Are you planning to go RV camping in Texas? I’d like to help you prepare for your camping trip by providing you with some information about Texas RV parks. Armed with this information, you will know what to expect and have more fun when you go RV camping in Texas.
Did you know that there are two basic ways in which people use their RVs and that RV parks that cater to each type of RV-er offer different features? I want to tell you all about that.
I think it is also important that you understand RV park pricing and what may, or may not be included in the price.
Then there is another fun use of an RV that not a lot of people have ever thought of…
Two Basic Forms of RV Usage
There are several ways to use an RV and it turns out that the usage of your RV affects the parks as well. The two primary models are vacation RV usage and full-time RV usage.
Vacation RV Usage
Vacation usage means that you might store the RV a large portion of the year and you use it for vacations, like spring breaks, summer vacations, and Christmas.
Parks that focus on Vacation Usage
Typically, vacationers who go RV camping in Texas are interested in parks with amenities such as swimming pools, tennis courts, saunas, jacuzzis, work-out centers, and more. You’ll find more parks with amenities near vacation or tourist destinations, such as Texas coastal areas or Texas Hill Country areas.
Usually, these parks are almost always in better condition, have a more festive atmosphere, and have much nicer RVs as clientele.
However, if you go RV camping in Texas during an off-season, being in a park with 400 spaces and you are one of three RVs in the park, that might take away from the fun. I know my children enjoy meeting other kids, so a few neighbors isn’t a bad idea.
Full-time RV Usage
Full time usage means that people live in their RVs full-time. There are really two different types of full-timers – those that are living and working in the area long term, and those that are living in their RV, but really staying in an area for a month or more at a time.
Parks that focus on Full-timer Usage
I’ve found that parks that focus on full-timers tend to have fewer amenities and have to work very diligently to make sure that rigs are kept up. The “just-passing-through” types of full-timers usually have extraordinary RVs, so rules that limit the age of RVs tend to make neater parks with more travelers and have more amenities.
Parks that understand the dynamic of RV age have rules on the age of the RV, night time noise rules, and even have their park subdivided into a full-time section and a vacation section. I’ve seen this done very well with an Austin park called La Hacienda RV Resort.
Setting Your Expectations On RV Parks
If you use the knowledge above, you’ll be able to know that RV parks in Killeen, Corpus Christi, Longview, and other industrially-oriented towns are more for full-timers and are going to likely have older RVs and few amenities. This isn’t a perfect rule, but should help you locate places quickly.
Here is an example of a nicer RV Park in Corpus Christi, a city which has more parks oriented to full-timers.
Hill Country vacation towns like Wimberley and Fredericksburg will have nicer parks and a large vacation population. This is true around Bandera as well. For larger cities, if the cities have a strong tourist contingent you’ll find nice parks that cater to both crowds so you can expect to find what you want.
Understanding RV Park Pricing In Texas
To help you budget your stay, here are some guidelines about pricing.
What I’ve seen when we went RV camping in Texas is that parks range from $250 – $550 per month. These are monthly rates. Usually, to calculate a day rate, you could divide the monthly rate by 10. It is common to have a $30 rate for a day rate at an RV park.
This means that RV parks are priced below most hotels, but also priced so that you have an incentive to purchase an entire month.
Electricity and Internet? Included or Not?
There are no standards on whether or not you get free cable or internet, but the cable is usually off of an older box that does not provide HD signals. The RV parks’ internet I have found to be sporadic as well, even if offered by a service provider contracted by the park. This is so common that I never anticipate having WiFi, even if it is offered.
The one item that is worth exploring is the electric service. In Texas summers, the electric bill for cooling even a small camper will easily be $100-$200. In my personal experience, where I have had to pay for electric, it seemed higher than it would have been in my sticks and bricks house.
If you go RV camping in Texas during the summer and electric is included in the bill then that has some real value. In the rest of the seasons, it isn’t very important.
Tailgating – RV’ing In A Class By Itself
There is a usage for an RV that has nothing to do with RV camping in Texas that is worth mentioning. If you are in Texas in the Fall, taking your RV to a football game to tailgate is a wonderful experience.
Texas has a number of great colleges and I personally have been to College Station for a Fall football game. Rest assured, I’ll be doing that again! Be prepared to run off only your stored water and generator. Make sure you bring your college flag, and remember – BIGGER is better!
This should give you a good place to start with RV camping in Texas. Enjoy your trip!