RV Camping: Memorable Campgrounds

by Laura Weaver

We have been traveling in our motorhome since 2006.  Although we have not been RVing for all that long, we have camped in 48 different states, covering thousands of miles.  We have had the luxury and the time to visit several states more than once, often staying in the same campground we had previously stayed.  Most campgrounds offer the same things, but these particular campgrounds stood out in our minds for some reason.  This realization made me wonder:  What is it about these particular campgrounds that drew us back?  I guess it was the extra little things that separated them from the others…the extra effort given by the management staff or campground owners.

One particular episode was when we were led to our wooded campsite by the campground owner.  Upon realizing that tree limbs would prevent us from being able to use our slide-outs, he promptly pulled out a saw and started trimming the branches away.  He helped us with hook-ups and actually watched as we expanded our slide-outs to make sure we had ample space.  Now, that’s service!

Another memorable experience was a campground which offered a pancake breakfast to its campers for a small fee.  Each person had the opportunity to “win” a free breakfast by participating in a Flapjack Toss.  This consisted throwing the uneaten pancakes from the previous day into a bucket. If you were able to do so, your breakfast of freshly made pancakes was free.  What a wonderfully fun way to start a day of traveling!

After registering at another campground, when the staff realized we were not towing a car, they explained that there was no parking available in the nearby town that would accommodate our RV.  One of their services for their guests was shuttling us to town for shopping, dining, and entertainment.  They also offered to walk our dog and pet sitting services while we were enjoying ourselves in town, or if we chose to participate in a day-long excursion.  Talk about meeting our needs!

Our little dog, Gypsy, was impressed by the campground that gave her a welcoming pat and a care package consisting of doo-doo bags and a dog cookie.  She loved the doggy park area where she could socialize with other friendly four-legged creatures and get some interesting smells.


One of the most touching gestures was a Christmas card mailed to us from an elderly campground owner.  He included a personal note reminding us how badly he felt when we let him know that we had gotten lost along the way, giving us a couple of candy bars to “sweeten our day”.  This gesture let us know we, too, were memorable to him.  He extended the invitation for us to visit.  If we ever travel that way again, we certainly will!

These are just a few examples of the extra effort people have made, making us feel special and letting us know they appreciated our business.  It was the little things they did that made their particular campgrounds memorable to us.  We truly enjoyed staying at these places because we felt welcomed and that we mattered to them…actually thanking us for staying there.  No wonder their campgrounds are always full!

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