The real fun of owning an RV or motorhome is being able to just take off and travel at will, and seeing places that you have never seen before. The US is a huge country and you just can't possibly see everything, but you sure can have fun trying. But since you are taking your home right along with you as you go, where can you arrange to stay safely each night?
Well thankfully, there are over 16,000 campgrounds and RV parks in the US that cater to the overnight needs of RVers. These campgrounds can be located almost anywhere from the most spectacular rural areas to the middle of large cities. They can also encompass a wide range of amenities and features. Some are fairly spartan in your feature choices, and others are geared toward luxury travel. Whatever level of comfort appeals to you and your budget there is an RV park or campground that can provide it. But how do you find these campgrounds?
There are actually several ways to get listings for available RV parks and no one resource has all of them listed in one place. For your convenience here are the top ways to find campgrounds and rv parks:
* The number one way that many full-time travellers get local campground listings is to use the two big campground directories, Trailer Life and Woodall's. Together they form a pretty good overall picture of overnight facilities around the nation. Besides listing contact information, you can also get basic directions, and information on hookups, amenities, on-site facilities like laundromats, dump stations and so forth, and cleanliness ratings. This can be invaluable information when you are in unfamiliar territory and need a quality place to park overnight.
* AAA has campground directories listed by major regions of the country. There is not anywhere near as many listings as in the big directories and less details too, but it can be a valuable additional resource.
* You can also find more RV parks and campground listings by picking up directories from some of the nation's biggest campground chains like KOA and Jellystone Park Campgrounds. Each of these has lots of locations scattered all over the country that can be good campground selections.
* Each state has a tourism office that distributes free campground directories within it's borders. Here you may find listings that are hard to come by almost any other way too. They can usually be found at information centers on the major highways as you enter each state.
Put together these RV park and campground resources can give you a pretty comprehensive selection of places to stay as you travel, so no matter where you go you can be at home quickly, easily, and inexpensively.
RV parks and campgrounds are a necessary part of traveling for most RVers, especially those that travel on a full-time basis. They are a little oasis in an unfamiliar area, and can provide the necessary hookups to let you enjoy many of the comforts of home during your temporary stay. There are plenty of choices to be had when selecting an overnight stay though, and here are the top 5 ways to save money at RV parks and campgrounds:
1. Arrange for a longer stay at the same place. Many parks and campgrounds have daily rates that are higher than they are if you agree to a multi-night stay instead. Obviously, it benefits the RV park if you stay more than just one night, so they offer incentives to get visitors to do just that. If you plan on being in a particular area for a few days anyway, why not take advantage of any lowered multi-night rates that the campground has to offer?
2. Join an RV club where the members can often get a discount off the daily rate almost anywhere across the country. For instance, Good Sam Club members can usually get around a %10 discount on most overnight rates across the nation. You may also be able to get the added benefit of receiving discounts on other supplies and facilities at these campgrounds because of being a member too.
3. Use less hookups where you stay. Many campgrounds include all hookups in one standard nightly rate, but some charge only a base rate and then charge separately for additional hookup options. If you are watching your pennies for any reason, these parks can be a great place to save a few dollars by just using minimal hookups during your stay there.
4. Stay at campgrounds that are off the beaten path. If you stay at an RV park or campground that is in close proximity to a major highway you will most likely pay more for that option. By doing a little advance research you may be able to find a suitable campground that is more rural and still has the features that you want. Usually the daily rate will be much less at these kind of parks.
5. Some parks have lots that have no hookups at all. These spots are basically just places to park your motorhome overnight and you won't have all the comforts and amenities other than those that your RV provides on it's own, but you can realize significant savings by taking advantage of these low-cost park lots for a few days at a time anyway.
There are lots of places to stay as you travel on the open road, and if you keep your eyes open, you can find plenty of ways to keep your RV park and campground costs very low as you do.