Campsite Criteria to Consider for the RVer

My husband and I are very particular about where we camp.  Realtors will tell you location, location, location is the most important when it comes to selecting a home or in this case a campsite.  After all, we want the best experience possible.  Typically, we favour dry camping as we find it the most relaxing and these campsites are often in truly spectacular environments, but we are not above the creature comforts of a campground with partial or full amenities. 

Whenever we visit a new campground, after settling in we take a walk around making notes on the various sites for reference should we return.  We have our favourite spaces at places we frequent and if those aren’t available, we simply don’t go or choose another date when they are available.  That’s the bonus of being flexible. 

Here are our campsite criteria or how we define location, location, location.  However, before we even start it’s worth mentioning that a good web presence for any campground with the ability to book directly online is a real bonus.  It makes travel planning so much easier whether it’s a long trip or a short stay.  And websites that have good photos of the campsites as well as the campground can make or break it when we’re deciding where to book.

Private vs Public

Our favourite campgrounds tend to be public by which we mean those located on Federal, Provincial or Municipal lands.  They are frequently set in stunning natural surroundings in more remote places which ticks our boxes of privacy, outdoor living space and a chance to immerse in nature.  Some of our favourites are Goldstream Park | BC Parks, French Beach Park | BC Parks and Bamberton Provincial Park | BC Parks.  Goldstream is so convenient as it’s just 30 minutes from our home on Vancouver Island, but the tranquil temperate rainforest setting makes one feel miles away from everything.  French Beach offers nature and the ocean so close you can hear the surf from your campsite.  And Bamberton is small, rustic and stunning for its mountain meets the sea setting. 

Although we prefer public campgrounds when the private ones get it right it’s the best of all worlds like three of our favourite local resorts:  Park Sands Beach Resort in Parksville, Pedder Bay RV Resort & Marina in Victoria and Living Forest Oceanside Campground + RV Park in Nanaimo.  They are all on the ocean with full hook-ups, a picnic table, sun, shade and ample room to enjoy.  Pedder Bay and Living Forest also boast large hedges between sites.  It’s a little piece of paradise. 

Private campsites can also have various amenities especially for those traveling with kids or pets. Features like a pool, play area for children and laundry facilities for those longer journeys, even camping supplies, stores or restaurants.  And of course, there is the convenience of full hook-ups making living easy. 

The Campsite

We have taken time and paid special attention to ensure we are equipped with excellent off-grid solar and tank capacity so for us back-country or dry camping isn’t an issue, but we do have some specific requirements to be comfortable.  We need a campsite with ample sun to take full advantage of our solar.  However, we aren’t sun worshipers, so we also like shade.  A balance of both is ideal.  No solar?  You can always run your generator, but we try to do so as little as possible for ourselves and out of respect for fellow campers.  We find the noise a bit much especially in a peaceful forest or oceanside setting.  We like our privacy too, away from other campers if possible, at least visually, so we look for sites with bushes or plantings, hedges, a fence or privacy screen of some sort.  As most campgrounds have a circular or grid design, we find the outer circle or row to be the best. 

Campground Amenities

We will take electrical at every opportunity followed by water and finally sewer hook-up.  Some public sites have electrical which is great especially when it is particularly hot in summer or chilly in the shoulder season.  When hot it’s a relief to be able to run the AC and if it’s cool our small space heater is perfect for taking the edge off.  It’s also great to have a picnic table or even just room to set up our portable table especially since we prefer to cook outside keeping our RV clear of cooking odours. 

Lastly, know the reservation dates at your preferred campgrounds, book early and select weekdays rather than weekends if your schedule allows.  It’s a quieter time and you are more likely to be able to secure your desired site. 

For campgrounds and RV parks in British Columbia go to Camping and RV in British Columbia

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