Come Enjoy Halloween In September!

At Meadville KOA, we do Halloween in September.  Generally, the weather is little better than in October, and we’re not competing with other campgrounds who do their Halloween Events on or near Halloween.

Halloween is a big deal.  Kids love trick or treating, parents love the creativity, and it’s just good old family fun!  If you’re looking for some family fun this fall, then come to Meadville KOA!  We have some great Halloween (and other autumn) event weekends in store for your family!  But you better reserve now, because the weekends are upon us!

On Sept. 15 is our KOA VKR Weekend!  All KOA VKR (Value Kard) members get Sat. night free when they purchase a campsite Fri. night. (Please note: Cabins are not included in this offer!  But you will receive your 10% KOA discount off our already low autumn cabin rental rates!).  We'll have family BINGO for everyone, and adults BINGO (with bigger payouts!).  We have specials at every game, door prizes, 50/50 to benefit Care Camps, and much more!  (* 2 night minimum.)  + Leave your RV for no charge (except electricity) as long as you’re coming back next weekend!  And, the Pioneer Steam and Gas Engine Show is being held at nearby Drake Well in Titusville Sept 15th!      

On September 22, we have Pumpkinfest Weekend! – Decorate your campsite with scarecrows and pumpkins theme to win free camping as prizes for 1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rd  place in our decorating contest!  Enjoy our free pumpkin party with pumpkin cake, ice cream, and apple cider!  And we’ll play Candy Bar BINGO (play 7 games on 1 full size candy bar) and take an afternoon wagon ride!  Join us for an after dark candy hunt!  (* 2 night minimum at summer weekend rate.)  + Leave your RV for no charge (except electricity) as long as you’re coming back next weekend! 

September 29 is Our Halloween Weekend!  Win prizes for 1^st, 2^nd, & 3^rd Day & Night time campsite decorating contests!  Join our costume contest (prizes for outstanding costumes of all ages), trick or treating (bring candy to hand out, too), Halloween party with apple cider, donuts, & an after dark glowing wagon ride, and our free pancake breakfast with the purchase of your campsite (for 2 adults and 2 children) on Sunday morning!  Breakfast is just $3.00/person for visitors & extra campers!  (* 2 night minimum at summer weekend rate.)  + Leave your RV for no charge (except electricity) as long as you’re coming back next weekend!    

October 6 is our Apple Fest & Columbus Day Weekend!  Don’t forget to ask for your returning camper discount!  Come join us for the colors and flavors of the season!  We’ll have free crafts for kids, an afternoon wagon ride to enjoy the fall foliage, and an apple dessert dish to pass social!  (* 2 night minimum.)  + Leave your RV for no charge (except electricity) as long as you’re coming back next weekend!  This is Franklin Applefest Weekend! 

October 14 Customer Appreciation & Bring A Friend BOGO! Ask for your returning camper discount OR, bring a friend who never camped at Meadville KOA before and you each get a BOGO (Buy One Night Get One Free) Discount!  (Two campsites rental is required to get BOGO offer)!  Ask for discount code CF!  Please note: Cabin rentals are not included in CF and returning camper discounts.    We’re having free children’s crafts, an afternoon wagon ride, and a free pizza party!  (* 2 night minimum.)  + Leave your RV for no charge (except electricity) as long as you’re coming back next weekend!  The Conneaut Lake Pumpkin Fest is this weekend!  Come and enjoy their giant pumpkin drop, and more!  And, The Pioneer Steam and Gas Engine Fall Harvest Show is this weekend in nearby Saegertown!              

October 20 is our Closing Weekend!  (Save $5.00 per night on your campsite!)  This is our last camping weekend for this season!  Please note that there are no planned activities, and all rental amenities may not be functional this weekend!

If you don’t own an RV, don’t panic!  We have a camping cabin, kitchenette cottage cabin, and deluxe lake-front lodges to rent so your family doesn’t have to miss any of the fun!  And all of our autumn campsites and cabins (unless otherwise noted) are at our lower autumn rates!  Come enjoy some autumn camping with your family!

By Robyn Chilson                                                           

Tim & Robyn Chilson Own and Operate Meadville KOA Campground. You can contact her at 814-789-3251.

Wish Upon A Butterfly Weekend at Meadville KOA

In 1984 the KOA (Kampgrounds of America) Owners Association created KOA Care Camps to provide opportunities for kids with cancer to attend oncology camps, where they can escape from their pain and suffering, receive their treatments, and have lots of fun while being with other kids just like them.  

Since inception, KOA Care Camps has raised more than $13,000,000 so kids can attend camp free of charge with no additional cost to their already financially burdened families. 
As the number of kids diagnosed with cancer continues to grow so does the demand for funding. In 2017 KOA provided financial support to 129 oncology camps disbursing more than $1.3 million in operating and capital grants.

KOA Care camps are funded through KOA.  KOA pays for 100% of the administration costs of this charity, so that 100% of every donation goes straight to helping send sick child to camp. 
To support this effort Meadville KOA is hosting it’s “Wish Upon A Butterfly” weekend on August 4^th. 

We purchase butterflies from a local butterfly farm, and you buy the butterfly, and when you do, 100% of the purchase of the butterfly goes to KOA Care Camps. 
So, when you attend this fun event and buy a butterfly for $11.00.  All $11.00 goes to help send critically ill children to enjoy the healing nature of camp!

This is a great event that your whole family will love!  Have you or your children or grandchildren ever seen and held a real, live, monarch butterfly before?  They will have the opportunity to just that at this one of a kind, event!  Secondly, you’re helping to replenish the monarch butterfly populations!  The populations of these beautiful creatures has greatly diminished due to the loss of milkweed (their primary food) and use of weed killers and pesticides.  Third, you’re helping to send critically ill children to enjoy the healing nature of camp!  How can you not feel great about being part of all that?    

So, this event is August 4th, why are we telling you about it in June?  We have to order the butterflies by June 29.  If you’re planning to attend this great weekend, please be sure to sign up for your butterflies if you want to participate in the Saturday afternoon butterfly release. 
As always, we thank you for your generous donations, and we thank you for helping us to support care camps!   

By Robyn Chilson

Tim & Robyn Chilson CPO, own and operate Meadville KOA in Meadville PA. She can be reached at 814-789-3251

Featured Campers from Fulton, NY

We want to introduce you to a camping family that stayed with us in July of this summer.  They are Dennis & Pat MacVittie from Fulton, NY!

They camped with us on their way home from purchasing their Oliver Travel Trailer that was built in Hohenwald, TN.  Their new Oliver travel trailer was the 153^rd one built on the line.  One of the first things that caught my eye was that they were pulling it with a diesel powered Jeep!  

Their new Oliver travel trailer wasn’t their first experience at RVing.  They started camping when they retired in 2009 with an “A Liner” trailer.  Dennis retired from the Army.  Pat is a retired middle school Consumer Science Teacher.  Dennis is a marathon runner, so they put over 40,000 miles on it from Nova Scotia to all over Western US attending marathon races. 

They saw Oliver Travel trailers were featured in the April issue of the Trailer Life Magazine.  They were intrigued by the article and decided to go to Tennessee and tour the factory.  They liked what they saw and placed their order while they were there. 

Their travel trailer took eight weeks to build.  They went back to Tennessee to pick it up and did a short “shakedown cruise”.  A shakedown cruise is a camping trip taken by purchasers of a new RV to make sure they’ve “worked all the bugs out” before a big trip!  Nothing ruins a vacation any faster than vehicle or RV trouble while traveling.  So most prudent new owners do a trial run to help prevent such catastrophes! 

They were on their way back home to Fulton, NY when they decided to stop for the night at Meadville KOA!  We’re so glad they did.  Not only did we get to meet a really nice camping couple, but it allowed me an up close and personal glimpse at an Oliver travel trailer.  The Oliver travel trailers are pretty neat looking and compact.  Inside, their streamlined design is sleek and elegant.  The fiberglass exterior’s rounded design is sure to be arrow dynamic.

The seemed happy with their decision thus far, and were sure excited to allow me to see in it and get a glimpse of this new innovative design RV.     

We hope you’ve enjoyed this look at one of our camping families this summer, and their new Oliver travel trailer.  We hope you’ll check out Oliver trailers at http://olivertraveltrailers.com/.

We hope that you’ll come see what’s behind the yellow sign at Meadville KOA this summer, bring the family and spend your vacation enjoying a campground where modern convenience meets nature! 

Until we see you, we wish you safe and happy kamping, where ever your travels take you!    

By Robyn Chilson

Tim & Robyn Chilson, CPOs, who own and operate Meadville KOA Campground in Meadville, PA. Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251.  

169 Million Unused Vacation Days

Recent reports suggest that unused vacation days are at a 40 year high.  The study, commissioned by the U.S. Travel Association, found that American workers earned just under 21 paid-time-off days in 2013 (excluding sick days,) but used only 16.  While some employees can bank or roll over their vacation days into the next year, an average of 1.6 days were completely forfeited, according to their survey.  In total, that is somewhere around 169 million days forfeited, and amounts to a whopping $52.4 billion in lost benefits.

And yet, further studies showed that people who used their vacation days seemed to be more productive when at work, and another independent study showed that they also received better performance reviews!

Well, if you’re a Stephen Covey fan or a graduate of his self-help “7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” you already know that people who “sharpen the saw” are better workers than those who don’t!  And you may already know, spending time with the family makes deposits in those emotional bank accounts and fosters family unity.  Both of which are the hallmark of family unity, marital success, and having healthy, happy, and successful children.

So why am I telling you this?  Because visiting your local campground can help you accomplish all those goals.  It can provide your family with time together, give you the time away from work stresses you need, and do it without breaking the bank or stressing for hours on the road! 

Here’s how:

You don’t have to be a camper to go camping!  Today’s campgrounds offer cabins with restrooms, kitchens, air conditioning, heat, and more.  You can go camping without sleeping on the ground, or in a dirty run-down, smelly fishing camp.  They call it Glamping (glamor camping), but what it is all about is introducing non-campers to camping and the outdoors!  And it costs about the same as a hotel, and doesn’t require you owning an RV (recreational vehicle)!

Stay in a more rustic cabin!  You don't have to stay in the most expensive or fancy cabin!  Stay in one with less frills, and you get the same experience for less.  You still get to enjoy all the activities and events.    

You can stay closer to home!  Simply book a cabin for a long weekend, stay Thursday night through Sunday night, and go home Monday.  Use 2 days of vacation and get a 4 day break!  Now that’s a sweet deal!  And you used a whole lot less time to get there (more fun and less time locked in the car with the kids), and less money in gas and less wear and tear on the driver!  It’s much more restful and relaxing!    

Camp during the week or in the off-season.  Many campgrounds offer discounted camping Sunday – Thursday and in the off-season (before Memorial Day Weekend and after Labor Day) because they are less busy, have smaller staffs, and fewer events.  So why not capitalize on that and camp during the off season or during the weekdays when you’ll spend less and have a less crowded pool to enjoy?  That way, you’re spreading your vacation out across several months, and you’re not competing with those other vacationing campers for facilities nor co-workers for peak season time off.   

Choose a campground with amenities and activities for the kids!  The kids are less likely to beg to go to the mall or a movie if there is a ball game, fishing tournament, or other activity at the campground they don’t want to miss.  So, make sure that you involve the kids in the campground selection and that within that selection is wide assortment of activities and amenities for everyone in the family.  The busier the campground keeps the kids, the happier everyone will be!  Generally speaking, campgrounds with a good activity program generally advertise the specifics of the program.  A little research in that department pays big dividends when it comes to both the bottom line and the quality of the get-away for your family!     

Make more trips and stay shorter periods.  Instead of making 1, 7 day vacation trip why not make 2, three – 4 day trips?  You’ll get more “mini vacations” or “stay-cations” as we call them!  That gives you more breaks from work, and you’ll use more vacation days, but aren’t missing a whole week at a time.  It’ll keep you better connected with what’s happening at work, but still allows for that time off we all need.

Enjoy A Campfire Together!  Skip the dinner out and the movies or mall trip. Stay at the cabin or campsite and enjoy a campfire.  Dinner?  Chips, dips, veggies, hotdogs, buns, and the fixin’s.  Kids love roasting a hotdog over an open fire.  And don’t forget desert!  You have to let ‘em roast marshmallows and make a s’more!  Don’t forget the campfire popping corn or peanuts to shell and eat!  You can tell scary stories, strum the guitar and sing campfire songs, study the constellations, or collect fireflies!  There are a host of ideas and fun to be had at a campground this summer.  You save the cost of the dinner & movies, the gas to get you there and back, and the kids are thrilled with a new outdoor experience!  

Why not start planning your mini vacations today?  Don’t let another 25-27% of your vacation go unused this year.  You need to sharpen the saw, the family needs time away, and you need to spend time together!  Start right now while there’s still enough summer left to do it!  But don’t stop at Labor Day Weekend!  Keep right on going and take your kids to fun-filled autumn events too!     

Don’t forget, you can do most of these things at any one of the many Kampgrounds of America Campgrounds!  You don’t have to go a long way to get away and enjoy a low cost but high adventure camping experience!  Use those vacations days and enjoy time with your family, and moreover, make memories that will last a lifetime!    

By Robyn Chilson
Tim & Robyn Chilson are CPOs, who own and operate Meadville KOA Campground in Meadville, PA. Robyn can be reached at 814-789-3251.  

Why Are Visitor Fees Charged At Private Campgrounds & RV Parks?

No matter which campground that campers choose to stay at, if they have friends or family living in or near that area, chances are, they’ll want to visit them.  When guests arrive at the campground, they are often charged a visitation fee, and many are surprised by that.  Below, we’ve listed some reasons why visitor fees are necessary. 
  

The campground’s facilities can only handle so many people at a time.  It isn’t that campground owners don’t want visitors.  On the contrary, we love you to invite people to come visit.  We love to have people see and enjoy our parks.  We take great pride in them.  However, additional people place an extra burden on the facilities.  There are the obvious additional expenses of toilet tissue, paper towels, cleaning supplies, attendant’s labor, garbage bags, and more.  The prices of these supplies have sky rocketed with increased petroleum prices.  We have to recoup those costs. 

Popular, private campgrounds receive hundreds of visitors a month, which can translate into thousands of visitors a season, which translates into huge extra expenses for the campground.  The less obvious long-term expense is that expanding facilities is a huge investment these days and in order to maintain the facilities a campground has, they have to stay within the capacity boundaries for which their water and sewage systems were designed and for which they are permitted.  Water system quality, pool samples, and sewage testing are required by the state to the tune of thousands of dollars a season.  All for good reason, as they are designed to keep the public’s drinking water, swimming facilities, and ground water safe.  However, when extra burdens are cast upon those facilities, the costs to maintain and operate them increase as well.  If the testing of those systems is that expensive, imagine the increased operating expenses for them as well.

State and local laws, set occupancy, and facilities are only permitted for so many people accordingly.  Design load and licensing of campgrounds or the facilities is similar to the ‘seating capacity’ license you see in food services, however recognize that because a campground does not have tables and chairs that limit occupancy, it must be done in another fashion.  The state issues sewer treatment permits based on the total number of campsites and number of people per campsite, times the average water usage per campsite.  That is why the number of people per campsite and the total number of campsites is limited.  When the campground is full, an extra 8 people is another campsite.  Multiple that by several campsites, and the idea of overflowing sewer systems should come to mind.

In addition, the visitor rates aren’t normally set on the person who uses the facilities the least, but on the average cost of the visitors to the campground or RV park.  The campground owner assumes that your family will participate in activities and events, enjoy the entertainment provided, and or utilize the swimming pool, and other facilities and amenities.  These business owners know that their visitor rates go up dramatically on holiday and special event weekends.  The numbers of visitors increase because we have special activities and events; have better entertainers or entertainment and more things to do.

In some states, laws require that every visitor to a private outdoor hospitality property register, regardless of intent to visit residents or use the facilities. State health department require that business owners can identify all in residence and visiting in case health issues arise.  User pay fees are the fairest way to cover the costs of those inherent costs, and should a health risk arise, to identify the users at risk.

Security is always a concern.  Campgrounds, like anywhere else, can be a target for thieves, child predators, etc. So tracking who is in the park helps to reduce the chances of theft, child abductions, among others.  It provides more security for both your family and possessions.

Emergency Preparedness is essential!  What if the campground had to be evacuated in the event of a fire, flood, hurricane, or tornado?  How would the campground account for who was on the premises and who might be missing?Parking extra vehicles is another issue.  In most campgrounds, real estate is a premium.  So, too many cars per campsite quickly become a congestion and safety issue.  Most campgrounds limit the number of vehicles per campsite to one or two for safety reasons and rescue vehicle access.  Therefore, the campground needs to provide extra visitor parking areas to relieve that congestion and ensure access for emergency vehicles.  That means that there is a clerk that has to assign the visitors tags, provide access to the park, a campsite map to help the visitor to find the folks they desire to visit, and finally directions on where they are to park.  All of these materials and the employee’s time is an additional increase to the cost of operations to the business. Be a courteous camper!  No one wants to be camped next to a mob.  If you’re planning a family reunion, birthday party or another celebration of some sort, ask about using a pavilion or facility so as not to intrude on your camping neighbor!

Increased visitors increase a campground’s liability insurance costs.  The rates for a campground’s liability insurance are based on the risk assessment and the number of people who occupy a campground during a season.  The higher the number of occupants in the RV Park or campground, the risk increases accordingly.  In addition, some insurance carriers argue that visitors are more likely to be injured because they are unfamiliar with their surroundings, may not be aware of all the rules or safety policies at campgrounds, and are less likely to be dressed appropriately for the camping or outdoor experience.  All of these things place the visitor at an increased risk for an injury.    

Remember that privately owned and operated campgrounds aren’t subsidized by tax dollars like federal, state, and county parks.  Even at most of those campgrounds, there is an entrance fee, and then camping fees on top of it.  They charge for visitors too.  It’s called day use fees.

     
State Laws define unlawful trespass and theft of services.  Visitors or users of any private property that have not identified their purpose are considered trespassers, and are subject to trespass laws, and or theft of service charges. In some states, this is also called defrauding an inn keeper.  These laws help protect campgrounds from thieves, vagrants, etc.  Trying to cheat or defraud a campground owner as to how many people you have camping with you or visiting you can land you in hot water with the law.  Please don’t do that! It’s not only more honest and the right thing to do, it’s the law.  Please don’t place a campground owner in the position of having to have you arrested for unlawful trespass, defiant trespass, and/or theft of services.

Read the back of your visitor's tag!  Many campgrounds, offer a full refund if you're only there a short time (less than an hour).  You just take the time-stamped tag back to the office and they'll refund your visitation fee if you were there in less than that amount of time.
  

Visitor’s fees, as you can see, are necessary.  There are additional costs associated with visitors.  It isn’t fair to pass those costs on to all the campers.  That is why most campgrounds charge the people receiving those services (i.e. the visitor) for the services rendered.

So the next time you hear someone complaining about a visitor’s fee, or worse yet encouraging another person to cheat or to avoid paying a visitors fee, remember that it is you, the RVer or camper, who will ultimately pay for that visit.  At the end of the business year, when the numbers come in, and that owner looks at the bottom line from that camping season, the campground owner will have to set their rates for the next season to offset their losses.  In other words, they’ll have to raise the campsite prices accordingly to pay for those extra supplies, extra tests, extra labor and extra maintenance.  So when visitors cheat, they aren’t cheating just the campground owner and breaking the law.  In the end, they are cheating the American consumer, and in this case, that is you, the camper. 

By Robyn Chilson

Tim & Robyn Chilson, own and operate Meadville KOA Campground in Meadville, PA.  You can contact Robyn at 814-789-3251

Camping Courtesy and Etiquette – Some things you should know before you camp!

Whenever camping, it’s important to remember that all campers want their own camping space to be “theirs” for whatever period of time they are occupying it.  So there are some common courtesies that we should all follow to make everyone’s camping experience the very best it can be!  Here are a few examples to consider:

Follow the pet policies.  Whatever the campground’s pet policy is, make sure you know it and follow it (and state apply, too!) if you’re taking your pet camping.  If you’re a pet owner, this is important because you want your favorite campground to remain pet-friendly.  No one wants to be next to a dog that barks continuously.  So, make sure your family’s 4-legged member doesn’t become “that dog” and minimize their barking.  Never tether your pet to trees, picnic tables, fences, or campground buildings.  Always (even in dog walk areas) clean up after your pet 100% of the time, pets should always be leashed (unless in a doggie park area).  If the campground has a doggie park, follow the posted rules. And last, but certainly not least, if your pet is not well socialized either with people or other animals, leave them at home.  Take them to a kennel or hire a dog sitter.  A campground is no place for an aggressive pet, period.  Always carry a copy of the dog’s shot records with you so that if there ever is an incident, you’ll have them.  

Don’t encroach on other people’s campsites.  Typically, an RV or electric and water tenting site, are from electric box to electric box.  But if you’re not sure of your “boundaries” ask.  And teach your kids that these invisible boundaries should be respected.  Make sure the children don’t “cut through” someone else’s campsite on the way to the rest rooms and shower house.  Make sure your dog isn’t tethered where it’s on someone else’s campsite, and/or worse yet, doing its’ business there.  And remember, if you’re in close proximity to others, loud music is also an encroachment.  You may not have the same taste in music as your neighbor.  So if they are country music lovers, and you’re a heavy metal fan, and you’re both playing music, no one is going to have a good camping experience.  The best policy is that if you can hear it at your neighbor’s campsite, it’s too loud. 

Follow the campground’s visitor, guests, vehicle registration and parking policies.  Many people don’t understand why campgrounds limit the number of visitors or people per campsite, nor the number of vehicles per campsite.  Too many vehicles per campsite create a safety hazard for the wagon ride, kids on bicycles, kid’s running into the campground street from between cars, etc.  In addition, they make getting emergency vehicles through the campground to a campsite where its’ needed, impossible.  And third, too many visitors or too many vehicles encroach on your camping neighbor’s access to his or her site and create a noise encroachment. 

Remember, 12 people on a campsite, by default, are going to be noisier than 4.  Your neighbor may have come to this campground to get away from his neighbor at home who is constantly throwing pool parties.  And put yourself in his shoes for minute, because if the roles were reversed, you’d most likely be an unhappy camper too.  If you’re expecting a lot of guests, make arrangements for that in advance with the campground.  Most will work with you to create a great party for your family at a pavilion or other community area which will keep your group from bothering the neighbors.  This provides a great camping experience for your party and your camping neighbors too, so everyone wins.    

Follow the Policies that are there for your safety!  Believe it or not, thousands of children are injured each year in accidents.  That is why most campgrounds have policies about playgrounds closing at dusk, bicycle riding ending at dusk, bicycle riders being required to wear helmets, speed limits, no jumping or diving in the swimming pool, no fireworks, no leaving campfires unattended, life jackets being required to paddle boat, and more.  Many are dictated by state or local laws, and some are dictated by our liability insurance companies because they are statistically a higher risk activity, and are for your protection.  While campground owners are in the business of providing fun recreation, they have to do so in a way that keeps their campers safe.  So help them out by being a shining example.  Follow the posted rules, and be the kind of camper who enforces those rules with your children, too.  Don’t make the campground owner the bad guy for enforcing the rules.  He or his employees are just trying to keep the kids safe and run a fun and clean campground for your family to enjoy.  Campgrounds are never trying to discourage fun, but there is nothing wrong with kids learning to have fun responsibly!  It’s a great life lesson they will carry with them for years to come.    

Leave the campsite and the animals the way you found them, or better.  You should never leave garbage behind at your campsite, or place non-burnable items in the fire ring.  Teach your kids not to litter and that leaving litter behind endangers the animals.  Speaking of animals, no matter where you camp, you should never mess with wild animals.  The mother’s will sometimes abandon their babies if you’ve touched them, and they carry your scent.  And, you’ll create a problem if you think it’s cute to start feeding them, or dumping bacon grease in nearby wood lots versus properly disposing of it in a sealed bottle or can and the placing it in the dumpster or garbage cans.  Teach your children to never take food into a tent with them, or leave it sitting out in the campsite over night.  You’re just asking for furry visitors who will endanger your family. Raccoons, skunks, opossums, and such can carry rabies and other diseases that require painful treatment.  Bears who learn that they can score an easy meal at a campsite will return and become ever more brazen until they become a danger to campers.  When animals become a nuisance, they are often disposed of or trapped and relocated by the game commission, which isn’t fair to that animal.  Please remember, it us who is encroaching on their territory.  We should do so respectfully – by leaving our campsites as clean or cleaner than the way we found it, and by not enticing the animals with food.       

In the end, the very best policy to follow is the old adage to “do unto others as you’d have done to you”.  Place yourself in your neighbor’s shoes, and ask yourself, “would this bother me?” You may find that you’re encroaching or ignoring important safety or courtesy policies that you shouldn’t be.  If everyone would make that extra little effort, then everyone would have a much better camping experience!             

By Robyn Chilson

Tim & Robyn Chilson, own and operate Meadville KOA Campground in Meadville, PA.  You can contact Robyn at robyn@meadvillekoa.com

 

Camper Courtesy – What’s it all about?

Camping is a great way to meet new families!  Whether you camp in a deluxe lodge, a camping cabin, tent, pop up, or RV there are is no better way to get your family outside and enjoying quality time together in the great out of doors!  No doubt about it, campers all look forward to being outdoors and going biking, hiking, 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 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.  

• Pet Rules: 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 campfire because they 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.
• 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 their campsite on the way the to or from the 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.  That is the way that most dog bites happen in parks.  And if the camper were being a courteous camper, they wouldn’t have gotten bitten.
• Follow The Rules: You would be astonished at how many people pay no attention to the campground rules.  Most campgrounds have rules, 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.
• Check-in/Check-out times:  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 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.  Be courteous, and don’t do it to the next camper.  Pay it forward.
• Leave the site like you found it.  There is nothing worse, then pulling onto a campsite with the garbage still sitting on it or worse yet scattered around the campsite.  Make sure you take your refuse to the dumpster.  Don’t burn plastics!  Don’t place non-burnables in the fire ring, and leave the campsite as nice, or nicer than it was when you found it.  Not only will the campground owner appreciate it, but the next camper will too.    
• If you have an issue, 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.  

Following these simple rules, may seem almost a no brainer.  But these are the top complaints we get as campground owners, 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