Would you consider sharing a campsite?

[stacktester]

I know Chris usually does the poll but I was curious to see if anyone has ever considered taking a family vacation together in the same camper say like your family and your siblings family or another thought was to put a tent on a site and share the expenses. I just went 4 wheeling in north GA with my uncle and 2 neighbors this weekend and we split fuel, cabin and food expenses. It usually costs me $400-$500 to do this same place when I'm footing the bill for my family. It ran me around $200 which included my food the way we did it. Sorry Chris to run 2 polls but I want to see how many ideas we can come up with to save money.

 

[stacktester]

I voted I would share a site or go with family. My brother and I have actually gone to a few places together and he and his wife share expenses with us and in return they get a nice place to stay. If we were tent campers I don't think I'd have a problem with sharing a site. We're never at the site for long so it wouldn't be a big deal.

 

[bord1niowa]

We are sharing with our grown kids in June. Wish I could say we were sharing expenses. Pretty much us paying for everything so that they can afford to go. Some day we will return the favor and live in our RV in their yard when we visit...lol. With 5 kids, we can stay here and there for a good length of time Hahaha

 

[mamaloya]

OK, here is my take on it. ARE YOU NUTS!!!!!

When I went in Feb, I brought my 5 kids, my niece, my nephew, my friend and her 2 little ones. Let's just say it was not as smooth as we planned it. The 2 teenage boys slept in a tent outside. My friend's ds2 was into everything. He plugged and overflowed my bathroom sink. Turned on my water pump when my fresh water tank was empty. Kept sliding my slide in and out. Kept turning my water heater on and off and from electric to gas. (can you tell he likes buttons?) Finally I found a couple of buttons to let him do. The light on my bed and the little button that turns the power for the antenna off and on, it even has a little green LED that came on and off. My camper was always full of sand and my goodness it was crowded. He also woke up one night and cried for 2-3 hours because we could not find his cup. She brought him out to the van so as not to disturb everyone. We were very aggravated because the next morning we found his cup in the hamper. It had not occurred to us to look there. I love her and her kids, but if we had not been close it could have ruined our relationship. Luckily after the first couple of days her son realized that I am not as nice as his momma and my discipline is rough. He finally only messed with the buttons I appointed him.

We brought another niece another time and it was fine. And my niece and nephew this trip were great, well except my niece is a bit of a diva and takes forever to get ready. They really helped out with the little ones and my friend and my laundry. Could not have done it w/o them.

If we ever do have someone come with us again, they will have to be in a tent of their own (or ours if we have one), but I will not share the camper again except for a niece or nephew that is old enough to fend for themselves.

Fact is that you don't know how it will be sharing close quarters with someone until you are there. Luckily, since my family is so large, extra people coming usually is not an option.

Oh, there was one trip where we met up with the inlaws at a campground. They stayed in a condo and we stayed in our camper. 2 nieces bunked with us. Trying to do what we wanted was horrid. Trying to get the whole group together and ready on time. I knew this about them so had planned it so we arrived days before them and left days after them so that I would not be aggravated about them ruining my vacation. I considered the 3-4 days they were there as THEIR vacation and went with the flaw even if we missed everything planned. I then spent the time alone with my family doing what we did not get to do with them. This is kind of the mentality you have to take when traveling with others.

OK, I know you weren't asking for a novel, so I will shut up now.

 

[DavidH]

I voted "it depends". I can think of a several people I'd like to camp with, but few of them are family!!!!!

My Inlaws have vacationed with us a couple of times. Twice we went to Disney together - stayed in adjoining rooms in the value resorts...had a blast! Another time, they stayed in a hotel near Myrtle Beach State Park. MIL would not be a camper, even a RVer.

Trying to plan some type of trip with our across-the-street neighbors. They will be fun.

David

 

[VACAMPER]

We've shared and had it go great and then shared and it failed. It seems to work better with friends verses family. We went camping last summer with all of my family. We were the only ones with a camper so of course thats where everyone hung out and thats fine. Except other people don't care for your things the way you do. It came a major thunderstorm and everyones kids decided to run in and out of our camper. Mud from one end to the other. Wrestling. Drove me crazy. My family also thought since it was our camper I should do all the cooking and cleaning. My kids always take friends along and thats never been a problem. As someone said I could write a novel.

 

[BigDaddyRog]

I wouldnt have a problem sharing a tent site with someone else...as a matter of fact I have offerd a couple of people here...they allow 10 people, and we're only going with 4 this trip....so we have room for 6 more, and the sites already paid for...so if they could put up with me yelling at the kids ......they would be welcome to stay. In fact, the offer stands for any of the regs here that need a site....if a partial is okay with you, PM me and we'll get it worked out (this is for those of you who I am familiar with only, please).

 

[des1954]

Several times my DBro has stayed with us in the ol' RV. It was fun!! If we needed to put a tent up for someone, that'd be okay, too! We've also taken other couples camping with us in the past. It's mind over matter....

If you don't mind.... it don't matter!

 

[medic9016]

I could share the site but not the camper. With 2 adults, a teenage daughter, and a 75 Lbs German Shepherd, there is no more room at the Inn. I remember someone saying, There RV will entertain 8, dine 6, but only sleeps 2.

 

[Tent Camping Mom]

I voted Yes, I would share. I think we pretty much get along
with everyone...in-laws included but I may have rubbed a person or two
the wrong way here on the boards...but hey, I'm forgiven right? Especially if
there's a free or half-price campsite available?

 

[BigDaddyRog]

Martha...Ive only seen you "not get along" with one individual.....and I thought it was hilarious!!!

 

[Tent Camping Mom]

Martha...Ive only seen you "not get along" with one individual.....and I thought it was hilarious!!!

Thanks Rog. Yep, I do recall, I thought it was funny afterwards..she scared
me because I didn't expect it. I guess the other one could be
DH He tends to poke his nose in here on occasion just to get my
blood to boiling.

 

[DavidH]

Rog, we could share.

You yell at my kids and I'll yell at yours - they would be so confused, they'd likely be good all week.

Just kidding....

David

 

[clkelley]

I've pretty much always had someone share my site with me at Ft. Wilderness. I think there has only been one trip there, where I haven't had friend(s) sharing with me.

What's pretty interesting, is Ft. Wilderness is one of the few places you can do that. Most parks around here are very strict about multiple tents in their parks. The last RV park I was at didn't allow any tents except for screen rooms. Several of our state parks only allow a small tent in addition to the camper IF it is for children. (If another adult couple wanted to come along in a tent, they would have to get their own site.)

 

[HappyCamper87]

I voted yes because we bought our TT with the intention of going on trips with Ma and Pa Kettle (my folks). It works fine for us but I do have to put my patience cap on sometimes because Ma tends to try something negative to focus on all the time and I spend a lot of time re-directing. But, I plan on having a lot of memories with my kids and parents together which is Priceless.

And, we always take at least one extra kid with us on every (local) trip because the girls have more fun but I am pretty strict and the friends that go know my rules up front. And, if a kid goes with me their parents know that I treat them just like I treat my own, and if they are not okay with that, they don't go.

That said in October DH and I are arriving the 5th and Ma & Pa and the my two girls are joining us on the 9th. I don't know if I could do my once every four year trip with other kids tagging along.

Good question.

 

[LONE-STAR]

I voted it depends on who it is. Right now my parents take there TT and we take our 5er. But in a few years I know this will change and we will only be taking our trailer which is another reason we are geting a bigger trailer. We have had friends stay with us before at the river but there was no help
with $$$$ .

 

[OK GRUMPY]

I voted yes. We have gone several times and stayed in a tent behind my parents MH. This next time I plan to hull the 5ver down let them sleep in it and my sister and I will tent it behind them. The last time we were down there it rained buckets for 2 days. I was so glad that my parent were there and we had a dry place to sleep. Hopefully this next time we won't neeed to sleep inside but who knows!
Cindy

 

[Us3]

It all depends on who we are sharing with....

 

[bord1niowa]

I'll keep the grandkids in line by telling them I'm going to feed them to the alligators if they act up

 

[Catrinabeach]

So far each trip we have brought someone. We took my Neice and a friend our first trip. This last trip we took my BF's DD.

The next 2 trips we have planned to DL we are bringing a niece, and cousin on one and 2 neices on the other. Trying to make sure all my neices get to go at least once lol