Camping is really getting expensive!

[homemaker]

I am getting frustrated while looking for campgrounds in our area. We would like to plan a few small trips over the summer, but don't want to spend big money to do it. I am finding campgrounds that cost between $180-$250 for just 2 nights. Disney doesn't even cost me that much. They charge you extra for everything. There are fees if you have more then 2 children. Why? Does it cost more for them to stay in my own trailer? Maybe it cost more for them to swim in the pool or play on the playground.

We love to take our children camping, but it may happen less often. Is good family fun just getting expensive or am I crazy? Sorry for the rant, I am just frustrated with it all.

 

[LarryJ]

I am getting frustrated while looking for campgrounds in our area. We would like to plan a few small trips over the summer, but don't want to spend big money to do it. I am finding campgrounds that cost between $180-$250 for just 2 nights. Disney doesn't even cost me that much. They charge you extra for everything. There are fees if you have more then 2 children. Why? Does it cost more for them to stay in my own trailer? Maybe it cost more for them to swim in the pool or play on the playground.

We love to take our children camping, but it may happen less often. Is good family fun just getting expensive or am I crazy? Sorry for the rant, I am just frustrated with it all.

Can you name those campgrounds, $90 to $125 does sound high except for a few really ritzy ones. I would like to look at their locations and why they might be that expensive. You should be able to find CGs more in the $40 to $75 range fairly easy.

Larry

 

[disney4dan]

Another reason why we have become fans of state parks, but you need to get your reservations early.

Staying at the beach the week before 4th of July, will watch fireworks on the beach Wed night. All for $20 per night for a site with water and 30-amp electricity. That, and getting on the reservation system right around the time between Christmas and New Years (kind of weird thinking of a beach vacation then, but...)

Sounds to me like you are looking at beach front CGs, probably need to charge that to avoid becoming condo's instead. Similar prices at the best beach campgrounds on the coast of Maine.

 

[stacktester]

I was fixing to say the same thing as Dan. State Parks are always cheaper and if you're a residnt of that state a discount is often available. We're currently in route to Marathon Key, FL and stopped in a campground last night in Hollywood. It's a city owned park that is one of the nicest I've ever seen. The name of it is Topeekeegee Yugnee Park, known to the locals as T Y Park. I just can't understand the abbreviation lol. It's very nice and I will be getting some pics of the whole place before we leave. It was $45 a night but my cousin lives here and her price is $25. We got in after hours so we have to pay on the way out which she is coming over to do so we get the discount.

Very few places are $20 campgrounds anymore. The state parks in the Keys all went from around $30 a night to $40. Electric has gone up so I'm sure that is the main factor.

 

[homemaker]

There is a Jellystone in Lancaster area that was over $240 for 2 nights. They have a lot of things to do like: pillow bounce, splash zone & pedal carts. The price gets so high because they charge like $56 because I have more then 2 children. Also I found Cherrystone in VA as well as most KOA run about 160-170 for full hookup. Even without all the extra kid stuff, like the moon bounce, they still charge extra if you have more then two children. Maybe we should just stay away from the chain type campgrounds?

 

[PolynesianPixie]

There is a Jellystone in Lancaster area that was over $240 for 2 nights. They have a lot of things to do like: pillow bounce, splash zone & pedal carts. The price gets so high because they charge like $56 because I have more then 2 children. Also I found Cherrystone in VA as well as most KOA run about 160-170 for full hookup. Even without all the extra kid stuff, like the moon bounce, they still charge extra if you have more then two children. Maybe we should just stay away from the chain type campgrounds?

Maybe you should. There are plenty of really nice "mom and pop" type campgrounds that will give you more personal service for less $$. It sounds like the places you've been looking at reel you in with all that great stuff for kids, then punish you for actually bringing them! Thats insane!

 

[liv luvs disney]

Maybe you should. There are plenty of really nice "mom and pop" type campgrounds that will give you more personal service for less $$. It sounds like the places you've been looking at reel you in with all that great stuff for kids, then punish you for actually bringing them! Thats insane!

I agree with Ami! I don't think I could support a business that "punishes" for bringing kids especially when thy "lure" you in with kid-friendly stuff. I don't do a whole lot of camping, but as long as water is nearby, we're okay. My kids just want to spend quality time with the family-that's why we go camping. They are stimulated enough at home with all of those "extras" that these expensive campgrounds offer...IMO! Keep looking. You'll find some "mom and pop" places like Ami said for less money.

 

[LarryJ]

Based on what I believe is your family DW,DH, children ages 13, 11, 7, 4, 1

At Cherrystone HERE

1/1 to 3/16 FHU $17/day and $15 for 3 children over 6 = $32
3/17 - 5/30 and 9/8 - 10/31 FHU $32/day + $15 extra people = $47
5/31 - 9/7 FHU $55/day + $15 extra people = $70 (Fri/Sat, Holidays and Theme Weekend its $53 + $15 = $78)

At the Lancaster Soth/Quarryville Yogi Bear's Camp-Resort CLICKY

The rates include 2 adults and 2 children between 4-18 (non driving) with ages 3 and under free so you would have to pay for 2 additional children.
Between 4/10 and 5/14 and 9/21 and 10/25 there is a fee of $3/child or $6 for you
Between 5/14 and 9/13 there is a fee of $10/day, but that include a wristband I assume for their water part on the property for the first 3 days

I can understand some of the below rates since they appear to have a resort within a resort with their water zone CLICKY.

For a Deluxe RV site with FHU and 30A elec.

4/10 - 5/10 Weekends $51 + $6 = $57 (Sun-Thur, $41 + $6 = $47)
5/15 - 6/11 Weekends $64 + $20 = $84 (5/17 - 6/11 Sun - Thur, $49 + $20 = $69)
6/12 - 8/29 Weekends $92 + $20 = $112 (6/14 - 8/29 Sun - Thur $79 + 20 = $99)
Mem Day, 4th July & Labor Day weekend $97 + $20 = $117
8.30 - 9/3 $54 + $20 = $74
9/7 - 9/21 Weekends $66 + $20 = $86 ( 9/7 - 10/22 Weekdays $52 + $20 = $72

While both these are on the expensive side, I don't consider them out of line for what they offer especially the Jellystone resort which is IMO a lot more than just camping. As suggested doing some like Rog did with his family for about $20/nite can generate as many good times and memories as spending bookoo $$$ at a high end resort like the Jellystone one in Pa.

Larry

 

[tungpo1]

Camping is very expensive just found some rotten wood on the roof of my motorhome, it needs new complete roof wood and all. Price quote from Camping World around 4 to 5 grand minimum to repair. Hey Donnie feel like helping me repair my motorhome roof!! LOL I will be putting a tarp on it for the 4th trip

 

[stacktester]

Camping is very expensive just found some rotten wood on the roof of my motorhome, it needs new complete roof wood and all. Price quote from Camping World around 4 to 5 grand minimum to repair. Hey Donnie feel like helping me repair my motorhome roof!! LOL I will be putting a tarp on it for the 4th trip

Let me know when. I'm nor carpenter but I am good a demo lol.

 

[Tiggntaz]

Let me know when. I'm nor carpenter but I am good a demo lol.

Hey Ron,

I am always able to help you out. Just make sure if Donnie is doing the demo to keep the beer away from him till he is done. You might be the first to have a soft top class A if not.

 

[ntsammy5]

I only go to state parks of frderaal parks with free camping but no water,toilets or anything else. I like it like that.

 

[Shan-man]

Camping is very expensive just found some rotten wood on the roof of my motorhome, it needs new complete roof wood and all. Price quote from Camping World around 4 to 5 grand minimum to repair. Hey Donnie feel like helping me repair my motorhome roof!! LOL I will be putting a tarp on it for the 4th trip

I have done some extensive repairs to the roof of my moho, but did all my work from the inside since I don't have a garage big enough to hold it. Pulling all the cabinets and fixtures was quite an adventure, as was fitting a new ceiling... actually it was easier than re-skinning the wall which required more scribing and fitting thanks to windows and shape of the front cap. Of course, before doing repairs from the inside it makes sense to make 100% certain the leaks that caused the damage are repaired from outside first. I failed to sufficiently seal the roof and needed to re-do the ceiling (stupid!). The first time I "painted" the roof with Kool-seal, the second time I built-up a rubber roof with it (probably an 1/8" to 1/4" thick!). I was fortunate that the areas that needed work were all toward the front of the moho. If they were toward the rear, where the floor-to-ceiling cabinets live, the work could not have been done from inside as those cabinets are not removable (without taking the roof off, or destroying them). Anyway, here's hoping you find a way to 'get er done'!

 

[DaveInTN]

Before DW and I had kids, we took a 3 week trip out west tent camping. I was just looking through our scrapbook from that trip yesterday, and found the old campground receipts I had saved. They were mostly in the $8-11/night range. The one that really stuck out was a KOA in British Columbia at $10/night. That was on August 31, 1994. Just for giggles, I went on the KOA site and looked at rates for 8/31 this year. The cheapest site on there is $31. That's a pretty steep increase over 15 years.

 

[djblu883]

Camping in state parks is the way to go for sure. I'm in one right now for 364 a month with water and electric included.....extras cost but its your choice when and how ofter to use them...6 dollars a day to ride a horse...I like that!!!!

 

[Live4FW]

Ya know, what burns me the most is the campgrounds that add $3 per head for more than 2 or more than 4 people. Their basic cost is on the high side but when you add these extras it gets annoying. We try to mostly camp at public campgrounds. However, I was checking city of Tybee Is GA. $45 per night based on two people. $3 per extra child or $9 per night. Total of $54 per night. There are hotel rooms cheaper than that......Guess who didn't go camping this weekend.

 

[auntie]

I've been surprised by the high nightly camping rates this season as well. Although, I've been sort of out the loop in regard to nightly camping, since we've been seasonal in a couple of upstate NY campgrounds the last six years. I'm starting to remember just why it was we decided on a seasonal site to begin with. Getting off of Long Island with the trailer is a chore, and our time is limited...but that's another thread all together
Was looking at Strawberry Park in CT. The nightly rate was $72.00 for time we wanted to visit. Granted, it's also more of a camping resort..which I do like. Only, I figured if it's just Bob and I, we probably wouldn't take advantage of most of the amenities they offer. I tell ya, Disney doesn't seem so out of line for what they're charging . Never thought I'd say that!

We do have a couple of reservations (one for Labor Day) at a county park on the south shore, right on the ocean. Only..the days are limited, and I'm paying a non-resident rate..since it's not the county I reside in. Jeeze, ya can't win. I should have been making reservations a 180 days out..when they opened up for booking. Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking about camping at the beach back in Dec. At least I know better for next year. The NY state campground here on the island is on the North Shore..it's pretty nice, but I've heard from a neighbor that the place was loaded up with TICKS..and they packed up and left early. Soo...I'm in no hurry to reserve a spot there.
I'm thinking that our options may be better after Labor Day..when rates go down, and crowds thin out. Although that doesn't help folks with kids who are looking for a reasonable summer camping vacation.
Like most suggest the state/county parks do appear to be reasonable..only you've got to make those reservations early.