2022/2023 monthly site availablity and average of cost

[DanZemke]

Lou and Linda - Thanks for the simple guidelines.

[Steven@146]

A little late to the conversation but here is an example of a jewel we found in South Central Texas. Colorado Landing RV Park in La Grange, TX. $450/month + electric, but includes 30/50, water, sewer, cable TV, very nice pool. Good Sam Park, Propane available for refills. Very nice private park along the Lower Colorado River, some fulltime residence and very nice people. @ 1 hour to San Antonio, or Austin and east side of Houston. La Grange is a small rural Texas town right on Highway 71 but has what you need, restaurants, Walmart, hardware, HEB grocery etc. Yes it's hot during the summer, winter not too bad. We stop here every year from Mar-May while we do our annual doctor visits, rig maintenance etc before we head out for parts unknown. . Individual USPS mail slots and UPS/Fedex/Amazon package deliveries. So there are some very nice economical private RV parks out there, but sometimes it can be hard to find them.

https://www.coloradolanding.com/

 

[markandkim]

How much is the electric in your situation?

[Lou Schneider]

2 hours ago, markandkim said:

How much is the electric in your situation?

At 11.9 cents per Kwh and using one air conditioner or electric heater depending on the season my monthly electric bill runs about $50-60.  Your rate will vary depending on how much you pay per Kwh - my sister pays 25 cents per Kwh in California.

[Danfreda1]

Some places in Arizona are .18 a kwh 

[Steven@146]

We haven't been here a month yet so we haven't had to pay the electric yet. It's been a little warm, up in the mid to high 80s so we have run the AC units some but i suspect somewhere under $100.

[bigjim]

On 1/16/2023 at 2:12 PM, Kirk W said:

America the Beautiful Senior card

I just skimmed this topic and this reminded me that anyone that is a veteran can get a lifetime America the Beautiful veterans card that works the same as the senior card. Still might be usefull to have the senior pass for a non vet  spouse but I would look into that aspect further. Active duty has to get a free renewable pass each year. The vet card is free whereas the senior pass is currently $80. for life unless you lose it. If I did not already have a senior pass I bought when they were $10. I would get the veterans pass for sure.  Ironically I usually get a free one year pass every year based on my volunteer hours. I have never had claim it but was tempted to get it and let my kids use it but that would not be ethical so I have not.

I forgot to say you do not have to be a military retiree to qualify for the veterans card.

[jjwicklund]

We're on our 13th year full timing and volunteer 8 months out of 12 which keeps site fees down plus 24 hrs a week depending on the work keeps you sharp and fit. 

We use freecampsites.net when we travel between volunteer gigs you can find some very nice parks with EW and a dump station often 1 night free  then $10 -15 a night these are mostly city or county parks many near the fair grounds. We have our senior pass so half price at ACE parks and haven't been at a bad one yet.

[Bill w/bus]

Contact your local Elks Lodge and apply for membership. Many have RV sites and/or allow you to park. Passport America will pay for the annual fee after two or three nights. Escapees Parks most in the 20-25 $/night. BLM, COE are excellent spots. State parks but watch out for added fees, like daily entrance fee added to camping fee.  Midwest has a lot of town, city and county parks.  Some only ask for a donation. Any tourist area will be higher cost. So save your money to visit the tourist areas. 

Bill

 

[justRich]

On 1/16/2023 at 11:28 AM, jules2go said:

Hi friends,

I'm trying to put together a full-timing budget/plan. Please tell me what you're currently paying, on average, for a monthly site at a campground/RV park. Also curious to know how much of a shortage there is right now for monthly spots. Geographically, I'm in the eastern part of the US but am open to anywhere.  I wonder where all of these costs are headed in the coming years. Based on everything happening in the world, I can only see it getting worse, but maybe I'm being overly pessimistic. There are discussions about this topic on here, but I'm not sure how current the comments were and times have changed over the past few years. Thank you!

 

Based on this comment I would venture that you're looking for an alternative to renting and being able to travel.
Consider this: 4 million American will turn 65 in 2024.   I've heard that fact called "peak 65" meaning that the era of baby boomers reaching age 65 is reaching it's maximum.

One might assume that many newly minted retirees will be thinking along the same lines that you express.  And since 300,000+ new RV are expected to be sold in 2023 one might also expect RV campgrounds to be in even more demand.

Predicting future campground availability and cost?  Less availability, more expensive.  You are not being "overly pessimistic".  Given climate change one might consider camping in Mexico during the winter months and migrating north to elevations over 6,000 feet in the US summer months.

Best plan might be to try for a five year rent lease.

[RollinAt40]

We were paying $325/month plus electric in Lubbock, TX. That's for a spot with no concrete pad. When it rained we got about an inch of standing water so I had to build a small deck to keep the mud out of our trailer. Electricity in Texas kept going up each month, $115-$200+. But it was July and August so we had the AC on all day long.

We're currently near Show Low, AZ and it's $350/month plus electric. There's a few different parks that range from $350-$500. I don't know how much electric will be yet.

[Ray,IN]

Even though we never full-timed, I never cottoned to a monthly rate with all utilities included. I prefer not to subsidize others bills, or vica-versa, be a moocher.

 

[Dutch_12078]

On 10/14/2023 at 8:41 PM, Ray,IN said:

Even though we never full-timed, I never cottoned to a monthly rate with all utilities included. I prefer not to subsidize others bills, or vica-versa, be a moocher.

 

Aren't you doing the same thing whether it's monthly, weekly, or daily when all utilities are included?

[Lou Schneider]

Just a quick addendum - when I was working in Los Angeles 8 years ago I stayed in Hollywood RV Park in Van Nuys (San Fernando Valley), one of only two RV parks in the area.  It's a very nice park but spaces are tight (it was laid out for officer's housing during WWII).  Monthly rates were $895 a month, and daily rates were around $50,  now it's $79 a night and $1400-1600 a month depending on the size of your RV (some spaces are longer than others) and last time I was there the owner had a foot tall stack of applications on his desk from people wanting to get in.

I was working in San Francisco Bay Area before I moved to LA and I stayed at Marin RV Park in Greenbrae.  Rates then were in the same range as Hollywood RV Park, today they're $99-115 a night or $595 a week during the winter months (weekly rate only available November 1-March 30).

Edited October 30, 2023 by Lou Schneider

[lappir]

On 1/17/2023 at 7:57 AM, Kirk W said:

Here are a few examples. 

Mission West RV Park, Mission TX  monthly $650 or 4 months $1500 and $250 for each additional month.

Cocopah Bend RV Park, Yuma AZ monthly $656 plus electricity

Sun Outdoors, San Diego, CA    monthly $1800 best rate

Hillcrest RV, Bismark ND    monthly $800

Flatland RV, Abilene KS, no monthly but $32/night

Kirk, 

Do you mind if we add places we have stayed to your list? 

Oskaloosa, IA. Southern Iowa Fair Campground $25 per night or $600 per month. 

Most are only 30 amp sites with electric only at each spot. $5.00 to use the dump site and a FEW Hydrants are scattered around the grounds and have seen 10 hooked up to one on occasion. Just hope not all want a shower at the same time. 

Hutchinson, KS. Kansas State Fairgrounds RV Park For the National HDT Rally Full Hookup Sites $24 a night for as long as you stay before/after the rally. Regular are $30 per night or $180/week. Don't see a monthly on their site. 

Norman, OK. Cleveland County Fairgrounds RV Park. A new section with angle back in sites and several 30amp and a few 50amp sites on either Gravel or asphalt around the edge of a large parking lot. Most with sewer and water (Shared by up to two) $35/night $210/week. 

Have stayed in these during 2023. 

All accommodated my HDT, Spacecraft Toyhauler, Jeep and Motorcycle. 

Kansas State Fairgrounds. 

Cleveland County Fairgrounds. 

Southern Iowa Fairgrounds. "Special Site". Got lucky and had all hookups for a few months. Feb to June 2023. Not sure if it will ever happen again. 

Rod

[Kirk W]

6 hours ago, lappir said:

Do you mind if we add places we have stayed to your list? 

Please do. In fact I'll add a couple more.

Sweetwater Events Complex, Rock Springs, WY   $45/night, back in only and full hookups with 50A.

Pima County Fairgrounds, Tucson, AZ    $35/night full hookups.

[AuBug]

A bit late, too, but I'm on Lake Livingston, Tx, just west of the Escapees office in Livingston.  By on the lake I mean it.  I can open my back window and cast into the lake.  I pay $350/month, plus electricity.  Paved roads and concrete pad. My elec bill runs from $45 in winter to $175 in July and August.  There are a couple of parks near me, not on the water, for $275 to $300, plus elec. There are a few other parks for less, but most are a bit sketchy. 

[Ray,IN]

On 10/15/2023 at 9:31 PM, Dutch_12078 said:

Aren't you doing the same thing whether it's monthly, weekly, or daily when all utilities are included?

Yes, however we don't have a choice over anything less than monthly.