does this mean camping industry is improving or dying?

[F and E Damp]

From our perspective, all the campgrounds, including State Parks, are pricing themselves out of business. It used to be, maybe 6 years ago when we got back into the lifestyle, that overnight rates at SPs were around $15, KOAs were about $22 and the fancy "resorts"were about $35.

Now, the cheapest SPs are $28 and many are in the $30's, KOAs are in the $40 - $50 range and the resorts can be up around $75. Add to that that gas was around $2/gal when we had our first rig and now it's hard to find much below $3.90, the lifestyle has got to an expense level we can't afford.

We need the MH as supplementary living space when we have a major invasion for our Golden Wedding anniversary in August, but it will be on the chopping block in early September.

We'll miss having an RV, but we can't see bankrupting ourselves by using it.

[USNMM1VETERAN]

F and E, you are exactly right, this is an expensive lifestyle, which is why when my wife and I looked at it we knew the only way we could afford it would be to sell the house. So hopefully we close July 30th, so far everything going smothly, and start our new fulltime lifestyle. We are newbies and have only been out on 2 week long trips, the second ends tomorrow, and 2 weekenders because of winter. I am a member of Resorts of distinction, coast to coast, NACC, N.P. pass, am able to camp at military resorts and Good Sams. With all of these and some good planning my CG cost should be very low each month, which will make it so I can afford the gas to get to next campground ( Lol ).

Sent from my SM-T900 using Forest River Forums mobile app

[prof_fate]

Expensive is relative...at the CG last weekend I saw folks with $200,000 plus motorhomes, others with $70k diesel dually PUs.
Saw 3 people building decks on their lakeside campers.

What are the alternatives?
Obviously staying home costs next to nothing (still gotta eat though).
You can go to a close CG - we have 2 within 15 min drive - my father in law has such a setup, put his old pop up there when he got a new one instead of trading/selling it. IMO it's not like going away..might as well set the camper up in the back yard.

I went to DC for a few days back in February...drove and the car uses less gas than the camper. Hotel was in downtown DC, had pool and roomservice (not that it's 'affordable' either.) Parking was $50/day. Room off hotwire or such was $70 - so $120/night w/parking and I had to eat out all my meals (not the healthiest or cheapest choice, or convenient in the case of breakfast or late night snack).

With a full buy-in at our ROD we'd spend $8500 for lifetime membership, $300/yr in maintenance fees. Stay free at all ROD resorts. For $179/yr we add AOR/AON/ACN for $1/night also.
So if you spread that out over say, 15 years and 365 days (full timing) it works out to $2.86 a night.

That's all utilities, water, taxes, cable, garbage, etc. I can't live in my house for that figure (it's about $25/day). Since my house is worth ~150k that's comparable to a FT rv rig, insurance would be similar. I'd have repairs/maintence on both so maybe that's a wash too although I think I spend more on my house in repairs than my cars/trucks/TT combined (but that may depend on which year..LOL).

I'd have fuel on RV...if you moved 300 miles every 2 weeks at 9mpg and $4/gal that's $265 a month in fuel, $9/day - still half the price of a home.

And a whole lot less than a hotel room.

[USNMM1VETERAN]

That exact type of breakdown is why we bought our new rv and then an ROD membership. It was the only way to travel and see this country affordably. Yes heavy capital investment up front but you have to spread it out to see real costs.

[prof_fate]

My plan is to liquidate the house/cars to get the RV..may work toward that before and not have to sell the house to do it...got 9 years till the youngest is out of HS and we're doing no lifestyle change till then.
Current TV is a very short bed 1/2 ton - not 5vr capable.

One idea I had was to take an old TT for the parts and get a used bus (city/over the road MCA type) and convert it to a MH. The older I get the less I want to do that much work, but tempting. A good bus can be had for under $10k..figure another $10k in mechanicals to be sure it's reliable. Have teh TT already...

[John4th]

Staying a weekend at one of our state parks ($25/night, so $50ish total), plus the gas for a 30 minute-2 hour drive, and food, is the least expensive (but most fun!) way to kill a weekend.

Our parks charge $5 for an in-state vehicle, $7 for out of state. I believe it's $2/person to use the pool. Now everyone boo-hoos about this. These 'rediculous' and 'unreasonable' fees don't even come close to helping the parks break even. I find it so petty and even shallow when folks complain about them. At least it's going to a good cause.

The days of $10/night RV sites have gone the same way as $1/gallon gas.


Sent from my iPhone using Forest River Forums

[Bamaman]

We are owner/members of a large campground with 300 campsites, 2 swimming pools and a very large clubhouse facility. They have 28 rental RV's and 4 cabins. When we joined in 1985, the campground was on thin ice financially due to non-performing memberships. We purchased our membership for $1,300--it sold for $6,000 originally.

Annual dues are $375, and we can stay for free 14 days a month from March until year end. It costs $30 to have a RV taken from and returned from our storage lots.

When the campground realized they could repossess memberships and transfer the deeds to others relatively easily, the resort brought in new members and new life to the operation. Memberships are back to $3,500, and children of the original owners have bought memberships due to great memories when they were kids.

Much of the Summer, we'll have 150-200 campsites being used and weekends and holidays are very full. Biggest problem is paying the utility bills for so many people. Thankfully we have a few hundred trailers in storage @ $1 day.

We count our blessings in having such a great place to go to. Since we have deeds filed, they can be inherited by our children. And our grandchildren just love the place too.

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by Bamaman

We are owner/members of a large campground with 300 campsites, 2 swimming pools and a very large clubhouse facility. They have 28 rental RV's and 4 cabins. When we joined in 1985, the campground was on thin ice financially due to non-performing memberships. We purchased our membership for $1,300--it sold for $6,000 originally.

Annual dues are $375, and we can stay for free 14 days a month from March until year end. It costs $30 to have a RV taken from and returned from our storage lots.

When the campground realized they could repossess memberships and transfer the deeds to others relatively easily, the resort brought in new members and new life to the operation. Memberships are back to $3,500, and children of the original owners have bought memberships due to great memories when they were kids.

That sounds like a nice membership CG - and MUCH more reasonable than Ocean Canyon!

Do ya'll have any reciprocity with other campgrounds?

[BamaBob]

Oh, one other discussion point - anyone else a member of Passport America?

(JohnIII - while not $10 a night, lots of Passport America camps are $15/night - we are staying at a real nice one post-Goshen. Savings on the three nights camping there paid our PA dues for the year. We are considering life membership.)

[grayfox]

Just a comment about the cost of membership resorts. Try the secondary market for membership resorts/ campgrounds, Can be had for quite a savings. Do a search.

[rlocicero]

We stayed at Brennan Beach campground last week and it was almost full both weekends. They have 2000 sites with only 900 seasonal. doesn't look like there is a problem there. By the way, great place to stay.

[OldCoot]

Originally Posted by grayfox

Just a comment about the cost of membership resorts. Try the secondary market for membership resorts/ campgrounds, Can be had for quite a savings. Do a search.

Same way with Lifetime memberships to Thousand Trails. They don't sell LT memberships anymore, but you can Google them and buy them real cheap. There you can camp free for 2 weeks out 1 week and back in for 2 weeks the whole year.

We use it at Orlando TT and another membership in Fawn Ridge 13 miles south from the last of Nov to mid-Mar.

[schrederman]

Just went through trying to find a campground around Houston. Almost all were full. Many said they are just about full of full-timers. When I inquired, they just about all said migrant pipeline and drilling workers made up about 50% of those... Finally found space at Brookshire, about an hour west, when the traffic is light... you know, about 2:00 AM...

[satdog01]

If you have a Golden Age Pass (over 62 I think), camping is half price at some US parks and COE sites (very plentiful in TN)
Plus you get in and out of US parks for free!


Sent from my iPad using Forest River Forums