Has anyone ever owned their own campground?

[doris s.]

Has anyone ever owned their own campground? Any thoughts on this subject? My daughter and I were thinking of working at a local campground this summer to experience what it's like to own one. I've always thought it would be fun to own a campground.

Doris

[madjack]

D, that is one of my favorite fantasy jobs...to operate a fairly busy boat launch on a fishing/hunting lake(not as many yahoos as on a "skiing" lake) with camping available...truly couldn't think of a better job/occupation..................
madjack

[john]

I often think the same thing, Madjack, but then I remember my grandfather telling me about something fun, "It all becomes work..."

No...Breaks...
No...Weekends...
Day...and...Night...
Grind...Grind...Grind...

When a campground owner does manage a personal camping trip, are they really away from work?

I'll enjoy campgrounds as a visitor.

[Corwin C]

I didn't own the campground, but served as "host" for a couple of weeks while the regular host had some surgery. Most nights were fun, but there were a few when the rowdy drunks were absolutely miserable.

Quite frankly ... not something that I'd want to make a career out of.

[Miriam C.]

Hummm, Always wanted to own a fishing camp with some cabins and camping! My way, my rules. Problem is Mike says I have to clean the cabins and mow the grass....

[doris s.]

Yes, my dreaming is always better than the real thing.
I'm betting it's hard to turn a profit.
I'll stick to teardropping and painting.

Doris

[Miriam C.]

Yes, my dreaming is always better than the real thing.
I'm betting it's hard to turn a profit.
I'll stick to teardropping and painting.

Doris

Doesn't mean you shouldn't go for it! The good side, you get to meet all those happy campers. Get to forgo the normal daily grind too...you could limit it to reference only and make it exclusive enough to weed out the worst issues but still work.

[Aaron Coffee]

Owning a campground, right behind my brothers drive in theaters is on my dream list, right after winning the lottery.

[CliffinGA]

In like 25 yrs when I retire the wife and I plan on doing the Army Corp Park circuit as camp host. I've talked to the folks last summer when I stayed at one for work and their rotations were not to bad.

Cliff

[stumphugger]

I haven't worked in a real campground. I have worked in what can be considered to be a huge campground...your public forests. Garbage.
That's what people leave behind. Sometimes neatly bagged up, and placed by the road, but we don't have garbage service. The animals get into it and strew it all around and then it is really messy to pick up. Diapers. Ick.

Then there are the folks who just trash the place. No bagging it. Just throw it back in the brush. Since most of these areas don't have toilets, well, use your imagination for that.

We find folks who are lost because their GPS told them to go on a road that is in bad shape. There's a big sign down the road telling them the way to go, but the GPS said different.

Sometimes those same people will argue with you. You must not know the area because the GPS says the road IS OPEN and we want to go there NOW.

One man who had driven here from Virginia, was irate because a road to a major attraction was not plowed and open. It was May and he didn't understand that roads at that elevation do not melt out until late June or July. The roads are not plowed until then either. I felt sorry for him. The travel agents and AAA do not tell people that.

I have helped folks who were broke down, had vehicle accidents, or who just have questions. They are mostly good folks.

You must be patient. You will be asked the same questions over and over.

And, campgrounding is not my main job. I work as a timber person.

Just imagine what real campground folks go through! No, I would not want to have a campground.

[dan galvin]

I am with stumphugger
i have two friends that have owned campgrounds one lasted 3 years the other lasted 7
drunk campers
out of control teenagers
backup toilets
cutting grass every day
backed up toilets
complaints no hot water
cut more grass
pick up trash every day
police knocking at your door 2 am
did i say backup toilets
AND STILL TRY TO HAVE A SMILE ON YOUR EVERY DAY
NO THANKS

[Mukilteo]

I would rather own my own camp site. Maybe a acre in Easter Washington bought from a farmer. Not a place with covenants or rules.

[CAJUN LADY]

Funny you should ask that...my husband and I have talked about that for awhile. Or I should say, 'I' have talked about it for a long while. But reality is, if I don't have a couple of Million (yep, Million) to do what I dream about then it won't happen.

My campground, "Days Gone By" would consist of about 65 campsites - 20 of them with restored vintage trailers in different sizes already set up, maybe 4 small cabins and the rest vacant campsites. There would be two man made lakes (unless the property already had some), a small onsite rustic store (food and supplies) with a Cracker Barrel feel with the same prices as you would pay at Wal-Mart. If I had millions to build this place, why would I want to make dimes off of jacking up the price of commodities?

This has been an ongoing dream (and discussion) for years. I'd want it to be in Louisiana, somewhere off of I-10. But it's a dream - one I'm sure will never become reality but hey, dreaming is fun and free.

Anyway, yes, I would love to own my very own campground.

[john]

Since commenting above my thoughts periodically drift back to this post.

When traveling I often see homes in set amid wondrous beauty that I could fall in love with. I think to myself, "I'd like to have that; I too want to lay claim to a little piece of this beauty."

These are momentary lapses, though. The reason I am seeing these places in the first place is that ... I like travel; I like going to new places and exploring what they offer. This includes exploring each new campground.

The idea of being mated to a single location does not appeal to me.

My wife and I are close friends with a couple who have parents with a beach home. Each vacation they almost seem obligated to vacation at the family home. Not only does it save money, but I imagine they feel that they owe it to their parents to take advantage of the opportunity.

Although they are fortunate to have such an opportunity they loose variety. They will not camp near a spring in Florida, enjoy cool mountains outside Las Vegas in mid summer, hear the the sounds of the Pacific pounding the coast while eating dinner, or wake to the smell of sulfur hanging in the still morning air of Yellow Stone.

Some people drift toward the comfort of repetition, though, and I suppose our friends are an example of that. I guess what I am getting at is that you should ask yourself what type of person you are.

Do you want this kind of anchor?

If it were me, I would try workamping. This would provide an inside view of running a campground while still allowing for variety.

[CAJUN LADY]

I have asked myself 'what kind of person am I' and the answer has always been and will always be, the one who could afford to build and own her own campground. And, live very happily in the same old scenerio, with the same old view of mother nature in my face every day of my life. Yep, that's what kind of person I am.