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

timjet
Explorer
Aug 16, 2016
bikendan wrote:
timjet,

since we camped 35 years in California State Parks(which have less than 1 percent of campsites with any hookups), we learned to camp without water/electric hookups.

it's called dry camping.

we usually camped in areas that didn't require a/c, mostly coastal.
we just had our Honda 2000 for recharging the batteries and running the microwave.

all public campgrounds i've been to, had certain generator hours and times.
NONE allowed running generators overnight.
National Park campgrounds are the same.

Thanks bikendan. I have similar experience using my boat. We spent 8 months on our boat going to and from the Chesapeake from Tampa. We would usually try to find a good protected anchorage which in RV terms is boondocking, but also used many marina's which all had electric and water. During the summer northbound we had to use our generator when at anchor with night time temps in the upper 70's. Southbound in the fall we only used the generator to charge the batts and watch an hour or two of TV in the evening. We could go a week on 80 gal of water and 70 gal black water tank.
bikendan
Explorer
Aug 16, 2016
timjet,

since we camped 35 years in California State Parks(which have less than 1 percent of campsites with any hookups), we learned to camp without water/electric hookups.

it's called dry camping.

we usually camped in areas that didn't require a/c, mostly coastal.
we just had our Honda 2000 for recharging the batteries and running the microwave.

all public campgrounds i've been to, had certain generator hours and times.
NONE allowed running generators overnight.
National Park campgrounds are the same.
Lantley
Nomad
Aug 16, 2016
GordonThree wrote:
jnharley wrote:
We are full timers and use a variety of campsites. However, state parks are pricing themselves out of business from us. We have been charged as much as $45 for a state park site with only water and electric. We can find nice (spacious) private campgrounds for much less than state parks.

Ouch, that is something!

Some Michigan's state parks are close to $40 now just electric, quite a bit more for water+sewer.

Hope it's not a trend... letting publicly owned parks manage themselves without input from the public that owns them, and fund themselves rather than general fund, forces them into profit driven thinking... just like the private parks :(

I don't see them as profit driven. I see them as being self sufficient. Being able to survive long term without totally relying on taxpayer subsidies is a worthwhile approach.
GordonThree
Explorer
Aug 16, 2016
jnharley wrote:
We are full timers and use a variety of campsites. However, state parks are pricing themselves out of business from us. We have been charged as much as $45 for a state park site with only water and electric. We can find nice (spacious) private campgrounds for much less than state parks.

Ouch, that is something!

Some Michigan's state parks are close to $40 now just electric, quite a bit more for water+sewer.

Hope it's not a trend... letting publicly owned parks manage themselves without input from the public that owns them, and fund themselves rather than general fund, forces them into profit driven thinking... just like the private parks :(
Veebyes
Explorer II
Aug 15, 2016
Jnharley, there is getting to be more & more truth to that. Between booking fees, even if you drive up, daily vehicle fees, out of state premiums & anything else they can think of, some of the privates are looking better & better, especially if they offer a discount like PA.
jnharley
Explorer
Aug 15, 2016
We are full timers and use a variety of campsites. However, state parks are pricing themselves out of business from us. We have been charged as much as $45 for a state park site with only water and electric. We can find nice (spacious) private campgrounds for much less than state parks.
GordonThree
Explorer
Aug 15, 2016
around here, the state parks calm down by October. Back to school doesn't tame the crowds, but frost does.

Camping during the 4th season is the best IMHO. Only a handful of State Parks stay open through the winter, but many forest service campgrounds do, and of course, just the random clearings / parking spots in the National forest, long as the snow isn't too deep.
NYCgrrl
Explorer
Aug 15, 2016
Veebyes wrote:
Love the Sunday to Thursday early season or late season, whenever schools are in, camping in State Parks. It is not unusual to have the place pretty much all to yourself.

Hehehe.....the Tuesday after the Labour Day weekend is a joy to behold.
Silver hair rules and smiles abound as all nod at fellow campers without suffering from whiplash apprehensively looking for zipping by bikes as they cross the road:c..
Veebyes
Explorer II
Aug 15, 2016
Love the Sunday to Thursday early season or late season, whenever schools are in, camping in State Parks. It is not unusual to have the place pretty much all to yourself.
2gypsies1
Explorer III
Aug 15, 2016
Chuck_thehammer wrote:
I love most state parks.. but with limited time of stay.. not always possible. I wish some would do 30 days.. not 14.... my opinion.

going to South Texas this winter..

You need to try Gulf State Park, Gulf Shores, AL. Snowbirders can spend the winter - full hookups, awesome beach, nice biking, restaurants, fishing pier, shopping.

There are other state parks that allow longer time periods off-season - even Corp of Engineer parks.