RV and Camping interest is rising

[holstein13]

I just did a search on Google Trends for RV and Camping and the results are interesting.

Looks like folks are searching for RV and Camping terms as much as they did prior to 2008. Could the industry be back to the glory days?

Selected Manufacturers

[holstein13]

Jimbow-USAF Ret. wrote:
We have been traveling quite a bit the last couple of years and it seems like there is an increase RVing. My problem is not the availability of sites but the quality. We are at a campground in Pigeon Forge TN that has made sites that you can't get level in them. The sites have been constructed on hills with just gravel added, no concern for level. It would have been so easy to just dig into the hill, level the ground and construct a wall out of masonry or timbers. I sometimes wonder if campground owners have ever camped in their lives.

I agree, somewhat, but retaining walls are expensive. They are also an accident waiting to happen when someone drives into or over one.

[Jimbow-USAF_Ret]

We have been traveling quite a bit the last couple of years and it seems like there is an increase RVing. My problem is not the availability of sites but the quality. We are at a campground in Pigeon Forge TN that has made sites that you can't get level in them. The sites have been constructed on hills with just gravel added, no concern for level. It would have been so easy to just dig into the hill, level the ground and construct a wall out of masonry or timbers. I sometimes wonder if campground owners have ever camped in their lives.

[georgem2106]

Seeing more and more of them. Even saw a 1977 Scottie this weekend. It was restored and actually looked new.

[burlmart]

we have noticed more smallTVs and TTs locally over last couple yrs. not an overwelming amount, though.

are any of you folks observing a noticeable increase in smallish TVs and TTs in your travels?

[mlts22]

It sucks either way. More people out there, the more clods doing stupid stuff causing parks to get shut down or new rules made. However, when gas is high and the economy is in the black tank, parks are the first thing to get defunded.

[burlmart]

i am having trouble interpreting OP's links. looks like forest river and jayco are increasing more than airstream and winnie. fr and jayco have a lot of small and/or liteweight TTs.

i heard rpods were the top selling small TT. they sure have a large assortment of floorplans that would attest to this (marketers know to make a hot product fit as many tastes as possible).

crossover utility vehicles (CUVs) are VERT popular and they all tout ther towing abilities.

for those who have been doing lots of RV traveling lately, have you detected a marked increase in the presence of CUVs towing small TTs and popups?

[OFDPOS]

Too bad they couldn't mandate some kind of etiquette written test people/families had to pass before being able to purchase said RV..
This new age of its all about me and $%^# everybody else attitudes...

I know wishful thinking ...

[dewey02]

Post deleted..

[garmp]

RAS43:
X2 on the good news/bad news. We just returned from our favorite state park and did some trout fishing. We had to make reservations a couple of months ago for Sunday thru Friday. Weekends are totally booked. We used to bop down there when ever we felt like and had our choice of sites. Those days are gone.

[RAS43]

The news is good/not so good depending on circumstances. For the RV builders and campground owners it is great news. Also, new RV owners are enjoying a new adventure. For those like us who have been RVing/camping for over 40 years we have mixed feelings. Up until a few years ago we could go almost anytime except maybe on a weekend without a reservation. Parks were never full. Now we need to think weeks ahead and make a reservation and if we want to enjoy our state parks we need to think months ahead. We just returned from a 1300 mile trip to Wyoming and Montana and needed reservations at every stop except one and there we got the last spot, on a Sunday evening. Most year around private campgrounds we have visited this year had a large population of permanent residents. That's good for campground owners and for the residents as I know how expensive housing is in many areas. I realize that people need a place to live but living in a campground permanently is something I never thought I'd see when I started out. Other RV'ers we know have experienced the same thing.
And please, those who will say dry camp to get away I say that we have done that for many years on a fishing trip and even there the crowds have grown and our regular spot must now be reserved!

[JiminDenver]

What I can add is the lack of storage lots out here. I was speaking with the owner of the lot we use and he wishes he had bought land in the slow down to put in another 400 spaces.

[Laman]

I know in my travels in the Southeast this year I have noticed a surprising number of brand new RV's particularly 5th wheels. Going up and down I-75 it is the same way lots of new RV's with reservations also harder to get in the more popular state parks.

[RobertRyan]

pkunk wrote:
Hey, you're on the wrong side of the road!

Puts a little thrill into Old Age:)

[RavenNS]

garmp1 wrote:
Yup! The Boomers have hit the roads. And I/we are living proof!
Travel on!

I think a good portion are the boomer's babies. We are just getting into our mid 40s and that means credit becomes plentiful 😄