What's out there?

[Montana_2003]

Hi! We are not Montana owners YET... contemplating purchasing a 3650rk within the next couple of years, though. I have a question for forum participants: we are not presently campers, but sailors. I have no experience as yet with commercial campgrounds, but when I pass by ones near where we live, they all appear to have smallish, closely-packed sites in the full-hookup areas. Our dream was to camp on naturally beautiful, spacious sites with a view of nature. So... my question is: do such campgrounds exist within the privately-owned sector? My idea of vacationing is NOT to be on top of our neighbours!

Chris and Susan McLaughlin, Mocha the tortoiseshell Persian and Myrrh, the cream Himalayan, cats. Dream vehicles: Dodge 3500 Cummins diesel, 3650RK Montana!

[stiles watson]

I am not being a smart-alec, but you can find anything you want for the right money. Some of the privately owned camp grounds are quite exclusive. They are usually NOT the ones you see on the side of the road. However, rarely will you find a site that is as spacious as a stick house site. Some dealerships also sell memberships to exclusive clubs and/or will be able to provide you information about them.

[Wordsmith]

First off, welcome to MOC! I have been around camping all of my life, and have rarely found spacious private campgrounds. In state parks, however, that is a different story. Though one of our favorites is rather packed, we have another—the one where we were camping in our signature—where you can be totally isolated. Do I trade off some of the amenities of private campgrounds for that—well, yes, but when I want space that is acceptable.

You might also look at the tightness of space as a positive. You have a much greater chance of meeting new friends or at least someone new to whom you can talk!

[Montana_2779]

We tend to agree with Wordsmith and Stiles (in fact, we are in the same area as Stiles, so we see a lot of the same parks). As a rule, the standard parks will have a little less space than one would like. That being said, our current home, Rayford Crossing, has both wide and deep pull-through spaces with small front yards. Those slots on the corners of the "streets" have fairly sizable front or back yards, depending on which corner you've chosen (we chose one with a large back yard and street between us and the next RV-- our front door is about 12 feet from our neighbor's slideout on his street side). We were lucky, we got a reasonably spacious site (comparatively) AND outstanding ammenties! To get a look at the place, click on my website in my signature below. We have a tour of Rayford Crossing on the site this month. They've planted grass in the yards since I took these photos. The appearance is a million times better with the grass installed!!

[richfaa]

Don't know what the campgrounds are like in Canada have never camped up there although we will next year.We also have camped for years and find that most of the older campgrounds are sort of small because campers were small years ago.The newer ones are larger. We are in Northern Ohio near Cleveland and not all that far from you if Lake Erie was not in the way..We go up to Northwestern Pennsylvania, the Allegany National Forest.Campgrounds that you describe do exist there.But naturally beautiful spacious sites. I am sure there are plenty...somewhere...

[DiananColin]

Chris, most rv resorts in Canada I would fit into the category of campgrounds. Typically a Canadian site does not have the same level of facilities and space as those south of the border. I suspect this is due to the shorter season the further north you go. Most of the really nice rv resorts (as opposed to campgrounds) are in the southern states. There is also the tradeoff between space and facilities - we prefer not to "rough it" so we look for full hookups and preferably with wifi and cable tv. Others prefer to be in the middle of nowhere. Having been boaters for years it is a bit like the difference between a well equipped marina or yacht club and dropping a hook in a remote bay. In a marina you generally have a lot less space than in a rv resort. Maybe a 12 - 15 foot wide slip? Even cramped campgrounds provide about 25 feet.

We have noticed quite a few ex-boaters (both ragbags and stinkpotters) move over to RV ownership recently - come on over - it is fun and we can go a lot further with a fiver than any boat!

Only thing to make it more perfect would be to have a boat as well as the fiver - if only there was a way to tow both at the same time.