Where to park the trailer after check out or early arrival?

[whitebear80]

Hi, guys, we are quite new to RV camping and do have a few basic questions.
1. For short trips like weekend, let's say if we plan to stay the night for Saturday, but arrive early in the morning, where we could park the trailer so that we could go sightseeing and come back to checkin the camp site later in the afternoon?

2. For next day, normally the check out is 12:00pm, if we still need to play around because it might be still too early to head home? where should we park the trailer?

3. If we do not plan to stay at that park, just passing through and heading to another destination, is there a place to park the trailer? Like state parks, do they have parking lots for them except for campsites?

I am a newbie, so bare my too simple questions....

[myredracer]

Some CGs have an overflow area that you can temporarily park in. I think, and may be wrong, that most CGs will want to charge you full rate even if you are just doing a short in/out layover. It's been our experience so far that CGs are pretty easy-going about staying a bit late or arriving early. The exception to this might be in the peak season or on a holiday weekend when CGs are very busy. Sometimes there can be a lineup waiting for a site to become available and it's not fair to make them wait.

We only use private membership CGs. State and other similar types may be quite different. I think some of these even close their entrance gates in the evening and no one is there that can let you in.

Many CGs let you arrive early or late, but in fairness to others, I would wait until a more reasonable hour in the morning before you set up so you don't make noise that will disturb others. Same if you arrive really late, wait until morning before you fully set up. Electric jacks are pretty dang loud but manual jacks would be okay. If you pull into a site, try and shut your engine off at earliest convenience.

We've occasionally had someone with a diesel will pull in nearby early or late and leave the engine running while doing a full set up and they have to shout to hear each other over all they noise they make. Grrr... 😞

[whitebear80]

All good suggestions! Kind of depending on the campgrounds then. If they have extra parking lots, then we are good to go, otherwise I need to book extra nights and let them know.
Thank you all! Will be picking my trailer tomorrow! Can't wait.

[BurbMan]

If you plan on arriving early Sat and staying late Sunday it cn worth it to py for the extra nights....we used to do that with county beach CGs on Long Island where check-ins and check-out times were strictly enforced. Reserve for 3 nites arriving Friday and leaving Monday. This covers you for as early as you want to arrive on Saturday and as late as you want to stay on Sunday.

[GaryWT]

To be sure you have a place, book the site. If check in is at 2 but you plan on showing up at 8 or 9 in the morning, book the night before but let them know you are showing up the following morning. Same thing at the end, book Sunday night and the campground does not care if you pull out Sunday night or Monday morning.

If you are just showing up early, be sure you know the policy, if they do not let you in and you cannot back out of where you pulled in you could site for awhile. I have seen people parked at the entree nice of a place waiting for the exact minute of check in.

[Dog_Folks]

Randu wrote:
Each campground will have their own polices about early arrival and late departure. State parks are less flexible and it also depends on time of year and how full the campground is booked. Early is the less of the issues. If the sites is open you are usually allowed to go ahead and set up. Some campgrounds will charge a fee for early or late. Late is usually the more difficult and not allowed if someone else is scheduled on site. Your rights to the space expire at check out time and the next guys rights take over.

The "where to park" part is kind of wherever you can find enough space. Shopping center parking lot or other close by open area could work. Randu

Well said and correct.

[danoren]

Some S.P have a day use area ,and I imagine you can use it for a fee.
If you come early or leave late from a private C.G ,just go to the owner to find the right solution, I usually do.

[certified106]

Most of the state park campgrounds that we camp at have big parking lots right near the camp store or the boat launch area and will let you drop your trailer there for a few hours if you ask them first.

[HappyKayakers]

Since you're talking about dropping the trailer someplace, you should be very careful. Do it in a public parking lot and you could find a ticket attached to the TT when you return, or maybe someone else hitching up to your TT. Most truck stops I've visited have signs in the lot that say dropped trailers will be removed.

[Randu]

Each campground will have their own polices about early arrival and late departure. State parks are less flexible and it also depends on time of year and how full the campground is booked. Early is the less of the issues. If the sites is open you are usually allowed to go ahead and set up. Some campgrounds will charge a fee for early or late. Late is usually the more difficult and not allowed if someone else is scheduled on site. Your rights to the space expire at check out time and the next guys rights take over.

The "where to park" part is kind of wherever you can find enough space. Shopping center parking lot or other close by open area could work. Randu

[loulou57]

Good question to ask. Most campgrounds have parking and have no issue with you staying later or arriving early. If the site you reserved is empty, quite often you can just go and set up, register.