How to choose an RV park

1. Will your rig physically fit?

This is the first filter and the one people skip. A park that lists "sites up to 45 feet" may mean the pad is 45 feet, with the truck or tow car parked elsewhere, or it may mean the total space including your tow vehicle. The difference is a 30-minute unhitching exercise in the dark. Ask three specific questions: pad length, pad width, and whether it is pull-through or back-in.

• Under 25 feet (vans, Class B, small travel trailers): almost anything works, including most national park loops.
• 25 to 35 feet: most state parks and private parks, but check tree cover and interior road width at older campgrounds built in the 1960s and 70s.
• Over 35 feet or towing: stick to big rig friendly parks and look at satellite view for the turn from the entrance road.

Also ask about the surface. Gravel is fine, grass turns to mud after rain, and concrete or asphalt pads are the norm at RV resorts and newer parks.

2. Match the hookups to the stay

Hookups cost money, and paying for what you will not use adds up. A rough guide:

Two air conditioners on a 30-amp pedestal will trip the breaker on a 95-degree afternoon. If your rig is 50-amp, confirm the site is too, or carry a 50-to-30 dogbone and plan to run one unit. See 30 amp vs 50 amp hookups for the details.

3. Location versus price

Nightly rates fall fast with distance from the attraction. A full-hookup site in Moab or Estes Park runs $70 to $110 in season; 25 miles out, $40 to $60; a national forest campground with no hookups, $20 to $30. The trade is fuel and time. For a two-night stay, driving 25 miles each way costs about $15 to $25 in diesel for a big rig, so the cheaper park still wins. For a week-long base camp, count the daily commute to trailheads and decide if the savings are worth it.

The same logic applies to interstate parks. A KOA right off the exit charges for convenience; a municipal park or Corps of Engineers campground 10 miles off the highway is often half the price and quieter. Our RV park cost guide has ranges by type and region.

4. Read the rules before booking

Every private park has a rules page, and the important ones are rarely in the listing. Look for:

• RV age limits. Some resorts in Florida, Arizona, and Texas require rigs to be 10 years old or newer, or to pass a visual inspection.
• Pet rules. Breed bans, two-pet limits, and weight caps are common. Pet-friendly in a listing means dogs are allowed, not that yours is.
• Quiet hours and generator rules. Typically 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. Public campgrounds usually ban generators overnight entirely.
• Cancellation policy. Private parks range from full refund with 48 hours notice to a one-night forfeit or no refund inside 14 days. Resorts and holiday weekends are strictest.
• Check-in and check-out times. Late checkout fees and 3 p.m. check-ins are normal at busy parks.
• Vehicle limits. One tow vehicle is included; a second car or a boat trailer may cost $5 to $15 a night or be banned.

5. Weigh reviews correctly

A park's star rating tells you less than the last ten reviews. Management changes, a new owner repaves the roads, or a construction project starts next door, and a four-year average does not reflect any of it. Focus on recency, on complaints that repeat (bathhouse cleanliness, unlevel sites, WiFi that does not work, rude staff), and on whether the reviewer's rig and expectations match yours. A tent camper unhappy about road noise is not a problem for you in a Class A with the AC on. Our guide to reading RV park reviews goes deeper.

6. Think about the season

The same park can be great in May and miserable in August. Things to check for the dates you are traveling:

• Heat and shade. An open gravel lot in Arizona in July is a different park than the same lot in January. Look for tree cover or plan on running air conditioning constantly.
• Bugs and water. Lakeside sites in the upper Midwest in June mean mosquitoes; Gulf Coast parks in late summer mean no-see-ums and hurricane watch.
• Snowbird season. From November to March, parks in southern Arizona, south Texas, and Florida fill with monthly guests and nightly sites are scarce. Book early or aim for the shoulder months. See snowbird RV destinations.
• Closures. Many northern parks close October to April. The year-round parks hub filters those out.
• Events. A rodeo, race weekend, or college football game can double rates and sell out a town. Check the local calendar before you book.

7. Public or private?

Public campgrounds (state parks, Corps of Engineers, national forests) give you larger sites, more privacy, and lower prices, in exchange for fewer hookups, 14-day stay limits, and reservation windows that require planning. Private parks give you full hookups, laundry, WiFi, and flexibility. Many experienced RVers mix the two: public campgrounds for scenery, a private park every week or two to dump, do laundry, and catch up on work. The differences are laid out in RV park vs campground.

A five-minute checklist

1. Site length, width, pull-through or back-in, and surface.
2. Amperage, water, sewer or dump station.
3. Nightly rate with tax and fees, and any discounts.
4. Rules: age limit, pets, quiet hours, cancellation.
5. Last five reviews, sorted by date.
6. Satellite view of the entrance and your site.

Frequently asked questions