In my town gasoline is around $4 a gallon. It costs me almost $100 to fill up my Dodge Durango. As I’m driving down the highway, I see a huge RV and think to myself “boy, that must cost a fortune to fill up”. Surely, you would think, this gasoline crisis is going to put an end to the RV Park Industry! Well, that’s the easy conclusion, but not quite the right one. In fact, the high cost of gasoline is going to have negligible effect on the RV Park industry.
Let me first emphasize that I am talking about the RV Park industry not the RV industry. Yes, I think that the high price of gas will have a significant impact on RV sales. But I’m talking about the RV Park business, those RV parks where you place your RV overnight to sleep while you are on the road. It’s economics are much more complex.
The first reason that the RV park business will have little adverse reaction to high gasoline prices is the unique type of customer who owns these things. Many of these RVs (in fact, a huge number) cost over $100,000. Some cost up to $2,000,000. As a result, RV owners are not as financially strapped as the average American. Sure, they cringe when they fill up – but they fill up anyway. They have the disposable income to buy gas at $4 a gallon, and $5 if it goes to that. I don’t know how high gas would have to go to change their buying habits, but $4 is not it.
The second reason is that RV parks are not about driving – they are about sitting. If you want to drive your RV less, you just stay in the same RV park longer. It costs the same for a night of lodging in any direction you travel, so why travel at all? Many RV users will more than likely drive less distance, but stay on the road the same number of nights.
The third reason is that RVs are often used on special occasions –such as vacations – and those are times in which the average owner is willing to consume more. If you have been planning a family vacation for a year, it is unlikely that you will cancel it because gas just went up 50 cents a gallon. You may complain, but you will keep on pumping.
The fourth reason is that many RV users will cancel other, more costly travel options, such as foreign travel, and use their RV more. Once you own the RV, it is a lot cheaper to take it down to some destination than to book airfare, car rental, etc. at some more exotic locale.
The final reasons is that, even at $4 a gallon, it is still financially attractive to travel in an owner’s RV rather than the other travel options. If you were to drive an RV with 8 miles per gallon fuel consumption from Missouri to Los Angeles, it would cost you $922 in gasoline each way (1,845 miles). That sounds like a lot. But how much are four tickets on American Airlines for this same roundtrip? About twice that amount. And while you are driving, you get to see all the sights that many people love; from national parks to tourist shops and the square in Santa Fe. You also have to add on the price of the RV parks at night, which are about $30 per night, compared to $200 a night in Los Angeles and Santa Fe. So as you can see, the RV, despite $4 gas, is the clear winner as far as cost.
So before you condemn the RV park industry as another victim of the gas crisis, think outside the box. The RV park business is alive and kicking. And showing no signs of recession.
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Twin Creek RV Park, Gatlinburg, TN
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Anyone know of any Singles RV parks in the US?I am a 32 years old and I travel for my work and for pleasure in my Travel Trailer all over the US. I was wondering if anyone knew of any RV parks that kinda cater to RV'ers who are single and traveling?
ok…… remember…….I am not retired (yet). I think this is gonna be harder than I thought. Nothin against the older generations of RV'ers, (and I have seen some sexy looking older distinguished gentlemen) but I am hoping for something geared towards my age range.
there has to be others my age who RV
About Author
Frank has been involved in all facets of the RV Park business as an owner/operator of parks in four different states. His experience includes purchasing and operating over 25 mobile home and RV Parks as an investor, performing “due diligence” on hundreds of other mobile home and RV parks, speaking at mobile home park investing seminars and real estate clubs and telling it like it is! To see more articles written by Frank Rolfe visit RVParkStore.com
I can’t see what good the two guys inside were doing. While they were in the RV flames were growing bigger and not much flame reduction was noted as time passed.
they did.
The best answer to all of your questions is this: It ALL depends on where you are going and on YOUR SPECIFIC teardrop.
As for what your teardrop is capable of doing? I would do forum searches based on the make, model and year. Yahoo has an awesome one: RV Basics. I would start there.
As for park costs? When traveling in an RV (teardrop, 5th wheel, Class A or B) whether or not a site has electrical, water, and sewer hook-ups is usually directly proportional to how established the park is. Some places offer everything you might need, right down to a gym, locker rooms with showers, and a laundry facility on the premises. Some offer nothing and you are self-reliant for water and electricity based on a clean water tank and generator.
Cost is completely dependent on the site…some charge monthly electrical and water fees and each site has its own meters, some charge a flat rate that is included in your daily/weekly/monthly charge. Again, the more established the park the greater the chances these charges and quality of amenities go up. Bottom line: Each park has its own set of rules and fees. I suggest checking this site for resources too: http://www.exceldistributors.com/resources.html
It really depends on the park.
Usually there are only on-lot hookup for waste when they are permanent trailers. i.e. park models…
Most parks have a dump station, where you either drive your RV to dump, or haul the 'honey bucket' to dump it.
Make life easier… only use the RV's toilet for having a squirt (unless it's an 'emergency')… and do other 'business' at the park's public washrooms. Saves you trips to the dump site and helps with the smell and clean up.
Rancho Jurupa is probably your best bet. Since they only allow two weeks at a time, you can simply roll out, and roll in, for a new rental period. If you are nice to the manager, they probably won't make you go to that extreme, and you can simply renew every two weeks.
Good luck!
ITs possible that a few do, becasue I have heard this before. I've been RV'ing since 2000 and haven't run into any park that did. I really don't think that you'll have a problem. Buy the Trailer Life Directory so that you can call ahead of time and find out. http://www.trailerlife.com/
I don't know, but don't forget to have your mullet in full-force when you get there.
Well I found this link for you. I have never been to this RV park, but it is near Wild Adventures. I don't think it'll be busy in October. All the kids are back in school now and Wild Adventures is usually a summer trip. Anyways, check out this link. I hope it helps!
why did they not start spraying water on it as soon as they narrived
There are two firefighters inside the whole video. The two guys standing at the door are back up incase the two inside need help.
Check around the Homestead area. There is a nice one down there
Loners On Wheels (LOW) — support and companionship for RVing singles.
Well, I live in Long Beach and the RV park called Golden Shore is 700 to 1300 a month. My parents lived in a mobile home park for many years, though not in an RV. It was called Del Amo Mobile Home Park and there were people who had RVs who lived there. Here is a link to addresses and phone numbers for several mobile home parks in Long Beach. Some may not take RVs, and of course the prices will vary. Del Amo wasn't fancy but it wasn't pricey either. My parents lived there until they died a few years ago.