Charging fees for cg visitors

We've done drive through before and I can see them not really being a good idea. Easy for someone to steal something when no one is around at a campsite and keep on going. I thought that they would at least have the license plate number, but they never asked us for one. The fees I have normally seen have been for a car and not per person.

Doug33 wrote:
If you avoid CGs that charge visitor fees, then you won't be camping much in the northeast. I can't remember a private CG in this area that doesn't charge fees.

Interestingly when we were in Delaware last week, we stopped in Cape Henlopen State Park to check out the CG. The guy at the booth said we couldn't drive into the CG because it was full. Say what?

Don't know his reason, but with a busy park, "drive throughs” are adding to the possibility of an accident and disturbs the people that have paid to be there.

Many Florida state parks will only allow a "drive through” when the park is quiet or the park itself is large. Some will allow a drive through, but you cannot get out of the car. (Prevents facility use without paying a fee)

There are many valid reasons for not allowing extra cars inside the park, but the above are a few that I know of.

If you avoid CGs that charge visitor fees, then you won't be camping much in the northeast. I can't remember a private CG in this area that doesn't charge fees.

Interestingly when we were in Delaware last week, we stopped in Cape Henlopen State Park to check out the CG. The guy at the booth said we couldn't drive into the CG because it was full. Say what?

We just ask the owner of the campground about the extra person fees.

We stopped at a CG on one of our travels a few years back. $45 for a night (no hook ups) was a bit steep in my book, but the $10 a night for each kid was over the top. That would have been $85, I could get a hotel for that. I talked to the owner, he explained that the fee new and was to discourage "partiers" from trashing the place. He gladly waived the extra fee, and looked into re-wording the extra guest policy. Turns out he was retired Navy, (I was still active duty at the time) and he offered me a discount for my stay, and bought me a beer at the VFW that was next door. I wish I could remember what campground that was, heck I wish I could remember what state it was in.

A lot of times if you just ask someone who makes decisions about a "fee", they will explain the reason for it, and who knows they my waive it case by case. Some of us have larger families, and the extra "fees" add up fast.

rockhillmanor wrote:

"I've never seen a private cg that Didn't charge for visitors...".

Has a lot to do with 'what region' you are RV'ing.

I RV east of the Mississippi and never stay at a state/national park and never near an attraction. Full time 6 years and have never stayed at a CG that charged extra for number of kids 'in' your RV or guests.
INCLUDING the KOA's I have stayed at.

I get why they charge for the case of one RV pulling in and they invite their whole neighborhood for the weekend. I think they should post they have the right to 'limit' how many guests. That way the RV'er that has a friend over for dinner is not subject to an extra charge but allows the CG owner to walk up to the site with 40 people on it and either eject them or they can pay an extra charge.

Just from reading the comments of experiences of forum members, the extra charge per kid over 2 kids that are IN your RV and part of your family.....THAT extra charge needs to go in front of the ACLU no matter what CG you are in privately owned or not!!

Thankfully, "families" have no legal standing in occupancy. They are not an attached appendage like your arm or leg that gets to go wherever you go as part of the deal. They don't get into movies for free, don't go to amusement parks for free, don't get free seats on airplanes and, yes, they count towards any occupancy policy a business may have, be it counting for fees like this thread is about or counting for occupancy for legal reasons like fire codes. But you go ahead and spend your money on an attorney to tilt at that windmill.
Where would you draw the line on what constitutes a family? Perhaps parents and children sound like a good idea. Then Great Grandpa brings his 4 60 year old "children" who each bring their 4 30 something "children" who each bring their 4 teens and toddlers. Now the family has 85 people in the site and each one is a parent or child of another.
How should the park enforce "family" only rules? Ask for birth certificates? Believe it or not, most of us park owners can count, and that makes a limit on the number of people a pretty easy policy to enforce. RVs have wheels, that's one of their great attractions. You don't like the policies of one park, go to another. It's much easier than suing for no reason.

Thousand Trails charges $5.00 plus for car and driver plus $2.00 per person
per viset for guests.. I HATE IT !!!!

Dog Folks wrote:
"Just from reading the comments of experiences of forum members, the extra charge per kid over 2 kids that are IN your RV and part of your family.....THAT extra charge needs to go in front of the ACLU no matter what CG you are in privately owned or not!!"


I agree that many times the extra person charge can be unfair to families. The fee can be waived sometimes if management is asked.

On the other hand, the ACLU has no business setting fees on private or public property. It is not a question of rights, but a business decision.

I also think that the aCLU should investigate why when I go to a restaurant and order my meal, that I have to pay extra for the person with me for his or her meal. :s
bumpy

"Just from reading the comments of experiences of forum members, the extra charge per kid over 2 kids that are IN your RV and part of your family.....THAT extra charge needs to go in front of the ACLU no matter what CG you are in privately owned or not!!"


I agree that many times the extra person charge can be unfair to families. The fee can be waived sometimes if management is asked.

On the other hand, the ACLU has no business setting fees on private or public property. It is not a question of rights, but a business decision.

"I've never seen a private cg that Didn't charge for visitors...".

Has a lot to do with 'what region' you are RV'ing.

I RV east of the Mississippi and never stay at a state/national park and never near an attraction. Full time 6 years and have never stayed at a CG that charged extra for number of kids 'in' your RV or guests.
INCLUDING the KOA's I have stayed at.

I get why they charge for the case of one RV pulling in and they invite their whole neighborhood for the weekend. I think they should post they have the right to 'limit' how many guests. That way the RV'er that has a friend over for dinner is not subject to an extra charge but allows the CG owner to walk up to the site with 40 people on it and either eject them or they can pay an extra charge.

Just from reading the comments of experiences of forum members, the extra charge per kid over 2 kids that are IN your RV and part of your family.....THAT extra charge needs to go in front of the ACLU no matter what CG you are in privately owned or not!!

A few years ago I discovered why c/g's have 'visitor fees' and number limits on how many are free with the site first-hand.

Not long after we settled into our site a very small TT (13') towed by a minivan pulled in to the site across from us, my first clue this was no ordinary group of 'campers' was when 4 adults and 7 kids (yes, 11 in a minivan) piled out of the TV.

Within minutes another 4 minivans pulled up, in total there was 20 adults and 27 kids, 47 in total on a single site!!

After speaking with the guy from the site beside them it turned out the TT had been customized into nothing but an over-sized kitchen and two washrooms.

The group had discovered that the cost of a site for one day, split 10 ways, was a pittance compared to a 'private park' with pool, playground, soccer field, etc, etc, for the day compared to city parks.

Thankfully we were only in town for an air show so we were away for most of the day. About 9pm the group piled back into thier vans and broke 'camp' and left.

Lets just say there were lots of unhappy folks in that c/g that weekend, NONE of whom would object to a $10 or $12 a day visitor fee.