RV / Campsite Etiquette

RV etiquette is about being respectful of your fellow campers, the environment, and the rules of the RV park. You are staying in a common use facility so be mindful of others and their enjoyment and peace too.

Here are some tips for being a good RV camper: 

• Follow the rules: It's important to READ and be aware of and adhere to the campground rules for safety and comfort as well that of others.

• Observe quiet hours: Most campgrounds have designated quiet hours, typically from 10 PM to 7 AM. Respect the posted hours to allow fellow campers to rest undisturbed.

• Mind your noise levels: Keep the sound from your music, TV, and other devices at a reasonable level, even during the day....others may not wish to hear your music or TV blasting while they are reading or relaxing next door. Loud conversations, especially during nighttime, can disrupt others.

• Pet responsibility: Ensure your pets are on a leash and clean up after them. Avoid letting them wander freely or bark excessively, as it can be bothersome to others staying nearby.

• Practice safe campfires: Be mindful of safe fire practices and never leave a fire unattended, as observed with a camper leaving a roaring fire unattended.

• Control your lights: Dim or switch off your lights late at night to avoid disturbing other campers.

• Smoking etiquette: Familiarize yourself with the campground's smoking policies and adhere to them.

• Prevent leaks: Ensure your RV is well-maintained to avoid leaks on the campground premises.

• Late check-in: If arriving late at night, minimize setup noise to prevent disturbing sleeping campers.

• Respect personal space: Although campgrounds provide a feeling of community, it is crucial to respect the privacy of your fellow campers. Avoid walking through other people's campsites - this is a huge personal pet peeve of mine. We've had this happen a number of times now with people using our RV site as a shortcut to the bathrooms. When you have like 10 different people over a long weekend making a habit of doing this, it quickly becomes annoying. We eventually had to position our picnic table and chairs to block this from continuing, and one woman had the nerve to pass through the narrow space between the hedge and the side of our trailer after dark where our bedroom slide-out was and our service connections are, risking tripping and disconnecting or damaging our hoses and lines. Today a family of 5 kids and a mom walked between our motorbikes and trailer right through the middle of our site; the dad was following a bit behind them, stopping behind our trailer preoccupied with his phone and stood there for some time. Had I not seen his wife and kids first, I wouldn't have known he was there, and I routinely open the ramp on good days to allow fresh air and light in.

  
  

  I could have hit this man or one of those kids in the head with the ramp. You never know what unforeseen accident can happen, better to stick to marked paths and roads.

• Vehicle Speed Limits: Campgrounds typically enforce low-speed limits to ensure the safety of all visitors, especially children. Parents should also be vigilant in watching their kids to prevent accidents. We witnessed an unsupervised young child dart onto the road, causing an RV following speed limits to abruptly brake to avoid hitting them.

• Use of Amenities: Adhere to the guidelines when utilizing amenities such as swimming pools, gyms, or recreational areas.

• Laundry rooms: One advantage of camping in a campground is the availability of laundry facilities for guests. However, it is common to find that etiquette rules for using the campground laundromat are either not displayed or disregarded. Due to concerns about scent allergies, we decided to install a washer dryer in our rig. Reading about laundry room disputes involving pet hair, oily clothes, and other issues, we are now grateful for this decision. Remember that these facilities are shared, so use commercial-grade machines at a laundromat for heavily soiled items. Choose unscented or lightly scented detergents to accommodate those with sensitivities. Be considerate by promptly removing your clothes from the machines to allow others to use them.

• Clean your site: Leave your camping site clean for the next occupants. Failure to do so may result in additional charges from the campground management.

• Dispose of Waste Properly: Always use the designated disposal areas for trash and recycling.

  
  

  And if you don't like rules.....you're better off going Boon-docking!

  
  

  Bill & Cat