Are you an RV’er who has been traveling to awesome vacation destinations, but are ready to settle down into long-term campgrounds? If so, we have our top tips and tricks to help you find an extended stay campsite. Whether you are looking for a monthly site, a seasonal site, or even a year-round site by following our list of options you can find the perfect long-term stay campground.
Tips For Finding Long-Term Campgrounds
Are you a full-time RV’er who wants to slow down? Or an RV’er who wants to use their rig as a getaway without having to drive their RV to a campground every time you want some away time? Then a long-term campground just might be just what you are looking for. You will have the comfort of your home on wheels, campground amenities, and no lawn maintenance. Another plus for long-term camping is that monthly & yearly rates are more affordable than daily or weekly rates. So read on, and find a stationary campsite that fits your needs.
Can You Live In Campgrounds Long-Term & Why Would You Want Too?
That’s a definite YES! You might be a traveling nurse who needs a place to call home for a few months or more. You might be a retired couple who are “snowbirds”, and are heading to warmer climates for the winter. A family who wants to turn the key on their camper, and spend their summer vacation & weekends at the same camping spot that has plenty of activities to keep everyone entertained. Others may be in the middle of a major life change like building a house, those seeking budget-friendly options, or those seeking a more minimalist lifestyle. Not all campgrounds offer monthly, seasonal, or permanent camping sites so get ready to do some online research, make some phone calls, and ask lots of questions to find the one that is right for your situation.
Long-Term Campground Search Tools
Searching for long-term campgrounds can be an overwhelming task. Fortunately, there are a variety of online resources and tools that can help make the process easier. From large camping directories to more specialized search options, you’ll find it all here.
The first step is to determine where you want to camp, narrow that down by if they offer long-term camping options, then what amenities you want, and finally the cost. Let’s dig deeper into searching for a long-term campground.
Online Search Tools
Surfing for extended-stay campgrounds is a great way to start your search, but do not rely on just this method (ask your family and friends for their recommendations too). Start off with the area where you want to camp. Here are several online campground finder tools.
- Campendium.com
- Dyrt.com (Free & Paid Versions)
- Campgrounds.rvlife.com
- CampgroundViews.com
- Passport America (Paid Membership)
- Good Sam Club (Paid Membership)
Break down your search even more by choosing what amenities you would take advantage of while staying there.
- Swimming Pool
- Hot Tub
- Pickleball Court
- Planned activities (ie: Happy Hour, Potlucks, Game Nights, Themed Weekends, etc)
- Fitness Room
- Cement pad with patio
- Full hookups
- Shade Trees
- Cable TV
- Free Wi-Fi
- Accept packages and mail
- And many more!
Make a list of the campgrounds that meet all your criteria, and don’t forget to write down their phone numbers. If you cannot determine whether they offer long-term sites from the website write down the campground name and phone number to call later.
Cost Of A Long-Term Campsite
The next step is to find a site that fits your budget. Typically a campground or resort with a lot of amenities will have a higher cost, and some even have lease options for the first year. The bare-bones campgrounds will have lower rates and are usually smaller privately owned parks. Many long-term campgrounds do not include the electric cost in the rates (meters at each site are read monthly) and are added to the monthly bill as are any taxes.
Campgrounds that do not list long-term rates on their website can be added to your list to call later.
What To Do With All Your Lists
First, call the campgrounds that don’t list whether they have long-term campsites, but meet your other criteria. If they do offer extended stay sites add them to your main list.
Second, call the campgrounds that do not list their long-term rates, but meet your other criteria. If the rates fall into your budget change add them to your main list.
Now you’re ready to start calling your modified main list and to ask questions that were not answered on the website. This step is the most time-consuming, but necessary to find the right long-term campground where you will be happy. Are you wondering what questions you should ask? Don’t worry I have you covered. While some of these are repeats it doesn’t hurt to double-check because changes could have been made.
Questions to ask when calling campgrounds regarding a long-term stay:
- Verify that they do offer long-term camping spots
- Verify the cost of long-term campsites
- STOP – if they answer No to these first two then move on to the next campground on your list
- Verify they do have availability for your date range
- Verify that your criteria requirements are still met
- Do they have a “ten-year age” rule on rigs, and does your rig make the cut
- If you have pets make sure they allow pets, and if you have more than one pet ask what their limit is in the number of pets.
- Ask what their metered electricity rate is. Make sure this cost falls within your budget
- Do they require a deposit?
- Cancellation policy and refund of any deposits made
- How far out should you call to make a long-term reservation
Make the calls to all the campgrounds on your list, and once you have all the information you can decide what campground is a good fit for you.
We hope this information will help you find a long-term campground that is just what you’re looking for. If you have any tips or questions we would love to hear from you.
Keep Wheelin’
For more RV’ing tools head over to our other RV Life posts:
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