10 Tips for Campground Etiquette

A number of people take RV vacations and camping trips throughout the year but many of them are not aware of some of the simplest campground etiquette. So here's a refresher on some campground manners:

1. Ground Rules: Usually when you register for a particular park, they give you a copy of their rules: following these rules is the first of such manners. These rules will specify when you should not be making noise, driving carefully around the park, rules related to cooking etc.

2. Eliminating Pet Peeves: If you are bringing your pet along on your vacation, make sure it does not disturb or harm anyone else! Your dog will need to be taken care of, cleaned up after and kept on a leash to avoid bothering the neighbors at all. Remember, your dog may be well-behaved but you'll still have to be careful.

3. Rig Parking: In a number of cases, it will not be clear how to orient the rig on a site; the only guide being a hookup for electric and sewer. Ground rules will require you to stay on your side of the hookup and not encroach in any way. If all people are situated in the same way, everyone will get more camp site.

4. Arriving Late: Try not to do that but even if you do, make sure you avoid disturbing your neighbors who might be trying to rest for a long day. This means not talking loudly, quickly parking your RV & setting up and reducing the general noise level while you do the necessary work.

5. Connecting the Sewer: This will also require you to be discreet and to do it right. Usually, the connection should face the side where your neighbor has their patio area.

6. RV Cleaning: Most of the time, campgrounds don't allow you to wash your RV with open water in order to avoid muddy areas, high water bills and general wastage of water. They will give you a water bucket for the most minimal cleaning but even if you are allowed to wash your RV, be very careful not to waste the water or allow it to splash on someone else's area.

7. Don't Trespass: When everyone is sharing the campsite, they're all paying for their spots and it is against most rules to be on someone else's spot without their permission and consent. One of the major campground etiquette requires you to treat your neighbor's or someone else's area as their personal property and stay away from it unless invited or permitted.

8. Campfire: Before you make one, be sure that it is allowed in the regulations copy. Keep it safe and make it properly and most importantly, don't use it as a trash can for your cans and other garbage.

9. Be Tidy: Make sure you do that to keep your neighborhood clean; RV vacationers tend to be laid back but being dirty and sloppy is very hard to deal with so don't be messy.

10. Treating others: Whenever you are unsure of any campground rules, try putting yourself in the other person's shoes and act only if you'll like to be treated in the same manner. Otherwise, don't!