What to tell RV parks we drive

[H3Jim]

During this last trip, I instructed my girlfriend not to tell them we had a bus, but rather just a 41 foot RV.  I was afreaid of being turned away without them having seen the bus.

This was a place advertised in the FMCA mapbook as a "big rig friendly" place.  As I drove up I could tell that my 13 ft height would not fit under his trees, nor would my 41 ft length fit in his spaces, and that was if i could have shoehorned it around the corners.  The owner came out and was amazed at the coach and gave me a response I have not heard before - either here or in real life.

He laughed and said I should have told him I  had a bus, as he could have told me it wouldn't fit.  While I'm not sure that's true, it was different than anything else I had heard, so I thought I'd share this chuckle with you.

[maria-n-skip]

Hi Jim,
So are you going to post this place as a no go to use?

Skip

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

Hi Jim,

I would notify FMCA as to the "Big Rig Friendly" ad... I always try to read the wording in their ads, most will clearly state weather they can

accomadate you or not.  In this case, it is faulse and they shouldn't be advertizing this. Big Rigs are 38' to 45' with slides and height shouldn't matter.

Most places that we frequent, are getting bigger and bigger. I have found places with 40' X 90' sites either paved or gravel...My wife don't like dirt sites.

I tell the resorts that I'm 45ft motor coach with slides, this way, If they are ok with the size then I know I won't get stuck with a tiny site or worse... a scratched up paint job..

Nick-

[ghanson]

What bothers me in RV parks is that they charge more for kids ( I have four, and they sometimes bring friends or cousins etc.) and the parks usually have a limit to the number of people allowed on the sites.  I feel it's nobody's business how many people I have in  my coach.  We don't use the RV parks showers, bathrooms, etc., and I don't like being charged extra for it.  I guess I sometimes use their water, but often tanker in, so that isn't always the case either.  I do like WalMart, however.  They never care how many are in my coach .

[WEC4104]

My wife usually makes the reservations, and I too have coached her to say "35 foot motorhome", instead of "bus".   She forgets (or maybe chooses to ignore) what I say, about half the time I hear her on the phone with the campground blurting out the B-word.  Even so, we have NEVER had a problem being turned away or had to face any objections.  That goes for phone reservations and when we roll up to the front gate.

As far as the extra charge for kids goes, I am not a big fan of it either.  We are a family of five, so we are one over the limit at many campgrounds. I have found however that lots of campgrounds seem to have no interest in hitting us with a surcharge for one extra kid.  Maybe it is age related (my youngest is 7) but I can't recall the last time we actually had to pay an extra fee. As the kids get older and start bringing along friends, I am sure this will catch up with me eventually.

I guess it is a case of "you can't please everybody".  I have a friend who is a retired gentleman that has a small RV built on a Dodge van chassis. He travels alone and uses very little of a campground's resources.  I wonder what he must think when he pulls in next to a full size bus, loaded with a family, and two roof airs running constantly. I am sure he realizes that he is paying the same for the site, but is using 1/10 of the campground's facilities and consumables.

Like everyone else, I don't like the feeling that I am paying extra, but I guess I understand where they are coming from.  I just try to make sure I read the fine print on the fee charts and factor the extra charges into the total. If the total ends up looking excessive, I "vote with my wallet" and stay elsewhere.

[white-eagle]

We've fortunately never had an issue with staying anywhere because of our bus.  We have had issues with campgrounds telling us they had plenty of room and didn't.  We don't try for the exclusive, hi-dollar, Nick the A/C man type sites.  we prefer quiet, out of the way, but easy to get into sites with dirt and grass for the dogs.
 
Last year we stopped at night at a small campground just off i75 in  TN.  the manager had said they have pull thru's.  They did, but at night, they are hard to find in the dark with insufficient lighting in the campground.  We stayed but it isn't a recommended one in my book unless your bus is only 30 ft.  in our case the KOA was full and told us about the other site.

any campground that shys away from buses, should have their name spread around this board.  it's their campground and they can do what they want, but campgrounds that discriminate should know that there is a penalty on their reputation.

I've got a bus and i'm proud of it.  if your camground doesn't do buses, it's your loss, not mine.  Bus people are great Americans.

[gus]

I always say I have a 35' motor coach. The only questions I ever get over the phone are about the length and do I require a pull through.

I always avoid any RV park that calls itself a Resprt, that means more expensive with a bunch of stuff I don't use or want, or it means they won't allow buses.

I think the biggest problem with the word Bus is that it envisions a clapped up mess of an old school bus. My guess it that most park owners don't even recognize most of the modern looking conversions as buses because with their shape, dark paint schemes and closed over windows they look just like most large factory RVs.

My 4104 is original looking except for the roof ACs and I have had many park owners come out and ask a bunch of questions about the age and history of the bus. Many really love the bus and,of course, some have no interest at all.

Not once have I ever been refused at an RV park.

[TomC]

Last year I pulled into a huge RV resort in Phoenix that had alot of permanents.  They asked the age of my bus and had one of the guys go out to look at it.  He was gone about 10 minutes and came back in to say he had to take pictures of it, he liked it so much.
Also was in San Diego a couple of months ago and looked and the RV resort in the south end of the city.  They said that they don't allow bus conversions, yet when I drove through counted 6 parked there.  So what do you do?  Personally, if they have an issue with my 30 year old bus, me no stay there.  Good Luck, TomC

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

We've fortunately never had an issue with staying anywhere because of our bus.  We have had issues with campgrounds telling us they had plenty of room and didn't.  We don't try for the exclusive, hi-dollar, Nick the A/C man type sites.  we prefer quiet, out of the way, but easy to get into sites with dirt and grass for the dogs.
 
Last year we stopped at night at a small campground just off i75 in  TN.  the manager had said they have pull thru's.  They did, but at night, they are hard to find in the dark with insufficient lighting in the campground.  We stayed but it isn't a recommended one in my book unless your bus is only 30 ft.  in our case the KOA was full and told us about the other site.

any campground that shys away from buses, should have their name spread around this board.  it's their campground and they can do what they want, but campgrounds that discriminate should know that there is a penalty on their reputation.

I've got a bus and i'm proud of it.  if your camground doesn't do buses, it's your loss, not mine.  Bus people are great Americans.

Tom,

You must not have young children...... Camping to us is a meaningful family value that we treasure together. My oldest is now 15, and to keep
her close to us and not stray to the evil that they call their friends, we try and fulfill their intrests with fun and togetherness.  If this means
expensive resorts, then so be it! Besides, I have fun too....
Nick-

[maria-n-skip]

  This is what I like about this group from hobbie/life style to dirt/resort the one thing we have
is our bus. It is a onerous task master we have decided to hook up with. The rest of it the
stuff is feathers in the wind.

  Our family was known for having vacations from hades now my kids are grown and starting families
of there own. I have another generation to get it right this time. The wheres are unimportant
(to each their own) it's the family that counts PERIOD.

Skip

[white-eagle]

NIck that was not a slam.  i should have put a wink or a smiley there.  it was a friendly jab at your comment about cement and resorrts.  sorry if you may have taken offense.  it was not meant to offend.
we do try not to go to exclusive type places that are picky about looks and ages and being the right class, but then i also hate to get dressed for dinner on cruises while my wife thinks its fun.  go figure!

i'm just a downhome boy at heart.

[Busted Knuckle]

but then i also hate to get dressed for dinner on cruises while my wife thinks its fun.  go figure!

Hey the only "cruises" most of the rest of us take are we are the "Captain" and the bus is the ship !  LOL! Who's do'n what now? LOL!
  BK 

[maria-n-skip]

BK,

   Does that mean the "Captain" gets to decide who eats?

  Skip

[Nick Badame Refrig/ACC]

NIck that was not a slam.  i should have put a wink or a smiley there.  it was a friendly jab at your comment about cement and resorrts.  sorry if you may have taken offense.  it was not meant to offend.
we do try not to go to exclusive type places that are picky about looks and ages and being the right class, but then i also hate to get dressed for dinner on cruises while my wife thinks its fun.  go figure!

i'm just a downhome boy at heart.

Hi Tom,

No Offence Taken...  Just Family Fun. Our Bus Family, That is...
Nick-

[Busted Knuckle]

Skip yes the "Captain" decides who! When!  & Where!