Whether you have a favorite campground or are looking into buying land, you may be wondering if your family would enjoy a semi-permanent setup! Many campers decide to spend the summer weekends in one place, simply because they love the great outdoors. Although many people love this, there are some Pros and Cons of Seasonal Camping that will help you decide if you will too!
A friend of mine has a property that they park their fifth wheel on. She loves having this seasonal getaway that her family can enjoy every weekend.
But, before we get into the pros and cons of seasonal camping, I want to make sure that we are on the same page. Seasonal Camping is when you park your RV in one place for one season or part of the year. Then once the weather gets too chilly, you winterize and put it into storage.
Let’s say you only go to your RV on the weekends, but it’s parked in one place year-round; This is considered a permanent setup. You will need to prepare and care for your trailer differently when it is stationary.
Now that we are on the same page, let’s chat about the pros and cons of seasonal camping!
11 Pros of Seasonal Camping
1. You Can Camp WHENEVER you Want!
I put this first because there is something so freeing about knowing that you can come and go as you please. If you feel like going to camp this weekend you can and if you have a commitment next weekend, you can just go for the night. You don’t have to worry about looking for a campground that has availibility.
2. You Can Go Camping on ANY Holiday
We’ve all wanted to go camping on a holiday weekend, only to realize everything is booked up! Having a seasonal campsite will give you the ability to go camping on every long weekend….. and you can invite your friends!
3. You don’t have Drive or Park Your RV
If driving and parking your trailer stresses you out, having a seasonal camp spot will allow you to only have to do this once! Then when everything is hooked up, you are ready to enjoy camping whenever you want!
4. You are already Hooked Up
It’s so nice to have your own shower, bathroom, and the ability to make dinner. Since you don’t have to worry about setting everything up, you can drive to the camper and simply enjoy your weekend!
5. Less Packing
Once you have gone to your campsite a few times, you will know what you can leave at camp and what you will need to pack. Typically you will just need to pack some clothes and bring food. You don’t need to worry about getting your trailer all loaded!
6. You Don’t Have to Tow
It’s nice to drive up to camp and not worry about unhitching the trailer. This saves so much time and makes camping feel a lot easier! Plus if you have a friend that owns a truck, you could ask them to tow it to your campsite and you wouldn’t need to buy yourself a truck!
[Is it cheaper to live in an Apartment or an RV?]
7. Meet New Friends
If you decide to live in a campground, you will get to meet other seasonal campers. These communities tend to become really close friends.
My aunt and uncle were seasonal campers when we were kids and they still get together with their lake friends, even after all these years!
8. Save Money
In some cases, you will save money because campgrounds have different rates for monthly rentals. But, this will depend on where you are camping. I would recommend calling around and getting quotes, if you want to save some money.
9. You aren’t Locked Into this Spot (FOREVER)
If you are looking for a spot in a campground, the nice thing is that you aren’t locked into that space forever. If you decided you want to go seasonal camping somewhere else next year, you can totally do that!
10. Access to ALL the Amenities
When we were staying at a KOA as a month-to-month rental, we loved that we had access to all the amenities. They had pools, a playground, and tons of walking space!
11. You Can Make Your Campsite Feel Homey
Now that you aren’t moving your RV anytime soon, you can make your outdoor space feel like home! I actually wrote a blog post about how to make your permanent campsite feel like home, there are 13 things every seasonal camper needs for their outdoor space!
7 Cons of Seasonal Camping
1. Most Seasonal Sites are only Open May-October
Obviously, this will depend on where you are camping, southern states will be open year-round. If the campsite you are staying at is only open from May to October, this limits you to when you can go camping. But, if you store your camper elsewhere, you could take it out and go on an impromptu camping trip!
2. You Might Not Get Along with Your Neighbors
If having a community is important to you, keep in mind that you may not love your neighbors. This can make seasonal camping difficult because you don’t want to dread going to your campsite. Typically if someone leaves, you could ask to move, but you don’t want to bank on that!
3. Some Campgrounds Make You Commit to a Full Season
Although you aren’t stuck at this campsite, some campgrounds require you to pay for the full season. If you don’t like it for any reason, you can’t just up and leave. This is why I prefer month-to-month spaces if possible!
4. Some Campgrounds Have Requirements
The biggest hurdle you may run into is finding a campground that doesn’t have too many requirements. For instance, you may need to have a newer trailer, it only accommodates for 55+, or it’s not pet friendly. You will want to keep these things in mind when searching for a seasonal campsite.
5. RV is Exposed to the Elements all Season Long
Most of the time, RVs in a seasonal campground have the sun beating on them all summer long. This can weather your RV and could cause unnecessary damage.
6. More Potential for Theft
Since you aren’t at your campsite often, you will want to keep all your valuables locked up. You may want to invest in a trailer hitch lock and changing out the locks on your door. (Check Out the BEST RV Door Lock Pad)
7. Less Likely to Travel to New Places
If you want to go somewhere else for a weekend, you have to pack everything up. You will be more unlikely to travel and explore new places.
Final Thoughts…
If you are contemplating whether or not to try seasonal camping, this list will help you weigh out what is best for your family. As you can tell, there are way more pros than cons, but that doesn’t mean that it’s right for you! No matter what you choose, happy RVing!!