RV Park Amenities

RV park amenities vary widely, but it is possible to categorize them.
The first range of amenities are the ones an RV park needs in order to provide any level of service — and therefore needs to charge for: water, sewage and electricity.

The second range includes the things an RV park charges for so that it can pay its bills and employ staff: cable TV, laundry rooms, recreation areas and so on.

The third range of amenities the RV park charges for because it can get away with charging for them: convenience stores, coffee shops and Wi-Fi access.

A good rule of thumb is that if something isn’t absolutely necessary to operate the park then someone is making extra money off you. That doesn’t mean that everything in this third category is overpriced or even overmarketed; but there’s a reason why they’re trying to make money off you and not you off them.

My family and I were spending a month in an RV park, and we found that the two most important amenities were also the cheapest: Free WiFi and free showers.

Our RV had a built-in shower, but we used it only rarely. It was not actually a shower; it was a hose with a nozzle on the end and a drain in the floor of the RV. The hose led to a water tank outside the RV, which we filled at one of the public water spigots. The tank held enough water for several minutes of spraying, after which you had to go outside and dump out any extra water from the tank. Our tank leaked slightly when it was full, so an inch or two of water would accumulate on the floor overnight. In that respect it was much like a real shower inside an RV–except for being cold and wet.

These FREE amenities are great. When traveling you really don’t know how well your cell phone service is going to perform. Especially if you are traveling into remote areas. Having a steady connection can be a godsent. Many RV travelers think their shower in their RV is all they need. But it is a real pain to try and shower in such a small area, with a weak stream. If you are up in the mountains or staying in a real rural area and there is nothing else there it can be sufficient. If you can find a RV Park that includes Free showers…I highly recommend it.

How to choose an RV park