Campgrounds and Rules

Most people go to the effort of trip planning, reserving a site, paying money, then packing up the RV and the kids and the dog to go to a campground to relax. No one goes to a campground to be miserable or stressed! Camping is too expensive and takes way too much effort to be unhappy.

Campgrounds will usually list their official rules online, in the campground office and/or on the map you receive at check-in. Most campground rules are pretty basic, generally including some combination of the following:

• Keep your dogs on a leash.
• Pick up after your pet.
• Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
• Quiet hours are 10 p.m. to 8 a.m.

If you are an experienced camper, you know the official rules. But what if you are new to camping? Do you know the informal rules?

Noise
Quiet hours are generally 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. during the week and maybe an hour later on the weekend. No one expects you as an adult to be asleep at 10 or 11, just quiet enough so you do not disturb your neighbors who DO want to sleep.

By the way, just because those are the official quiet hours, it doesn’t mean you should be inconsiderate of others during the other hours of a day!

1. If your noise (voice, music, TV, etc.) is loud enough to be heard 2 RVs away, it is probably too loud ANY time of day!
2. Leave the wind chimes home.
3. Run your diesel engine long enough to warm it up, not for 30-40 minutes.
4. Don’t use your key fob at midnight from within your RV to lock your vehicle.

Empty Sites
Campgrounds are in business to rent spaces. Use only the one you are paying for.

1. Don’t leave your car in an empty site.
2. Don’t walk through someone else’s site or an empty site.
3. Don’t let your kids ride their bikes, scooters or skate boards through someone else’s site or an empty site.
4. Don’t walk your dog through someone else’s site or an empty site.
5. Don’t drive through an empty pull through site.

Dogs
Please be a responsible pet owner. More and more campgrounds are saying “no dogs” because previous campers have been inconsiderate. If your dog has difficulty adjusting to new environments, fears different noises and being around other dogs, do yourself, your dog, and your neighbors a favor:

• Take your dog to obedience training.
• Board the dog at a kennel.
• Leave your dog with a trusted sitter.
• Do not go camping.

If you decide to bring your dog/s, please:

1. Don’t let your dog – big or little – jump on ANYONE.
2. Do not tie your dog outside unattended.
3. Don’t leave your dog alone, unattended, in your RV while you go shopping, sightseeing or eating out. Loneliness and anxiety can cause a dog to bark.
4. Don’t bring your dog to a campground if it barks at every man, woman, child, dog, bike rider or car that goes by.
5. Your little dog’s poo is just as annoying to step in as big dog poo. Bring a bag and please pick it up.
6. If you bring your pet to a campground, bring it home with you. Don’t leave it at the campground hoping it will “find a new family”.

Site Hygiene
The cleanliness and tidiness of your site impacts the health and safety of the people staying at the sites around you.

1. Pick up your site, make sure things (including your tent!) are secured down. This is especially true if rain and/or wind are expected.
2. If you have made a fire, be aware of where the embers and smoke are going.
3. Make sure the fire in your firepit is completely out before leaving your site for 5 minutes, the day or the campground at the end of your stay.
4. Don’t leave food or empty bottles around to attract bugs or wild animals. It isn’t healthy for you, your neighbors, or the wild animals who get into your left open Cheetos bag!

Outdoor Lights
Many modern RVs come with decorative LED lights built into the frame of the RV and a light near the main entrance door.

1. Be sure your decorative or entrance door lights are not disturbing your neighbor(s).

What to Do if there is a Problem

If you have inconsiderate neighbors – and you will!!! – you have many choices. Your first step should always be to check with the campground management for their policy. Some managers will say, “Don’t confront a neighbor, EVER!” Some managers will say, “Go ahead and talk with your neighbor.”

If you have a problem with your neighbor, you have at least 6 choices:

1. Don’t let it bother you, ignore it, let it go, forget about it.
2. Don’t do anything. Sit with your uncomfortable feelings, fume, suffer, boil.
3. Calmly talk with your neighbor.
4. Have management talk with the neighbor.
5. If space is available, move sites.
6. Leave the campground.

If you would like a little extra guidance, read Kathryn’s blog on “handling bullies” on the Relationships Relearned website.

Take-away Point

Going to a campground or RV resort is supposed to be fun, relaxing and enjoyable. Be the neighbor you want your neighbors to be!

Your partners in travel,
Kathryn, Dave and Lucky
RVing Nomads
It’s a lifestyle!