Truthfully, Is RV'in becoming less enjoyable

bucky wrote:
Your word "retirement" is one of the keys here. We are 18 month members of the Oldy Oldster Do As You Please Club and are enjoying RVing more than ever.
We were weekend warriors for many years and now can't believe we could ever do it. Friday afternoons busting out of town just to set up in the dark and collapse. Go go go Saturday to get everything in before we had to pack up and get out by noon or so Sunday. We loved it.
In retirement we leisurely roll out after church on Sunday and stay until Friday. If the site isn't booked for the weekend we stay longer if we want to. There are so many great state and federal campgrounds on the water they are never all full, and we use commercial CGs as needed for fill in. We've visited old friends and family that we haven't seen in years. We've been out 57 days this year and it would have been more if the new to us house closing had been earlier. We have 2 months booked for 2018 and will probably double that at least.
Enjoy the journey as well as the destination and you will be fine. Buy used for the first one so that you get the feel of exactly what you want before you plop down the big bucks for the perfect one. Have a great time with all of it.

THIS is what I am looking forward to!

Get out of the weekend camping mindset.

nonrev321 wrote:
Need truthful opinions based on experience.

My wife and I have been investigating traveling after I retire in two years. We were about ready to pull the trigger on a travel trailer than my wife got talking to some folks in her church who travel a lot with a travel trailer.

Seems they are not as happy with the experience as they used to be. Too hard to find nice places to stay, RV parts are too crowded. You have to make reservations 6 months in advance for the nice places in good locations. The ability to just pick up and go and/ or stop anyplace and stay awhile is becoming increasingly difficult due to the demand for spaces.

Truthfully this kind of freedom was one of the major attractions for myself and my wife. We recognized that some parks would likely be crowded and there would be some need to make reservations in advance... but 6 months ? Also a RV park that is packed to the gills really isn’t too appealing to me, especially if there is nothing like a line of shrubs or other divider to keep me from looking into my neighbors window.

Can people comment? Is it becoming less enjoyable due to
overcrowding?

Thanks
nonrev

I agree you should not start RVing you'll be one less I'll have to compeat for rv sites

Depending on what you like, a lot of campgrounds are going toward big concrete parking lots with no trees. What I call the young Suburbinite Campers love these places and they book up fast on weekends and holidays. We tend to do state parks and Coe and camp during the week and off season. As far as getting tired of camping, been camping since the 70's, started in a tent to where we are now, in a 5th wheel and still enjoying it very much.

Your word "retirement" is one of the keys here. We are 18 month members of the Oldy Oldster Do As You Please Club and are enjoying RVing more than ever.
We were weekend warriors for many years and now can't believe we could ever do it. Friday afternoons busting out of town just to set up in the dark and collapse. Go go go Saturday to get everything in before we had to pack up and get out by noon or so Sunday. We loved it.
In retirement we leisurely roll out after church on Sunday and stay until Friday. If the site isn't booked for the weekend we stay longer if we want to. There are so many great state and federal campgrounds on the water they are never all full, and we use commercial CGs as needed for fill in. We've visited old friends and family that we haven't seen in years. We've been out 57 days this year and it would have been more if the new to us house closing had been earlier. We have 2 months booked for 2018 and will probably double that at least.
Enjoy the journey as well as the destination and you will be fine. Buy used for the first one so that you get the feel of exactly what you want before you plop down the big bucks for the perfect one. Have a great time with all of it.

If you are retired you have a lot more flexibility to escape the crowds than those caught in the rat race.
If you are able to travel at off peak times and not caught with the weekend crowds with M-F workers you will enjoy more availability.

In addition to "go where they ain't", I'd suggest "go WHEN they ain't". My wife and I use our camper primarily before Memorial Day and after Labor Day. Not by design, it's just worked out that way. We've been to very popular places and it's been empty. For example, Cape Cod empties out after Labor Day. Forget the RV part, but you typically can't move around on the cape during the summer. It's just as beautiful off season as it is in season, and that's just one example.

The downside, of course, is if you want a summer destination, it may not be as appealing to you in the off season.

TomG2 wrote:
I love travel trailers, but they are not quite as suited to spontaneous travel and camping as something like a Class B or Truck Camper. Travel trailers require much more parking space for a museum visit, for instance.

There is still lots of open space out West. One tip is to simply "Go where they ain't". In other words. Don't expect to get a great spot at a popular park over a holiday. Visit a few weeks before or after the rush.

Also, make sure that you can dry camp for a couple of nights in your new camper in case the park is full and you have to park in overflow while waiting for a spot. That also allows you to enjoy some boondocking or dispersed camping. Have fun and welcome to the party. It is still great.

We all have our opinions I guess. We have been rv’ing over 30 years and still love it as much, or more, than ever. Well said by above post that using common sense will help. If you don’t have to be in the main crowd on a big holiday, you will be fine. Some nights we have no plan and park wherever we can find. For long, preplanned stays, yes we book a few months ahead. Get off the beaten path, avoid interstates when possible, and you will be fine.

If you think rv’ing is a crowded way to travel try hotels.

I love travel trailers, but they are not quite as suited to spontaneous travel and camping as something like a Class B or Truck Camper. Travel trailers require much more parking space for a museum visit, for instance.

There is still lots of open space out West. One tip is to simply "Go where they ain't". In other words. Don't expect to get a great spot at a popular park over a holiday. Visit a few weeks before or after the rush.

Also, make sure that you can dry camp for a couple of nights in your new camper in case the park is full and you have to park in overflow while waiting for a spot. That also allows you to enjoy some boondocking or dispersed camping. Have fun and welcome to the party. It is still great.

I would say yes to your question, but what we did to solve it for us is to buy our own RV lot.
We traveled all around the country and in Alaska and then about fifteen years ago decided to snow bird in the Florida Keys.
It was fairly easy to get a spot in the state parks back then, but then it got increasingly harder until it reached the point that you had to be on the NET at 8:00 AM eleven months in advance.
Four years ago we found a deal that we couldn't refuse on a Rv lot in Key Largo in a condominium style RV park, and we are now happy campers, and never have to worry about having a spot to come to.
In addition we can rent it out when we are not there and one thing that I never realized was the fact that it is a fantastic investment.
We get several contacts from realtors a years that have perspective buyers if we want to sell.

Jack L

I think it's just a matter of opinion. Crowded RV parks are not enjoyable to me. Others will think it makes the experience more enjoyable.
But, packed full RV parks are enjoyable to the CG owners.

If you go to a totally empty CG and get an out of the way site, the next day someone will be parked next to you. Even if the rest of the CG is empty. Some must be close to other people, even when camping.

Some don't follow common sense when it comes to etiquette at the CG and it ruins the experience for other campers.
Many realize obnoxious neighbors are part of the camping experience and deal with it while smiling and shaking their head.

That's the nice part about RVing. If you don't like the neighbors or the view, you can pack up and move.

I don't think it's less enjoyable. I do think it's more popular.

Before you buy a TT, consider renting one for a couple weekends.
The only real way to determine if it's enjoyable to you is to try it and not take the word of others.
RVing isn't for everyone. But, neither is motorcycling, bicycling, flying, boating, etc..

You're approaching RVing the right way. Ask a lot of questions before you buy one.
Enjoy your search and use it as a learning experience.