Campground Descriptions ~ Just Thinking

[Devonm2012]

We live fulltime on the road and so far have visited 22 or 23 states. Having a wonderful time. However, as I was walking the campground this morning, drinking my coffee, I began to wonder "When does the campground description go from stretching the truth to something more like a lie?" I am not going to name the park we are in, as I am not posting a complaint, just thinking aloud.

This campground advertises itself as a "Luxury Resort". Now, I know we have all stayed at luxury resorts. We have stayed at lots of them. We don't necessarily search them out, but if we come across one, we like to stay. Buckhorn outside of San Antonio, Bella Terra in Foley, AL, Crown Villa in Bend, OR, Portal RV Resort in UT, etc. This place has NO paved roads, lots of dust, sites are fairly close, have seen many large rigs with front tires off the ground, you have to pay to use the showers, the Internet is basically non-existent (even close to the office), the pool is not heated, staff not knowledgeable nor very friendly, etc. Again, this is a decent little campground but, in our opinion, not even close to being a resort and most certainly not a "luxury resort".

Just find this very interesting. Please don't slam on me ~ I am just thinking aloud here and we are happy with our site.

[Devonm2012]

Mr.Mark wrote:

2gypsies wrote:

rockhillmanor wrote:

Devonm2012 wrote:

Popsie wrote:
One tactic that works for us is to leave around 9 am, then drive for four or five hours.

We have possible places in mind, and when we get to the first one, we park and walk around to check the place out. If it doesn't suit us, we move on down the road. We almost always can find a decent place for a reasonable price by the end of the day.

In planning the possible places to stay, we use RVParkReviews, mapping programs and their satellite views, and a number of web sites.

One factor in choosing candidate parks/campgrounds is "why are we going to stop at that place?" We like to drive one day, then stop for a few days or weeks. The places of interest available in the area are usually more important than the parking place amenities.

Oh my......we are booked months in advance. I would have a stroke if we did not have a reservation long in advance! We are big, and tow a car, and just would never want to not know we had a place reserved. Now, we have left after one night, if a must, but can't imagine just hitting the road with no place confirmed. Just doesn't work for us. I am a planner, planner, planner and need to know point A and point B. Just how I am.

You need to lighten up and live a little! :B
4 years on the road full timing and counting and I have NEVER made a reservation. I have a big MH AND towing also and have never had a problem finding a CG to park for the night. Whether it be 3 in the afternoon, 6 or 8 at night when I decided to come off the road. Heck one time I pulled into a CG midnight! :C

Count us in with a 40' motorhome and towed vehicle and not making reservations. Flipping the coin, we can't imagine having reservations that far out!! Where's the adventure and flexibility? Everyone is definitely different. Our way works for us.

Well, count us in on the group that doesn't make regular reservations. We will make 'destination' reservations, especially, if that destination is in high demand. Otherwise, when we get on the road and about 2 hrs. before we stop, we start looking in the Woodall's book to see what is available in any particular area. Sometimes we can't find a place which is very rare.

We had a problem once finding a place near Denver and stayed south of the city. The south area was average (not the best part of town) but the park was great!

I read rvparkreviews on a regular basis but take the highest and lowest points with a skeptical eye. There is always the 'lunatic fringe' that will post one way or the other. I look at what they have to say and weigh it against the other reviews.

MM.

I know that works for many, but just not for us. I was not that way before retirement and have no plans being that way after retirement. Yes, we alter and/or cancel some if we change plans, but I just need that comfort of knowing we have a reservation. It is just how I am wired. Why waste energy changing something that doesn't bother me? We only drive 3-4 hours, never arrive after dark and always try and miss heavy traffic times. We leave by 9 or 10 and arrive by 2. We are set up and relaxing by happy hour!

[J-Rooster]

I've only seen one luxury RV Resort so far in my RV travels (since 1976) and it was in Palm Springs and it rented for $4,500.00 per month. I'm sure there is more like that I just haven't seen them yet!

[Mr_Mark1]

2gypsies wrote:

rockhillmanor wrote:

Devonm2012 wrote:

Popsie wrote:
One tactic that works for us is to leave around 9 am, then drive for four or five hours.

We have possible places in mind, and when we get to the first one, we park and walk around to check the place out. If it doesn't suit us, we move on down the road. We almost always can find a decent place for a reasonable price by the end of the day.

In planning the possible places to stay, we use RVParkReviews, mapping programs and their satellite views, and a number of web sites.

One factor in choosing candidate parks/campgrounds is "why are we going to stop at that place?" We like to drive one day, then stop for a few days or weeks. The places of interest available in the area are usually more important than the parking place amenities.

Oh my......we are booked months in advance. I would have a stroke if we did not have a reservation long in advance! We are big, and tow a car, and just would never want to not know we had a place reserved. Now, we have left after one night, if a must, but can't imagine just hitting the road with no place confirmed. Just doesn't work for us. I am a planner, planner, planner and need to know point A and point B. Just how I am.

You need to lighten up and live a little! :B
4 years on the road full timing and counting and I have NEVER made a reservation. I have a big MH AND towing also and have never had a problem finding a CG to park for the night. Whether it be 3 in the afternoon, 6 or 8 at night when I decided to come off the road. Heck one time I pulled into a CG midnight! :C

Count us in with a 40' motorhome and towed vehicle and not making reservations. Flipping the coin, we can't imagine having reservations that far out!! Where's the adventure and flexibility? Everyone is definitely different. Our way works for us.

Well, count us in on the group that doesn't make regular reservations. We will make 'destination' reservations, especially, if that destination is in high demand. Otherwise, when we get on the road and about 2 hrs. before we stop, we start looking in the Woodall's book to see what is available in any particular area. Sometimes we can't find a place which is very rare.

We had a problem once finding a place near Denver and stayed south of the city. The south area was average (not the best part of town) but the park was great!

I read rvparkreviews on a regular basis but take the highest and lowest points with a skeptical eye. There is always the 'lunatic fringe' that will post one way or the other. I look at what they have to say and weigh it against the other reviews.

MM.

[wallynm]

Use Google Earth to look at the RV Park.

bertnspike wrote:
There are no pictures at www.rvparkreviews.com. If you saw pictures you went to the park's website through the link on the rvparkreviews' site. The park can say or do anything they want. It has nothing to do with rvparkreviews, which is completely independent, accepts no money from anyone anywhere, and is completely run by volunteers.

[2gypsies1]

rockhillmanor wrote:

Devonm2012 wrote:

Popsie wrote:
One tactic that works for us is to leave around 9 am, then drive for four or five hours.

We have possible places in mind, and when we get to the first one, we park and walk around to check the place out. If it doesn't suit us, we move on down the road. We almost always can find a decent place for a reasonable price by the end of the day.

In planning the possible places to stay, we use RVParkReviews, mapping programs and their satellite views, and a number of web sites.

One factor in choosing candidate parks/campgrounds is "why are we going to stop at that place?" We like to drive one day, then stop for a few days or weeks. The places of interest available in the area are usually more important than the parking place amenities.

Oh my......we are booked months in advance. I would have a stroke if we did not have a reservation long in advance! We are big, and tow a car, and just would never want to not know we had a place reserved. Now, we have left after one night, if a must, but can't imagine just hitting the road with no place confirmed. Just doesn't work for us. I am a planner, planner, planner and need to know point A and point B. Just how I am.

You need to lighten up and live a little! :B
4 years on the road full timing and counting and I have NEVER made a reservation. I have a big MH AND towing also and have never had a problem finding a CG to park for the night. Whether it be 3 in the afternoon, 6 or 8 at night when I decided to come off the road. Heck one time I pulled into a CG midnight! :C

Count us in with a 40' motorhome and towed vehicle and not making reservations. Flipping the coin, we can't imagine having reservations that far out!! Where's the adventure and flexibility? Everyone is definitely different. Our way works for us.

[msmith1199]

rockhillmanor wrote:

Devonm2012 wrote:

Popsie wrote:
One tactic that works for us is to leave around 9 am, then drive for four or five hours.

We have possible places in mind, and when we get to the first one, we park and walk around to check the place out. If it doesn't suit us, we move on down the road. We almost always can find a decent place for a reasonable price by the end of the day.

In planning the possible places to stay, we use RVParkReviews, mapping programs and their satellite views, and a number of web sites.

One factor in choosing candidate parks/campgrounds is "why are we going to stop at that place?" We like to drive one day, then stop for a few days or weeks. The places of interest available in the area are usually more important than the parking place amenities.

Oh my......we are booked months in advance. I would have a stroke if we did not have a reservation long in advance! We are big, and tow a car, and just would never want to not know we had a place reserved. Now, we have left after one night, if a must, but can't imagine just hitting the road with no place confirmed. Just doesn't work for us. I am a planner, planner, planner and need to know point A and point B. Just how I am.

You need to lighten up and live a little! :B
4 years on the road full timing and counting and I have NEVER made a reservation. I have a big MH AND towing also and have never had a problem finding a CG to park for the night. Whether it be 3 in the afternoon, 6 or 8 at night when I decided to come off the road. Heck one time I pulled into a CG midnight! :C

I had a friend at work that was just like this. She had a 5th wheel and whenever they left the house she had the entire trip planned out down the minute with reservations for every night. I rented a motorhome back then for 10 days. We live in the middle of California. I literally got to the freeway before deciding if we were heading north or south. Did the same thing each day of the trip. When I told my friend at work about this she thought I was just plain crazy. It upset her to even think that I would do that on vacation. 🙂

[Geocritter]

bertnspike wrote:

grandpalarry wrote:
We have been fulltime for a year now and are dissapointed in the quality of some parks we come across on a few of the review sites, I wonder if some of the posts are done by the owners themselves.
We were at one that when we went to check rvparkreviews the pictures were wonderful, on par, right up there with the reviews, 4 star.
The park was a mess, because I paid up front we stayed.
During our stay I was talking with the owners and they produced a scrapbook, the pictures at rvparkreview were 14 years old, right after the Resort opened.

There are no pictures at www.rvparkreviews.com. If you saw pictures you went to the park's website through the link on the rvparkreviews' site. The park can say or do anything they want. It has nothing to do with rvparkreviews, which is completely independent, accepts no money from anyone anywhere, and is completely run by volunteers.

While in college in the late 1960’s I lived in a 12 wide trailer with two roommates adjacent to and maybe 30’-40’ from the IL Central RR tracks. There was a switchyard north of town and many times the trains would be busy building up speed when they’d come by my trailer. You get 4 to 5 train engines pouring on power while pulling over 100 box cars and the noise was deafening. One night a friend’s parent’s motel reservation got screwed up and they were left without a room. My roommates were out of town so I offered my them a room in the trailer. About 1:00am, as a train was rumbling past, I was awakened by the most horrific screaming and yelling. It turns out the man was a concentration camp survivor and the train awakened him and caused him to have a flashback, very sad.

Steve

[rockhillmanor]

Devonm2012 wrote:

Popsie wrote:
One tactic that works for us is to leave around 9 am, then drive for four or five hours.

We have possible places in mind, and when we get to the first one, we park and walk around to check the place out. If it doesn't suit us, we move on down the road. We almost always can find a decent place for a reasonable price by the end of the day.

In planning the possible places to stay, we use RVParkReviews, mapping programs and their satellite views, and a number of web sites.

One factor in choosing candidate parks/campgrounds is "why are we going to stop at that place?" We like to drive one day, then stop for a few days or weeks. The places of interest available in the area are usually more important than the parking place amenities.

Oh my......we are booked months in advance. I would have a stroke if we did not have a reservation long in advance! We are big, and tow a car, and just would never want to not know we had a place reserved. Now, we have left after one night, if a must, but can't imagine just hitting the road with no place confirmed. Just doesn't work for us. I am a planner, planner, planner and need to know point A and point B. Just how I am.

You need to lighten up and live a little! :B
4 years on the road full timing and counting and I have NEVER made a reservation. I have a big MH AND towing also and have never had a problem finding a CG to park for the night. Whether it be 3 in the afternoon, 6 or 8 at night when I decided to come off the road. Heck one time I pulled into a CG midnight! :C

[Devonm2012]

lizzie wrote:
The OP's question is very timely. This summer we found that a blow-up kiddie pool made a CG a "resort". lizzie

Cracked me up! We realized that this luxury resort does not even provide air conditioning in their restrooms/showers. It is warm here today, and much more coming, and it is like a sauna in those buildings. You walk in and instantly start to sweat. Again, would expect that at a state park or something, but not a luxury resort.

[Devonm2012]

Popsie wrote:
One tactic that works for us is to leave around 9 am, then drive for four or five hours.

We have possible places in mind, and when we get to the first one, we park and walk around to check the place out. If it doesn't suit us, we move on down the road. We almost always can find a decent place for a reasonable price by the end of the day.

In planning the possible places to stay, we use RVParkReviews, mapping programs and their satellite views, and a number of web sites.

One factor in choosing candidate parks/campgrounds is "why are we going to stop at that place?" We like to drive one day, then stop for a few days or weeks. The places of interest available in the area are usually more important than the parking place amenities.

Oh my......we are booked months in advance. I would have a stroke if we did not have a reservation long in advance! We are big, and tow a car, and just would never want to not know we had a place reserved. Now, we have left after one night, if a must, but can't imagine just hitting the road with no place confirmed. Just doesn't work for us. I am a planner, planner, planner and need to know point A and point B. Just how I am.

[bertnspike]

grandpalarry wrote:
We have been fulltime for a year now and are dissapointed in the quality of some parks we come across on a few of the review sites, I wonder if some of the posts are done by the owners themselves.
We were at one that when we went to check rvparkreviews the pictures were wonderful, on par, right up there with the reviews, 4 star.
The park was a mess, because I paid up front we stayed.
During our stay I was talking with the owners and they produced a scrapbook, the pictures at rvparkreview were 14 years old, right after the Resort opened.

There are no pictures at www.rvparkreviews.com. If you saw pictures you went to the park's website through the link on the rvparkreviews' site. The park can say or do anything they want. It has nothing to do with rvparkreviews, which is completely independent, accepts no money from anyone anywhere, and is completely run by volunteers.

[msmith1199]

Redfox11 wrote:
I also use park review and then I like to check the park out on Google Earth, found more than one park next to train tracks or at the end of the airport runway.

There is an RV park in Pismo Beach that has a row of spaces that backs up to the train tracks. I had stayed in the park a couple of times, but never in that row, and the train noise was not all that bad. I went to stay there about a year or so ago and the lady warned me that the only space available backed up to the tracks. I figured no problem, the other spaces where I've stayed were about 100 feet away and the noise wasn't that bad. The space I took was probably less than 20 feet from the tracks and it's a back in so my bedroom is right there by the tracks. I tell you what, when that freight train came through at 2am I thought it was the end of the world! It sounded like the thing had jumped the tracks and was crashing all around me and I figured at any second I was going to be crushed with a box car. The motorhome was shaking and bouncing up and down and the noise was crazy. But the train passed and it hadn't crashed at all. Never again will I park that close to railroad tracks.

[Redfox11]

I also use park review and then I like to check the park out on Google Earth, found more than one park next to train tracks or at the end of the airport runway.

[lizzie]

The OP's question is very timely. This summer we found that a blow-up kiddie pool made a CG a "resort". lizzie

[xctraveler]

We seldom pay for more than one night when we arrive. That leaves us free to move on if the train tracks are too close or the neighbors to noisy. We also don't plan far ahead except when visiting our children in LA. The options are too limited there and we know where we will be staying.

I hate to pay for amenities we won't use, pool, fishing pond, golf course, etc. To me resort is just another way of saying campground, and luxury adds a pool and bucks. Review sites are helpful if we have grandkids with us and we are less flexible.