Seasonal camping refers to renting a campsite for an extended period.
As the name suggests, seasonal campers usually rent a campsite over a whole camping season, like in summer.
Depending on your location and preferences, you can get a campsite to rent near you.
So, What are the Pros and Cons of Seasonal Camping?
Depending on where you are or where you would like to spend most of your holidays, you will find many seasonal campsites that offer different amenities, activities, and prices. Seasonal camping can be great, mainly because there is always a place ready for you to go and vacation or for a weekend getaway after a hard week without making reservations.
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Pros of Seasonal Camping
Have you ever wanted to get away from your routine after a hard work week and go camping?
But, you didn’t want to make reservations, start packing and unpacking your bags, or drive a heavy and long RV that will leave you feeling like you need a vacation after your vacation?
Well, seasonal camping has some very convenient advantages like;
1. You Get To Camp More Often
If you love camping, you know you can get the longing to go camping at any given opportunity.
Those spare weekends or weekdays you are not working are an opportune time to go camping.
Getting a seasonal campsite means your RV or motorhome is already set up and waiting for you.
You can wake up and go, which means you will get to camp more often than you do when you have not booked a seasonal camping ground.
2. The Campground Is Always Available To You
The struggle to get a campground reservation, especially on holidays like Halloween, Labor day, or the 4th of July, is real.
Many campgrounds are often booked out months before the holidays and the summer.
Most of them usually suggest that people book early in advance.
Having a seasonal campsite guarantees that you can go camping at any time during the season and that you will have a campsite no matter the holiday.
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3. No More Stress over Packing, Unpacking, and Setting Up
The stressful and tedious tasks of unpacking all the items you had packed for your camping weekend that have rolled around during the journey can be unsettling.
You might want to go camping and unwind over the weekend, but when you think about the process of packing, unpacking, and setting up your campsite, you change your mind.
When you arrive, the camper is already parked and set up for seasonal campers, and you don’t have to pack, unpack and set up after every camping trip.
4. You get to Meet New People and Create a Community of Campers
If you are a social butterfly and love camping, then seasonal camping is for you.
Seasonal camping allows meeting new people and making friends with other campers.
The campers in the campground get to know each other over time and create a community in the campground.
Because you will see the same people almost every day you go camping, then this will most likely lead to some fantastic friendships that might even be lifelong.
5. It is Affordable and will Save you Money
Seasonal camping is an affordable option for people who like to camp.
As a camper, you can either pay nightly fees or purchase seasonal tickets for the campground.
For seasonal camping, depending on your budget, location, and facilities in the campground, tickets will cost between $1000 to $10000 or more for a 4 to seven months period. In comparison, nightly fees can start from $40 and up.
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These nightly fees will add up to more than the cost of the seasonal tickets over the same period.
By getting a seasonal campground, you can eliminate other related costs like gas money for hauling your RV up and down as you go to the campground and the storage costs of your RV.
If you stay at the campsite for most of the season, you will save money on electricity, water, and internet bills because you are away from home.
6. Improves Wellness and Mental Health
Have you ever had something positive you look forward to doing?
Knowing you have somewhere to go and relax, take naps, have fun with family or friends around bonfires, or maybe go swimming gives you such a significant positivity boost.
It motivates you to finish the week so you can relax and enjoy. Our mental health suffers a lot, and we all need ways to relieve stress.
Having a seasonal camping ground means you always have a place to relax and decompress.
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Cons of Seasonal Camping
Everything good in life comes with its challenges and disadvantages. Seasonal camping is no different.
1. There is Less Traveling Involved
Some people like camping but also like to travel a lot. Seasonal camping might not be worth it for you if you like to travel.
Depending on what you use your RV and motorhome for, if you only use it for camping, then seasonal camping is an ideal situation.
But if you mainly use your RV for traveling across the country, then seasonal camping might pose some traveling limitations for you.
Sometimes, people want to explore many different campgrounds over the season and enjoy different sceneries, so if that is what you want, then Seasonal camping is not worth it.
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2. Finding a Campsite is Difficult
Many campsites offer many different things like amenities, activities, and scenery.
Choosing just one campground to commit to for an entire season can be challenging.
One campsite may be more beautiful and tranquil, another site may have more fun activities, another might be a little expensive but worth it, and another might be closer to home.
Finding a campsite that you are absolutely in love with is difficult. But that is the essence of a seasonal campsite: find one you love and commit to it. It is not worth the commitment if you don’t love the campground.
3. Exposure To The Elements All Season Can Cause Damage To The RV
Parking your RV at the campsite for the entire season means that you will constantly expose your motor home to the sun all summer.
The constant exposure to the sun will cause your RV to weather faster than usual, causing unnecessary damage.
4. Higher Probability for Theft
You will not always be in your motorhome or at the campsite.
When you are not at the campsite, thieves might take advantage, especially if there is no tight security at the campground.
As a seasonal camper, you might want to invest in better lock systems for your RV and always keep it locked when you are not around.
Takeaway
Do you love the idea of a community, or are you more of a traditional camper?
If you are thinking of trying out seasonal camping, then the pros and cons above will assist you in deciding what to do.
Seasonal camping can be fun, depending on where you want to set up camp and your budget.
Your personal preferences will determine whether you will thrive as a seasonal camper.
You might have the best summer of your life.