In
May 2007, the gas prices were at about $3.23 per gallon. This year, prices are at almost $1.00 more
per gallon. But even at a $1.00 more per
gallon, what does that mean to your travel budget for camping? If your tow vehicle or motor home gets 10
miles to a gallon of gas or diesel, and you take a 50 mile trip, your total
trip cost increase will be only $10.00 more!
If your tow vehicle gets better mileage, your cost increases will be
even less!
High
gasoline prices historically cause Americans to make modifications to their
travel plans but generally won’t cause them to cancel. So, here are some tips
on how to still have a great summer and not let the price of gas ruin your vacation.
Cook
& eat at the campsite or RV!
Cooking over the fire is a favorite of campers and RV’ers, but even if
cooking on the fire isn’t your thing, cooking and eating at your RV will help
you save enough money on your vacation to pay for the gas price increase and
allow you to afford the same vacation you took last year.
Stay
in a Cabin! Not owning an
RV isn’t the end of your camping experiences especially if tent camping is out
of the question for you. Most
campgrounds have cabins that provide non-RV owners a fun camping experience at
a very affordable rate. The cabins are
about the price of a hotel stay, but they have a wide range of amenities. Camping cabins can be very basic (just beds
and a table); kitchenette cabins provide the ability to cook indoors; and
deluxe full service cabins have multiple rooms, kitchens, and bathroom
facilities. You can drive the vehicle
that gets the best mileage, cook at the campground over the campfire to save
money on meals, and enjoy a fun and affordable vacation with your family.
Take
only one vehicle to the campground or on vacation! Coordinate schedules and carpool! It saves you gas and reduces
consumption! Reducing consumption makes
the price go down. If everyone would
lower consumption, our high fuel prices would come down.
Stay
Closer to Home. Rethinking your
vacation location may pay back big dividends!
Save the cost of travel fuel by RVing and camping closer to home. Not only do you save money on gas and wear
and tear on your RV but you also spend less time traveling and more time having
fun with your family!
Stay
Longer once you get there.
Instead of making four, 2-day camping trips with the RV this summer,
make three (3), 3-day stays. You get an
extra day of camping in, and the travel expense for only 3 trips! It saves you money on the gas and again uses
less gas, but that’s not all many campgrounds offer lower prices during the
week. So not only do you save with less
travel but you also save on the stay costs too!
Become
a Seasonal for the summer at your favorite campground! To really save money on fuel and get the
maximum use of your RV this summer, why not park the RV for the whole
summer? It’s a great way to think
locally and act globally, and it’s a great way for your family to enjoy camping
every weekend at the most affordable rate.
It maximizes your family’s enjoyment and minimizes the cost. Most families can camp for the whole summer
for less then a one-week vacation at Disney or at the seashore!
You
don’t have to spend all that money on fuel to still enjoy a great
vacation! You can plan a great vacation
by utilizing any one or more of these tips!
And, there are so many fun things to do and see right here in NW PA, you
don’t have to go a long way to get away!
By
Robyn S. Chilson
Robyn
& Tim Chilson, CPO, Own and Operate Meadville KOA Campground in Meadville,
PA. You can contact her at 814-789-3251.
