Two night stay requirement

[breeves2245]

I'm getting frustrated with this two night weekend stay requirement.

I'm new to camping and it seems all the places I'm am deciding to try whether they are US Forestry, COE and especially State Parks, require a two night stay on the weekends. These are short trips and I do not want to stay two nights. Looks like the only way around it is to pay for two and leave after one night or take a vacation day on Friday and book Thursday night.

All these locations are at a lake, that is my primary reason for going is to fish new lakes but have no desire to stay until Sunday and get home with a half day to get ready for the work week.

[4x4van]

Many campgrounds have the 2 night minimum on weekends and/or during their peak season, especially at preferred locations. The reality is that a 1-night stay is actually less than 1 day. With a 2pm check-in time Saturday and a 10am checkout time Sunday, that gives you just 20 hours. 8 hours of sleep right in the middle leaves just 12 hours (6 & 6) to setup camp, enjoy, and tear down camp. Not worth the trip for many, especially if they are traveling very far. Paying for that extra night (Fri), even if you don't come in Friday night, allows you to come in early on Saturday morning, giving you the entire day to camp/relax.

As for an overnight while traveling long distances; there are many options for a quick overnight stay without "camping", particularly if during the week.

[drsteve]

DW and I are both retired, and we solve this problem by camping midweek.

[2gypsies1]

Johno02 wrote:
We just got back in from a site that we stayed in for five months, full hookup, for free, courtesy of our National Park Service.

So where'd you volunteer? 🙂

[BB_TX]

I think the two night weekend minimum is great at lake and park type destination campgrounds. One night Fridays or one night Saturdays can lock out people looking for the 2 or 3 night weekend stays most people look for. We are retired and flexible. But those still in the working world have less options.

[midnightsadie]

good old wal mart.

[Johno02]

Cause I might be dead by then... Or, be under medical treatment, and have DR. appointments (which as about as hard to get as campsites), or have home emergencies. Not having a regular job obligation any more, we have no idea where we will be or what we will be doing a year from now. But, we do have some reservations for campsites that are a year out, that are planned. One campground that we are booked at, all campsites are booked a year out, usually within a day of whenever reservations open.
We just got back in from a site that we stayed in for five months, full hookup, for free, courtesy of our National Park Service.

[k9jadon]

I also understand this policy. If I can't find the dates I want I will not move sites mid stay, so I move on to the site, or CG that has the dates I want. I imagine a lot of campers feel the same, and this would leave many a site empty and unpaid for if a policy like this one was not implemented. However I could be wrong thinking that others have a similar feeling as I do about moving sites mid stay. I would however like some clarification from

Johno02 when he said:
"We are retired, and cannot plan where we will be a year for now."

Why?

[2gypsies1]

We stayed in national forest campgrounds all the time and never found a 2-night requirement. Of course, being that they're mostly in the boonies we never stayed for only one night. We were there for a purpose - to explore the area, not a quick drive-thru. Also, we didn't travel on Fri or Sat so we didn't make reservations... always got a site mid-week.

I guess if you need to travel on a Friday on your way to somewhere and want only one night the best thing to do is to stay at a parking lot enroute and leave early the next morning. We have also found that there are some very nice small-town city or county parks but on a Friday you'd have to get there early afternoon if you didn't have reservations.

[dodge_guy]

I’m always home and un loaded by noon on Sunday. Gives me time to relax, swim in the pool and barbecue.

[Tripalot]

I'm new to camping and it seems all the places I'm am deciding to try whether they are US Forestry, COE and especially State Parks, require a two night stay on the weekends. These are short trips and I do not want to stay two nights. Looks like the only way around it is to pay for two and leave after one night or take a vacation day on Friday and book Thursday night.

Being new - you might find that you really do want to stay 2 nights. Packing and unloading, no matter how simple you make it, is still a nuisance and work for just one sleep over. If you have a great site and are enjoying, you will want to stay as long as possible . (been there - done that!)

[catkins]

Most places at recreational destinations have a minimum stay in their high season unless you can contact and go in at the last minute. They want longer stays. (Albuquerque parks place a minumum three night stay at VERY inflated prices during the balloon Fiesta because they still rent all their spots.)

It is ALWAYS easy to get a one night advance reservation along the interstates and most larger highway. People are on the move and not staying put. Only exception may be in you are there during a special event.

RVers cannot control the rules that states/commercial parks impose. You simply may need to look elsewhere for your one night stays. We can control where we spend out money................

[Grit_dog]

Lol, some of the things that people get wrapped around the wheel on....
Been that way forever, lots of places. During busy season renting a site for only one night, if it’s a reserved site, pretty much 100% means half the revenue for that site every weekend.
Your process of using Fri night for a sleepover spot then vacating Sat morning is not the norm and the rules/system are set up to maximize revenue and availability.

[SoundGuy]

Johno02 wrote:
Many of us are campaigning for minumum three day weekend reservations. We are retired, and cannot plan where we will be a year for now.

Good reason to camp during the week when sites are generally quite easy to get, even during the summer. 🙂 It's a good reason also for owning a shorter rather than longer rig, as the shorter it is the greater will be suitably sized sites available. 😉 Set your rig up for dry camping when electric sites aren't available and your chances of getting a site will be even better. :B

[SoundGuy]

medic868 wrote:
So .... I'm traveling 1250 miles one way to visit my daughter this summer.
Should I have to pay for 2 nights to only stay one along the way?

If a 2-nt minimum happens to be the policy of the campground where you choose to stay, sure. Your reason for being there isn't anyone else's problem, certainly not the campground's, why should they change policy just for you? :h If you don't like it travel during the week when you're less likely to run into 2-nt minimums.

[Old-Biscuit]

breeves2245 wrote:
I'm getting frustrated with this two night weekend stay requirement.

I'm new to camping and it seems all the places I'm am deciding to try whether they are US Forestry, COE and especially State Parks, require a two night stay on the weekends. These are short trips and I do not want to stay two nights. Looks like the only way around it is to pay for two and leave after one night or take a vacation day on Friday and book Thursday night.

All these locations are at a lake, that is my primary reason for going is to fish new lakes but have no desire to stay until Sunday and get home with a half day to get ready for the work week.

Sounds like a 'normal' weekend for the working person
Go after work Friday night and return Sunday
What time Sunday is up to you.........early/crack of dawn or at normal check out time