Family Friendly Campgrounds, Should they charge extra for children? Options

[coacbcps]

Why do some camp grounds advertise that they are family friendly then charge a per child/per night fee? Twice I was suckered into staying at camp grounds that charged for kids. We were camping with a group and I wasn't aware of the extra charge since I didn't place the initial reservation. You would think that they would at least give you two kids for free. At both campgrounds I had to pay for the children but the DOG was FREE! It's very irritating because I see one price ($35) but end up paying up to $10 more for my girls. It might be psychological but I hate having to pay extra for my children. At a "family friendly" camp ground my children should be acknowledged as being part of my family! What are your thoughts?

[kcmoedoe]

I can understand where both sides come in. It surely does run up the daily tab to have to pay for extra people and it surely costs the campground more. There is a third side to this triangle. Parks that charge extra for children tend to have a lot less children in the park, advantage KCMOEDOE. I prefer to visit the zoo, not stay in the middle of one. I purposely choose parks that do not cater to families. That being said, a park can be "family friendly" and not be a three ring circus. A pool, a game room, a playground or just the fact that they are not exclusively for 55 and older can make a park "family friendly". I also agree with several other posters, just where would you draw the line before charging? What if the Brady Bunch showed up with 6 kids? John and Kate and their 8? How about Octomom and her 11? It may be a good experience for them, but it would make my stay miserable if I was next door. I never have a problem with a business that is upfront about their pricing. If I don't like it, my rig has wheels. I would expect a park that charges extra for extra people to be upfront with that fact. If they are, I can make an informed decision. Apparently, charging for children is working for the parks that are doing it, because they are still in business.