RV Park rates

[wlw41]

It's been a couple of years since we did extensive travel in the winter months.  We're now on the road from PA stopped a couple of days in New Mexico.  Looks like I've made a huge budgeting error for Park rates.  Figured average of $40 per night, accounting for some boondocking, Harvest Hosts and Escapees stops.  Here in Albuquerque we got a 7 day rate of $69/night.  There was a KOA (always off the rails pricing) at $88/night!  What has been your experience in these inflationary times?

[Kirk W]

While I have not stayed in the Abuquerque area in a couple of years I think that you may fine it helpful to visit RV Life Campgrounds to see what you can find in that area. We have been off of the road for several months but this past sprin & early summer we saw mostly $50 to $55/night rates traveling to the TN, KY, AR areas.

[bruce t]

When this subject comes up we tend to forget the disconnect between those on holidays and those who live on the road. Two weeks of $50.00 a night is cheaper than hotels for those on holidays. (Yes I'm ignoring the capital cost of the RV). But if you live long term in an RV $50.00 a night becomes a real pain in the wallet. 

Its now becoming more and more financially viable to set up your RV for complete off grid camping. Boondocking. Yes I know it's not for everyone. But life has choices. Pay the going rates for RV parks or look at alternatives.

Here in Australian the tide has turned. I'm now guessing that 50% of folks now dry camp/boondock simply because campgrounds have priced themselves out of the market. There are also those who simply prefer more remote or "free" camping. (FWIW we have stayed at 2 RV parks in almost 3 years).

Towns away from the big smoke towns love the tourist dollars. They are prepared to provide camping alternatives in exchange for your dollars. Yes you have to get away from the interstate highways. But accept that those RV parks along the interstates and near tourist hot spots are going to meet the demand with their prices.

[Star Dreamer]

Our camping costs have varied from a low of $9 per night to a high of around $90 per night depending on where we are at.  Our average is around the $45-50 dollar range. State parks and COE parks are typically around the cheapest. We are at a County Fairgrounds campground and is $35 / night for full hook ups. We cancelled a KOA stay up the road that was $70/night but that was because the fairgrounds park we are at is first come first serve and when I was making our reservations months ago, I wasn't sure how busy the area would be.

[jblo]

FreeCampsites.net   is a good place to find some low-cost campgrounds.  RVParky has icons along your travel route to check into.

Might try to find a list of free county/city campgrounds that have electricity--several in Texas that I use.

[Ray,IN]

A couple posted their experience from a few months ago on irv2.com. At the end of the long post he said even after the higher RV park rates and fuel costs, they still saved about $100/day RVing instead of staying in motels.

[trailertraveler]

We spent September and most of October in New Mexico. The state parks are $14 a night for water and electric, $18 for water, sewer & electric in the few parks that have full hookup sites. New Mexico has an annual pass available to nonresidents for $225. The break even point is 23 days. Other State's parks seem to vary from $30-45 per night. Some give discounts to nonresident seniors, others do not. Some offer various discount passes.

With the Senior America the Beautiful Pass, Corps of Engineers parks in WV, AR, KS & NM varied from $10 - 26 per night with water and electric. We have only encountered a few COE parks with full hookups.  Forest Service and BLM campgrounds also honor the Senior Pass. Very few offer any hookups but there are some. We have a reservation at a Forest Service Recreation Area for a full hookup site in Florida for $221.50 for a week. This year we encountered some COE and BLM campgrounds that previously had at least some first come first serve sites now requiring reservations for all sites. The rules and reservation windows vary from park to park.

City and County Parks and fairgrounds often offer reasonable nightly rates. Unfortunately, one of the best resources for finding them, the Ultimate Public Campground Project is no longer available. 

Most of the commercial parks/campgrounds from Santa Fe South increase their rates substantially in October due to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta. This fall, our commercial park stays varied from $22 in rural OK to $70 a night in tourist areas.

Edited November 5, 2022 by trailertraveler

[ms60ocb]

Will be staying in east central and north central FL, first 2 weeks of Dec. I just made my reservations this week for what I could find. $72 & +

Free lucky in NW Illinois, Thursday Regular gas went up $.50 to $4.29 and diesel when up $.04 to $5.09

Clay

[Dutch_12078]

Our two favorite Senior Access Pass parks in Florida are Salt Springs Recreation Area in the Ocala National Forest with full hookups at $31/night and Midway Campground in the Big Cypress National Preserve with electric only at $15/night. We won't be making it to Midway this winter, but we'll be at Salt Springs for two weeks in February. The rest of the winter we'll be at state parks in southern Georgia and Florida. The Georgia state parks give us both a senior discount and a veterans discount. Georgia also participates in Reserve America's "Loyalty Points" program that we redeem from time to time for free nights. NY state parks also are in the points program, and we've gotten a number of free nights there as well.

[rickeieio]

We're in a COE campground in Grenada, MS at the moment.  Huge pull throughs and back-ins.  Many well over 100', all with FHU.  There are several other COE campgrounds in the area with similar features, all for about $15/night with Senior National Parks pass.

That said, I'm looking for a landing spot for our return trip next week, and coming up with mostly $60/night places.

[LindaH]

We boondock most of the time, but there is one RV park we stay at on our way south for the winter and/or on our way back home in the spring.  It's always been a Passport America park, but when we stopped there on Thursday night, we found they are no longer PA participants.  With a Good Sam discount, we paid $32.25 (including tax).

[Danfreda1]

You can find most camp places on the Allstays app. It has a lot of information 

[jjwicklund]

We left out volunteer position in Minnesota  9/28 will arrive 11/21 at our winter destination.  Since the last legs of our journey are reserved and paid, total camping fees for 55 nights will be $1155 or $21.00 per night. Senior pass used for 25 nights. All nice parks, 5 on lakes, half WSE other WE all 50 amp.  Two county parks, Three private parks, Three USACE parks.

[US Roofer]

On 11/4/2022 at 3:36 AM, bruce t said:

When this subject comes up we tend to forget the disconnect between those on holidays and those who live on the road. Two weeks of $50.00 a night is cheaper than hotels for those on holidays. (Yes I'm ignoring the capital cost of the RV). But if you live long term in an RV $50.00 a night becomes a real pain in the wallet. 

Its now becoming more and more financially viable to set up your RV for complete off grid camping. Boondocking. Yes I know it's not for everyone. But life has choices. Pay the going rates for RV parks or look at alternatives.

Here in Australian the tide has turned. I'm now guessing that 50% of folks now dry camp/boondock simply because campgrounds have priced themselves out of the market. There are also those who simply prefer more remote or "free" camping. (FWIW we have stayed at 2 RV parks in almost 3 years).

Towns away from the big smoke towns love the tourist dollars. They are prepared to provide camping alternatives in exchange for your dollars. Yes you have to get away from the interstate highways. But accept that those RV parks along the interstates and near tourist hot spots are going to meet the demand with their prices.

I am grateful for your help.