Campgrounds for large families

[el_jefe1]

Finding a few other families here that are as large as mine it's got me wondering, where do the large families camp? I wonder if we could post some of our favorite campgrounds that don't charge an extra $5-$10 for each of the kids? Thinking a little bigger, some kind of online directory for where families such as ours can go would be useful to me, I wonder would it be of use to anyone else? Or does such a thing exist already?

I find a lot of camgrounds with a base rate of $50-$60, but that that only includes 2 or at most 4 kids. If I pay $5 per person over 4 kids, that's as much as $30 per night extra depending on how many we have with us for that trip. I do understand campgrounds wanting to keep large groups from getting a single site and packing it full, but we end up paying $80-$100 a night for just an average campground unless we do a lot of research ahead of time to find places that just let us park our big trailer full of our own kids on a site just like everyone else.

Anybody else run into this problem, or are we just so few and far between that it's only a couple of us that this kind of thing is a problem for?

And no, I'm not talking about "resort fees", though the term "resort" is often used quite generously by the campgrounds themselves. If there are extra amenities and things that are included that makes perfect sense. I'm willing to pay extra for those, paying for extra people is fair. I'm talking about your average run of the mill campground with a playground and maybe a pool who wants the extra $30 per night from us with no real added benefit, or to whom at least we are a negligible burden.

[valhalla360]

Try calling ahead and explain your situation. If they are legitimately your kids, I'm betting most will let it slide. The rule was meant for people who abuse the limits but most campgrounds are family friendly.

Unlikely that you will find a guide as families in excess of 4-6 are pretty rare, so unlikely someone bothered to put such a guide together.

Then again, if you compare it to a hotel where they would likely require 3 rooms at $100 (for a pretty basic hotel)....$100 for a campsite isn't so bad.

[doxiemom11]

Many forestry parks, corp of engineer, county, state parks have a 6- 8 person limit and I've seen others that do not count children under a certain age as extra people.

[accsys]

I think most "campgrounds" allow six or more people without extra charge, especially state or national parks. "RV Parks" on the other hand seldom do! Just my personal experience.

[Merrykalia]

Virginia State Parks policy is this:

All equipment must remain within the confines of the campsite without impacting the natural vegetation. Developed campsites can accommodate six people per site or all members of a household.

I know we have a family that camps at the campground where I camp host. There are 12 of them. They have a large van and pull a 28 ft camper. They are some of the nicest kids I have never met.

[MitchF150]

WA State Parks have an 8 person limit per site. No extra fee for the extra people, but if you have over 8, you have to get a second site.. Extra vehicles are $10/night

They also have "group camping" areas in a lot (not all) of the parks. These are usually no hookup sites, but also a little bit away from the main camp loops as well..

Good luck!

Mitch