Did you notice..........

[_1Flyboy]

.... How busy the campgrounds are? PACKED! And are there any new campgrounds in the pipeline to alleviate the issue?

[caver]

On my road trip back in August it did seem that things were way busier than normal. I stopped at a place in WY that was more of an overnight spot. It filled by dark. I talked to the camp host the next day and she said they hosted there the previous 1-2 years. She said then they might get one or two people stopping for the night. This yer she said it has been full every night.

[Reader1]

We noticed week day camping at State Parks in Ohio have been more packed. Normally they are full on weekends but not always during the week. We noticed that even in September. We have noticed a lot of brand new tents and new campers also.

[Grodyman]

I have noticed the new trend of "Glamping" where companies buy up blocks of the best campsites for the season and set up circus tents for people with money to burn.

[memtb]

During the summer months, we have a lot of RV’s on our Wyoming highways. However, over the last several weeks, we seem to have a higher than usual number of rv’s on the road! I think that many were desperate to escape the “lockdowns” and get some “normalcy” back into their lives! memtb

[mgirardo]

There is a new RV Resort being built just north of Jacksonville, FL called Pecan Park RV Resort. I'm not sure if it is just an extension of the Pecan Park Flea Market and Campground or an entirely new resort. Unfortunately, it borders I-95, so probably won't be the quietest campground, but should be easy on/easy off.

-Michael

[GDS-3950BH]

valhalla360 wrote:


Really spring and fall are the big sales periods.

Mid July anyone buying for a summer vacation has already done so.

Maybe, the thought had occurred to me also, but
according to this guy who is a 2nd generation dealer, in business since the early 60s, his June and July numbers are down over 50% from previous years. I asked if maybe it's because he has limited stock after selling almost everything on the lot. He said that even inquiries via stop ins, phone and net are almost non existent, which he has never seen before. Another thing he told me is these first time buyers recently just have to have the biggest thing they can find, price or affordability is way down the priority list which is most likely great for him. No matter what he supposedly tells folks such as their current vehicle is borderline or undersize most don't want to hear it. What do you mean I can't tow that 42' destination trailer you have with my S10 lol.

[valhalla360]

GDS-3950BH wrote:

Thats funny stuff, thanks.
I posted yesterday in a thread that apparently also went to the Siberian camp about a small mom and pop dealer I know where I am at here in PA, who sold most all of his new stock and every used unit he had during April and May. Since then sales have dropped off to worse than they were in Jan and Feb which was not bad but down 20% from the year prior according to his numbers. He also told me he had more than one or two new buyers call a month after purchasing and ask if he was interested and what would he offer to buy back new units. Craziness. The dealers probably love this. Folks not knowing what they're doing, folks not knowing an issue with a new rig thats right in front of their nose, etc. Probably makes it easy to get them off the lot, but it sounds like it already has petered out or is well on its way to doing so.

Really spring and fall are the big sales periods.

Mid July anyone buying for a summer vacation has already done so.

As far as full campgrounds, it's probably location specific. We just picked up a site in 2 weeks at a Michigan State park that would normally be sold out 6 months ago.

[theoldwizard1]

My daughter's family went camping for over 2 weeks in late June. Private park. Not overly crowded at all.

[rightlaneonly]

wapiticountry wrote:

garyhaupt wrote:
Can't speak for any place else, but here in BC you cannot get a camping spot for love nor money. Anywhere within driving distance of a city is packed..and forestry sites..packed. any lake...packed....and any wide spot on a back road has a camper in it.

The other thing...most of these campers are new to the game. And how did they become campers extraordinaire? They went and bought...everything and anything that will sleep people. Tents..tent trailers, trucks n campers, A, B, C's...and few (none) had the cash, so...debt. Like crazy debt.

I am on an off-road camping FB page in BC and everyday, all day....where can I find camping? How do I get fresh water when camping in my new....? How and where do I dump?


Gary Haupt

There was another thread running, before it got sent to the Siberian prison camp of "around the campfire" that offered one explanation of why there are so many new people RVing. That explanation is they have had their normal vacation plans cancelled by travel restrictions and they are going to take a vacation come hell or high water. Contrary to the beliefs of a few on these forums, many, many normal average people have a lot of disposable income. They spend 10s of thousands of dollars on vacations every year. This year, those 10s of thousands are being spent on a camping trip, because what else can they do? Next year, the camping equipment will begin to rot away in the basement or storage building and they won't give a darn. If they bought an RV, a percentage will like it enough to keep it around, the rest will sell them for a loss, shrug their shoulders and plan their trip to Europe.
Nothing new, been happening forever, people jump on the flavor of the day. See Beanie Babies, Precious Moments, trading Cadillacs for Pintos in the 70s, buying tulip bulbs in Holland during Tulip Mania in 1636. This too shall pass.

The question is though, will it pass before I do?:W

[bobsallyh]

For instance, the RV parks in the Yellowstone National Park are busy now, but are always busy this time of the year. There is extra pressure on these parks so far this summer since so many of the CGs in YNP are still closed. Another thing that enters into the big picture, so many new RVers think the electrical cord, water hose and sewer hose needs to be hooked up. Think flexibility, solar, generator, and can end up in so many fantastic places. Think outside of the box, so to speak.

[_1Flyboy]

.... I noticed that in very Northern Kalifornia there’s very little available public camping spaces available .... Spent last night at a Best Western and it also was very busy.... Might be a result of people not being able to vacation by air?...

[rexlion]

Anybody know if westernrvparkowner is okay? He hasn't posted since April, and I recall that he was worrying whether to even open up this year or not. I'm wondering how he and his park are making out this summer.

[GDS-3950BH]

GordonThree wrote:
Camping opened here in Michigan late June, before that only boondocking and a few private parks that decided they were above the law.

Rustic federal forest campgrounds (no amenities, no hook-ups) I've frequented in years past and had no problems getting sites on weekends are now stuffed, even mid-week.

Definitely a large surge in the popularity of camping.

A lot of it has to do with regional or state differences responses regarding C-19. Here where we are in PA this state park is really not much more crowded now than the typical July weekends in prior years. I'm sitting here right now watching folks pull out and not many new tags have been posted. I think it may be us and around 12 or so others tonight out of @ 300 sites. This is a very popular state park. Another reason it might be getting light use is the cell service is terrible. The only reason I can post this is the cell tower is not overloaded at present. It typically is on Fridays and Saturdays. How do you camp without your phone and internet? Oh the humanity.

In contrast right down the road about 5 miles is a huge RV resort type campground with pools,goofy golf, all the junk. It was an absolute packed madhouse Saturday when I drove past.

My take is most of the new buyers / C19 campers have to have hookups and fluff. Roughing it in any sense of the term is not an option in most cases.

[GordonThree]

Camping opened here in Michigan late June, before that only boondocking and a few private parks that decided they were above the law.

Rustic federal forest campgrounds (no amenities, no hook-ups) I've frequented in years past and had no problems getting sites on weekends are now stuffed, even mid-week.

Definitely a large surge in the popularity of camping.