Reading Campground Listings Without Getting Burned
Campground amenity listings contain genuinely useful information — and also a lot of marketing language that doesn't match reality. "Full hookups" at a premium resort means something very different than "full hookups" at a mom-and-pop park with 30-year-old electrical pedestals. Here's how to read listings intelligently.
Electrical Hookups: The Most Critical Amenity
Electrical service type determines what you can run, how comfortable you'll be in extremes, and how much you pay:
50-amp service: The gold standard for larger RVs. Provides two 120V legs (effectively 240V) for a total of up to 12,000 watts. Runs two air conditioners simultaneously, electric heating, electric water heater, and all other appliances. Required for most Class A motorhomes and fifth wheels.
30-amp service: Single 120V leg, up to 3,600 watts. Sufficient for most travel trailers and smaller Class C motorhomes. Cannot run two air conditioners simultaneously. Most moderate RVs do fine on 30-amp in mild weather.
20-amp service: Rarely advertised as a campground feature but sometimes found at older sites or tent campsites with a basic outlet added. Only useful for phone charging and small appliances — not for running AC or any major RV systems.
What to verify: When a site says "30/50 amp," it means the pedestal has both connectors. Your RV will draw whatever its plug requires. Always verify that the listed service is actually what's at the pedestal — a campground that hasn't upgraded its electrical since 1985 may list "50-amp available" for a handful of premium sites while the majority have aging 30-amp pedestals with questionable amperage delivery.
Water and Sewer Hookups
Water hookup at the site: Means a spigot at your campsite for connecting your RV's city water connection. Quality varies enormously — some campgrounds have excellent municipal water, others have sulfurous well water that tastes terrible and leaves mineral deposits. A simple inline water filter ($20-$40) and a pressure regulator ($15-$30) are essential — campground water pressure can be high enough to damage RV water lines.
Sewer hookup at the site: Direct connection to drain your black and gray tanks without driving to a dump station. Convenient for stays of a few days or more, especially with a full tank. Note that sewer-at-site doesn't necessarily mean you connect immediately and leave it open (this causes odor issues) — dump every 3-4 days or when tanks are 2/3 full.
Dump station only (no site sewer): Common at state parks and forest campgrounds. You drive to a centralized dump station to empty tanks. Manageable for stays of a few days if your tanks are sized appropriately. Not ideal for full-timers or extended stays.
WiFi: The Amenity With the Worst Reality Gap
"Free WiFi" at campgrounds ranges from genuinely useful 25+ Mbps service to something that technically connects but can't load a webpage with 50 users on it. Campground WiFi is almost never a reliable replacement for cellular data.
The honest expectation: campground WiFi is acceptable for checking email and light browsing, occasionally good enough for standard-definition video streaming, and almost never good enough for video calls or 4K streaming. For remote workers or heavy data users, cellular data (with a hotspot-capable plan or a dedicated hotspot device) is the only reliable option.
Reviews on Campendium, The Dyrt, or Google Maps that specifically mention WiFi speed/reliability are more useful than the campground's own listing. If you see reviews saying "WiFi is terrible — use your cell service," believe them.
Amenities That Actually Matter vs. Nice-to-Haves
Matters significantly:
- Pull-through sites (vs. back-in only) — for longer rigs or those without a spotter, pull-throughs reduce stress and time enormously
- Level sites — a campground built on flat terrain is far easier to set up on than a hillside park with unlevel sites requiring blocks and leveling systems
- 50-amp electrical if your rig requires it
- Pet policy (number of dogs, breed restrictions, leash rules)
- Cell service — check coverage maps for your carrier before booking a remote campground
Nice but not essential:
- Swimming pool — pleasant if you use it; irrelevant if you don't
- Camp store — overpriced, but convenient for forgotten items
- Laundry facility — useful for trips over a week; expensive per load vs. a laundromat in town
- Recreation room/clubhouse — rarely used by most campers
Often overrated:
- "Waterfront" or "lake view" sites — photos can be misleading; "lake view" can mean you can see a sliver of water through trees from the corner of your site
- "Luxury" resort designations — marketing term, not a consistent standard
- Cable TV hookup — almost nobody uses cable TV in RVs anymore given streaming services and OTA antennas
The Site Itself: Size and Surface
Campground listings often post site dimensions (e.g., "up to 45-foot pull-through"). Verify this is accurate for your specific rig including any slide-outs and tow vehicle. A 45-foot pull-through might fit a 45-foot coach but with no room for a toad.
Surface types: Gravel is most common and generally good — provides drainage, stable surface. Grass sites are pleasant in dry weather and a mud trap in rain. Paved sites are easy to level and clean. Dirt varies widely — compacted dry dirt is fine; wet clay can be deeply problematic.
The most useful tool for evaluating specific campsites before booking: Google Satellite view lets you see actual site size, tree coverage, and layout. Cross-reference with recent reviews mentioning site numbers for specific site selection.
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