RV and Motorhome Lifestyle

Campground reviews don't tell the whole story

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There are many campground review sites but they don't give you the whole story.

If you're only going to be staying for a night or two, these campground review sites will tell you what you need to know. But if you're going to be staying longer, the character (or culture) of the campground is important.

By the character or culture of the campground I'm talking about what goes on in the campground. The best way to get this information is to talk to someone who has been there.

Some campgrounds are lively with a lot of activities and some seem to be pretty dead. It's not that one is better than the other. They are just different. For example, below are some of the activities that you will find at different campgrounds:

  • Potluck suppers. Some campgrounds have them once a week and some once a month.

  • Hotdog roast and/or marshmallow roast. Again, some parks have them weekly and some monthly, and some not at all.

  • Music jam sessions. Sometimes one night a week and sometimes two nights a week.

  • Local musicians coming to play.

  • A Saturday morning poker walk. People who want to participate put a dollar in the pot and draw a card. They walk around one of the loops in the park (usually in small groups) talking as they go. Then they come back around and draw another card and walk again. After five loops everyone has five cards and whoever has the best poker hand wins the pot. It's a casual way to get to meet a lot of people in the park.

  • Yoga classes, craft classes, bingo nights, bridge nights, and the list goes on and on.

  • Of course, price is one factor that is almost always important, but sometimes it's not the deciding factor. After all, if you wanted the best price, you would be camping in Walmart's parking lot. I like that option when I traveling and just making miles to get somewhere. In addition to being free, I don't have to unhook my dolly and toad to back into a camping spot.

Here is a picture of a hotdog and marshmallow roast at an RV park:

Campground reviews don&##x27;t tell the whole story
That's me with the black cowboy hat.

Here is a link to a YouTube video of a Sunday morning bluegrass gospel jam session at a campground

You can see my motorhome as I pan the camera around towards the water.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_9WUxtRwN4

One of the factors that makes a big difference in how friendly a campground is how readily available wood is for campfires. If it's not available or if it's expensive, there won't be a lot of campfire get-togethers. Some campground furnish free wood for campfires at the clubhouse.

Of course, you probably won't like all of the activities. I don't like yoga or crafts, but I do love music and jam sessions.

Bottom line: When you're in a campground talk to other campers and find out which campgrounds they have been to that they like and why. The why is very important. If the only reason someone likes a particular campground is because of the fishing, but you don't like to fish, then it might not be a campground that you would like.

I keep a list of campgrounds in different places that people have strongly recommended to me. That way when I'm traveling or going to be in an area a lot of time I will already know where I want to stay.

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