How much should a night of camping cost?

[pk1023]

Okay all, I pose that question to you. Now, I am talking about trailer camping, electric at least and more than likely water.

We live in Hamilton County, Indiana. It's a quite wealthy set of towns north of Indy. There's a campground here that is SUPER nice with 100 paved spots, on a river with nicely maintained everything. They charge 20 bucks a night for county residents.

I am starting to think that my tax dollars are paying for camping that I JUST started to use 2 years ago.

Now, the Walnut Ridge RV dealer in New Castle has a campsite, they charge 37 dollars a night. This blows me away a bit. Real Estate in New Castle was probably MUCH cheaper than Noblesville, even though the site here is in a flood plain.

But, I just think about 37 bucks and I try to parse out the costs to run and what the profit is. Is there really 17 dollars more overhead at Walnut Ridge? But, that can't be all profit either, no way.

What's the breakdown do you all think?

[atperci]

Most are correct about the cost of California State Parks, one thing I didnt see mentioned is that most SP don't have hook uos of any type.Everything is expensive out here. I was making reservations for next month at South Carlsbad State Beach in North San Diego County and saw they now have 8 FHU sites. I was appalled they are asking $100/night for a non-front row site! And they want $120/night for a cliff-side site!! At a state park!!!

Now I'm somewhat used to the prices we have to pay living in this great state, but this is highway robbery! This campground isn't even ON the beach, its on a 75 foot cliff overlooking the beach.

Talking about KOA prices, the north San Francisco KOA (I love how they name closest big city, even though its +35 miles away) asks more than $100 on some weekends. Yes, we got suckered into that once.

Ok, that's my rant. This is probably why we have gone to Oregon the state parks are cheaper and most have at least H2O and Elec. That's a luxury! Can't wait to explore the rest of the country and enjoy all those cheap places to camp!!!

[pitch]

I have found that for the way we travel,lodging and fuel costs alone about a dollar per mile. That is exclusive of anything else.

[whiteeye42]

it does not cost me a dime to camp because i don't go the full hook up campgrounds i always boondock

[coast2coast2016]

Hello all,

I'm a newbie on RVs and also chilean. I'm planning a San Francisco-Miami holiday trip next summer, renting an RV for 20+ days, 5 adults, we want to hire a C class.

RVs are not common in Chile, so I just know how to drive one(Well... a truck).

I would really appreciate if someone could help me to understand the most cost-effective practices to:
a) Rent an RV that is picked-up at Florida and Left at California.
b) Stay in a legal, standard, clean campground.
c) Gas cost for a trip like that
d) I've seen lot's of RV clubs on the internet that ask for year suscriptions (Not expensive), I wonder if I should buy those cards and which are the main benefits(as I said, I don't know anything about it yet)
e) Is dump same as hydro? Do I get to clean my RV for the same price, or is it an extra?
f) The planned route is the one I share on the link: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=zAMw7Pdkx8nA.kO1LK5OdB-1M, do you think it's a good road for starters? Would you suggest to change itinerary?
g) Anything else I should be concerned about?

Thanks a lot

[2gypsies1]

You can look forward to getting your Senior Pass then use campgrounds at 1/2 price. 🙂 That's our favorite way.

Or use Passport America. There are ways of cutting down on costs.

[Veebyes]

Location, location, location coupled with the available ammenities, whether you use them or not.

Mt DW just about goes ballistic if she see anything over $40.

Sorry, don't need the pool. Have wonderful beaches at home. Can hear the ocean from our house 24/7. Don't want to play putt putt golf. Do want a picnic table & a fire ring. Don't need water or sewer either but power would be nice.

[Bird_Freak]

Dog Folks wrote:

fla-gypsy wrote:
Destination areas will be much higher. Disney charges upward to $100 a night as well as some of the parks in the Fl Keys. We have state parks in Fl that now charge in the $40+ range

Not saying you are wrong. The highest Florida State Park fees that I always knew of were in the Keys at $36.00 per night.

Which parks are over $40.00? (I want to make sure I avoid them.)

Topsail Hill, Santa Rosa beach is $42.00 Love the place but it is getting a little much for a state park.

[wbwood]

fla-gypsy wrote:
Destination areas will be much higher. Disney charges upward to $100 a night as well as some of the parks in the Fl Keys. We have state parks in Fl that now charge in the $40+ range

Yep...We have a state park that has water and electric only and it's $25/night to include the reservation fee. The sites are paved and it's our favorite state park. There is another state park that is 5 minutes from us. The istes are paved, but not level one bit. There are no hook ups and it's not as nice as the other one, $20/night. We've never stayed anywhere for less than $20/night. We've stayed in places up to $75/night. There's a wide variety of what you get. Just remember than county, state and other government parks are subsidized by taxes.

[frankdamp]

Ten years ago, a typical State Park was $10 a night and KOA was $20. These days, SPs are $28 - $35 and KOA's are pushing $50. We stayed at a "resort" in WA last season that was $65!

That******and $4.00 gas is why we bagged it.

[jrobert88]

Hi everybody! This is my first time posting to the forum. The cost of nightly stays is interesting to me. I'm trying to figure out a way to make an all-access pass for year-round camping and could use some feedback. If this interests you, please give me feedback by answering a few quick questions!

https://roverpass.wufoo.com/forms/how-do-you-go-camping/

Thanks!

[Newbienac]

DogFolks -- I live in Tallahassee and have family in Hollywood who have stayed in just about every State Park up through Georgia. There are "plenty" of parks and RV "Resorts" over $40.00 per night. In fact, south of Orlando I'd venture to guess without confirming with my family, than a good portion is on average of $40-60 per night. The closer to Disney/Key West and even some spots on the east coast are that much.

In fact, I was disappointed just how expensive RV camping really is in Florida, even with Passport America's discount. It appears P/A is geared to the high-end "Resorts" with all the bells and whistles...

Beth

[wbwood]

mlts22 wrote:
Sometimes camping helps amortize the cost of a rig:

Trailer + Generator -- $14,000
sell price, 80% of NADA low, 8,000.
Cost per night, $0 due to being part of a festival's cast.
Total nights camped: 120

Cost per night: $50.

Of course, if you add food, supplies, and other stuff, it goes up from there, but it is well under the rates that local hotels/motels charge. Last weekend, people were paying $300 a night for a RV park spot, so all things considered, my travel trailer is cheaper than a hotel in a lot of ways.

Of course, when I trade in the TT for a motorhome, all bets are off.

Don't forget to add the cost of the gas for the truck to tow it, it's depreciation, upkeep, etc.

[tatest]

Campgrounds, RV parks, resorts are all different things, with different cost structures, and in some cases, tax supported subsidies. Then there is the value of land, demand driven.

On the Great Plains, particularly where land is not arable, at best pasture, I expect to pay $5-18for a spot in a public CG or RV parking lot, though some are free for on overnight stop. $12-30 for a RV park depending on amenities, and whether or not it is lakefront property.

Put that out in an Illinois cornfield, it will be maybe 50% higher, in my experience, and you can double that again if you put ir oceanfront or on or near property of a major resort destination or theme park. Prices go sky high when you try to put a RV park on million dollar an acre land, such locations are thus extremely rare, when a parking space is over $100 a day you start thinking pretty hard about that $200 hotel room right in the middle of where you want to be vs the hour or two of commuting.

Just as I can buy the same hotel room for $60 in one town or $300 in another, it is going to cost depending on where you are.

Even where land prices are generally modest, the RV park within sigtht of an Interstate Highway exit will be about twice as expensive as one 15-20 miles off the highway on county roads. Exits create their own land value hot spots.

My choices, both where I choose to travel and where I choose o stay, mean I budget about $30 a night for a place to park to RV for overnight, but $8 to $20 for camping, because I usually camp in campgrounds on reservoirs, not at full service RV parks, which I prefer when traveling.

[mlts22]

Sometimes camping helps amortize the cost of a rig:

Trailer + Generator -- $14,000
sell price, 80% of NADA low, 8,000.
Cost per night, $0 due to being part of a festival's cast.
Total nights camped: 120

Cost per night: $50.

Of course, if you add food, supplies, and other stuff, it goes up from there, but it is well under the rates that local hotels/motels charge. Last weekend, people were paying $300 a night for a RV park spot, so all things considered, my travel trailer is cheaper than a hotel in a lot of ways.

Of course, when I trade in the TT for a motorhome, all bets are off.

[Dog_Folks]

beemerphile1 wrote:
Here is a little different viewpoint.

Purchase a new RV in spring 2014 for $20,000
Camp for two weeks vacation and several weekends for a total of 20 nights
Spring 2015 the RV is now worth $14,000
Cost per night = $300

Kind of makes the $20 to $40 per night fees seem pretty inexpensive, doesn't it? :B

You just have to camp more to reduce the per night cost! :B:B:B