RV Resorts
From LoveToKnow Seniors
Many RV enthusiasts enjoy an extended stay at RV resorts. For those who take to the road for months at a time as a vacation or retirement option, RV resorts are a place to settle down, play a few rounds of golf, meet up with family and friends, and enjoy the convenience of premier restaurants, shopping, and activities.
What is an RV Resort?
RV resorts differ from RV camping in one major way: amenities. No one can stay on the road forever. An RV resort has many of the pleasures of home so you can feel comfortable to rest a while. It’s almost like having the best aspects of a retirement community without the fuss of keeping up a house.
- RV lots have patios and lawns with plenty of utility hookups.
- Travelers can enjoy swimming pools, hot tubs and saunas, fitness centers, and spas.
- Many RV resorts have general services such as medical resources, a beauty salon, barbershop, an ATM, library, a gift shop, laundry facilities, an RV necessities shop, and a post office.
- Wireless areas, computer facilities, and cable/satellite TV are common.
- Community activities are quite prevalent, such as game rooms and pool tables, tennis, basketball, volleyball, bocci courts, dancing, live entertainment, horseshoes, woodworking, crafts, and planned lectures and outings.
- Nearby attractions, everything from fine dining, shopping, museums, and golf courses, to fishing, direct beach access, racetracks, and amusement parks, are a stone’s throw away.
Choosing an RV Resort
Certain RV resorts sites have particular designations to describe what the resort offers and its surroundings.
GNP: Stands for Good Neighbor Park. Generally a quieter stop for those wanting to be away from the hubbub.
Deluxe: Features some basic amenities to help travelers feel comfortable for an extended stay.
Encore: At this type of resort, you can stretch your legs awhile and get involved in many activities.
Encore Elite: Very close to prime attractions, but also offering many reasons to stay on premises.
BPA: Considered one of the Best Parks in America. This is a five-star RV resort.
Many RV enthusiasts need to have a certain kind of membership affiliation to access RV resorts, or have to purchase a lot, similar to a time-share vacation property.
A resort membership fee helps provide some of the features you’ll use, but more importantly, you’re part of an extensive network that offers support and knowledge to guide you through this lifestyle. Fees vary widely, based on membership level.
There are many RV memberships, including:
All of these sites have extensive lists of RV resorts and amenities.
Visit Go RVing and RV on the Go for links to other RV resorts.
Tips from the Experts
Traveling extensively 20 or 30 years ago really made a person feel cut off from the familiar. But modern conveniences and continual advances in technology have changed all that. If you’re wondering about the practicalities of RV life, here are some resources for you.
Professed “RV junkies” Joe and Vicki Kieva have been on the road since they were newlyweds. In this article they wrote for KOA’s Kompass magazine, they discuss the value of electronic income deposits, why credit cards are important, and how much cash to carry when traveling. They’ve written a number of helpful books, too.
The RV Vacations for Dummies, by Shirley Slater and Harry Basch, covers RV travel in the thorough but simple format so common in Dummies books.
Jan and Bill Moeller highlight some important practical points in Complete Guide to Full-Time RVing.
The website RVers Online is an active network of RV enthusiasts sharing information on the topic.
Some people say they can’t imagine living away from home for months at a time. But for many, seeing the sights from an RV and resting in RV resorts makes the whole world seem like your backyard.
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