Camping etiquette

[leggy]

We stayed this weekend at Allentown KOA. This is not a bad little campground except for almost all of the sites face each other. I understand the logistical end of doing this since it does give a bigger space between them. However, there is no privacy.
Even worse if the people across from you decide to have at least 30 people come to dinner. They moved 2 tables from other sites. We had people try to sit at our fire, in our chairs, a kid try to play with our sons toys on our table and even some lady ask me why I was sitting at my table. Apparently, she thought I was her husband.
After complaining, the owner did talk to them and they said they would be done in a half hour. An hour or so later it was down to ten or so.
Truly losing common sense and basic camping etiquette. Done ranting.

[DutchmenSport]

I think we've all experienced The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly when camping. That's the beauty of this lifestyle, you just never know what's going to happen next.

My wife use to get so uptight with her job, attempting to do it 100% perfect. When things went contrary, or sideways, or even out of control, she'd literally come unglued and fall apart.

I don't know how many times I told her, you've got to be like a fishing bobber. Regardless of how many waves come at, no matter how tall the waves are, no matter how low the water gets after the waves pass, no matter the color of the water, the depth of the water, the smell of the water, wether it's a rushing river or a calm lake, fresh or salt water, a fishing bobber always floats on top! Always. Just be a fishing bobber and keep floating on top and you'll be just fine. In other words, go with the flow and make the best of an uncomfortable situation, adapt, and keep happy.

It took her 30 years, but she finally made it!

When camping, things are always going to happen contrary to our own expectations. Be the bobber and just float along with all the manifold changes occurring around you. Add them to your experiences, and laugh about it when you are sitting in that nursing home some day.

[Walaby]

Just because someone doesn't want a party of thirty-some people right by their front door does not make them anti-social idiots. When I go camping, I prefer to either hang out by ourselves, or with our friends. Doesn't mean Im not friendly when walking around, and wave and say hi to folks as they walk by, but it also doesn't mean I want to spend hours talking to everyone I meet either.

It sounds like that KOA was just poorly designed. I don't see that as OP's fault, nor do I find it unreasonable that he would like and expect some level of privacy.

Even the RV resort I stay at periodically in Sarasota Fl, while all small spots, still provides some measure of "privacy". No ones doors are facing each other, and I don't have to worry about someone borrowing my picnic table, or whatever.

It's really not too much to ask for others to be respectful of boundaries. At least it used to not be too much. Now, I guess it is.

Mike

[Acampingwewillg]

westernrvparkowner wrote:
This isn't an issue of boondocking vs a commercial RV Park, it is an issue of a poorly designed and/or managed park. Having RVs park so that the door of one RV opens into the door of another RV is just plain wrong. It is customary for the area out your front door to be your area, not an area shared by another RV unless that area is unusually large. I don't mean 35 feet instead of 30, but something like a huge common area, say baseball field sized, where the RVs are parked around that area. Very uncommon to say the least. Sharing your front yard with a stranger in another RV is awkward at best. For that small shared yard to be occupied by 30 strangers is unacceptable to almost any RVer. The park should have done something to prevent it from happening. The OP took it much better than I would.

Not one to normally drop Park Names but I was put(with our traveling friends) in a site that was a "neighbor site", meaning facing one another. This particular one had room for a Volley ball tournament+++ between us. One of the best sites ever....OH, Red Rock Canyon in Idaho near Yellowstone.

[Airdaile]

I for one am getting pretty tired of the campground cult telling me how I should enjoy my recreation time. If you wouldn't be caught dead in a KOA, then why would you force that view on anyone else? Who are you to say what "camping" is? Is "camping" only BLM land off-grid in your TC? Try that in the east. Don't want to spend any money on an over night stay? Fine. Good luck with your full black tank searching for a free dump site. Everyone here has a different view of what they enjoy. STFU about what you think is the correct way to do it.

[mdcamping]

JRscooby wrote:
Campground? When I see "KOA" I think "RV park"

For me at least I don't look at KOA's as RV Parks, I look at them as a possible place to stay. I research them, and if the reviews are good and if the park fits our needs we will book it just like any other place. :C

Mike

[westernrvparkow]

This isn't an issue of boondocking vs a commercial RV Park, it is an issue of a poorly designed and/or managed park. Having RVs park so that the door of one RV opens into the door of another RV is just plain wrong. It is customary for the area out your front door to be your area, not an area shared by another RV unless that area is unusually large. I don't mean 35 feet instead of 30, but something like a huge common area, say baseball field sized, where the RVs are parked around that area. Very uncommon to say the least. Sharing your front yard with a stranger in another RV is awkward at best. For that small shared yard to be occupied by 30 strangers is unacceptable to almost any RVer. The park should have done something to prevent it from happening. The OP took it much better than I would.

[smarty]

Could have been far worse. Could have had the music blaring and a couple of construction grade gennies cranking...

[mdcamping]

JimK-NY wrote:
I can only wonder why anyone would stay at the Allentown KOA. Is this some sort of resort type camping? When I pass through the area, I stay for free at the Cabelas down the road in Hamburg.

Dorney Park is in the Allentown Area

Mike

[rickeoni]

I stayed in a sausage parking RV lot ONCE. There is a BIG difference between camping and RVing. My buddy only goes to RV parks that have full hookups, showers and a pool, we always dry camp or boondock. Many choices of where to camp/RV, if you don't like the atmosphere try something else, you might like it.

[ford_truck_guy]

bikendan wrote:
I saw two problems the OP made:

1. Going to a KOA
2. Going on a weekend

Both of these almost guarantee this kind of experience.

SOME of US still work and have NO CHOICE other than camp on weekends...

And unlike a bunch here, I have stayed in a few ( not many) KOA's and have not had a bad experience yet..

[bikendan]

I saw two problems the OP made:

1. Going to a KOA
2. Going on a weekend

Both of these almost guarantee this kind of experience.

[JAC1982]

Yeah I think the last place I'd go if I wanted some privacy and quiet is a KOA. Even if the sites are spread out more, they often attract families with kids who run around screaming all day. No thanks. KOAs serve their purpose for that type, or for a quick overnight stop.

[pitch]

Their is a major difference between a campground and an RV park. The commercial establishments that in my mind can be called "campgrounds"are few and far between.
I know I amtiltting at windmills,but my one wish is that you "holier than thou" anti paking lot Nazis could give it a rest. You are not impressing anyone but yourself.

[fj12ryder]

midnightsadie wrote:
when I camp I go some place where theres NO PEOPLE ,most camp grounds are like a coral .

Like the Great Barrier Reef?

[Acampingwewillg]

JimK-NY wrote:

Acampingwewillgo wrote:
Maybe I'm showing my age but I seem to remember a time, many, many years ago that both camping and RV'ing was a social activity. ....

I have been camping since I was a kid and never considered it to be a social activity. I go out into nature to enjoy nature, the beauty, the solitude, the wildlife and more, but certainly not noisy neighbors.

Guess you missed out on a lot of Fun then. You mean to say you never camped with a bunch of friends or have you been a loner your whole life? To each his own I suppose but I'm always neighborly whether your two feet away from my site or two hundred feet from my site. Guess you weren't a Boy Scout then...seems to me their campouts were quite Social when I was growing up and they taught you to be a Good neighbor.