Building a RV park would like some advise from the people who use them. - RV-Dreams Community Forum

Myra128 · RV-Dreams Community Member

Building a RV park would like some advise from the people who use them.

53 Merc · RV-Dreams Family Member

My word, you are a brave soul. You will get all manner of comments, from all types of RVers. The list of wants, needs vary according to the styles of campers you target.

A RESORT is all about groups, amenities, space between sites, access to shopping and fixtures. Activities in and out of the RESORT are a big plus, as well as services within the park. Will you pick up garbage sacks on a daily basis? Will you pick up, refill and return propane cylinders? Will you provide fire-pits and keep them clean? Will you provide happy hours and refreshments? Is electric rate included within the daily/weekly/monthly rate? Pool? Rec Building? Craft Building?

An RV PARK is all about space, level sites, cement parking, ease of access from main highways, appropriate sinage for guidance, ease of check-in, and most of all, price. Are sites pull through and of an appropriate length to provide parking for the tow vehicle also? Will you have separate facilities for long termers? Will you provide daily/weekly/mnonthly rates?

As I said, you will get all kinds of responses. I suggest, you need to refine your query to indicate what you think you want to do. RV Park, Resort, Overnighter, destination park, or whatever.

Good luck.

Myra128 · RV-Dreams Community Member

Hi thanks for your quick response and yes i do agree with you i needed to explain more and will do after i run it by you first.
My husband is over in Alabama with my two sons they have started to clear the ground for the RV site, they are building approx 210 RV lots which will be of concrete and plenty of room between sites. There will be a clubhouse, swimming pool, fire pits laundry, trailor storage, tennis courts horsehoes pitching. We were thinking of maybe putting a small shop for convence's.
But as this opportunity came out of the blue and a once in a life time we couldent say no, but we have never had a RV so we are hoping we get it right.
We might keep some sights as we are right on Guntersville lake and it has a view to die for and a wonderful sunset, its just the most perfect place.

Terry and Jo · RV-Dreams Family Member

This is probably pretty obvious, but you haven't mentioned it yet. Don't forget a good electrical system to include 50 amp as well as 30 amp hookups. Also a dump station that is easy to maneuver into and away from.

Also consider WiFi for internet access and perhaps even cable or satellite feed for television.

flyone · RV-Dreams Family Member

Myra--with 210 sites you should be able to have some sites of each kind, Pull thru, Extended stay, Full hook ups- water electric, maybe even a few primative (tent camping). However the biggest thing you need to keep in mind is space. With big trailers and big trucks RV'ers need big roads places to turn around space to back in and park, level sites and a little privacy, maybe a little landscaping between sites so my neighbor isn't looking right at me and inside my trailer all of the time, it dosent have to be elaborate or real heavy/thick just something to break it up a little bit. A little space to play lawn games and a nice fire pit and you'll do fine.

Flyone (Bob)

Myra128 · RV-Dreams Community Member

Hi thanks that's all very helpful and appreciated anything else is more than welcome.

Denise · RV-Dreams Family Member

Something we really enjoy is a fenced dog area. We look for RV parks that have fenced in dog runs or pet play areas. I agree with the large sites too.

Myra128 · RV-Dreams Community Member

I have 3 dogs so what a good idea, thanks

traveljunkie · RV-Dreams Family Member

flyone wrote:

Myra--with 210 sites you should be able to have some sites of each kind, Pull thru, Extended stay, Full hook ups- water electric, maybe even a few primative (tent camping). However the biggest thing you need to keep in mind is space. With big trailers and big trucks RV'ers need big roads places to turn around space to back in and park, level sites and a little privacy, maybe a little landscaping between sites so my neighbor isn't looking right at me and inside my trailer all of the time, it dosent have to be elaborate or real heavy/thick just something to break it up a little bit. A little space to play lawn games and a nice fire pit and you'll do fine.

Flyone (Bob)

I agree with Flyone - space for bigger rigs, not just the sites themselves but the roads to get to the sites, to get to the office to check in, space for an extra vehicle. I'm also a HUGE fan of the nice bathroom. We have a perfectly good bathroom in our rig, but if the campground has a nice bathroom (and keeps it clean) I'll give it an A++ rating. If the lake is a boating lake and you are looking to attract seasonal campers - a place to store boats, either on the site or in a central area is also a big plus. Remember you've asked for a complete wish list

so I'm going to add 50 amp, onsite sewer, good water pressure, a camp store, private sites, and friendly staff. Clearly posted rules also will eleviate any misunderstandings and will help you when trying to enforce quiet hours, pet walking, etc.

thebearII · RV-Dreams Family Member

Myra,

If you plan on having permanent residents I would suggest creating a separate area for those RVs. Many of the RV parks have a loop setup, one loop of sites dedicated to permanent or long term residents and the other loop(s) for shorter duration stays.

If possible I like to stay where there is a barrier (natural or manmade) between the RV sites. The space between the sites should be at least 20 feet.

Restrooms and showers should be well built and spacious. Take a cue from restrooms in high rise commercial buildings, the floors & walls are stone or tile, with solid material counters, stainless steel fixtures and strong partitions.

Pet stops should be conveniently located but away from the main walkways. One of the RV resorts we go to has a pet stop located near the main office complex and when you walk by it the smell just about knocks you over. It's well kept and everyone cleans up, plus it's cleaned by the staff daily, but after many years of use and whatever chemical they spread to sanitize the site, it still smells.

Lots of wwalking paths, great landscaping, big grassy areas, nice meeting rooms, a small store with groceries, sundries and RV supplies.

Free WiFi

Here's a website for what I consider a 5 star RV resort. The spaces are too close together, but they have 6 foot tall hedges between each site, so it makes it a little easier to take.
http://www.chulavistarv.com/

Donna162 · RV-Dreams Family Member

Since you are having concrete sites, I would tell you that the concrete would be better if it was wide enough to have room to step down from the RV onto the concrete. If not people want to put rugs or mats on the grass at the bottom of their steps and eventually the grass dies and all you have is dirt or mud.

I also have dogs and appreciate a place to walk the dogs....if you allow dogs, there has to be a place for them to "go". The fenced areas are nice but if not possible, there still needs to be a grassy area that can be used by pet owners to take them....either that or don't allow them to stay at the park. Also, we recently were at a park that had the pet area but it was a muddy mess.....dogs wouldn't "go" in the mud and I wasn't crazy about wading thru it either. All that to say, either provide a decent place for pets or don't allow them.

A central place outside with a campfire for happy hour, with a set time every day. One place we stayed provided popcorn everyday at 4:00. Nice to know there was a place you could go to meet others if you wanted.

Outside lights at night.

Make sure the electric boxes are far enough off the ground so that those that have them can use their surge protectors.

Two water faucets if you will allow visitors to wash their RVs.

This really doesn't have to do with the space itself but the operation. It's nice to arrive at a new place and be given all the rules of the park, emergency information, TV information, shopping information, area map, medical facilities available, restaurant information, veterinary facilities available.....all just nice, customer friendly information.

bjoyce · RV-Dreams Family Member

RVs don't bend in the middle so make sure we can maneuver easily with the largest units, both on the roads and into the campsites. If you don't people will drive over the landscaping, hit things and not tell you, or give up and tell everyone not to bother with your campground. Don't just try your cousin's trailer and add a bit of slack (I know a couple places that did just that, they regretted it). Make sure if you want 45' buses with tag axles they can maneuver, along with the longest 5ers and HDTs.

Go to multiple camping stores and buy each brand of sewer hookup, including the special 90 degree ends that hook to 3" and 4" connections, and make sure they will screw in. There are about 5 brands and each is different. Some places put raised concrete lips around the sewer connection or put the sewer very low so some of the sewer setups will not fit. Selling them in the store doesn't help, that just makes people think you did it to make extra money especially since they often have to buy a new sewer hose from you to fit the end and they have no place to carry it.

Do think of where you are going to put garbage and recycling. More places in the campground are better. Some people seem to like having campsite pickup but having an obvious dumpster to throw away fish guts or something else the camper wants out at 9PM is also nice.

These are just a couple suggestions on layout.

Happy campers are normally better campers and you and your staff will be less stressed dealing with them. Some people are grumps and some are sometimes grumps, but if you work at it to make it a happy place you will have less grumps.

fleamarketeer · RV-Dreams Family Member

Guntersville lake looks like a good spot. I saw it on the map while researching flea markets. The convenience store is a great idea- I always forget something basic. And if Alabama doesn't make it too much hassle, sell hunting and fishing licenses.

Another mentioned general bath house amenities, but at the top of my list is a good long hot shower with good water pressure. They might be out there but I've never showered in an RV with a big enough hot water tank for a nice shower.

If you have a large parking lot near the office how about an area for those who just want to lay over for the night and prefer not to use Walmart (again). Maybe a reasonable fee to park and extra for a hot shower before they continue on . Truck stops charge at least $10 for a shower.

Try for a mix of sites. Most here are concerned about parking the big rigs. Don't forget the other end of the spectrum. There are a lot more pop up campers and smallish trailers on the road than the big guys. To make make money you have to provide a desired service for the majority of the potential customers.

Think about expansion when you lay out your buildings on the site. You might decide you want to add a diner, a cabin or two, maybe boat sales, RV repair or ???

Bob

Bill and Linda · RV-Dreams Family Member

You might consider "engaging" Howard and Linda as "consultants" and “Ambassadors-at-Large.” Actually, I am not making a joke here although the punch lines concerning “free golf” are endless. :)
But, assuming a lot of things, they would be perfect in such a roll. They could offer a wide range of services based on their experiences of the last few years as well as “marketers” for such a place as you may be contemplating.
‘Just a thought.
Bill

Myra128 wrote:

Hi, yes we are building a brand new RV park in Alabama and why not ask the people themselves what they need and want in a RV park?
Is there anyone how could offer some advise?

dream reachers · RV-Dreams Family Member

Our home base is Alabama and we are pleased that you are asking for suggestions before building the park. Lake Guntersville is so pretty it will be great to have a nice rv park with many of the suggestions that have been submitted on this forum implimented. We wish you the best on your construction efforts. Listening to good suggestions will help your park succeed. No one wants to get stuck in a site or fight pot holes in the road or hit something because there isn't enough room to manuever. A poorly laid out park is doomed from the start. Water sewer and electric installed correctly and placed in the right location at the sites is a must. Another suggestion is to trim trees high enough so big rigs won't be hitting limbs including the road to the rv park. We worked as camp hosts this summer in a state park and found that if you post rules and enforce them [especially quiet hours, dogs on leashs and picking up after dogs] that you will have people returning. Price is also a key factor.

Dan and Gail · RV-Dreams Family Member

We also appreciate a fenced area for dogs to be allowed to fun free. We've been in two parks where the fenced dog area was divided for small, medium and large dogs. Some parks also provide poop bags along with trash cans located in the dog run area.

As already mentioned, please locate the electrical outlets high enough off the ground to accomodate our surge protector. It is not supposed to lay flat on the ground as water could get into it.

We love camping in Alabama, so will be following your progress and hoping to visit with you in the future.

retread · RV-Dreams Family Member

A few thoughts came to mind after reading the other posts:

We notice that RV parks (someone already noted the difference in 'resorts') fall into two other categories - the easy stop for travellers/sightseers or destinations. If we're staying somewhere for longer than a week or two (destination park), we really like to avoid feeling crammed in with the neighbors and want a fire pit, picnic table etc. If you are lakefront, your customers may not be leaving the park for days at a time and will appreciate being able to make themselves at home. If the environment is more like a 'campground' with plenty of outdoor activities, we've been very content to not have cable hookups (but also expect the fees to be less!). Having a well stocked library of dvd's for rent if you're far from towns is a nice offering in case of bad weather. Also, we think lake/waterfront properties should always provide boat/kayak/paddle boat rentals for those of us that don't carry those types of toys around with us :)

If it's just a spot to stay while seeing nearby sights, we're more willing to be a little closer to neighbors and don't use the picnic tables, fire rings, etc since we're busy with outings.

Maybe we've been missing the horseshoe enthusiasts - we see the set up for these frequently, but have never seen anyone making use of them and have only once played a round ourselves. We've seen parks with small miniature golf facilities and if clubs/golf balls are available at minimal charge they seem to be frequently used. Nice playground equipment for families with children is a nice feature (fenced for little ones).

One last note about access - we have a love/hate relationship with trees. We love their beauty, enjoy putting out bird feeders occasionally and appreciate the shade when it's hot. We hate when they make parking or positioning our multiple slides difficult, or the threat of low hanging branches to our roof mounted a/c units! We also appreciate with park owners keep the old branches cleared out so that we don't worry about being clobbered when the wind blows.

Best wishes in your endeavors,
Linda

TXRVr · RV-Dreams Family Member

You have gotten some great comments so let me mention the things I don’t like:

1- Poor electrical service. Drops in voltage damage equipment. Use 6 AWG at a minimum. 4 AWG would be better.

2- Tree branches that scrap the top and sides of my rig. I’ve got as much invested in my RV as my home and I wouldn’t have branches rubbing the side of my house.

3- Fire rings. A few of my fellow RVers don’t care if their campfire smoke comes into my rig. Likewise they don’t care about throwing their unburnable trash it one.

4- On site grills. No one ever cleans them after use.

5- Street lamps that are next to the site and turn night into day when trying to sleep.

6- Spotty Wi-Fi coverage. It’s kinda like the electrical wire issue. Spend a little extra and do it right the first time.

7- Minimal space between sites. I can live with a 40ft length, but I prefer not to be able to “reach out and touch someone.”

8- Hook ups that require lengthy runs of hoses and chord. Put them in the middle of the site.

9- Trash receptacles or dumpsters that require me to get into a vehicle and drive to them.

10- A laundry facility that has too few machines and too little space.

11- Completely paved campgrounds without landscaping. They simple are not aesthetically pleasing.

12- Tight turns in the campground. A large motor home with tow is almost as long as an 18 wheeler.

13- A staff that doesn’t know the area and answers to local area questions.

One of the best places I have ever stayed had a centrally located outdoor pavilion with high quality picnic tables, commercial type gas/charcoal grills, a sink with water, and night lighting. It was convenient for the quests and the staff kept everything well cleaned. The bath was huge and immaculate. The laundry had a small reading room next to it for those who don’t want to leave it unattended. There was a nice playground. Back-ins were at a 45 degree angle for easy access. Wi-Fi with repeaters was 5 bars thru-out. They had pre-selected sites where they knew that satellite cover would be good. On site garbage cans were checked and emptied daily. A staff member brought forwarded mail to me on the day it arrived.

Perhaps you could find some other longer time campground owners who aren’t in competition with you and pick their brain, too. Good luck.

-- Edited by TXRVr on Saturday 23rd of January 2010 12:55:26 PM

Luvglass · RV-Dreams Family Member

Along TXRVr's recommendation, we stayed at Bentsen Palm Village in Mission, TX and met the owner and developer Mike Rhodes. He gave us a tour of his properties and described how he got into the business and interviewed RV park owners all over the country before building his park, which by the way is about the finest park we have stayed in, in the almost 275 we have visited.

I'm sure he would love to share ideas with you. His contact information is
Mike Rhodes (956) 287-2800 mike@mlrhodes.com

The Bentsen Palm website is http://bentsenpalmvillage.com/

Good luck, you are going about this in a very smart way.

Fred

DorisandDave · RV-Dreams Family Member

Width of roads and site size seem to be a big issue with a lot of parks I have stayed at and space between sites. Make the pads wide enough so when you step out you are walking on the concrete and not mud. Have some space between sites so you can sit out and enjoy yourself. Don't need an acre but some space. Site length needs to be enough to handle the long rigs. Stayed at 1 park that I had to put the 5ver at the end of the pull thru, truck on the road, disconnect and park the truck at the back of the trailer. Still had to darn near park bumper to bumper to get off the road. Trash pick up is not a big deal for me as I don't mind to walk to a nearby dumpster daily. Good electrical, water and wifi with either cable of good line of site for satellite. Good luck and I'm sure we will come down and visit!!

two travelers · RV-Dreams Family Member

Not being a full timer... I like to have lots of fun and run area for my grandson.. he loves, pools , game rooms , and nice roads to ride his bike... me I like nice clean ,level parking spots.. with some grass and trees.. ....I like to take walks so a nice walking trail is always a treat for us... nice bathroom...with good water pressure and hot water...nice fire pits,,, We cook over open fire most nights..
If your park is near the Lake will you have a dock so people can get small boats or kayaks into the lake..
A nice schedule of activites...snack bar with ice cream please... for those really hot days...
I am sure you have enough sugesstions to keep you busy ... best of luck...patti