Where Should We Camp Next? Budget Camping @ The RV Atlas

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Like we mentioned in the show, this episode of Travel Tips is a little different. Jeremy and his wife, Stephanie are authors of several books in the camping world, and today we discuss their latest release: “Where Should We Camp Next? Budget Camping.” Tune in to learn all about:

How The Price of Camping Has Changed

Since the pandemic, RVing and camping has become increasingly popular. As with everything, pricing comes down to supply and demand. With the increase in demand for camping, the cost of camping went up.

Jeremy explains how many new and existing private campgrounds have raised their prices over the years, so they wrote this book to inform campers that there are still budget friendly choices out there.

Types of Campgrounds

When it comes to camping, there are two broad categories: Public and Private. Public campgrounds feature anything from national forests, state and national parks, and basically any dedicated public camping site. These sites often lack amenities, utilities, and hook ups, but they tend to be in the more beautiful locations. Public camping sites are more budget friendly.

Private campgrounds are smaller and either owned by large corporations or mom and pop. They tend to have more amenities such as pools, playgrounds, and dog parks, and RV sites usually have hook ups. Because of all these extras, this type of camping comes with a higher price tag.

Memberships

We also chatted about the different types of camping memberships that a variety of campgrounds offer. Most privately owned campgrounds have a $20-40 reward system where you can pay an annual fee to receive discounted stays. We also discussed some of the more expensive memberships, that can cost thousands of dollars, but can be worth it if someone is camping full time.

Renting

Sticking with the budgeting theme, renting your RV and gear can save you some money as well. Renting an RV isn’t cheap, but if you aren’t completely sure what you want, or if you don’t plan on doing a ton of camping, starting with a rental could be a good choice.

We also briefly touched on the idea of renting camping gear. This hasn’t become popular quite yet, but it is something worth looking into before you buy a ton of stuff you only use once.

Camping Mistakes

We went over a few mistakes that new campers make. For one, most people overpay on their first RV. We went into a lot more detail with this during Part 1.

We also talked not making your first trip be too far away. It’s always best to do some sort of local “shakedown trip” after you first buy or at the start of the season to make sure everything is working well.

Lastly, planning last-second trips to iconic locations can be a mistake. These places get booked up far in advance. If you are planning on hitting a popular destination within the next year, you should check out the availability window and be ready whenever it opens.

3, 2, 1 Countdown

3 Favorite Camping Activities:

·        Cooking

·        Hiking

·        Surfing/kayaking

2 Camping Complaints:

·        Sites are too small

·        Camper lights

1 Favorite Campground

·        Fort Wilderness, Disneyworld

Chapters

·        00:00 Introduction

·        02:15 How Has the Camping Price Landscape Changed Over the Years?

·        05:30 How Can People Control Their Costs?

·        07:30 Campground Categories

·        10:00 Camping Memberships

·        16:30 Renting Camping Equipment

·        18:00 Budget Friendly Camping Gear

·        19:15 How Far in Advance Should Someone Book a Campsite?

·        19:45 Common Mistakes First Time Campers Make

·        22:00 Other Camping Books

·        28:00 Delicioats

·        28:45 3,2,1 Countdown

 

The RV Atlas Online

·        Website: https://thervatlas.com/

·        Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thervatlas/

·        Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rvfamilytravelatlas

·        TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thervatlas

 

Get The Book

·        Where Should We Camp Next? Budget Camping: https://amzn.to/3Qu0eQf

 

More Camping Books by The RV Atlas

·        RV Vacations: https://amzn.to/3Q6cTs8

·        See You at the Campground: https://amzn.to/49Foo0E

·        Where Should We Camp Next? 50 State Guide: https://amzn.to/4cYagCB

·        Where Should We Camp Next? National Parks: https://amzn.to/3xONm0f

 

Camping Rewards

·        Jellystone: https://www.delawarejellystone.com/special-offers/camping-deals/

·        KOA: https://koa.com/rewards/

·        Spacious Skys: https://spaciousskiescampgrounds.com/spacious-skies-loyalty-program/

·        Thousand Trails: https://thousandtrails.com/membership-info

 

Camper Renting

·        Cruise America: https://www.cruiseamerica.com/

·        Road Bear: https://www.roadbearrv.com/en

·        El Monte RV: https://www.elmonterv.com/

·        Outdoorsy: https://www.outdoorsy.com/

·        RVshare: https://rvshare.com/

 

Budget Camping Gear

·        LL Bean: https://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/915?page=camping-and-hiking-gear&bc=29&csp=f&nav=gnro-29

·        Cabela’s: https://www.cabelas.com/c/camping

·        Lodge Cast Iron: https://www.lodgecastiron.com/

·        Blackstone: https://blackstoneproducts.com/

·        Weber Q: https://amzn.to/4cXXWSX

 

Future Camping Books

·        Where Should We Camp Next? Journal

·        Where Should We Camp Next? Children’s Journal

·        Children’s Book on Camping

·        Children’s Book on Hiking

 

Camping Locations Mentioned

·        Cape Hatteras: https://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/campgrounds.htm

·        North Bend Park, Virginia: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233563

·        Woodford State Park, Vermont: https://vtstateparks.com/woodford.html

·        Assateague Island Campground: https://www.nps.gov/asis/planyourvisit/marylandcamping.htm

·        Lower Pines, Yosemite: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232450

·        Fort Wilderness: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/resorts/campsites-at-fort-wilderness-resort/

·        West Glacier KOA: https://koa.com/campgrounds/west-glacier/

·        Delaware State Parks: https://destateparks.com/Camping

 

Previous Episodes Mentioned

·        Laura and Jason: https://atravelpath.com/road-trip-with-kids/

 

Delicioats

·        https://delicioats.com/discount/PATH Use Code PATH

 

Music

• Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/sky-toes/ready-as-ever License code: WYQ2IKRBMVFP3EJS

 

Disclaimer

*All content from atravelpath.com, including but not limited to The Travel Path Podcast and social media platforms, is designed to share general information. We are not experts and the information is not designed to serve as legal, financial, or tax advice. Always do your own research and due diligence before making a decision.