Now that summer is upon us folks are dusting off their RVs and travel trailers for family vacations and adventurous weekends. As the campgrounds get filled I thought it might be nice to provide a gentle reminder of a few rules of etiquette that might come in handy.
1. Follow the rules of the campground. Just about every campground has their own set of rules, most are pretty common sense (or should be) but others may be specific to that particular one. Whatever the case, make sure you follow them the best that you can.
2. Be as quiet as possible when arriving or leaving late. Yes, I realize it’s a little tough to slip in or out quietly when you are in an RV or pulling a travel trailer, but do your best – please! Do the minimal required to get you through the night and save the rest for daylight hours (when your neighbors aren’t trying to sleep). It is no fun to be awakened in the middle of the night by slamming truck doors and loud discussions about leveling your rig. You’ll have better luck doing it during the daytime anyway.
3. Park on your site and your site only. When you get to your site, use the pole as a guide for parking. You don’t want any awnings or slide outs to encroach on your neighbor’s site. Granted, some sites are laid out a little wonky, but when in doubt, take a look around and see how others are parked then follow their lead. Also, the campground map can sometimes help – if your campground has one, that is.
4. Mind your pets. We love our pets, after all they’re family. Make sure these family members of the four legged variety are welcome at your campsite, though by practicing responsible pet ownership. This means keep them leashed (or in one of those portable pens) when outside, pick up after them when they do their business, and don’t allow them to bark incessantly. A dog chained up outside that barks and barks and barks is not good – for the community or for the dog.
Also Read: Keeping your Pet Healthy and Safe while on the Road
5. Watch your children. When you get to the campground don’t just turn your kids out to run wild. Watch them, parent them, and teach them to have respect for their camping neighbors. Show them their boundaries within the campground and at your own site and tell them not to encroach on their neighbor’s space. A good rule of thumb is, if you wouldn’t do it at home or in your own yard, don’t do it at the campground. Respect is always a good lesson no matter how old you are, but teaching kids this concept early is invaluable.
6. Show your neighbors some respect. Campground people are friendly. It is a great environment. You have a responsibility to keep that environment as positive as possible and respecting your neighbors is a good start. This means no blaring music or loud outdoor conversations late at night. At a decent time, in most places that’s around 10 pm, power down your generator, turn off your outside lights, and keep the noise to a minimum. Also, respect your neighbors’ property and boundaries. Campgrounds are not a free for all – everyone has their own space.
7. Leave it like you found it. When you pack up to leave, you want your site to look as good as (or better than) when you found it. Put out campfires completely with sand or dirt, sweep or rake the site, pick up all litter, and generally, leave it looking nice for the next camper.
8. Keep your sewage connection tight. No one wants to smell your, well, you know. Make sure that your sewage connection is tight and there are no leaks anywhere in the system. You can smell leaky sewage several sites away and that just isn’t cool. Plus, if a child or animal came in contact with the sewage that could be very bad. It is extremely unhealthy and quite unpleasant, so please, mind it well.
9. Don’t feed the wildlife. Leave the wildlife to do their wildlife things and you just sit back and enjoy. Feeding them is wrong on many levels. For one, they lose their fear of humans and not all humans are kind to animals. For another, they come to rely on humans for food that that isn’t good either. Finally, it upsets the ecosystem. Leave the nature around your campground as untouched as possible – it’s just responsible camping.
10. Practice good safety. Safety should always be in the forefront of your mind, regardless of where you are. Keep a first aid kit handy, don’t speed through the campground, secure your vehicle and/or trailer when you park, and closely monitor your campfires. Speaking of campfires, there are a few good rules to follow here:
- Use the designated firepits or campfire areas.
- When you are finished, put out your fire completely with sand or dirt.
- If the wind is blowing, be extra careful because sparks can travel.
- Watch your fire at all times and never leave it unattended.
- Don’t bring your own firewood because this can transport insects and diseases. Buy local.
Do you have any additional campground rules of etiquette? Better yet, do you have any good stories you’d like to share about etiquette gone wrong? Share if you dare!
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