If you are new to camping, you will soon understand that finding campgrounds is a much trickier task than finding hotel rooms. Full-time and part-time RVers all wish for a kayak.com or booking.com of campgrounds. But until that becomes a reality, you will need to put in some ground work to find your next ideal location to park the family RV. Below you will find details on which resources are available for RVers, and how to ensure campgrounds are family friendly!
Guest Post and photos by Laura Georgieff
Family-Friendly RV Campgrounds
Is there such a thing as a family-unfriendly campground? If you ask me, we have never really encountered a campground that made us feel unwelcome with children, except for age-restricted campgrounds. That said, there have definitely been some extraordinary campgrounds for families that we've had the opportunity to stay at. When I think of a family-friendly campground, I think of two categories of campgrounds:
The first offers activities organized for children, pools and slides, upgraded playgrounds, tons of other kids running around, family movie nights, etc. Some campgrounds go above and beyond and usually make it very clear on their websites.
The second category of campgrounds offer incredible natural features and proximity to nature. Families reconnecting around a river, fishing or swimming, hiking to peaks, through meadows, or even a hot spring. Before we dive into those details, let's first look at where you should avoid camping with kids.
Age-Restricted Campgrounds
We love using our Thousand Trails membership to save money on campgrounds. If you don't know what Thousand Trails is, it is a network of campgrounds you can access free of charge upon paying a yearly membership fee. Think of it a bit like the timeshare of campgrounds, except that you can virtually stay for free for as many days as you desire, with minor restrictions.
Thanks to our membership, we were able to stay at a couple of 55+ age-restricted campgrounds, which we were thankful for since we wouldn't have had access to them otherwise. There, we encountered rules such as no rollerblading, no access to certain pools with kids, etc. For the most part, if someone in your party is not 55 or older, you will not have access to them. If one of you is 55+, or you are traveling with a grand-parent, call ahead of time to ensure kids are accepted. If kids are accepted, just be aware than those residents may have rules in place that will make your stay less enjoyable.
Sure Bets For Families
There are a few chain campgrounds that will always be a safe bet. They may not be the cheapest, but you are sure that there will be plenty of little friends for your kids to play with, as well as amenities and activities to entertain the youngest campers:
KOA
We love staying at KOA's. Filled with kids any time of year (not just during school holidays), KOA's always have playgrounds, pools, and are happy to see kids dashing on their bicycles around the campground. All KOA's are not created equal, however. As you scroll down the website, you will notice three distinctions: KOA Journey, KOA Holiday, and KOA Resort. While all have playgrounds and are recommended for families, the amenities vary greatly.
The KOA Journeys are typically located along highways and make a great stop for one-nighters on a long stretch of road. You will typically find a pool and playground, sometimes a mini-golf, but amenities are a bit more restricted. KOA Holidays are great for families, with playground, pools, mini-golf, gaga ball, tricycle rentals, and more.
The more expensive, and rarer KOA Resorts are the creme de la creme of family-friendly campgrounds. You will have all of the above and a jumping pad, nature playground, pool with hot tubs, family nights, pancake mornings, board games, book exchange, and even instructor-led kid activities. Check each campground's page for the exact list of programs and amenities, but this gives you an idea of what to generally expect.
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Parks
If you ask me, the U.S. needs a lot more Yogi Bear's Jellystone Parks! They are absolutely amazing! With 75 locations around the country, they are a kids' paradise. At a Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park, you will typically find a jumping pillow, arts and crafts, activities for children, pools with slides and more. Amenities depend on the park and region, however, you can expect loads of fun, many kids, and enough to keep the kids busy all week long.
Boondocking
Another fun way for families to camp, is to boondock. Boondocking is the art of camping in beautiful scenery without hookup - no power, water, sewer. You will need a little more organization and make sure that you have a power source (i.e., solar, generator, etc.) and enough water for the duration of your stay, and family size. Once you do, you will find that boondocking is super family friendly. There are usually other kids around, if you know where to find the right spot.
Use apps such as iOverlander to find recommended boondocking spots and read reviews from other campers and families. I suggest always double checking Campendium to cross check recommendations and understand the sort of cell / data connection you can expect in that specific area.
U.S. National Parks
Another sure bet for family camping are U.S. National Parks and National Forests (USFS). There are a few restrictions when it comes to the U.S. National Park Service System (NPS). In most national parks, larger units can have a hard time fitting. Most parks are made for RVs under 30 feet, but some parks will accommodate large rigs.
Additionally, you can expect little to no service. If you have to be connected for work or school, you will typically want to stay away from the NPS. However, if you are able to be off-grid for a few days, the U.S. National Parks and National Forests offer gorgeous, and usually large sites. Lastly, the NPS offers very limited hookups. Each campground will be different, but as a general rule of thumb, do not expect sewer / water. You will love the NPS to reconnect with nature, get the kids outdoors, and enjoy incredible views, as well as proximity to some of the most beautiful nature on our planet.
Most bookings can be made on recreation.gov (download the app if you can) and rates are usually fairly low. For all of the comfort and activities you may be giving up, you gain back in connection to nature, reconnecting as a family, and experiencing the great outdoors.
Best Apps To Find Family-Friendly Campgrounds
There are a few apps you should download ahead of your family camping trip. They will help you plan ahead of time, as well as day-to-day if you are more of the non-planning family:
Campendium
Campendium is a must-have app for all camping families. You will locate all campgrounds, boondocking spots, national parks and forests, dump stations, and more. I never book a campground without checking reviews and feedback of other campers regarding connection for the different providers (AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile).
iOverlander
Great for boondocking, iOverlander is be a great resource if you get excited for nature campgrounds with no amenities. The app also maps out gas stations, propane, water, and dump stations, among other amenities.
Google Maps
I know it's an obvious, but Google Maps comes in very handy when mapping out your days on the road. Need to stop by a WalMart with a big rig, but not sure the parking lot can take your size rig? You found a promising spot on iOverlander, but not sure what the access road looks like, and whether you will fit?
Use Google Maps' satellite view to prepare your trip, and make those impromptu stops along the way. Sometimes, we will see a brown highway sign indicating an NPS park we hadn't planned for. We'll quickly zoom in on the satellite view, confirm the park has RV parking, and decide to break the road down with a quick stop.
Recreation.gov
recreation.gov has an app, and I highly suggest keeping it loaded on your phone. It will help you make on-the-go reservations for national park campgrounds, cave tours, experiences, and entry tickets, lotteries, and permits.
Did you know some national parks now require an advanced ticketed time entry to visit the parks during the summer? Stay up to date on all of those tickets on the app.
KOA
The KOA app helps you quickly book your KOA campground on-the-go, and if you sign up for the membership (well worth it), you will receive 10% OFF your bookings, as well as accumulate points with each stay, to exchange for cash discounts and free camping nights.
GoWhee
This app is lesser known, but prone to becoming amazing for families. The only paying app on my list, GoWhee is crowd-sourced and gathers only family-friendly experiences and locations. When planning your trip, or while at destination, zoom in on your location and find campgrounds, restaurants, playgrounds, museums, and more, which have been vetted by other traveling families as family-friendly!
How To Find Family-Friendly Campgrounds
I hope this guide helps you plan your next family camping trip. Staying at family-friendly campgrounds can help the whole family relax and have a fabulous time on the road. Happy kids playing with little friends, will turn your camping trip into amazing family memories.
