Your Guide to the Unspoken Rules of RV Etiquette

Whether spending a few nights at a Salem, Oregon RV resort or an evening at a Willamette Valley RV park, there exists an underlying code of etiquette that RV owners need to follow if they hope to get along with their new neighbors. So regardless of whether you travel throughout Oregon in a Class C motorhome or pull a travel trailer behind your truck, your next family outdoor adventure will go a lot more smoothly if you keep the following best practices in mind.

Understand the Rules

Every campground and RV park operates under a set of rules that are designed to improve everyone’s experience. Some RV parks have more rules they ask you to follow when compared to more rural campsites.

When checking in, take a moment to go over the rules so you know what type of behavior – loud music after dark, outdoor grilling, etc. – is allowed before setting up your RV. If possible, try checking an RV park’s rules online before arriving, as this will inform you whether to book at a different park that features rules more in-line with the camping experience you desire.

Be Polite to Your Neighbors

Whether spending the night in a RV or tent, your experience, and that of everyone around you, will be far better if you act like a good neighbor. Playing loud music late at night, creating a mess that you don’t clean up, and dominating shared community features like picnic tables and playgrounds can all cause your neighbors to wish you had stayed home.

Usually, posted campsite rules will help to keep everyone in line regarding what’s acceptable behavior. However, if want to keep the party going later or need to occupy the picnic area for longer periods of time, just make the effort to communicate with your neighbors and ask if they mind. A little open communication at the start of your camping experience will help to keep tempers from flaring and uncomfortable encounters to a minimum.

Don’t Cut Through Other Peoples’ Campsites

While it may not feature the walls of a hotel room, a campsite shares many of the same basic principles. Everyone pays for the space their RV occupies, so don’t presume you’re welcome to walkthrough someone’s else’s campsite just because you don’t feel like walking around.

Most people won’t mind if you ask before walking across, just don’t presume. You wouldn’t want someone to cut through your hotel room on their way to the room next door, so make sure to treat everyone else with the same type of respect for privacy you’d want.

Keep the Noise Down

For some people, camping offers a chance to connect with nature in a very intimate and personal way. That connection can become easily interrupted, however, if campsite neighbors refuse to keep the noise down to a respectful volume.

Pretty much every Salem, Oregon RV resort and Willamette Valley RV park has posted quiet hours. These hours typically take effect between 10 pm and 8 am. During whatever posted quiet hours, make sure to keep the music down and the noise level at a minimum. If you’re arriving late at night after hours, only do a minimal level of set-up and finish the rest in the morning.

Stay in Your Own Area

RV parks and campsites are designed to accommodate as many people comfortably as possible. As a result, you won’t have unlimited room to unpack and spread out your gear. When setting up for a multi-night stay, it can feel tempting to empty out the RV so you have more room inside. But your neighbors won’t be too happy when your grill, lawn chairs, bikes, and hiking gear starts to spread from your campsite into theirs.

As a general rule, try only unpacking the items you’ll need on any given day. If this still doesn’t leave you with much space inside of your RV, you might need to consider packing a little more lightly the next time you head out of town.

 

These are just a few of the unspoken rules of etiquette that every RV camper should follow, regardless of whether staying at a Salem, Oregon RV resort or just an evening at a Willamette Valley RV park. Check back to our blog next week as we continue to look at more of the unspoken rules of etiquette that will make your next camping trip far more enjoyable for everyone.