RV Parks for Full time

[rrjernigan]

I retire Dec 31, 2017. We have been full time for the last year but are going to start travelling now. We like staying in State Parks but they have the two week limit. Anyone found private parks with the State Park type feel? What I mean is, in State Parks it is more like a camping feel, most privates we have stayed in are very close together with not many trees or walking trails and certainly no outdoor fire pits.

[BrentB]

Congratulations on the retirement and full-time travel! I have looked for parks like you describe, and unfortunately they seem to be few and far between. However, I was just reading the RV Travel Newsletter and the editor seems to have found at least one such park that he likes. I know only one doesn't help much, but you can check it out in the "Editor's Corner" if you like:
http://rvtravel.com/rv-travel-newsletter-issue-817/

[sourdough]

From what we have seen finding a private RV park with the feel/ambiance of a state park will be hard to do; it will take a lot of researching. We have come across some that are pretty nice and roomy with lakes/streams etc. and some privacy, but very few. You just have to keep in mind that the private RV park is in it to make money; the more spaces, the more money.

[B-O-B'03]

Maybe you could look into becoming a camp host at a state or federal park?

I have thought about that, but not really looked into it, for when I retire.

-Brian

[Korkoro]

3 yrs. ago my wife and I spent a week in a New Mexico State park. We met a number of full timers who told us you could stay at New Mexico state parks for 3 weeks at a time in the winter months. It was also very inexpensive as you could by as 12 month pass for $200 and get $10 off each night. Since many of them, us included, had solar arrays and could stay on the non-electric $10 a day sites, our sites would be $0 because the fee was $10. Don't know if the information was correct, but it would be worth looking into.

Be Well! KORKORO

[sourdough]

Maybe you could look into becoming a camp host at a state or federal park?

I have thought about that, but not really looked into it, for when I retire.

-Brian


If it fit your plans, B-O-B may have an idea for you. Where our mountain home is there are several forest service campgrounds and they all have campground hosts. A friend of ours served as one at one close to us for several years and loved it. The problem would be if you wanted to travel. The length of time is generally thru the summer - the end of May until mid Oct. or so up by us. That might put a crimp in being able to move around; on the other hand they have the sites for the hosts really hooked up - big propane tanks, firepits, firewood, etc. etc. plus full hookups. Might be something to think about.

[BrentB]

If it fit your plans, B-O-B may have an idea for you. Where our mountain home is there are several forest service campgrounds and they all have campground hosts. A friend of ours served as one at one close to us for several years and loved it. The problem would be if you wanted to travel. The length of time is generally thru the summer - the end of May until mid Oct. or so up by us. That might put a crimp in being able to move around; on the other hand they have the sites for the hosts really hooked up - big propane tanks, firepits, firewood, etc. etc. plus full hookups. Might be something to think about.Hosts are needed year round in Texas, and probably other Southern states as well.

[rhagfo]

Hosts are needed year round in Texas, and probably other Southern states as well.

Many states keep parks open year around, we host in Oregon as a couple we are asked to work 20 hours each a week, singles do 30 hours a week and two days each week. In exchange you get a full hookup site. Typical stays are one to three months. Great way to stay active and meet lots of interesting people.

[theeyres]

bluesprucervpark.com in CO meets all your wishes. It's one of our all time favorite parks but it's spendy in the summer season.

[JRTJH]

It's pretty much an economic issue (private campground) versus a "camping experience issue (government campground).

The government run sites aren't usually "profit oriented" but are "experience oriented". They (government) design a campground based on projected use, most often without regard to "return on investment" and pay for it, not with user fees, but with government funding. They often don't have full hookups, charge a reduced rate and have more property to spread the campsites further away from each other. That means that government campgrounds aren't typically required to make money, but are built as a "people perk paid for with taxes"..... Government campgrounds usually don't consider profit as a sole requirement during design but rather calculate user rates, allocate acreage to accommodate that many campsites

Private campgrounds, on the other hand, have no "tax relief" to augment lack of profit. If it takes a private individual $1000 per acre to break even, and the market will pay $25 a night, if he can keep 100% occupancy, he'll need to put 40 sites per acre. If he expects 50% occupancy (winter slowdown, etc) then he would need to put 80 sites per acre. If he expects 25% occupancy (weather, location as well as winter slowdown) then he'd need 120 sites per acre. If he wants a profit, then add to that. Remember, he still has to pay taxes to supplement the government parks.

So, parks that "abandon" the need to remain profitable are few and far between. There are some, typically private resorts, run by large corporations that "tax members" by charging an annual "resort membership" that helps make up for the smaller "density per acre". In that type of park, the profits of other parks help to "make up for the loss" of the the "spacious site parks"...

[Tbos]

There's a good blog on this subject on the RVLove.com website. Enjoy your new lifestyle and the memories you will make. You may want to consider being a camp host at a state park.


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[rrjernigan]

We have thought a lot about the camp host idea. Really would depend on what a camp host does. Part of retirement is to not have to work. I didn't figure there were many options but thought I would see what others have found. We are thinking of perhaps just staying at a park two weeks, then move on to the next and see the sites that way. Of course it is kind of a hassle to move every two weeks in a fifth wheel. For the first year we are mostly set, staying in Winterhaven, Fl January and February. The back to Texas (either in the Fort Worth area or Waco) for March, April and May. The next few months will likely be in Pennsylvania then back to Texas for a few months.

Thanks for all the input.

[m&m]

Congrats. We have started semi full time. Ga. SP sometimes run specials that allow you to camp for month or more at a park. Many have good discounts .Fl does have a limited program also.
Did you get your America the Beautiful pass yet?
We use that a lot. For $10. a night its great E/S/W
Many county parks are $24 or less and allow lengthily stays.
We belong to coast to coast so many parks we stay at are $10 but limited to 2 weeks.
Get the"all stays" app to check out RVparks.
Happy camping

[KSH]

What app are you referring to?

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[m&m]

I use 3 apps from phone
1 park adviser
2 rv camping
3 rv gov camp

I also use
FROG
st pks apps (various states)
OH Ranger
I use google earth to check sites
COE

these are some that I fine helpful. Maby some others will chime in.

[CWtheMan]

Some people are gong to say “Oh, no, not a KOA”. Some people will not even consider looking at a KOA for long term parking.

This one is in Starke, FL. It’s on US301 and is about 17 miles north of Gainesville and 17 miles south of Jacksonville.

Some of the things not mentioned in their web site below is Bingo in the club house and friendly card games in the game room. In the fall and winter months the fire ring is always lit and very popular.

We spent a lot of time browsing around in TX. I know you can find similar places there also. TX is loaded with very nice military campgrounds and we stayed at almost all of them. We spent 3 months at KOA Starke. For us it was very relaxing and enjoyable.

https://koa.com/campgrounds/starke/

Here’s a pix of our parking site at KOA Starke. There was a smallish mall adjacent to the KOA property. During the day there was an open gate between the properties and I would ride my three wheeler over there for groceries at the local Bi Lo store. About a mile and a half from the KOA there is a super Walmart with a service station. Their pumps have diesel fuel and the clearance is well over 16’.

http://www.irv2.com/photopost/showfull.php?photo=16891

Not to worry. They cut, trim and blow the yards weekly.