You might think that buying an RV and hitting the road is the whole story, but there’s an entire culture and lifestyle around RVing, which comes with a few unspoken rules. We’re not talking about restrictive, heavy-handed rules here. These are more common courtesies that will make your stay (and everyone else’s) a lot more convenient and fun.

Large RV park campsite long row of recreational vehicles trailers boats tall palm trees in South Padre Island beach Gulf Coast shoreline, aerial view campers basecamp with power hookup, Texas. USA

Leave Space if Possible

It might not always be possible to park away from other campers at the campground, but you should leave a space or two between you and another vehicle if there are enough open stalls. Campsites are designed to stack RVs next to each other, but when there’s room, it’s nice not to have another vehicle parked directly next door.

Be Careful with Exterior Lighting

Most new RVs offer extensive outdoor lighting options, with some featuring floodlights and other bright fixtures. While they are great for entertaining and enjoying your RV after dark, those lights can also be a big problem for other campers trying to sleep. Additionally, leaving the lights on all night burns an unnecessary amount of electricity and can drain your RV’s battery reserves. Be careful to turn off exterior lights when you don’t need them.

Campground office in large RV park campsite with long row of recreational vehicles and trailers boats tall palm trees in South Padre Island, aerial view campers basecamp with power hookup, Texas. USA

Manage Your Smoke and Other Aromas

If you smoke cigarettes, it’s common courtesy to do so away from other campers to avoid filling their campsites with smoke. The same is true for extremely smoky or fragrant foods, such as slow-roasting barbecues.

Try to Stay Out of the Left Lane

This rule is more a courtesy for other drivers on the road instead of at a campsite, but it’s an important one. Even the most powerful RVs can’t match today’s sedans and pickup trucks on acceleration, especially on long grades or in poor weather conditions. Stay out of the left lane as much as possible to let others pass and not impede the flow of traffic.

Vacant land near large RV park campsite with long row of recreational vehicles, trailers boats and tall palm trees in South Padre Island, aerial view basecamp with full power hookup, Texas. USA

Don’t Be too Loud

Like smoking and cooking smelly food, your noise levels can become a big problem for other campers. Music is okay at a reasonable volume in the daytime, but it’s important to turn the volume down after dark. Try not to watch TV outside after dark, either, unless you’re doing so quietly.

Plan Ahead

Campsites are becoming more crowded by the day, and it’s becoming more difficult to find desirable camping locations near popular tourist attractions. Take the time to plan as much of your trip ahead of time as possible, including booking campsite reservations and planning driving routes to avoid a panic situation when you arrive at your destination.

1 miles

$18,111