This is our first year of camping and we find suck a difference in stae and federal campgrounds vs private ones.Although alot of the state campgrounds dont have hookups to me having the extra room over being right on top of each other is well worth it.Anyone else feel this way

I think it's a matter of what you want and where you are going.We all want big open sites with few neighbors but, sometimes you have to take what you can get, especially when you're traveling.I would not say there is any type CG I would NOT consider. It all depends on the circumstances. Sometimes a WalMart parking lot may be your only option...

This is our first year of camping and we find suck a difference in stae and federal campgrounds vs private ones.Although alot of the state campgrounds dont have hookups to me having the extra room over being right on top of each other is well worth it.Anyone else feel this wayYou will get so many different answers on this your head will swim even more! :B1. It's all about 'each' campers preferences.2. It all depends on HOW and WHY and WHERE you RV. I.E. weekend warrior, snow bird, full time, want to be around other people or want to be alone, etc.For "me"...I do not like the State parks because most don't have full hookups. If you want to extend your stay the State parks have a 'limited' amount of days you can stay. And where I was traveling for the winter in the South, mosquitoes would carry you aware at your site.I prefer CG's. And there are MANY different types of CG's. The sites are not always small. You just have to look around for the CG or State Park that suites YOUR needs. :C

We have found we want FHU, TV, and WiFi, so that leaves us private CGs most of the time, but not all. I guess we're "glampers", but it does take the first few times out to determine which type of RVer you are. As gbopp said, it's a matter of what you want and where you're going.

We go to state and federal parks when we can. However, since we full time, it is occasionally best if we hit a private park for a day or two (laundry, dump, water, etc.). Also, occasionally, there are either no public parks where we want to be or they are all booked. This is typically on weekends so we grin and bear it at the private park until we can get into a public one.There are some great private parks and some really crappy public ones. But, we spend about 80 percent of our time in state and federal parks because we enjoy them more.

We camp primarily State campgrounds. We have attempted to stay at some private campgrounds over the years and find most are just not much to offer us. We use KOA and Good Sam campgrounds when traveling and need an overnight and move on. We don't do Wall Mart parking at all.We have 1 private campground we like to visit, only because they open a bit earlier in the season than most every where else, and it lets us do a new season shake-out of the camper with full hook-ups and such. But this is the only one we've found we actually enjoy. We have stayed at a few for 2 or 3 nights, and each time we say we really miss the State Parks. State Parks just have much more to offer. Like the OP said, usually larger spaces and the setting is almost always more of a nature setting, rather than a concrete jungle with everything packed in so tight one awning touches the next trailer over.

Is there anyone that just will not go to private campgrounds

3oaks
Explorer
Aug 14, 2016
It's always public campgrounds for us, national parks, state parks, C.O.E. campgrounds, country parks, national forests, etc.

We really prefer mother nature to entertain us while camping and do very well without Wi-Fi, TV, or being tethered to any other electronic media, including cell phone coverage. ;)

They may be nice to have at times, but not necessities in our book.
And full hook-ups, we don't need them. Coming from many, many years of tent camping, our TT is like a luxury cabin even without full hook-ups.
wildtoad
Explorer II
Aug 14, 2016
We mostly do state parks for the very reason the OP says. We will do some KOA's from time to time, and some smaller private campgrounds. What we won't ever do is to go to the mega sized camp grounds where you are packed in like sardines, golf carts everywhere, and for the most part looks like the sales lot for mobile homes.
OutdoorPhotogra
Explorer
Aug 14, 2016
I don't spend much time in the campground even when I'm there for a week so it's availability and price. We love the National Parks and stay inside when possible. When it's not, I stay at a reasonable private campground near the park and spend my time in the National Park.

I will admit I need to hit more state parks because I love the state parks in my home state. Maybe when I retire and my travel pattern changes.
NYCgrrl
Explorer
Aug 14, 2016
Crowe wrote:
I don't judge a campground based on who owns it. I judge it based on location, amenities, price, etc.

x2.
If I needed WiFi and/or a ldy on premises I'd hightail it into a private campground. Otherwise it's government operated land for me.
GordonThree
Explorer
Aug 14, 2016
bighatnohorse wrote:
"Campground" is a misnomer for most private RV parks. Most are really just parking spots with hookups. For us, they are a place for overnighting or acting as a pit stop for doing laundry - in which case they're often called an RV "resort".

x2 ... for me, private parks or "resorts" don't meet with my expectation of a campground. I want trees, grass, brush, birds, trails, bugs, etc. Manicured lawns and neatly trimmed trees in an otherwise sterile gravel / paved lot is not a campground, just my humble opinion.

I could care less about water/sewer/cable hookups. I'm very transient in my camping. I don't stay put more than 3-4 days at most. If they have electric, great, if not, I'll make my own.
Crowe
Explorer
Aug 14, 2016
I don't judge a campground based on who owns it. I judge it based on location, amenities, price, etc.
korbe
Explorer
Aug 14, 2016
When we go camping, where the intent is to enjoy the surroundings of the campground environment, we use FS and state campgrounds. When we are traveling, using our rig as a private motel, and need a place to stay, we consider it RVing and will stay in an RV park, or a trailer park that says it's an RV park.

And yes, the layout of the different parks has a lot to do with profits. :)
dewey02
Explorer II
Aug 14, 2016
We generally camp for the outdoors experience.
Therefore, State Parks and National Forests are our preferred campgrounds.
State parks generally have a one or two campground loops with electricity, which we try to get if we can. National Forest campgrounds generally have no hookups, but a few now have electricity. We have a 26 foot travel trailer so we can pretty easily fit into the smaller sites at public campgrounds. We really like the privacy, separation, and lots of vegetation at State Parks and Federal campgrounds.

We really only stay at private campgrounds when we are travelling to somewhere, and the private campground is a convenient overnight stop, or when we are headed to a destination place and the private campground is the only thing close by.

But it all depends upon your purpose in camping. Some people like a lot of neighbors and socializing. We camp to get away from people, and will probably be doing more boondocking in the future as State Park and Federal campgrounds get more busy and noisy.
SoundGuy
Explorer
Aug 14, 2016
jarata1 wrote:
This is our first year of camping and we find suck a difference in stae and federal campgrounds vs private ones.

No doubt a typo but yeah, there is "suck" a difference. :W Private campgrounds are businesses that operate to generate a profit and the most effective way to do that is to pack in as many customers as possible ... what else would you expect? :R
Mandalay_Parr
Explorer
Aug 14, 2016
I always stay in private campgrounds. I like all the social activities and the potlucks.