What Are RV Hookups
Quick Reference Table of Contents
If your looking for cheap RV living the first thing you need to do is figure out how to cut the cost of RV hookups. Don’t worry I never heard of RV hookups either until I bought my first RV, but…….. RV Hookups power the modern amenities of RV life. These crucial components of modern motorhomes are not exactly necessary, but they do make RV life more enjoyable. Allowing campers to enjoy the comforts of home while out on the road. Almost all modern motorhomes, campers, travel trailers & 5th wheels come with RV Hookups. So what exactly is an RV Hookup? Click here to skip down the page to my list of resources I use to find cheap RV hookups under $200 anywhere in America.
Power boxes found at campgrounds around the country that supply electricity and water to RVs, Travel Trailers, Campers, and 5th wheels are often referred to as RV Hookups. These components that power the water and electrical functions of your camper can be rented by the night, week, month or season. RV hookups can be found on private properties, local campgrounds & RV resorts. Full RV hookups allow you to power up the electrical comforts of your motorhome so that you can use your TV, fridge, lights, fans, A/C and coffee makers. While charging your laptop and cell phones. As well as utilize running water to take showers, use the bathroom or wash dishes as you would at home. This is my Cheap RV living list of best resources to finding cheap RV hookups anywhere in America. So that you can enjoy the Cheap RV living lifestyle that many curious adventurous souls have before you.
Cost of RV Hookups & RV Park Rates
If your motorhome isn’t already equipped with RV Hookups it’s most likely an older model. Meaning it would probably be cheaper to buy a modern camper versus paying to install RV Hookups in an older motorhome. Besides the initial cost of installing RV Hookups, which is factored into the overall price, the only fee associated with RV Hookups is the nightly fee an RV Park or campground will charge you. In today’s world that’s usually around $50 a night. I’ve seen some campgrounds offer free RV Hookups or as little as $25/night, but I’ve also seen RV Parks that charge more than a $200/night. Which is why I am always looking for cheap RV hookups or negotiating a monthly rate for private RV hookups.
The average cost of RV Hookups at an RV Park or Campground in America is about $50-$65 a night, but expect to pay more at luxurious campgrounds. During peak season (June-August) rates could be even higher, but in the off-season (Nov-April) rates could be even lower. The average nightly RV hookup cost is around $50 a night at a developed campground or RV park, and its easier to find cheap RV hookups during the offseason.
Cost of Weekly RV Hookups
One way to lower the cost of RV Hookups is to stay longer. Most RV Parks or campgrounds offer discounted weekly or monthly rates. The longer you stay the bigger the discount. There is no universal weekly campground or RV Park discount rate, but generally speaking most weekly rates include 2-3 free nights. For example, if the RV park normally charges $55/night that would be $385 for a 7-night stay. However, if you took advantage of their RV park weekly rate of only $250 you save $110. You can look at it as two free nights or a nightly rate of only $35. Either way, it saved you money, and this is how you find cheap RV hookups.
The average weekly rate for full RV hookups at a campground or RV Park is around $250
RV Parks Average Monthly Rates for RV Hookups
To lower the cost of RV hookups you can get a membership through ThousandTrails & SAM GOODY to take advantage of group discount rates at participating campgrounds and RV Parks. Another way to drastically reduce the cost of nightly RV hookups without a membership fee is monthly rates. Almost every campground or RV Park in America has a monthly rate and in most cases is thousands of dollars cheaper than paying the nightly fee for 30 days. If you read my RV Buying Guide your jaw probably dropped when I wrote about two campgrounds I found in Wisconsin charging more than $9,000 a month for RV Hookups. Yeah, they included free jet ski rentals, private movie theater, bowling alley, activities director plus a bunch of other things I don’t remember right now. That’s more than I made in a year when I was backpacking around the world for the 3rd time.
Most campgrounds & RV Parks monthly rates range between $400-$500.
Some a are a bit higher and some are a bit lower, but if the average nightly fee is $55 you can save over $2,000 at most campgrounds through their monthly fee rates. And all you have to do is stay longer. The number one rule in travel is– the slower you travel the more you see and the more you save. Especially if your traveling in a gas guzzling RV.
Summary of RV Park Rates
| Length of Stay | Average RV Park Rates |
| Nightly RV Park Rates | $45-$65/night during off-season
$65-$125/night during peak season **Peak season-June 15th-Sept 5th** |
| Weekly RV Park Rates | $250/week for full RV hookups**Electricity NOT included** |
| Monthly RV Park Rates | $400-$500/month for full RV hookups**Electricity NOT included**
***RV Park rates at popular winter destinations $700-$900/month*** |
6 Resources To Help You Find Cheap RV Hookups
Sometimes conventional doesn’t work or doesn’t give you the results you’re looking for. That’s a battle I struggle with on a daily basis from my years of longterm travel. Always thinking outside the box frustrates me when searching for solutions only to find restrictions. Sometimes this allows me to find uses for products or services that never intended to be used in the way I use them.
The other day I got an email from one of you asking for help in finding Cheap RV Hookups. I’ve gotten this email a few times, and even more comments on my Find Cheap RV hookups for less than $200 a month article. I’ll admit I blew most people often assuming they didn’t read the actual article, but then after receiving this email I went back and read it myself. I realized I took a lot of liberties assuming you knew what I knew, and then wrapped it around a bunch of fluffy content that nobody wanted to read. So today I’m going to break it down step by step on how I find cheap RV hookups.
Use Internet Platforms That Were Designed For RVers and Campers to find cheap RV hookups.
Its been awhile since I’ve been to the Denver or San Francisco’s of the world, but if I was traveling in that direction there are two apps I would immediately open up.
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- Trover – a remarkable travel app that doesn’t get the attention it deserves so it flies below the radar. Click this link Trover if you want to learn more about it. But to summarize Trover is a digital guidebook that will never be out of date because it’s populated with user submission & details as they travel around the globe.
- iOverlander is an app that was initially designed for off-road racers has evolved into a “boondockers” bible. I haven’t written a piece on it, but I intend very soon. IOverlander is a dated looking app in desperate need of a makeover, but the functionality is 2nd to none. This little app displays a list (or map view) of free camping options and the amenities they provide as well as cheap RV hookups. iOverlander provides GPS coordinates, date a user submitted the listing, brief description, photos, altitude & most importantly distance from where you’re located.
iOverlander provides an endless array of free camping options along with some destinations that even provide free RV hookups, which is the main reason why I use this app. I use these two apps for a variety of reasons, but the main reasons are free boondocking destinations & things to do along my route. I’m a big fan of cheap RV hookups, but I will never turn down free RV hookups. They have other capabilities but these are the two reasons I use them for the most. Trover will show me cool waterfalls or places to eat along the way, and iOverlander will show me free camping options to along my route while I uncover new adventures. Its the perfect partnership.
Connecting RVers With Cheap Private RV Hookups
If you weren’t aware there are actually a few internet platforms that were created solely to connect RVers & campers with landowners willing to rent 
out their property to you. Here is a list of those internet platforms to find cheap private RV hookups.
FreeCampsites
www.freecampsites.net was initially created as a hobby by a couple to log their destinations as they find them. A lot of work has gone into creating this website for us RVers, but it doesn’t show. The design is visually unappealing, but the information on this site is pure gold for finding private RV hookups on the cheap. Like iOverlander, all listings are manually listed by trusted users or the site owners and provide a brief description, location, rating, distance & amenities.
Campendium
www.campendium.com is the modern version of Free campsites. More polished & easier to navigate it’s a little easier to find private RV hookups. But it also has its limitations. With that said it doesn’t have a “Verizon like” coverage map, and I don’t expect it to grow either. The owner of this website is content with the way it is for now. All the listings I have used to rent private RV hookups have been accurate with their photos, descriptions, amenities & details.
Hipcamp
www.hipcamp.com If Hipcamp wouldn’t have contacted me a few years ago I would have never known they existed. Hipcamp is like AirBnB for campers. This platform is designed to let landowners rent out their private RV hookups to campers mainly for short-term solutions, but I have found a few hosts that have rented private RV hookups to me for a couple of months at a time over the years. Its a relatively unknown new platform that has the potential to reinvent Campground & RV Park standards just like AirBnB has done to the hotel industry, but that’s a few years or decades away.
Gamping
www.gamping.com is another one I have heard of but have never used, and it is exactly like Hipcamp. At some point, one of these two will become the top dog or they may even combine forces, but for now, they are relatively unknown. Which is perfect for you to take advantage of the situation. Since the demand & traffic are low landowners, while not desperate, are eager to lock in reservations for their private RV hookups.
How Do I Find Cheap RV Hookups Using These Platforms
On Campendium or Freecampsites what you see is what you get. Location listings of landowners with cheap private RV hookups & what is offered at those discounted camping destinations. Pretty simple. When I am browsing HipCamp or Gamping I am looking for a few things before emailing any private RV hookup listing.
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- Size of land – Some of these listings believe or not are apartment buildings, condos or even houses in the suburbs. None of those are compatible with RV hookups or monthly stays. Sometimes it’s nice to stretch out and get out of your camper for a night, but when I am looking for long term cheap RV hookups those are not my first choice situations. I prefer private RV hookup listings with large land plots, vacant land, farms, hunting land or even a tiny house community. Things along that nature.
- Booking calendar availability – Another determining factor is availability. If a property listing already has reservations for 2 or 3 weekends of the month that host isn’t going to cancel three reservations to accommodate one reservation at a discounted rate for their private RV hookups. If the host’s availability calendar has 10 nights booked over the course of the month I want to be they are not going to cancel on those existing reservations, and it’s a good sign that host has a desirable property. Meaning they probably aren’t going to entertain the idea of giving a drastic discount on a longer stay when they make more money on shorter stays from other people.
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- Time since the last booking – One of my favorite cards to play during the negotiations is “How long has it been since your last booking?”
Which I already know the answer to because you can’t make a reservation without seeing the dates available, and simply scrolling backwards tells me when the last time that private RV hookup was booked. If a host hasn’t had a booking in awhile they may be more receptive to a longterm reservation with guaranteed monthly income. These type of listings are my favorite to turn into cheap RV hookups. Be aware though if a property hasn’t been booked in a while ask yourself why? Is the rate too high? Bad reviews? Unsafe neighborhood? Undesirable property? Poor description? Bad photos? A lot of things can contribute to why a property hasn’t been booked in a while. Do your due diligence. Cheap RV hookups in a bad neighborhood or in the middle of a pig farm isn’t what I would call ideal. - Nightly Rate – Sometimes you find the perfect property, but can’t cut a deal. Don’t worry. Persistence is the key to success when hunting for cheap RV hookups. Did you take into account the nightly rate?
If they are charging $200 a night for their private RV hookups they are not going to agree to 30 days for only $200! I usually target property owners that have cheap RV hookup listings for $50 or less. The only time I make an exception to this rule is if they are renting out something quirky like a treehouse, tipi or RV!! Then I take a different approach to acquire cheap RV hookups by trying to sell them on “double dipping.” Meaning they can take two reservations for the same time period. - Length on Site – I wish I could tell you new accounts are more receptive to long-term rentals, but its the opposite. New accounts haven’t dealt with changing the sheets 400 times a year or answering 800 emails a day about their cheap RV hookups only to see their listing go unbooked. The older the account the easier it is to persuade a property owner into a long-term agreement for their private RV hookups.
- Reputation/Reviews – When you deal face to face with travelers & people on vacation for a short duration of time it is next to impossible to get a bad review. I worked in the restaurant industry in high volume iconic destinations around the globe for over 20 years. I know some people are just impossible, but in this type of setting you would literally need to be completely negligent or go out of your way to create a negative experience.
So if a listing has a bad reputation or bad review scores I don’t even approach them. I am sure there is an angle to play to negotiate some cheap RV hookups with these hosts more than other hosts. I just don’t want to be in a situation that I might regret later because I wanted to save a couple of bucks on RV hookups.
- Time since the last booking – One of my favorite cards to play during the negotiations is “How long has it been since your last booking?”
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After analyzing all of this and emailing hosts back and forth I try to land somewhere in the neighborhood of $200 a month for my RV Hookups. I have paid as low as $50 month for RV hookups, and there have been a few times I’ve paid as much $400 a month for private RV hookups. But those times included a private waterfall, hot tub, pool & oceanfront private beach. All to myself. When hunting for cheap RV hookups put yourself in the property owners shoes. What would it take to convince you if the roles were reversed?
How To Use AirBnb To Find Cheap RV Hookups
www.airbnb.com – is another platform that is designed for short-term rentals mainly for 2nd homeowners trying to generate income from their condos, apartments, houses. But anyone with a yard is fair game, and the best time to look for 
long-term arrangements off of AirBnB is the slow season ~ September to May ~ in the Northern part of the country. I have found great success emailing hosts looking for long-term spots with full RV hookups. What’s the worst they can say, No? It’s only an email.
The best ones to email are ones in or near a high volume tourist town. Think Jackson Hole, Whitefish, Stillwater, Custer, Grand Marais, Bar Harbor, etc etc. Any gateway town near a National Park or other tourist hotspot like Mount Rushmore.
Refer to the six criteria I listed above to help you find an ideal host & property. Find listings that are renting out unconventional accommodations like campers/RVs, tree houses, tipi’s vacant land, sailboats, caves, etc etc. They tend to be more receptive to this type of arrangement. But just so you know I’ve also found discounted RV hookups in the backyards of suburbs of America from time to time. Airbnb listings don’t always have RV hookups, but you can find tons of private campsites to rent for as little as $5 a day.
Start out your correspondence by introducing yourself and letting them know your not a tweaking meth head looking to squat on their land. If you have a website share the link or even a Facebook profile share your link so they can get a better understanding of you and your personality. That’s usually the deal maker when I say things like, “and to get a better feel for my personality you can visit my public profile at….”
AirBnB is a popular “goto” for travelers nowadays so it’s not as easy as it used to be to find cheap RV hookups or even private campsites when hosts were starving for reservations, but I regularly use Airbnb to find cheap RV hookups. Just be personable, honest, kind & transparent. Remember guaranteed income is better than theoretical income. Use that to your advantage.
AirBnb Coupon
As an added bonus if you sign up using any one of the orange AirBnB links on this page you will get a $40 credit at checkout on your first listing. Meaning if you come to an agreement with AirBnB host to pay $200 a month AirBnB will only charge you $160 for that first booking when you sign up through my AirBnB links on this page. How cool is that? Instant $40 savings on your monthly RV hookups?
How To Use Facebook To Find Cheap RV Hookups
Another favorite source of mine is facebook especially local groups for the area that I am looking to stay in. Every area nowadays has 3 groups.
1-garage sale or for sale group page (sometimes they are the same page)
2-rant/rave page
3-help wanted page
What these 3 pages are called on Facebook is anyone’s guess, but to find them I would do a search for the town or county in the Facebook search bar to try and find these three pages. After that, if I still hadn’t found them I would search for whatever the area nickname is. Still can’t find it? Find one of the less popular Facebook pages that only have a few members. You’re looking for the group that has thousands of members, but sometimes you have to join the group with less than a 100 to find the main vein of the area.
Protocols of Facebook Groups
After you get accepted into that smaller Facebook group of the area make a post saying you just moved to the area and looking for the 
job/helpwanted/forsale/ Facebook local group page. Someone will give it to you. Everyone wants to be a hero. Someone will help you out I promise.
Once you find the main Facebook group for the area make a simple post selling something trivial or nonexistent. Give it a day and then mark the item as “sold”. You have to do this because some of these groups are fickle & temperamental. If you come into the group posting I’m looking for a spot to rent for your RV you might get booted & blocked. Abide by the rules. Make a meaningless post that shows your willingness to do so. It’s the easiest way to make it off the “Nazi” admin’s radar, and it also lets them know your not a scammer.
The Money Post on Facebook to find Cheap RV Hookups
After that make a post saying something along the lines. Who can use an extra $200 month? Or there has to be someone in the area that could use some extra money this month? Or something along those lines. Everyone needs money you will get more responses than you can deal with. I usually respond with a few vague replies throughout the day to keep bumping it to the top without actually divulging that I am looking for cheap RV hookups. Then after it has been sitting for a day and there are enough comments I start responding to everyone. Giving details of what I am looking for and what I am willing to pay. Remember most people associate the term RV hookups with a stand-alone outlet box with its own meter and buried septic tank. You don’t need either of those.
Cheap RV hookups are nothing more than an outlet you can run an extension cord to, and an outdoor faucet you can hook a hose up to. You don’t even need a sewer line to connect to because you can call a local septic company that will drive to your location and pump out your tanks into their truck! All you need for cheap RV hookups is an RV parking spot that is close enough to reach utilities with an extension cord and a garden hose.
Facebook has been pure gold for me in the last few years. No listings to sort through, no commission to be paid to the website owner for bookings. No verification protocols. Simple easy transactions between both parties made in person. Just like in the old days.
Through Facebook, I have found thousands of cool places to park my RV with full RV hookups. Some have been offered for free or in exchange for some type of easy chore. I usually never pay more than $250 for my monthly RV Hookups, and I even stayed for two months in Mesa Arizona one winter for only $100 living the cheap RV lifestyle. Facebook has been wonderful to me, and I can not recommend this method enough to find cheap RV hookups. Between Facebook & AirBnB I’ve been living full time in my RV around the United States for less than $3,000 a year. As a consequence, I am also a member of over 1,000 FB groups. Talk about an active news feed!
Facebook Groups for RVers
Another good resource that sometimes takes a little more effort is RV Facebook groups. These aren’t groups dedicated to a specific area or destination. These Cheap RV Living groups are more focused on the big picture of RVLife. Everyone there wants to be a hero and come to your rescue, but some are batshit crazy. I kid you not. Seriously, padded room crazy, but a wonderful resource for new & old RV owners. You will find answers on how to winterize your RV all the way to the weight of a popup camper. If you have a question concerning RV’s one of these Cheap RV Living groups has the answer, and I am a member of all of these groups so stop by and say “Hi”. Or leave a comment below. But I have used these groups on more than one occasion to find cheap RV hookups all over the country.
List of the more popular Cheap RV Living Facebook groups to find Cheap RV Hookups.
Facebook Search Results of all the different RV Groups
FB’s Boondocking & Free Camping Group– Great resource to find Cheap RV hookups
FB’s Low Income Rv Living Group
? Simply Full Time RVing ?⛽ FB Group
HOW TO RV FOR NEWBIES FB Group
How To Find Cheap RV Hookups Through Real Estate Agents
Another great resource I have been starting to use a lot lately is real estate agents to find Cheap RV Hookups. Go to the local real estate office and ask for a list of vacant land owner properties especially for out of state landowners. You can also find vacant land options off of Craigslist under the real estate for sale section. A lot of vacant land listings in the Pacific Northwest have private RV hookups that were meant to be temporary. Most likely so landowners could have a place to stay while building their dream home. Whatever the reason I have found some amazing RV hookups on vacant land all over Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, Washington & Oregon.
It is best to get a direct email to the landowner. Because sometimes real estate agents don’t relay your request to landowners because they don’t make a commission of off rental deals. A bonus to finding cheap RV hookups using this method is finding full RV hookups in the middle of nowhere with no demand. Having the landowner’s contact information ensures you have access to these secret RV hookups whenever you are in the area. I have a list of over 500 private and secret cheap RV hookups all over the country. Maybe someday I’ll reach out to each landowner and see if they will let me publish that list.
I found the best success by inquiring about owner financing listings, or contract for deed listings. These landowners are publicly displaying they are willing to work with people to sell their land. I’ve gotten very creative with this and landed some true gems. I have never paid more than $150 a month. Even had one landowner offer to let me stay for free as a caretaker. To ensure people weren’t hunting on his land. Whatever works, right?
Remember this is just vacant land that nobody is using so negotiations aren’t that tough. I offered to pay the property tax for a year to one landowner, but before I made that offered I looked it up to see it was only $81. Five months of private cheap RV hookups for only $81 total? Now thats cheap RV living at its finest! Sound like a deal to you? Want more RV Life tips, guides or stories click here
My 6 Cheap RV Hookup Resources
These are the 6 resources I regularly use & how I use them to find private RV hookups for cheaper than you can find at a
ny campground or RV Park. Which is why I never stay at a campground or RV park. I would rather spend the night in a truck stop parking lot then spending my money on an overpriced campground. If you have a way that’s successful for you to find RV hookups I am sure we would all like to hear about it. Let us know in the comments below. Also, anything that is orange on this site is most likely clickable. And made clickable to help you find more information on a particular topic. Or you can use the search bar in the upper right-hand corner to find other related articles. Still can’t find what you’re looking for? Send me an email, or leave it in the comments below. If I don’t know the answer I’ll find it for you. If you want to see more articles on RVLife Click this link, and it will take you to my RV Life category.
I am also thinking about playing with a new slogan for the site. What do you think of, “Let your mind wander and your brain wonder.” Happy RVing everyone!
22 Comments
Hi Adam. My name is Sharon. I need help n i hope u can help me w this. My man n i just bought a 5th wheel for the first time to live in long term while we get back on our feet. Its an 85 Prowler in great condition but now i cant find a place to park it. None of the rv or mobile home parks will take it. Ive had to put on the street for now n last night i got a tow away slip. I’m still new to the Reno/Sparks area n dont know anyone out here n now we just bought this n cant do anything w it. Theyre threatening to haul tomorrow. I wish i came across your site sooner. Ive been trying to see how to find people willing to rent a spot on their land or a vacant lot n now I’m out of time. I really need help. I got the stuff written down to search. But i dont have enough time to do this thoroughly. Do u have any names of people.whoi can get from u? I dont have much money but am willing to pay monthly. Willing to help w chores or whatever. My man has a full time job in Reno. Need ASAP for a few months give or take . We r working towards getting into Real Estate n flipping houses as soon as able to get some stability. I’m so frustrated with this situation. We didnt know about the thing about older rvs. We were told some places wont take yours not that its impossible. We have been staying w mom in law n she can lose her place for helping us n we dont want that to happen but we dont want to end up on street. We’re too old for this. We have an 11yr old son that comes on weekends. Its a 24 ft. Would like to stay not too far from town due to one vehicle at the moment. Housing is such an issue these days n we need help. Is there anything u can suggest or anyone for that matter. Thank you.
Sharon,
Thanks for visiting my travel blog, and reaching out to me with your difficult situation. I don’t have an exact pinpoint answer for you and your 5th wheel because whenever I am in Reno area I always stay around Lake Tahoe. More scenic and I know I can stay for free at any of the Ski resorts. Have you checked out my free camping guide? Probably more temporary solution ideas in there, but it could buy you some time until you can find a more permanent solution. If I were in your situation without knowing anyone, and unable to find a quick destination for my 5th Wheel I would explore the casinos of Reno. Most casinos are pretty accommodating to RVers. You could move it from casino to casino while you look for a more permanent destination. One night here, couple nights there, another here, etc etc. Some casinos have full RV hookups, and welcome RVers. I found a casino in Oklahome that offers FREE RV Hookups, but you could only stay for 2 nights. The Monte Blue in South Lake Tahoe allows RVs to stay for up to 7 nights free before they need to relocate. I am not well versed in the RV casino rules there in Reno, but they are usually pretty relaxed and inviting towards RVers.
If you can get out of the city just a little bit Reno is surrounded by BLM land & National Forest which is pretty much a free for all for RVers. You won’t find any free hookups or all you can eat buffets, but you won’t get a bill or a tow away slip. California is also home too SNOPARKS which are designated areas that you can purchase a 6 month SNOPARK pass that allows you to park your RV for as long as you want from Nov-May. I stayed in South Lake Tahoe for $25 for an entire ski season once. I didn’t have hookups, but there was a bathroom at the far end of the parking lot and I just ran my generator when needed. Pretty much worked out to about $40 a month rent when you factor in generator gas. Follow this link to find out more about SNOPARK passes & locations.
If your read my free camping guide you’ll find out my favorite RV destinations are ski resorts. Mainly because they are free, but also because of the vibe, culture and atmosphere they provide. This time of year they are gearing up for their season, but not quite open. So if there is anybody up there they are not focused on enforcing parking rules. Which could work out to your benefit. During peak season most ski resorts have a 3 day or 7 day rule for RV overnight parking, but preseason and off season its not on anyone’s radar. I’ve stayed at places for two months before anyone said anything, but I’ve also heard of people getting asked to leave after a couple weeks. I just left McCall Idaho, home to two ski resorts, where I just spent the last 40 days at a ski resort for free. A ski resort parking lot probably isn’t at the top of your list, but it could be a temporary RV destination until you can find a better solution. Between the casinos & the ski resorts you should be able to move it around free of charge for a couple of months. After that if you still need a place to put it, and don’t want to live out of it during the winter months. Hop over to California. Buy a $25 SNOPARK pass and then just park it there. Cheaper than a storage locker and legit!
When it comes to RV Life the more creative you are the more rewarding it will be. This current road trip I am on has taught me that. I have talked with so many truck camper owners who spent months if not years looking for a truck camper to fit their vehicle. I was heading down that path as well until I finally took matters into my own hands. Jump over to my article that shows people how to make any truck camper fit any truck bed, or follow this link to find out how I saved thousands of dollars on truck camper tie downs. When it comes to RV life the more creative you are the more rewarding it will be.
I wish I could give you a phone number or an address, but I don’t spend a lot of time in the Reno area. It will work out I promise. It always does. Persistance is the key to success. Keep looking, keep calling, keep emailing. Move your 5th wheel to a temporary destination until you can solved this frustrating riddle. Post in the facebook groups I mentioned in this article. You’ll find something just might have to dig a little deeper.
And when you do come back and let us know it might help someone else in your situation.
Thanks again for visiting my travel blog.
Adam
Hi I love your comments and I hope that you give first of all I am in the Bay Area California your Martinez I was given a camping trailer probably about 20 feet it is a 1994 but it is in great condition everything works I need a place to park it and live in hopefully permanently any ideas anywhere near here are some places say your trailer needs to be no older than 10 years old which is sad the price isn’t so much for me right now as I’m working full-time and have a good job just to finding housing around here hi I love your comments and the help that you give first of all I am in the Bay Area California near Martinez I was given a camping trailer probably about 20 feet it is in 1994 but it is in great condition everything works I need a place to park it in live in hopefully permanently any ideas anywhere near hear some places say your trailer needs to be no older than 10 years old which is sad the price isn’t so much for me right now as I’m working full time and have a good job just tough finding housing around here any ideas you could find would be helpful I have a temporary place where friend is letting me park it but there is no sewer hookup so I need a place to find to park it permanently thank you for your time
Christina,
Thanks for reaching out to me. I will try to help you out best I can, but I think google is your best bet here. I actually just watched a documentary on the housing crisis there in Cisco. If I were in your position here is what I would do.
I would find every facebook group there is for the bay area and apply to join.
Than I would make a post offering whatever you think you can afford monthly for a parking spot. Saying you don’t need hookups. ALl you need is an electrical outlet and a faucet. (Because you can call a septic company to come pump out your holding tanks for $25-$40 so you don’t need sewer).
Than I would make a posting on craigslist stating the same thing. Post it in the barter section. The community section. The room mated wanted and shared housing section.
After that I would contact every craigslist vacant land listing and see if they would be interested in renting out a parking spot to me.
Then I would contact every real estate agent offering the same thing.
Then I would contact every RV park, mobile home park, campground to see what there rates are.
I would also call every motel/hotel that offers a weekly rate and see if they would rent me out a parking space in their parking lot with the option of rnning an extension cord and a hose and again calling for a pump out service when needed.
While I was doing all of this I would recon the area for big parking lots that I could urban boondock in incase I struck out. Places like walmart, hospitals, health clubs, strip malls, hotels. Find 6-8 or 10-15 that you can rotate through every 7-10 days.
After all that if I still hadn’t found a place I would sign up through Airbnb through my site because you get $40 off your first bookings total. Airbnb has campground, hookups and campsite specific listings. You have adjust the filters to find them, and I don’t even know if there are any listings in the San Fran area but airbnb does have them in some spots. Then I would reach out to airbnb owners and see what you can find. And remember you get a free $40 if you sign up through me. So if they agree to $300 a month well your first month would only be $260.
If i still hadn’t found anything California has a wonderful SNOpark pass. Im not sure if there are any close to you, but if there are for only $25 you can have a place to park your trailer for 6 months. No hookups. No water, no electricity. Possible a national forest outdoor bathroom with no water might be on site but that is it. I did that for 6 months in Lake Tahoe. Do the math its just over $4 a month. Puuuurty cheap.
I’ve run into that “it needs to be 10 years or newer thing” in the past too. Just have to be persistent. There is an RV park out there that doesn’t care and just wants your money. And some of them don’t even enforce it. Just going to have to get on the phone. Some places are hard to find a spot and from what I gather San Fran would not be an easy one call battle right now for finding cheap RV hookups. Might take you a couple of weeks, but keep that in mind when you do come across a place that is less than ideal. Less than ideal is better than nothing.
Hope that helps.
Let me know if you find anything or have any other questions.
My dad bought me a 5th wheel. Ive lived at the beach for 43 years and am now on their property 1 1/2 hrs inland! I need to be back where im from. I live normally in san clemente. San juan Capistrano has lots of land and is near san clemente. I would love to find an RV lot to rent near there or a permanent long term RV space to rent or buy.
This virus has made me move from the room i rented into this 5th wheel. Dad says now find a permanent RV space/spot for it. I do not want to always be moving it especially without a truck. My dad has his own 5th wheel and truck . He will move it once i find my permeant RV/5th wheel resting place close to san clemente. Im getting worried and scared i may have to stay inland😢Im a surfer a paddleboarder. My life revolves around the ocean. Can you put your expertise to work with me? Please?
Debbie,
Thanks for visiting my RV travel blog. I may find myself in your position this fall. Thinking of skipping ski season and checking out “ocean life” so lets see if I can help you out here.
It sounds like your ok with living out of your 5th wheel, but don’t want to urban boondock or constantly be moving around. If you don’t know what urban boondocking is check out this article of mine https://aowanders.com/how-i-saved-20000-in-3-months-at-a-temp-agency-job-to-travel-for-a-year/#Boondocking_Is_The_Secret_Weapon or this article on free camping anywhere in America https://aowanders.com/free-camping/
It sounds like you just need a permanent place to park it. I am going to write a couple of more articles on that this week so if you haven’t subscribed already please do so to get informed when they get published. You can also check out this article on how to use facebook to find longterm cheap RV hookups – https://aowanders.com/6-amazing-resources-to-find-cheap-rv-hookups/#How_To_Use_Facebook_To_Find_Cheap_RV_Hookups
That will take you directly to the Facebook section of the article, and I just went through the process a couple of days ago to find a place myself. Let me walk you through it on exactly what I did.
1st Step — Log onto facebook use the search bar and search for the city you are looking to live in.
2nd step — click the tab that says groups
3rd step — join every group associated with that town
4th step — Create a post asking people to rent their lot to you.
This is exactly what my facebook post looked like —-
>>>>>I WANT TO PAY YOU $200 in CASH MONEY<<<< This situation usually works best for those on a fixed income like social security or disability or 2nd home owners or even vacant land owners. If you own a cabin that you only use sporadically throughout the summer I could do all the yard work and preparations for your family weekend vacations for FREE plus pay you monthly rent and utilities. Or anyone that could use a few hundred dollars extra month I would be willing to pay you monthly rent + utilities. I'm locally born and raised with family throughout the state. I'm looking to pay you this summer to park a 2013 30 foot traveler trailer on your property. Everything's modern looking. Clean and well put together. No ratty redneck moss covered campers here. Ideally the perfect situation would include full RV hookups, but in the past a garden hose faucet and an extension cord are just fine. Ideally I'd like to find a private wooded piece of land on a lake and call it home for the summer, but in the past I've paid monthly rent + utilities to park in a driveway, backyard, field, pole barn, culdesac, church parking lot and much more. So I don't need much. Water and electric aren't even a deal breaker as I have a generator and 80 gallon tanks. The only deal breaker is internet. If there is no internet on property there needs to be cell service so I can manage my RV travel blog. As you can see from my other pictures I like to hike and would love to spend the summer exploring the NS. Which easier from your land up there than any of the options I have down here. My facebook profile is set to public. Feel free to browse to get a better feel for my character and personality. My travel blog is http://www.aowanders.com where you can also get a better feel for who I am. I have references from previous home owners I have stayed with. Call me, msg me or lets meet up. Thanks for your time.
-Along with the post I included pictures of my camper, truck and myself. I set the price at $200, and this weekend I am going to go look at 15-20 properties in the area I want to be in.
5th Step — Respond quickly, but don’t like any response posts
6th Step — After the responses start to slow down now go back and click the “like” option for a few of the responses. This will bump your post back up to the top of the groups page. Repeat this step as often as you like to keep it at the top. I usually do it every 24 hours after the last response or until I have enough properties to view.
7th step — Call every campground in the area and ask what their monthly rate is for full RV hookups
8th Step — Call every mom and pop hotel, motel, resort and business in the area. I am going to go look at two properties that have full RV hookups in the back of a restaurant with 200 feet of lakeshore for only $150/month this weekend because I called a local area business that told me about them.
9th Step — email every AirBnb Listing in the area. I hooked 2 more candidates this week by doing that.
10th Step — go to craigslist then go to the housing section and click on “all housing”. In the search bar type RV. Browse the search results see what you find. I found 3 private RV lots to rent in the area I am going to go look at it, and if one of them has cell service thats my front runner right now.
11th Step — go back to housing section and click on real estate for sale. In the search bar type one of these three and do a seperate search for each one of these three terms — contract for deed/rent to own/owner financing. Browse the listings. If you find properties in the area do a little more research and find out if they have any utilities on the property (don’t worry if they don’t I’ll cover that in a second). If they do have water, electric and sewer send them an email. Asking if they would be willing to rent out the property for the summer or longterm.
12 step — if they don’t have any utilites that just fine. All you will need than are these three items. Dump caddy, generator and an account at a water delivery company. Here is the link to the dump caddy I own https://amzn.to/35EF358 Here is a link to the generator I own https://amzn.to/2Lmubjf and here is the article with video while generator is on of me reviewing this exact generator https://aowanders.com/best-onboard-generator-for-travel-trailer-for-less-than-200/ I am a big fan of this generator, and if that still doesn’t convince you my brother just bought the exact same generator after seeing what I put mine through. If the area you want to live in isn’t suitable for running a generator around the clock you can make your generator silent. Here is a link to generator mufflers https://amzn.to/3dojfNR. Or you can make a generator soundproof boxe with dynomat and plywood. If you really can’t run a generator here is a link to a cheap but reliable RV solar kits https://amzn.to/2xMEQAs.
Using these steps I found about a dozen people off of facebook in less than 48 hours, and another 8 people through other platforms in the same time frame all willing to rent out their property to me for the summer. One individual is willing to let me stay for free as long as I pick up the yard, and another person counter offered at $400/month + utilities. That is a last resort option for me because of the price, but its still a longterm solution for the summer if all else fails. All that has transpired for me in the last 2 days using group pages on facebook, housing section on craigslist, local area real estate agents and contacting private local area businesses for leads. Now its up to me to drive 8 hours away to view these properties and finalize the negotiations or terms of renting out their property.
Some area’s are easier than others. Some people are more understanding than others Sometimes you just strike out, but the beauty of RV life is its adaptability. What are you willing to pay in rent? I know you want to get back to the beach, but what if you save your money for a couple of months while living inland. Would you have enough to buy a truck that could tow that 5th wheel? What if you lived inland for 2 years? Would you have enough to buy a piece of property of your own in the area you want to be in? Sometimes you just sacrafice for what you really want, and sometimes things just fall into place in 48 hours.
Best of luck to you Deb,
Adam
Thanks for helping me finding a permanent RV spot in San Juan Capistrano I am from San Clemente California and right now I am an hour and a half inland on my parents property which is temporary I need to get back to the beach! Is there anyone in this wonderful RV travel blog community with any leads that can help me find a permanent longterm RV lot or space for rent in San Juan Capistrano?
No RVs older than 10 years!
Many RV parks are now imposing age restrictions on the RV itself. No RVs older than 10 years. It doesn’t matter if your RV is gold plated with diamond studded rims. It doesn’t matter if you have a dilithium reactor or you’re best friends with Jesus, Obama and the Pope! It doesn’t matter if $100 bills trail behind you in the wind, free for the taking. NO RVs older than 10 years! You can’t even pay extra.
Why is this? Well just look at all the old ratted out RVs found underneath the freeway overpasses and industrial side streets. RV parks have had to deal with their share of meth heads, transient criminals, and RVs that become disabled and unable to leave when their reservations expire. So this is an acceptable and legal form of housing discrimination. Even if you can beg and plead your case and somehow get that age restriction waved just for you, you’re still going to pay as much a month as you would for a regular apartment so it’s really not worth it. I’m talking $1400/mo!
As guides are being put together, it would really be helpful if I didn’t have to waste my time calling RV parks with the “NO RVs older than 10 years” restrictions… And also, the ones who are more reasonable – that as long as your RV looks clean, you can pay the bill and aren’t leaking engine fluids and black water, you’re welcome. Thanks for putting together this wonderful RV Travel Blog. I have bookmarked and shared on facebook. Adam you have tons of useful information here. I really enjoyed reading these blog posts today
https://aowanders.com/how-to-find-cheap-longterm-rv-lot-for-rent/
https://aowanders.com/cheap-fun-things-to-do-when-youre-bored/
https://aowanders.com/34-free-fun-exciting-outdoor-things-to-do-when-youre-bored/
and this tax post was super useful
https://aowanders.com/3-tax-season-tips-for-full-time-rvers-backpackers-travelers/
David,
Thanks for bringing up this topic I was actually just contemplating whether I should write a blog post on this topic with so many new RVers this summer during Covid-19. It is true a lot of RV parks have restrictions, but RV park rules are either strictly enforced like a maximum security prison, or at other campgrounds, the only effort to enforce them was the time it took to write them. Its rather unfortunate, but I also do understand the RV Park & Campground owners vantage point on this topic as well.
I have only personally had to deal with this one time, which I am glad I did otherwise I wouldn’t have found a free RV rent for an entire ski season in Ogden.
I don’t do a lot of campground camping for the exact reason you mentioned. Its expensive and there is no justification for it to be that expensive besides greed, but from what I gather most campgrounds are pretty relaxed when it comes to this rule. You can always pull in after dark and leave before anyone gets up right???? (wink wink wink)
Enjoy your travels and thanks for visiting my travel blog.
Adam
Hey. Just getting started. Need to vacate my current home by august 1st. Trying to find a long term RV spot around me in Temecula/fallbrook area for rent.
Most places are full and only places wait lists. Any chance you have some friends who are looking to rent a private RV lot out.
Thomas,
Thanks for visiting my travel blog. Sent you a list with contact information for all the private RV lots for rent in that area. Ranging from $150-$525/month.
Hope that helps,
Adam
Hey Adam,
I’m so glad that I found your site! We do have a small RV park that offers long term parking. You have given me a whole new outlook and way that I should have been promoting our park. I have all along been trying to promote more as a RV park in a certain area- when my focus should be on “long term”. Guess I should have known this all along. duh!
I am putting our site name here as well if you allow. Will keep checking out your articles and site often for more helpful information.
I get over a thousand emails a day looking for longterm RV parking spots so I will start sending some ppl yourway very soon.
Hi. I thank you for writing this article. Very thorough and informative. My best friend recently purchased a beautiful RV. We are looking for a spot with hookups around Bend, OR to park for the winter season, possibly longer while we find adequate permanent housing in the area. We prefer to avoid the campgrounds and parks and have a drama free environment, and was curious if you have any places in mind in the area? Thanks again,
Tami
Tamara,
Have you read my super powerful cheap rv hookups article
https://aowanders.com/find-cheap-rv-hookups-for-less-then-200-a-month-for-full-time-rv-living-in-america/
I would strongly suggest reaching out to the Bend, Oregon community facebook page to find a private RV lot for rent, or check out Hipcamp
( http://hipcamp.com/i/adamo4ed839 ) its full of privately owned camped sites being rented out by land owners for situations just like this.
Regards,
Adam
Hi Adam,
I have been looking for a place to hook up my travel trailer/camper in CT (eastern preferably) for such a long time with no luck.
I have to be out of my apartment by 6/1 and as of now have no where to go. All of the campgrounds are very expensive. Do you by any chance have any knowledge of any options in CT or contacts in the area? Thank you in advance, it would be a life saver.
Chelsea,
I hope you found a place. If not email me [email protected] I have a friend in that part of the world that runs a stealth campground who has room for you.
Regards,
Adam
Hi Adam,
I have recently bought an older fifth-wheel camper and am just really struggling with finding an affordable place to put it in my area. I live in shelton, WA. Any good leads out here? I’m brand new to living full-time in my RV, and this has to be my home. My mother just lost her home as well and is depending on me. Any leads you can send me for living full time out of my 5th wheel would be amazing. Thank you.
Christy
Christy,
Thanks for checking out my RV travel blog. I know it may seem like an uphill battle right now, but you’re in one of the best places in the country to find private RV lots for long-term rent. If you make a post on local Facebook garage sale group you should be able to find something by the end of the day. If you need a place to catch your breath while you look for spots go to this website. Find something close to you, and send me the listing & dates you want it for. I’ll book a weekend for you so you can focus on finding a long term place to stay. Use this link. hipcamp.com/i/adamo4ed839
Regards,
Adam
Christy,
Thanks for checking out my RV travel blog. I know it may seem like an uphill battle right now, but you’re in one of the best places in the country to find private RV lots for long-term rent. If you make a post on a local Facebook garage sale group you should be able to find something by the end of the day. If you need a place to catch your breath while you look for spots go to this website. Find something close to you, and send me the listing & dates you want it for to my email at [email protected]. I’ll book a weekend for you so you can focus on finding a long-term place to stay. Use this link. hipcamp.com/i/adamo4ed839
Regards,
Adam
Adam,
I would like to become an RV rest stop for travelers. What do I need to do to make this possible?
Hey Susan thanks for visiting my corner of the internet. What a wonderful question, and super excited you want to be apart of the solution than the problem. Lets see if I can help you figure this out, but all you need to have is a piece of land big enough to be made into a campsite. Basically 4 campsites for every 1 acre. There are ways to make this super fancy and automated, but rustic and natural is just as popular.
There are quite a few ways to generate RVers, and if you need help with the technical set up lets get together for a phone chat or something. I’d be happy to help add another resource.
First off I could always add something here on my website/s for you if you like.
Second, you could set up a hipcamp.com/r/adamo4ed839 account. If your not aware of what hipcamp is it’s basically the Airbnb for campers. Upload some pics, descriptions, availability and price. Hipcamp will take care of the rest. You can offer nightly, weekly or monthly rates.
Third, I would strongly recommend setting up a GMB & your own website for local traffic and bookings without any 3rd party fees.
Fourth, you could also add your place listing on to an app called ioverlander, campendium and free campsites. These are for travelers looking for free places to spend the night though.
Fifth, you could always partner up with someone in the community to host a weekly, monthly or annual event to creat awareness and demand for you spot.
Hope this helps you. Let me know if you need any more ideas.
Regards,
Adam