Less People Camping. Options

[Galli]

Well with camping season finished up I got a better observation to this question... all our trips that we had booked into the weekend we found the campgrounds at least 95% full. There was only one campground which we had booked during the weekday that was located in a prime destination area that only 50% full at best which we found very surprising.

So overall seemed most of the campgrounds that we visited were mostly packed with the same booking hassles

Mike

Well with camping season finished????? :MIKE, the camping season is just starting, I AM A SNOW BIRD and while you are at home NORTH ??????, I shall be relaxing under the Florida sun and fishing every day , BUT, I am a sensible guy and before starting my day when I am there, I check with the computer the weather condition of N. USA and Canada and I feel really miserable for all of you poor people going around with gloves, scarf, booths and frozen nose tip.
Think about that, you have to wait an other 10 - 15 - 20 or years before being able to retire and join the elected people.... (don't sweat,. I can't hear you...)

[mdcamping]

Well with camping season finished????? :MIKE, the camping season is just starting, I AM A SNOW BIRD and while you are at home NORTH ??????, I shall be relaxing under the Florida sun and fishing every day , BUT, I am a sensible guy and before starting my day when I am there, I check with the computer the weather condition of N. USA and Canada and I feel really miserable for all of you poor people going around with gloves, scarf, booths and frozen nose tip.
Think about that, you have to wait an other 10 - 15 - 20 or years before being able to retire and join the elected people.... (don't sweat,. I can't hear you...)

Oh sure rub it in... but I"ll still have 10 -15- 20 years of camping before hopefully some retirement camping!!

Hmmmm I think there's a cold front just getting ready to plow into Florida!

Mike

[Texasrvers]

Hmmmm I think there's a cold front just getting ready to plow into Florida!

Mike

Yeah, and what will it drop the temperature to? 65 if it is a really cold one? Brrrrr

[imagardener]

We're permanent residents of south Florida (bricks&sticks) and taking our RV to north FL tomorrow for a week. I thought it was low-season there because summer is their high season so didn't make reservations way in advance.

Turns out that our first spot only had one space left because a hunting party took the rest. Next weekend has a big kayak group and the next weekend...etc

However I don't expect we'll have any trouble at larger state parks with more spaces later in the week on weekdays.

Factoid: 2 different sources this week told us that they were busy-busy-busy with RV work (restoration, repair, etc) and that business had really picked up in the last 6 months. Both sources were in Florida.

Your mileage may vary :-)

[Wink]

Yeah, and what will it drop the temperature to? 65 if it is a really cold one? Brrrrr

You got it.Just got home from a seven day camping trip at Sebastian Inlet SP. Six days no heat or A/C windows open day and night yesterday had the A/C on in the evening woke up this morning and turned the heat on as the RV was 61 inside.Back home a little north only going to be mid sixty's today but back to seventy's tomorrow.Life is rought down here but some one has to live here and pay property tax's to keep the politicians pockets full.

[John Blue]

We know the feeling. Heat and cold are not a big problem but it cost lots of money to help keep up the states money supply. Like a bottomless money pit. A tough life but someone needs to help keep the money flow up.

[dalsgal]

Our campground, in Central TX, used to fill up with over night campers as the Winter Texans headed to the valley for the winter. Now I see many still going by but I think they are trying to put in longer days so they don't have to pay for over night camping as often as they used to do. Some that have stopped have told me they drove 10-12 hrs that day and just felt like they couldn't make the last few hours so they gave in and stopped. I understand how they feel about having to take time off the road and pay for something they they feel they can pass up. Money is really tight.

[B. Kidd]

Less American rigs so far this year in my Yuma winter retreat park.
Thank God for Canadian's whom are somewhat filling the gap.
It's apparent so many more Americans are broke as a joke and are not making the trip this year.

[Galli]

Yeah, and what will it drop the temperature to? 65 if it is a really cold one? Brrrrr

Ha, ha, ha, cold spot, yes you are right ,it is going to be 65 F. for one night but it is not really the temperature that makes me happy, I shall explain in few lines how's my miserable life once there.. I get up around 09 am , not because it is time but the birds are making so much noisy and the smell of flowers is so intense that's difficult to remain in bed.
I get up and while I am doing so, my lovely wife is preparing a fresh pot of coffee, bacon and eggs and I know that it is not polite but while eating, I am browsing through the internet for the weather here (because I have to go fishing) and I am also checking the weather in the northern part of USA and Canada and when I see minus 15 or 20,in Canada and plus 1 or 2 in northern USA, I cannot refrain from shivering and being very concerned for my human pair that have to get up early, dress up like an Eskimos and then (I shall say a bad word) going to work in slush or cold or rain.
No, it is not fair, no human being should be forced to stand in such environment ... unless you have been very, very naughty and this is your punishment.
In closing, I promise, every Sunday I shall make a prayer for all of you.
signed....THE BEST

[nedmtnman]

Ha, ha, ha, cold spot, yes you are right ,it is going to be 65 F. for one night but it is not really the temperature that makes me happy, I shall explain in few lines how's my miserable life once there.. I get up around 09 am , not because it is time but the birds are making so much noisy and the smell of flowers is so intense that's difficult to remain in bed.
I get up and while I am doing so, my lovely wife is preparing a fresh pot of coffee, bacon and eggs and I know that it is not polite but while eating, I am browsing through the internet for the weather here (because I have to go fishing) and I am also checking the weather in the northern part of USA and Canada and when I see minus 15 or 20,in Canada and plus 1 or 2 in northern USA, I cannot refrain from shivering and being very concerned for my human pair that have to get up early, dress up like an Eskimos and then (I shall say a bad word) going to work in slush or cold or rain.
No, it is not fair, no human being should be forced to stand in such environment ... unless you have been very, very naughty and this is your punishment.
In closing, I promise, every Sunday I shall make a prayer for all of you.
signed....THE BEST

Yes, but, some of us are forced to show the rest how life should be lived but someone has to do it. Chilly 60 degrees this morning in Rockport TX.

[joez]

Not certain how the rest of the snowbird areas are, but here in Central Fl the rv parks look full as we drive by. Traffic has been horrible, restaurants and Dr's offices are full of snowbirds. Yesterday, all four Disney parks, Universal, and Legoland all announced they had quit admitting people because the parks were at capacity.

[rgatijnet]

When the weather turns cool and the snowbirds start heading into Florida is usually when the wife and I take off. There is nothing like the Grand Canyon in January as well as many other National Parks that are crowded during the Summer. Cold weather/snow doesn't bother us and the dog loves it. I always carry snow chains to use to get into and out of some RV parks when the snow falls. My coach was built for Winter with double pane windows, plenty of insulation, and plenty of heat available to keep us comfortable. We do watch the weather carefully and am able to avoid the really bad storms, but as we know with tornadoes in the South, bad weather can get you anywhere.
If you don't like crowds, like we have in Florida during the Winter, traveling in the off season is the only way to go.

[Galli]

Hooo I see, there are many jealous people in the work force but remember you are the back bone of the country , furthermore, if you are going to behave well (i.e. no kandies, no fat food, limited booze, reduce the hunky punky around, be a good citizen and pay all taxes.. etc..) you will live beyond a retirement day (afterthought ), if you behave like a saint, it is not even worth live beyond retirement....
Signed, the wise one.

[John Blue]

We spent the day at the Tampa RV Super show. This was the first time in years to see this number of people. The show was wall to wall with people. Parking lots at 9:30 am were close to full. Long lines to get into the show. Hard to walk around and look at RV's. RV park inside with hookup's was full. Parking lot outside the gate had lots of large RV's as well. I think more people are coming back into RV life now.

[B. Kidd]

We spent the day at the Tampa RV Super show. This was the first time in years to see this number of people. The show was wall to wall with people. Parking lots at 9:30 am were close to full. Long lines to get into the show. Hard to walk around and look at RV's. RV park inside with hookup's was full. Parking lot outside the gate had lots of large RV's as well. I think more people are coming back into RV life now.

According to the RV Dealers' Association (RVDA), there was a 12.6% sales increase in motorhomes between June 2010 and June 2011. In the same period, sales for towables experienced a 4.2% sales increase.
There is still a ways to go, but hope you are right about more people coming into the RV life.