What kind of camper are you?

[Searching_Ut]

Do you go to the same campgrounds most of the time, or do you try someplace new as much as possible?

Myself, living in a fantastic area for camping, and with both of us having jobs where we get 3 day weekends most weeks we try and hit a different campground every trip. They claim there are approximately 7000 developed campgrounds in the state. If you rule out tent only, boat access only, too small for our TT, no dogs allowed, or commercial RV parks in cities which we rarely utilize you still end up with well over 1000 campgrounds that are probably worth a visit. How are we ever going to hit them all, even if we stay within the state, which of course we don't.

It would be interesting to see how others like to camp. Do you like to explore, or do you prefer the comfort of what you know? Do you like the RV park sort of setup, or do you prefer boondocking/forest service sorts of areas where you get away from it all?

To start it out, we much prefer scenic areas, avoiding crowds as much as possible. As mentioned, we try to go someplace different every time out. The areas we seek out rarely have hookups, and are often in campgrounds with less than a dozen other campers, more often than not scattered around for privacy. This is what we love, but find that when heading out with our camping friends, most of them seem to seek the RV park, built up sorts of areas so we hit those sorts of places about a 3rd of the time.

What are your preferences?

[DutchmenSport]

Depends upon 2 factors: time and money!

When we lived in town, we primarily camped at one campground on week-ends because it was a county run campground, clean, cheap, and close to home. Ideal for week-ends. We still planned 3 or 4 week long trips in the summer and traveled to different states.

Then came the day the city said we could no longer park at our own house, so we threw the house up for sale, moved to a different county and for 3 years tried to get the house sold. Well, with 2 mortgages and then the last person who lived in the house did $45,000 worth of damage and never paid rent, and it took over a year to get him thrown out, that really put a halt on our camping.

Now we're over all that, still live in a different county, in the country where we have more privacy than any campground we've ever been to. Its hard to go back to any campground. But, this summer we're trying.

The little county run campground we use to love is now run by new management and different camp ground hosts and now we are truly out of county, so the "charm" of getting away from town is just no longer there. We've already got our own privacy and get-away right at home.

But, we are tredging forward! It was our goal several years ago to camp at every state park and state recreatiion area in Indiana before we're dead (call that our bucket list). So, to answer your question, we're still on the "trek" to visit every campgtround (state run) in Indiana.

We'll visit the little campground every no and then. Actually, we're going there next week-end with a small group from work who also have campers. But we're still focused on "every" state run campground in Indiana ... we'll reach that goal someday!

[bsinmich]

I don't think we would be considered campers either. We don't go to sit around a campfire, except for once a yar with family. We use the MH as our hotel when we are going to see things. We are hardly ever at the MH during daylight hours because we are out seeing something someplace. When we have covered an area we move on.

[fj12ryder]

We're not campers, we're RV'ers. I gave up camping when I got rid of the tent.

[deleted-2]

Utah "IS" just about the best place in the world for camping.
I'd go every week if I still lived there.

I remember buying all our camping stuff at Smith and Edwards
Grew up in Ogden so the canyon was always an easy destination.
Not to mention Southern ID and Wyoming were in the neighborhood.

The DW and myself are starting to develop a division of attitudes.
She want's close to a town for safety, security and television reception.
Me preference is to be as far from people as possible.

Still dirt campers at heart we just do it with modern conveniences.

[2edgesword]

We've only been camping for two years and at this point haven't stayed at the same campground twice, although that will change next month when we revisit Wildwood State Park. I'm also certain we are going to revisit Blydenburgh Park again just because it is so close to where we live and the cost is minimal.

Given we're relative newbies (although we have travel from NY to FL camping along the way) we've only scratch the surface of what is available in the immediate area so I anticipate we will be trying many new places in the years to come.

[RedSunshine]

We prefer state parks due to the large private, wooded sites most offer here in Wisconsin. Now that we have the bigger/taller fifth wheel, we're not as brave going to a campground without a test drive first. Every spring, for the last 3 or 4 years, we pick an area to explore, hop in the car with a video camera and notebook and check out as many private and public campgrounds we can find in a certain area. We've found time and again that we just don't like private campgrounds and how you are sandwiched in next to your neighbors. We also rule out places where we're likely to scrape off our vents or put a hole in the roof.

The more we look, the more we appreciate the state parks within 60 miles of our home. Things were much different when we just had the pop-up. As far as hookups, we typically go with just electric but will go without, too. Water has never been a priority.