What is it with campgrounds nowadays?

I rarely pay attention.....check me in.

Depending upon the campground, those empty sites may already be in use by seasonal campers, who have paid for the spot for the entire season, but are currently away. So the campground cannot double book them, as they technically are already rented by someone else.

Or, those campsites may already be reserved and paid for, but the "tenant" has not arrived yet.

And about KOA, I don't see any difference in KOA's over the years. The OP was not very specific what the problem was with the KOA's other than the price difference. You've got to remember, each KOA is independently owned and set's the price for their own campground. It's not standardized there.

My "dislike" for (most) KOA's we've visited is their close proximity to very busy roads or interstates and road noise is uncomfortable for me. We still use KOA's over overnights, don't even unhitch. But not for "visiting". Because of their close proximity to busy roads, they are easily accessible, and almost always have pull through spots available for overnight's. So, there's the big plus and the big minus at the same time.

We started using Good Sam campgrounds. They are very similar to KOA's, except they are located with some distance between the interstate and the campground. Much quieter there, but still provide full hook-up and even WIFI that worked! The last 3 Good Sam's we stayed at, we were there at each one for 3 days (2 nights) and had a great time.

Yes, the cost of campgrounds has gone up. It's not cheap any more. Someone finally figured it out there's a market for camping, and like everyone else, has jumped in and started charging more and more to get their piece of the "American Pie" too! (your and my $$$)!!!!

About "the only spot left". We've been to a couple "seasonal" campgrounds this year, not knowing they were "seasonal". And yes, we got the "only spot available" which turned out to an area set aside for "transient" campers, people passing through or just need a quick over-night. Yes, it probably is the "last site" available as their focus is on full time-seasonal camping and not "transient" camping.

I've seen this a few times... tiny federal CG in Badlands NP. When I arrived every single site with electric was reserved with a tiny paper slip, with the days date written on it for arrival. I spent two days there before giving up because of the heat. Only three of the ten reserved sites had shown up.

Another time, at a large state park, their computer claimed they had two sites available. Drove in to check it out, an entire loop was empty. I took the site for two days. When I left, the entire loop was still empty.

I blame online reservation and the huge advance windows allowed. It's my opinion you shouldn't be able to reserve more than 2-3 weeks out. This 6 month to 12 month advanced reservation is silly. In the dead of winter, folks with cabin fever are planning trips and making free reservations, and then as the weather turns nice, they change their plans. It costs almost nothing to cancel a reservation, so no biggie for them. Now if the penalty for cancelling a reservation was 100%, that might slow 'em down.

I've had several different families tell me similar stories to this:

Oh we always reserve 3 or 4 sites next to each other for every weekend, in case friends want to join us.

If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. I'll be playing the game next year... I have a bunch of e-mail accounts, so creating extra reservations won't be a problem.

We could try to think up a polite way that you could ask them. Me, I tend to be direct and make up for it with friendliness. I would just say, 'So, what's up with the 'We are fully booked' thing?' and smile, and be nonjudgemental and all.

This has not happened to me, so I dunno.

No no that cannot be the case. Lately we've stayed for only a night or 2 and whole time we are there, NO ONE is in most of the sites. So how can they be booked for those 2 nights when half the park stays empty the whole time we are there??? Like the park I'm in now, I'm here for 3 nights. This will be night 2 and I can bearly see other trailers. My row has about 10 spots, I'M IT! No one else on this row and only a few rv's scattered in a park of about 400 spots. So, there was only ONE SPOT when I checked in? NO WAY! There have bee a select few who give me the names of those open and tell me pick one and come let them know. NOw that makes complete sense, the other way around, I just dont get!

Consider your length of stay. For example, let's say you wanted to stay for a couple weeks from May 15-June 1. Well, Memorial Day weekend is in there. The CG may have tumbleweeds blowing through it, then be booked up for Memorial Day, then empty out again. Holidays aside, consider local festivals and attractions that cause the CG to book up.

Even though the place you're at was empty when you checked in, there may be a festival or event coming up this weekend or sometime during your stay that may fill it up. So when they say "one site left" that doesn't mean right now, it means "one site that is continuously available for the duration of your stay."

Hotels operate the same way, just that you can't see which rooms are empty or occupied like you can in a CG.

There's really not a conspiracy among CG owners to lie to their guests.

The CG moved you because you complained, but guaranteed that someone else is going to get stuck with that spot.

RV CONUS wrote:
RV Park Reviews may help!

X2. We've never had this problem either...

Sorry, but I've never had that happen so I can't tell you why, unless you're engaging in hyperbole. :)