I can find parking & maneuver it in through busy cities. With my solar panel on the roof, I'm ready for anything and can go anywhere, including many state parks with a 25' max.

DRM796 · 09-10-2015, 01:29 PM

We enjoy the travel and variety but I certainly understand the convenience of the seasonal. But I will also say that we try to avoid campgrounds that have more than 20 to 25% seasonals. Our past experiences at campgrounds with a larger % of seasonal sites have not been warm or welcoming. Not only do the seasonal campers treat you differently but the some of the staff as well. For now we will stay on the road.

dieselguy · 09-10-2015, 01:30 PM

Seasonal just isn't for me. RV's have a set(s) of wheels on them for a purpose ... for mobility. I see a bit of a geographical trend on answers here. Some dread the set-up and tear down ... I feel it's all part of the fun of RVing. Some have found their ideal spot ... no matter how ideal the spot for me, I know there is way more adventure ansd sites to experience on down the road. Like some of the other responses, I can sit on my back porch and take in the same view day after day ... I don't need two separate places saddled with the same scenery.

Witch Doctor · 09-10-2015, 01:40 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's 2 on this, most places that have seasonal camping are mostly filled with junk. I would buy a cabin first. If you have wheels they are meant to turn and not sit. You might find a good clean place but they are few in between. Also lets say your neighbor isn't the most congenial person, now your stuck with your neighbors or people who really do not care. I have been to CG like that, and I look around and all I see is green broken down campers. I'm sure there are so good ones, but I bought mine to see new area's and meet new people...

mtnlvr · 09-10-2015, 02:18 PM

Is this a pretty clear divide of snowbirds/ retirees escaping for the winter or to see grand kids vs. younger generations and high energy?

**Iwritecode** · 09-10-2015, 02:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtnlvr

Is this a pretty clear divide of snowbirds/ retirees escaping for the winter or to see grand kids vs. younger generations and high energy?

In my experience, seasonal camping tends to skew towards the older side, but I do know quite a few (like me) that are still in their 30's.

I think it's mostly due to financial stability which a lot of young families don't quite have until later.

doc73 · 09-10-2015, 02:45 PM

I am not in to seasonal we, along with others, got the trailer to see what this great county had to offer. Our 2 year old has been to almost the entire eastern seaboard minus North of New York. I would get bored seeing the same place over and over.

Now, my best friend and his family (got us into camping when we were kids) used to camp all over (mostly in OCMD) but eventually got a permanent site in South Jersey. They kept the trailer there until they eventually bought some land and put a house on it. No they were permanent for 10 years or so. They mostly just wanted to lay on the beach and my friend and his dad took out their boat.

Different strokes for different folks...

**bikendan** · 09-10-2015, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtnlvr

Is this a pretty clear divide of snowbirds/ retirees escaping for the winter or to see grand kids vs. younger generations and high energy?

no, i don't think so.

i think some do it because they don't have a lot of time off, especially young families.
then some are older and no longer have the desire to drive a lot and just want a nice place to vacation/relax at.

we're in our 60's and are retired. but we would never choose a seasonal site.

yet you'll read that some families with kids prefer it because of lack of time off and it's simpler just to drive the family to the seasonal site.

ColoradoRick · 09-10-2015, 03:02 PM

We aren't "retired retired" just yet so just take Rocky out as much as we can between the cold Colorado winter months.

We have noticed that we are creatures of habit and have favorite camp ground and even favorite "spots" (we print out campground maps and write all over them for future trips.)

After last year, when we didn't visit a SINGLE new campground, we decided to venture out and make ourselves go to at least one or two new placed a year. We've, already, discovered a new place in northern Colorado earlier this year and, next month, will be trying out another new area out west.

When we are officially retired, we may just park for a season near family members. Most are in Northern Maine but we also have friends in Michigan and family in northern California, southern Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina.

We can't wait!!!!!!!

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