Choosing A Campground – Camping Conditions

by Laura Weaver

Basic things RVers typically look for in a campground are level campsites, full hook-ups, affordable prices, and campground amenities.  Certain circumstances determine the campground in which the RVer chooses to stay depending on the day of the week, the weather, and the location.

If we camp on a weekend, campgrounds are typically more crowded with families and children.  Except for the occasional campfire get-together during these weekend nights, we prefer staying at our own campsite.  It’s not that we don’t like being around families or children; it’s just that, being retired, we have the time and the opportunity to enjoy the campground activities at other times; thus, allowing families and children to be able to take full advantage of their camping experience during the time they have to enjoy it.  We typically steer away from the advertised family-friendly campgrounds during weekends.

If we go RVing during the week, we encounter more people in our own age group who, like us, are traveling from place to place; so we tend to socialize more with other campers on week nights.  A typical conversation starter with our fellow-campers:  “Where are you from?” quickly followed by “Where are you headed?”  It always amazes us how much we have in common with other RVers who camp during the week.  We often spend the afternoon or evening talking and sharing stories of our RV travels with each other.

Weather conditions often dictate what we look for in a campground.  If we’re in an area that often has tornado warnings or frequent storms, we look for a campground with a storm shelter or windowless block building.  If the weather conditions are tolerable to ideal, we like to participate in the amenities the campground has to offer suchas hiking, swimming, playing miniature golf or corn hole, and fishing in the pond.  We often select a campground that has a variety of amenities that we enjoy when the weather forecast is decent.  If temperatures are too cold to enjoy being outdoors, we simply stay inside our motorhome, allowing us to catch up on cleaning and laundry, correspondence and e-mail, or watch television.  In this case, it is imperative that we stay in a campground with laundry facilities, WiFi and cable TV.


Our RV travels often take us to some of the most beautiful and desirable locations.  In this instance, we look for a campground that offers a beautiful view; often at a campsite where we can enjoy the sunrise or sunset in the comfort of our motorhome bed.  An unobstructed view of the mountains or water often determines which campground we select.  We’ve been fortunate enough to have a site ten feet from the swelling waves of the Gulf of Mexico.  Another was located along the Pacific Ocean with sea otters frolicking nearby.  Once, we were surrounded by snow-capped mountains and a herd of elk grazed on our campsite.  The views, whether scenic or of wildlife, are a very important factor in determining which campground we choose.

Campgrounds often advertise level sites, full hook-ups, affordable prices, and amenities.  However, the day of the week, the weather, and the location are factors that make our final decision when it comes to choosing the right campground for us.

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