Camping is a great way to make new
friends! Whether you camp in a cabin,
tent, or RV there are is no better way to get your family outside and enjoying
quality time together in the great outdoors!
No doubt about it, campers all look forward to being outside and going hiking,
biking, swimming, fishing, and more!
But, we also need to know how to do it in a way that doesn’t offend or
intrude on our camping neighbors experience as well!
Problems arise between campers when someone invades,
interrupts, or disrespects the other camper’s space. Below, we’ve created a list of items that are
just good courtesy to your camping neighbors.
If you practice these rules, you’ll be a good camping neighbor! And hopefully, your neighbors will practice
them too.
Quiet Hours: Most campgrounds have posted quiet
hours. Respect those, and you and your
neighbor and the campground owner or manager will get along fine. People with very young children, appreciate
that their children aren’t awakened by the campers next door. The same is true of older campers, who may go
to bed earlier. Making excessive noise should
be avoided at all times, not just during quiet hours. No one wants to listen to parents screaming
at their children, domestic disputes, or loud music blasting at any hour of the
day or night. What’s the measure for too
loud? If it can be heard on the next
campsite, it is too loud.
Excessive
or Annoying Day Time Noise: Most people try to be quiet during the night-time quiet
hours, but what about day-time noise? Most campers don't want to camp
next to people with the radio blasting, someone making something that is noisy
(like metal working), someone pounding the fire poker on the fire ring, kids
screaming or screeching, parents screaming at their kids, or another couple
having a domestic disturbances, etc.
Visitors:
Everyone loves to have family and friends visit them while camping! Campground owners love it too. But remember, that when you registered, you
registered for X number of people. So
when 2 friends stop by to visit, they need to report to the office, register as
visitors, and pay the visitor’s fee for the day if they are only staying for
the day, or for the overnight camping.
There is generally a limit to the number of visitors you can have per
campsite. So check that out at the
campground before you invite the whole family to that July 4th
picnic and find out that someone was sent home because your site was already at
max. capacity. And, large groups easily disturb
the neighbors, so please be extra considerate and quiet.
Pet Policies:
Nothing is more irritating then a camper who locks their pet in an RV, leaves
for the day, and the neighbors can’t sit out at their campsite because the
neighboring dog is barking non-stop for hours on end. It’s not fair to your pet, the camping
neighbors, nor the campground owners.
The other problem is retractable leashes and pet owners allowing their
pets to do their business in other people’s campsites. Walk your pet in the pet walk area, clean up
after it, keep it leashed, and keep it quiet.
Pets are without question, the #1 area of complaints that campground
owners get. So, if you want to keep
campgrounds pet-friendly for your four legged family members, this will go a
long way in doing so.
Your Campsite:
Your campsite runs from your hookups, to your neighbors hookups. Please keep all of your stuff (noise, kids,
dogs, vehicles, etc.) on your campsite.
Don’t exchange picnic tables with someone else, or fire rings, etc. None of that stuff is yours to move, so
please don’t.
Trespassing: It
sounds silly, but your neighbor’s campsite is your neighbor’s campsite. Please don’t park your third vehicle on it, assuming
they don’t care. Don’t allow your
children to cut through others campsites on the way to or from the restrooms, shower
house, or playground. Not only is it
rude, it’s also dangerous. There could
be a fire ring (or other obstacle) to trip over, a dog lead you don’t see, or a
pet that will be startled and bite you. Neither the dog owner, nor the person
bitten, want that to happen. It’s always
a trip to the restroom.
Follow The Campground
Policies: You would be astonished at how many people pay no attention to
the campground policies. Most
campgrounds have policies for the protection of their campers. Make sure you get a copy and read the rules
at each campground you go to. They may
differ slightly from campground to campground, but most are pretty
standard. They are there to ensure safety,
security, and courtesy for you and others.
Teach your children and new camping friends to follow them, and everyone
will have a great time, every time.
Check-in/Check-out
times: Please be punctual. If you are checking out, and check-out time
is 2:00, please be sure that you are departed at or before 2:00. The campground needs time to check it, clean
the fire ring, and perform any needed maintenance. The next camper may be
sitting in the parking lot ready to come onto that site. Your late departure becomes an inconvenience
to the next person. We’re confident you
wouldn’t want the camper before you, to make you wait for the campsite you
reserved for your family vacation. Be
courteous, and don’t do it to the next camper.
Please pay it forward.
Leave the site like
you found it (or better!): There is
nothing worse, then pulling onto a campsite with the garbage still sitting on
it or worse yet something scattered around the campsite. Make sure you take your refuse to the
dumpster before you depart. Don’t leave
broken water balloons, confetti, etc. all over the campsite. Please don’t burn plastics, Styrofoam,
etc. It stinks and it’s toxic to you and
others, and it’s bad for the environment!
Please place tin cans, glass bottles, used sparklers, etc. in the
garbage that goes to the dumpster. They
do not belong in the fire ring. Leave the
campsite as clean or cleaner than it was when you checked in. Not only will the campground owner or manager
appreciate it, but the next camper will too.
If you have an issue,
please report it: Whether you have
an issue with a camping neighbor, the Wi-Fi isn’t working, the bath room needs
attention, or there is an electrical problem, report it. If you report it, it provides the business
owner a chance to fix this issue and make your camping experience better. It also raises their awareness of issues they
might need to address with staff, or a policy change that improves everyone’s
camping experience!
Following these simple rules, may seem almost a no
brainer. But these are the top
complaints we get from campers, about other campers. So, if you’re camping, and you follow these
rules of courtesy, hopefully your camping neighbors will too. When that happens, everyone has a better
camping experience.
We wish you safe and happy kamping where ever your travels
take you!
By Robyn Chilson
Tim & Robyn Chilson
own and operate Meadville KOA Campground in Meadville, PA. Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251 or at
www.MeadvilleKOA.com
